July 27, 2025
“A theology which comes pre-packaged, and in which there are no loose ends, is not true to life nor can it adequately reflect the richness of the Gospel.”
~John Drane,
The McDonaldization of the Church:
Consumer Culture and the Church's Future (2000)
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. 138 (NRSV)
1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
2 I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted your name and your word
above everything.
3 On the day I called, you answered me;
you increased my strength of soul.4 All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
5 They shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.
6 For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he perceives from far away.7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;
you stretch out your hand,
and your right hand delivers me.
8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Opening SongS
Songs Will Happen!
“Seek ye first”
~Karen Lafferty
Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And His righteousness;
And all these things shall be added unto you.
Allelu, Alleluia!
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
Allelu, Alleluia!
Ask, and it shall be given unto you;
Seek, and ye shall find.
Knock, and the door shall be opened unto you.
Allelu, Alleluia!
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
Allelu, Alleluia!
“Glory”
~Mike Stern
Glory in the highest, glory in each lowly one,
Glory in the morning, glory in the setting sun,
Glory in the morning, glory in the setting sun.
Glory in the children and when the day has begun,
Glory in the lines of old faces and when the day is done,
Glory in the highest, glory in each lowly one,
Glory in the morning, glory in the setting sun,
Glory in the morning, glory in the setting sun.
There’s no glory in the battle nor the barrel of a gun,
There’s no glory in killing, no war victory to be won, but there’s
Glory in the highest, glory in each lowly one,
Glory in the morning, glory in the setting sun,
Glory in the morning, glory in the setting sun.
Glory to the creator, glory to the One,
Glory to the spirit, glory to the Three in One,
Glory in the highest, glory in each lowly one,
Glory in the morning, glory in the setting sun,
Glory in the morning, glory in the setting sun.
The earth and all it’s fullness and all it’s daughters and sons,
Belong to the glory and the glory still to come.
Glory in the highest, glory in each lowly one,
Glory in the morning, glory in the setting sun,
Glory in the morning, glory in the setting sun.
Scripture ReadingS
Luke 11:1-13 (CEB)
1 Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2 Jesus told them, “When you pray, say:
‘Father, uphold the holiness of your name.
Bring in your kingdom.
3 Give us the bread we need for today.
4 Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who has wronged us.
And don’t lead us into temptation.’”5 He also said to them, “Imagine that one of you has a friend and you go to that friend in the middle of the night. Imagine saying, ‘Friend, loan me three loaves of bread 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has arrived and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7 Imagine further that he answers from within the house, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ 8 I assure you, even if he wouldn’t get up and help because of his friendship, he will get up and give his friend whatever he needs because of his friend’s brashness. 9 And I tell you: Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 Everyone who asks, receives. Whoever seeks, finds. To everyone who knocks, the door is opened.
11 “Which father among you would give a snake to your child if the child asked for a fish? 12 If a child asked for an egg, what father would give the child a scorpion? 13 If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
Colossians 2:6-19 (The Message)
6-7 My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.
8-10 Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. But that’s not the way of Christ. Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything.
11-15 Entering into this fullness is not something you figure out or achieve. It’s not a matter of being circumcised or keeping a long list of laws. No, you’re already in—insiders—not through some secretive initiation rite but rather through what Christ has already gone through for you, destroying the power of sin. If it’s an initiation ritual you’re after, you’ve already been through it by submitting to baptism. Going under the water was a burial of your old life; coming up out of it was a resurrection, God raising you from the dead as he did Christ. When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. God brought you alive—right along with Christ! Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross. He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets.
16-17 So don’t put up with anyone pressuring you in details of diet, worship services, or holy days. All those things are mere shadows cast before what was to come; the substance is Christ.
18-19 Don’t tolerate people who try to run your life, ordering you to bow and scrape, insisting that you join their obsession with angels and that you seek out visions. They’re a lot of hot air, that’s all they are. They’re completely out of touch with the source of life, Christ, who puts us together in one piece, whose very breath and blood flow through us. He is the Head and we are the body. We can grow up healthy in God only as he nourishes us.
THEOLOGICAL Reflection
Chris Zepp
“Faith - You Want Fries with That?”
For more on Hamburger Harry and the International Hamburger Hall of Fame visit: https://www.burgerweb.com/museum/
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What do you think about the “McDonaldization” of Society and the Church? Do you agree with Ritzer and Drane that both have become beholden to the principles of “McDonaldization” (efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control)?
What do our scriptures today offer us in reflecting on these ideas? Are they in accord or do they offer competing / divergent thoughts about the life of faith when viewed through the “McDonaldization” lens?
Is it important for the church to keep up with the trends of “the market”? If so, how can we stay centered on Christ without letting the marketplace dictate our path and assert control? If not, how do we not become - at best, a quaint nostalgic novelty, or worse - a forgotten relic of a lost time?
Song
“On Eagles Wings”
~Michael Joncas
You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
Who abide in His shadow for life,
Say to the Lord: "My refuge,
My rock in whom I trust!"
And he will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His hand.
The Snare of the Flower will never capture you,
And famine will bring you no fear;
Under his wings your refuge,
His faithfulness your shield
And he will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His hand.
For to his angels he’s given a command,
To guard you in all of your ways;
Upon their hands they will bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone
And he will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His hand.
And hold you in the palm of His hand.
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!
Help us Prepare Bagged Dinners for our friends at the navigation center AFTER WORSHIP TODAY
The Interfaith Association of Harrisonburg Rockingham has asked RISE to help prepare 85 bagged dinners for the unhoused residents at the Navigation Center (formerly known as Valley Open Doors) this evening.
To do that we need your help! Just stay after worship to help pack the bagged dinners. Many hands will make light work! That’s all. We’ll be delivering the meals to the Center in time for their evening meal this evening.
FINAL Scripture DEep DivE
CANCELLED
Sandra is preparing to travel for her course of study and needs some time for final preparations. Sandra is willing and interested in continuing to “dive deep” with any folks who are interested when she returns!
THE Sitting
6-8 pm Wednesday Nights
Pale Fire Brewing
(Outside Lower Level, weather permitting)
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!
Plus, enjoy the music of Harrisonburg’s Summer Music Series happening right next door at Turner Pavilion. Check out the concert schedule HERE.
BRUNCH CHURCH!
Next Sunday - August 3
Same bat time.
Same bat channel.
Just more food:-)
Please bring your favorite brunch item to share if you are able!
Closing Song
“Take Me To THe Water”
~Traditional Spiritual
Take me to the water (x3)
To be baptized.
None but the righteous (x3)
Shall see God.
I love Jesus (x3)
Yes I do.
In the name of Jesus (x3)
We shall be saved.
I know I got religion (x3)
Yes I do.
Glory, hallelujah (x3)
To be baptized.
Parting Blessing
~Homiletics, adapted
Each of us is precious in God’s eye.
We are God’s wonder and God’s delight.
So let us carry God’s love gently and firmly to all we meet.
May God walk close beside us so that in faith,
we may scatter seeds of love, sing songs of joy,
shape communities of peace, and build bridges of hope.
Remember friends — you are a gift!
Now go and be a gift!
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