NOTES: Today's scripture pairing is all about the party! And etiquette. Throughout scripture, the metaphor of a party or banquet is used to teach lessons about hospitality. Today we hear a bit of wisdom from Proverbs about how to find a seat at the table. The second text takes us to through three of Jesus' teachings. One begins with the same idea. The second speaks to the hosts' responsibilities. And the final one is a story reveals that even when dining out, if you are within the kingdom of God, you can always expect a twist!
Scripture: Luke 14:1 , 7-24 & Proverbs 25:6-7a
Luke 14:1 , 7-24
On one occasion when Jesus, was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.
7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9 and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
12 He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
15 One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, “Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 Then Jesus said to him, “Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. 17 At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my regrets.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my regrets.’ 20 Another said, ‘I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 And the slave said, ‘Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.’ 23 Then the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.’”
Proverbs 25:6-7a
Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
or stand in the place of the great;
7 for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
8:30 am Order of Service
We Gather in God's Presence
WelcomePrelude
Lighting the Christ Candles
Praise Hymn#284 "Gather Us In" (verses 1 & 3)
Call to Worship
Leader: Welcome to a time of wonder
People: and music that calls us home
Leader: Welcome to hear God’s words that inspire and challenge
People: and to reminders that we are offered holy hospitality -
Leader: Hospitality that teaches us how to open our lives to others
People: leading us to fully live open minds, open hearts, open doors.
-Christine Longhurst
Invocation
Ever-loving God,
we bow before you in reverence.
You search for us, care for us,
and welcome us home.
We belong to you.
Transform us into your likeness,
and feed us through your generous Word.
As we wait for the Spirit
make us more and more signs of your hospitality,
so your kingdom may come, on earth as in heaven.
Amen
~ from Nine Days of Prayers 2012, posted on the Diocese of Canterbury website.
We Contemplate God's Word
Scripture
Sermon
We Pray Together
Joys & ConcernsPrayer Hymn#581 "Near to the Heart of God" (all verses)
Praying Together
Beloved, teach us to open our shuttered hearts
and our portioned and boarded up spirits
with bold generous and with courageous hospitality.
Estranged and alienated so often and from so much,
sustain us in making circles of welcome out of gatherings of strangers.
Around the table of wonder, meet us in abundance,
drawing out our stories
and showing us how to weave together community with steadfast love.
The wells of life are our responsibilities;
teach us to care for them together,
with forbearance, forgiveness, gratitude, and rejoicing.
When we are cast out and wandering,
may we find welcome and compassion
that calls us back into accountable relationship,
into the ways of healing, into the ways of peace.
Generation after generation has wrested and exiled
or been dispossessed.
Generation after generation has learned anew
how to make welcome,
how to make home wherever they are, however they are,
and how to welcome You, Beloved,
in welcoming enemies, strangers, and exiles
into a life of transforming love. Amen.
~ written by Rev. Naomi King, and posted on The Wonderment. http://thewonderment.typepad.com/
We Come to the Lord's Table
Invitation to the TableCommunion Hymn#386 "We Come as Guests Invited" (all verses)
Elder's Prayer
Words of Institution
The Lord's Supper with instrumental meditation
Prayer of Thanksgiving
We Go Forth into the World
Challenge for DiscipleshipDiscipleship Hymn#357 "We Call Ourselves Disciples" (verses 1, 2, & 4)
Blessing
10:40 am Order of Service
We Gather in God's Presence
WelcomePrelude
Call to Worship
Leader: Welcome to a time of wonder
People: and music that calls us home
Leader: Welcome to hear God’s words that inspire and challenge
People: and to reminders that we are offered holy hospitality -
Leader: Hospitality that teaches us how to open our lives to others
People: leading us to fully live open minds, open hearts, open doors.
-Christine Longhurst
Praise Hymn#284 "Gather Us In" (verses 1 & 3)
Lighting of the Candles
Invocation
Ever-loving God,
we bow before you in reverence.
You search for us, care for us,
and welcome us home.
We belong to you.
Transform us into your likeness,
and feed us through your generous Word.
As we wait for the Spirit
make us more and more signs of your hospitality,
so your kingdom may come, on earth as in heaven.
Amen
~ from Nine Days of Prayers 2012, posted on the Diocese of Canterbury website.
Passing of the Peace
Faith Hymn"Sing and Rejoice" (sing as a round)
We Contemplate God's Word
ScriptureChoir Anthem
Children's Sermon
Sermon
We Pray Together
Joys & ConcernsPrayer Hymn#581 "Near to the Heart of God" (all verses)
Praying Together
Beloved, teach us to open our shuttered hearts
and our portioned and boarded up spirits
with bold generous and with courageous hospitality.
Estranged and alienated so often and from so much,
sustain us in making circles of welcome out of gatherings of strangers.
Around the table of wonder, meet us in abundance,
drawing out our stories
and showing us how to weave together community with steadfast love.
The wells of life are our responsibilities;
teach us to care for them together,
with forbearance, forgiveness, gratitude, and rejoicing.
When we are cast out and wandering,
may we find welcome and compassion
that calls us back into accountable relationship,
into the ways of healing, into the ways of peace.
Generation after generation has wrested and exiled
or been dispossessed.
Generation after generation has learned anew
how to make welcome,
how to make home wherever they are, however they are,
and how to welcome You, Beloved,
in welcoming enemies, strangers, and exiles
into a life of transforming love. Amen.
~ written by Rev. Naomi King, and posted on The Wonderment. http://thewonderment.typepad.com/
We Come to the Lord's Table
Invitation to the TableCommunion Hymn#386 "We Come as Guests Invited" (all verses)
Words of Institution
The Lord's Supper with instrumental meditation
Prayer of Thanksgiving
We Go Forth into the World
Challenge for DiscipleshipDiscipleship Hymn#357 "We Call Ourselves Disciples" (verses 1, 2, & 4)
Blessing
Closing Hymn #431 "Go My Children, with My Blessing" (verse 3)
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