Upper Room Saturday Liturgy, June 27, 2026 - Presider: Denise Hackert-Stoner

Zoom:   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82512159155  
phone-in for (audio only).Phone Number: (646) 558-865

Welcome, friends, as we gather in prayer and thanksgiving, as a beloved community.

Opening Prayer:  Holy One, open our minds and hearts to your truth.  Allow us to hear you, to see you, to live in your Divine Love, just as our brother Jesus did.  And as we strive to live as he did, help us to become more and more the people you created us to be.  Amen.

Opening Song:  Ancient Words, Michael W Smith    https://youtu.be/gqtEtqmjHf4?si=0uuXwka2di8A30Xc

LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading: From Richard Rohr, Eager to Love: The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi

Our conscious need for mercy is our only real boarding pass. The ego doesn’t like that very much, but the soul fully understands.  

In different ways, we humans falsely divide the world into the pure and impure, the totally good and the totally bad, the perfect and imperfect. It begins with dualistic thinking and then never manages to get beyond it. Such a total split or clean division is never true in actual experience. We all know that reality is a lot more mixed and “disordered” than that; so, in order to continue to see things in such a false and binary way, we really have to close down. That is the hallmark of immature religion. It demands denial, splitting, and mental pretense. It moves from the first false assumption of purity or perfection toward an entire ethical code, a priesthood of some sort, and various rituals and taboos that keep us on the side of the seeming pure, positive, or perfect — as if that were even possible.  

I mean this next point kindly: Organized religion is almost structurally certain to create hypocrites (the word literally means “actors”), those who try to appear to be pure and good, or at least better than others. Jesus uses the word at least ten times in Matthew’s Gospel alone! We are unconsciously trained to want to look good, to seek moral high ground, and to point out the “speck” in other people’s eyes while ignoring the “log” in our own (Matthew 7:3–5). None of us lives up to all our spoken ideals, but we have to pretend we do in order to feel good about ourselves and to get others of our chosen group to respect us.  

These are the words of priest and theologian, Richard Rohr.  We affirm his words with Amen.

Gospel Acclamation: Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker

https://youtu.be/o1rc7ojQtJU

Gospel:  Matthew 8: 5-10, 13

When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” 
He said to him, “I will come and cure him.”
The centurion said in reply,
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes;
and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes;
and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
“Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven,
but the children of the Kingdom
will be driven out into the outer darkness,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

And Jesus said to the centurion,
“You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.”
And at that very hour his servant was healed.

This story, passed down from our ancestors, is told by an ancient writer we know as Matthew.  We affirm his words with Amen.

Homily Starter:

The centurion is a man who understands rules.  He’s a mid-level officer in the Roman army, one who both receives and gives orders.  Being an army officer, he knows well how to adhere to regulations.  And being a perceptive and caring human being, he is sensitive to the regulations that others follow.  Even when those “others” are subject to the force of his own command.  

So, when his servant falls ill, the centurion goes to Jesus, the healer everyone is talking about.  He could order Jesus to follow him and enter his home, where the servant is lying.  But he knows that for Jesus, a Jewish teacher, the gentile centurion’s home would be considered unclean.  So, rather than putting Jesus in that difficult situation, the centurion asks Jesus to heal the servant from a distance.  And Jesus is impressed.  He is impressed with the faith of this outsider who represents all that the Jewish people hate and fear.  He is impressed with the humility of a man who is willing to set aside his own significant power out of respect for the religious regulations of a subjugated person.  He is impressed with the love of this powerful man for his servant.  

And the Jewish bystanders who are standing there witnessing this remarkable incident?  Jesus loves them.  He has just wrapped up the great discourse of his teachings in the Sermon on the Mount.  Those teachings were meant just for these, his people.  But he also knows them, and sees their shadow side, which can manifest in hypocrisy.  Three times in the sermon on the mount, and many other times in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus refers to hypocrisy.  As Richard Rohr reminds us, it is often religion itself, with its dualistic way of looking at life, that can lead people to act like hypocrites. So, this centurion, who represents the power and greed of the Roman occupiers, in his dialogue with Jesus, becomes a lesson in humility and authenticity.  This is the gift of Jesus, to see inside a person, any person, to recognize both the light and the shadow dwelling within that person, and to love the whole person.  No need for hypocrisy.  That centurion is probably not a perfect person.  He is part of an occupying force.  He follows orders that lead him to subjugate his fellow human beings.  But there is good in him, and Jesus sees it.  

We are, each one of us, whole people, made of light and shadow.  And just as we are, in all our complexity, we are worthy.  Worthy of the Love who made us, and worthy of the precious gift of our lives.  No need to pretend to be perfect.  No need to point out the flaws of others to make ourselves appear better by comparison.  No hypocrisy.  Just Love.  

What did you hear in today’s readings?  Please share your thoughts.

Statement of Faith

We believe in the Holy One, a divine mystery 
beyond all definition and rational understanding, 
the heart of all that has ever existed, 
that exists now, or that ever will exist. 

We believe in Jesus, messenger of the Divine Word, 
bringer of healing, heart of Divine compassion, 
bright star in the firmament of the Holy One's 
prophets, mystics, and saints. 

We believe that We are called to follow Jesus 
as a vehicle of divine love, 
a source of wisdom and truth, 
and an instrument of peace in the world. 
 
We believe in the Spirit of the Holy One, 
the life that is our innermost life, 
the breath moving in our being, 
the depth living in each of us. 
 
We believe that the Divine kin-dom is here and now, 
stretched out all around us for those 
with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it, 
and hands to make it happen. 

Prayers of the Community

As we prepare for this sacred meal, we are aware of our call to serve, and just as Jesus is anointed, so is each of us. We bring to this table our prayers for the community. 

Prayers for the community.

We pray for these and all unspoken intentions. Amen. 

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

(Written by Jay Murnane)

Please join in praying the Eucharistic prayer together.  

Blessed are you, Holy One, source of all creation. Through your goodness you made this world and called us to be Your co-creators. We give thanks for the diversity and beauty of life around us and within us. 

We open our awareness to the goodness of all of creation and we remember our responsibility to serve. You invite us to build the earth into a community of love rooted in justice. You placed confidence in us, for you made us and you know that we are good.  

In joy and in thanksgiving we join with all the faithful servants who have gone before us and we sing:

Holy, Holy, Holy by Karen Drucker video by Denise

https://youtu.be/kl7vmiZ1YuI

We thank you for Jesus, simple servant, lifting up the lowly, revealing you as God-With-Us, and revealing us as one with you and all of creation.

He lived among us to show us who we are and challenged us to know you. He taught us the strength of compassionate love.  

Please extend your hands in blessing.

We are grateful for your Spirit at our Eucharistic Table and for this bread and wine which reminds us of our call to be the body of Christ in the world. 

On the night before he died, Jesus gathered for supper with the people closest to him. Like the least of household servants, he washed their feet, so that they would re-member him.

When he returned to his place at the table, he lifted the bread, spoke the blessing, broke the bread and offered it to them saying: 

Take and eat, this is my very self.

 (pause) 

 

Then he took the cup of the covenant, spoke the grace, and offered it to them saying:

Take and drink.

Whenever you remember me like this,

I am among you.

(pause) 

What we have heard with our ears, we will live with our lives.  As we share communion, we become Communion both love’s nourishment and love’s challenge.

Please receive Communion with the words, I am worthy.

Communion Meditation/Song:  You Say, Lauren Daigle https://youtu.be/sIaT8Jl2zpI?si=yj9bR_Z7YjuK93_D

Prayer after communion: 

Holy One, we are willing to do everything Jesus did, to re-create the living presence of a love that does justice, of a compassion that heals and liberates, of a joy that generates hope, of a light that illumines people and confronts the darkness of every injustice and inequity.

We trust you to continue to share with us your own spirit, the spirit that animated Jesus, for it is through his life and teaching, all honor and glory is yours, O Holy One, forever and ever.  Amen.

 

Let us pray as Jesus taught us: 

Holy One, you are within, around and among us.  
We celebrate your many names. 
Your wisdom come; your will be done, 
unfolding from the depths within us. 
Each day you give us all that we need. 
You remind us of our limits and we let go. 
You support us in our power, and we act with courage. 
For you are the dwelling place within us, 
the empowerment around us, 
and the celebration among us,  
now and forever, Amen.  

Adapted by Miriam Therese Winter 

BLESSING

Please raise your hands in Blessing:  

May we see each person, and ourselves, with the eyes of Jesus:  light and shadow, strength and weakness, trial and error, and completely worthy of love.  May we bless and be a blessing in our own time.  Amen.  

Closing Song: Look in the Mirror by Carmen Boyle video by Denise https://youtu.be/BF_eU_NjuW8?si=lcBpC1e_KVnLxcda

Moment of Oneness, June 24, 2026- Prepared by Debra Trees

 Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81507551772

Meeting ID: 815 0755 1772
To connect by phone dial: 1-301-715-8592

Liturgy of the Hours - Night Prayer.

Thanksgiving Address. Words Before All Else. Greeting to the World, from the Iroquois, Six Nations People.

The Sign of Blessing: In the name of Peace, and Love and Grace. Amen.

Leader: God, Come to my assistance.

Participants: Holy One, Make haste to help me.

First Reading: from To become a Human Being, The message of Tadodaho Chief Leon Shenandoah. By Steve Wall.

I've heard people pray. They do it at ball games. They start meetings with prayers. There were a lot of prayers said out loud in churches. There are a few “thank yous” in there, but mostly it's a lot of asking. 

They say bless us father, protect us Lord, take care of us and guide us. They ask for even more than that but I can't remember everything because it's so much. 

I don't know why they ask for anything. The Creator’s already done it all. And he's doing it all the time. The Creator just wants us to give our thanks.

These are the wise words from Chief Leon, and we affirm them with AMEN.

Second Reading: Our second reading is the Thanksgiving Address, a prayer of gratitude from the Iroquios. 

From the introduction to this little book, it says, The Thanksgiving Address has ancient roots, dating back over one thousand years to the formation of the Great Law of Peace by a man called the Peacemaker, and perhaps before that. Today these words are still spoken at the opening and closing of all ceremonial and governmental gatherings held by the Six Nations.

 

The Thanksgiving Address. Words Before All Else.

The People.

Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now, we bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as People.

Now our minds are one.

The Earth Mother

We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she continues to care for us as she has from the beginning of time. To our Mother, we send greetings and thanks

Now our minds are one.

The Waters

We give thanks to all the Waters of the world for quenching our thirst and providing us with strength. Water is life. We know its power in many forms - waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the spirit of Water.

Now our minds are one.

The Fish

We turn our minds to all the Fish life in the water. They were instructed to cleanse and purify the water. They also give themselves to us as food. We are grateful that we can still find pure water. So, we turn now to the Fish and send our greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Plants

Now we turn toward the vast fields of Plant life. As far as the eye can see, the Plants grow, working many wonders. They sustain many life forms. With our minds gathered together, we give thanks and look forward to seeing Plant life for many generations to come.

Now our minds are one.

The Food Plants

With one mind, we turn to honor and thank all the Food Plants we harvest from the garden. Since the beginning of time, the grains, vegetables, beans and berries have helped the people survive. Many other living things draw strength from them too. We gather all the Plant Foods together as one and we send them a greeting and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Medicine Herbs

Now we turn to all the Medicine Herbs of the world. From the beginning, they were instructed to take away sickness. They are always waiting and ready to heal us. We are happy there are still among us those special few who remember how to use these plants for healing. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the Medicines and to the keepers of the Medicines.

Now our minds are one.

The Animals 

We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to all the Animal life in the world. They have many things to teach us as people. We see them near our homes and in the deep forests. We are glad they're still here and we hope that it will always be so. 

Now our minds are one.

The Trees

We now turn our thoughts to the Trees. The earth has many families of Trees who have their own instructions and uses. Some provide us with shelter and shade, others with fruit, beauty and other useful things. Many peoples of the world use a Tree as a symbol of peace and strength. With one mind we greet and thank the Tree life.

Now our minds are one.

The Birds

We put our minds together as one and thank all the Birds who move and fly about over our heads. The Creator gave them beautiful songs. Each day they remind us to enjoy and appreciate life. The Eagle was chosen to be their leader. To all the Birds -from the smallest to the largest-we send our joyful greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Four Winds

We are all thankful to the powers we know as the Four Winds. We hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and purify the air we breathe. They help to bring the change of seasons. From the four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving us strength. With one mind we send our greetings and thanks to the Four Winds

Now our minds are one.

The Thunderers

Now we turn to the west where our Grandfathers, the Thunder Beings, live. With lightning and thundering voices, they bring with them the water that renews life. We bring our minds together as one to send greetings and thanks to our Grandfathers, the Thunderers.

Now our minds are one.

The Sun

We now send greetings and thanks to our eldest Brother, the Sun. Each day without fail he travels the sky from East to West bringing the light of a new day. He is the source of all the fires of life. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Brother, the Sun.

Now our minds are one.

Grandmother Moon

We put our minds together and give thanks to our oldest Grandmother, the Moon, who lights the nighttime sky. She is the leader of women all over the world, and she governs the movement of the ocean. By her changing face we measure time, and it is the Moon who watches over the arrival of children here on earth. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Grandmother, the Moon.

Now our minds are one.

The Stars

We give thanks to the Stars who are spread across the sky like jewelry. We see them in the night, helping the Moon to light the darkness and bringing dew to the gardens and growing things. When we travel at night they guide us home. With our minds gathered together as one, we sing greetings and thanks to all the Stars.

Now our minds are one.

The Enlightened Teachers

We gather our minds to greet and thank the Enlightened Teachers who have come to help us throughout the ages. When we forget how to live in harmony, they remind us of the way we were instructed to live as people. With one mind we send greetings and thanks to these caring Teachers.

Now our minds are one.

The Creator

Now we turn our thoughts to the Creator, or Great Spirit, and send greetings and thanks for all the gifts of Creation. Everything we need to live a good life is here on this Mother Earth. For all the love that is still around us, we gather our minds together as one and send our choicest words of greetings and thanks to the Creator.

Now our minds are one.

Closing Words

We have now arrived at the place where we end our words. Of all the things we have named, it was not our intention to leave anything out. If something was forgotten we leave it to each individual to send such greetings and thanks in their own way.

And now our minds are one.

The Glory Be

All: Glory and Joy be to Peace and Love and Grace. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

And let us pray the Prayer of Jesus. 

Prayer of Jesus. (Miriam Therese Winter)

All: Oh Holy One, Who is within, around and among us.

We celebrate your many names. 

Your Wisdom come. Your will be done, Unfolding from the depths within us.

Each day you give us all that we need.

You remind us of our limits, and we let go.

You support us in our power, and we act with courage.

For you are the dwelling place within us,

The empowerment around us,

And the celebration among us,

Now and forever. AMEN.

Deb: Let us have a moment of quiet as we remember our intentions and those who need our prayers.

Please share your intentions if you wish…

Conclusion of Night Prayer, Moment of Oneness.

Blessings on all of us as we take the time and intention to calm ourselves and to keep our thoughts happy in service to others. We are grateful for everything in our lives.

May the Creator grant us a restful night and a peaceful sleep. 

Amen.