Aldersgate 08/06

Welcome

Centering Ourselves

Call to Worship

*A Call to Worship:

One Voice: Welcome to worship this day. All Voices: We are glad to be here. One Voice: Some have come seeking; some have come struggling All Voices: Lord, be with each one of us today. Feed our hearts and souls with your transforming love. One Voice: God is with us all today, guiding, lifting, feeding, restoring your souls. All Voices: Thanks be to God who continually abides with us.

(Based on a Call to Worship by Nancy C. Townley, www.ministrymatters.com)

Gathering Hymn

Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown #386 UMH

First Scripture

Matthew 14:13–21 NRSV

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Response

After the readings:

One Voice: The Word of God, for the People of God.

All Voices: Thanks be to God.

Children’s Moment

Reflecting Hymn

Oh, I Know the Lord's Laid His Hands on Me #2139 TFWS

Intro to the Scripture Reading

Necessary Background

All about blessing

Abraham

God commits to Abraham and says you will have the amount of stars in the sky

Covenants with Abraham

he will be a blessing to the nation

The linage of this is carried through the first born males of the family

Isaac - Names really are significant in the OT

Esau

“Hairy”

Esau is the first born

He deserves the birthright

He trades it for a bowl of soup

Jacob -

“deciever”

Jacob put fur on himself to lie to his father to receive the blessing

It was the family blessing

So Jacob is a lier he lied, and cheated, and stole his way into being the family patriarch, and hence living up to his name the deciever.

He flees the area

has 4 wives loves one

He demands that God blesses him

Jacob feels like he is constantly striving for something, and it is God’s blessing

But he has gone behind God’s back, he has even gone behind his fathers back and deceived his way into something

It is like he beat the game but he has to use cheat codes so it was dissatisfying, and now he truly and genuinely wants God’s blessing

On top of that his brother is very angry at him

Genesis 32:22–31 NRSV

22 The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. 24 Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” 27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

Response

After the reading:

One Voice: The Word of God, for the People of God.

All Voices: Thanks be to God.

Word play going on

Jacob - “deciever”

Jabbock - “River of Wrestling”

Penuel - “face of God”

Israel mean “striving with God”

22 The same night the person known as the “deciever” got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the “River of wrestling”. 23 "the deciever” took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. 24 "The deciever” was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against "the deciever”, he struck him on the hip socket; and "deciever’s” hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But "The deciever” said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” 27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “the deciever.” 28 Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called "deciever”, your name will be “striving with God”, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” 29 Then "striving with God” asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So "Striving with God” left the place that was called “the face of God”, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed the area that was called “the face of God”, limping because of his hip.

“What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answers. “Jacob” is not only who he is, but what he is.

Who am I? Trickster. Supplanter. Heel-grabber

It is as if Jacob says this is who I am I am a lier and I am a cheater

But this person that Jacob is wrestling with see’s something else

We see who we were, God sees who we are becoming

Jacob (israel) received not only a new name but a new courage

He spent his whole life up until this point trying to find a short cut

Trying to adjust the outside to get the family and the prestige, and although he tricked his father into giving him the family blessing he certainly felt far from blessed

This story illustrates a story that is all too common for us

We deal with God directly we don't have to lie and cheat or go behind God's back. We get the opportunity to be honest with ourselves and with God. Not just because God already knows it, but so we can come to terms with the fact that God already knows it.

Jacob didn’t know he was chasing something that he couldn’t quite grasp

Our stories tell both of who we are and who God is

We can be our fully selves with God

Jacob could only focus on how to prepare for Esau

He was thinking about how to prepare to face his brother

About what do you say to a person after such significant harm

God may meet us in the anticipated difficulty

when we refuse to turn to God in a moment of struggle we pass up an opportunity

We can be honest with God

We don’t have to isolate or run from God

We don’t have to only deal with the symptoms of our problems, we can be face-to-face with God

Our encounters with God transform us

Jacob won’t let him go unless he gets his blessing

God won’t give the blessing

As such he gets a new name Israel

Israel is left with this injury to remind him of what happened here

Jacob wants a new name to give to God to attribute to this interaction

God is not changed, but our relationship to God is changed

When we see who we were, God sees who we will become

Our stories tell both of who we are and who God is

God and Jacob face the future together

We can try to bargain

Or to lie to God

or to run away from God

God cannot be decieved by me

God can’t be fooled by me

We can certainly try, but the only way that God meets us is not through our deception but through our wrestling

For the God that we deal with directly is the God that transforms us and calls us not “Heel grabbers” but “those who have striven with God”

Responding Hymn

There Are Some Things I May Not Know #2147 TFWS

Invitation to the Table

One Voice: Christ invites to this table, and to all the tables around which we gather, all who seek to learn to love him, all who seek to live a new life, and all who seek to live in peace with each other. Hear and remember this good news: God loves you and desires for you to live the life to which you are called. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven from all that holds you back and you are freed towards what calls you forward.

Sharing God’s Peace

As we are called by God, we are also called into community with one another. We both receive God’s peace in our lives and acknowledge and offer it to each other.

Whether you are watching online or here in-person, would you offer peace to one another, using this motion and these words: May the Peace of God be with you.

As we acknowledge God’s Peace that is always with us and that seek to live out in our lives these words and this gesture: May it rest on me. And then finally as we claim and cling to God’s peace so desperately needed that covers over and binds together every thing: May it be with all of Creation. Will you do that with me? May the Peace of God be with you; May it rest on me; May it be with all of Creation.

Invitation to the Offering

One Voice: Faced with a hungry crowd and only five loaves and two fish, Jesus fed the multitude until all were satisfied. Faced with a hungry world, God invites us to offer our gifts and use our lives, that God’s bounty may be shared with those in need. May Christ see our faith and multiply our gifts, that all might be satisfied. If you are worshipping in-person today and have brought with you a monetary gift. You can place those in the basket in the back of the sanctuary as you leave today.

Offertory

Doxology

Thank you, Lord #84 UMH

Prepare the Table

Prepare the table (Use Hand Sanitizer)

If you are worshipping in-person today, prepared communion elements are on the table in the back. If you missed them as you came in today, you may get them now or during the communion liturgy so that you will have them ready.

We will be receiving communion in the pews. As you leave you may dispose of the plastic cup in the trash receptacle at the back of the sanctuary.

If you are worshipping online, you may prepare the elements you have with you.

The Great Thanksgiving

One Voice: The Lord be with you.

All Voices: And also with you.

One Voice: Lift up your hearts. (Raise Hands)

All Voices: We lift them to the Lord.

One Voice: Let us give thanks to God.

All Voices: It is right to give thanks and praise.

One Voice: It is a good, right and joyful thing, always, everywhere to give thanks to you, Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth.

You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life.

When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast.

You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our God, and spoke to us through the prophets, who looked for that day when justice shall roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream, when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and raise our voices, joining theirs: (Lower hands)

All Voices: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

One Voice: (Raise Hands) Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.

Your Spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, set at liberty those who are oppressed, and announce that the time had come when you would once again save your people.

Jesus healed the sick, fed those who were hungry, and ate with sinners.

By his death, and resurrection you gave birth to the Church, delivered us from sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

(Lift the bread) On the night his life was taken from him, he gathered with friends. He took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, shared it with his disciples, and said: "Take, eat, remember."

(Lift the Cup) After the meal, Jesus took a cup, gave thanks to you, passed it to his disciples, and said: "Take, drink, remember.”

(Raise Hands) So we remember these acts of Jesus and we pour ourselves out in praise and thanksgiving, in union with how Christ offered himself.

And we proclaim the mystery of our faith.

All Voices: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

Words of Instituition

So, pour out your Spirit on us gathered here and on those watching online. Pour out your Spirit too on these gifts: bread and cup. May Christ be known for us in breaking bread and sharing cup.

And may we become, as Christ was, for this world.

(Raise Hands) By your Spirit make us one with Christ [hands crossed on chest], one with each other [palms open], and one in ministry to all the world [hands outstretched and palms open],until we feast together at the heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God, now and forever.

All Voices: Amen.

One Voice: And now, with the confidence of children of God, let us pray together a version of the Lord’s Prayer using the words from the bulletin or on the screen:

A Lord’s Prayer Version (Matthew 6:9-13 from The Voice (VOICE) translation)

All Voices: Our Father in heaven, let Your name remain holy. Bring about Your kingdom. Manifest Your will here on earth, as it is manifest in heaven. Give us each day that day’s bread—no more, no less. And forgive us our debts as we forgive those who owe us something. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

(The Voice translation provided by www.biblegateway.com)

Giving and Receiving the Bread and Cup

One Voice: This bread (Lift and break the Bread) is the life of Christ living in you.

This cup (Lift the Cup), is the love of Christ, flowing through you.

Whether worshipping online or in person, I invite you to receive the elements you have before you.

A Prayer after Receiving

One Voice: Loving God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you give yourself to us. May we go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sending Hymn

God Be with You till We Meet Again #672 UMH

Benediction