02/28/2021 = Matthew 8:5-13 = A Lenten Season of Restoration: “Safe Keeping”

(Click HERE to find our FBLive video of this service, starts at 13:30. sermon starts at 32:00)

(Click HERE to donate to Lidgerwood Church’s ministries and missions)

1

Mark Wheeler

Matthew 8:5-13                                                                                                              

 “A Lenten Season of Recovery: Safe Keeping!”                                                    

 2^nd Sunday in Lent, 02/28/2021

Lidgerwood Presbyterian Church

2

GATHER

Today, We continue our Lenten “season of recovery” as we focus on health as essential to our spiritual lives. We are, each of us, created a precious and holy vessel of embodied love. We have been through an irksome year since last Lent, 2020, has shattered our sense of wholeness – body, mind, and spirit – like a glass vessel fractured into pieces. Let us enter a Lenten “season of recovery” as we focus on Jesus, the Healer of our every ill.

I

 “Holy Vessels” – THRESHOLD

God gathers us as a Beachcomber gathers and marvels at every precious surviving piece of beach glass she finds. We are never alone, we are never lost to the One who seeks humanity’s wholeness. We affirm our commitment to be the Body of Christ that knows we cannot be personally healed until we see the interconnected community as part of the process of healing. Jesus has the power to re-vision the family of God in which false boundaries are overcome. In a year of devastating loss of livelihood, we consider the economic health that re-imagines status quo.

“Holy Vessels” – THRESHOLD – continues

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APPROACH

Let us acknowledge our need to restore, repair, renew our Holy Vessels, which include the communities of which we are a part.                                                     Let us pray:

God of All,

You created us for each other. You set in us a yearning for companionship and

an empathy that binds us together, protecting each other and delighting in one another.

Yet too often we have broken down our relationships instead of building them up.

We have been set against one another with the lie of scarcity.

We have built systems and economies that widen the gap of resources

rather than safeguarding equitable practices.

Too many, and growing numbers, are suffering hardship, food insecurity, joblessness.

We cannot fathom the proportions of loss and so we look away,

sometimes even from the need in our own community.

Help us, Healer.           Show us our empathy.          Forgive our complacence.

Move us to move, one step at a time, toward greater care for one another.

In this silence, we sense and acknowledge our yearning for wholeness.

. . .  [Silence]

II

“Holy Vessels” – 1x

6

Know this: God’s love and security is meant for all people … No. Matter. What.

We are capable of sharing our light and not running out of “enough”.

Christ’s hospitality that breaks through false boundaries points the way.

For you, for me, for all.

Take a deep breath in to let this truth fill you…

and breathe out with the relief of assurance.

CAMERA

Let’s take a second to greet each other, and those in the room, look at the camera and say HI to your friends who are at home. Tell your loved ones, “May the Peace of Christ surround you.”

Welcome to this “gathering” in God’s name. We are assembled in NorthEast Spokane, WA, along with people from all over the world. We are very glad you are “here” with us.

6

For those who made it into the building this morning – thank you for wearing your masks and following the seating and walking protocols. We do this not to protect ourselves from others, but to protect others from ourselves. Because we love each other, we wear masks and keep distance to keep each other safe from this “invisible potential enemy”. COVID numbers are way up in our area – let’s not give them an opportunity to climb even higher. Our Elders are listening to CDC guidelines and deciding on what seems best practices for each others’ safety. We love you, and we want everyone to be and to stay well.

Be filled with God’s Holy Spirit presence and power, in your homes, through your phones and computers, in this building here, and in your lives. Pray with us … and hear and be transformed by God’s Word.

7-10

Song of Praise – A Wonderful Savior Is Jesus Our Lord – Lilly Haeger, Donna Stone, Micki Worden

11

A Contemporary Word – Coretta Scott King –

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”

12

BELIEVE

Through the Written Word, 

And endorsed by our spoken word,

May we know Your Living Word,

Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

13

An Ancient and Ever-Present Word – Matthew 8:5-13

⁵ When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. ⁶ “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”

⁷ Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

⁸ The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

14¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. ¹¹ I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. ¹² But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

       ¹³ Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.

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When was the last time you approached someone you highly respect and admire, and assumed that that person would simply just grant an outlandish request you wanted to make? Right? What nerve? That takes big “b-oldness”!

But this Centurion does exactly that. His boldness was an enactment of his faith and Jesus responds to it by healing the paralytic. In granting his request, Jesus is again transcending cultural boundaries in extraordinary ways. This army commander, a Gentile, a non-Jew, is not a part of the community of Jesus followers. And the servant for whom he is advocating is a Gentile and a slave, “the ultimate nobody”. None of this matters to Jesus. Jesus came to bring salvation to everyone – it’s what Calvinist, Reformed, theologians call God’s “preceptive” will – He wills that no-one should perish, ”God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son”. Jesus longs for the community to grow.

Do we have the strength and the boldness to approach Jesus directly, to appeal to Jesus on behalf of others?

In what ways do we approach Jesus? Do we believe that through Jesus, we can bring healing to our communities?

This story is also about real eschatological hope and healing, end-times hope of glory and reconciliation; it’s about the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God. The reference to the people gathering from east and west is, predicting eschatological joy, fellowship, and bounty. In other words, this story is a vision of the Kingdom in which all God’s people come together to enjoy one another and feast at the Table of God. God gathers us. God longs for us to be together and for us to all be safe and whole.

And God gives us agency to help bring this vision to fruition. This is what Martin Luther King’s “Dream” was all about!

In what ways do we, how does LPC, live out this vision? In what ways are we bringing people together? How are we, through the power of Jesus Christ, bringing healing and wholeness to our communities?

Our bodies are connected to other bodies. God gathers us. God calls us to be gatherers. We long for communities of recovery and none of us are free until all of us are free.

Jesus crosses social boundaries in every way imaginable. Jesus teaches us that the boundaries we thought were helping us might actually be hurting us and hurting others.

And this story confirms that Jesus is there for us, He is right there for you! He heals and He comforts and He calls us to be His presence for those around us – even those on the outside.

Can we be healed? [We can!] And can we be God’s healing presence in our hurting world?[We can!]

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ASK          

III

 “Make Us Holy, Make us Whole”

Prayer Page – 

Healer of our every ill,

especially our malady of separation and fear,

we come before You to make our petitions known.

Hear our cries for healing of body, mind, and spirit.

We know that already You are at work among us,

showing us the way to recovery from the toxicities and grief of our time.

As broken pieces scattered and separated,

we trust that You are seeking us, gathering us into wholeness,

and calling us to join You in the quest.

We pray especially for those who have experienced

the loss of livelihoods and economic security

and are feeling helpless to care for their families.

We pray for those whose businesses have gone under

or are on the precipice between survival or closure.

We pray for those whose disparity of resources

has been made even more pronounced during this pandemic.

We pray grateful thanks for the efforts of all who have been searching for solutions

and have given generously for months of their time and resources to alleviate the suffering.

We ask for encouragement and passion to re-evaluate

how we as a church can help now and into the future.

17-19

We pray this day for … [call out a name or a situation]  

20                                     [Lord’s Prayer]  Amen.

III                      Make Us Holy, Make us Whole

21

– Offering (4449 N Nevada St, Spokane, 99207 ; or click HERE, or text 833-976-1333, code “Lidgerwood”)

22

 KNOW

The words of Jesus we heard in this week’s healing story were “I will come!” Faced with a request, Jesus makes a move to seek out, to come to help one who was previously seen to be outside of help’s embrace. He moves outward to gather in and heal someone unlikely to have crossed His path otherwise. All can be within God’s circle of Safe Keeping.  

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I invite you to look at the beach glass which has been put in the bottles. Think about the people you have encountered or heard about in the last few months who are suffering lack of support. What could we do to reach out and to focus on healing of the parts of the human community we don’t spend time thinking about enough?  To what part of our community shall we say “I will come…” ?  . …

Now shift your thinking to your own need to be cared for. What do you need to feel safe? What connections do you need to strengthen to heal any isolation you may feel? If you are in need of something, consider this an invitation to let someone know what you need without feeling embarrassment or shame. Jesus invites us, always, to ask.

24-26

Song of Commitment  – Living for Jesus a Life that Is True! Diana Nelson, Deanna Peden

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RESPOND

IV

“Jesus, Savior, Lord, Now to You I Come” –

“Saranam is a regional language in India which translates to English as “Refuge”

• And fair warning to those at home – our voices may not sync up with the recorded piano,
• so you may want to quiet your speakers…

Next Sunday, like we did today – please RSVP to us if you plan to attend so we can properly set up – and please CALL IN or email or text – so we can share with you what the plans will be – whether we will be allowed to continue to meet or not.

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We close with this benediction:                       Now go with confidence that the Holy Beachcomber is

gathering us for “Safe Keeping”,

recovering God’s depth of love for all and our joy of living in this world.

May the words of Jesus ring in our ears: “I will come.”

And may the Holy Spirit hover, move, and deliver salve to our souls

and a spring in our step. Amen.

Resources: 

Bell, Chuck; Music Studio; 2021.

McFee, Marcia; Holy Vessels: A Lenten Season of Recovery; Worship Design Studio; 2021.

02/21/2021 = Matthew 8:1-4, 16-17 = Lent Week 1: A Lenten Season of Recovery: “Treasure!”

(Click HERE to find the FBLive video of this service, starts at 15:00, sermon begins at 29:00)

(Click HERE to donate to Lidgerwood Church’s ministries and missions)

1

Mark Wheeler

Matthew 8:1-4, 16-17                                                                                                                                      

 “A Lenten Season of Recovery: Treasure!”                                                             

02/21/2021

Lidgerwood Presbyterian Church

2

GATHER

We are, each of us, created a precious and holy vessel of embodied love. We have been through a harrowing year since last Lent, 2020, has shattered our sense of wholeness – body, mind, and spirit – like a glass vessel fractured into pieces. Let us enter a Lenten “season of recovery” as we focus on Jesus, the Healer of our every ill.

I

 “Holy Vessels” – THRESHOLD

Beach glass begins as something whole and yet discarded. As it is tumbled by the sea, it is broken and polished until it becomes a treasured “mineral gem.” We do not believe that suffering is necessary or God-given, but that suffering is a part of life. When pain comes and brokenness enters our lives, Jesus reaches out to touch and remind us of the Treasure that we all are – worthy of new life in the midst of seeming hopelessness. In a year when pandemic has wreaked havoc on our world, we begin by affirming our journey to physical health.

“Holy Vessels” – THRESHOLD – continues

5

APPROACH

Lent developed into a season of intense inward reflection and confession centuries after the life of Jesus. Yet, as we will see, Jesus encouraged people to open up about their lives – to speak truth – no matter how broken. This is the beginning of compassion for ourselves and for others. It is the beginning of healing. The Latin origins of the word “confess” is to “study and acknowledge.” This will be a season of studying how we can be a healing presence in our community. To do this, we acknowledge our own need to restore our own Holy Vessels.                                                   Let us pray:

Creator God,

We are bodies fashioned by Your hand in Your own image,

shapes and colors of diverse and immense beauty.

And yet too often we have ignored the sacred nature of our physical lives.

The Holy Vessels You have fashioned are tired and suffering,

ravaged by months of disrupted rhythms and ailment.

Our fragility has come into full view and we are frightened even.

The proportions of loss we have experienced is unfathomable, and so we look away,

sometimes even from our own needs.

Help us, Healer.           Show us our strength.           Forgive our inertia.

Move us to move, one step at a time, toward greater care.

In this silence, we sense and acknowledge our yearning for wholeness.

. . .  [Silence]

II

“Holy Vessels” – 1x

7

Know this: God’s love and grace surround you … No. Matter. What.

You are a precious and holy vessel right now.

Christ’s light is a treasure given freely.

For you, for me, for all.

Take a deep breath in to let this truth fill you…

and breathe out with the relief of assurance.

CAMERA

Let’s take a second to greet each other, and those in the room, look at the camera and say HI to your friends who are at home. Tell your loved ones, “May the Love of Christ surround you.”

Welcome to this “gathering” in God’s name. We are assembled in NorthEast Spokane, WA, along with people from all over the world. We are very glad you are “here” with us.

7

For those who made it into the building this morning – thank you for wearing your masks and following the seating and walking protocols. We do this not to protect ourselves from others, but to protect others from ourselves. Because we love each other, we wear masks and keep distance to keep each other safe from this “invisible potential enemy”. COVID numbers are way up in our area – let’s not give them an opportunity to climb even higher. Our Elders are listening to CDC guidelines and deciding on what seems best practices for each others’ safety. We love you, and we want everyone to be and to stay well.

Be filled with God’s Holy Spirit presence and power, in your homes, through your phones and computers, in this building here, and in your lives. Pray with us … and hear and be transformed by God’s Word.

8-10

Song of Praise – O God Our Help in Ages Past –

11

A Contemporary Word – Matshona Dhliwayo – a poet from Zimbabwe

“True wisdom is like an ocean; the deeper you go the greater the treasures you’ll find.”

12

BELIEVE

Through the Written Word, 

And endorsed by our spoken word,

May we know Your Living Word, 

Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

13

An Ancient and Ever-Present Word – Matthew 8:1-4; 16-17

¹  When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. ² A man with leprosycame and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

14³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. ⁴ Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” …

15¹⁶ When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. ¹⁷ This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah [53:4]:        “He took up our infirmities           and bore our diseases.”  [This was the scripture verse that opened Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” 2004 movie.]

12

Think of a time when you felt left out of a group, felt like you did not belong, felt like you were not good enough. When we feel these feelings – we can empathize with the man with leprosy.

But I imagine not many of us have gone through something so dramatic as to be completely socially exiled, physically healed, and then reintegrated into the community that, for so long, feared and shunned us.

Can you imagine why this man would want to go back to the Temple? The worshiping community, despite its shortcomings, must have offered something to this child of God that he could not find somewhere else. What kind of hope and healing do we come to religion seeking?

This story invites us to think about what our communities offer to those in pain, those seeking healing and touch: how are we reaching out to people in pain? Are we acknowledging their suffering in our preaching and worship? In what ways do we stigmatize certain kinds of pain? How are we promoting physical health, wholeness, and healing?

Jesus’ touch of the leper was an outrageous act. By doing it, He signaled that these people (likely a mixture of folks with everything from boils to simple eczema), were not outside of the Kingdom of God, and they should not be outside of the love of the community itself. They are family, worthy of touch and inclusion.

This text also invites us to consider the ways our community excludes others, the boundaries we create, the boundaries we transcend. The leper was considered unclean. It does make sense, doesn’t it, that a community would fear a person with a skin disease. What if it was contagious? Communities create boundaries for good reasons, for self-preservation (think masks and six-foot separation) and to create a strong sense of identity and purpose (Christians do not worship anyone /-thing other than Almighty God!).

The problem is when our boundaries go unchecked and unquestioned.

Think about racial divides – fear of homeless or addicted – social hierarchies of skin-color, income-level, education, sex, etc. Those are boundaries most of us have created or at least been complicit in, but they are boundaries which our Savior and Lord, the Healer and Reconciler, forbids!

Jesus crosses social boundaries in every way imaginable. Jesus teaches us that the boundaries we thought were helping us might actually be hurting us and hurting others.

Look around this community, who is missing? How do we include or exclude people who long to belong?

Friends, we are all treasured by God. We are beautiful. We belong. How can we help people feel this deeply?

16

ASK          

III

 “Make Us Holy, Make us Whole”

Prayer Page – 

Healer of our every ill,

especially our malady of separation and fear,

we come before you to make our petitions known.

Hear our cries for healing of body, mind, and spirit.

We know that already You are at work among us,

showing us the way to recovery from the toxicities and grief of our time.

As demolished pieces that are treasured when found,

we trust that beauty from brokenness is possible when we seek to bind together that which is wounded.

We pray especially for those who have experienced the physical loss of family and friends in the pandemic

and those who are still suffering the consequences of the illness.

We pray for each person who suffers in body in other ways –

weariness from inactivity or weariness from over-activity in this time.

We pray for those whose treatment of maladies have been put on hold and

for those who suffer isolation in their illness, whatever the cause.

We pray grateful thanks for the medical staff everywhere around the world who have shown unbelievable strength and stamina

and we mourn the demise of too many caregivers who risked their lives for our sake.

18-20

We pray this day for … [call out a name or a situation]  

21                                     [Lord’s Prayer]  Amen.

III                      Make Us Holy, Make us Whole

22

– Offering (4449 N Nevada St, Spokane, 99207 ; or click HERE or text 833-976-1333, code “Lidgerwood”)

23

 KNOW

The words of Jesus we heard in this week’s healing story were “I do choose. Be made clean!” Faced with a request, and given the choice, Jesus chooses to say “yes.” And He says “yes” to each precious and treasured life. Recovered wholeness is offered to everyone and will look different for each one.

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I invite you to look at the beach glass in the bottles, notice the worn edges and the color, the texture and thickness. Recognize it as a treasure that is completely unique, which of course it is. …

Now shift your thinking to your own rough edges. What broken edges in your own life need help? What will you do in this Lent season to focus on healing of body, mind, and spirit?

25-27

Song of Commitment  – Just As I Am, without One Plea!

28

RESPOND

IV

“Jesus, Savior, Lord, Now to You I Come” –

“Saranam is a regional language in India which translates to English as “Refuge”

• And fair warning to those at home – our voices may not sync up with the recorded piano,
• so you may want to quiet your speakers…

Next Sunday, like we did today – please RSVP to us if you plan to attend so we can properly set up – and please CALL IN or email or text – so we can share with you what the plans will be – whether we will be allowed to continue to meet or not.

30

We close with this benediction:                       Now go with confidence as “Treasures of God,”

recovering God’s depth of love for all and our joy of living in this world.

May the words of Jesus ring in our ears: “I do choose you.”

And may the Holy Spirit hover, move, and deliver salve to our souls

and a spring in our step. Amen.

Resources: 

Bell, Chuck; Music Studio; 2021.

McFee, Marcia; Holy Vessels: A Lenten Season of Recovery; Worship Design Studio; 2021.

02/17/2021 = Ash Wednesday = Matthew 11:28-30

(Click HERE for the FBLive video of this service – service begins at the 13:30 mark.)

(Click HERE to donate to Lidgerwood Church’s ministries and missions.)

Ash Wednesday, Feb 17, 2021

“Shattered”

Ash Wednesday

Welcome

Welcome to this Ash Wednesday service of worship and prayer,

whether you are joining us live at 7:30am, or sometime later in the day.

Let us know you’re here with a comment or a reaction sometime during this service.

I invite you to gather your “ashes”, whether they are the paper ones we supplied for you, or a small amount of dirt and water or ash and oil, as we begin our time together.

Threshold

HOLY VESSELS – THRESHOLD

Vessels, holy and whole

Broken, needing the One

Open, body and soul

Healer, come.

Underscoring continues…

Leader: Ash Wednesday is a time of naming brokenness. As we enter the season of Lent, we commit to enter also into a season of healing and recovery that requires the naming of what has been shattered as a first step. We take “the yoke” of responsibility as disciples of Jesus to be the Body of Christ–a body of those who need healing and offer healing in the world. The promise of Jesus is that He is with us in our weariness and burdens.

The theme refrain continues .…

Vessels, holy and whole

Broken, needing the One

Open, body and soul

Healer, come.

Prayer of Confession

Leader: We will be living with stories of Jesus’ healing in the Gospel of Matthew in this Lent season. We will see how Jesus encourages people to open up about their lives as part of the healing process–no matter how broken.

Ash Wednesday developed as a doorway to speaking the truth of our lives, a time to lay the brokenness of life before God.

Let us pray:

Merciful God,

we have lived a year of Lent.

In the midst of it all we have seen love shine through at times

but as we look back in this moment,

it feels like a year of shattered dreams and shattered peace.

We are discouraged. Even though so much feels out of our control,

we also see the ways our own faults and failures

to love each other fully, to care for the least, to honor Your creation,

to stand for what is right and good, have contributed to the shattering.

And so we come to You in pieces.

Fragments, broken shells of our past selves.

As we walk along the shores of Uncertainty and Pain,

we ask that You meet us here.

Help us, Healer.

Show us our strength.

Forgive our inertia.

Move us to move

one step at a time toward greater care.

In this moment of silence,

we sense and acknowledge our yearning for wholeness.

[[Silence]]

[After a time of silence that feels right for your community, the accompaniment of the refrain begins to come back in slowly, then is sung]

HOLY VESSELS – 1x

Vessels, holy and whole

Broken, needing the One

Open, body and soul

Healer, come.

Assurance

Throughout the season of Lent, we will be contemplating the symbol of broken sea-glass. An anonymous author has said this about the glass fragments that are collected on various shores:

“Ordinary pieces of tableware or beer or soda bottles are flung into the ocean. Years pass, or decades, and then one day, there it is upon the shore: a small shard from one of those long ago discarded objects. Shifting currents have rounded its edges; abrasion has polished its surface; exposure to the sun has altered its hue. And so, when we happen upon it, here amidst the shells and seaweed, we can’t help but laugh with joy at what seems a miracle:

this ordinary fragment of silica that time and adversity have transformed into something beautiful.”

Time and adversity…

making something beautiful out of that which,

once seen as ordinary and broken,

is now considered a transformed and precious piece.

This is the journey we undertake.

Jesus attended to those considered ordinary, broken, even those deemed unworthy. No matter what, Jesus is the lover of our souls.

In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

Glory to God. Amen.

Opening Hymn

“Jesus, Savior, Lord to Thee I Fly”

Saranam = Tamil regional language in India = Refuge

A Contemporary Word

Our life is full of brokenness–broken relationships, broken promises, broken expectations. How can we live with that brokenness without becoming bitter and resentful except by returning again and again to God’s faithful presence in our lives.

–– Henri Nouwen

An Ancient & Ever-Present Word

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Song of Preparation

“Make Us Holy, Make Us Whole” (refrain only)

In your love, make us whole.

May we rest in your compassion.

Calm the lost, weary soul

in the warmth of your love.

May your peace fill our hearts.

May we know the love of Jesus.

By your grace, you console.

Make us holy, make us whole.

Prayers of the People

Leader: Lover of our souls,

You who weeps, bleeds, cries, waits…

for us and because of us,

we come before You to make our petitions known.

Hear our cries for healing of body, mind, and spirit.

We know that already You are at work among us,

showing us the way to recovery from the toxicities and grief of our time.

We pray for those who are shattered by the violence of circumstances,

tumbled by the forces of life,

and washed up on shores, distant from all that feels whole.

We pray this day for … (we invite you to type a name or a situation in the comments, or to pray from your hearts for those in your circles who are in need)

finishing with the Lord’s Prayer] Our Father, who is in heaven, holy be Your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, and lead us away from temptation. For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever! Amen,

Prayer of Jesus

“Make Us Holy, Make Us Whole” (refrain only)

In your love, make us whole.

May we rest in Your compassion.

Calm the lost, weary soul

in the warmth of Your love.

May Your peace fill our hearts.

May we know the love of Jesus.

By Your grace, You console.

Make us holy, make us whole.

Ritual Action

Leader: Ash Wednesday, as the beginning of Lent, developed in the 5th century. Although Protestants did not maintain this ritual for the most part, it has come back during the 20^th-century-liturgical-movement as an important time for reflection in which we reclaim this symbol and ritual of our spiritual ancestors. It plays an important role in helping us make meaning in the brokenness of our lives. This year, indeed, we are aware of the fragility of life. Even though we cannot share ashes in the ways we have become accustomed, let us engage in a ritual that draws us close to the elements of creation–earth, fire, air, and water. Let it remind us that we are a part of creation, in all its beauty and its brokenness.

EARTH – The sand upon which our symbol of beach glass washes is, interestingly, the origins of glass-making. Glass is liquefied, heated sand. In a way, the shards of beach glass are the epitome of “dust to dust”… or in this case, “sand to liquefied sand.” To take it back even further, sand is created by the erosion of mountains and rocks over thousands or millions of years. So whether what you have on hand today is dirt or sand, we are witnessing the brokenness and erosion and weathering of the earth itself. All things become broken. All things transform. And every form we take You can transform into holy, whole, and beautiful. I invite you to touch the sand or dirt you have with you in this moment. Feel its grains, it’s decomposed nature, as we pray:

Holy Creator God… as we feel this elemental part of who we are, we remember that we ourselves were made from the dust of the earth. To experience brokenness is the way of creation; Transform us, O God. Help us recover the beauty of who we are and see the goodness in Your transformation work.

FIRE – Glass can only be created when the sand is met with the heat of fire. No wonder the scriptures and poets throughout the ages have spoken of a “refining fire.” The heat of fire is always destructive, but with intention and care and tending, what transpires from the destruction of fire can be a new form with purposes that are good, useful, and beautiful. I invite you to light your candle if you have one. Gaze upon the colors of the flame which may be white or gold or red or blue, as we pray:

Holy Refining Fire of the Spirit… as we feel this elemental part of who we are, we remember that You invite us to fuel the flames of passionate love for You and for each other. Do not allow the flame of our spirits to lie dormant. Offer us Your light and life. Transform us, O God. Help us recover the beauty of who we are and see Your goodness in the transformation.

AIR – The scriptures depict the creation of human beings as having Holy Breath blown to animate our being. Glass vessels gained a new technique around the time of Jesus. In the first century BC, glass blowing was invented, offering a way for molten glass to be shaped by blowing through a tube, creating an air bubble, a glass vessel, ready for practical or artistic purposes. Breath is part of the creation of our Holy Vessels. Breath is with us in our very first cry and will be the final song as we exit this world. I invite you to close your eyes, if this is comfortable for you, and become aware of your breath as we pray:

Holy Giver of Breath and Life… as we feel this elemental part of who we are, we remember that this ongoing, life-giving, usually-automatic, moment-to-moment function can be an act of gratitude for our very origins. And this is the core of our relationship with the creation – sharing and existing within this atmosphere. Just as our breath offers us opportunity to let go of that which we do not need in order to take in the fresh air we need, transform us, O God. Help us recover the beauty of who we are and see the goodness in this transformation.

WATER – As the water meets the sand and earth at the shoreline, we also are invited to a journey of meeting the Living Water that Christ offers us. Ancient peoples made wet soil in many forms as healing balms. Skin moistened, blood flow increased to the area, muscles relaxed. This still is practiced today. Our Lent series about healing, then, gives us an opportunity to use this as our Ash Wednesday ritual of anointing. I invite you to mix a little water with the dirt or sand or oil with your ash and create a wet mixture. Then place some in your palm – the same palm used in greeting other palms, signifying interdependent relationship. Gently rub it, making the sign of the cross, as we pray – or use the “ashes” of paper you have, and with a band-aid, anoint your forehead with the sign of the cross of healing in Jesus Christ:

Healing Presence… as we feel this elemental part of who we are, we remember You created us, shaped us from dust in the palm of Your hand.

Some day we will return to dust,

return to the palm of Your hand once again, held and loved forever.

We lament in this moment the grittiness of life,

the need for healing, the difficult and necessary process of transformation.

Mark us as Your own, remold us again and again as Your people. Let the recognition of our own need break us open yet again for the sake of others, for the sake of the world.

All the people say, “Amen.”

HOLY VESSELS – THRESHOLD

Vessels, holy and whole

Broken, needing the One

Open, body and soul

Healer, come.

Blessing

Now go with confidence that,

though shattered, we are held.

Begin the journey of recovering your depth of love for all

and your joy of living in this world.

May the words of Jesus ring in your ears:

“I will give you rest.”

And may the Spirit hover, move, and deliver

salve to your soul

and a spring in your step.

Amen.

HOLY VESSELS – 1x

Vessels, holy and whole

Broken, needing the One

Open, body and soul

Healer, come.

02/14/2021 = Mark 9:2-9 = “The Transfiguration: The Power of Love”

(Click HERE to find the FB video of this service – service starts at 21:00, sermon begins at 32:00) (Note – I’ve heard that Martin Luther King, Jr, wasn’t known for his singing voice either … just sayin’)

(Click HERE to DONATE to Lidgerwood Church)

Mark Wheeler

Mark 9:2-9                                                                                                                                                        

 “The Transfiguration: The Power of Love”                                                            

02/14/2021

Lidgerwood Presbyterian Church

Let’s start this morning with some shout-outs of some of your biggest surprises! What is something that SO surprised you, you had no idea how to react? [Someone at home – press your space bar and tell us what you’re thinking! – or if you’re on FB, type into your Comments, and Gerri will read it for us!]

Today’s Gospel story is that kind of story – I mean, aren’t most of the Gospel stories that kind of story – but this one was literally such a surprise, the disciples present did not know what to do!

We gather today, with aches and pains, worries and fears, doubts and debts, hopes and dreams, and in the midst of all of that we gather to be surprised by how our Savior and Lord will address us!

Holy God,    we thank You for the glimpses we catch of Your gifts of peace, love, joy and hope, and light.  Even in the midst of fear, of challenge, of struggle – even when we have not been sure of tomorrow,

You have ignited the Light within us … that we might glow with its brilliance from the inside out. Keep reminding us how to Believe … and welcome … and know we are welcomed … even when …. Amen.

Let’s take a second to greet each other, and those in the room, look at the camera and say HI to your friends who are at home. Tell your loved ones, “May the Love of Christ surround you.”

Welcome to this “gathering” in God’s name. We are assembled in NorthEast Spokane, WA, along with people from all over the world. We are very glad you are “here” with us.

For those who made it into the building this morning – thank you for wearing your masks and following the seating and walking protocols. We do this not to protect ourselves from others, but to protect others from ourselves. Because we love each other, we wear masks and keep distance to keep each other safe from this “invisible potential enemy”. COVID numbers are way up in our area – let’s not give them an opportunity to climb even higher. Our Elders are listening to CDC guidelines and deciding on what seems best practices for each others’ safety. We love you, and we want everyone to be and to stay well.

Be filled with God’s Holy Spirit presence and power, in your homes, through your phones and computers, in this building here, and in your lives. Pray with us … and hear and be transformed by God’s Word.

Listen now and join in as Pastor Kathy leads our Call to Worship from Psalm 50 – and listen for and proclaim aloud the justice God demands – and the grace He offers!

Our song of praise today sings praises to this great God we cal our Lord and Savior!  – How Great Is Our God – Jake Davis is leading our song today [notice that Julie is away on a Valentine’s Day vacation] (sung respectfully and under the mask)!

Through the Written Word, 

And endorsed by our spoken word,

May we know Your Living Word, 

Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Some of you may have looked ahead to see what the surprise was going to be – who here guessed Mark’s Gospel telling of Jesus’ Transfiguration?

I have heard it said that the greatest challenge about preaching on the Transfiguration is dealing with the pressure to explain what the Transfiguration means.

Somehow we expect that we have to guide people toward making sense of why the Transfiguration occurred, or how the story functions within the plots of the Gospel stories, or why the Gospel–writers thought they should include it, or what shaped the early Christian traditions about the Transfiguration, or what symbolic value should be assigned to the “mountain top” experience (look at today’s Children’s bulletin) or Jesus’ two Old Testament visitors, or what the event says about Jesus’ nature, or whether we should praise or criticize Peter’s comments, or why some people call today “Transfiguration Sunday” while others prefer the more melodious, are you ready?, “Quinquagesima” (Latin for “50 days” before Easter).

Well, I invite you to re-listen to this story – and hear something unexpected, surprising even.

Hear the Word of God … Mark 9:2-9 …. —- [The screen will show this passage.]

² Six days later (What had just happened 6 days previous to this is Mark’s version of the story where Jesus asks the disciples who people say He is, and “Whom do you say I am?” and Peter says, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”, and [in Matthew’s version] Jesus commends Peter and then He predicts His own death and Peter says, “No!” and Jesus tells him “Get behind me Satan!”… After six days …)  Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John and led them alone up a high mountain privately. And he was transfigured before them, ³ and his clothes became radiantly white, more so than any launderer in the world could bleach them. ⁴ Then Elijah appeared before them along with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. ⁵ So Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶ (For they were afraid, and he did not know what to say.)

⁷ Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came from the cloud, “This is my one dear Son. Listen to him!” ⁸ Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more except Jesus.

⁹ As they were coming down from the mountain, he gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

“They were afraid, and didn’t know what to say!” They were shocked and speechless! So now, the church wants the preacher to make sense of this? Seriously? When has the idea of a brilliantly glowing holy figure ever “made sense,” anyway?

Maybe the transfigured Jesus isn’t supposed to be figured out. Maybe He’s just supposed to be appreciated. We should be drawn to Him, as if we were moths and He was a brilliantly glowing holy figure!

Let’s just take a moment and bask in the warm wonder of His glow.

I’m not a big three-point preacher – but this story lends itself well to three angles that help us to bask in His presence.

First angle: in this Transfiguration story, Jesus is a glow-in-the-light Savior – completely made to be seen!

On the liturgical calendar, Epiphany began a month ago with a story about a demonstration of Jesus’ identity, but it was a much more covert incident: (in Matthew’s Gospel, it is at the arrival of the magi to the “new-born King of the Jews”, but in Mark’s Gospel it is) Jesus’ baptism. And in Mark’s account of the baptism, it’s not clear that anyone else sees the heavens slashed open or the Holy Spirit diving into Jesus. The voice from heaven is for Jesus’ alone to hear. Nothing’s public. Nothing’s obvious.

Most of the epiphanies we get to experience in life consist of mere glimpses, and sometimes we aren’t even sure that they are really ours to see.

But the Transfiguration is a very different kind of a revealing. Jesus becomes a beacon, like a lighthouse planted on the mountaintop. The heavenly voice addresses all the witnesses: Peter, James, and John. On this Sunday, there is a promise that Jesus can and will be noticed.

Novelist Mary Gordon says that as a transfigured body clothed in shining garments, “Jesus insists upon being seen,” which means the Transfiguration narrative “can be read as the celebration of the visible.” (Reading Jesus: A Writer’s Encounter with the Gospels; New York; Pantheon; 2009; P.  42.)

In Mark’s Gospel, a story so full of concealment and secrecy, the Transfiguration says that this Jesus has plans to be conspicuous. What He will disclose is not necessarily the secrets of the universe or the meaning of life; rather, it’s Himself. He may be hard to see clearly in all His intricate detail, what with the radiant glare and the transfigured body and all, but — sometimes, at least — He’s definitely there.

Second angle: in this Transfiguration story we learn that Epiphany reveals the Power of Love!

Because the Transfiguration is so bizarre and unusual, it can be easy to assume that we’re supposed to approach it with sober reverence and awe. But I don’t think that’s how God views it. For God, the Transfiguration presents an opportunity to declare love for the one called “dear Son” in the NIV. (Other translations say something more like “dearly beloved son, in whom I am well pleased”!)

If God is capable of smiling, and I am certain he is, this would be the occasion in which that happens. I don’t see how anyone can talk of one’s “beloved” without breaking into a pleased grin. That’s how lovers talk to and about each other.

In Matthew 17:5, the New English Translation, says, “This is my beloved Son in whom I take great delight!” At the Transfiguration, then, “we are in the presence of delight. Delight as an aspect of the holy.” 

This is not to take away from God’s intimidating purity or inviolable majesty, but it emphasizes tender holiness. The scene is a reminder that holiness, as a characteristic of God, is participatory and shared. God loves, so God interacts. This holiness expresses itself in self-giving, for that’s what happens when someone adores and celebrates someone else.

And of course we all know God’s Word calls us to “be holy for the Lord our God is holy”!  We, too, are to live this love out in demonstrations of self-sacrifice for our neighbor – including our Jewish, Muslim, Black, gay, different-from-us neighbor!

Take great delight in Jesus, for God does. As God expresses this delight, we gain a little more insight into the divine heart.

Third angle: in this Transfiguration story we are promised intimacy with God Himself!!

Peter, James, and John find themselves on holy ground, in privileged company. After all, Jesus appears alongside Moses and Elijah, the two greatest prophets in Jewish memories.

Many things made those two ancient prophets great. For one thing, in the Bible each shares a moment of striking intimacy with God, through Moses’ face-to-face chats with God and his glimpse of God’s backside (Exodus 33:7-23) and Elijah’s encounter with God in a strange “sound of sheer silence” (I Kings 19:11-13).

When one is so close to God, everything changes. Impossibilities dissolve.

We should also note that both prophets, like Jesus, labored to help the people of God remain faithful as they were tempted by idolatrous religious ideas. All of them sought to keep the people of God hopeful as they suffered the burdens of abusive political systems. That is, Moses’ and Elijah’s closeness to God wasn’t something to be hoarded; it energized them in their service to others, equipping them to know and pursue the Lord.

We are invited to celebrate this Jesus and to join Him in righting injustices against others without power and to know the close communion of the God for whom nothing is impossible!

The brilliant light of the Transfiguration affirms life, a light that shines ahead into Lent to keep that season in perspective, never without hope and confidence. This light speaks a promise that God is here. And that God is knowable. God seeks relationship. Because God is life.

Dear God, we are thankful for the mountaintop epiphanies You give us to renew our love for You and for our neighbor in our daily walk with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Statement of and leadership in Ordination and Installation of New Officers.

Prayer Page – 

And now – call out a name, a place, a people, a situation, you are lifting to the Lord in prayer ….  “Have mercy on us, O Lord.”    [Lord’s Prayer]  Amen.

– Offering (4449 N Nevada St, Spokane, 99207 ; or click HERE or text 833-976-1333, code “Lidgerwood”)

Expedition Song  – How Great Thou Art! ….   sung by Jake Davis (our suggestion is no congregational singing, but if you’re wearing your masks appropriately, who would know who is singing?).

Next Sunday, like we did today – please RSVP to us if you plan to attend so we can properly set up – and please CALL IN or email or text – so we can share with you what the plans will be – whether we will be allowed to continue to meet or not.

We close with this benediction:   Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,

becoming more faithful with each passing day of struggle and victory,

with each encounter with the Holy Spirit, giving glory to God today and forever!

Resources:  Skinner, Matt; https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/transfiguration-of-our-lord-2/commentary-on-mark-92-9-3

02/07/2021 = Mark 1:29-39 = “Prayer Per Productivity Priority”

(Click HERE to find the FB Live video.)

(Click HERE to DONATE to Lidgerwood Church.)

The Church’s computer blanked out at 1:08:37, but please hang in there, we come back at 1:12:27! (And you can hear the Pastor (me) be wrong about FB and so much more…)

Mark Wheeler

Mark 1:29-39                                                                                                                            

02/07/2021

 “Prayer Per Productivity Priority”                                                                         

  Lidgerwood Presbyterian Church

Do any of you have a cell phone which battery barely makes it through the day before it dies? One of my first cell phones needed to be recharged every 20 hours, regardless how much I did or didn’t use it.  This phone, which I’ve had now for almost 5 years, still easily holds a charge for 30 hours under normal usage (on Zoom it only lasts for a few hours!).

The thing is, it’s not worth much when the battery runs out. So I generally recharge it every morning. 

My prayer for each Sunday is that this time together in worship and prayer under the authority of God’s Word works as a recharge for you. I, personally, need this every week – and in different ways, every day – and while our worship experience is far more than simply “plugging into the Spiritual recharging station” – by hearing God’s Word and sharing in prayer and offering our sacrifice of praise and finances – I do find myself recharged for another week.

Today’s Gospel reading tells a story of Jesus “recharging” – and I believe that sets an example of at least one way we, too, might find refreshment, rejuvenation, re-energized faith, for living faith-filled lives!!

We gather today, with aches and pains, worries and fears, doubts and debts, hopes and dreams, and in the midst of all of that we gather to focus on our Savior and Lord.  

Holy God,    we thank You for the glimpses we catch of Your gifts of peace, love, joy and hope, and light.  Even in the midst of fear, of challenge, of struggle – even when we have not been sure of tomorrow,

You have ignited the Light within us … that we might glow with its brilliance from the inside out. Keep reminding us how to Believe … and welcome … and know we are welcomed … even when …. Amen.

Let’s take a second to greet each other, and those in the room, look at the camera and say HI to your friends who are at home. Tell your loved ones, “May the Presence of Christ be in you.”

Welcome to this “gathering” in God’s name. We are assembled in NorthEast Spokane, WA, along with people from all over the world. We are very glad you are “here” with us.

For those who made it into the building this morning – thank you for wearing your masks and following the seating and walking protocols. We do this not to protect ourselves from others, but to protect others from ourselves. Because we love each other, we wear masks and keep distance to keep each other safe from this “invisible potential enemy”. COVID numbers are way up in our area – let’s not give them an opportunity to climb even higher. Our Elders are listening to CDC guidelines and deciding on what seems best practices for each others’ safety. We love you, and we want everyone to be and to stay well.

Be filled with God’s Holy Spirit presence and power, in your homes, through your phones and computers, in this building here, and in your lives. Pray with us … and hear and be transformed by God’s Word.

Listen now and join in as Pastor Kathy leads our Call to Worship from Psalm 147 – and listen for and proclaim aloud our Praise for God Almighty – Hallelu Yah!

Our song of praise today sings praises to this great God we cal our Lord and Savior!  – Praise the Lord! O Heaven Adore Him – (sung respectfully and under the mask)!

Through the Written Word, 

And endorsed by our spoken word,

May we know Your Living Word, 

Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Ten days from now, Wednesday, February 17, is Ash Wednesday – the beginning of the Season of Lent. We will be focusing on Matthew’s Gospel stories of healing and restoration. I do not know any Pastor, or Teacher, or Restaurateur, or Medical professional, or Parent, or Student, or really almost anyone, who is not absolutely exhausted after the last nearly 11 months (330-ish days) of Pandemic-craziness. We all need healing and restoration!

Today, still in Mark’s first chapter, after the Baptism, after Jesus’ 40 days in the Wilderness, after He travels up to Galilee and starts calling Disciples to follow Him and after Jesus’ first miracle in Mark’s Gospel (the casting out the “impure spirit” from the man in the Capernaum synagogue we read about last week), in Jesus’ own exhaustion He requires restoration!

Hear the Word of God … Mark 1:29-39 …. —- [The screen will show this passage.]

²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. ³¹ So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

³² That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. ³³ The whole town gathered at the door, ³⁴ and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. ³⁶ Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” ³⁹ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Even Jesus had to recharge. Today we learn how He did that.

Jesus traveled all around the northern Israel area of Galilee preaching, driving out demons, and healing people. One day, Jesus and some of His disciples went to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was there in bed with a fever. Jesus took her by the hand and helped her up. All at once, the fever left her and she began to prepare a meal for everyone.

Here’s the Synagogue (50’ x 60’ + prayer room, 4^th Century on the ruins of the synagogue Jesus would have been in).

Here’s a view from the Synagogue entrance facing the Sea of Galilee. That church (St. Peter’s RC Church, 1990, built over the ruins of a 2^nd Century pre-RC church) is built directly over Simon and Andrew’s house where Simon’s mother-in-law was healed. That church has a glass floor, so worshipers can look into the ruins of this house, probably the world’s very first ever “house church”.

That evening many people came to Jesus to be healed of all sorts of diseases. The whole town gathered at the door to watch. That must’ve been a long day. I can tell you that most pastors, after a Sunday morning of leading worship and preaching and praying with people, go home, and with the newspaper in hand, take a nice nap! Not Jesus, not in this story! He gave of Himself all day long!

Jesus got up before sunrise the next morning and found a quiet place to pray and recharge His spirit. Now, I cannot say for you, or for my colleagues in ministry, but Tuesday thru Thursday, I, too, get up before sunrise – 5:30 – and I make a pot of coffee and a small breakfast, and I sit in my corner easy chair and start the day in God’s Word and in prayer. But on Monday, that’s my “the next day”, I do everything I can to sleep in! I mean I try to spend time in prayer and in the Word, but not first-thing-in-the-morning! But Jesus’ “next day” starts “very early in the morning” – not to make a pot of coffee and sit in an easy chair – Jesus leaves the house and goes for a jaunt to a solitary place.

When Simon and the others wake up, they search for Him and find Him and say, “Everyone is looking for You.”

Jesus had recharged His batteries and was ready to go. He says to them, “Let’s go to other towns and villages so that I can preach to them, too. That’s what I came to do.” So they travel throughout the region of Galilee, and Jesus preaches in the synagogues and heals people and casts out demons. 

Jesus plugged into His power-source first thing in the morning! When His disciples find Him, how charged do you thing His “battery” was?

Here’s the takeaway for us: If Jesus thought it was important for Him to recharge His spiritual battery, it’s important for us to do that, too. 

My prayer is that our time together in worship and prayer, in submitting to God’s Word, and to each other, provides that kind of restoration for us, for me, for you!

And, that’s why we are encouraged to spend time in prayer and in God’s Word every day

Where was your “spiritual battery when you walked in the building this morning? Where is it right now? Maybe, before we leave this place and experience, we’ll be more fully charged to live the faith God calls us to live this week!

God, help us to remember that just as our bodies must be renewed by proper rest, our spirit must be renewed by spending time with You in prayer, Bible study, and worship. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer Page – 

And now – call out a name, a place, a people, a situation, you are lifting to the Lord in prayer ….  “Have mercy on us, O Lord.”    [Lord’s Prayer]  Amen.

– Offering (4449 N Nevada St, Spokane, 99207 ; or click HERE or text 833-976-1333, code “Lidgerwood”)

As we move into a time of recharging, at the Lord’s Table – I invite you to gather your bread and “wine” together. Pastor Kathy will lead us in prayer, and in that prayer say the words of institution and we are invited to partake. For those in the room here at church – remember to remove the cellophane top of your cup to discover the “unleavened wafer”, and then, at the appropriate time, carefully unwrap the aluminum cover to open the juice = raise your hand if you want some help, one of our Deacons will be at your side to help.

And while Kathy is praying, she will invite us all to join in one of the longest-lived statements of faith – on the screen – together.

Communion Prayer

Leader:   … in remembrance of Your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,

we offer ourselves as a holy and living sacrifice,

in union with Christ’s offering for us,

as we proclaim the mystery of faith together:

All:             Christ has died;

                   Christ is risen; 

                   Christ will come again.

Expedition Song  – Precious Lord / Just a Closer Walk with Thee! ….   sung by Lilly Haeger & Dick McCarter (our suggestion is no congregational singing, but if you’re wearing your masks appropriately, who would know who is singing?).

Next Sunday, like we did today – please RSVP to us if you plan to attend so we can properly set up – and please CALL IN or email or text – so we can share with you what the plans will be – whether we will be allowed to continue to meet or not.

We close with this benediction:       Friends –

may we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,

becoming more faithful with each passing day of struggle and victory,

with each encounter with the Holy Spirit,

giving glory to God today and forever!

Resources: 

https://sermons4kids.com/recharging_our_batteries.htm