July 19, 2026
Viktor E. Frankl recounted an incident from when he was in a Nazi concentration camp. He was at the end of his rope from the deprivation. At this point, when he had lost every possession and had every value destroyed, someone gave him a piece of bread. Frankl wrote, "I remember how a foreman secretly gave me a piece of bread which I knew he must have saved from his breakfast ration. It was far more than the small piece of bread which moved me to tears at the time. It was the human 'something' this man also gave to me -- the word and the look which accompanied the gift."
Keep on the lookout for that 'human something' the next time you break bread with another person. Their words may offer more nutrients than the bread in your hand. Their look may open the eyes of your heart. It might all be a small taste of the first Emmaus.
~Peter Marty
The Lutheran magazine (June, 2012)
WORDS OF GREETING AND GATHERING
Chris Zepp
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
“Beloved is where you begin”
~Jan Richardson
If you would enter
Into the wilderness,
Do not begin
Without a blessing.Do not leave
Without hearing
Who you are:
Beloved,
Named by the One
Who has traveled this path
Before you.Do not go
Without letting it echo
In your ears,
And if you find
it is hard
To let into your heart,
Do not despair.
That is what
This journey is for.
Opening SongS
Songs Will Happen!
“COME, THOU FOUNT” (NETTLETON)
~Robert Robinson (1758); Alterer: Martin Madan (1760); additional verse by CWZepp
Come, thou fount of ev’ry blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace.
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it, mount of God’s unchanging love.
Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I'm come,
and I hope, by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger, wand'ring from the fold of God.
He to rescue me from danger, interposed his precious blood.
Oh, to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter, bind my wand'ring heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above!
We are called to love our neighbors even when we disagree
Work for justice, and for mercy — turn the “me” into a “we”
Then together we shall flourish, treating each as if our own
The common good shall be our calling — faith-filled values be made known
“Crowded Table”
~The Highwomen - Brandi Carlile & Natalie Hemby with Lori McKenna
You can hold my hand, when you need to let go
I can be your mountain, when you’re feeling valley low
I can be your streetlight, showing you the way home
If you can hold my hand, when you need to let go
I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we’re young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done
If we want a garden, we’re gonna have to sow the seeds
Plant a little happiness, let the roots run deep
If it’s love that we give, then it’s love that we reap
If we want a garden, we’re gonna have to sow the seed
Yeah, I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we’re young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done
The door is always open
Your picture’s on my wall
Everyone’s a little broken
And everyone belongs
Yeah, Everyone belongs
I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we’re young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done
THEOLOGICAL Reflection
Shiree Harbick
“We had hoped…”
Scripture Reading
Luke 24:13–35 (CEB)
13 On that same day, two disciples were traveling to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking to each other about everything that had happened. 15 While they were discussing these things, Jesus himself arrived and joined them on their journey. 16 They were prevented from recognizing him.
17 He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk along?” They stopped, their faces downcast.
18 The one named Cleopas replied, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who is unaware of the things that have taken place there over the last few days?”
19 He said to them, “What things?”
They said to him, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth. Because of his powerful deeds and words, he was recognized by God and all the people as a prophet. 20 But our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had hoped he was the one who would redeem Israel. All these things happened three days ago. 22 But there’s more: Some women from our group have left us stunned. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 and didn’t find his body. They came to us saying that they had even seen a vision of angels who told them he is alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women said. They didn’t see him.”
25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! Your dull minds keep you from believing all that the prophets talked about. 26 Wasn’t it necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27 Then he interpreted for them the things written about himself in all the scriptures, starting with Moses and going through all the Prophets.
28 When they came to Emmaus, he acted as if he was going on ahead. 29 But they urged him, saying, “Stay with us. It’s nearly evening, and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 After he took his seat at the table with them, he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Weren’t our hearts on fire when he spoke to us along the road and when he explained the scriptures for us?”
33 They got up right then and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying to each other, “The Lord really has risen! He appeared to Simon!” 35 Then the two disciples described what had happened along the road and how Jesus was made known to them as he broke the bread.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Where do you recognize the stages of faith development in your own walk of faith? Stages: Simplicity, Complexity, Perplexity, Harmony
Where in your life, family, community, or the wider world do you find yourself saying, “We had hoped…”? What grief, disappointment, or unfinished longing might Jesus be meeting you in there?
Who around you may need companionship more than answers or “solving” right now? What would it look like to walk beside them with presence, listening, and love before offering explanation or advice? How might this be challenging for you and what can you do to overcome these challenges?
Where might Jesus be made known in ordinary moments of welcome, listening, sharing food, or staying present? How might we become more attentive to those moments in our homes, at RISE, and in our community?
Song
“Come and Find the Quiet Center” (Beach Spring)
~Shirley Erena Murray
Come and find the quiet center
in the crowded life we lead,
find the room for hope to enter,
find the frame where we are freed:
clear the chaos and the clutter,
clear our eyes, that we can see
all the things that really matter,
be at peace, and simply be.
Silence is a friend who claims us,
cools the heat and slows the pace,
God it is who speaks and names us,
knows our being, touches base,
making space within our thinking,
lifting shades to show the sun,
raising courage when we're shrinking,
finding scope for faith begun.
In the Spirit let us travel,
open to each other's pain,
let our loves and fears unravel,
celebrate the space we gain:
there's a place for deepest dreaming,
there's a time for heart to care,
in the Spirit's lively scheming
there is always room to spare!
PRAYER
~Homiletics, adapted
Offering and NOMOFOMO
One of our core values is, "God gives to us, so we give back." We're called to give as a joy-filled response to what we've been given. Your financial gifts make a tremendous difference in the lives of God's beloved in Harrisonburg and beyond. Whether it's helping to make sure children in our community have enough to eat, helping to respond to the mental health crisis in our community, or providing much needed backing for the operating costs of our spaces and staff — your gift is a part of God's dream and we are grateful for everyone who partners with us on this journey!
Community Material Need:
Boys clothes and shoes
(Size 8/9 clothing [small] & “big kids” size 2 shoes)
(see a list of ongoing material needs on our giving page)
THE Sitting
6-8 pm THURSDAY Nights
Feel the Rain Brother’s Craft Brewing
It’s that time again! Some people have “standing” office hours, but you know that we do things a bit differently here at RISE, so we have “sitting” hours during the summer season! Join Alexis and/or Chris on Thursday nights at Brothers throughout the summer - whether you have some burning theological questions or you just want to hang out with friends, we’ll be there and happy to chat with whoever might come!
Feel free to bring the kids and your dinner!
Campfire Hang
Saturday, July 25, 6 pm
Garcias’ Home
Bring a friend, some yummy things to roast, game(s) or music (guitars?) to share, and join us for a night of fun hanging around a campfire in Allison and Miguel’s backyard!
DM us or contact Chris Zepp (worship@riseharrisonburg.com) for address, directions, or more info.
NEXT BOOK STUDY
One Discussion Only!
Next Monday Evening, July 27, 7:30 pm
Home of the Harbicks
For our next study, we will be reading one of Brian McClaren’s recent books: Faith After Doubt: Why Your Beliefs Stopped Working and What to Do About It (2021). “Sixty-five million adults in the U.S. have dropped out of active church attendance and about 2.7 million more are leaving every year. “Faith After Doubt” is for the millions of people around the world who feel that their faith is falling apart. Using his own story and the stories of a diverse group of struggling believers, Brian D. McLaren, a former pastor and now an author, speaker, and activist shows how old assumptions are being challenged in nearly every area of human life, not just theology and spirituality. He proposes a four-stage model of faith development in which questions and doubt are not the enemy of faith, but rather a portal to a more mature and fruitful kind of faith. The four stages — Simplicity, Complexity, Perplexity, and Harmony — offer a path forward that can help sincere and thoughtful people leave behind unnecessary baggage and intensify their commitment to what matters most.”
All you need to do to participate is buy the book, read it (or read what you can), and join us at the Harbicks’ for a conversation inspired by the reading on July 27! DM us or contact Chris if you have questions, need more info, or need the address.
COMING SOON!
Picnic, Firepit, and Games - Friday, August 7, 6 pm at the Sellers’
Get full info about these and other upcoming events in the RISE Report — your source of information for all things RISE! If you aren’t yet getting it in your inbox, let us know so we can add you to the list!
Closing Song
“Receive Love. Give Love. Repeat.” (RLGLR)
~Brent Holl and Chris Zepp
Receive love. Give love.
Let's keep the cycle going.
Receive love. Give love.
Repeat. And love again!
(REPEAT)
Love comes from the heart of God
and flows to all the earth
Each of us gets a piece of it
a gift that's ours from birth!
Receive love. Give love.
Let's keep the cycle going.
Receive love. Give love.
Repeat. And love again!
(REPEAT)
Love is meant to be given away
once love you have received
Love that's shared is thrice the gift
God, self, and neighbor pleased!
Receive love. Give love.
Let's keep the cycle going.
Receive love. Give love.
Repeat. And love again!
(REPEAT)
We come together to celebrate
and share the gift of Love
Love is a wonderful gift to share,
enduring for ever more.
Love is patient, Love is Kind,
Love never ends
Faith and Love and Hope abide,
The greatest of these is Love!
Receive love. Give love.
Let's keep the cycle going.
Receive love. Give love.
Repeat. And love again!
(REPEAT)
Parting Blessing
~Homiletics, adapted
May we believe in God, whose love for us never lets us go.
May we believe in Jesus, whose life of love we strive to follow.
May we believe in the Spirit, who makes God's love known to us.
May we believe in grace, which enables us to be a people of hope, joy, service, and love.
And may we believe in this community of faith, where we gather to pray, to praise, to serve, and to love ... again and again.
Remember friends — you are a gift!
Now go and be a gift!
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