Mosaic Faith Introduction
Broken
Shattered
Torn apart
Years ago I brought a mirror out for a sermon illustration. With a hammer, I shattered the mirror into pieces, symbolizing our own brokenness. I talked about how we can’t put the pieces back together to reform our image. Only God can do that. I tried to put the pieces back in place without cutting myself to display our inability to restore our broken image. When God restores our image, even with our cuts and bruises, our new creation is more beautiful than before.
I’m not superstitious, except when it comes to baseball, so I didn’t think anything of breaking that mirror years ago. But all I know is I was out of ministry for 10 years and the Texas Rangers were in a slump ever since that infamous game 6 in 2011.
10 years later now I’ve returned to ministry and the Texas Rangers won the world series so I’m not breaking a mirror again!
When something is broken in our life, it can take a long time for it to heal.
When thoughts and beliefs and ideas about God and the church that we held onto for so long are shattered, it can be hard to recover from that and learn in a way that brings wholeness.
When Jesus died on the cross, and tore apart the curtain of the temple, it was a return to the holy of holies. The place where once only priests were allowed was suddenly for everyone.
Our brokenness won’t just bring 10 years of bad luck.
If we’re paying attention, what’s torn apart, might just send us on a journey that brings us closer to God than we ever thought was possible.
And this is the journey we’ll be on together as we start our new sermon series – Mosaic Faith.
May this time of worship take what’s broken and shattered and torn apart in our lives and create something so beautiful we can’t help but sing and praise God for the renewed creation that’s being created in us here and now in each of our lives as we begin this journey together.
Now, let us stand up and sing and shout our praises to the God who makes all things new!
Opening Songs: Gather Us In #284
Here in this place new light is streaming
Now is the darkness vanished away
See in this space our fears and our dreamings
Brought here to you in the light of this day
Gather us in, the lost and forsaken
Gather us in, the blind and the lame
Call to us now and we shall awaken
We shall arise at the sound of our name
We are the young, our lives are a mystery
We are the old who yearn for your face
We have been sung throughout all of history
Called to be light to the whole human race
Gather us in, the rich and the haughty
Gather us in, the proud and the strong
Give us a heart so meek and so lowly
Give us the courage to enter the song
Here we will take the wine and the water
Here we will take the bread of new birth
Here you shall call your sons and your daughters
Call us anew to be salt for the earth
Give us to drink the wine of compassion
Give us to eat the bread that is you
Nourish us well and teach us to fashion
Lives that are holy and hearts that are true
Not in the dark of buildings confining
Not in some heaven light years away
But here in this place the new light is shining
Now is the kingdom, now is the day
Gather us in and hold us forever
Gather us in and make us your own
Gather us in, all peoples together
Fire of love in our flesh and our bones
Fire of love in our flesh and our bones
Rest on Us – Maverick City Music
As the Spirit was moving over the waters
Spirit, come move over us
Come rest on us
Come rest on us
As the Spirit was moving over the waters
Spirit, come move over us
Come rest on us
Come rest on us
So come down
Spirit, when You move You make my heart pound
When You fill the room
You're here and I know You are moving
I'm here and I know You will fill me
Come down
Spirit, when You move You make my heart pound
When You fill the room
You're here and I know You are moving
I'm here and I know You will fill me
Hey
Come fill us up
Come fill us up
Come fill us up
And as the Spirit was moving over the waters
Spirit, come move over us (come on)
Come rest on us
Come rest on us
As the Spirit was moving over the waters
Spirit, come move over us
Come rest on us
Come rest on us (I feel the fire)
Fire and wind, come and do it again
Open up the gates, let Heaven on in (come)
Come rest on us (won't you come)
Come rest on us (I feel the fire)
Fire and wind, come and do it again
Open up the gates, let Heaven on in
Come rest on us
Come rest on us
So come down
Spirit, when You move You make my heart pound
When You fill the room
You're here and I know You are moving
I'm here and I know You will fill me
Come down
Spirit, when You move You make my heart pound
When You fill the room
You're here and I know You are moving
I'm here and I know You will fill me
Won't You fill me afresh?
Fill me afresh (ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh)
Holy Spirit, come rest on us
You're all we want
You're all we want
Holy Spirit, come rest on us
You're all we want
You're all we want
Holy Spirit, come rest on us
You're all we want (yeah)
You're all we want
Oh, Holy Spirit, come rest on us
You're all we want
You're all we want (Holy Spirit)
Holy Spirit, come rest on us
You're all we want (yeah, you're all)
You're all we want (hey)
Holy Spirit, come rest on us
You're all we want
You're all we want
So come down
Spirit, when You move You make my heart pound
When You fill this room
You're here and I know You are moving
I'm here and I know You will fill me
Come down
Spirit, when You move You make my heart pound
When You fill the room
You're here and I know You are moving (hey)
I'm here and I know You will fill me (won't You come down, come down?)
Come down
Spirit, when You move You make my heart pound
When You fill the room
You're here and I know You are moving
I'm here and I know You will fill me
Come down
Spirit, when You move You make my heart pound
When You fill the room
You're here and I know You are moving
I'm here and I know You will fill me
'Cause You love to meet us here
Hey, baptize us afresh tonight
Baptize us afresh tonight
Time of Prayer & Reflection
You’ll notice that for those of you who can recite the layout for worship from heart and the things we usually say in worship, things will look different for you during this series. Consider this Mosaic Faith journey a series of special services where we think outside the box to keep us engaged and on the edge of our seat, and encouraging all of us to grow in a new way. Some changes you will like, some you won’t. It’s all a part of expanding our horizons to see, breathe, think, and pray with a deeper intention.
The Lord be with you. And Also with you. Let us pray.
Redeeming, restoring, resurrecting God – Be wholly present with us during this time of worship.
Show us – not our will, not the will of this church, not the will of this pastor, not the will of our leaders – but your will, O God.
May your Holy Spirit surround us as we seek to find restoration from our brokenness, healing from our wounds, and redemption from the hurt that has bound us.
For the times we’ve limited your glory to what we wish or we’ve been unable to see who truly are because of half-truths that have been taught to us, may we see more clearly the complete picture.
May we break down the barriers that we were told not to break down, may we be set free from the chains that kept us from being free to be who we truly are, may we be transformed to live renewed lives where the arc of moral justice becomes a reality.
For our brothers and sisters in the United Methodist Church, who ended a forty year ban on same sex marriages and LGBTQ+ clergy, we give thanks for those who are able to be who they truly are and live into their calling.
For those creating holy mischief by taking what’s broken in the church and not abandoning it, but empowering the marginalized, dismantling the powers that exclude people, and truly building a table where all are welcome to gather, may this holy mischief continue in this church, in our community, and in our world.
Will you shatter in us the thoughts that have kept us from seeing more of who you truly are and who you call us to be, and may this shattering lead to a restructuring that makes us more wholly your disciples for the world today.
And Lord, will you hear us as we pray the prayer Jesus taught us…
Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
Forgive us our debts
As we forgive our debtors
And lead us not into temptation
But Deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
RESPONSIVE HYMN – Alleluia! Hear God’s Story #330
Children’s Moment – Becky Stults
Scripture Meditation – 2 Timothy 3:16
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
One: This is the word of God for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God.
There’s a practice done with scripture passages where you take one word or phrase every day and pray over that specific word or phrase and what it means.
For instance, one day you’d take “All Scripture.” All Scripture? What is Scripture? For the disciples of Jesus, it would be the Hebrew bible, the Old Testament, not the bible we know today, and we give a lot more authority to the New Testament and the Gospels today.
“God-breathed.” Does this mean God-breathed the bible into being? Some would like to think so no questions asked. Does God really have his stamp of approval on everything in the bible? Are we even allowed to ask these questions without a bolt of lightning coming down?
“Teaching.” Teaching is easy to think about when considering the bible.
“Rebuking.” Criticism? Only the constructive kind, not the judgmental kind.
“Correcting.” Now your starting to get in my business.
“Training.” Like for a marathon?
When we break down the words in this passage, “righteousness”, “servant of God”, “equipped for every good work”, it expands our thinking.
To think of the meaning of each word. To think of the context. To think of what this means for us today in our context.
Deconstructing what we think we know helps us to see more fully, more clearly, to see more of the artwork that’s on display for us to see.
When people stare at a piece of art, they see more intricate storytelling, hidden details, deeper meaning, and breathtaking beauty.
To break a part something piece by piece and admire every minute detail helps us when we look at the bigger picture to appreciate exactly what the artist is trying to tell us.
Sharing Our Resources
And this time of giving – we give all of ourselves.
We give our prayers through our prayer request cards, asking that the body of Christ pray for ourselves and our loved ones when we are weak.
We give financially to help the ministries of this church.
We give by serving this church to meet the needs of those who share this space with us.
We give by holding the hand of the one next to us and encouraging the asking of the messy questions, not so we always find the answer, but sometimes just so we know we’re not alone in the asking of these questions.
So, let us give our all to God – that amidst the chaos that surrounds us, we know God’s love and grace will be constant. Amen.
Anthem – Questions by Matt Redman
Doxology - Praise God from whom all blessing flow; praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God above, ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Offering Prayer – Diane Weger
Sermon Series: Mosaic Faith: Deconstructing What We Think About God to See Something More Beautiful
Sermon: Deconstructing the Bible and Creation
Litany of Faith – Diane Weger
One: Awaken us now to today’s sacred potential.
All: Grant us imagination for community, wonder, and the kind of work that honors and doesn’t degrade us.
One: Place a soothing hand over all who are anxious, that even in the unknown, they would journey into the day grounded and at peace in the arms of the divine. And as we depart from this place, protect each of us as we risk ourselves again on living.
All: Glory to the One who resurrects us daily.
One: May the God who spoke day and night, sea and land, dirt and star into being, keep you near to your own dignity today. May the divine call you into your own story, and daily reveal your own face to you – a face worthy, forgiven, beautiful.
All: Let us honor the one who made us and woke us to meet a new day. Amen.
(from Black Liturgies by Cole Arthur Riley)
Holy Communion Meditation & Prayer – Diane Weger
Communion Song – In This Very Room #295
In this very room, there's quite enough love for all of us
And in this very room, there's quite enough joy for all of us
And there's quite enough hope
And quite enough power
To chase away any gloom
For Jesus, Lord Jesus
Is in this very room
In this very room, there's quite enough love for all of us
And in this very room, there's quite enough joy for all of us
And there's quite enough hope
And quite enough power
To chase away any gloom
For Jesus, Lord Jesus
Is in this very room
Yes there's quite enough hope
And quite enough power
To chase away any gloom
For Jesus, Lord Jesus
Is in this very room
In this very room
In this very room
In this very room
We believe Jesus Christ is the gracious host at this table.
Everyone is welcome to participate in communion. Please pass tray to your neighbor after receiving your communion cups. Please help those who need assistance. Hold cups until instructed by Elder to take in unison.
Holy Communion Words of Institution – Diane Weger
*Announcements & Benediction – Rev. Russ Clark
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Wear your ACC shirts this evening to Main Street Tacos as we gather for dinner & fellowship at Holy Guacamole at 5pm.
And those interested in helping with planning Vacation Bible School this summer, please join us directly after worship.
BENEDICTION –
Will you please rise in body and in spirit to receive this benediction?
May God who created and is creating,
May Jesus the ultimate Word of God, and
May the Holy Spirit, whose RUACH breathes new Words of Life to us,
Lead us to breathe these words of life to everyone we meet
for the ongoing creation of the world today.
May these dry bones come alive!
May your mosaic faith keep this story alive!
Amen.
*BENEDICTION RESPONSE - Leaning on the Everlasting Arms #560