McKinley Memorial Presbyterian Church 10:30am May 24, 2020 Memorial Sunday Service of Poetry and Prayer Welcome to all who are worshiping with us! PRELUDE Shall We Gather at the River Dale Wood GATHERING TONES WELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS PRAYER OF PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING Congregation of Beth el, Sudbury River Valley We thank you, for you are our God, and God of our fathers and mothers forever. You are the Refuge of our life, the Shield of our help. From generation to generation may we thank you and count your praises—evening, morning, and noon—for our lives which are committed into your hands, for our souls which are entrusted to you, for your miracles which are with us every day, for your wonders and goodness at all times. O Good One, your compassion does not fail. O merciful One, your loving kindness never ceases. Forever we hope in you. LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE DOXOLOGY LASST UNS ERFREUEN Praise God from whom all blessings flow Praise God all creatures here below. O praise God! Alleluia! Praise God above ye heavenly hosts! Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost! O praise God! Alleluia! O praise God! Alleluia! Allelu—ia! MEMORIAL SUNDAY SERVICE OF POETRY AND PRAYER In Memory of those who have served in armed conflict A READING FROM THE GOSPELS John 15:12–13 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. READING High Flight John Gillespie Magee "Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence. Hovering there I've chased the shouting wind along and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air. "Up, up the long delirious burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace, where never lark, or even eagle, flew; and, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space, put out my hand and touched the face of God." IN MEMORIAM PRAYERS Holy God we lift our hearts, prayers, and memories for those who lost their lives in war: Including, but not limited to those who served in WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the Viet Nam War, the Gulf Wars; Holy God we lift our hearts, prayers, and memories for those military who served in 21st Century wars throughout the Middle East, Africa, Asia, South America, Australia/Oceana, and North America; Holy God we lift our hearts, prayers, and memories for those who lost their lives in battles: including, but not limited to those who fought against injustice both in this country and abroad. Gracious God, hear our prayers. *HYMN # 591 This Is My Song FINLANDIA In Memory of Those who fought against injustice READING FROM SCRIPTURE Isaiah 58:9–12 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry for help, and God will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in. WITNESS FOR PEACE Iona Community Beloved in Christ, Let us call to mind and to be present with those who have lived, worked, spoken and witnessed for peace in this and other ages. Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace… Stand with us now. Mary Magaelene, witness to the resurrection . Stand with us now. Paul of Tarsus, Apostle of Peace . .Stand with us now. All you who have died in war since the war to end all wars …. Stand with us now. All you who tread the path of peace … Stand with us now. Beloved in Christ, let us stand in silence, for the world is worried… (Silence) Do not be afraid . says Jesus, I have overcome the world. The peace I give, the world will never take away. THE PASSING OF THE PEACE May the peace of God be with you, And also with you. CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE Dona Nobis Pacem In Memory of friends and members of McKinley READINGS FROM THE SCRIPTURES And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.” Revelation 11:13 “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15: 34-35 Remember we are stardust, and to stardust we return. Remember we are connected and to connection we return. Remember we are part of the great mystery and to the great mystery we return. Remember we are from the dust of eternity and to eternity we return. From the McKinley Ash Wednesday Service READING o antic god Lucille Clifton return to me my mother in her thirties leaned across the front porch . pressing against the rail summoning me in for bed. I am almost the dead woman’s age times two. I can barely recall her song the scent of her hands though her wild hair scratches my dreams at night. return to me, oh Lord of then and now, my mother’s calling, her young voice humming my name. PRAYER O Lord, support us all the day long until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, in your mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. In Memory of Those who died from COVID 19 related illnesses A READING FROM THE SCRIPTURES Psalm 22:1-5, 22,24 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises. In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. I will tell of your name to all; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who respect the Lord, shout praise! God did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him. READING Dirge without Music Edna St. Vincent Millay I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground. So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind: Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned. Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you. Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust. A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew, A formula, a phrase remains, --- but the best is lost. The answers quick & keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love, They are gone. They have gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve. More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world. Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind; Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave. I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned. PRAYER FOR MEMORIAL DAY May 21, 2020 by Jill Duffield Lord, we did not anticipate remembering those killed in war while grieving so many lost to a pandemic. We did not imagine we would visit the graves of our ancestors even when we cannot hold funerals for loved ones who died while we practice social distancing. We did not think we would still be wearing masks, limiting our gatherings and foregoing in-person worship for the sake of everyone’s safety and health. This Memorial Sunday, as we give thanks for those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country, we do so soberly and with a deep appreciation for all who choose to limit their personal freedom in order to further the common good. We give thanks for those who exercised duty and courage despite the great cost to themselves and their loved ones. We pray that we who enjoy the benefits of their sacrifice will honor their memory by doing our part to work for a world where God’s abundant life for all is self-evident and sacrosanct. THE LORD’S PRAYER (Maori, from the New Zealand Book of Common Prayer) Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven: May the hallowing of your name echo through the universe! May the way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.