I am the Vine, You are the Branches. April 29, 2018! Fifth Sunday of Easter Message: Preaching to the Choir Rev. Steve Torrence

Transcription

1 I am the Vine, You are the Branches April 29, 2018! Fifth Sunday of Easter Message: Preaching to the Choir Rev. Steve Torrence

2 Welcome to MCC Key West We have all been to the dark places, that shadow land just next door to what we call reality, where clarity is lost and doubt dwells, where we are uncertain what tomorrow will bring, if tomorrow can come at all. The dark places can appear slowly or suddenly, but either way they cover us in a fog of doubt, leaving us feeling alone. It is at this moment that faith becomes our compass, for it reminds us that darkness is only a detour, never a destination. These small corners are not the true landscape of our life. They cannot contain the power of love. We have only to listen to our heart. Then the Spirit calls for us until we find our way, out of the dead-end of worry, and back to the broad and bright streets of hope. GATHERING SONG All Are Welcome by Marty Haugen Let us build a house where love can dwell And all can safely live A place where saints and children tell How hearts learn to forgive Built of hopes and dreams and visions Rock of Faith and vault of Grace Here the love of Christ shall end divisions All are welcome; all are welcome; all are welcome in this place WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS OPENING HYMN GREETING ONE ANOTHER IN COMMUNITY WE FOCUS IN PRAYER As The Deer Panteth For the Water, As the deer panteth for the water So my soul longeth after Thee You alone are my heart s desire And I long to worship Thee You alone are my strength, my shield To You alone may my spirit yield You alone are my heart s desire And I long to worship Thee M 2 Come Live in the Light (opposite) by Martin Nystrom A CONTEMPORARY READING: Bishop Steven Charleston Erik Powell GOSPEL READING: John 15:1-8 SUNG RESPONSE: Lead Us from Death to Life (#581, chorus only) Lead us from death to life, from false-hood to truth, from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace; Let peace fill our hearts, Let peace fill our world, Let peace fill our universe. HYMN OF PREPARATION This is the air I breathe, this is the air I breathe, Your holy presence living in me. This is my daily bread, this is my daily bread, Your very word spoken to me. And I, I m desperate for you. And I, I m lost without you. This is the air I breathe, this is the air I breathe Breathe

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4 Message: Preaching to the Choir q A Time of Prayer Reverend Steve Torrence THE CANDLE OF HOPE The Candle of Hope is lit each week for those challenged by HIV/AIDS, cancer and all illnesses, and for all who are suffering and in need of hope. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE: We pray for those on our prayer list and for those we hold silently in our hearts. OFFERING Jonathan Jacox Rob Carlson Peggy Parker Doug Mayberry Kelly Summers Nancy Moulton Laurie Bresmon Sharon Dunham Shannon Libbey Lenet Peggy Ward-Grant Joan Higgs PRAYER OF PERSONAL REFLECTION One: Loving God, we acknowledge that we have turned away from Your ways of love. We have not always loved our neighbor in the ways You have loved us. All: We have turned away from kindness, compassion, and mercy, and instead justified ourselves through our personal actions. Forgive us for mistaking love with our desire. Forgive us for swapping love with self-satisfaction. Forgive us for trading love for ownership and power over. Forgive us for not living into the selfless love of Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. WORDS OF GRACE AND BLESSING Beloved, because God loves us, we love one another. Beloved, because God forgives us, we forgive one another. Beloved, because God abides in us and God is love, love abides in us and we abide in God. We are God s beloved. With you and me, God is well pleased. Go, believe in the power of God s love, forgiving others as you have been forgiven, and pursue justice and peace, but most of all, abide in love. Amen. SURSUM CORDA (We Lift Up Our Hearts) One: God is with you. All: And also with you. One: Lift up your hearts. All: We lift them up to God. One: Let us give thanks to God Most High. All: It is right to give God thanks and praise. 5 Celebration of Holy Communion One: Eternal God, we thank you for making us in your own image, forgiving our errors in thought word and deed, and for keeping us in your steadfast care. We rejoice in Jesus Christ, the great example of living as a child of God, and may we follow that blessed example. We take courage, O God, from the abiding presence of your holy Spirit in our midst. And we offer you our praise for women and men of faith in every age who stand as witnesses to your love and justice. With prophets and poets, sages and saints, and all the company of heaven we glorify you singing: 4

5 HYMN OF PRAISE Sanctus (#793) Holy, Holy, Holy, My heart, my heart adores you! My Heart knows how to say to you: Holy are you, Lord! Santo, santo, santo, mi corazón te adora Mi corazón te sabe decir, santo eres Dios. WORDS OF INSTITUTION PRAYER OF CONSECRATION INVITATION TO THE FEAST MCC Key West celebrates an open communion. We understand the sharing of the bread and the cup in Jesus name to be a representation of an ancient vision of God s feast for all peoples. We don t require you to be a member of this church, or any church, to participate with us in this feast of grace. Simply come forward, alone or with friends and loved ones, following the ushers direction. Your server will dip a piece of bread in the grape juice, place it on your tongue, and offer a brief blessing. If you prefer only the blessing, or only the elements, just let your server know. DISTRIBUTION OF THE ELEMENTS SONG AFTER COMMUNION: I Will Change Your Name by D. J. Butler I will change your name; you shall no longer be called Wounded, Outcast, Lonely or Afraid. I will change your name; your new name shall be Confidence, Joyfulness, Overcoming One, Faithfulness, Friend of God, One Who Seeks My Face. CLOSING HYMN Every Time I Feel the Spirit (#282) Our Worship has ended; Let our Service begin! Our Worship Leaders Today Message: Rev. Steve Torrence Liturgist: Cathy Stentzel Stephen Aubé, Erik Powell, Joan Higgs, Duffy Lucas, Lenny Whitley, Steve Mason Music: Allison Millwood Message and Music This Month DATE April 1, Easter, 10am April 8 April 15 April 22 April 29 SPEAKER Rev. Steve Torrence Rev. Steve Torrence Rev. Steve Torrence Rev. Steve Torrence Rev. Steve Torrence LITURGIST Rev Becky Love Jarrett Nyschick Gail Hinand Joan Higgs Cathy Stentzel MUSIC Allison Millwood Allison Millwood Allison Millwood Allison Millwood Allison Millwood MCC Key West We are a Vibrant, Inclusive, Progressive (VIP) Christian church. We value every individual, wherever they are on life s journey. We believe that God wants us to be full of joy and hope for our future. 5

6 A contemporary reading by Bishop Steven Charleston We can heal the world. I know it sounds too bold, almost too arrogant in its hope, but there are times when I think only a vision as great as this, a light this overwhelmingly bright, can be seen in the plodding darkness of war and famine, suffering and struggle, that defines the lives of so many. I think of expectant young faces, peering back through the night, and then I want to cry out that wild message: we can heal the world. And I mean it because I do believe it. We, the we of every nation and tradition, the common we of every culture and faith, we can do it if we try, if we put aside all pride and greed, if we are bold enough to challenge politics as usual with an extraordinary grace. We can do it. We can heal the world. Our Readings for Today John 15:1-8 (New Revised Standard Version, inclusified) 1 I am the true vine, and my Abba is the vinegrower. 2 God removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit God prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Creator is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. Jesus and Disciples, by Georges Rouault Visit our NEW website at 6

7 News Announcements Events April Birthday3 Leonard Whitley 4/4; Tommie Mathis 4/10; Gail Trenholm 4/14; Jim Stentzel 4/16; Mark Zynda 4/18; Sheri Lohr 4/20; Vladimir Basel 4/23; Stephen Kitsakos 4/23; Angie Bohanan 4/24; Allison Millwood 4/24; Scott Fuhriman 4/29 April Anniversary Christy Haussler & Allison Millwood 4/8 Thank You We want to thank the Monroe County Sheriffs Office Shared Asset and Forfeiture Fund for awarding Cooking with Love a second year of grant funding. Thank you to United Way for continuing support of our outreach ministries. Our Outreach Programs Our Achievements in 2017 over 14,000 meals served, over $27,654 over 4,200 Grocery bags over $27,000 Hurricane Irma Relief & Benevolence UFMCC: $10,683 Cooking With Love serves about 300 hot, home-cooked meals to seniors and the homebound every Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM. Volunteer to help cooking, delivering or cleaning up, or Sponsor a week for $250 by calling Cherre Marchak, Mutter Hubbard s Cupboard/Miss Kitty s Pantry provides about 80 grocery bags per week to Cooking With Love clients and others who have cooking facilities but limited resources to purchase or shop for food. You may bring nonperishable foods to the church on Saturday and Sunday mornings. KISS AA meets in our Social Hall daily Sunday, 5:30 PM; Monday through Saturday, 8 PM Tai Chi for seniors meets in our social hall Tuesday & Thursday, 10:30 AM in the Fellowship Hall 7 Year to date over 5,400 Year to date over 1,440

8 A Different Kind of Church That Makes a Difference MCC Key West is a uniquely progressive Church. We are culturally Christian but spiritually unlimited. That means while we are inheritors of the Christian tradition and scriptures, and we look to Jesus of Nazareth as our primary model of faithful living, we are open to insights from Science, Psychology, the Arts, Nature, and the various noble Religions of the world. We celebrate the sacraments, but Communion is presented as a feast of unconditional painting by William Welch love that is open to all people regardless of belief or church membership, and baptism is presented as being immersed in the life of the community, which one may or may not choose to celebrate with a public water ritual. We practice positive thinking, we lift up LBGT people and their allies, and we teach that no one is ever excluded from divine Love for any reason. We declare that all people have sacred value. We are a non-dogmatic, inclusive, spiritual community. We are progressive, positive, and practical. MCC Key West is a different kind of church where what happens here changes our world. Welcome home! MCC Key West s Mission Statement: As the island s home for liberating spirituality, MCC Key West s mission is to witness God s inclusive and transforming love in the world. Our Leadership Pastor: Rev. Steve Torrence, pastorstevemcckw@gmail.com Board of Directors Volunteer Team Leaders Steve Torrence Moderator Joan Higgs Outreach Services Joan Higgs Vice-moderator Cherre Marchak Cooking With Love Scott Fuhriman Secretary Sheri Lohr Communications seastorypress@gmail.com Jan Marie Treasurer; Allison Music Ministry ahmillwood@aol.com Weatherhead Lay Delegate Millwood John Holder Member-at-large Gail Hinand Worship Team; ghinand@gmail.com John Johnson Member-at-large Steve Mason Office Admin. (305) Sylvia Kelley Member-at-large Stephen Aubé Member-at-large Metropolitan Community Church Key West 1215 Petronia St., Key West, FL Website: MCC Global Website: Phone: Fax: mcckeywest@gmail.com or pastorstevemcckw@gmail.com