Bulletin – Sunday, August 14, 2022 – Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday, August 14, 2022
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Approach
Lighting the Christ Candle
We light this candle this morning to remember. We light this candle to remember Christ; the Christ that was born in a stable to a young single woman, who would, along with her partner, become a political refugee, the Christ who walked the dusty roads of the ancient world with those whom society deemed as ‘less than,’ the Christ who included women in a world where they were excluded, the Christ who was not satisfied with the status quo and was seen as counter-cultural. As we remember this Christ we are challenged to embody this counter-cultural nature of Christ in all that we do. So let us remember, let us embody, let us change the world. Amen.
Call to Worship
One: He walks by, preoccupied, frightened.
All: We walk by.
One: He lies helpless, dazed, overwhelmed.
All: We lie helpless.
One: Dear God, may they find each other in this place today.
All: Dear God, as we come this day to worship, may we find each other.
(adapted from Katherine Hawker)
Hymn – “Open My Eyes, That I May See” (VU #371)
Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
Ready, my God, they will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything else will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee,
Ready, my God, they will to see.
Open my ears, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Open my mouth, and let me bear
Gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee,
Ready, my God, they will to see.
Open my heart, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Prayer of Approach and Confession
Holy God, we come together to worship, a people who would like to think that we love you with all our hearts and souls, with all our might, but there are so many other things in our lives that clamor for our attention that we often relegate you to Sundays and times when we want you to rescue us.
Most of us really do want you to be the one in whom we live and move and have our being. We really do want to hear your voice above all of the other voices in our lives. But we got bogged down in the daily routine. We forget who we are. We forget who you are. We forget what the church is supposed to be. So here we are, coming before you today, with our human failings and our short attention spans, asking that you would make yourself known to us, that you would help us to recognize the presence of the Holy, that you would continue to challenge us, inspire us, and make us into the people you want us to be. Amen.
(adapted from Katie Cook)
Words of Assurance
Time for All ages
The Word
Scripture Reading: Luke 10:25-37
25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God!
Video – “Another Day in Paradise” – Phil Collins
Meditation – “Who Are We?”
The Response
Prayers of the People
One: Our prayer today is for all who are victims of cruel laws and petty laws, those who’re subjected to prejudice denied opportunities, excluded, pushed to the margins. The Lord our God is one:
All: We will love with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength.
One: Our prayer today is for all those who’re betrayed, who don’t know loyalty, who fear to trust, or to love, and who don’t realize that they’re already loved by you. The Lord our God is one:
All: We will love with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength.
One: Our prayer today is for the landless and homeless, the refugee and evicted, those who find themselves in foreign places and strange places. The Lord our God is one:
All: We will love with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength.
One: Our prayer today is for the overworked and the underpaid, for those in dangerous work and those in compassionate work, for those who long to work but are denied the opportunity. The Lord our God is one:
All: We will love with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength.
One: Our prayer today is for the Church, for all the branches of the vine including this one we gather as part of, today: body of Christ, people of Christ. The Lord our God is one:
All: We will love with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength.
One: Our prayer today is for the creation gifts, this earth in all its might wonder, yet tender fragility, the gifts of life and resources to treasure. The Lord our God is one:
All: We will love with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength.
One: Our prayer today is for the gifts we give that we will give generously and thankfully and that we’ll use these gifts with wisdom and love. The Lord our God is one:
All: We will love with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength.
One: Our prayer today is for those who lie close to our hearts, those whom we worry about, those whom we miss, those who carry disproportionate burdens at this time…The Lord our God is one:
All: We will love with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength.
Hymn – “Love is the Touch” (MV #89)
Love is the touch of intangible joy;
Love is the force that no fear can destroy;
Love is the goodness we gladly applaud:
God is where love is, for love is of God.
Love is the lilt in a lingering voice;
Love is the hope that can make us rejoice;
Love is the cure for the frightened and flawed:
God is where love is, for love is of God.
Love is the light in the tunnel of pain;
Love is the will to be whole once again;
Love is the trust of a friend on the road:
God is where live is, for love is of God.
Love is the Maker and Spirit and Son;
Love is the kingdom their will has begun;
Love is the path which the saints all have trod:
God is where love is, for love is of God.
Benediction
Go forth from this place refreshed and empowered to do the ministry to which God calls you. Travel lightly, for you carry within you all that you need. Notice God’s presence in simple everyday experiences and whenever opportunity arises, work for the good of all, be a living example of God’s love for the world. May the blessing and joy of God, our Creator, Healer, and Life-Giver go with you today and always. Amen.
