Worship I 6/7/20
We are glad you are joining us for online worship. Our series “For the Beauty” calls on us to cultivate a life of contemplation and compassion. Over the summer we will dwell with the God of Divine Goodness, deeply in love with us, and practice ways to return that love as we fall more deeply in love with the beauty of creation and with one another. This is the day the Lord has made: Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
The Worship of God
Sandy Springs UMC
June 7, 2020 |
Beauty, Contemplation, and Radical Compassion
Opening Prayer
Divine Goodness, Holy One,
Pause us for this moment,
bear us up in this time,
hold us for eternity.
We offer ourselves in connection with you.
We allow ourselves this love from you.
We release ourselves into your presence.
And all God’s people say, “Amen.”
Children's Moment
Pastoral Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
And now let us pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us, saying:
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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.
If you have a prayer request, submit it HERE. Prayers will be e-mailed on Fridays, except those marked confidential.
Scripture: Ezekiel 31:3-7
Look to Assyria, once a Lebanon cedar
[beautiful branches, dense shade, towering height;] (a)
it is top among the clouds.
Springs nourished it,
and deep waters made it grow tall;
their streams flowed around its base,
sending their channels to all the trees in the countryside.
So it towered high above every other tree of the field.
Its boughs grew larger and its branches extended out,
nourished by an abundance of water.
All the birds of the air nested in its boughs;
under its branches wild animals gave birth to their young.
All the great nations thrived in its shade.
It was majestic in its beauty with its spreading boughs,
its roots reaching deeply into an abundance of water.
Reflection
Ritual Action
This series invites us to integrate contemplative practices into our daily lives as a way of opening to the Divine in deeper ways, thereby training our spirits for compassion in all things. This week’s ritual action is a time of meditative “watering.” Set a reminder to pour yourself and drink a glass of water and then refill that same glass and water some other living thing… offering a glass of water to someone else or to a plant, tree, garden, etc. As you do so, allow your mind to slow, your heart to open, your eyes to drink in your surroundings. You may want to put a note nearby, “Water is life. Water your life so you can water other life… for the beauty of the earth.”
Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;*
the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick 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.
Offering
As you listen to the offertory song, we invite you to give towards the ministries of the church. Thank you for your generosity and all you do to make sure SSUMC continues to change lives.
Online: Give through our secure site HERE, either a one-time or recurring donation.
Text to Give: Text ssumcgive to 73256
Make a check out to the church and mail it to: Sandy Springs UMC 86 Mt. Vernon HWY NW, Sandy Springs, GA 30328
Set-up Recurring Giving through your Bank to mail checks directly to the church
Project Transformation:
This week we are taking up a special offering for Project Transformation, an organization whose mission is to transform communities by engaging children, college-age young adults, and churches in purposeful relationships. Last summer we partnered with them in their summer camp and reading program, but this year things look a little different. One of their host churches is right here in Sandy Springs and Project Transformation committed to offering virtual programing, lunches, and one on one reading with the students. The video above shares how they are getting creative for camp this summer, and you can learn more information about Project Transformation here!
Offertory Song
Benediction & Benediction Response
The world is so varied and beautiful.
Seek wisdom wherever it is to be found.
And may the goodness of the Creator,
the companionship of the Christ,
and the insight of the Spirit,
infuse your life now and always.
Amen.