FOR REFLECTION
Does being postdenominational mean belonging to no denomination at all? I believe in the Protestant principle of prophecy and protest, and I believe in the Catholic principle of mysticism. I think postdenominational means to belong to one and many.
Matthew Fox, “On Being a Postdenominational Priest,”
in The Emerging Christian Way, ed. Michael Schwartzentruber, 2006.
CALL TO WORSHIP Odes of Solomon 13
Look! The Lord is our mirror,
OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE THEM IN HIM.
Learn the manner of your faces,
AND ANNOUNCE PRAISES TO HIS SPIRIT.
Wipe the dirt from your faces.
LOVE THE LORD’S HOLINESS AND PUT IT ON.
Then you will not, at any time, be blemished in front of him.
HALLELUJAH.
OPENING HYMN “A Place at the Table”
PASSING OF THE PEACE
Pastor Don: May the Peace of Christ be with you.
Congregation at Home: And also with you.
Pastor Don: Consider three ways that you can extend peace to one another this week through a phone call, text or email.
CHRISTIAN READING James 1:19-25
You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.
THEME VIDEO
Louise Westfall’s reflections on the 2018 PCUSA General Assembly in Portland:
ANOTHER VOICE Alan Jones, Reimagining Christianity
Central to the task of reimagining Christianity–or imagining how any faith can begin to live up to its promise–is putting the creative energy of the imagination to work discovering and building bonds between neighbors. We need to bring every watt of imaginative power we possess to the task, because the barriers to overcome are so formidable and the stakes are so high.
SERMON
“Presbyterianism from a Non-Presbyterian Perspective”
Mark Hernandez-Mullins
If you prefer to read the sermon text, click here.
RESPONSIVE HYMN / ANTHEM “Calling on Angels”
PASTORAL PRAYER
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear” (Psalms 46:1-2).
Great divine spirit of love that is at the core of everything
and from which all life flows,
We acknowledge your healing and transforming power.
May the spirit of unconditional love and forgiveness flow through each of us and enable the realm of love to spread throughout the world.
Like the flowers in the fields, ensure that we have the basics we need to live
and give us the love and commitment to ensure that others have what they need too.
Give us the courage to acknowledge when we have done wrong,
to seek forgiveness from those we have hurt
and to forgive those who have hurt us,
so that we may be reconciled.
We acknowledge the power of self-giving love to transform individual hearts and the world.
We recommit ourselves to the unconditional love of others and the work of justice and peace.
Amen.
TIME FOR OFFERING
As we reflect on all of our blessings, individually and as a community, may we consider how we may give of ourselves so that the work of Christ’s love and peace may continue throughout our world. (Please contact staff@southmin.org, or one of our Trustees to discover simple ways you may give electronically or via mail. Thank you for supporting the staff and on-going ministries of Southminster Presbyterian Church).
CLOSING HYMN
“Lift Every Voice and Sing” (also known as the Black National Anthem)
FINAL BLESSING & BENEDICTION
At a time of transition for Southminster, our country, and the world, may God grant us presence, peace, and wisdom. Amen.
