Welcome I couldn’t resist going back to the well of The Beatles another week in a row. Don picked two such lovely songs which both appear on Let It Be, the last album the Beatles recorded together (it was released a month after their breakup). To some, “The Long and Winding Road” speaks to the long and winding road of the Beatles’ career together. To others, it no doubt speaks to life in general, and especially 2020! This has certainly been a long, winding, tumultuous year. Time seems stretched. Weeks feel like months. We wind about in a summer that feels neverending, and marvel that four months can sound like a short amount of time but feel like an eternity. The Gospel according to Paul (McCartney) may just have more Good News for us this week, news that echoes the Gospel. But who is singing? In whose voice do we hear the words? Let’s look for an answer together. WORSHIP PLAYLIST: If you are inclined to watch every video in this worship service, you may find it convenient to use this playlist. You’ll only need to pause and unpause playback as needed (you may need to skip advertisements as usual); the videos will auto-run in the correct order. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL14NES9h705Ve8Cx6x4QMxeqHibuPl4Su Prelude Etude from 13 Pieces for Piano, Op. 76 No. 2 J. Sibelius https://youtu.be/Q0TKHXr5Afw Koki Sato, Pianist The Church Bell Rings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAyLgHuPB6Q Call to Worship and Opening Prayer (an adaptation of Psalm 130) Please join Don as he leads us. https://youtu.be/DsFzNUcVddU One: Out of the depths we cry to you, Holy One! Many: From the long and winding road we raise our voices to you. One: Lord, hear our voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of our supplications! Many: The night is wild and windy, and the rain has left us sitting in a pool of tears. One: Is there forgiveness in you, worthy of our reverence? Many: Don’t leave us standing here! One: We will wait for you, O God. Our souls shall wait, and in your word we hope. Let us pray. Many: In the chaos and clutter of the world, Loving One, it becomes so easy for us to not feel your presence. We grasp about, looking for tangible evidence of your steadfastness, of your action, of your presence in our lives. What are we looking for? In our worship today, may your Spirit touch us once again with an assurance of your steadfast love. May we connect, even if for a moment, with you, the rock of our salvation and the firm foundation of our hearts. As Paul sings to us of the long and winding road, may we find that it once again, as it always does, lead to your door. Amen. Prayer of Preparation “Pour Out Your Spirit” Christopher Grundy The recording is from our Sanctuary. https://youtu.be/vyHLh9c_I1U From the sacred waters of my birth, to the sacred waters of this hour, I have leaned upon you who knit me in my mother’s womb. O pour out your Spirit now. Anthem “The Long and Winding Road” Paul McCartney From the same, final Beatles album Let It Be comes this poignant song, The Beatles’ last #1 hit. Though credited to both Lennon and McCartney, Paul wrote it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR4HjTH_fTM The long and winding road / That leads to your door Will never disappear / I've seen that road before It always leads me here / Leads me to you door The wild and windy night / That the rain washed away Has left a pool of tears / Crying for the day Why leave me standing here? / Let me know the way 2 Many times I've been alone / And many times I've cried Anyway you'll never know / The many ways I've tried And still they lead me back / To the long winding road You left me standing here / A long long time ago Don't leave me waiting here / Lead me to your door But still they lead me back / To the long winding road You left me standing here / A long long time ago Don't keep me waiting here / Lead me to your door Scripture Reading – Judges 2:11-23 Please listen as Don shares today’s passage. https://youtu.be/hnNAlYTIhig Then the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and worshiped the Baals; 12 and they abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; they followed other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were all around them, and bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger. 13 They abandoned the LORD, and worshiped Baal and the Astartes. 14 So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers who plundered them, and he sold them into the power of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. 15 Whenever they marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them to bring misfortune, as the LORD had warned them and sworn to them; and they were in great distress. 16 Then the LORD raised up judges, who delivered them out of the power of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they did not listen even to their judges; for they lusted after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their ancestors had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the LORD; they did not follow their example. 18 Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge, and he delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD would be moved to pity by their groaning because of those who persecuted and oppressed them. 19 But whenever the judge died, they would relapse and behave worse than their ancestors, following other gods, worshiping them and bowing down to them. They would not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways. One: Hear what the Spirit is singing to the church; Many: Thanks be to God! Sermon Rev. Chris McArdle https://youtu.be/gug0ACZCfAg 3 Sharing at Christ’s Table Gather your Communion elements and go through this service in an unhurried way. What you use for bread need not be bread; it can be whatever you have on hand. The same is true for what you put in the cup. The point is not the specificity, but the Spirit. Invitation One: When Jesus sat at table and enjoyed communion with tax collectors and sinners he proclaimed that God’s care is limited neither by time nor space, health or illness, or anything else on earth. At the tables by which we gather today, we live into that call by spreading the invitation as widely as we possibly can; no matter who you are or where you are on your life’s journey you are beautiful and loved. For neither age, nor race, nor gender, nor orientation, nor ideology, nor anything else can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Savior. Thanksgiving Prayer One: God be with you: Many: and also with you. One: Lift up your hearts: Many: we lift them up to God. One: Let us thank God: Many: it is good to thank God. One: We thank you, God, that you have provided for all the worlds that ever were or will be by giving yourself to them in love. If we go to the heights of the mountains, or if we make the grave our bed, you are with us. Whether we live in “normal” times or persist in pandemic time, your right hand holds us fast. We thank you for Jesus, your Word, who lived among us, uncovering your presence. We thank you that you stamped his death with victory and that Life, not Death, was the final word. We ask now that you bless us, as we share this bread and cup, that we might be nourished by that same unbounded love and so be encouraged to be your servants to the world. And now, as your beloved whom you have reconciled to yourself, we pray: Prayer of Our Savior (unison) The Prayer has many versions; pray whichever you desire (debts, sins, trespasses, etc.). We affirm that God has many names, so use one of the suggested or another of your choosing. Our Father/Mother/Creator, 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, and 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. 4 Communion One: Just as the foods we have gathered today were brought together from many parts into one, so we, separate in our homes, still come together as one because we share this: the Bread of Life. The cups we fill in our own homes today are a reminder of the cup Jesus shares with us all, a cup of the New Covenant written in our hearts and witnessed by Jesus. Take. Drink. The Cup of the New Covenant. God is with you. Take a moment to pause, reflect, give thanks, and eat of the Communion elements you have gathered.