10th Sunday of In Person Services
August 8, 2021
PRELUDE: My Lord, What a Morning (BURLEIGH)- setting by Edwin T. Childs
CALL TO RETURN TO OUR SOULS
Pastor: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,
People: A conviction of things not seen— Pastor: Or—for some time— barely understood.
People: By faith we begin to interpret the course of our lives
Pastor From the perspective that God just might be on the scene.
People: Then we start seeing how seeming coincidences,
Pastor: Unplanned encounters! People: Unexpected people
Pastor: And uncertain journeys!
People: Join in subtle, sublime displays of God’s penetrating, persuasive power.
HYMN: The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want GTG801
CALL TO CONFESSION AND COMMITMENT
Pastor: I remind you again today that
People: Violence against poor people and minority groups is routine.
Pastor: I remind you again today that that starving a child is violence.
People Suppressing a culture is violence.
Pastor Neglecting school children is violence.
People: Ghetto housing is violence.
Pastor: Ignoring medical needs and healthcare is violence.
People: Contempt for equality is violence.
Pastor: And watch this!
People: Even a lack of willpower
Pastor: And an apathetic spirit
People: That refuses to challenge these other forms of violence
Pastor: Is itself violent.
People: So sometimes the question for us is,
Pastor: Are we going to be on the side of violence or non-violence? Amen.
—Coretta Scott King
SUNG RESPONSE: He Came Down GTG#137
SCRIPTURE: Ruth 1:1-22 Ruth 2:1-13 Ruth 3:1-9 (from The Message Bible, a contemporary translation by Rev. Eugene Peterson)
SUNG RESPONSE TO 1st SCRIPTURE: Holy, Holy, Holy—Santo, santo, santo GTG#595
SERMON: Ruth of the Bible: Is She An Example of Chesed? Meshugenah? Or Chutzpah?
HYMN: A Prophet-Woman Broke a Jar GTG201
WELCOME
CHORAL ANTHEM: From All the Earth Send Up the Song (NORTH HILL), -tune, Robert J. Weaver; setting by Robert J. Weaver and William A. Pasch
PRAYER: Matthew 25 prayer, Lord’s Prayer, followed by…
CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE: Come, Bring Your Burdens to God GTG#851
OFFERTORY: I Dream A World; Neal Long, tenor (Notes below)
Offering link
RESPONSIVE PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Pastor: May we be a guard for those who need protection
People: A guide for those on the path
Pastor: A boat, a raft, a bridge for those who wish to cross the flood
People: May we be a lamp in the darkness
Pastor: A resting place for the weary
People: A healing medicine for all who are sick
Pastor: A vase of plenty, a tree of miracles
People: And for the boundless multitudes of living beings
Pastor: May we bring sustenance and awakening
People: Enduring like the earth and sky
Pastor: Until all beings are freed from sorrow
People: And all are awakened.
Pastor: May it be so.
People: And may it be soon – Shantideva, Indian Buddhist sage 700 AD
CLOSING HYMN: Bring Forth the Kingdom STF2190
BENEDICTION
SUNG BENEDICTION RESPONSE: Lead Me, Guide Me (sing twice) GTG#740
POSTLUDE: Thy Strong Word (EBENEZER)- setting by Sandra Eithun
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Notes regarding Offertory and next Sunday’s service:
Offertory notes: I Dream A World, Music by Dr. Christine Jobson (b. 1986) and Sarah Ruff (b. 1982), Text by Langston Hughes (1902-1967)
Gina Greene, Spiritual Praise Dancer
I dream a world where man
No other man will scorn,
Where love will bless the earth
And peace its paths adorn
I dream a world where all
Will know sweet freedom’s way,
Where greed no longer saps the soul
Nor avarice blights our day.
A world I dream where black or white,
Whatever race you be,
Will share the bounties of the earth
And every man is free,
Where wretchedness will hang its head
And joy, like a pearl,
Attends the needs of all mankind-
Of such I dream, my world!
Note from Neal: Dr. Christine Jobson is a Jamaican-American musician, educator, and entrepreneur. I encourage you to look her up online and listen to her amazing albums. She is joining the faculty at the University of Kansas this fall as Assistant Professor of Voice. Last year, KU MARC (Musicians for an Anti-Racist College) launched a campaign compelling KU to hire more Black faculty. We celebrate the hiring of Dr. Jobson and implore KU and other academic institutions to continue this work and ensure their spaces are safe for people of color and marginalized communities
BIOGRAPHY OF GINA M. GREENE—Spiritual Praise Dancer
Gina M. Greene; BKA Miz. Gina. Has been dancing for 53 years this year. Miz. Gina is trained in tap, ballet and jazz. She has owned and operated two dance studios, one in Fort Worth, TX. And later in Kansas City, MO. She has choreographed and performed throughout the Dallas Fort Worth area and Kansas City area as well. Miz Gina continues to teach and mentor young people through the art of Dance. She is currently expressing her gift of dance through Spiritual Praise Dancing in which she ministers to people through movement. The word teaches in Psalms 149:3 that it’s okay to praise the Lord through dance, and that’s what Miz. Gina will continue to do. Her motto has always been, treat people in how you want to be treated.
Next Sunday’s worship service will be an ILLUMINATED INSIGHTS service. While scripture and interpretations are read and hymns sung, art from every continent and culture, from the Middle Ages to Renaissance, Modern to Contemporary, is displayed on the big screens to give an inspirational message of meaning about THE FAITH OF JESUS. This is an arts and spirituality ministry our church has been developing for 20 years, creating other services such as Illuminated Christmas Eve, Illuminated Good Friday, The Lord’s Prayer, The Beatitudes, The Life of Jesus, 23rd Psalm.
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