October 15th, 2023
WORDS OF GREETING AND NomoFomo
Pastor Amanda Miller Garber
If you have children, check out the “KidZone” - a designated and supervised area within our worship space where kids can be kids - play with toys or games, draw and color, interact with caring adults, youth and one another, etc - and still be with the community for worship. Parents can choose to stay close and worship alongside their kids or sit more distantly and allow KidZone staff and volunteers to give energy and attention to their children for a time.
WE ARE HIRING A KIDZONE COORDINATOR! Thanks to a very generous donor, RISE is now able to hire someone to staff and coordinate our KidZone during Sunday morning worship! The RISE KidZone Coordinator will serve the RISE community by providing nurture, supervision, and care to the young children of the worshiping community. While providing primary staff coverage for the KidZone during RISE worship gathering is the foremost responsibility of this position, scheduling and managing additional volunteers for the KidZone (at least one per week) is also expected. Time commitment will be 3-4 hours per week - primarily 9:30 -noon on Sunday mornings - and pay is $50/week. This position is open effective immediately, and interviews will be held on a rolling basis until the position is filled. If interested in the position (or if you know of someone who might be), contact Chris Zepp, Minister of Care and Communications (cares@riseharrisonburg.com) to request a full position description.
MEET AND FEED 2023! Thursday, October 26, 9:45-12 midnight
A RISE tradition like no other! We’ll be passing out food and water to students celebrating Halloweekend in Harrisonburg, and we need your help! Volunteer to help “meet and feed” on the night of the event (costumes highly encouraged! but not mandatory) OR donate food or water to the cause by the day before. Or you could always make a special financial donation and let us do the shopping for you - just mark your donations “Meet and Feed 2023” in whatever format you use! Sign up HERE to let us know how you plan to help.DEATH DINNER!!!! Monday, October 30, 6:30 pm
Join us friends for a night of both fun and real talk about all things related to death! Ever wonder what happens to a body after someone dies? Questions about this afterlife? This is your opportunity to ask a funeral director questions and have conversation! We will have a spooky dinner and costumes are encouraged! Sign up by filling out a quick form [click HERE] to claim your spot and get details about location, etc.OUR OWN DEEP WELLS: A movement dedicated to adapting communal and individual soulful practices to build mental and emotional resilience - EMU November 10-11, 2023
A 24 hour retreat for area college students, young adults, student life professionals, etc that welcomes you to slow down, explore the soulful practices that are helping you survive and thrive, and sit with others who may be called to lead, share, or experience soulful practices in community. For full details and registration info, click HERE. Contact Pastor Amanda (ajmgarber@gmail.com) with any questions.COMING SOON!
We are so excited to announce our new podcast - “Hardly Christian!” In this podcast, a host will be joined by a few guests and spend about 30 minutes per episode discussing listener questions about theology, God, church, etc. with as much raw honesty as possible. We know that in many faith circles, expressing ideas or feelings contrary to traditional beliefs is seen as shameful or even heretical, but we believe that the most faithful thing we can do is lean in and provide space for those conversations without shame or notions of the “right answer”. We’d love for you to tune in! Find out more on facebook and instagram @hardlychristian. We plan to publish the first episode on October 31st -Reformation Day.We are always looking for persons willing to volunteer to assist and support our worship gatherings. If you’d be willing to help with set up/clean up, offering rides, providing a light breakfast, participating in the service, helping with music or the arts, etc, etc please let us know by filling out this short form: Worship Support Team Response.
If you would like to connect more deeply with RISE, you can start by submitting this short form to Get Connected!
Sign up for texting services:
Text “RISE” to 833-803-0868 to join the primary list and receive weekly community updates and alerts
Text “RISEcares” to receive prayer requests, care needs, and community concerns and celebrations
Please continue to check social media (Facebook & Instagram) and our website for all updates and information!
Requests for care and/or prayer can be sent via e-mail to cares@riseharrisonburg.org, texted to 833-803-0868, or submitted online via our RISE Cares form.
WELCOMING STATEMENT
Caroline Palmore
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 Music
Brent Holl
“Blessed Be God’s Name”
~Michael Stern
Like the sun & the moon, love will endure
Blessed be God’s name
From age unto age & shore unto shore
Blessed be God’s name
Let the mountains & the hills bring a message of peace
Blessed be God’s name
As welcome as rain that falls on dry soil
Blessed be God’s name
Defending the poor & the children in need
Blessed be God’s name
Redeeming their lives from exploitation & greed
Blessed be God’s name
Advocates of force will shrink from love’s power
Blessed be God’s name
Love’s harvest abundant, luxuriant in flower
Blessed be God’s name
Like the sun & the moon, love will endure
Blessed be God’s name
From age unto age & shore unto shore
Blessed be God’s name
“Ye Followers of the Lamb”
Quaker Song
O brethren, ain't you happy,
O brethren, ain't you happy,
O brethren, ain't you happy,
ye followers of the Lamb?
CHORUS:
Sing on, dance on,
followers of Emmanuel,
sing on,dance on,
ye followers of the Lamb.
O sisters, ain't you happy…
O, I'm glad I am a Christian…
O, I mean to be obedient…
OPENING PRAYER
Eleanor Baker
THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION
Adam King
Matthew 22:1-14 (CEB)
1 Jesus responded by speaking again in parables: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding party for his son. 3 He sent his servants to call those invited to the wedding party. But they didn’t want to come. 4 Again he sent other servants and said to them, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look, the meal is all prepared. I’ve butchered the oxen and the fattened cattle. Now everything’s ready. Come to the wedding party!”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went away—some to their fields, others to their businesses. 6 The rest of them grabbed his servants, abused them, and killed them.
7 “The king was angry. He sent his soldiers to destroy those murderers and set their city on fire.8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding party is prepared, but those who were invited weren’t worthy. 9 Therefore, go to the roads on the edge of town and invite everyone you find to the wedding party.’
10 “Then those servants went to the roads and gathered everyone they found, both evil and good. The wedding party was full of guests. 11 Now when the king came in and saw the guests, he spotted a man who wasn’t wearing wedding clothes. 12 He said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to his servants, ‘Tie his hands and feet and throw him out into the farthest darkness. People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth.’
14 “Many people are invited, but few people are chosen.”
“The Work of the People”
Table Discussions and FACEBOOK Live Chat Discussion Questions
Do you resonate with any of the responses we talked about in particular? Why do you think that is?
What spiritual interpretations of “the party” have you encountered that actually bothered you, bored you, or angered you?
Why do we often settle for less than abundant life? (ie. work ourselves to death, numb ourselves, cut ourselves off from community, etc.)
COMMUNION
Pastor Amanda Miller Garber
Servers: Roy Nelson and Caroline Palmore
SONG DURING COMMUNION
Brent Holl
“For the Beauty of the Earth”
For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.
For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.
For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
for the mystic harmony
linking sense to sound and sight;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.
For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.
For thy Church which evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.
Offering
Closing song
Brent Holl
“Love as I have loved you”
~Michael Stern
Love as I have loved you
Love, love
Like the moon and stars above you
Love, love, love
Your vine will branch and flower
Love, love
When love displays its power
Love, love, love
Ask, it will be given
Love, love
Forgive and be forgiven
Love, love, love
Love as I have loved you
Love, love
Like the moon and stars above you
Love, love, love
FINAL BLESSING
Roy Nelson
May you go knowing that God invites you today and every day to partake in the abundant life and love God has for you.
May we receive, honor, and celebrate the grace that softens our stubbornness and opens our hearts to share God’s love with one another.
Amen.