STRETCHING OUR FAITH METROPOLITAN INTERDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH Sunday, September 30, 2018 Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Transcription

1 STRETCHING OUR FAITH METROPOLITAN INTERDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH Sunday, September 30, 2018 Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost 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 Leader: O Lord, your fields are ready for the harvest, but the laborers are in short supply. We lament our role in driving them from your vineyard. Leader: Let us remember those who wanted to do your work but were overwhelmed by our expectations. Leader: Let us remember those who were inspired by your spirit but were dismayed by our demands. Leader: Let us remember those who were committed to human dignity but were undercut by our suspicions. Leader: O Lord, your fields are ready for the harvest, but the laborers are in short supply. We accept the task of drawing them to your vineyard. Leader: When others make sacrifices in your name, let us trust their motives. Leader: When others defer action in your name, let us respect their patience. Leader: When others speak too loosely of you, let us forgive their rashness. ALL: Help us, O Lord, so to live and love as to attract laborers to your vineyard.

2 OPENING HYMN HE LEADETH ME He leadeth me! O blessed thought! O words with heav nly comfort fraught! Whate er I do, where er I be, still tis God s hand that leadeth me. CHORUS: He leadeth me, He leadeth me, by His own hand He leadeth me; His faithful foll wer I would be, for by His hand He leadeth me. Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom, sometimes where Eden s bowers bloom, By waters still, o er troubled sea, still tis His hand that leadeth me! CHORUS Lord, I would clasp Thy hand in mine, nor ever murmur nor repine; Content, whatever lot I see, since tis my God that leadeth me. CHORUS And when my task on earth is done, when by Thy grace the vict ry s won, E en death s cold wave I will not flee, since God thru Jordan leadeth me. CHORUS WELCOME 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 (We are now accepting tithes and offerings by credit and debit card in the sanctuary.) 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 Metropolitan Praise Dancers, Girl Scouts, recovery/support groups, & events; Fund our annual Anniversary and Homecoming celebrations; Every gift of your time, talent, and treasure makes a vital difference in the life and ministries of Metropolitan Interdenominational Church. Thank You! CELEBRATION IN SONG The Voices of Metropolitan Reginald Green, Minister of Music 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.

3 PROCLAMATION THE WORD Mark 9:38-50 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 PEACE: AT ALL COSTS 38 John said to him, Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us. 39 But Jesus said, Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 Whoever is not against us is for us. 41 For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward. 42 If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, 48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another. Mark 9:38-50 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. MOMENTS OF REFLECTION The Voices of Metropolitan 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. To Jesus, God breathed through all that is. The lily blossoming on the rocky hillside; the grass of the field and the garden path; the madman in chains or wandering among the barren rocks on the wastelands; the little baby in its mother s arms; the children at play or the old men quibbling in the marketplace to Jesus, God breathed through all that is. To Jesus, God was Creator of life and the living substance; the Living Stream upon which all things moved; the Mind containing time, space, and all their multitudinous offsprings. The time most precious for Jesus was at the close of day. This was the time for the long breath, when all the fragments left by the commonplace, when all the little hurts and the big aches could be absorbed, and the mind could be freed of the immediate demand, when voices that had been quieted by the long day s work could once more be heard, when there could be the deep sharing of the innermost secrets and the laying bare of the heart and mind. Yes, the time most precious for him was at the close of day. But there were other times he treasured, A great while before day, says the Book. The night had been long and wearisome because the day had been full of nibbling annoyances; the high resolve of some winged moment had frenzied, panicked, no longer sure, no longer free, and then had vanished as if it had never been. There was need, the utter urgency, for some fresh assurance, the healing touch of a healing wing. A great while before day he found his way to the quiet place in the hills. And prayed. 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 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. Donna Whitney, 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, September 30, 2018 Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost 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. PASS THE SALT PASS THE SALT is a phrase that can evoke a harsh response from persons who live with and know the negative health consequences of the most commonly used of all seasonings. I have one preacher friend who I call the salt police. If you dare say PASS THE SALT in his presence he will instantly insist that you don t need it, and suggest pepper as an alternative. His attitude is interesting in light of this week s text (Mark 9:38-50) where Jesus metaphorically uses salt in a positive light. Clearly, this is easily reconciled by appreciating there are good and bad images that can be applied to this savory substance. Salt, seen as the spice of life recommended to us by Jesus, might best be equated to the Holy Spirit. When our spirits are weak, it is hard to measure up to the standard God has for us in life; especially when we are considered as being representatives of the presence of the living God. In our striving every day to live in peace and harmony with all of humankind we are being called upon, in the name of Jesus, to PASS THE SALT. (Modified from September 27, 2009) Senior Servant ~ Midweek Fellowship Meal Schedule ~ October 10 Circle 3 October 31 Circle 6 October 17 Circle 4 November 7 Circle 7 October 24 Circle 5 November 14 Circle 1 Opportunity Now: Youth Employment Initiative Visit: Support Metropolitan while you shop: Enroll in the Kroger Community Rewards Program: Login to Kroger.com, enroll your Kroger Plus card, select Community Rewards, then 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.

6 UPCOMING EVENTS MIDWEEK FELLOWSHIP: Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. Dinner by Circle 2; Bible Study 7:00 8:00, Classes for Adults and Children Financial Freedom/Entrepreneurship Seminar Series ~ resumption date To Be Determined Pink Sunday ~ Sunday, October 28 th Harvest of Blessings ~ Wednesday, October 31 st, 5:30 p.m. Thank you for supporting Metropolitan through the Kroger Plus program! For the period between 5/29/18 and 8/28/18, Metropolitan earned $ in Community Rewards. 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. BIBLE READINGS Read Pray Sacrifice 20 th Sunday after Pentecost October 1-7, 2018 Job 1:1, 2:1-10 Psalm 26 or 25 Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12 Mark 10:2-16 Voices of Metropolitan Rehearsal, Saturday 12 2p.m. Saturday Worship, 6 7 p.m. Centering Prayer, Sunday 8:30-8:50 a.m.; Wednesday 6:40-7:00 p.m. ~ Sick, Shut In, and Recovering Members ~ Leon McKinley Corder 1902 Elliott Avenue; Nashville, TN Send prayers. No visitors, please. John Cross 3441 White Pine Drive; Nashville, TN Send prayers and cards, only, please. Martha Hill c/o Bethany Healthcare Center; 421 Ocala Drive; Nashville, TN Etoile Jordan 907 Lawrence Avenue; Nashville, TN Jay Lane Evelyn Martin 3253 Spears Road; Nashville, TN Anna Nickerson 2414 Albion Street; Nashville, TN Emmilye Wilson-Walton P.O. Box 78795; Nashville, TN ~ Giving Summary ~ Date Offering Offering Actual Offering (Un)Realized Summary Budgeted 2017 Year End $305, $294, ($10,761.79) January, 2018 $23, $19, ($3,677.27) ($3,677.27) February, 2018 $23, $22, ($732.73) ($4,410.00) March, 2018 $23, $18, ($4,428.62) ($8,834.62) April, 2018 $28, $31, $2, ($6,565.40) May, 2018 $23, $22, ($1,049.68) ($7,515.08) June, 2018 $23, $19, ($3,002.20) ($10,815.28) July, 2018 $28, $21, ($7,349.07) ($18,164.35) August, 2018 $23, $37, $14, ($3,478.17) September 2, 2018 $5, $5, ($173.00) September 9, 2018 $5, $2, ($3,202.00) September 16, 2018 $5, $5, ($0.73) September 23, 2018 $5, $4, ($1,512.00) September, 2018 $23, $18, ($4,887.73) 2018 Year to Date $219, $210, ($8,370.90)