I am just now able to sit down and write about last Sunday's worship experience at St. Marks Northshore where I worshiped last Sunday for their U2charist service.
Though this wasn't my first time to worship at St. Marks, it was my first U2charist. What a neat service. If you'd like to know more about U2charist, you can check out the link here.
Last Sunday was the last Sunday opportunity for me to visit other churches before I officially take the pulpit tomorrow morning in the Holston GaP Parish in the Chattanooga District. It has been a blessing these past three Sundays in June to visit other local churches and to worship with other communities. I highly recommend it for all when you can. I recommend mingling with other denominations too. We are all the body of Christ and connected. It's just that I only had three Sundays in which to visit because I stayed at my home church through the end of May. One can only visit so many churches in three weeks.
Going to St. Marks was like going back to another one of my homes. I went to their first service several years ago when they were starting out on their new adventure in the fellowship hall. Everyone in attendance that day was invited to plant a seed and take it with them as part of that beginning. I attended a few times off and on as I could over the years. I have always been blessed by the worship, the fellowship, the spoken word, and the overall atmosphere. This past Sunday was no exception.
From the worship bulletin: U2christ "features the music of the rock band U2 combined with a communion experience open to all. Messages of global reconciliation and justice for the poor and oppressed are highlighted. The U2charist seeks to call people to a deeper faith and engagement with God's mission within our parish, community and world."
St. Marks always has altars that are thematically appropriate to the message. Sunday's altar contained the elements for communion, icons with pictures and articles relating to justice for the poor and the oppressed, and many candles. The cross and a Bible were brought in during the opening time. (The icons for this service were made by Heather Clements. She designed the altar.)
The Scripture passage for the Epistle lesson was from Hebrews 10:11-25 (The Message) and the Gospel lesson: 1 John 4:7-10.
Carl Greene gave the sermon on Sunday. St. Marks has a rotating staff of preachers and Carl was up. Here are a few things I jotted down from his sermon-- Justice, Charity, and Equality are core components of our faith. The vulnerable matter to God. God will guide us and meet our needs as we work for justice. Isaiah 58.
There were a total of 9 U2 songs in the service. Each song sung provided a brief explanation of the meaning and/or origin to it. It was educational and inspirational to learn. Words were up on the screens for us to sing along. Many of us did. The music team did an excellent job in setting the scene for an engaging time of worship.
The Prayers of the People and the Great Thanksgiving Liturgy were also very meaningful portions of the service. Different people from the congregation read the prayers and the congregation responded after each one, "Hear our prayer" (bringing back my Academy experiences of corporate prayers of the people to mind). The prayers and the liturgy were so meaningful to me that I asked for a copy.
Here are the "Prayers of the People" prayed:
Almighty God, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high
upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant
that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have the grace to take
up our cross and follow him in pursuit of your work of reconciliation in the
world.
God of love, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Let us pray for the poor, hungry, and neglected all over the
world, that their cries for daily bread may inspire works of compassion and
mercy among those to whom much has been given
God of love, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Let us pray for schools and centers of learning throughout the
world, for those who lack access to basic education, and for the light of
knowledge to blossom and shine in the lives of all God’s people.
God of love, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Let us pray for an end to the divisions and inequalities that
scar God’s creation,
particularly the barriers to freedom faced by God’s children throughout the world because of
gender; that all who have been formed in God’s
image might have equality in pursuit of the blessings of creation.
God of love, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Let us pray for the health of women, children and families
around the world, especially for an end to maternal and child mortality, that
in building healthy families, all God’s
people may be empowered to strengthen their communities and repair the breaches
which divide nations and peoples.
God of love, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Let us pray for an end to pandemic disease throughout the world,
particularly the scourges of HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis; that plagues
of death may no longer fuel poverty, destabilize nations, and inhibit reconciliation
and restoration throughout the world.
God of love, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Let us pray for an end to the waste and desecration of God’s creation, for access to the fruits of
creation to be shared equally among all people, and for communities and nations
to find sustenance in the fruits of the earth and the water God has given us.
God of love, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Let us pray for all nations and people who already enjoy the
abundance of creation and the blessings of prosperity, that their hearts may be
lifted up to the needs of the poor and afflicted, and partnerships between rich
and poor for the reconciliation of the world may flourish and grow.
God of love, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Let us pray for the departed, particularly those who have died
as a result of poverty, hunger, disease, violence, or hardness of the human
heart;
God of love, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
From the liturgy of the Great Thanksgiving:
L: We Feast at the Lord's Table
Christ is risen!
P:He is risen indeed!
L: Let's celebrate this irrepressible life;
let's open our hearts to the joy and wonder of infinite
possibility,
of unquenched hope, of eternal resurrection.
P: We celebrate, we raise our voices and our hearts in worship
and thanksgiving to the God who lives.
L: Resurrection happened because Christ was first prepared to
die.
Defying death, He refused to release His hold on life and love.
So now, as He encouraged us, we choose to remember
so that we too can truly live.
At supper on the night before He died
Jesus took bread and blessed it.
Then He broke it and gave it to His disciples saying:
This is my body, broken so that you may know life.
Eat it and remember Me.
After the meal Jesus took wine and blessed it.
Then He gave it to His disciples saying:
This is my blood, shed so that you may know life.
Drink it and remember Me.
So, now, Lord of Life, we share in this meal, we celebrate
together,
and we remember You.
And we will continue to do this until resurrection
has flooded the whole creation.
We give you thanks that you have already poured your Holy Spirit
out on these gifts of bread and wine to make them be the body and blood of
Jesus for us.
And may we who share this meal, be joined with you,
and with one another,
as one body united in resurrection life,
and sharing with all of creation in your eternal salvation.
P: As we break this bread, we receive Christ's life
In all our diversity, in all our individuality,
as we share this one loaf
we are one.
----------------------------------------Even the post-communion prayer caught my attention. (I know, I'm geeky in this way. Maybe this in part explains my calling?!?!)
All:
Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with
the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior
Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living
members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now,
Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve
you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy
Spirit, be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.
What a wonderful time of worship with the community gathered at St. Marks Northshore on June 28. Thank you for opening your arms of welcome to me once again. It was a blessing. I not only reconnected with friends and folks that I haven't been able to see or worship with in a while, but I met some new folks. In fact, I met one of my colleagues who will be starting tomorrow at a church in one of the communities I'm in.
To the worship team, the tech team, the pastors, all those who work hard behind the scenes, to the members and the guests who were there last Sunday, thank you. Thank you for setting the atmosphere for us to all come together to worship the Lord of Creation.
Well, it's time to end this post. This ends the journey of visiting other churches prior to my taking the pulpit. That starts tomorrow. 10am Fort Olgethorpe UMC and 11am Simpson UMC. As Rafiki from the Lion King says, "it is time".
Blessings on your journey,
Debra ☺
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