May 12, 2024
WORDS OF GREETING AND GATHERING
Alexis 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 Music
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 hymn of grateful 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 hymn of grateful 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 hymn of grateful 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 hymn of grateful 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 hymn of grateful praise.
“Ye Followers of the Lamb”
O brethren ain't you happy,
O brethren ain't you happy,
O brethren ain't you happy,
Ye followers of the Lamb?
Sing on, dance on, followers of Emmanuel,
Sing on, dance on, ye followers of the Lamb.
O sisters, ain't you happy,
O sisters, ain't you happy,
O sisters, ain't you happy,
Ye followers of the lamb?
Sing on, dance on, followers of Emmanuel,
Sing on, dance on, ye followers of the Lamb.
O, I'm glad I am a Christian,
I'm glad I am a Christian,
O, I'm glad I am a Christian,
Ye followers of the Lamb.
Sing on, dance on, followers of Emmanuel,
Sing on, dance on, ye followers of the Lamb.
O, I mean to be obedient,
I mean to be obedient,
O, I mean to be obedient,
Ye followers of the Lamb.
Sing on, dance on, followers of Emmanuel,
Sing on, dance on, ye followers of the Lamb.
SCRIPTURE READINGs
Luke 24:44-53 (CEB)
44 Jesus said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law from Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 46 He said to them, “This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and a change of heart and life for the forgiveness of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 Look, I’m sending to you what my Father promised, but you are to stay in the city until you have been furnished with heavenly power.”
50 He led them out as far as Bethany, where he lifted his hands and blessed them. 51 As he blessed them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem overwhelmed with joy. 53 And they were continuously in the temple praising God.
Acts 1:1-11 (CEB)
1 Theophilus, the first scroll I wrote concerned everything Jesus did and taught from the beginning, 2 right up to the day when he was taken up into heaven. Before he was taken up, working in the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus instructed the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he showed them that he was alive with many convincing proofs. He appeared to them over a period of forty days, speaking to them about God’s kingdom. 4 While they were eating together, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised. He said, “This is what you heard from me: 5 John baptized with water, but in only a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 As a result, those who had gathered together asked Jesus, “Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?”
7 Jesus replied, “It isn’t for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 Rather, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9 After Jesus said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going away and as they were staring toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood next to them. 11 They said, “Galileans, why are you standing here, looking toward heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you saw him go into heaven.”
THEOLOGICAL Reflection
Chris Zepp
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What are your thoughts about “The Ascension.” Does it matter whether or not it “really happened?” Why or why not?
Where in your life are you needing to “let go” right now so that you can move forward? Where is RISE needing to let go so that we can move forward into the next season of our life together?
What are your thoughts and feelings about power? Is it necessary, good, evil, dangerous, etc, etc? Do we need it? What are our obligations when we have it?
Prayer
SONG
“Bread and Fishes”
~Alan Bell
As I went a walkin' one mornin' in spring
I met with some travelers in an old country lane
One was an old man, the second a maid
And the third was a young boy who smiled as he said
We've the wind in the willows, and the birds in the sky
We've a bright sun to warm us, where ever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of man-kind
I sat down beside them, the flowers all around
And we ate on a mantle spread out on the ground
They told me of prophets and princes and kings
And they spoke of the one god who knows everything
We've the wind in the willows, and the birds in the sky
We've a bright sun to warm us, where ever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of man-kind
I asked them to tell me their name and their race
So I might remember their kindness and grace
"My name is Joseph, this is Mary my wife
And this is our young son, our pride and delight”
We travel the whole world, by land and by sea
To tell all the people how they might be free
Like the wind in the willows, and the birds in the sky
We've a bright sun to warm us, where ever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of man-kind
Sadly, I left them, in an old country lane
For I knew that I never would see them again
One was an old man, the second a maid
And the third was a young boy who smiled as he said:
We've the wind in the willows, and the birds in the sky
We've a bright sun to warm us, where ever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of man-kind
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!
closing SONG
“Nothing Without Love”
~Michael Stern
If I have eloquence & power
It’s nothing without love, nothing without love
If I have beauty like a flower
It’s nothing without love, nothing without love
If I have faith that can move mountains
It’s nothing without love, nothing without love
If I have knowledge flowing fountains
It’s nothing without love, nothing without love
If I have courage facing fire
It’s nothing without love, nothing without love
Or sacrifice all I desire
It’s nothing without love, nothing without love
Love is patient, love is kind
Love remembers those left behind
Love is not jealous or conceited
There’s nothing without love, nothing without love
Even in death is not defeated
There’s nothing without love, nothing without love
Love is patient, love is kind
Love remembers those left behind
There’s nothing without love, nothing without love
There’s nothing without love, nothing without love
Parting BLESSING
~Homiletics, adapted
Friends, we have work to do. So go.
Go to share the love of Christ,
to bind the wounds of the brokenhearted,
to be peacemakers,
to tell what you yourselves have seen and heard and experienced.
And as you go, remember that you have the power to do all of this
through the Holy Spirit and God’s love, living in you…
May it be so!
REMEMBER - YOU ARE A GIFT!
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