phone-in for (audio only) Phone Number: (646) 558-8656
Meeting ID: 825 1215 9155
We Hold These Truths
Kim: Welcome and Theme
Good morning and welcome to the Upper Room. On this weekend when United State citizens celebrate Independence, we will explore the theme of beliefs. In order to form a country, a faith or a movement of any kind, those involved must first be formed by a common set of values and beliefs that inform the path forward. It is helpful and good to regularly remind ourselves of the values and commitments to which we commit our life journey. We being today with singing a prayer that reflects our value of leaning into Love for the sake of ourselves and the world.
Opening Prayer/Song : Leaning In: A Prayer Intention by Christopher Grundy
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: A reading from the Letter to the Romans (Rom 6:3-4, 8-11)
Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might live in newness of life.
If, then, we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.
As to his death, he died to sin once and for all;
as to his life, he lives for God.
Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as dead to sin
and living for God in Christ Jesus.
These are the inspired words from the Letter to the Romans and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
Second Reading: A reading from Pastor Dawn Hutchings
But for the sake of LOVE, not only do I hope the church does not survive, I believe that the church should not survive. Believing, as I do, that the DIVINE MYSTERY which we call “GOD” is LOVE, I am convinced that whatever our concept of church is, surely church ought to be the embodiment of that LOVE. Or, at the very least, church ought to be about the work of empowering its members to embody LOVE in the world. Sadly, much of what passes for church fails to either embody LOVE or to engender LOVE in the world. So, because the church has at the very least inspired hope in me, I hope that the church does not survive. My hope for the church’s demise is buttressed by my faith in resurrection which encourages me to imagine what new kind of church might rise up out of the death throes of ‘the Church’.
These are the inspired words of Pastor Dawn Hutchings and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker & Fintan O’Carroll
Gospel: A reading from the anonymous Gospel writer known as Matthew
Jesus said to his apostles:
"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross
and follow after me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
"Whoever receives you receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet's reward,
and whoever receives a righteous man
because he is a righteous man
will receive a righteous man's reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because the little one is a disciple—
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."
Shared Homily
Today we have several documents that have the same essential purpose, which is to inspire the listener to move beyond the comfort of familiar ideas, beliefs , traditions and identities and embrace a larger, if riskier, possibilities.
In the US, we celebrate the 4th of July celebration this week. This is when we remember the Declaration of Independence that was drafted by some of our founders. In the preamble we hear the now familiar phrase “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.” On this 13th Sunday in Ordinary time, we hear from Paul in his letter to the Christian community in Rome and from the gospel writer known as Matthew. We also hear from Pastor Dawn Hutchings, a dear friend of ARCWP as she reflects on her thoughts in a recent post following her retirement as a Lutheran minister.
The Founders statement of belief forms the inspiration for the American Revolution they were about to incite. In order to convince the colonists that it would be worth dying in a war with Britain, they had to appeal to the values they would be upholding. Although we know that “all men” did not include anyone except wealthy, white, men, it was logical in its historic time. They were asking people to be willing to give up their identity as British citizens, the security of a common history and way of life, lose their family and friends living in Britain, and risk their lives for something new and untested. Pastor Dawn provides wonderfully rich language to explain why it would be important to let the Church metaphorically die so that something new and better can spring forth from the ashes. Unless the Church embodies Love and empowers Love in its’ members, it must die, that is transform and be resurrected. We are a resurrection people. This is a frightening concept for many because it can be frightening to relinquish familiar and comforting beliefs, customs and traditions in favor of a renewed Church. Any question should be answered by remembering the pain of Vatican 2 for so many who could only see loss and fear.
In Matthew’s gospel, as in Pastor Dawn’s writing, the core message is LOVE. Matthew’s Jesus teaches that the way to salvation is to love God and to love others. Period. So in the gospel today, the focus is on action in the form of service to others, not belief in Jesus. In other words, the Chrisian message is on doing good rather than right Christological belief. The point is made that the way to embody love of God and others is to realize that doing good to anyone is doing good to Jesus. That is the cross. That is the risk. The cross is more than risking death, it is the lifelong commitment to the cross of service, expanding the boundaries of tribal and religious rules. It is radical Love that in its own time separated families and resulted in persecution for those to step into a new way of living for God . Finally, this is emphasized by Paul in his letter. He believed that the act of baptism created a mystical union with the death of Jesus. The death in the water is followed by the resurrection into a new way of living . Salvation hinged on accepting this life/death/resurrected life belief about the Christian message. Again we see a prophet imploring the listener to risk everything to embrace a new paradigm. A path with great costs both then and today.
So, what truths do we hold to be self-evident? When we renew our baptismal promises every Easter, we declare fidelity to this call. It is a call to live without clinging to family, friends, familiar social and religious practices, comfort and easy answers. The way of the cross carries many risks, many potential dangers and losses. Yet, we are also people of the Resurrection and we know that God is Love, Love is the only way forward, Love is the ideal, the path, the goal and the reward.
What did you hear in our readings or theme?
Statement of Faith (All)
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.
Kim: As we prepare for the sacred meal, we voice our intentions beginning with the words, “We bring to the table…..”
We pray for our blessings, cares, and concerns and all unspoken intentions. Amen.
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Kim: Please join in praying the Eucharistic prayer together:
All: O Holy One, you have birthed us in goodness, gifted us with life and cherished us in love. In the heart of our being, your Spirit dwells; a Spirit of courage and vision, a Spirit of wisdom and truth.
In the power of that same Spirit, we lift our hearts in prayer, invoking anew the gift of wisdom and enlightenment, that we may continue to praise and thank you, in union with all who sing the ancient hymn of praise:
Holy, Holy: Here In This Place by Christopher Grundy
ALL: Holy One, we see around us the work of your hands, the fruit of your wisdom and love. The unfolding story of creation witnesses unceasingly to your creative power. We, your creatures, often deviate from that wisdom, thus hindering your creative presence in our midst.
Sending among us Jesus, our brother, you birth afresh in our world the power of Sophia-Wisdom, and in the gift of Your Spirit, your creative goodness blooms anew, amid the variety and wonder of life.
Kim: Please extend your hands in blessing.
All: We invoke Your Spirit upon the gifts of this Eucharistic table, bread of the grain and wine of the grape, that they may become gifts of wisdom, light and truth which remind us of our call to be the body of Christ to the world.
On the night before he faced his own death and for the sake of living fully, Jesus sat at the Seder supper with his companions and friends. He reminded them of all that he taught them, and to fix that memory clearly within them, he bent down and washed their feet.
All lift their plate and pray the following:
When he returned to his place at the table, he lifted the Passover bread, spoke the blessing, broke the bread and offered it to them saying:
Take and eat; this is my very self.
All lift their cup and pray the following:
He then raised high 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.
What we have heard with our ears, we will live with our lives,
As we share communion, we will become communion
Both Love’s nourishment and Love’s challenge.
(consume bread and wine)
Communion Meditation: There Is Only Love by Karen Drucker
All: In faith and hope we are sustained; in grace and dignity reclaimed. In praise, we thank you.
In union with all peoples living and dead, we unite our thoughts and prayers, asking wisdom and courage:
- to discern more wisely your call to us in the circumstances of our daily lives;
- to act justly and courageously in confronting the pain and suffering that desecrates the Earth and its peoples;
- to take risks in being creative and proactive on behalf of the poor and marginalized;
- and to love all people with generosity of heart, beyond the labels of race, creed and color.
And may we ever be aware and alert to the new things Your Spirit makes possible in us, as our world unfolds amid pain and beauty, into the fullness of life to which all are called, participating in the wise and wonderful work of co-creation.
Like Jesus, we will open up wide all that has been closed about us, and we will live compassionate lives, for it is through living as Jesus lived, that we awaken to your Spirit within, moving us to glorify you, O Holy One, at this time and all ways.
Amen.
Kim: Let us pray the prayer Jesus:
O 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 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
(Miriam Therese Winter)
BLESSING
Kim: With raised hands, let us bless one another.
May we go forth inspired by Love, filled with Love, and with gratitude for Love. May we share this gift in thought, word and deed through seeking opportunities to be active in building the kindom. May we live a life rooted in peace, justice and love for all creation. May we be a blessing in our time.
Closing Song: America the Beautiful by Jesse Palidofsky
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