June 15, 2025
“The only wisdom we can hope to acquire
is the wisdom of humility.”
~T.S. Eliot
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 PSalm
Ps. 8 (CEB)
1 Lord, our Lord, how majestic
is your name throughout the earth!
You made your glory higher than heaven!
2 From the mouths of nursing babies
you have laid a strong foundation
because of your foes,
in order to stop vengeful enemies.
3 When I look up at your skies,
at what your fingers made—
the moon and the stars
that you set firmly in place—
4 what are human beings
that you think about them;
what are human beings
that you pay attention to them?
5 You’ve made them only slightly less than divine,
crowning them with glory and grandeur.
6 You’ve let them rule over your handiwork,
putting everything under their feet—
7 all sheep and all cattle,
the wild animals too,
8 the birds in the sky,
the fish of the ocean,
everything that travels the pathways of the sea.
9 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name throughout the earth!
Opening Songs
Songs Will Happen!
“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic”
~Michael W. Smith
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic
Is your name in all the earth!
(Repeat)
O Lord, we praise your name.
O Lord, we magnify your name:
Prince of peace, mighty God;
O Lord God almighty!
(Repeat all)
“This is God’s Sacred World”
This is God’s sacred world
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres
This is God’s sacred world
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas
His hand the wonders wrought
This is God’s sacred world
The birds their carols raise
The morning light, the lily white
Declare their maker's praise
This is God’s sacred world
He shines in all that's fair
In the rustling grass, I hear him pass
He speaks to me everywhere
This is God’s sacred world
O let us not forget
What’s going wrong seems much too strong,
God is the Ruler yet.
This is God’s sacred world
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is king, let the heavens ring
God reigns, let the earth be glad
The Lord is king, let the heavens ring
God reigns, let the earth be glad
Scripture Readings
Proverbs 8:1-11 (The Message)
1-11 Do you hear Lady Wisdom calling?
Can you hear Madame Insight raising her voice?
She’s taken her stand at First and Main,
at the busiest intersection.
Right in the city square
where the traffic is thickest, she shouts,
“You—I’m talking to all of you,
everyone out here on the streets!
Listen, you idiots—learn good sense!
You blockheads—shape up!
Don’t miss a word of this—I’m telling you how to live well,
I’m telling you how to live at your best.
My mouth chews and savors and relishes truth—
I can’t stand the taste of evil!
You’ll only hear true and right words from my mouth;
not one syllable will be twisted or skewed.
You’ll recognize this as true—you with open minds;
truth-ready minds will see it at once.
Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money,
and God-knowledge over a lucrative career.
For Wisdom is better than all the trappings of wealth;
nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.
John 16:12-15 (CEB)
[Jesus said to his disciples…]
12 “I have much more to say to you, but you can’t handle it now. 13 However, when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you in all truth. He won’t speak on his own, but will say whatever he hears and will proclaim to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and proclaim it to you. 15 Everything that the Father has is mine. That’s why I said that the Spirit takes what is mine and will proclaim it to you.
THEOLOGICAL Reflection
Chris Zepp
“Seduction and the Sophomore Slump”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Have you experienced a “sophomore slump” of your own (whether in school or elsewhere)? What did you learn from it? What wisdom did you take from the experience?
Do you agree that the church – not this specific church, but the church in general – has fallen victim to “sophomoric Christianity”? If so, what has led us astray? What has seduced us into letting go of our “truth-ready minds” (as translated in The Message)? If not, why?
How would the church be different if we conceived of ourselves as a community of lifelong learners? What does the “wisdom of humility” (T.S. Eliot) look like in real-life community?
Song
“Be Thou My Vision”
~Translated by Eleanor Hull / Celtic Folk Tune
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light
Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father; thine own may I be,
Thou in me dwelling and I one with thee.
Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise
Thou mine inheritance, now and always
Thou and Thou only first in my heart
High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art
High King of heaven, my victory won
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all
_______________________________________
"Be Thou My Vision" is an 8th century Irish hymn that was translated by Eleanor Hull in 1912. Today the hymn is sung to the Irish folk tune "Slane". This song is rooted in medieval Celtic Christianity and is believed to be an original poem that may have been written by an Irish saint who experienced blindness later in life.
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!
Alexis WARD OWENS
is NOW Officially licensed
as OUR PASTOR!!
THE Sitting
6-8 pm Wednesday Nights
Brother’s Craft Brewing!
It’s back! Some people have “standing” office hours, but we do things just a little bit differently here at RISE, so we have “sitting” hours during the summer season! Join Alexis and/or Chris on Wednesday nights 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!
Movie Night
Friday, June 27
6 pm
Nicklas Home
Bring a friend, drinks and snacks for yourself or to share, and join us for a family-friendly movie night at Sarah’s house! The movie is still TBD, but popcorn, kid snacks, water, and milk will be provided. Also note that pets and kids will be present and that the location is not fully accessible, but would probably be navigable with a ramp that we can provide with advance notice.
DM us for address, directions, or more info.
MIKE STERN IN CONCERT
Sunday, July 13
1:30 pm
Bridgewater Church of the Brethren
Mike Stern, the artist behind many of the songs in our current SWH repertoire, will be leading us in reflection and song during our Sunday morning worship on July 6. If you love what you hear, you’ll have another chance to catch him in concert the week following, when he and his ensemble of musical friends will present a full concert at the Bridgewater Church of the Brethren. The concert is free and open to the public - donations will be accepted and appreciated.
Closing Song
“America the Beautiful”
~Katharine Lee Bates
O beautiful for spacious skies
For amber waves of grain
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw
Confirm thy soul in self-control
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
Parting Blessing
~Homiletics, adapted
In the name of the Father, go in the depths of ancient wisdom,
living a story written before the world began.
In the name of the Son, go in grace,
trusting in him who dined with sinners and with saints.
In the name of the Spirit, go in peace,
leaning on the promise of salvation that is now and that is also to come.
In the name of the triune God, go in faith,
embracing the mystery that is this life.
Remember friends — you are a gift!
Now go and be a gift!
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