Martin Luther King Jr. Jan 22, 2011 Tony and Veronica Nitko

Transcription

1 Martin Luther King Jr. Jan 22, 2011 Tony and Veronica Nitko Announcements Only Call to Worship: Litany of Call A child once dreamed the Voice was calling his name 'Samuel'; A fisherman once heard the Voice when a young man bid them follow; Moses protested vehemently as the Voice spoke at the burning bush; Mary stood amazed as the Voice proclaimed impending birth; Rosa Parks followed the Voice to the front of the bus; Martin Luther King, Jr. heard the Voice as the bullet shattered; The Voice beckons from humble places in the tears of hungry children, in the cries of the frail and frightened elderly, in the pleas of those whose dreams have been too long deferred; A timid believer pauses to listen to the Voice; A struggling church hears the Voice and turns; (Pastor Katherine Hawker): Opening Hymn: Here I am, Lord (382) Reconcilation Prayer. In the words of Martin Luther King: King: Although the Church has been called to combat social evils, it has often remained silent behind the anesthetizing security of stained-glass windows How often the Church has been an echo rather than a voice, a tail-light behind the Supreme Court and other secular agencies, rather than a headlight guiding men and women progressively and decisively to higher levels of understanding. O God, we confess that our silence in the face of injustice is sin. Forgive us, and give us the power to speak the words that will

2 challenge the systems of iniquitous inequity represented in the principalities and powers of this world and in spiritual wickedness in high places. And through the words of Christ, God spoke to us, saying: If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. First Reading: From: Martin Luther King, Jr: a glimpse of the face of God At its best, life is a confusing complex of truths in tension. What work demands of us often diminishes home life. What governments call legal, the church sometimes calls immoral. What conscience requires, the world regularly calls foolish. What was once called absolute by many is now seen as meaningless by most. What is the path through such uncertainties? Where is the pool in such cross currents? How do we chart a way through places we have never been before? At times like that, there is only one sure place to turn. In times of uncertainty and stress and tension, we look for people like ourselves, reachable figures, who have lived well through situations similar to our own as proof that we too, in all our smallness, can stretch ourselves to the limits of the best of us. We call them saints when what we really often mean to say is "icon," "star," "hero," ones so possessed by an internal vision of divine goodness that they give us a glimpse of the face of God in the center of the human. They give us a taste of the possibilities of greatness in ourselves. Not all those who point the way to God for us may themselves be perfect. There are figures gleaming in their holy causes who are awkward in their personal lives. They are sometimes in confusion, as we are. They are virtuous beyond telling in one dimension and weak to the point of sin in others. At the same time, they hold a fire in their hearts bright enough to light a way for many. They are impelled by the will of God for humankind and they will brook no less. They stand on gilded stilts above the rest of their generation and become a sign for all generations. They are proof of possibility from ages past and a symbol of hope for ages yet to come. They stand in mute conviction of the age in which they lived and challenge us to do the same. Most of all, they are important to us now. In their eyes burn the eyes of a God who sees injustice and decries it, sees

3 poverty and condemns it, sees inequality and refuses it, sees wrong and demands that it be set right. These are people for whom the Law above the law is first in their lives. These are people who did not temporize with the evil in one system just because another system could have been worse. These are people who saw themselves clearly as the others' keepers. They are the people who gave themselves entirely to the impulses of God for the sake of the world. The Words of Joan Chittister. Thanks be to God. Second Reading: King Day, by John Petty (Rev.) At one time, I probably had the "I have a dream" speech memorized. In my fraternity house in 1968, it was played late night every night--it is indelibly etched in the folds of my brain--so I'm glad we have a Martin Luther King Day. It is not, however, an unmixed blessing. We celebrate the domesticated Martin, the Martin of the "I have a dream" speech--the safe Martin, the one who inspires, but does not critique or challenge. Every city in America has a Martin Luther King Boulevard. How many boulevards are named for Malcolm X? We celebrate the Martin Luther King who encouraged blacks to hang in there and inspired whites to change their ways--the Bringer of Peace and Concord Between the Races. There actually is some truth in that, but it is not the whole picture. Dr. King was a firm progressive, a believer and advocate for economic justice as well as social justice. If Dr. King were with us today, we all know that he'd have some choice words for the bankers of our nation--and the government, too, for letting them get away with it. King talked about Baptist Minister Walter Rauschenbusch (Key figure in the Social Gospel movement) and supported the "social gospel," which is the dangerous idea that being a Christian means following Jesus. If Dr. King had lived, his would have been a strong voice against the so-called "prosperity gospel," which is materialism dressed up in faux-christian guise, and a strong voice for the Beloved Community, which, in the four gospels, is known as the kingdom of God. Now, of course, everyone lauds Dr. King. Forty years ago, however, many

4 hated him and wanted him dead. Americans can pat themselves on the back for having produced a Martin Luther King. They ought also to ponder and meditate on why so many of their fellow countrymen hated him in the first place. I'm glad we have a Martin Luther King Day, not because we need a day of hypocritical self-congratulation on How Far We've Come, but because having a day for Dr. King might prompt someone to want to learn more about him, who might then catch a vision of the Beloved Community, and be inspired to work for its realization. The Words of John Perry. Thanks be to God. ( Alleluia: Gospel: God be with You. And also with you. A reading from Martin Luther King, Jr. Glory be to you, O God. The Road from Jerusalem to Jericho The Good Samaritan Story In the time of Jesus, the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was notorious for its danger and difficulty, and was known as the "Way of Blood" because "of the blood which is often shed there by robbers. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech, on the day before his death, described the road as follows: I remember when Mrs. King and I were first in Jerusalem. We rented a car and drove from Jerusalem down to Jericho. And as soon as we got on that road I said to my wife, "I can see why Jesus used this as the setting for his parable." It's a winding, meandering road. It's really conductive for ambushing. You start out in Jerusalem, twenty-five hundred feet above sea level, and by the time you get down to Jericho fifteen or twenty minutes later, you're about 850 feet below sea level. That's a dangerous road. In the days of Jesus it came to be known as the "Bloody Pass." And you know, it's possible that the priest and the Levite looked over that man on the ground and wondered if the robbers were still around. Or it's

5 possible that they felt that the man on the ground was merely faking, and he was acting like he had been robbed and hurt in order to seize them over there, lure them there for quick and easy seizure. And so the first question that the priest asked, the first question that the Levite asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" However, King continues: But then the Good Samaritan came by, and he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?" Listen to what the Spirit is telling the church. Glory and Praise to our Savior, Jesus Christ. Silent Reflection/Discussion Intercessions (inspired from the quotes of MLK.) Martin Luther King s sermons and speeches proclaimed peace, human dignity, social justice, and love. Let us, who live in his legacy pray to the Father and Mother for our needs and the needs of the world using his words: All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. Let us pray that all workers will be treated with dignity and respect: R. Lover of workers, hear our prayer. An individual who breaks the law that conscience says is unjust and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law. Let us pray for those who have been jailed for protesting war, nuclear arms, torture, and social injustice: R. Nourisher of conscious, hear our prayer. Some believe that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... Let us pray that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word: R. Source of all love, hear our prayer. History records that the greatest tragedy of social transition was not the

6 strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people. Let us pray for those who have remained silent in the face of injustices. R. Voice behind the prophets and proclaimers of truth, hear our prayer. [We] have come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies - or else. [Let us pray that] the chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - be broken, so we shall not be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation. R. Teacher of how to love our enemies, hear our prayer. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Let us pray that we use our love to shine light that drives out darkness and hate: R. Light of the world, hear our prayer. Let us pray, in the silence of our hearts or out loud for our own personal intentions. (After each petition say, O God, hear our prayer.) Holy God, hear the prayers of this community, give us all a new awareness of our calling to holiness and service, and give us the strength to act on this awareness each day. We ask this through Jesus Christ. AMEN. Breaking Bread Prayer We pray, good and gracious God, that we might recognize you in this breaking of bread today. It is the bread of heaven, the bread of the poor, the bread of our lives. May we recognize you every time we join someone on a journey, every time we share a meal, every time we take bread into our hands. And may this recognition call forth such a joy in us that we might never lose sight of your goodness. May it inspire such love in us that our hearts might continue to burn within us, keeping alive your memory and your promise. And may it provoke such a longing for truth in us that we will never be satisfied until the whole earth experiences your justice and your peace. Let us share this

7 bread and wine as Jesus taught us, knowing that our lives are forever changed by this and every breaking of bread. Let us join hearts and hands and sing the prayer that the Jesus gave us: Our Father Breaking Bread Hymn: Cry of the Poor (590) Silent Reflection/ Closing Prayer: Last Public Words of Martin Luther King will be said by him. Listen and be renewed. Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. Closing Hymn: Battle Hymn of the Republic (602) Blessing: May the God who dances in creation, And embraces us with human love, Who shakes our lives like thunder, Bless us and drive us out with power To fill the world with her justice. Amen And May God bless us and keep us. May God s face shine upon us, May God be gracious to us, and grant to us, and to our entire broken world, peace. May the blessing of Almighty God, the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit, come upon us and remain with us forever. Amen. Happy Birthday Jan. 24 Jim McIntosh Jan. 25 Cedar Werner Jan. 26 Ann Weekes Jan Don Huntimer