Upper Room Sunday Liturgy, September 29, 2024 - Presiders: Connie Fenton, Mary Theresa Streck, and Deb Trees

 Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82512159155 
phone-in for (audio only) Phone Number: (646) 558-8656
Meeting ID: 825 1215 9155

Fifth Sunday in the Season of Creation

Presider 1: Welcome to each of you as we celebrate the Fifth Sunday in the Season of Creation.  We gather to celebrate Creation, reminding ourselves that we are a part of creation and have been provided the opportunity to care for this planet we call home.  We reflect today on our role as co-creators and care-givers of the Earth, and the call to bring harmony to all that we touch with the love and beauty with which the Holy One graces creation. And so we pray: 

Presider 2: Source of all that we are, we honor your creation as an integrated and holy system of plant, animal and human life placed lovingly side by side with water, air, wind, and earth. We pray for the imagination and resolve to establish a supportive ecology so that all of Creation may not just survive but thrive as a continuing sign of your wondrous love. Amen.

Opening Song: What on Earth by Joyce Johnson Rouse (Earth Mama)

https://youtu.be/hML0C2gSGbA

LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading: A reading from The Great Search by John Philip Newell

What is the spiritual vision at the heart of our religious inheritance that we have forgotten or neglected? The Spirit is urging us to remember that we are to do to others, including Earth and every species, what we would most want done to us. This is the teaching of Jesus at the heart of our Christian inheritance, with its equivalent in the ‘Golden Rule’ of nearly every great spiritual tradition in the world. It is the teaching that can lead us into new beginnings.

In our Great Search of today, we are searching for what will bring healing, not only for ourselves, whether as individuals or nations or races, but for all people and for every species. And it is for all things that we are seeking a new sense of home address, not only physically but spiritually. We are longing for a deeper sense of shared origin and spiritual kinship, including a sense of family responsibility for everything that has being.

We are being invited to remember what our souls, at some level, have always known which is that our true spiritual center is not Rome or Jerusalem or Mecca or any of the other places that religion has claimed to hold special authority over us. Our true spiritual center is Earth and the human soul. Rome, Jerusalem and Mecca have occupied a significant place in our faith traditions over the centuries but, essentially, they exist to serve Earth and the human soul, not the other way round.

We are longing for an expanded vision of the Universe, a reawakened love affair with Earth, and a deepened sense of spiritual presence in every moment and encounter of life. We are yearning to grow in awareness, to find wellness, and to delight in love. And we are longing for the recovery of wisdom, for meaning in both the joy and pain of life, and for a reimagined faith in the immortal light that shines in all things.

These are the yearnings of the Great Search today.

These are the inspired words of mystic, John Philip Newell, and we affirm them with, Amen.

Second Reading: Galapagos, written by and read by Denise Hackert Stoner

https://youtu.be/gZ2Th3hmHV8?si=_YNJQp29LuIIarup 

These are the inspired words of our Denise, and we affirm them with, Amen.

Alleluia Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker

https://youtu.be/o1rc7ojQtJU 

Gospel: A Reading from the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 6, 25-26, adapted from The Message Bible

“If you decide for the Holy One, living a life of reverence, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of the Holy One. And you are as precious.

 “If the Holy One gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think the Holy One will attend to you, take pride in you, do the best for you? Relax, do not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to what has been given to you. 

These words are adapted from the Gospel of Matthew and we affirm them with, Amen.

 

Shared Homily  - Connie 

Welcome to our fifth and final Sunday in the Season of Creation. When I revisit the Upper Room liturgies of   all five Sundays, I marvel at our spiritual journey. We have traveled from appreciation and wonder of the many divine creations on our planet to the power of questions in restoring relationships and community.

     In today’s readings, we are reminded of the powerful “Golden Rule” and its equivalent global presence in all spiritual traditions. John Philp Newell and our own, Denise Hackert Stoner, illustrate the many ways that the Earth and our souls share a deep connection of origin, love, and a responsibility for everything that has being. The Gospel of Mathew reminds us to attend to; and appreciate the beautiful gifts of Earth. He also instructs us to relax, and let go of our preoccupation with possessions.

     When we really see these gifts and accept our role as co-creators and caregivers of Earth, we enter a new search-a new beginning and this means the Season of Creation will remain with us as we move forward in our growth in Spiritual kinship and our Faith.  In the Upper Room, we are taking many actions to restore hope and co-create a loving, responsive kinship locally and globally.  

    What are your thoughts as we continue our journey today for tomorrow?    

Presider 1: Let us pray together our 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.

 

Presider 2: As we prepare for the sacred meal, we are aware that just as Jesus is anointed, so is each of us. We bring to this table our blessings, cares and concerns.  Please feel free to voice your intentions beginning with the words “I bring to the table….”

Presider 2: We pray for these and all unspoken prayers. Amen.

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

Presider 1: With open hands and open hearts, let us pray our Eucharistic Prayer:

All: Holy One, you are always with us. In the blessed abundance of creation, we gather to celebrate Your nourishing gift of life. May our hearts be open as You invite us to participate in the wise and wonderful work of co-creation. May we be ever aware of Your Spirit within and among us as our world unfolds amid pain and beauty into the fullness of life. 

We are grateful for Your Spirit whose breath inspired the primal waters, calling into being the variety and abundance we see around us. Your Spirit sustains and animates our every endeavor, inviting us to act in wisdom and in truth.

In gratitude and joy, we embrace our calling and we lift our voices in a song of praise:

Holy, Holy: Here in This Place by Christopher Grundy

https://youtu.be/uXyu57tR2gk?si=DW76N-rNE9cCQXsh

As a community, we gather in the power of your Spirit, refreshing wind, purifying fire and flowing water, for the variety and diversity of Creation. We seek to live as Jesus taught us, wise and holy as Spirit-filled people, courageous and prophetic, ever obedient to your call.

Presider 2: Please extend your hands in blessing.

All: Your Spirit resides within and around us and within all of creation, and in the bread and wine on this table.  You have gifted us with wisdom, light and truth, which remind us of our call to be the body of Christ in the world.

On the night before he faced his own death, Jesus sat at supper with his companions and friends.  He reminded them of all that he taught them, and to fix that memory clearly with them, he bent down and washed their feet. 

When he returned to his place, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and offered it to them saying:

Take and eat;

This is my very self.

Jesus then raised a cup of blessing, spoke the grace and offered the wine saying:

Take and drink of the covenant

Made new again through my life in you.

Whenever you remember me like this,

I am among you.

Presiders lift the plate and cup:

All: This is the bread of life and the cup of blessing. Through it we are nourished and we nourish each other. 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.

Presider 2: Please receive communion with the words: I am/You are a living sign of the Holy One.

Communion song: So Will I by Hillsong United

https://youtu.be/C2U7ffUM5Ec 

Presider 1: Please join in praying our prayer after communion.

All: Holy One, your transforming energy is always moving within us and working through us. May the power of Your Divine Love rain down upon us and bring healing to our lives so we may protect our world.  We are thankful for the pulse of life that fills us each day. May we be encouraged and strengthened as we work for justice, love and peace in the world.

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 at this time and all ways.

Amen.

Presider 2: Let us pray as Jesus taught us:

Generous Creator, the intricate and elegant biodiversity of our world is your hallowed autograph on our lives, on our souls and in our hearts. 

We yearn for the wholeness of being in harmony with Your will and with all living things. 

Each day we draw on your creative, life-giving energy with gratitude, joy, and awe as we find nourishment in seed and field, river and forest. 

May we be stewards and co-creators with you in caring for the gifts of Your Creation.  

We acknowledge our shortcomings, especially our neglect of the environment. We seek to be reconciled with those we have hurt and we resolve to do better.  

With your unfailing wisdom and the wind of Your Spirit, inspire us that we may reach out and love one another and care for the world, our home.

Strengthen us to work for local and global justice so that we may one day reap a harvest of equality and fairness as if they were wildflowers, propagating spontaneously, unerringly and in surprising abundance. Amen.

BLESSING

Presider 1: Let us raise our hands and pray together our blessing:

Creator most generous and kind, your gift of earth and sky reveals your glory. May we go forward boldly to live in the glory. 

May we treat all of Creation as sacred.  May we listen to its sounds and to the voices of one another as we discern the best path to an equitable distribution of the resources we share with our sisters and brothers across the globe. Let us live as if the future depends on it. Amen

Closing Song: Brother Sun (Giving Glory)-Liz Vice from The Porter’s Gate, Climate Vigil Songs

https://youtu.be/vbLI_8kTyPY?si=VqYPIW4V0JrNF2cB

 

Upper Room Saturday Liturgy, September 28, 2024 - Presider: Julie Corron

 Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82512159155 
phone-in for (audio only) Phone Number: (646) 558-8656
Meeting ID: 825 1215 9155

Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi

Welcome: Welcome! I’m so glad to be here with you today as we celebrate Saint Francis of Assisi and close our celebration of the Season of Creation.

Opening Prayer Let us pray. Holy One, today we honor our brother Francis, who understood that our Creator God loves all the creatures of this earth, including those with fur and feathers and scales. Inspired by Saint Francis, we join today with all our brothers and sisters of creation. AMEN

Opening Song All You Works of God – Marty Haugen

https://youtu.be/vCTyaOcB4xk

LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading

A Reading from the Book of Genesis 1:24-25 

God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle, creeping things and wild animals of the earth.” And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that crawls upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 

These are the inspired words of the Priestly Writer and the community affirms them by saying AMEN. 

Psalm 

Psalm 148:1-5, 7-12 

The Psalm Response is: We Praise You, Alleluia.

R: We Praise You, Alleluia

Praise God!
Alleluia from the heavens! Praise God in the spheres!
Praise God, all angels! Sing alleluia! Cosmic glory! 

R: We Praise You, Alleluia

Praise God, sun and moon. Praise God, all you shining stars!
Praise God, deepest space, and all beyond the universe!
Let them praise the Holy Name;
for God spoke, and they were created. 

R: We Praise You, Alleluia

Praise God from the earth,
you great sea creatures in all the deeps;
fire and hail, snow and frost,
 stormy winds that do God's bidding!
You mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars;
wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds! 

R: We Praise You, Alleluia

Rulers of the earth and all peoples,
leaders and all who abide on the earth!
All young men and women alike,
people of all genders,
old and young together!

R: We Praise You, Alleluia

Second Reading 

A Reading from the Book of Revelation 5:11-14

I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: 

“Holy is the Lamb who was slain, who now receives resurrection power and spiritual riches, wisdom and strength, honor, glory and praise!” 

Then, I heard every creature in heaven, every creature on earth and under the earth, every creature who rides the seas, and all that is in the seas, saying: 

“To the One seated in cosmic splendor, and to the Lamb, be praise and honor, glory and strength, from age to age to age!” 

The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell to their knees in praise. 

This is a Vision of a Late First Century Writer known as John and the community affirms it by saying AMEN.

Gospel Acclamation:  Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker

https://youtu.be/4cs8NDVM3Vk?si=LjKW18DK_ms_MYHw

Gospel 

A Reading from the Gospel attributed to Luke 12:22-28

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body and what you will wear. Life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens. They do not sow or reap. They have no storeroom or barn. Yet God feeds them. 

“Who of you, by worrying, can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? 

Consider how the wildflowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet, I tell you, not even Solomon—in all his splendor—was dressed like one of these. If God so clothes the grass in the field that grows today and is thrown in the oven tomorrow, will God not provide much more for you, O you of little faith? 

These are the inspired words of the gospel writer known as Luke and the community affirms them by saying AMEN.

Shared Homily

Julie: This Friday, October 4^th, is the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. It also marks the end of our monthlong Season of Creation celebration. I think many of us are familiar with the Saint Francis Fun Facts: He’s the patron saint of animals. We have him to thank for our Christmas manger scenes with animals in them. He founded, by attraction, the Franciscan order, some of whom you’ll see on campus at nearby Siena College, although I think he’d have something to say about that gold dome on top of Siena Hall! 

But Francis did more than that. Francis did something really radical for his time, the 13^th century, for our time even. Francis lived by the gospel teachings of Jesus. His wealthy family must have been horrified by his life of radical simplicity, poverty really. He gave his beautiful clothes away. He wandered the countryside preaching. Eventually he overcame his fear of disease and kissed a leper. I used to think about that in the depths of COVID, when I was swathed head to toe in PPE, while praying with dying COVID patients. I never took my face shield and mask off to kiss a COVID patient. I tell myself that’s because I didn’t want to spread COVID to other patients, and oh yeah, it was totally against the rules, but there was fear there too. I was afraid then. That’s what makes Francis inspirational, his ability to overcome his fears. 

I don’t think we have to literally imitate Francis of Assisi to reap the benefits of his example. Most North Americans can simplify their lives at least a little. Most of us have too much stuff, too many clothes, too many shoes, too many books, just too many. And when we have too much, we end up spending a whole lot of time, energy, and money caring for it all. Wouldn’t it be great to free up some mental energy, some spiritual energy, to use on our prayer lives? Or maybe use that energy to serve others? It’s hard to volunteer when all of your free time is spent on errands to the dry cleaner and the car wash. Consumerism is first devouring and then burying our Mother Earth in trash, as we are reminded by the Season of Creation.

As we remember Saint Francis today and simultaneously end our Season of Creation celebration, let us all find ways to honor his legacy of care for all of God’s creatures and to live simply. 

What did you hear today? What will you do? What, if anything, will it cost you? 

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.

Prayers and Intentions, Blessings and Concerns

As we prepare for the sacred meal, we are alert to the wonders and dangers within our task of stewardship of Creation. We bring our gratitude, blessings and concerns to the friendship table. Please begin your prayer with “I bring to the table. …”

We pray for these and all the unspoken concerns held in the silence of our hearts. AMEN. 

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

Let us pray the Eucharistic Prayer of Compassion for the Earth with one voice and open hearts,

Holy One, we are amazed at the universe and this planet Earth and we respond with gratitude and compassion. We are blessed by the lights of the heavens, the sun and moon, comets and stars; we are blessed by knowing ours is but one galaxy among many. 

We are blessed by the darkness which keeps us from being blinded by the light and which eases us into contemplation and rootedness; likewise, we are blessed by light which awakens our souls to the glory of creation.

We are blessed by oceans and the cliffs and shores which envelop them, by streams and rivers, by snow and sleet and rain. The mountains are our blessing of solitude and summit where we can feel the softest wind, see the furthest horizon and expand our imagination and vision. 

We are blessed by the children whose easy smiles and open arms teach us enthusiasm and delight at living in the present. We are blessed by friends and strangers, by those who have gone before us and the friends we have yet to meet. These companions are the face of your love and compassion. 

Plant and vegetation, whether beauties of the land or harvest for our survival are also our companions, sharing in the sun and wind and rain. The biodiverse wealth of animal and marine life are our blessed companions, deserving also of our protection and care. 

In celebration of Creation and all our blessings, we sing with joy…

Here in this Place by Christopher Grundy

https:/ youtu.be/sgkWXOSGmOQ

In times when the pain in our hearts breaks and the world’s pain seems unreconciled, our appreciation and awareness of Creation can dwindle or lapse. The urgency of addressing climate change is not always recognized; valuing creation and sustaining its life-giving properties is sometimes an afterthought. 

May our recognition of Earth as our Eden fill us with gratitude. May the saving grace of the Spirit and of Jesus enhance the dialogue and sacrifice necessary to save ourselves and our world. 

We celebrate the truth-tellers and the lovers of the environment, living and dead; Ansel Adams, the landscape photographer, John Audubon, the naturalist, Jane Goodall, the anthropologist, Greta Thunberg, and Erin Brockovich, climate activists and authors Henry David Thoreau and Rachel Carson. Like our brother Jesus, these visionaries were pioneers and prophets who sought to live fully and fearlessly the truth of their calling. 

Julie: Please extend your hands in blessing.

We are grateful for the bread and wine that remind us that we are called to renew and to be renewed with the love of the Spirit of God who is in everything, every plant, animal and human everywhere.  We thank you for Jesus, beacon of love and mercy, forgiveness and healing. 

We are grateful for this bread and wine which remind us that we join Jesus in standing with the broken and wounded of the world who are most directly affected by climate change. 

On the night before he faced betrayal and death, Jesus shared supper with his friends.  He reminded them of all that he taught them, and to fix that memory clearly with them, he bent down and washed their feet. 

 

lift the bread

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, go and share my love with one another.

lift the cup

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

Take and drink of the covenant made new again through my life in you. Whenever you remember me like this, I am among you.

 

Bread and wine are transformed by your Spirit and we are transformed when we open ourselves to Your Spirit. Each time we share this bread with one another we choose to love others as you love us. 

What we have heard with our ears, we will live in our lives; as we share communion, we will become communion, both Love’s nourishment and Love’s challenge. 

Through Jesus we have learned how to live. Through Jesus, we have learned how to love. Through Jesus we have learned how to serve. AMEN

Please receive the bread and wine with the words: I am a beloved child of God. 

Communion Song: At This Table by Idina Menzel video by Denise

https://youtu.be/n9Xf4cHOcwQ

Jesus Prayer for the Season of Creation

Let us pray, as Jesus taught us.

Generous Creator, the intricate and elegant biodiversity of our world is your hallowed autograph on our lives, our souls and our hearts. 

We yearn for the wholeness of being in harmony with Your will and with all living things. Each day we draw on your creative, life-giving energy with awe as we find nourishment in, seed and field, river and forest. 

We acknowledge our shortcomings, especially our feelings of being powerless in the face of climate change and injustice. We seek to be reconciled with those we have hurt and we resolve to do better.  

With your unfailing wisdom and the wind of Your Spirit, inspire us that we may reach out and love one another and care for the world, our home. Strengthen us to work for local and global justice. May we one day reap a harvest of equality and fairness as if they were wildflowers, propagating spontaneously, unerringly and in surprising abundance. AMEN.

Lynn Kinlan

Blessing

Please extend your hands as we bless each other

May we treat all of Creation as sacred. May we our lives show our respect for the earth we share with our sisters and brothers, with all creatures, around the globe. May we live as if the future depends on it. AMEN.

Closing Song: Canticle of the Sun by Marty Haugen
https://youtu.be/CfJ6WJPUff8