Elements from this morning’s gathering

Opening Scripture

A Reading from Psalm 107

Oh, thank God—he’s so good!
His love never runs out.
All of you set free by God, tell the world!
Tell how he freed you from oppression,
Then rounded you up from all over the place,
from the four winds, from the seven seas.

Some of you wandered for years in the desert,
looking but not finding a good place to live,
Half-starved and parched with thirst,
staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion.
Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to God.
He got you out in the nick of time;
He put your feet on a wonderful road
that took you straight to a good place to live.
So thank God for his marvelous love,
for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.
He poured great drafts of water down parched throats;
the starved and hungry got plenty to eat.

Scripture Reading

A Reading from John 14 & 15 (parenthesis added)

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 

My Father’s house has many rooms (dwellings); if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going…

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well… 

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you (dwelling) forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. 

But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans (without a family dwelling); I will come to you (indwelling)…

Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home (dwelling) with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you…

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain (dwell) in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing… 

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain (dwell) in my love.