Liturgy

The violence in the world is old,
Our place in the world is ever new.

Work in us, Good Shepherd, and
Give us the foresight to distinguish
The wolves beneath the willow;
Give us courage as you scatter
what prowls in wait.

The goodness in the world is old,
The threats to it seem ever new.

Guide our simple steps, high upon the cliffs,
Or low in the craggy plain.
Light the way to the valley’s end,
Sustain our flagging hearts as
Fears crowd out the hope within.

The call to find rest in you is old,
The barriers to that peace are ever new.

Aid us in our unbelief,
Forgive our desertion
Of the call upon us.
Redeem us out of the places you found us,
And refine us into a communal fire.

We ask in the name
Of our God our Provider,
Christ our Protector,
And the Holy Spirit, our Guide.
Amen.

(Luke Helm)

Scripture

We invite you to hear from the letter to the Exodus 3:1-6, 10-12.

1 Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness and came to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.

3 Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

10 Now go, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
The grass withers and the flower fades,
but the Word of the Lord endures forever. Amen.

Homily and Reflection

Homily Podcast – The Peculiarity of Expired Dreams 9.03.2023

How have you been shaped by expired dreams?

How might you cultivate humble awareness to see the unexpected in the ordinary?

Where are you trying on your own, where you might need to invite others in?

Benediction

Let us close with a benediction.

Our God, our Shepherd,
Our Meadow, our Brook –

May your love be a tempest,
Blowing through our plans,
Bursting upon our assuredness,
Simplifying want into trust.

Guide your beloved flock, O Lord,
Through the darknesses we fear,
Through the darknesses we choose,
And remind us that even the darkest valley,
At last, will open into dawn.

Teach us to dine with our enemies;
May it be grace that runneth over
The confines of our expectation,
And loving-kindness that anoints
Your children’s’ heads like oil.

Goodness and Mercy, come quickly–
Collect this broken world to yourself,
And teach us to dwell in the house of the Lord, forever.

In the Name of
The One Who Hears our cry,
The One Who Weeps with us,
And the Holy Spirit,
Our Breath and Guide.
Amen.
(Luke Helm)

[ Photo by Bence Boros ]