STRETCHING OUR FAITH METROPOLITAN INTERDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH Sunday, January 21, 2018 THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

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1 STRETCHING OUR FAITH METROPOLITAN INTERDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH Sunday, January 21, 2018 THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY PREPARATION The pastor s entrance and the beginning of the musical prelude are the calls to silent, personal preparation for the worship of God. THE GATHERING We are standing on Holy ground, And I know that there are angels all around. Let us praise Jesus now, We are standing in God s presence on Holy Ground. LITANY When God s Word comes upon the world, the world is never again the same. An old age ends, a new days begins. ALL: So, young Jonah, why sit and sulk? When I caught wind of the Word of the Lord, I tried to run away. Why should I go to a hostile people in a faraway place, to deliver a message from another land s God? But you did go, and they believed and repented. So, young Jonah, why sit and sulk? Why did God attend to their prayers? They were not God s people! But they did not need three days in a fish before they arose to follow the Lord. When God s Word comes upon the world, the world is never again the same. So, old Zebedee, why sit and scowl? When I caught wind of the Word of the Lord, I went on mending my nets. Why should I drop my home and my work to chase a carpenter s dream? But James and John went; they believed and repented. So, old Zebedee, why sit and scowl? Why did God have to appear to them? They left me behind! They did not want to cast nets from a boat to catch the fish of Galilee. God s Word has come again to the world. Let the old age end! Let the new day begin!

2 OPENING HYMN I Have Decided to Follow Jesus I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus No turning back, (No turning back,) No turning back! Tho no one join me, still I will follow, Tho no one join me, still I will follow, Tho no one join me, still I will follow No turning back, (No turning back,) No turning back! The world behind me, the cross before me, The world behind me, the cross before me, The world behind me, the cross before me No turning back, (No turning back,) No turning back! WELCOME Visitors standing If you are here for the first time, we are delighted that you came. If you are dropping in for a second or third visit, we are glad you found something you were looking for. We hope you will be challenged by our worship and that you will come back again. If you are looking for a faith community, we would welcome you as a part of our church family. When you are officially welcomed as a visitor, you will receive a Visitor s Information Card. Please fill it out, and return it to the Pastor, or place it in the offering plate. WELCOME! CONCERNS OF CHURCH AND CITY Billye Sanders OFFERTORY For all things come from you, and of your own we have given you. 1 Chronicles 29:14 Your tithes and gifts help us: Pay the mortgage, utilities, maintenance, and security for the Metropolitan Meeting House; Provide free pastoral counseling services to members of our congregation; Fund the First Response Center programs, serving over 700 people living with HIV/AIDS, and other at-risk persons; Pay for the personnel and operating costs of our ministries; Provide educational materials/resources to assist in our community s spiritual growth and development; Maintain meeting space for ministries, including Girl Scouts, recovery/support groups, and events; Fund our annual Anniversary and Homecoming celebrations; Give emergency assistance to members of the congregation and community through our benevolence fund. Every gift of your time, talent, and treasure makes a vital difference in the life and ministries of Metropolitan Interdenominational Church. Thank You! DOXOLOGY Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise God all creatures here below, Praise God above ye heavenly host; Creator, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen. CELEBRATION IN SONG The Voices of Metropolitan Reginald Green, Minister of Music

3 THE WORD PROCLAMATION Mark1:14-20 CHORAL RESPONSE Grant us wisdom, Grant us courage, For the living of these days, For the living of these days. PREPARATORY PERIOD OUR CALLING Metropolitan Interdenominational Church is a community of believers inclusive of all and alienating to none, leading the way to spiritual growth by sharing God s love with the world. THE MESSAGE THE SENIOR SERVANT A LABOR OF LOVE 14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15 and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news. 16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, Follow me and I will make you fish for people. 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. Mark 1:14-20 SERMON NOTES

4 RESPONSE Please do not leave the sanctuary or in any other manner create a distraction during the invitational period. This is a moment of unparalleled importance. The Voices of Metropolitan MOMENTS OF REFLECTION INVITATION TO LIFE IN CHRIST This church will welcome into its membership any persons who love and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and who promise to live according to His laws of Love, recognizing all people as brothers and sisters for whom He gave His life. THE LORD S SUPPER Communion Prayer We do not presume to come to this, Thy table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in Thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs from under Thy table. But thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy. Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, so to partake of this sacrament of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, that we may walk in newness of life and grow to reflect Thy Spirit in all things forevermore, Amen. (We will eat and drink together after all have been served.) FELLOWSHIP CIRCLE We ve come too far to turn back now; By the grace of God we re gonna make it somehow. Nobody knows the trouble we ve seen; We ve come too far to turn back now. The mystery of life and death persists despite the exhaustless and exhaustive treatment it has been given in song and story, philosophy and science, art and religion. The human spirit is so involved in the endless cycle of birth, of living and dying, that in some sense each man is an authority, a key interpreter of the meaning of the totality of the experience. The testimony of the individual, then, is always fresh if he is able to make himself articulate to his fellows. Even when he is not, there is the persistent conviction that in some profound sense he himself knows and understands. When the external circumstances of life are dramatic or unusual, causing the human spirit to make demands upon all the reaches of its resourcefulness in order to keep from being engulfed, then the value of its findings made articulate, has more than passing significance. (From Deep River, in For The Inward Journey, p. 201) HOWARD THURMAN CORE VALUES Our core values define the framework within which we live out the ideals of Our Calling based upon the word of God as reflected in Jesus Christ. Loving, Giving, Serving, Inclusive, Reconciling, Fellowship, Liberating LOVING: Worshiping, Comforting, Caring GIVING: Sharing, Supporting, Volunteering SERVING: Helping, Ministering, Providing INCLUSIVE: Embracing, Welcoming, Accepting RECONCILING: Forgiving, Restoring, Affirming FELLOWSHIP: Celebrating, Belonging, Participating LIBERATING: Teaching, Nurturing, Advocating METROPOLITAN INTERDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH Location: th Avenue North, Nashville, TN Mailing Address: P.O. Box , Nashville, TN Phone: (615) 72METRO ( ) ~ Fax: (615) ~ website: Rev. Edwin C. Sanders, II, Senior Servant; Rev. John Cross, Senior Pastoral Assistant Pastoral Staff: Rev. Marcella Lockhart, Rev. Clifford Smith, Rev. Christopher Davis, Rev. Terry Terrell, Rev. Regina McCrary, Rev. Neely Williams, Rev. Stephanie Thompson, Rev. Cherie Booker, Rev. Christopher Goodwin

5 STRETCHING OUR FAITH METROPOLITAN INTERDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH Sunday, January 21, rd Sunday After the Epiphany Metropolitan Interdenominational Church is a community of believers inclusive of all and alienating to none, leading the way to spiritual growth by sharing God s love with the world. THE SKILL SETS OF DISCIPLESHIP THE SKILL SETS OF DISCIPLESHIP revealed in Mark 1:14-20 are as important for us to understand today as they were two thousand years ago. What Jesus saw in Simon, Andrew, James and John were some people who knew something about casting and mending. These are skills that were essential to their business of fishing, and skills of critical significance for the work they were being called to do with Jesus. Being able to go out upon the vast Sea of Galilee and cast continually into waters of uncertainty and potential turbulence, believing in the certainty of the fruits of their labor, required profound determination. They were able to move beyond their fear of failure and the reality of disappointment because they never gave in to the idea of their work being in vain. This attitude coupled with the ability to see value in mending their torn, worn and tangled nets represented to Jesus two skills absolutely necessary for the work of discipleship. As disciples we can never afford to be so intimidated by the dangers of life that we give up on our mission, and we must be able to see in all people the greatness of God s creation, no matter how battered and fragmented they might appear. When we come to our work as servants with these gifts in place, we embody what Jesus was looking for in THE SKILL SETS OF DISCIPLESHIP. (Reprinted from 01/25/2009) --Senior Servant

6 UPCOMING EVENTS MIDWEEK FELLOWSHIP: Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. Dinner by Circle 2 Bible Study 7:00 8:00, Classes for Adults and Children Sunday, January 28, 2018 ~ Ecclesiastical Council Meeting ~ following worship Saturday, February 3, 2018, 5:00-7:30 p.m. ~ Black History Program Sunday, February 4, 2018 ~ 37 th Church Anniversary ~ refreshments following worship Sunday, February 18, 2018 ~ Choir Sunday Sunday, February 25, 2018 ~ Founders Day ~ brunch served after worship United Way Employee Giving Campaign: Please designate #3255 to support the First Response Center. For the United Federal Campaign, Write In Metropolitan Interdenominational Church First Response Center. Support Metropolitan while you shop: Enroll in the Kroger Community Rewards Program: Login to Kroger.com, enroll your Kroger Plus card, select Community Rewards, and select Metropolitan Interdenominational Church FRC; it s that easy! When shopping online, register your support for Metropolitan Interdenominational Church FRC with Smile.Amazon and always shop through the Smile.Amazon site. Opportunity Now: Youth Employment Initiative Visit: Friday evening Dancercise, 7p.m. Voices of Metropolitan Rehearsal, Saturday 12 2p.m. Saturday Worship, 6 7 p.m.; The Voices of Metropolitan appear January 13 th Centering Prayer, Sundays 8:30-8:50 a.m.; Wednesdays 6:40-7:00 p.m. ~ Giving Summary ~ Date Offering Budgeted Offering Actual Offering (Un)Realized Summary 2017 Year End $305, $294, ($10,761.79) January 7, 2018 $5, $5, $65.80 January 7, 2018 $5, $3, ($2,587.62) January, 2018 $11, $9, ($2,521.82) 2018 Year to Date $11, $9, ($2,521.82) ~ Midweek Fellowship Meal Schedule ~ January 31 Circle 3 February 21 Circle 6 February 7 Circle 4 February 28 Circle 7 February 14 Circle 5 March 7 Circle 1 ~ Sick, Shut In, and Recovering Members ~ Alma Bumpers 3100 Richmond Hill Drive; Nashville, TN No visitors, please Leon McKinley Corder 1902 Elliott Avenue; Nashville, TN Send prayers. No visitors, please. Evelyn Martin 3253 Spears Road; Nashville, TN Connie Ryans 1703 Pecan Street; Nashville, TN Emmilye Wilson-Walton P.O. Box 78795; Nashville, TN BIBLE READINGS Read Pray Sacrifice 4th Sunday After the Epiphany January 22-28, 2018 Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Psalm Corinthians 8:1-13 Mark 1:21-28