SOULfeast 2010 -- Loving God Well

Sunday Evening, July 18, 2010 Loving God Well

You are invited to silence your cell phones
and prepare your hearts, souls, minds, and strength for the worship of God.
Please recite aloud the portions printed in BOLD type.

This is the script with rubrics for leaders.

Gathering Music
Welcome [Sarah Wilke will do a short welcome to the event. Then we'll have some very short music
and a greeting from Beth to start the service.]

Following the greeting from the event hosts, the stage lighting should dim and the shofar player should
move into position. A solo spotlight should like on the shofar player (probably Jay) signaling the
beginning of the services.

The Gathering of the Community:

The shofar is sounded. As the lines are recited by the liturgist on-stage, a group of people shall
process in one the side aisles carrying a bell banner strewn with yellow ribbons.
Come ye from the East,
people of the air,
flying in the light of the rising sun.
The shofar is sounded. As the lines are recited by the liturgist on-stage, a group of people shall
process in one the side aisles carrying a bell banner strewn with red ribbons.
Come ye from the South,
people of fire,
filled with passion for the things of God.
The shofar is sounded. As the lines are recited by the liturgist on-stage, a group of people shall
process in one the side aisles carrying a bell banner strewn with purple ribbons.
Come ye from the West,
people of the water,
drawing all together with grace and courage.
The shofar is sounded. As the lines are recited by the liturgist on-stage, a group of people shall
process in one the side aisles carrying a bell banner strewn withgreen ribbons.
Come ye from the North,
people of the earth,
rooting us in the divine creation.
The shofar is sounded
Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast,
call a sacred assembly.
 Gather the people, consecrate the assembly,
bring together the elders, gather the children,
let all from the East, South, West, and North
praise the Lord!

Shout to the North1

Men of faith rise up and sing,
of the great and glorious king
you are strong when you feel weak
in your brokenness complete,

Chorus
Shout to the north and the south,
sing to the east and the west
Jesus is saviour to all, Lord of heaven and earth

Rise up women of truth,

stand and sing to broken hearts
who can know the healing power,
of our awesome king of love

Chorus

Bridge
We've been through fire,
we've been through rain,
we've been refined by the power of his name,
we've fallen deeper in love with you
you've burned the truth in our lips
Chorus

Rise up church with broken wings,

fill this place with songs again
of our God who reigns on high,
by his grace again we'll fly.
CCLI Song #1562261
© 1995 Curious? Music UK
Martin Smith

The Consecration of Community Space:

[As the congregation is seated, a native American flute player will proceed to the microphone and
beginning playing a chant. As the music continues we will either have an elder from the Cherokee
church lead us in a smudge ceremony, or four persons will process down the aisle with censers,
filling the space with the smell of incense. At the conclusion of the procession or smudging, the
congregation will be led to join in the following response.]
Creator of Light and Holy Breath
blow through this place, drawing us together
as Your people gathered for Your purpose.
 We have gathered here as your community,
one people, worshipping one Lord and Savior,
in the confidence that you are with us,
making us new, and restoring us to your vision.

We Are One2
We are one
gathered here together in your name.
We are one
Lifting up our hearts as we proclaim,
that you are holy precious Lord,
we join our hearts in one accord,
gathered together around your Word, O Lord.
We are your body, and we are one.

We are one
gathering to offer up our praise.
We are one
worshipping the Ancient of Days.
Your body's gathered here today,
we're seeking to know all your ways,
so send your Spirit into our hearts today,
we are your body, and we are one.

Bridge:
For the Spirit comes in unity,
to make us all be one.
Yes we are joined together,
like the Father, Spirit, & Son.
Written 10/9/2009
Words and Music by Jay Voorhees
Copyright (c) 2009 All Rights Reserved

The Passing of the Peace

The community is invited to share the love of Christ with those around them.

The Sharing of Our Gifts

[The ushers will be invited to the front and a prayer of blessing will be offered by one of the
liturgists. During the receipt of the offering, a video will be played highlighting an aspect of the
ministry of the Upper Room OR sharing “man on the street” interviews with participants about their
hopes for the week.]

[music is played and sung here while people are moving about]
Lectio and Meditatio
Lection is a process of “divine reading” by which we allow the words of scripture to penetrate our
hearts. The reader will read the scripture through once, followed by a short period of silence for
meditation on the text. Following the silence, a second reader will read the text again.

Isaiah 43:1-7
 1
But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3
For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush [a] and Seba in your stead.
4
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.
5
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
6
I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'
and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth-
7
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made."

Oratio
Juanita Rasmus

Affirming the Love of God

[This is an attempt to create a ritual that (like baptismal remembrance) connects one to the reality of
God’s love.]

People of God,
give thanks to the Lord,
for God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Let all the world proclaim:

“God’s unending love endures forever.

In my need, I cried out to the Lord,

God answered me and set me free.
 With God on our side, what do we have to fear?
What can humans do to me?

Chorus

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation or distress, or persecution of famine,
or nakedness or peril or sword?
NO!
In all things we are more than conquerors through the One who loved us.
We are sure that neither death nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the Love of God
in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

Chorus

Invitation to Experience the Love of God

[Invite participants to come forward to receive a heart, representing the love of God. Servers will go
to the stations to share the hearts.]
Hymn - "They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love"3
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored:

Refrain

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;

Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,
And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land:

Refrain

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;

Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

We will work with each other, we will work side by side,

We will work with each other, we will work side by side,
And we'll guard human dignity and save human pride:

Refrain
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

All praise to the Father, from whom all things come,

An all praise to Christ Jesus, God's only Son,

And all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one:

Refrain

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;

Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

Peter Scholtes, (c) 1966 F.E.L. Publications. Assigned 1991 Lorenz Publishing Company. CCLI License No. 852714.

Benediction

Notes
1
"Shout to the North" by Martin Smith. CCLI Song #1562261 © 1995 Curious? Music UK. CCLI License No. 852714.
2
Written 10/9/2009. Words and Music by Jay Voorhees. Copyright (c) 2009 All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.
onlywonder.com
3
Peter Scholtes, (c) 1966 F.E.L. Publications. Assigned 1991 Lorenz Publishing Company. CCLI License No. 852714.