July 5, 2025

Dear St. Paul’s UMC and Wesley Foundation Family,

Grace and peace to you, beloved ones! What a gift it is to continue to be the people of God who are both scattered out into the world and who gather together – to learn from one another, to share life and abundance from our backyard gardens, to laugh and cry together, to remember how much we need each other.

I was reminded this week of a quote from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” What if our freedom and peace is found in this – our interdependence, our belonging to one another, our being with? This week as we listen to the story of the Tower of Babel, the last in these foundational, ancient, narratives, I wonder what we might hear? What might this story have to say to us today? How might these words continue to challenge our own understanding of what it means to be the people of God? 

We hope to gather with you as we hear the good news this week!

Here is our schedule for tomorrow, June 29th:

10:00 AM: Hybrid Worship Service with Holy Communion, in-person and livestreamed here

Please remember that since this service is filmed and live-streamed, you or your family members may be on our worship recording, which is streamed and archived on our YouTube channel.  

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Sarah

Discussion Questions

(1) What did you notice in our worship today? Thinking not only about the words of the sermon, where did you notice the Spirit, an unexpected connection, a flicker of life, hope, or love?

(2) Pastor Sarah suggested that the scattering God envisions can be understood not only as judgment but also as a hopeful image of the kin-dom of God here on earth – how does this connect with you? How has this summer Genesis series helped you to reimagine these original stories? 

(3) How might you practice listening to others? What makes listening difficult, even feel Impossible? What might the story of Babel have to teach us today about listening to one another?

Prelude: Humoresque “L’organo primitivo” (Toccatina for Flute) (Pietro A. Yon)

Mary Bahnfleth, organ

Greeting

Rev. Sarah Coker Voigt

Call to Worship

One: From the various worlds we inhabit, we are gathered together today;

All: And together we declare – God has made us; we belong to God. 

One: With all that makes us who we are, we come to this time and place

All: With hearts of thanksgiving and praise, sorrow and grief. 

One: We remember our connection with one another – family, neighbors, and strangers alike; 

All: for we belong to one another, knit together by the steadfast, never-ending, always and forever love of God.

Opening Hymn: “All People that On Earth Do Dwell” (UMH 75)

Passing the Peace

Children’s Message

Emily Ishler

Scripture Lesson: Genesis 11:1-9 (NRSVUE)

Scarlett Miller 

Message: “God Scattered”

Rev. Sarah Coker Voigt

Hymn: “How Can We Name a Love” (UMH 111)

Invitation to the Sacrament 

Confession and Pardon

Merciful God, 

We confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart.

We have failed to be an obedient church. 

We have not done your will, 

We have broken your law,

We have rebelled against your love, 

We have not loved our neighbors, 

And we have not heard the cry of the needy.  

Forgive us, we pray. 

Free us for joyful obedience, 

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

One: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

All: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. 

Glory to God. Amen. 

Offering

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. 

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is right …

… and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Holy are you …

… as we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

Pour out your Holy Spirit …

… now and forevermore.

Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Sharing of the Bread and Cup

Prayer After Communion

Closing Hymn: “For the Healing of the Nations” (UMH 428)

Announcements

Benediction

Postlude: Improvisation on “Cwm Rhondda” (Paul Manz)

Mary Bahnfleth