World Communion Sunday (Communion Prayer)

"Freedom within constraints" is a way to describe how many poets and artists function creatively. It describes too the liturgical tradition in Reformed and Presbyterian churches. It seems appropriate to me on World Communion Sunday to veer a bit (at least sometimes) from the prescribed prayers ("freedom") and yet stay within the "constraints" of the Eucharistic Prayer--a three-part, Trinitarian prayer of thanksgiving at the table which includes praise and thanksgiving to God the Father, a recounting of and thanksgiving for the sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ, and the invocation of Holy Spirit (Epiclesis).

This is how I explained it in the notes to the order of service:

In the spirit of unity and ecumenism for the occasion of World Communion Sunday, the Great Thanksgiving was written by Pastor Randy using various portions of liturgies from various traditions. Resources include: “The Belgic Confession” from Our Faith: Ecumenical Creeds, Reformed Confessions, and Other Resources (2013, CRC/RCA), Book of Common Prayer (1979, Episcopal), Lift Up Your Hearts: Songs, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs (2013, CRC/RCA), and Glory to God: the Presbyterian Hymnal (2013, PCUSA). 

And this is the prayer

Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord. 
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Leader: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, O Lord our Creator, almighty and everlasting God, for you are the source of light and life, you made us in your image, and called us to new life in Jesus Christ our Lord. With your whole Church on earth and with all the company of heaven we worship and adore your glorious name:

“Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty”

Silence

Leader: Holy and gracious Father, in your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
People: He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.

Leader: We give you thanks that, on the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper, Jesus took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

According to Christ’s commandment:

People: We remember his death, we proclaim his resurrection, we await his coming in glory.

Leader: Send your Holy Spirit upon us, we pray, that the bread which we break and the cup which we bless may be to us the communion of the body and blood of Christ.
People: Just as we really and truly take and hold the sacraments in our hands and eat and drink them in our mouths, by which our life is then sustained, so too, in faith, may we receive into our souls, for our spiritual lives, the true body and true blood of Christ, our only Savior. And by receiving, at this banquet table, Christ and all his benefits, may we be moved to a fervent love of God and our neighbors.

Leader: Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours, almighty God, now and forever.
People: Amen.

Lord’s Prayer (Ecumenical):
Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name, 
your kingdom come, 
your will be done, on earth as in heaven. 
Give us today our daily bread. 
Forgive us our sin as we forgive those who sin against us. 
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. 
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

Breaking of the Bread

Agnus Dei

Leader: Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
People: have mercy on us.
Leader: Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
People: have mercy on us.
Leader: Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
People: grant us your peace. Amen.

"Behold the Lamb" #835 from Lift Up Your Hearts
 

World Communion Sunday (Music)

Congregational Singing on World Communion Sunday

• Gathering:  "All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly" (Holy Manna) #534 from Lift Up Your Hearts 
• Song of Praise: "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" (by Rick Founds) from Sing! A New Creation 
• Affirmation of Faith: "In Christ Alone" (by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend) from Lift Up Your Hearts 
• Offertory: "O Day of Peace" (Grace) #487 from Lift Up Your Hearts 
• Doxology (Old Hundredth)
• Sanctus during the Communion Prayer: "Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! (Nicaea) #11 from The Hymnbook 
• Communion Hymn: "Behold the Lamb" #835 from Lift Up Your Hearts 
• Closing Hymn: "The Church's One Foundation" #437 from The Hymnbook

Proverbs 5

The Lord ’s eyes watch over every person’s path, observing all their ways. The wicked will be caught by their own evil acts, grabbed by the ropes of their own sin. Those without instruction will die, misled by their own stupidity (Proverbs 5:21-23 CEB).

"Avoid the Mysterious Woman" is the section heading at the top of Proverbs 5 in the Common English Bible. But for me, at least today, it's these last three verses of the chapter which connect...

"The Green Mile" is still fresh in my mind--and even more than just the film, the discussion following with perceptive and participative middle school students at around midnight last night. We talked about evil and what it looked like. And evil, unrepentent hearts. The guard, Percy, who happens to be the nephew of the governor's wife was part of our conversation, striking most of us as just as evil as the murderer "Wild Bill."  The phrase, "out of sheer petulance" came to mind this morning. Paul, the guard in-charge of death row, is sharing a glimpse into Percy's behavior with the wardon, "He mention he assaulted a prisoner this morning out of sheer petulance? Broke three fingers on Eduard Delacroix's left hand." Percy and Wild Bill are mirrors. In the end,, both are "grabbed by the ropes of their own sin." Percy shoots Wild Bill and, instead of becoming an administrator at the mental hospital has he has been planning, ends up being a patient/inmate there, in the very room where he and other guards had picked up Wild Bill for transfer to death row.     

First Things First (Proverbs 4)

Living by a pace of grace helps us to focus our energies on our true values. We become more aware that whatever we invest our energy in will grow in our lives.... Put your passion first. It is your most productive activity.... Start with what you love... Do what makes your heart sing...
We have choices. Everything works better when we are happy. Seeking joy in our work leads us to what we are meant to be doing. It helps us to find our true sphere of influence.
~Linda Kavelin Popov. A Pace of Grace: The Virtues of a Sustainable Life. pp. 283-4

The first thing is to acquire wisdom;
gain understanding though it cost you all you have.
Do not forsake her [Lady Wisdom], and she will keep you safe;
love her, and she will guard you;
cherish her, and she will lift you high;
if only you embrace her, she will bring you honour.
She will set a garland of grace on your head
and bestow on you a crown of glory.
~Proverbs 4:7-9 NEB

My first passion today is my confirmation class. Our 24-hour "lock-in" retreat at the church begins at 6:00pm tonight. Our theme is from the first line of a Brian Wren hymn, I come with joy, a child of God, forgiven, loved, and free. What a beautiful way to describe who we are. Children of God. Children of Joy. Forgiven. Loved. Free.

Kids love movies. I love movies. So a big part of our retreat (in addition to food, games, and worship) will be watching movies and talking about them--really, really talking about them. Here are only a few of the questions we'll be using...

The Green Mile:  FORGIVEN (Who needs forgiveness in The Green Mile? Who asks someone else for forgiveness? How does forgiveness happen? And where in the movie do we see Baptism, Healing, Grace, Miracles, Evil, Goodness, Faith, Resurrection?)

Toy Story 3:  LOVED (What does it mean? When do we hold on to those you love? When do we let go of those we love? Is there anything about loving your enemies in Toy Story 3?)

Finding Nemo:  FREE (to be free, to be on your own)
Shrek 2 or 3: FREE (to be yourself?)

Final note. This is a 24-hour event.
Thanks in advance to the parents, each taking their shift!
 I'm sure the kids will sleep some.
I'm sure I won't.
So thanks for your prayers.
And for the Red Bull.  

Blessed are the meek (Proverbs 3)

Dear God, 

Well, this is embarrassing. I just spent some time explaining (with great rhetorical flourish and a variety of logical proofs) why my perspective on an issue was (totally) right. And, of course, why his perspective was flawed at best. And then, after sharing my wealth of wisdom, I turned to Proverbs 3. Perhaps I would find yet more justification for my position on the issue fresh in my mind. 

Put all your trust in the LORD
and do not rely on your own understanding.
Think of him in all your ways,
and he will smooth your path.
Do not think how wise you are,
but fear the LORD and turn from evil.
Do not pick a quarrel with a man for no reason,
if he has not done you a bad turn.
Though God himself meets the arrogant with arrogance,
yet he bestows his favour on the meek.
~Proverbs 3:5-7, 30, 34 (NEB)

So here I am again, God, to confess my Sin with a capital "S" which to me looks like self-centeredness, self-justification, self-reliance, self-satisfaction, self-TRUST. It looks like me, me, me, me, me... thinking all-too-often of how wise I am... when I know deep down... that I am my best and truest self when I put all my trust in you, and lean not on my own understanding.  

Sometimes I feel too old to be learning these lessons I thought I had learned long ago. Too old to be saying, "Lord, have mercy on me" for the same old same old. Too old to be failing again and again on my spiritual Iowa Basic Skills tests. 

Lord, I cannot bear the Proverbs without the Psalms. Thank you for putting them in such close proximity. 

Out of the depths have I called to thee, O LORD;
Lord, hear my cry.
Let thy ears be attentive
to my plea for mercy.
If thou, LORD, shouldest keep account of sins,
who, O Lord, could hold up his head?
But in thee is forgiveness,
and therefore thou art revered.
I wait for the LORD with all my soul,
I hope for the fulfillment of his word.
My soul waits for the Lord
more eagerly than watchmen for the morning.
Like men who watch for the morning,
O Israel, look for the LORD.
For in the LORD is love unfailing,
and great is his power to set men free.
He alone will set Israel free
from all their sins.
~Psalm 130 (NEB)    

  

Proverbs 2

Lady Wisdom urges you and I to pay attention to her words of wisdom, to give our attention to wisdom. "Turn your ear toward wisdom, and stretch your mind toward understanding" (Proverbs 2:2, CEB).

The Heidelberg Catechism says that because we belong to the Lord, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, "makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him" (Q&A 1). So Proverbs isn't talking about earning our salvation or making brownie points, but rather teaching us that as God's dearly loved children we have the power--yes, let's use that word--we have the power, by God's grace, by the Holy Spirit, to seek after discernment, wisdom, understanding. This reminds me of the title of a great little volume of theology, Faith Seeking Understanding by Daniel L. Migliore.

The promise is this, "...If you seek her [wisdom] out like silver and dig for her like buried treasure, then you will understand the fear [reverence] of the Lord and attain to the knowledge of God; for the Lord bestows wisdom and teaches knowledge and understanding. Out of his store he endows the upright with ability as a shield for those who live blameless lives; for he guards the course of justice and keeps watch over the way of his loyal servants" (Proverbs 2:4-6, NEB).

God "guards the course of justice." Now that is quite a promise!  In 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached the Baccalaureate sermon at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. In closing, he said, "The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice."

Seeking understanding means listening to each other. For an inspiring story about one place where this is happening, see:

Bending Towards Justice :: A story about a large and diverse group of churches doing interfaith ministry in Charleston, SC area.

Here's my personal takeaway from the first two days...

Wisdom, for me, begins on my knees, in reverent worship, in prayer, in self-offering to the Source of all wisdom. Lady Wisdom urges me onward and upward, saying, "Listen to my voice. Stretch your mind towards understanding." She urges me to diligently seek understanding so as to learn what is just and right and true and fair. In the end, God's justice road will find a way to win the day!       

Words of Welcome

Openness and hospitality is emphasized in the Presbyterian Church and this holds true at the Lord's Table, at the tables in the fellowship hall, and--we pray--in our homes. We practice "open communion" which means the Lord's Table isn't "closed" to people outside our congregation or outside our denomination. We emphasize this each time we celebrate communion, but especially on World Communion Sunday.

Here's the words I'll be using to open worship on Sunday.

Leader:  This is the day that the Lord has made;

People:  Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Welcome in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Today is World Communion Sunday! What a joy—to give thanks for the bread and cup, to proclaim good news of Jesus Christ, and to rejoice in our oneness with Christ and with Christians around the world! 

When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we welcome all baptized Christians to come to the Table, regardless of church or denominational affiliation. We welcome baptized children who are being nurtured and taught in the significance of Christ’s invitation and their response by parents, Sunday school teachers, and other spiritual mentors.  

In all this we remember that access to the Table is not a right conferred upon the worthy, but a privilege given to the undeserving who come in faith, repentance, and love.  All persons who desire to come face-to-face with God’s unconditional love in Christ Jesus are welcome!

Whether we are old or young,

whether we are first-time or longtime worshipers,

whether we come full of doubts or confidence,

joy or sorrow, peace or worry,

a sense of healing or a hurting heart,

or some combination of all those things…

In this place we are all family,

because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.

Welcome to all of you today!

Come, let us worship God!

The Beginning of Wisdom (Proverbs 1)

Wisdom has to do with becoming skillful in honoring our parents and raising our children, handling our money and conducting our sexual lives, going to work and exercising leadership, using words well and treating friends kindly, eating and drinking healthily, cultivating emotions within ourselves and attitudes towards others that make for peace. Threaded through all these items is the insistence that the way we think of and respond to God is the most practical thing we do. In matters of everyday practicality, nothing, absolutely nothing, takes precedence over God.

-Eugene Peterson's Introduction to Proverbs in The Message

"Start with God" says Peterson's translation of Proverbs 1:7. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools scorn wisdom and discipline" (NEB).

To be honest, for quite a while I've been reading only very rarely from Proverbs, thinking--mistakenly--that, with only a few exceptions, Proverbs was "merely" a book of moralistic sayings and not really the guts of the gospel. Genesis, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Jeremiah, some of the minor prophets, the Gospels & Acts & the rest of the New Testament, and above all the Psalms have comprised my primary canon. 

But old dogs can sometimes learn new tricks and the prophet Joel says even old men shall dream dreams. And, yes, per above, only fools scorn wisdom and discipline. So I will, with God's help, discipline myself in the reading of Proverbs, a chapter a day, during October with gratitude to my old friend Dale Davis, a wise and self-disciplined man if I've ever known one, for coming up with the idea. 

Edward J. Lubbers (1910-2005)

By the way, I'm reading Proverbs, the classic wisdom book, using a hardcover copy of The New English Bible which belonged to another very wise man, my grandfather, Edward John Lubbers. I remember Grandpa reading from it after meals at the table on the farm when I was a teen. The NEB was brand new back then (published in 1970) but my grandfather was never categorically opposed to anything just because it was "new," not even in the church. Not that he was a proponent for everything that was new--but we'll save some of those stories for another time. Anyway, to read, to hear, to absorb, to eat these words of wisdom from his Bible just feels right, particularly when I read:

Attend, my son, to your father's instruction
and do not reject the teaching of your mother;
for they are a garland of grace on your head
and a chain of honour round your neck.

Glad to be on the journey with you,
Randy

Come, Holy Spirit!

Open my ears to Lady Wisdom who "cries aloud in the open air" & "raises her voice in public places" & "calls out at the top of the busy street" & proclaims her messages and warnings at the main entrance to the city centre. Open my heart to sound advice and dire warnings--keep me from immediately thinking of all the other people it might apply to other than me. Open my weary soul to reassuring promises, and grant me the grace and courage to make them my own. Help me to listen, so that I may "live without a care, undisturbed by fear of misfortune." 

Amen.