First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Sheridan, Wyoming

March 22, 2020 Home Worship

Week 2 of national emergency

4th Sunday in Lent

Suggestions for the preparation of worship.

1. Remember: God is the audience. Worship is the work of the people.

2. Please prepare a candle for worship.

3. If you would like to receive Holy Communion, please prepare bread and cup. If you do not have grape juice or wine, just bread is okay. Side note: Our tradition of church has come through the prohibition movement and chose to move to grape juice for the well being of all. Home worship? You can do what is best for you and your personal preference.

Background for home worship.

Before church buildings were constructed for the purpose of community worship, the early church gathered in homes. They gathered in small groups to read Scripture, sing hymns, pray and receive the sacrament of bread and cup. Often, what attracted people to home church was the intimacy of human friendship and the generous sharing of food.

To begin: Light a candle

Be still for a few moments (practice quiet, listening for the Spirit)

Greeting: Welcome church. God’s beloved. It is good and right for us to be together in this holy place as we worship God, our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier.

Opening Hymn: (sing or speak) There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place, and I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord; there are sweet expressions on each face, and I know they feel the presence of the Lord. Sweet Holy Spirit, sweet heavenly Dove, stay right here with us, filling us with your love; and for these blessings we lift our hearts in praise; without a doubt we’ll know that we have been revived when we shall leave this place. (quoted from our Chalice Hymnal)

Opening prayer: O God, we are scattered throughout the city missing our house of worship and all the friends who gather there to greet us; yet, by your Spirit, we are united in your eternal love which is far beyond ourselves. Open our ears to hear your good Word today. Open our eyes to see your good work amongst us. Help us to feel your healing touch. Bless us with your holy presence, we pray in the good and strong name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.

Scripture Reading: John 9:1-42. (For many of you, John is your favorite Gospel. These long stories of Jesus warm the heart, and are full of wise teaching. To make the reading more interesting, you may want to hand out parts for different speakers: Jesus, the blind man, the Pharisees, the disciples.) Mini Sermon

Close your eyes. What do you see? Sometimes, with my eyes closed, I see the color black. Sometimes, the color red. Sometimes a yellowish color and sometimes a mix of blue and green.

Over the years, I have heard people with hearing difficulty say: “I wish it were my eyes and not my ears.” Interesting, I cannot remember hearing a blind person saying: “I wish it were my ears and not my eyes.” Being blind, to a person of sight, sounds dark – dark. Those of you who have had cataract surgery know something of the feeling of the blind man in this story. And, what did you see? Probably, the first thing you saw was a loved one. Then, the wonder of creation. The world was alive again, full of life.

The story starts out with the disciples inquiring about the concept of sin. Who sinned? This man or his parents? We talked about the definition of sin at the beginning of Lent. Two categories: temporal fallibility of earthly life and behavior. Jesus tells the disciples this blind man does not fit the definition. His answer is quick and firm: Neither sinned.

Yet, the Pharisees, the religious leaders, see it differently. Someone is to blame. At the end of the chapter (notice, not the end of the story because the story melts into chapter 10), the Pharisees seem oblivious to their own sin. Certainly, you can identify with that experience. Judgment is everywhere in this life. Whether intended or not, somebody always has some opinion of another person. And, we discover again and again, the righteous turn out to be the not so righteous.

Jesus, like the story last week of the woman at the well, shares the gift of compassion with the blind man. Just as Jesus shares compassion with you in these days of uncertainty. What Jesus does is help the man hear and see that he is loved by a love beyond human understanding. The blind man sees in the face of Jesus that God is truly present in his suffering, leading him into the light of life in all its fullness. Maybe the Pharisees had not suffered enough that they fail to understand the impact human suffering has on individuals. I don’t know. It’s just a guess. Self-righteousness does that to people. The Pharisees are so much like us. We see ourselves in them more than we prefer to admit. More importantly, what we see for ourselves is that Jesus showed compassion and the blind man was able to see into a new life.

Sadly, the blind man is treated rudely by the very people whom you would expect to show kindness, but, Jesus goes and finds the blind man where he comes to see the living God in the face of Jesus, where kindness prevails and the holy One is present. In these days of uncertainty, may you see that holy love too.

Pastor Prayer: Generous God, you who blesses life with more life, we come offering our thankful praise.

Thank you, dear God, for this day to be alive and in your service. Thank you for the people who smile. Thank you for people who are creative, thinking about how to connect in new and meaningful ways. Thank you for people who are persistent in attempting to do what is right and good and just. Thank you for Jesus, the risen Lord, whose Spirit of love invites the world to share in a love greater than human self.

All wise God, we admit we are a confused people. Every day, we hear the numbers changing of those afflicted with illness. We hear added rules of what we are to do and not do. And so, we are a little unnerved about what is best for our future; yet, we trust in your providence for the good. So keep us close to you and one another in new ways, bind us up in your love and guide us forward.

O God, instill within us your profound courage. Help us to be caring people, but not stupid. Help us to be compassionate, but not idiots. Open our ears to hear your voice amidst all the clamor of the other voices. Open our eyes to see you amidst the chaos of our times, for we do not want to live in fear. Lead us forward so our lives reflect your glory in word and deed.

Bless our friends who need your care: Louise Ralston (hospice), Peggy Pooley (medical tests), Ken Humphrey (pneumonia), Tom Dixon (recovering from eye surgery), Spike Forbes (preparing for surgery) and others . . . .

We pray for our friends in Utah who suffered the effects of earthquake last week.

Bless our friends celebrating birthdays this week: Rob Williamson, Jerry Rocovits (Mar. 22), Don Beal (80 th ! March 23), Vicki Buzash (Mar. 24), Betty French, Dwight French (March 25).

Bless our friends celebrating wedding anniversaries: Ron & Lori Kensey (Mar. 25).

Minister to each of us as we humbly pray together the prayer Jesus taught us, saying: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy . . . . Amen.

Hymn: Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; ‘tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we’d first begun.

Offering:

Prayer of dedication: Even in times of uncertainty, loving God, we want to give generously. We want to express our love for you and to participate in your good work here on earth. Receive our gifts as token of our love for you. Bless these gifts for your glory throughout the earth in Christ’s name. Amen.

You may put your offering in the mail: 102 South Connor. Or, drop it by the Church Office in the mornings.

Holy Communion: (optional)

Words of Institution: On the night Jesus was betrayed, he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

Prayer over the bread and cup: O God you have blessed us with this gift of life. Touch us deeply with your gift of forgiveness. Let your healing touch, through bread and cup, heal our broken spirit; and, lift us up into your healing grace.

Receiving the bread and cup.

Closing prayer:

Now, may the Lord bless you and keep you. May Jesus Christ incorporate you into his death and resurrection. May the Holy Spirit guide you, comfort you, sanctify you; and, lead you to wholeness of life this day and forever more. Amen.

May the peace of Christ be with you.