1 Home Worship Sunday, September 6, 2020 Centering Prayer As The

SOUTH CAYUGA COMMUNITY CHURCH of THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Welcome to our Service this Morning Sept 6th @ 10:00 am Pastor Dawn Young Hill, DLM Email [email protected] 519 200 2272 V.A.M. – Joan Willis –- V.A.M – Rev. Bryan Melick

Home Worship Sunday, September 6, 2020 I invite you to find a quiet, comfortable space to worship today. If you have a candle you may wish to light it and sit quietly for a few minutes before you begin. Perhaps you would rather take a few deep breaths to center yourself or sing or hum a verse of your favourite hymn. Though it may seem strange worshipping in your own home or alone, this service is being distributed among our friends and family of South Cayuga Community Church and others will undoubtedly be worshipping in their own space, at the same time as you. May you find comfort knowing that those whom you love and are missing, are praying these same prayers and reading these same scripture passages.

When you are ready….

Centering Prayer As the warmth of the summer turns to the coolness of autumn, And leaves turn from green to brilliant shades of crimson, gold, and orange, May we know your presence, beloved Son of God. As the planting of the summer turns to the abundance of our harvest, May our hearts turn with gratitude to you, Creator of All. Amen. Susan Girard, Riverview U.C., Atikokan, Ont. Gathering, Pentecost 1 2020, p. 49 Used with permission Centering Songs Praise to the Lord, the Almighty VU 220 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty who rules all creation; O my soul, praise him, at all times your health and salvation. Come, all who hear: brothers and sisters draw near, Joining in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, above all things so mightily reigning, Keeping us safe at his side, and so gently sustaining. Have you not seen how all you needed has been Met by God’s gracious ordaining?

Praise to the Lord who will prosper our work and defend us; Surely his goodness and mercy will daily attend us: Ponder anew what the Almighty can do, Who out of love will befriend us.

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him! All that has life and breath come now with praises before him! Let the Amen sound from God’s people again: Gladly with praise we adore him. Words: Joachim Neander 1680; English trans. Catherine Winkworth 19=863, et al, alt. 2

Praise You In This Storm ~The Casting Crowns I was sure by now, God you would have And though my heart is torn reached down I will praise you in this storm And wiped our tears away, I lift my eyes unto the hills Stepped in and saved the day. Where does my help come from? But once again, I say amen My help comes from the Lord That it's still raining The maker of heaven and earth As the thunder rolls I lift my eyes unto the hills I barely hear your whisper through the Where does my help come from? rain My help comes from the Lord I'm with you The maker of heaven and earth And as your mercy falls And I'll praise you in this storm I raise my hands and praise And I will lift my hands The God who gives and takes away That you are who you are And I'll praise you in this storm No matter where I am And I will lift my hands And every tear I've cried That you are who you are You hold in your hand No matter where I am You never left my side And every tear I've cried And though my heart is torn You hold in your hand I will praise you in this storm You never left my side And though my heart is torn And though my heart is torn I will praise you in this storm I will praise you in this storm I remember when I stumbled in the wind You heard my cry you raised me up again My strength is almost gone how can I carry on If I can't find you As the thunder rolls I barely hear you whisper through the rain I'm with you And as your mercy falls I raise my hands and praise The God who gives and takes away And I'll praise you in this storm And I will lift my hands That you are who you are No matter where I am And every tear I've cried You hold in your hand You never left my side 3

Source: LyricFind, https://www.google.com/search?q=praise+you+in+this+storm&rlz=1C1AVNE_enCA697CA762&oq=praise+you+in+this+storm&aqs= chrome..69i57j46j0j46j0l4.4046j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 Words: Mark Hall/Bernie Herms Praise You In This Storm lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group

Here is a link to this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgpaULjZOl8 Call to Worship Where there is praise you dwell. Where your faithful gather – virtually, singularly, or together indoors or out, you are here, in our midst. With gladness and joy, we praise you, Holy One. With dancing hearts, we praise you, Creator God. With thanks for all your gifts and graces, we praise you, Sacred Presence. With all we are and all we have, we praise you, Author of Life. Words by Kathy Swaar, revgalblogpals.org, https://revgalblogpals.org/2020/09/01/worship-words-for-6-september-2020/, accessed Sept. 2, 2020 Gospel Lesson Mark 3:1-6 (NIV) Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. Prayer of Confession “Love does no wrong to a neighbour”… God, we confess we are not accustomed to thinking much about our neighbours, unless they are annoying us. And if our “neighbour” includes people who live any farther away than our street, we definitely don’t think about them. We admit that we enjoy doing what we want, acquiring what we want, and going where we want, without thought for what would be loving toward our neighbour, or toward you, or toward the earth. Forgive us when we have wronged our neighbour with our thoughtless consumption. Forgive us when we have wronged our neighbour and never noticed. Forgive us when we have wronged our neighbour and refused to care. Forgive us when we have used words of love not backed up with actions of love. Lead us to the kind of love that does justice and seeks reconciliation,

4 that we may live in the truth of your grace for all, not just for us. Amen. Words by Teri Peterson, revgalblogpals.org, https://revgalblogpals.org/2020/09/01/worship-words-for-6-september-2020/, accessed Sept. 2, 2020 Special Music Spirit Of Jesus If I Love My Neighbour

Spirit of Jesus, if I love my neighbor Out of my knowledge, leisure, power or wealth, Help me to understand my neighbour’s anger: The helplessness that hates my power to help.

And if, when I have answered need with kindness, My neighbour rises, wakened from despair, Keep me from flinching when the cry for justice Requires of me the changes that I fear.

If I am hugging safety or possessions, Uncurl my spirit, as your love prevails, To join my neighbours, work for liberation, And find my freedom at the mark of nails. Words: Brian Wren Music: Dan Damon Words and Music ©1975 Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, IL 60188 Here is a link to this song: https://revgalblogpals.org/2020/09/01/worship-words-for-6- september-2020/

Words of Assurance Our God is relentless in seeking the lost and restoring the broken. What is tattered in your life, when offered to God, is surely redeemed, and all the heavens rejoice. We are loved, forgiven, found. Thanks be to God! Elaine Bidgood Sveet, First Lutheran, Rugby & Leeds, North Dakota. Gathering, Pentecost 1 2020, p. 42 Used with permission Prayers of the People Holy, loving and gracious God, we come before you raw and open. We know that we are loved and forgiven, and yet we struggle to accept that. We know that you call us to love one another and love your creation as you do, and yet we turn away. Right now Holy God, we pray with all our might for those who don’t know your love and forgiveness, those who haven’t heard the good news of your son Jesus. We pray for those who are struggling with doubt, with grief, with loneliness, with worries, with sorrow and weariness. We lift in prayer to you those who are making major life decisions, those who feel like decisions are out of their hands, those who have been given authority to make decisions for many. Almighty God we pray for those workers and employees who put themselves in potentially harmful situations on a regular basis. We give you thanks for their courage

5 and selflessness. We pray for those working, living and staying, in nursing and retirement homes and hospitals and group homes. We pray for the children and youth that we love, those in our community and across the world that will soon return to school – we pray for safety, for support, for joy to surround them as they learn to follow new rules and protocols. And for all those enforcing the rules, the teachers, custodians, bus drivers and other school workers, we give thanks and pray for their patience and safety. We pray for those who continue to struggle with Covid-19: the restrictions, the worries, awaiting test results, and the disease itself. We pray for the scientists working towards a vaccine. We pray for the churches who have decided to meet in person, and for those who continue to worship from their own homes. We pray for those who will revisit that decision in the near future and those who are waiting until the New Year. Holy God, you are the Ultimate Mystery and with so many unknowns right now, help us to trust and lean into your mystery. Guide us and light our path to make choices in love rather than fear. Your son Jesus, showed us the amazing example of love in action and we pray the words he taught his friends to say, praying to you our Parent, our Mother, our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kindom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kindom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Hymn Though I May Speak VU 372

Though I may speak with bravest fire, and have the gift to all inspire, And have not love, my words are vain, as sounding brass, and hopeless gain.

Though I may give all I possess, and striving so my love profess, But not be given by love within, the profit soon turns strangely thin.

Come, Spirit, come, our hearts control, our spirits long to be made whole. Let inward love guide every deed; by this we worship, and are freed. Words: Hal H. Hopson 1972 Music: trad. English melody; adapt Hal H. Hopson 1972 Words and arrangement copyright ©1972 Hope Publishing Company. Here is a link to this hymn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXSI8krPwx0

Scripture Genesis 2:4-25 (NIV) 4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens. 5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth[a] and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the 6 ground, but streams[b] came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the

7 ground. Then the LORD God formed a man[c] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground— trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of 12 Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin[d] and onyx are also there.) 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire 14 land of Cush.[e] The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.

21 But for Adam[f] no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs[g] and then 22 closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib[h] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’

for she was taken out of man.” 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Sermon by Brian D. McLaren “Being Human” Two eyes are better than one, because they make depth perception possible. The same goes with ears. Two ears make it possible to locate the direction of a sound. And we often say that two heads are better than one, because we know that insight from multiple perspectives adds wisdom. The same is true with stories. We can best think of the Bible not as one tidy story with many chapters but as a wild and fascinating library with many stories told from many perspectives. On any given subject, these multiple stories challenge us to see life from a variety of angles – adding depth, a sense of direction, and wisdom. So, we’re given four gospels to introduce us to Jesus. We’re given dozens of parables to illustrate Jesus’ message. We’re given two sections or testaments in which the story of God unfolds. And right at the beginning, we’re given two different creation stories to help us know who we are, where we came from, and why we’re here. According to the first creation story, you are part of creation. You are made from common soil…dust, Genesis says; stardust, astronomers tell us… soil that becomes watermelons and grains and apples and peanuts, and then they become food, and then that food becomes you. As highly organized dust, you are closely related to frogs and tortoises, lions and field mice, bison and elephants and gorillas. Together with all living things, you share the breath of life, participating in the same cycles of birth and death, reproduction and recycling and renewal. You, with them, are part of the story of creation – different branches on the tree of life. In that story, you are connected and related to everything everywhere. In fact, that is a good partial definition of God: God is the one through whom we are related and connected to everything. In the first creation story, we learn two essential truths about ourselves as human beings. First, we all bear God’s image. Woman and me, girls and boys, toddlers and seniors and teenagers, rich or poor, popular or misunderstood, powerful or vulnerable, whatever our religion or race or marital status, whatever our nationality or culture… we all bear God’s image, no exceptions.

What is the image of God? An image is a small imitation or echo, like a reflection in a mirror. So if we bear the image of God, then like God, we experience life through relationships. Like God, we experience love through our complementary differences. Like God, we notice and enjoy name things – starting with the animals, our companions on the Earth. Like God, we are caretakers of the garden of the Earth. And like God, we are “naked and not ashamed,” meaning we can be who we are without fear. Back in ancient times, this was a surprising message. Yes, kings and other powerful men were seen as image bearers of God. After all, since they were powerful, rich, sophisticated, and “civilized,” they could reflect God’s power and glory. But in Genesis, the term is applied to a couple of naked and “uncivilized” hunter-gatherers, a simple woman and man living in a garden with no pyramids or skyscrapers or economies or religions or technological inventions or even clothing to their credit! Centuries later, Jesus said something similar: the Creator loves every sparrow and every wildflower, and so how much more precious is every person – no matter how small, frail, or seemingly insignificant? Every woman, man, and child is good! Every person in every culture has value! Every person bears the image of God! It’s all good! But that’s not the only story. The second creation account, which many scholars think is a much older one, describes another dimension to our identity. In that account, the possibility of “not-good” also exists. God puts the first couple in a garden that contains two special trees. The Tree of Life is theirs to enjoy, but not the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Tree of Life is a beautiful image – suggesting health, strength, thriving, fruitfulness, growth, vigor, and all we mean by aliveness. What might that second tree signify? There are many answers, no doubt. But consider this possibility: the second tree could represent the desire to play God and judge parts of God’s creation – all of which God considers good – as evil. Do you see the danger? God’s judging is always wise, fair, true, merciful, and restorative. But our judging is frequently ignorant, biased, retaliatory, and devaluing. So when we judge, we inevitably misjudge. If we humans start playing God and judging good and evil, how long will it take

9 before we say this person or tribe is good and deserves to live, but that person or tribe is evil and deserves to die, or become our slaves? How long will it take before we judge this species of animal is good deserves to survive, but that one is worthless and can be drive to extinction? How long until we judge this land is good and deserves to be preserved, but that river is without value and can be plundered, polluted, or poisoned? If we eat from the second tree, we will soon become violent, hateful, and destructive. We will turn our blessing to name and know into a license to kill, to exploit, and to destroy both the Earth and other people. God sees everything as good, but we will accuse more and more things of being evil. In so doing, we will create in ourselves the very evil we claim to detect in others. In other words, the more we judge and accuse, the less we will reflect God…and the less we will fulfill our potential as image bearers of God. So the second creation story presents us with our challenge as human beings. We constantly make a crucial choice: Do we eat from the Tree of Aliveness – so that we continue to see and value the goodness of creation and so reflect the image of the living God? Or do we eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil – constantly misjudging and playing God and as a result mistreating our fellow creatures? It’s a good and beautiful thing to be an image bearer of God. But it’s also a big responsibility. We can use our intelligence to be creative and generous, or to be selfish and destructive. We can use our physical strength to be creative and generous, or to be selfish and destructive. We can use our sexuality to be creative and generous, or to be selfish and destructive. We can use our work, our money, our time, and out other assets to be creative and generous, or to be selfish and destructive. Think of your hand. It can make a fist or it can extend in peace. It can wield a weapon or it can play a violin. It can point in derision or it can reach out in compassion.

It can steal or it can serve. If the first creation story is about the gift of being human, the second story is about the choice humans live with, day after day. To be alive means to bear responsibility the image of God. It means to stretch out your hand to take from the Tree of Aliveness – and to join in God’s creative, healing work. MEDITATE: Observe a few moments of silence. Let a silent prayer rise from within you.

McLaren, Brian D. We Make The Road By Walking. New York: Jericho Books, 2014.

Responsive Hymn I See a New Heaven VU 713

I see a new heaven. I see a new earth as the old one will pass away, Where the fountain of life flows And without price goes to all people who abide in the land.

There, there on the banks of a river bright and free, Yielding her fruit, firm in her root, The Tree of Life will be.

There, there where death dies and our lives are born again, Body and soul, struggling but whole Like flowers after the rain.

There, there where the darkness brings visions from above. There were the night, bearing new light, Reveals the promise of love.

There, there where we work with the love of healing hands. Labour we must, true to our trust To build a promised new land. Words: Carolyn McDade 1979 Music: Carolyn McDade 1979; harm. Janet McGaughey ca. 1991, alt. Words and music copyright ©1979 and harmony copyright ©1991 Carolyn McDade. Reflection

One of my favourite craft mediums is wire and beads and I really enjoy making trees. I’ve never made one for myself so I can’t even take a picture to show you, as I’ve always made them as gifts and given them away. After reading the above sermon by Brian McLaren and his emphasis on the Tree of Life, or Tree of Aliveness, I’m re- inspired to get out my craft box and start making some trees. I don’t remember having it

11 pointed out before that the Tree of Life is just as, if not more important, than the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Isn’t that the tree we always focus on in the story?! But both trees are listed in the story, and the Tree of Life is readily available, unrestricted and yet we focus our attention on what is prohibited. What really stood out for me was McLaren’s declaration that “we constantly make a crucial choice: Do we eat from the Tree of Aliveness – so that we continue to see and value the goodness of creation and so reflect the image of the living God? Or do we eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil – constantly misjudging and playing God and as a result mistreating our fellow creations?” (9) McLaren also describes the Tree of Life as “a beautiful image – suggesting health, strength, thriving, fruitfulness, growth, vigor, and all we mean by aliveness.” (9) It is so easy to be consumed by the negative and not let the good things overflow. If we’re truly bearing the image of God, as the Bible says we do, those good things should be overflowing from us. That old hymn, “they’ll know we are Christians by our love,” sure, but they should know we’re Christians by our aliveness; all of the goodness overflowing from us. Can you think of a time when someone in your life reflected God to you in some special way? McLaren also writes that “if part of being image bearers of God means that we represent God in caring for the Earth, it’s important to learn about your corner of the Earth. You know your postal address (nation, state, city, postal code). What is your environmental address? Learn about your watershed, what makes it special, and the environmental issues it faces.” (10) A watershed is an area of land that catches rain and snow and drains or seeps into a marsh, stream, river, lake or groundwater. Homes, farms, cottages, forests, small towns, big cities and more can make up watersheds. Some cross municipal, provincial and even international borders. Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes and can vary from millions of acres, like the land that drains into the Great lakes, to a few acres that drain into a pond. Our watershed is the Lake Erie watershed or Lake Erie basin. This area is densely populated, extensively farmed and highly industrialized. It includes

12 several states as well as a good portion of Ontario. Lake Erie is the shallowest, warmest, and most biologically productive of all the Great Lakes but is threatened each summer by excessive algal growth. Other current concerns include invasive species, climate change, and water levels. The government of Ontario has an action plan which includes offering grants to fund small-scale community action plans (like beach clean-up days) as well as, building awareness by connecting teachers and students with opportunities to learn about and use the watershed, and collaborating and partnering with businesses and communities in both Ontario and the US to protect Lake Erie. (Here is a website if your interest has been peaked: https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontarios-great-lakes-strategy) If we’re best reflecting the image of God, of aliveness, what can we do to learn more about protecting and conserving God’s creation in our corner of the world? Dear God, you have created such beauty in this world that surrounds us. Help us to be agents of goodness and aliveness, that we might be protectors and advocates for your creation. What an honour it is to be entrusted with what you made that is SO good. Guide us to maintain its goodness. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Closing Hymn I Sing the Mighty Power VU 231

I sing the mighty power of God that made the mountains rise, That spread the flowing seas a broad, and built the lofty skies. I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day; The moon shines full at God’s command and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the One who filled the earth with food; Who formed the creatures with a word, and then pronounced them good. O God, your wonders are displayed where’er I turn my eye; If I survey the ground I tread, of gaze upon the sky!

There’s not a plant or flower below but makes your glories known; And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from your throne; While all that borrows life from you is every in your care, And everywhere that I may be, you, God, are present there. Words: Isaac Watts 1715, alt. Music: attrib. Franz Joseph Haydn ca. 1790 PUBLIC DOMAIN

Here is a link to this hymn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeSoE1Kmmv0

Commissioning

And may God who brought us into being to care for creation anad one another bless us as we return to our everyday lives: May we be blessed in the air we breathe, the relationships we nurture, and the acts through which love is shared, that God’s blessing, light, and love will be known by all. Go in joy, blessed to be a blessing. Bob Root, Peterborough, Ont. Gathering, Pentecost 1 2020, p. 48 Used with permission Go Now in Peace

Go now in peace. Never be afraid. God will go with you each hour of every day. Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true. Know He will guide you in all you do. Go now in love, and show you believe. Reach out to others so all the world can see. God will be there watching from above. Go now in peace, in faith, and in love. Words: Don Besig, Nancy Price Music: Don Besig Copyright ©1988 Harold Flammer Music Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T_KSLqIAcM

Amen. And Amen.