Worship Service for Sunday, June 21, 2020
Click here to open the Zoom link at 10:30:
Prelude: Tammy Holt
Announcements: Julia Hicks, Director of Mission
Ringing the Bell: Mark Allen
Hymn: "We are Marching in the Light of God"
We are marching in the light of God,
We are marching in the light of God.
(Repeat)
We are marching, marching,
We are marching, marching,
We are marching in the light of God.
(Repeat)
We are moving in the power of God,
We are moving in the power of God,
(Repeat)
We are moving, moving,
We are moving, moving,
We are moving in the power of God.
(Repeat)
Opening Prayer: Irma Singarella
As the sun rises, Lord, Let your light shine on me.
The warmth of your Presence,
The brightness of your love,
The radiance of your joy,
The shining of your hope.
Let your light shine on each one of us.
You are the God of the lost, the least,
and all who long for home.
When we wander from your ways
and lose our connection with your Light,
welcome us back, we pray,
so that we may celebrate and rejoice
in your presence forever;
through Jesus Christ your beloved Son.
~ adapted from “Prayers Online” at Xavier University and the Office of Theology, Presbyterian Church USA
Scripture Reading: Tom Singarella, layreader
Luke 15.1 – 7
(NRSV)
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him.
2
And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3
So he told them this parable:
4
“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?
5
When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices.
6
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’
7
Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Children's Sermon: Marsha Walton
Anthem "Glory" M
argaret Butta Deloach & Brennan Villines
Glory, we want your Glory
We need your Glory, especially today.
Living, knowing,
This fight is only temporary
So make us haughty
Step up
But we must hold freedom tight as Obama did tell us
That, yes we can.
One day when the Glory comes
it will be ours, it will be ours.
One day when the war is won
We will be sure, we will be sure.
Oh Glory! Oh Glory!
Now, just like fish depend on sea
We need our brothers and sisters
Yes, more than ever
Because we bleed from the North, South, East and West
And truthfully, yes, we all see justice is needed
So we must not sit, hands folded
Waiting on the Hope, hiding from peace
But we've come to realize today that fear has been void
So we must stand tall, hand in hand
And do listen, as our voices large, to the sound of our ancestors
Never afraid
So hands raised high, not in surrenderance
But for endurance
Because we need freedom and it wants us
Not to divide but unify.
Now the war is not over, victory isn't won
But we'll fight on to the finish, then when it's all done
We'll cry Glory, Glory, Oh Glory
We'll cry Glory, Oh Glory
Glory, we want your Glory,
We need your Glory, especially today ... (repeat)
One day when the Glory comes
It will be ours, it will be ours
Oh, one day when the war is won
We will be sure, we will be sure.
Now we must not forget
The greatest of them all
Love
Because in these final days
Only true unconditional Love
Will help save and keep us
Heading toward that final rest,
That final Glory.
Sermon: "Blaming Sheep" Rev. Dr. Lillian Hallstrand Lammers
Offertory "I Know Where I've Been" Breyannah Tillman, soloist
There's a light in the darkness
Though the night is black as my skin
There's a light burning bright
Showing me the way
But I know where I've been
There's a cry in the distance;
It's a voice that comes from deep within
There's a cry asking why
I pray the answer's up ahead, yeah
'Cause I know where I've been
There's a road we've been travelin'
Lost so many on the way
But the riches will be plenty
Worth the price
The price we had to pay
There's a dream in the future
There's a struggle that we have yet to win
And there's pride in my heart
'Cause I know where I'm going, yes I do
And I know where I've been, yeah
There's a road
We must travel
There is a promise
That we must make
Oh but the riches will be plenty, riches will be plenty, yeah
Worth the risks and the chances that we take
There's a dream, in the future
There's a struggle that we have yet to win
Use that pride in our hearts
To lift us up to tomorrow
'Cause just to sit still would be a sin
(I know it, I know it, I know where I'm going)
Lord knows I know where I've been
(Oh, when we win)
I'll give thanks to my God
'Cause I know where I've been
Your gifts can be mailed to us at:
First Congregational Church,
1000 South Cooper, Memphis, TN 38104;
Affirmation of Community:
We will be together.
We will stand as brothers and sisters given life by one God.
We will be together. We will watch out for one another.
We will listen to what needs to be said in a spirit of compassion.
We will respect the power of silence.
We will wait for the slowest.
We will sooner or later catch up with the fastest.
We will dry the tears of those who are weeping
and know that they will dry ours when the time comes.
We will let ourselves begin to feel at least a little of the pain
of those we have considered our enemies.
We will entrust our stories to each other.
We will not be skeptical that peace can come.
We will not forget the joy of life. We will not forget to be grateful.
We will do our best to stir in each other hope, courage and faith.
Pastoral Prayer: Rev. Sonia Louden Walker
The Lord's Prayer:
Refrain:
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name
Our Mother, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name
Verse 1:
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven
Verse 2:
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Verse 3:
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
for the kingdom, the power and the glory, are Yours forever.
Copyright 1988, 1993, GIA Publications, Inc. Used with permission (OneLicense A-702282)
Covenant Prayer:
We covenant with the Lord and one with another
and doe bynd ourselves in the presence of God
to walke together in all His waies
according as He is pleased to reveal Himself unto us
in his blessed word of truth.
-Salem Church Covenant, 1629
Benediction: Rev. Sonia Louden Walker
Rev. Dr. Lillian Hallstrand Lammers
Closing Hymn: "Lord, Make Us Servants of Your Peace"
Lord, make us servants of your peace;
where there is hate, may we sow love;
where there is hurt, may we forgive;
where there is strife, may we make one.
Where all is doubt, may we sow faith;
where all is gloom, may we sow hope,
where all is night, may we sow light;
where all is tears, may we sow joy.
Jesus, our Lord, may we not seek
to be consoled, but to console,
nor look to understanding hearts,
but look for hearts to understand.
May we not look for love’s return,
but seek to love unselfishly,
for in our giving we receive,
and in forgiving are forgiven.
Dying, we live, and are reborn
through death’s dark night to endless day;
Lord, make us servants of your peace,
to wake at last in heaven’s light.
(Paraphrase of a prayer attributed to Francis of Assisi)
.......................................
Let's Stay Connected!
Click-in during the week for these special times to be together:
-
Great Themes of the Bible
discussions with Pastor Cheryl on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.
If we view the Bible as one whole document, what is it saying? What are the big messages by which interior messages are to be interpreted? This week's theme:
"When God comes to earth, it is not to consult with kings on how to rule but with slaves on how to escape."
This is a time to share our prayers and reflections.
To find out the topic for next week's discussion, email Steve Garcia during
you about our Children's Ministries!
We meet every 2 weeks, and our next Authentic Relating
event is on
Friday, June 26th, at 6pm.
Congo Connect strives to help our community
feel nurtured and make deeper connections to ourselves and each other.
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newsletter!
If you would like to be added to First Congo's weekly newsletter and special announcements, please email Julia Hicks at [email protected].
