Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Good Morning and Welcome to Worship! Worship is often the first place that new people come into contact with this growing community of faith. And so, if you are joining us for the first time, I say to you what is said every Sunday: You are welcome here. Here is a place where all are welcome. For such is the love of God for God’s Very Good Creation.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below; praise God above, ye Heav'nly host: praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

God of all glory, we gather here today with the saints of every time and place to honor and praise your holy name. As you have revealed your mercy and might to your faithful people in every age, so let us glimpse — even through our tears — the mystery of your life-giving love that even death cannot destroy; through Jesus Christ, Alpha and Omega. Amen.

Let us pray for all of the needs of the world.

For the Church of Christ and for all people of faith who call upon God by other names, that where there is need and division, your Spirit will bring understanding and reconciliation.

For Earth, for minerals, bacteria, microbes, and all that lives and breathes in every size and shape; for the healing of all Earth’s scars and toxins; for wisdom to deal well and equitably with every landscape. For nations, leaders, armies, town councils, and mutuals, peacekeepers and peacemakers, legislation at all levels of government; for voters and for people who work toward democracy; for those who fight against change and those who fight for change in the name of Justice.

For children and those who are raising up children in this complicated world, that in the midst of their common struggles there will be times of great joy and happiness.

For all who daily show us how to live well and in accord with your commands.

For all who suffer in our land from hunger, houselessness, poverty, and illness.

For all else we hold in our hearts this day, especially those we name before you spoken aloud or in silence.

In thanksgiving for those who have taught us faith, we ask you to hear our please and our words of gratitude. Keep us in your care and bring us to the feast that has no end, through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Loving God of all creation, you are the source of all our provisions. May our material and temporal giving reflect not our bounty, but yours. We bring you this day the pledges of our time, talent, and treasure, as we pledge ourselves to building your Kin-dom here on earth. Receive our oath of time, talent and treasure and bless us that these gifts may serve beyond us. Amen.

Almighty God, your word is life and your promise is true. By the power of your Holy Spirit write your words upon our hearts so that we may be agents of your love sharing your new creation through the teachings of Jesus. Amen.

¹¹But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), ¹²he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. ¹³For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, ¹⁴how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!

²⁸One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” ²⁹Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; ³⁰you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ ³¹The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ³²Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; ³³and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’ —this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.

We serve a living God. In the days to come, look for the presence of God alive in the midst of God’s people and the creation God has made. Where is God at work, bringing people together for good?

— John Fluker, pianist in loving memory of John’s beloved sister, Sharyn Anita McIntyre

We offer both white and red grape juice. If you are afraid of spilling red grape juice, a limited number of cups with white grape juice are provided.

Here at Community Church we celebrate “Open Communion.” Anyone who wishes to commune may come to God’s Table. You do not have to be sinless; God forgives you. You do not have to be perfect; but God is encouraging you to grow. You need not belong to this or any church; God Invites all people to this meal. It is enough to love and follow God with all your heart. This is what God asks us to do. Come to our God’s Table in faith this day. Go from this place to live, and never be the same again. Let us commune as siblings in Christ.

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth.

God of Abraham and Sarah, God of Miriam and Moses, God of Joshua and Deborah, God of Ruth and David, God of the priests and the prophets, God of Mary and Joseph, God of the apostles and the martyrs, God of our parents and our ancestors, God of our children to all generations. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and fruit of the vine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

Renew our communion with all your saints, especially those whom we name before you —

Don Ashley — Absent from the Body, present with the Lord. Rosie Ashley — Absent from the Body, present with the Lord. Tobin Bolter — Absent from the Body, present with the Lord. Peggy Coles — Absent from the Body, present with the Lord. Joanna Matos — Absent from the Body, present with the Lord. Sharyn Anita McIntyre — Absent from the Body, present with the Lord. Phyllis Poper — Absent from the Body, present with the Lord. Jo Rousey — Absent from the Body, present with the Lord. Betty Sargent — Absent from the Body, present with the Lord. Cristina Vegas — Absent from the Body, present with the Lord.

By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and forever. Amen.

Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

The bread which we have eaten is a sharing in the bread of Christ. The cup over which we give thanks is the sharing in the cup of Christ.

Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, strengthen us to run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith. Amen.

Who will enter the presence of the Lord? Who will stand in this holy place? Those who offer their whole lives to God — heart and mind and soul and strength — they will receive the blessing of the Lord. Amen.

The earth belongs to you, O God, the world and all its people. For the blessings of this life and the gift of your love we give you thanks and praise. As you have sought us to bring us your love, help us to seek your face among our neighbors so that all may know the wonder of your love; through Jesus Christ our lord. Amen.

My siblings, Jesus calls us to go forth in faith and love, to live each day as a gift and sharing the good news of God’s love for all through our words and actions. May the Lord our God — Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end — be with you this day and always. Amen.