I serve as pastor of the Church of the Holy Cross UCC in Hilo, Hawai'i. Formerly, I was the Associate Conference Minister for Proclamation, Identity, and Communication for the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ, or in other words: an ordained geek.
Because of mailing times, however, I’m writing this before I leave for vacation, so… my head is spinning just a little bit.
Anticipating the future is, as I have said more than once, both a necessary activity and a nearly futile one. Investment analysts, economic forecasters, meteorologists, and those who seek fugitives all engage in it as their livelihood. What will the markets do? Will the storm track north or south? Where might this person go next? Nobody feels much surprise to find themselves mistaken. Part of anticipating the future is anticipating possibilities, not certainties.
Even forecasting possibilities, however, risks error. Just recently a computer glitch grounded airline flights for hours. Something similar could happen the day I plan to fly home. There might be a storm that forces a diversion, or a passenger who abruptly decides they won’t wear a seat belt and delays takeoff. So many possibilities… so.
I think I’m back!
There is one thing that I am confident that the future holds: the love of God. This is the love that shaped the universe. This is the love that guided the ancient people of Israel. This is the love that sent Jesus, led Jesus, and resurrected Jesus. This is the love that formed the Church for service (even if we, like our forebears serve imperfectly). This is the love that carries us through work, travel, rest, play, sorrow, and rejoicing.
I’m back, and I’m glad to be back. God is with us!
The video above will be available to stream live at 11:00 AM HAST on August 14, 2024. You may watch the recording here at any time afterward. You will need to click the Play button to view the live video.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, it says – but for the apostle Paul, the beginning of wisdom is the celebration of grace.
Here’s a transcript:
I’m thinking about the fifth chapter of the letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 5:15-20), in which the apostle advised his readers not to be foolish, but to be wise.
You would expect from the apostle Paul that there would be a long list of things not to do or, conversely, to do, in order to be wise or not to be foolish. Indeed, Paul began with one, and it is something of a theme for him and his letters. He said, do not get drunk with wine because that is debauchery. Instead, he advised, get filled with the spirit: sing hymns and spiritual songs and praise God.
The beginning of wisdom, we hear from Proverbs, is the fear of the LORD. Interestingly enough, the apostle did not quote that. Instead, he turned to a different kind of relationship with God, a different kind of activity towards God. He turned towards praise and celebration.
The beginning of wisdom is rejoicing in the gifts of God.
There are plenty of reasons for regrets, for repentance, even for sadness and sorrow. “The times are evil,” the apostle wrote. But wisdom does not focus there. Wisdom focuses on the gifts of God, the grace of God, the compassion of God, the presence of God, the praise of God.
So let us be wise and not foolish. Let us not replace genuine joy with that that comes from artificial means, whether that be mood altering substances or mood altering activity. Let us begin by appreciating the wonders of the world that God has made. Let us begin by celebrating the gifts and the grace of God.
That’s what I’m thinking. I’m curious to hear what you’re thinking. Leave me your thoughts in the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you.
Thank you for joining us for this live stream (or recording, as the case may be) of Sunday worship. May it bless you! You may need to click “Play” to launch the stream, which will be live around 9:50 AM.
Welcome to the live stream of worship from Church of the Holy Cross for Sunday, August 11, 2024. You will find the service outline below, and you may download and print the PDF to follow more easily.
Service of Worship August 11, 2024 Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor Rev. Jonathan Roach, Guest Pastor
WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD
Please note that audio and video of this service are being live streamed on the Internet and will be recorded. The right rear section of the sanctuary will not be captured by any cameras. Please be aware that in other sections you may be visible at times.
Prelude: Kayleen Yuda
Lighting of the Candles
Ringing of the Bell
Welcome Rev. Jonathan Roach
* Call to Worship: (Inspired by Amos 5) Nalyn Ang
One: So, what does God want? Many:A great worship service, beautiful music, inspiring words of hope!
One: Really? So, what does God want? Many:A landmark church building, an architectural wonder that people come to admire!
One: Do you believe that? I ask again: So, what does God want? Many:That justice flows like an unstoppable river, that righteousness moves like a never-failing stream! That all feel the love of God and the love neighbor!
* Hymn #593: Lift Ev’ry Voice & Sing
* Invocation Nalyn Ang God of Unpopular Truths, your ways are perfect, and your laws are justice. We gather today in your name and for your kin-dom. May our hearts be opened, and our understanding expanded with the vision of your righteousness. May our worship please you, transform us, and bear witness to your presence in this world. Amen
Please be seated
WE SHARE THE WORD OF GOD
Anthem:
Time with the Children
Scripture: Amos 5:21-24Nalyn Ang I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt-offerings and grain-offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Sermon: So, What Does God Want?Rev. Jonathan Roach
WE RESPOND IN WORD AND DEED
Pastoral Prayer Rev. Jonathan Roach
Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen
*Hymn#588: Let Justice Flow Like Streams
Call to Offering Nalyn Ang God has planted generosity within our beings. The gifts we receive are not for holding and creating idols, they are for the work of the kin-dom, the building of God’s beloved community, and spreading God’s abundance so that all may be well and whole.
Offertory: Kayleen Yuda
* Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below Praise Him above ye heavenly host Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost – Amen
* Offertory Prayer Nalyn Ang Mahalo Holy One, we thank you for the gifts of being your church. We give thanks by bringing our resources to this community, to be shared and used for your kin-dom in your ministry of justice and love, and for this world. Grow this generosity beyond our wildest imagination. Amen!
Pastor Rev. Eric S. Anderson Guest Pastor Rev. Jonathan Roach Moderator Stefan Tanouye Lay Reader Nalyn Ang Choir Accompanist Kanako Okita Choir Director Doug Albertson Organist Kayleen Yuda Hand Bell Director Anna Kennedy Chapel Decorations Barbara Iwami, Bill & Nancy Chen Projected Imagery Sue Smith Web Master Ruth Niino-DuPonte Videographers Eric Tanouye, Eli Yamaki Ruth Niino-DuPonte, Bob Smith
We welcome you to worship this day. Church of the Holy Cross seeks to help its members, friends, and visitors follow the guidance of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, encouraging all people to love one another according to the teachings of Jesus. We live and teach the faith, speak good news, minister to people near and far, and work with other households of faith and helping agencies to improve our community and our world. To support our ministries, please visit our Donate Page.
We will change the publication schedule of The Messenger next month. Beginning in September, we will return to issuing two issues a month, retiring the weekly schedule we have used since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.
The Messenger requires a significant amount of resources. It accounts for the bulk of our mailing costs each month. Staff – both Momi Lyman and myself – devote time to it. Reducing the frequency of these mailings will save dollars, and also give us time for other responsibilities and projects.
Fewer congregations and other settings of the United Church of Christ produce printed newsletters these days. All of the national office’s publications are electronic. The Hawai’i Conference’s The Friend is one of the last conference newsletters to be printed and posted.
Personally, I am glad that we still print and post The Messenger. Not everybody has access to electronic communications even now, and there are others with access who still prefer a physical newsletter. I strongly believe that effective communication relies, in part, on reaching people where they are. Because I believe that our words have value, I want them to be easily accessible to those who want to hear them. During the pandemic, this was the safest way with which we could remind people that their church cares about them.
We increased the publication schedule in an environment where other contact incurred dangers we needed to avoid. With the risk significantly lessened, I think we can return to the twice-monthly schedule we had when I arrived as your pastor eight years ago.
Thank you for joining us for this live stream (or recording, as the case may be) of Sunday worship. May it bless you! You may need to click “Play” to launch the stream, which will be live around 9:50 AM.
The service today includes the celebration of Holy Communion. If you are worshiping at home, please prepare some bread and other staple food, and a beverage, and have them at hand for that portion of the service.
Welcome to the live stream of worship from Church of the Holy Cross for Sunday, August 4, 2024. You will find the service outline below, and you may download and print the PDF to follow more easily.
Service of Worship August 4, 2024 Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor Rev. Eric Page, Guest Pastor
WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD
Please note that audio and video of this service are being live streamed on the Internet and will be recorded. The right rear section of the sanctuary will not be captured by any cameras. Please be aware that in other sections you may be visible at times.
Prelude: Kayleen Yuda
Lighting of the Candles
Ringing of the Bell
Welcome Rev. Eric Page
* Call to Worship Mace Peng
Leader: Family of God, what is our story? People: We are part of God’s good creation, created and sustained by the Holy One.
Leader: Family of God, what is our story? People: Though created by our loving Lord, we have erred and harmed ourselves, one another, and creation.
Leader: Family of God, what is our story? People: As we are growing in faith, we look to Jesus to show us how to turn toward love.
Leader: Family of God, what is our story? People: We hold God’s substance and life, it’s essence and vitality in our souls and bodies.
Leader: Family of God, what is our story? People: We carry the weight of the Word in our hearts, our hands, and our voices, proclaiming with our lives the good news of love and grace.
Leader: Family of God, this is our story and our song! People: Thanks be to God! Amen.
* Hymn #18: Guide Me, O My Great Redeemer (v. 1-3)
* Invocation Mace Peng
As we prepare for worship, Let us come honestly before the Almighty and acknowledge our shortcomings and the ways we have compromised our faith.
Let us return to the Source of All Being, that we might draw strength and encouragement.
The bread of life nourishes and renews us.
The water of righteousness flows out from us to bring healing to the whole creation. In the name and nature of Christ, Amen.
Please be seated
WE SHARE THE WORD OF GOD
Anthem: Semei Non Nang (Father in Heaven). IYAA
Time with the Children
Scripture: Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 Mace Peng The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’
Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.
Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, “Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.”’ And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked towards the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.”’
In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
John 6:24-35 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that whichcomes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’
Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Sermon: Heaven Is Like Leaven Rev. Eric Page
Pastoral Prayer Rev. Eric Page
Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen
Call to Offering Mace Peng
Every good thing is a gift from the Spirit — the food we eat, the things we have, the time we spend, our whole lives. We give our lives back to a holy cause as a way of saying thank you — sharing money with those who are in need, giving food to those who are hungry, and spending our time helping others. For it all, we are grateful. Whether you share your gift here in the church today, through a gift online, or via an envelope in the mail, let the offering now be received.
Offertory: Kayleen Yuda
* Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below Praise Him above ye heavenly host Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost – Amen
* Offertory Prayer Mace Peng
Generous God, in this time of offering, we come before you, acknowledging your steadfast grace and boundless love. As we present our gifts, may we also offer our hearts, recognizing the depth of our humanity and the need for your healing touch. Grant us the courage to confront our failings and the wisdom to seek reconciliation and renewal in your divine presence. Amen
* Hymn #332: As We Gather at Your Table (v. 1-3)
SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
Invitation Consecrating the Bread and Cup Sharing the Bread and Cup Prayer of Thanksgiving
* Hymn #347: Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ (v. 1-3)
Please be seated
Announcements
Benediction Rev. Eric Page
Beloved, God is blessing you as you go from this place carrying the Word in your hearts, living the story we share with the saints of old and the saints of now, as we break down barriers to community and build up a holy heaven on earth. Go in love and peace.
Postlude: Kayleen Yuda
* Please stand if you are able.
Permissions
Guide Me, O My Great Redeemer Text by William Williams, 1745 Trans. Peter Williams, 1771, William Williams, 1772 Tune CWM RHONDDA by John Hughes, 1907 Public Domain
Semei Non Nang (Father in Heaven) By Stuart Mori Melody of Yoshter Shirai Used with permission of the composer
Pastor Rev. Eric S. Anderson Guest Pastor Rev. Eric Page Moderator Stefan Tanouye Lay Reader Mace Peng Choir Accompanist Kanako Okita Choir Director Doug Albertson Organist Kayleen Yuda Hand Bell Director Anna Kennedy Chapel Decorations Anne Sadayasu Projected Imagery Sue Smith Web Master Ruth Niino-DuPonte Videographers Eric Tanouye, Eli Yamaki Ruth Niino-DuPonte, Bob Smith
We welcome you to worship this day. Church of the Holy Cross seeks to help its members, friends, and visitors follow the guidance of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, encouraging all people to love one another according to the teachings of Jesus. We live and teach the faith, speak good news, minister to people near and far, and work with other households of faith and helping agencies to improve our community and our world. To support our ministries, please visit our Donate Page.
As you read this, I will be near the shores of a different ocean.
I enjoy my trips to visit family on the East Coast, but I confess that they bring some disorientation. Even in summer, the water of the Atlantic Ocean on the shores of New England is cooler than that of the Pacific Ocean on the coast of Hawai’i. The roads are more crowded, and frankly they’re a lot longer. People wear different fashions, different colors and shapes, than we do here. Their speech follows different patterns.
In New England, I have to look west to see weather coming. In Hawai’i, I look east. Talk about turning your head around!
Variety, I think, is the way of God’s Creation. The oceans have similar current circles but their waters teem with different life forms in one ocean than in another. The birds of Connecticut are not the same as those of Hawai’i, and neither are the same as those of Louisiana, New Zealand, or the Himalayas. Our volcanoes are fed from the hot liquid rock of the planet, but they do not much resemble the jagged peaks of the Pacific Northwest.
God, in the wisdom of Creation, appears to have said, “Let’s have everything.” And so we do.
As I indulge in a little time with some of that variety, I hope you will consider the different blessings you have received in your life: of people, of growing things, of living creatures, of experiences, of scents, of love. How have they blessed you, helped you grow, given you joy?
God seems to have said, “Let’s have everything.” And so we do.
In peace,
Pastor Eric
Photo of New Haven, Connecticut, by Eric Anderson.
King David tends to dominate the Scriptures in which he appears. That’s true of the passages in which he’s mentioned, but it’s especially true when he took a major role in what the text describes. When David is in the room, there’s not a lot of oxygen for anybody else.
But.
This is Bathsheba’s story.
She bathed. The text is a little ambiguous, but strongly implies she was not just physically cleansing herself, but ritually cleansing herself. Her husband, a soldier in the army, was away at the siege of Rabbah. She was alone.
I don’t know whether any rumor came to her ears about people asking about her. What would she have thought if she did? Would she have worried about some unknown threat? Would she have trusted that her neighbors and friends would be able to protect her? Would she have simply thought, “I can’t believe anyone is asking about me.”
Did she simply not hear anything at all?
Then the messengers came from the King with a summons. What could that be about? Her husband was in the army – oh, no. Could this be the message every spouse of a soldier fears? Had her husband died? Been seriously wounded? Would she leave the palace in tears?
She arrived at the palace. There was the king. There were the other soldiers, the honor guard. Did they leave before he said, “Come to the bedroom”? Did they hear the king’s demand? Did the light glinting from their armor – and their weapons – add force to the orders of royalty? Or was it enough that swords and spears lurked in the hallway outside?
Gennifer Benjamin Brooks writes at Working Preacher, “Bathsheba is innocent of wrong-doing, even to the point of obeying the dictates of the king at the cost of her own peace of mind. As many in society she responds to the voice of authority because she is required to do so, because of the hierarchical structure of her world, which places her on the bottom.”
When the rape was over – and that’s what it was, do not mistake it – did she leave the palace in tears? Or did she hold her face as still as she might contrive, so that nobody would see her pain, her grief, her undeserved shame?
And then… she realized she was pregnant.
Why did she go to David, who had raped her? Her choices were limited. Gennifer Benjamin Brooks goes on to write, “It is the story of poor women everywhere who because of their poverty must turn for help to their abuser because she has nowhere else to turn.” Bathsheba would have stood accused of adultery on the evidence of her pregnancy. Israel’s law essentially required a woman to call for help during a sexual assault, assuming consent if she did not. It did not recognize that the threats of a king could enforce her silence.
So she told David.
What might she have expected? Perhaps she hoped for David’s honesty, that he would have spoken to Uriah, the soldier in his army. Perhaps she hoped that David would make some kind of offer to assuage her husband’s just wrath, that he might even take responsibility in a tangible way. I wonder if she even heard that Uriah was summoned back to the city. Did she know her husband maintained his fidelity to his army comrades? Did she know that David’s plan to cover up his crime had failed?
It’s always about the cover-up, isn’t it?
Joanna Harader writes at The Christian Century, “In this story, both Bathsheba and Uriah have what David lacks: integrity.
“It is easy to feel disappointed, even disoriented, when we find out that our would-be heroes aren’t so heroic after all. In our disorientation, perhaps we can reorient around those whose quiet courage and integrity challenge those who use their power in self-serving ways. Whenever there is a King David abusing people and power, we can usually also find Bathshebas—those who insist on speaking the truth about the abuse, regardless of the consequences. We can usually also find Uriahs, behaving with integrity even in the context of a corrupt system.”
I’m sure she didn’t know about the message David sent to his field commander, Joab, when Uriah returned to the army. You know. The order to murder.
Well, it worked. The next thing Bathsheba learned – in the sections of 2 Samuel beyond the passage we heard this morning – was that her husband had fallen in battle. She mourned.
Then David sent for her again, made Bathsheba his wife (one of his wives), and she bore his son.
Dear God.
“But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.” (2 Samuel 11:27b)
Dear God, I hope it did. I hope it does.
The hashtag #MeToo gets less play on social networks than it did a few years ago. We’ve seen significant sexual assault convictions overturned on disputed procedural grounds. Significant public figures have been exposed as serial abusers, even rapists, to the shock and dismay of people who’d supported their politics or enjoyed their entertainment. “Honestly,” writes Joanna Harader, “the list of entertainers and church leaders who have turned out to be abusers is depressingly long. It’s almost as if power and prestige somehow facilitate abusive patterns and protect perpetrators!”
“Almost as if,” for sure.
As Robert Hoch writes at Working Preacher, “The Hebrew verb ‘to take’ in verse 4 (translated as ‘to get’ in the NRSV) recalls Samuel’s warning to Israel about the nature of kings: ‘These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take . . .’ (1 Samuel 8:11-18). ‘He will take your sons, your daughters, your fields, your wealth.’ Coercive power will be, according to Samuel, characteristic of the ‘ways’ of the king.
“It is also the way of rapists.”
Enough of this.
Jesus spoke those words to stem violence during his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, but I hear them echoing around sexual violence as well. There is no excuse. It’s not about clothing or the lack of it – remember that Jesus also advised that if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It’s not about what any man “deserves” for physical intimacy. It’s what every woman (or man, or child) deserves for respect of their bodily, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Nobody is entitled to someone else.
Enough of this.
I’m tired of the excuses. In 2014 Jen Brockman and Dr. Mary Wyandt-Hiebert created the touring art exhibit “What Were You Wearing,” which combined clothing of assault survivors with their stories. Strikingly, as it moves from campus to campus, it accumulates new clothing and new stories which… breaks my heart.
Enough of this.
I’m tired of the discounting of women’s stories and of women’s value. Judges repeatedly decline to “ruin this young man’s life,” when he’s made a significant attempt at ruining a woman’s life. Rape survivors hold their silence, often for years, because they can’t bear the added insult to injury of not being believed by a system and a society which will, by that refusal to believe, betray them.
Enough of this.
I’m tired of the frequency of it all. According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. About 3% of American men – one in thirty-three – have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. Using data from the National Sexual Assault Hotline, they find that 55% of assaults occur in the victim’s home.
Enough of this.
No more excuses. No more dismissals. And for the love of God, the only acceptable frequency for sexual assault is none.
David, this is not your story. It’s Bathsheba’s, a story of trust violated and power abused. Mercifully, it is not the end of Bathsheba’s story. As Wil Gafney writes at Working Preacher: “Bathsheba’s story ends in 1 Kings chapters 1-2. She and Nathan work together to get Solomon on the throne. In Bathsheba’s last appearance in the scriptures, Solomon installs her on a throne at his right-hand side, gets up off of his throne and bows down before her. This may well be the beginning of the tradition of the Gevirah, the Queen Mother as an authoritative office that would characterize the later Judean monarchy. This text is an important supplement to Bathsheba’s rape narrative in 2 Samuel 11 because she survives the rape and David and thrives in spite of what it and he has done to her.”
Thank you for your survival, Bathsheba, and for the survival of generations of women who have followed you. Someday, I hope and pray, there will be a last survivor, because the perpetrators will finally stop. May that day be today.
Amen.
by Eric Anderson
Watch the Recorded Sermon
Although I preach from a prepared manuscript (which is the same as the text above), I improvise from a preacher’s brain. What you read and what I preached may not be the same.
Thank you for joining us for this live stream (or recording, as the case may be) of Sunday worship. May it bless you! You may need to click “Play” to launch the stream, which will be live around 9:50 AM.
Welcome to the live stream of worship from Church of the Holy Cross for Sunday, July 28, 2024. You will find the service outline below, and you may download and print the PDF to follow more easily.
Service of Worship July 28, 2024 Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor
WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD
Please note that audio and video of this service are being live streamed on the Internet and will be recorded. The right rear section of the sanctuary will not be captured by any cameras. Please be aware that in other sections you may be visible at times.
Prelude: Agincourt HymnKayleen Yuda
Lighting of the Candles
Ringing of the Bell
Welcome Rev. Eric S. Anderson
* Call to Worship: (based on Psalm 45:10-18) Gloria Kobayashi
Leader: All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD. All your faithful praise you! People: We speak of the glory of your realm. We tell of your power.
Leader: The LORD upholds all who are falling. God raises up those who are bowed down. People: When our eyes look to you, you raise up food from the ground in due season.
Leader: Your hand opens to satisfy the needs of every living thing. People: Draw near to us, O God, as we call: as we call to you in truth.
All: Let us worship God!
* Hymn #51: O Sing a Song of Bethlehem (v. 1-4)
* Invocation (based on Psalm 14) Gloria Kobayashi
We know fools who say in their hearts and with their lips and with their actions, “There is no God.” We see their deeds, we see the wreckage of human misery they leave behind. Have any among us any knowledge? Are there any who know the LORD? Be the refuge of the poor, O God. Be the deliverance that comes from Zion. Restore the fortunes of suffering people, O God, and we will rejoice and be glad.
Please be seated
WE SHARE THE WORD OF GOD
Anthem: Here I Am, Lord Kayleen Yuda
Time with the Children
Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:1-15 Gloria Kobayashi In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him; they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
It happened, late one afternoon, when David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David sent someone to inquire about the woman. It was reported, ‘This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.’ So David sent messengers to fetch her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself after her period.) Then she returned to her house. The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, ‘I am pregnant.’
So David sent word to Joab, ‘Send me Uriah the Hittite.’ And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the people fared, and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, ‘Go down to your house, and wash your feet.’ Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. When they told David, ‘Uriah did not go down to his house’, David said to Uriah, ‘You have just come from a journey. Why did you not go down to your house?’ Uriah said to David, ‘The ark and Israel and Judah remain in booths; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field; shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing.’ Then David said to Uriah, ‘Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.’ So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day. On the next day, David invited him to eat and drink in his presence and made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, ‘Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be struck down and die.’
John 6:1-21 After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wageswould not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’
When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, got into a boat, and started across the lake to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The lake became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land towards which they were going.
Sermon: Enough of This Rev. Eric S. Anderson
WE RESPOND IN WORD AND DEED
Pastoral Prayer Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen
* Hymn #476: My Life Flows on in Endless Song (v. 1-4)
Call to Offering Gloria Kobayashi
As human beings, we have the power to create, and we have the power to destroy. In this moment, let us choose the power of creation, of compassion, and of healing. Let us be part of the ministry of Christ. Whether you share your gift here in the church today, through a gift online, or via an envelope in the mail, let the offering now be received.
Offertory: Gloria Tibi Trinitas Kayleen Yuda
* Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below Praise Him above ye heavenly host Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost – Amen
* Offertory Prayer Gloria Kobayashi
Accept these gifts, O God, which your people place in your care. Accept our offered hearts, O God, and turn them to the work of healing. Combine our gifts together, O God, and may all people be filled with good things, in body, mind, and soul. Amen.
* Hymn #553: There Is a Balm in Gilead (v. 1-3)
Please be seated
Announcements Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Benediction Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Postlude: Festival MarchKayleen Yuda
* Please stand if you are able.
Permissions
Agincourt Hymn John Dunstable, Edited by E. Power Biggs Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
Pastor Rev. Eric S. Anderson Moderator Stefan Tanouye Lay Reader Gloria Kobayashi Choir Accompanist Kanako Okita Choir Director Doug Albertson Organist Kayleen Yuda Hand Bell Director Anna Kennedy Chapel Decorations Laura Ota Projected Imagery Sue Smith Web Master Ruth Niino-DuPonte Videographers Eric Tanouye, Eli Yamaki Ruth Niino-DuPonte, Bob Smith
We welcome you to worship this day. Church of the Holy Cross seeks to help its members, friends, and visitors follow the guidance of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, encouraging all people to love one another according to the teachings of Jesus. We live and teach the faith, speak good news, minister to people near and far, and work with other households of faith and helping agencies to improve our community and our world. To support our ministries, please visit our Donate Page.
I doubt this statement surprises you at all. Parents, siblings, friends, children, all the people we’ve known in our lives: they’ve all been different. Personalities, tastes, the curve of an eyebrow or the crinkle at the eyes when they smile all testify to the variety of humanity.
I’m thinking of someone I knew once who was always open to reconsidering a decision.
We worked on a project together, and by and large we worked together pretty well. It required a lot of our time and a lot of our effort, and it required so many little decisions along the way.
Some people really enjoy the experience that comes before a decision. They like to review the possibilities, “taste” the variety of outcomes. Others find that an uncomfortable place to be. They like to come to a decision, make it, and move on – while those in the first group fret about missed opportunities.
Personally, I’m so much in the middle that I joke that I don’t care whether I’ve made a decision or not. My partner, however, was firmly among that first group of people. As much as I like to look at options, I also prefer to stick with a decision once made (unless it’s clearly not working out). At one point in our project, of course, my partner reopened the conversation about a choice we’d already made. “But we decided that,” I said. “All decisions are tentative,” he replied.
The ”moral” of this story is not that I was right, and he was wrong. Nor was he right and I wrong. We each worked according to our customs and comfort. It wasn’t always easy. Sometimes it rubbed one or the other the wrong way.
And we still managed to work together and produced something pretty amazing. People can do that, even when they’re very different.
