The Parish Gathering | Online House Church (October 18, 2020)
Welcome!
Throughout the Fall, we’re gathering in an alternating Sunday rhythm of all-Church gatherings and then House Church gatherings. Today is a House Church Sunday and the Online House Church is open for all to join right here. Click the button below to join at 10:30am:
Family Ministry
Join the 10:30am Online House Church
Note: These gatherings take place via Zoom. If you don’t already have one, please create a Zoom account and set up the software in advance of the gathering.
Join by Phone
Dial-in available for the 10:30am Online House Church only.
Please participate in the following liturgy, reading aloud all the parts in bold italics.
Welcome & Invitation
The Big Idea: Practice Loving Others
Scripture Readings:
Acts 2:42-47
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”
Philippians 2:3-8
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.”
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Song: Rich and Poor
Rich and poor alike,
Listen with your own hearts.
His love is for us all,
His love is for us all.
Rich and poor alike,
Listen with your own souls
Do not live in fear,
Do not live in fear.
Oh rich and poor alike,
His love is for us all.
Rich and poor, high and low,
Sick and well, this I know.
His love is for us all,
His love is for us all,
His love is for us all,
His love is for us all.
You are the life to my heart and my soul.
You are the light to the darkness around me.
You are the hope to the hopeless, the broken,
You are the only truth and the way.
Hands: Practical Needs We Can Meet + Hopes, Burdens & Prayers of the People
Head: Imaginative Exercise + Group Discussion
Guided Imaginative Exercise:
- Use the gift of your imagination to envision what these contexts might look like if they existed in a world where the God’s Kingdom had come in full:
- Breakroom at work
- Marketplace
- Social Media
- Family Relationships / Thanksgiving Table
- How can you practically “seek first” that reality in the here and now?
Heart: Spiritual Practices
- How did you experience God coming to you through the practices of refuge & rhythm?
- Looking ahead, what concrete ways can you think of to practice compassion & presence in daily life?
Communion
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
Most merciful God,
We confess that we have sinned against you
In thought, word, and deed,
By what we have done,
And by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole hearts;
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
Have mercy on us and forgive us;
That we may delight in your will,
And walk in your ways,
To the glory of your name. Amen.
And now we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died.
Christ has risen.
Christ will come again.
Prayers for those with Communion elements
Take the bread in your hand and say these words as you consume the bread:
The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven.
Take the wine into your hands and say these words as you consume the wine:
The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation.
For those without Communion elements, The Sacrament of Desire.
Now, in union, O Lord with the faithful at every altar of Your Church,
I present to You my soul and body
with the earnest prayer that I will remain united to you.
And since I cannot now receive You sacramentally,
I pray that you would come to me spiritually.
I unite myself to you, and embrace you with my soul’s affection.
Let nothing separate me from you,
that I may live and die in Your love.
Amen.
Song: One Blood
O God you have made us all of one blood
And sent us your blessed Son
Proclaiming your Kingdom, justice and peace
He’s calling to everyone, the far and the near may come
Let the nations of the earth seek after you and find you
Let our neighbors see in us your love
Pour out your Spirit,
Pour out your Spirit,
Pour out your Spirit on all people
Hasten the coming,
Hasten the coming,
Hasten the coming of your Kingdom
