Liturgy

Friends, welcome to this sacred place this morning.
Let us pause for a moment to be still and breathe.

May we be reminded why we gather as a community

We seek community,
we seek forgiveness,
we seek understanding,
we seek wholeness.

Let us work together in this space to be the
body of Christ, united in mind and in heart
to create a sanctuary for the Holy Spirit
and for our souls that long for rest.

We come together this morning to bear witness
to the love that knows no bounds and seeks
to lead us to green pastures and still waters,
where we can be renewed.

We pray In the name of God, our Creator,
Jesus, our Savior,
and the Holy Spirit, our Breath of Life.
Amen.

(Michael Kaiser)

Scripture Reading

We invite you to hear from the reading of 1 Corinthians 12: 14-20.

14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many.
15 If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong
to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.

16 And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not
belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one
of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would
the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!
The Good News of Christ. Praise be to you, O Christ!

The grass withers and the flower fades,
but the Word of the Lord endures forever. Amen.

Sermon and Reflection

Sermon Podcast 10.06.19 – Contemplating Community

What are some ways we experience or contribute to scapegoating in our lives?

What does it look like to listen well in community?

Benediction

Go now into the world, inspired by the
radiant love of God. Live generously
with open hands, loving one another
as if your lives depended on it.

Be good stewards of the gifts you
have received, so that God may be
glorified in all that you say and do.

And may the abundant love of God surround you,
may the extravagant grace of Jesus Christ sustain
you, and may the constant presence of the Holy Spirit
inspire and encourage you in every good deed and word.

Go forth in the name
of our Holy God,
Three in One,
Amen.

Go in peace and live the church.
See you throughout the week.

[Photo by Sayaka M @ Flickr]