Virtual Worship - March 15, 2020
Words of Welcome
The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus be with you. While we are keeping our distance these days, we need not neglect the one thing that Mary found at the feet of Jesus--the better part that will not be taken away from us. I'm glad to welcome you to a few moments of personal worship. While this personal act cannot replace our in-person gatherings, knowing others are praying, reflecting, and connecting along with you might remind you of Jesus words to his disciples at the end of Matthew's Gospel: "I am with you always to the end of the age." God is with you, with us, wherever you are as you join in this virtual worship.
The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus be with you. While we are keeping our distance these days, we need not neglect the one thing that Mary found at the feet of Jesus--the better part that will not be taken away from us. I'm glad to welcome you to a few moments of personal worship. While this personal act cannot replace our in-person gatherings, knowing others are praying, reflecting, and connecting along with you might remind you of Jesus words to his disciples at the end of Matthew's Gospel: "I am with you always to the end of the age." God is with you, with us, wherever you are as you join in this virtual worship.
Call to Worship--Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Opening Song--Come and Find the Quiet Center
Scripture Lesson--Luke 10:38-42
38 While Jesus and his disciples were traveling, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his message. 40 By contrast, Martha was preoccupied with getting everything ready for their meal. So Martha came to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to prepare the table all by myself? Tell her to help me.”
41 The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. 42 One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part. It won’t be taken away from her.”
38 While Jesus and his disciples were traveling, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his message. 40 By contrast, Martha was preoccupied with getting everything ready for their meal. So Martha came to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to prepare the table all by myself? Tell her to help me.”
41 The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. 42 One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part. It won’t be taken away from her.”
Questions for Reflection
In days busy with news, anxiety, fear, and uncertainty, where have you found the one necessary thing? How have you chosen the better part this week?
Whose feet are you sitting at? What messages are you hearing?
What keeps you from experiencing the grace and goodness that surrounds you?
What keeps you busy and distracted, away from God and others?
How can you continue to make room for connection with God and with others in this time of social distancing? What one thing might you chose this week that will keep social distance from becoming social isolation for someone in our community?
In days busy with news, anxiety, fear, and uncertainty, where have you found the one necessary thing? How have you chosen the better part this week?
Whose feet are you sitting at? What messages are you hearing?
What keeps you from experiencing the grace and goodness that surrounds you?
What keeps you busy and distracted, away from God and others?
How can you continue to make room for connection with God and with others in this time of social distancing? What one thing might you chose this week that will keep social distance from becoming social isolation for someone in our community?
Affirmation of Faith
Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
Prayers of the People--"There Is Something I Wanted to Tell You"
by Ted Loder
Holy One,
there is something I wanted to tell you,
but there have been errands to run,
bills to pay,
arrangements to make,
meetings to attend,
friends to entertain,
washing to do…
and I forget what it is I wanted to say to you,
and mostly I forget what I’m about,
or why.
O God,
don't forget me, please,
for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Eternal One,
there is something I wanted to tell you,
but my mind races with worrying and watching,
with weighing and planning,
with rutted slights and pothole grievances,
with leaky dreams and leaky plumbing,
and leaky relationships I keep trying to plug up;
and my attention is preoccupied
with loneliness,
with doubt,
and with things I covet;
and I forget what it is I wanted to say to you,
and how to say it honestly
or how to do much of anything.
O God,
don't forget me, please,
for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Almighty One,
there is something I wanted to ask you,
but I stumble along the edge of nameless rage,
haunted by a hundred floating fears
of terrorists of all kinds,
of losing my job,
of failing
of getting sick and old,
of having loved ones die,
of dying,
of having no one love me,
not even myself,
and of not being sure who I am
or that I am worth very much
and…
I forget what the real question is that I wanted to ask,
and I forget to listen anyway
because you seem unreal and far away,
and I forget what it is I have forgotten.
O God,
don't forget me, please,
for the sake of Jesus Christ.
O Father and Mother in Heaven,
Perhaps you’ve already heard what I wanted to tell you.
What I wanted to ask is
forgive me,
heal me,
increase my courage, please.
Renew in me a little of love and faith,
and a sense of confidence,
and a vision of what it might mean,
to live as though you were real,
and I mattered,
and everyone was sister or brother.
What I wanted to ask in my blundering way is
don't give up on me,
don’t become too sad about me,
but laugh with me,
and try with me again,
and I will with you, too.
What I wanted to ask is
for peace enough to want and work for more,
for joy enough to share,
and for awareness that is keen enough
to sense your presence
here,
now,
there,
then,
always.
Amen.
by Ted Loder
Holy One,
there is something I wanted to tell you,
but there have been errands to run,
bills to pay,
arrangements to make,
meetings to attend,
friends to entertain,
washing to do…
and I forget what it is I wanted to say to you,
and mostly I forget what I’m about,
or why.
O God,
don't forget me, please,
for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Eternal One,
there is something I wanted to tell you,
but my mind races with worrying and watching,
with weighing and planning,
with rutted slights and pothole grievances,
with leaky dreams and leaky plumbing,
and leaky relationships I keep trying to plug up;
and my attention is preoccupied
with loneliness,
with doubt,
and with things I covet;
and I forget what it is I wanted to say to you,
and how to say it honestly
or how to do much of anything.
O God,
don't forget me, please,
for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Almighty One,
there is something I wanted to ask you,
but I stumble along the edge of nameless rage,
haunted by a hundred floating fears
of terrorists of all kinds,
of losing my job,
of failing
of getting sick and old,
of having loved ones die,
of dying,
of having no one love me,
not even myself,
and of not being sure who I am
or that I am worth very much
and…
I forget what the real question is that I wanted to ask,
and I forget to listen anyway
because you seem unreal and far away,
and I forget what it is I have forgotten.
O God,
don't forget me, please,
for the sake of Jesus Christ.
O Father and Mother in Heaven,
Perhaps you’ve already heard what I wanted to tell you.
What I wanted to ask is
forgive me,
heal me,
increase my courage, please.
Renew in me a little of love and faith,
and a sense of confidence,
and a vision of what it might mean,
to live as though you were real,
and I mattered,
and everyone was sister or brother.
What I wanted to ask in my blundering way is
don't give up on me,
don’t become too sad about me,
but laugh with me,
and try with me again,
and I will with you, too.
What I wanted to ask is
for peace enough to want and work for more,
for joy enough to share,
and for awareness that is keen enough
to sense your presence
here,
now,
there,
then,
always.
Amen.
Closing Song—God of the Sparrow
Words of Sending
Mary discovered the one, necessary thing at the feet of Jesus—connection. As we are apart it is vital we remember we are still connected. While worship was cancelled today and a host of other ways we gather are closed—our hearts remain open and our relationships continue. Take a moment this week to call a friend, write a letter, check-in on a neighbor, ask for help, offer help. Be the people of God, the church, where we are most often and often at our best—scattered like seeds of love and life across our community.
May the love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit bind your hearts and lives together—making them whole—connecting you to God and one another—now and always. Amen.
Mary discovered the one, necessary thing at the feet of Jesus—connection. As we are apart it is vital we remember we are still connected. While worship was cancelled today and a host of other ways we gather are closed—our hearts remain open and our relationships continue. Take a moment this week to call a friend, write a letter, check-in on a neighbor, ask for help, offer help. Be the people of God, the church, where we are most often and often at our best—scattered like seeds of love and life across our community.
May the love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit bind your hearts and lives together—making them whole—connecting you to God and one another—now and always. Amen.