 The Seventh Sunday Of Easter |
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WHY WE ARE HERE—Psalm 47 People everywhere—clap your hands! Shout to God with a joyful voice! For God Most High is awe-inspiring, the great Ruler over the whole earth. God chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Leah, Rachel and Jacob, the object of God’s love. God ascended the throne with a shout, with trumpet blasts! Sing praise to God, sing praise! Sing praise to our Ruler, sing praise! For God rules over all the earth— sing praise and understand! God rules over the nations; God sits on the throne of holiness. World leaders are gathered, and so are the people of Sarah and Abraham’s God, for God Most High reigns over all the earth, and is exalted above all. —Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. GATHERING WORDS God of Mystery and Wonder, we do not fully understand how You came to be among us in human flesh, but we know it. We do not understand how You came to us on that third day, after suffering and death and the finality of the tomb, but we know it. We do not understand how You ascended to heaven, wrapped in clouds and hidden from our sight, but we know it. And we do not understand how You are returning to us, except that it will be in an unexpected way, for we know You are a God of Mystery and Wonder, making all things new, bringing light out of the face of the deep, and life out of death. We are in awe of You, O Mighty One, and come before You in our worship, our prayers, and our praise. Amen. —Rev-o-lution, by the Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell, http://rev-o-lution.org/ SCRIPTURE READING—Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 ("The Promise Of God To Those In Imminent Danger") [12]. “Remember, I am coming soon! I bring with me the reward that will be given to all people according to their conduct. [13]. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. [14]. Happy are they who wash their robes so as to have free access to the tree of life and enter the city through its gates. [16]. “It is I, Jesus, who has sent my angel to give you this testimony to the churches. I am the Root and Offspring of David, the Morning Star shining bright.” [17]. The Spirit and the Betrothed say, “Come!” Let the one who hears it answer, “Come!” Let the thirsty come forward. Let all who desire it accept the gift of life-giving water. [20]. The One who gives this testimony says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Jesus! [21]. The grace of our Savior Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. —Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. PSALMODY—Psalm 97 ("The Awesome Mystery If God's Being And Power") [1]. God—the "I AM"—reigns! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! [2]. Clouds and thick darkness surround you, O, God—the"I AM"— righteousness and justice are the foundation of your judgment seat. [3]. Fire goes before you and destroys your enemies on every side. [4]. Your lightning bolts light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. [5]. The mountains melt like wax at your sight, at the sight of the God of all the earth. [6]. The heavens proclaim your justice, and all the peoples see your glory. [7]. All who worship images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; all gods bow down before you. [8]. Zion hears and is glad, and the women of Judah rejoice because of your judgments, O God—the "I AM". [9]. For you, O God—I AM—are Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. [10]. O, God—the "I AM"—you love those who hate evil; preserve the lives of your faithful ones and deliver them from the hands of the wicked. [11]. Light dawns for the just, and joy for the upright in heart. [12]. Rejoice in God—the "I AM"—you just, and give praise to God’s holy Name—"I AM"! —Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. SCRIPTURE READING—John 17.11,13,15-26 ("Jesus' Prayer For Those Who Follow In The Way") [11]. I am in the world no more, but while I am coming to You, they are still in the world. Holy God, Almighty, protect those whom you have given me with your Name— the Name that you gave me— that they may be one, even as we are one. [13]. Now I am coming to You; I say all this while I am still in the world that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. [15]. I don’t ask You to take them out of the world, but to guard them from the Evil One. [16]. They are not of the world, any more than I am of the world. [17]. Consecrate them— make them holy through the truth— for your word is truth. [18]. As You have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world; [19]. I consecrate myself now for their sakes, that they may be made holy in truth. [20]. I don’t pray for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, [21]. that all may be one, as You, O God, are in me and I in You; I pray that they may be one in us, so that the world may believe that You sent me. [22]. I have given them the glory You gave me that they may be one, as we are one— [23]. I in them, You in me— that they may be made perfect in unity. Then the world will know that You sent me, and that You loved them as you loved me. [24]. O God, I ask that those You gave me may be here with me, so they can see this glory of mine which is your gift to me, because of the love You had for me before the foundation of the world. [25]. Righteous One, the world hasn’t known You, but I have; and these people know that You sent me. [26]. To them I have revealed your Name, and I will continue to reveal it so that the love You have for me may live in them, just as I may live in them.” —Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. PRAYER Almighty One, Ancient of Days, we confess that we are caught up in our own timelines. We want to see promises fulfilled in our lifetime: an end to poverty and corruption, the saving of our earth from climate change, the powerless lifted up and the powerful brought down. We want peace on earth now, and to live in harmony the rest of our days. Like the disciples, we confess we desire Your Realm to come to earth with worldly power, instead of us working for Your Kin-Dom on earth as it is in heaven. Call us into Your ways, and to know that while we may not see the fulfillment in our lifetime, our work is necessary. Our love matters, and all that we strive for will make a difference for Your reign. For Yours is the Eternal Realm, and the Sovereignty, and the Glory forever. Amen. —Rev-o-lution, by the Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell, http://rev-o-lution.org/ PRAYER OF INTERCESSION Almighty God whose power is Love, You have made Your love and commitment to us so clear, You have revealed Your involvement in our world and our lives And You have repeatedly saved us, healed us and restored us. So, with confidence and thanks, we ask for Your help once again: We remember the many in our world who are alone, neglected, abused and unloved; Hear us, O God, and in Your love, answer. We remember the ones who have forgotten how to love, and who know only hate; Hear us, O God, and in Your love, answer. We remember all who mistake love for control, obsession or power; Hear us, O God, and in Your love, answer. We remember those who lovingly give themselves to serve, protect, comfort and heal others; Hear us, O God, and in Your love, answer. We remember the ones that we hold in our hearts, our families and friends, and all with whom we share Your love; Hear us, O God, and in Your love, answer. May Your love grow within us, and through us, may Your love grow. THE PRAYER OF JESUS Heavenly Father, heavenly Mother, Holy and blessed is your true name. We pray for your reign of peace to come, We pray that your good will be done, Let heaven and earth become one. Give us this day the bread we need, Give it to those who have none. Let forgiveness flow like a river between us, From each one to each one. Lead us to holy innocence Beyond the evil of our days. Come swiftly Mother, Father, come. For yours is the power and the glory and the mercy: Forever your name is All in One. —By Parker Palmer PRAYER FOR THOSE IN LOSS AND ALL WHO GRIEVE THE VIOLENCE OF UVELDA, TX O God, Life and Love and Keeper of all your Children, you have received unto yourself those who were killed in Uvelda, Texas. We name them before you: ◈ Alexandria Aniyah Rubio, 10 ☩ ◈ Alithia Ramirez, 10 ☩ ◈ Amerie Jo Garza, 10 ☩ ◈ Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10 ☩ ◈ Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10 ☩ ◈ Eliana “Ellie” Garcia, 9 ☩ ◈ Eva Mireles, 44 (Teacher) ☩ ◈ Irma Garcia (age not certified) ☩ ◈ Jackie Cazares, 10 ☩ ◈ Jailah Nicole Silguero, 10 ☩ ◈ Jayce Luevanos, 10 ☩ ◈ Jose Flores, 10 ☩ ◈ Layla Salazar, 10 ☩ ◈ Makenna Lee Elrod, 10 ☩ ◈ Maite Rodriguez (age not certified) ☩ ◈ Miranda Mathis, 11 ☩ ◈ Nevaeh Bravo (age not certified) ☩ ◈ Rojelio Torres, 10 ☩ ◈ Tess Marie Mata (age not certified) ☩ ◈ Uziyah Garcia, 8 ☩ ◈ Uziyah Garcia, 8 ☩ ◈ Xavier Lopez, 10 ☩ We trust in faith that they are now in your eternal peace. But, there are those who being left behind and knowing these loses are in great need of comfort and assurance. They grieve. They grieve deeply, They grieve in ways that only You know and understand. And as a people, we grieve. How can there not be grief in yet anothher senseless act. The heinous atrocity of mass-shootings, in schools, in churches, in place of gathered community, if places of public presence, seem to follow closely upon one another without anything being done to stop the killing and the wrongful use of guns. We find ourselves in company with all who mourn such evil violence, with Rachel who "is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more" we cry out to you, O God. May there be justice. May there be peace. May there be action to prevent future lossees as these. For we know that thoughts and prayers are not enough. Renew the hearts and minds and souls fo those who are our legislators, guiding their work that it may be done according to your will. May selfish greed and the seeking of power come to an end where the least of those among us, children, women, people of color, the poor, the orphans, and parents whose children are no longer in this world. May your righteous anger burn in our bellies until our communities and the world live in the way of your Kin-Dom, here and now, as it is in heaven: the Realm of perfect peace, perfect justice, and perfect love. To this hope we cling even as You cling to us. Amen. GOING FORTH—Dismissal With Blessing (Click Here For Music Video) There is silence at the beginning with words showing in video. —Numbers 6:24-26 More than 500 voices, all affiliated with Abilene Christian, came together virtually to sing “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” during the global pandemic. |
May 2022 22 dead An 18-year-old gunman opened fire Tuesday at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 children and two adults, officials said. Law enforcement killed the attacker. ☩ OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL November 2021 4 dead A sophomore student is accused of killing four people and wounding others at his school in Oxford, Michigan, near Detroit. His trial is set for September. His parents are charged with involuntary manslaughter; authorities say they ignored warning signs. ☩ SANTA FE HIGH SCHOOL May 2018 10 dead A shooter opened fire at a Houston-area high school, killing 10 people, most of them students, authorities said. The 17-year-old suspect has been charged with murder. ☩ MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL February 2018 17 dead An attack left 14 students and three staff members dead at the school in Parkland, Florida, and injured many others. The 20-year-old suspect was charged with murder. ☩ UMPQUA COMMUNITY COLLEGE October 2015 10 dead A man killed nine people at the school in Roseburg, Oregon, and wounded nine others, then killed himself. ☩ MARYSVILLE-PILCHUCK HIGH SCHOOL October 2014 4 dead A 15-year-old used text messages to draw several cousins and friends to his cafeteria table at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Washington state. He fatally shot four of them before killing himself. ☩ UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA May 2014 6 dead A 22-year-old college student frustrated over sexual rejections fatally stabbed or shot six students near the school in Isla Vista, California, and injured several others before he killed himself. ☩ SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL December 2012 27 dead A 19-year-old man killed his mother at their home in Newtown, Connecticut, then went to the nearby Sandy Hook Elementary School and killed 20 first graders and six educators. He took his own life. ☩ OIKOS UNIVERSITY April 2012 7 dead A former nursing student fatally shot seven people at the small private college in East Oakland, California. He died in prison in 2019. ☩ NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY February 2008 6 dead A 27-year-old former student shot and killed five people and wounded more than 20 others at the school in DeKalb, Illinois, before killing himself. ☩ VIRGINIA TECH April 2007 24 dead A 23-year-old student killed 32 people on the campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, in April 2007; more than two dozen others were wounded. The gunman then killed himself. ☩ WEST NICKEL MINES AMISH SCHOOL 2006 5 dead A 32-year-old man entered an Amish schoolhouse near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, dismissed the boys, bound the girls, and fatally shot five of them before killing himself. Five others were wounded. ☩ RED LAKE HIGH SCHOOL March 2005 9 dead A 16-year-old student killed his grandfather and the man's companion at their Minnesota home, then went to nearby Red Lake High School, where he killed five students, a teacher and a security guard before shooting himself. ☩ COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL April 1999 13 dead Two students killed 12 of their peers and one teacher at the school in Littleton, Colorado, and injured many others before killing themselves. |
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WORSHIP IN INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE AND PROGRESSIVE THOUGHT
WHY A BLOG?
As a clergyperson with a disability now retired, this is my humble attempt to provide a ministry that some will find helpful. I have always focused on be inclusive and have struggled with the church's tradition of referring to God and humankind with masculine names and pronouns. Since the 1970's, thanks to my dear sister-in-law, I have been aware of the discrimination of women and have worked in the parish and community for equal rights with an equity of access to the resources that add blessing to life. I hope this site is of meaning to those who read it and worship with me and others within it. Peace.