Worship-in-Place

July 5, 2020

“Unravelled” Summer Sermon Series

ADVENT LUTHERAN CHURCH

Countdown & Bell Ringing

GATHERING

Prelude “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (James Weldon Johnson, J. Rosamond Johnson)

Welcome & Call to Worship

One: We begin in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit All: Amen

One: When we come to this space, we bring all of ourselves. All: We bring joy and hope,

One: dreams and prayers, All: grief and doubt,

One: memories and heartache. All: God meets us here.

One: God hears our prayers and sees our scars. All: With open hearts and authenticity, Let us worship good and gracious God.

Prayer of Confession

One: God of creation, All: Humanity is capable of such evil.

Stories in scripture alongside stories on the news remind us of that truth all the time. For the moments when we choose violence over peace, exclusion over inclusion, and fear over hope—forgive us.|When we choose pride over what is right, and comfort over justice—show us mercy. And when we numb our pain instead of leaning into empathy— unravel us, for we long to be changed. Gratefully we pray, Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness

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Gathering Hymn “My Country ’Tis of Thee” (Samuel Francis Smith)

Apostolic Greeting

One: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.

All: And also with you.

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Kyrie (Haugen, Now the Feast and Celebration )

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Hymn of Praise “Now the Feast and Celebration” (Haugen)

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WORD Prayer of the Day

One: The Lord be with you. All: And also with you.

One: Let us pray… All: Gracious God, you have made all of the peoples of the earth for

your glory. You invite us to serve you in freedom and in peace. Give to the people of our nation a zeal for justice and the strength for forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will. We ask this on a day of celebration, a day of hope for a nation made free. 5

We ask this in the name of the One who welcomes all to be free indeed. Inspire us to live and worship in your freedom and for the sake of your kingdom. Amen.

Gospel Verse (Haugen, Now the Feast and Celebration)

Scripture Lesson 2 Samuel 3:7; 21:1-14 (Rizpah Mourns Her Sons)

One: A reading from Second Samuel. 7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” […] 1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the Lord. The Lord said, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had tried to wipe them out in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.) 3 David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make expiation, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord?” 4 The Gibeonites said to him, “It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put anyone to death in Israel.”

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He said, “What do you say that I should do for you?” 5 They said to the king, “The man who consumed us and planned to destroy us, so that we should have no place in all the territory of Israel— 6 let seven of his sons be handed over to us, and we will impale them before the Lord at Gibeon on the mountain of the Lord.” The king said, “I will hand them over.” 7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between them, between David and Jonathan son of Saul. 8 The king took the two sons of Rizpah daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite; 9 he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they impaled them on the mountain before the Lord. The seven of them perished together. They were put to death in the first days of harvest, at the beginning of barley harvest. 10 Then Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it on a rock for herself, from the beginning of harvest until rain fell on them from the heavens; she did not allow the birds of the air to come on the bodies by day, or the wild animals by night. 11 When David was told what Rizpah daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done, 12 David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan from the people of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hung them up, on the day the Philistines killed Saul on Gilboa. 13 He brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan; and they gathered the bones of those who had been impaled. 14 They buried the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of his father Kish; they did all that the king commanded. After that, God heeded supplications for the land.

One: Word of God, word of life. All: Thanks be to God.

Sermon in Two Parts (Children & Adult) 7

Hymn of the Day “Rizpah Was a Loving Mother” (© Stephen M. Fearing)

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;

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he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. *) universal

Prayers of the Community

One: We pray for the church, the world, and all those in need. [silence]

One: Gracious God of love, we are grateful that you have revealed yourself to us, each of us loved by you as children, each of us precious in your sight, each of us a reflection of you, each of us bound together by love, which is in fact your presence among us.

We come to you, O God, weary and carrying heavy burdens. Some of us bear the yoke of illness; some of us bear the yoke of loss and grief; some of us bear the yoke of caring for those who cannot care for themselves; some of us bear the yoke of unemployment or underemployment; some of us bear the yoke of hunger; some of us bear the yoke of homelessness; some of us bear the yoke of oppression or marginalization; some of us bear the yoke of violence; some of us bear the yoke of anger; some of us bear the yoke of depression; some of us bear the yoke of addiction.

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From these and from so many other yokes, dear God, we pray for rest; we pray healing; we pray for release; we pray for wholeness. Lord, in your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

One: On this holiday weekend, we recognize that our nation also bears many burdens: we cannot find ways to work together for the common good; we allow the least among us to suffer and languish; we lose our children to endless conflicts and wars; we fixate on what divides us rather than on what brings us together as one people.

Remind us this weekend of our calling. Remind us of our common creed that all people are created equal. Inspire us to ensure that all of your children enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Help us to be profoundly grateful for our freedom and security, to never take these gifts for granted, and to use them for the betterment of all. Lord, in your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

One: God of all life, may peace and justice fill our land and, indeed, the whole world. We pray this morning for the escalating tension and fear in many places around our nation and for places around the globe where people are victimized, where safety is threatened, where freedoms are denied, where life is treated as anything less than sacred.

Gracious God, grant us the yoke of Christ, binding us together,

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tethered by your love, guided by your presence, bringing your kingdom into this world. Lord, in your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

One: It is for this kingdom that we now pray, using the words Jesus taught us.

All: 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; 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 kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

MEAL

Sharing of the Peace

One: The peace of Christ be with you always! All: And also with you.

Offering Special Music “America the Beautiful” (Katharine Lee Bates & Samuel A. Ward)

Offertory Prayer

One: Let us pray... All: Gracious God, You call us to let go of the things we cling

to and step out in faith, trusting in Your love and provision. Give us courage to step out boldly, and 11

sufficient faith to follow without fear. Take our lives and our gifts. Use them to accomplish more than we could possibly imagine, so that, through us, Your kingdom might come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.

God, you are before all things; You are beyond all things; And in the midst of all things and all peoples you have made yourself known.

In Israel’s ancient codes and prophetic oracles, in stories of women and men, of communities and nations seeking identity, feeling their strength, and struggling with their weakness you have made yourself known.

In Jesus of Nazareth, in compassion for the outcast, forgiveness for the fallen, hope for the poor and hungry; in his life poured out for others and broken in rejection and disdain you have made yourself known.

Therefore we join our praises with countless men and women before us, disciples and apostles, saints and martyrs, acclaiming your power in goodness and your might in compassion, as we sing:

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Sanctus “Holy” (Haugen, Now the Feast and Celebration)

Eucharistic Prayer

We greet the one who comes in your name, your true light, your true love, the bread of compassion, the wine of renewal.

As he broke bread before the brokenness of his death, as he poured out wine before his blood was poured out on the cross, as he gave his life in acts of goodness, as he invited all to the feast of new hope, so come to us, God of Jesus, in your love.

Come to us, Spirit of our Lord of love, and let the bread and wine before us bear your life to our life, nourish us with his vision of hope, and unite us in one body of peace.

Nourish us with your brokenness, Renew us with your poured out life, Empower us with your powerlessness, that we may take root in your risen life and bear fruit in your world.

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You are our life; You are our hope; You are our peace; And we praise you.

The Meal Is Shared

You are invited to share the bread and wine with these (or similar) words: “The bread of life for all who hunger.”

“The cup of compassion for a broken world.”

Table Blessing

One: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. All: Amen.

Prayer after Communion

One: Let us pray together... All: Lord Jesus Christ,

as we have proclaimed your death by eating this bread and drinking this cup, help us to wait for you, to wish for you, and to watch for you, so that when you come again you will find us ready. For you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

SENDING

Benediction

Announcements (see last bulletin page)

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Sending Hymn “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory” (Julia Ward Howe)

Sending

One: Go in peace. Serve our risen Lord! All: Thanks be to God

Postlude “This Land Is Your Land” (Woody Guthrie)

IN THIS SERVICE Vocalist Scott Perau (First Presb. Church Red Wing, MN) Lector Anna Dasari Kids Sermon Karyl Cimini Techie Kumar Dasari Preacher/Presider Rev. Gabriele Schroeder

PRAYER CONCERNS

DEATHS The family and friends of Dorothy Slade, Gary, as they are mourning her death.

Joyce Duncan and family, mourning the passing of Joyce's son, Keith.

ACUTE PRAYER CONCERNS IN THE IMMEDIATE ADVENT COMMUNITY Phyllis Almgren, recovering from pneumonia and sepsis at Sacramento Post-Acute Ken Bancroft, prayers for healing, increased energy, and restored health Vic Barbu, Scott’s brother, recovering from a stroke Tanya Bowers, prayers that her upcoming toenail surgery (July 10 @ 10am) will go well and

that she will recover quickly from it; all of Tanya’s toenails will be permanently removed Linda, Nancy King’s sister-in-law, diagnosed with breast cancer Jack Fox, brother-in-law of Kathy Henricks, undergoing dialysis 3 days a week; prayers that

he may continue to heal from his peritonitis and diverticulitis and for the dialysis to work well Maynard Johnson, prayers for full recovery of spiral upper-arm fracture; prayers that his blood

counts will go up as his current round of chemotherapy does not seem to be working well Jann Knutson, prayers that she may adjust to life with COPD and regain her health & strength Lorraine Kowalke, sister-in-law of Lorna Mymka, prayers for the success of chemo therapy

treatments and that Lorraine may continue to be at peace Maureen, Robin Bevier’s sister, prayers for healing and wholeness Joyce Montag, for a successful outcome of her hiatal hernia repair surgery now scheduled for

July 8 Joan Neubauer, undergoing repeat chemo therapy treatment Rocky Peterson, recovering from outpatient hernia surgery, prayers for smooth recovery Lois Sellers, prayers for strength and courage, continues to have dialysis three times per week Lou Smith, prayers for recovery from a blood disorder that began 1 1/2 years ago Rod Sorenson, Karen’s brother-in-law, fighting cancer Val Wells, niece of Twila Engler, prayers for healing after mastectomy and for success of

chemotherapy

PRAYERS FOR THE COMMUNITY-AT-LARGE Prayers for all political leaders that they may find ways to enlist the public’s support for

Covid19 mitigation measures, ways that respect individual freedom and the health and safety of all

Prayer for all who are relaxing too much on isolation mandates, that they may see the consequences of their risky behavior and modify it

Prayers for our nation that it may find ways to win against this disease

ONGOING PRAYER CONCERNS Terri Britt, friend of Karen Franz, stage 4 cancer Greg Seo, friend of Dorothy Slade, cancer Julie Wright, cousin of Amy Gariano, brain cancer

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ANNOUNCEMENTS for July 5, 2020

Church Address 5901 San Juan Avenue Citrus Heights, CA 95610 916-966-7242 Pastor Gabi’s Cell Phone & eMail 650-476-7641 schroeder.gabriele@gmail.com

RE-OPENING FOR IN-PERSON WORSHIP

In light of the current spike in infections in California, Pr. Gabi has suggested that Advent’s plans for in-person outdoor services be put on hold, but no formal decision one way or another has been made yet. The Worship Committee and Church Council will hold their regularly scheduled meeting this week. At that time, we will brainstorm alternative options for us to worship on camps, in addition to worshipping online.

All three California ELCA bishops now recommend to postpone holding in-person worship services through the end of September.

ZOOM COFFEE HOUR INFORMATION

Time: Sundays after Worship (a few minutes after the end of worship) Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6509523696?

pwd=VzZHK2ZsK0R1QWduY1creWc2Mmtmdz09 Meeting ID: 650 952 3696 Password: 5901

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITIES

Do you have ideas for fun activities we can do on Zoom (e.g., charades, joke tournament, fashion show, games, etc.)? If so, please let Pr. Gabi know so that she can help you organize them.

SUNRISE CHRISTIAN FOOD MINISTRY IS OPEN

With the steep increase in demand, the food closet is especially in need of milk and eggs.

Hours: 10:00-3:00 Open to the Public (drive-through only)

IS THE ONGOING, PROLONGED ISOLATION GETTING TO YOU?

If you are in need of a sympathetic ear or just someone to talk to during this period os social distancing, feel free to call any of the following:

Barbara Olson: (916) 765-3147 Diane Peterson: (916) 300-4756 Cornelia Chancellor: (916) 281-8397 17

Office eMail Address advent1@adventcitrusheights.org

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