May 17, 2026

"Every [one] can be contemporary only with the age in which [they] live -
and then with one thing more: with Christ's life on earth ...
his earthly life accompanies the race,
and accompanies every generation in particular,
as the eternal history."

~Soren Kierkegaard

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WORDS OF GREETING AND GATHERING

Pastor Alexis Ward Owens

WELCOMING STATEMENT

RISE believes that God has open arms, and so should we. Our Creator wants us to love, accept and affirm every human being, including persons of every age, race, ethnic background, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, family or socioeconomic status, educational background, religion or creed, and physical or mental ability. We celebrate our diversity and recognize the sacred worth and dignity of all. Everyone is invited and encouraged to join us as we seek to follow Jesus with mutual respect, understanding, and love.

*Read more about “Why Pronouns Matter” HERE.

Opening AFFIRMATION

~Presbyterian Church USA, adapted

We worship a God who inhabits our world and indwells our lives.

We need not look up to find God; we need only to look around:
within ourselves,
beyond ourselves,
into the eyes of another.

We need not listen for distant thunder to find God; we need only listen to:
the music of life,
the words of children,
the questions of the curious,
the rhythm of a heartbeat.

We worship a God who inhabits our world and indwells our lives.

Opening SongS

Songs Will Happen!

“Indescribable”

~Chris Tomlin

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom.

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
(Repeat)

“Higher Ground”

~Michael Stern

River water rising
Rain still comin’ down
The ‘ol farm’s a lake, but if the levees break
It’ll damn near take this whole town

It’s like livin’ in a nightmare
That you can’t believe is true
How we’ll clean up this mess is anybody’s guess
Don’t know how we’ll make it through

I’m headed up to higher ground
I heard a stranger say
And with a hand held out to me, said
We’d best be on our way

We don’t have much money
And we’re runnin’ out of gas
This crazy war goes on & now our house is gone
We just pray this too will pass

I’m headed up to higher ground
I heard a stranger say
And with a hand held out to me, said
We’d best be on our way

All across this country
All across this land
From east to west folks will do their best
To lend a helpin’ hand

I’m headed up to higher ground
I heard my neighbor say
And with a hand held out to me, said
We’d best be on our way

River water rising
Rain still comin’ down
The ‘ol farm’s a lake, but if the levees break
It’ll damn near take this whole town

It’s like livin’ in a nightmare
That you can’t believe is true
How we’ll clean up this mess is anybody’s guess
Don’t know how we’ll make it through

I’m headed up to higher ground
I heard a stranger say
And with a hand held out to me, said
We’d best be on our way

We’re headed up to higher ground
I heard the people say.
And with their hands held out to me said
We’d best be on our way.
And with their hands held out to me said
We’d best be on our way.

Scripture Reading

Acts 1:6-14 (The Message)

6 When they were together for the last time they asked, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?”
7-8 He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”
9-11 These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared—in white robes! They said, “You Galileans!—why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left.”
12-13 So they left the mountain called Olives and returned to Jerusalem. It was a little over half a mile. They went to the upper room they had been using as a meeting place:
Peter,
John,
James,
Andrew,
Philip,
Thomas,
Bartholomew,
Matthew,
James, son of Alphaeus,
Simon the Zealot,
Judas, son of James.
14 They agreed they were in this for good, completely together in prayer, the women included. Also Jesus’ mother, Mary, and his brothers.

THEOLOGICAL Reflection

Chris Zepp

“What Day Is It?”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Life often gets so busy and chaotic that sometimes we hardly know what day it is. In the midst of such busyness, how can we prevent our calendars and our to-do lists from taking over our lives? How can we cope with thwarted or delayed expectations? How do you remember what’s really important each day?
While the resurrection was about Jesus being raised from the dead, his ascension is about him being raised and removed from this land where we are living, and after he ascended to heaven, the disciples returned to Jerusalem to wait and pray together. How does their example of “waiting and praying” challenge our dependence on schedules and our need/desire for action?
How are you being a witness for Jesus in your life and context? How does what you are doing complement or distract from your being?