Liturgy
Lord, you are your word
You are memory when ours fails
A deep breath when ours grows shallow
An anchor when we’re unmoored
We lose confidence in you and in ourselves
That our projects will never complete
Our relationships never mended
But Lord you are sage, mentor, carpenter, friend
You prepare for each harvest,
Knowing the plant and the season
The days grow shorter to have the long June nights
The gardener knows the crops that need pruning & those that need
space
The carpenter knows the woods that are obstinate
Lord we have been all those freckles of time to you
Ruth in our unfaltering trust
Peter in the confidence of our own rightness
With each rhythm you smile with the same knowing
Redemption is always nigh without our payment
The ships come back into the harbor after long nights at sea
Your order is good
Are the turtledoves that different from the angels singing?
Is a winding stream that different from alabaster poured at your feet?
Lord as you tend and mend in our lives,
Help use to hear your words and go out & do the same
In the name of God the quiet carpenter
Christ the steady gardener
And Holy Spirit, the constant friend
Amen
(Vox Prayer Team)
Scripture
We invite you to hear from the Gospel according to John 13:1, 35-38
1 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had
come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own
who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
35 “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love
for one another.” 36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you
going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now,
but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not
follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will
you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows,
you will have denied me three times.
The Good News of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
The grass withers and the flower fades,
but the Word of the Lord endures forever.
Amen.
Homily & Reflection
What wisdom could we learn if we explored the broader history of the church with humility and curiosity?
Are there areas of Christian tradition that are unhelpful to our growth, and what would it look like to let go of them and explore other areas?
What are some ways we might embrace our collective imperfection as a community?
Benediction
For a God of sacrifice, of festivals,
of burning bush, and prophecy—
Remind us that with a washing of feet
comes a divine order that never left
For who can rebuke one
that is in service to one’s friends?
Who can cackle at one that lays down
at the threshing floor knowing God’s promise?
If we fall asleep to your goodness,
Lord remind us that it is just a season
In the name of a God of service, of empathy, of rhythm
A Christ of tending and waiting
And a Spirit that sings the joy of a divine work complete
Amen
(Vox Prayer Team)
[Photo by Derek Huang]