Worship at Home for October 11, 2020
Due to the spread of Covid-19, we are taking a sabbatical from our normal Sunday morning gathering, but unity and community are more important than ever before in this season of uncertainty. To help facilitate this, we are providing an online service so that, one in heart, we can worship together even as we maintain distance out of love for our neighbors. This is designed to be used on your own or together as a family or community. We hope this resource is a blessing to you. Remember to check in on friends and neighbors with calls or text, especially the elderly among us and others who are particularly vulnerable. You can also check out the services from 3/15, 3/22, 3/29, 4/5, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24, 5/31, 6/7, 6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2, 8/9. 8/16, 8/23, 8/31, 9/6, 9/13, 9/20, 9/27, and 10/4.
This Sunday, once again we are connecting as a church body using Zoom video chat. Here’s the schedule and instructions for joining in!
10-10:30 - Connect and informal checking in
10:30-11:00 - Prayers of the People, and Joys and Concerns
[**If you’re newer to Zoom or know that technology can be challenging, try signing on closer to 10:15 am so that we can have plenty of time to help you figure it out before Prayers of the People starts. Paula, who helped organize this, will help you!]
To join in the Zoom event on your computer,
THE EASIEST WAY
1. Go to www.zoom.com
2. Click on "Join a Meeting"
3. Enter meeting ID#: 629 486 4957 and Click "Join"
4. Follow prompts, including entering your name.
5. Here is a video tutorial that will take you through the steps, if you want to view this first: https://youtu.be/L5zzE-HGQko
NOT AS EASY, UNLESS YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE
1. Click on http://princeton.zoom.us/j/6294864957
2. Follow prompts, these can be a bit tricky if you've never used Zoom before.
To join in the Zoom event using your Smartphone/Iphone:
1. Download the Zoom Cloud Meeting app
2. Open the app.
2. Enter meeting ID#: 629 486 4957 and Click "Join"
3. Follow prompts, including entering your name
4. Here is a video tutorial that will take you through the steps, if you want to view this first: https://youtu.be/lO206_NezaY
To dial in by phone:
+1 (646) 558 8656 (New York--please note this may be a long-distance call if you are using a landline)
Then at the prompt, enter meeting ID#: 629 486 4957
NOTE: You do not need to create a Zoom account to sign into a meeting.
Opening Songs
Such an Awesome God
You call the sun to rise
And You lay it down to rest
You hold this heart of mine
And You hold my every breath
Such an awesome God
So mighty
So holy
So wonderful
Such an awesome God
So selfless
So generous
So faithful, You are
Seated in majesty
Reigning in holiness
The table is set for me
For You are the living bread
Such an awesome God
So mighty
So holy
So wonderful
Such an awesome God
So selfless
So generous
So faithful, You are
And nothing comes close to the Lord Almighty
Nothing as sweet as His love and mercy
Nothing comes close to the Lord Almighty
And nothing as sweet as Your love and mercy
Oh, nothing comes close to the Lord Almighty
Nothing as sweet as His love and mercy
Oh, nothing comes close to the Lord Almighty
Nothing as sweet as Your love and mercy
There's nothing sweeter, sweeter than Your love
Jesus, the Son of God
Hung on a Cross to die
But not even death itself
Could hold You down, for You rose to life
Such an awesome God
So mighty
So holy
So wonderful
Such an awesome God
So selfless
So generous (So generous)
So faithful (So faithful, You are)
Such an awesome God (Such an awesome God)
So mighty (So mighty)
So holy (So holy)
So wonderful, so wonderful (So wonderful)
Such an awesome God
So selfless (So selfless)
So generous (So generous)
So faithful, You are
The name of God is mercy
Oh, the name of God is love
Oh, the name of God is kindness
And He's pouring out on us
Oh, He's pouring out on us
Oh, the name of God is mercy
Yes, it is, yes, it is
Oh, the name of God is love
Oh, the name of God is kindness
And You're pouring out on us
Oh, You're pouting out on us
You're pouring out (You're pouring out on us)
You're pouring out on us (You're pouring out on us)
You're redefining love to me (You're pouring out on us)
You're pouring out on us (You're pouring out on us)
You're pouring out on us (You're pouring out on us)
And it's pouring out of us (And now it's pouring out of us)
And now it's pouring out of us (And now it's pouring out of us)
And now it's pouring out of us (And now it's pouring out of us)
Such an awesome God
So mighty
So holy
So wonderful
Such an awesome God
So selfless
So generous
So faithful
You are faithful to me
Centering Song
Call to Worship
Leader: God whispers to each of us: you are my beloved, created in love for love.
People: My spirit answers, Here I am, Lord. Speak to me anew.
Leader: God breathes on us the Holy Spirit, knitting many members into one body, the body of Christ.
People: Together we answer, “Here we are Lord. Come, Holy Spirit.”
Leader: God has yet more vision for the people. Who will work for God to extend God's kingdom into our hurting world?
People: Here we are Lord. Empower us for your work.
Leader: God calls the small, and helps them do great things. God calls the weak, and reveals their hidden gifts. God calls the rejected, and opens their eyes to their worth.
People: Here we are Lord, humble and waiting.
Leader: Then let us gather, old and young, small and great, to dream God's dreams, receive God's power, and do God's deeds.
All: Here we are Lord. Shine the light of your love on us. Kindle your Spirit within us. Work your redeeming will in us, that all the world may be one through the power of your love.
Hymns of Adoration
Seeking the Shalom of the City
ANTIRACIST ADJUSTMENT FOR THE WEEK OF 10/11/2020
“What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8
In her book “Waking Up White”, author Debby Irving explores her socialization as a white American and her personal story of race. In the process, she uncovers the stereotypes and biases that comprised the racial stream in which she was raised. We as well can start to bring greater awareness to the racial images, comments and stories we absorbed in our youth as we develop our own story of race. We can seek to understand how the values and beliefs of our “whiteness” culture benefit some at the expense of others. Dynamic and operating on myriad levels, “whiteness” purportedly provides a common perspective and experience for all but in actuality only reflects advantages afforded to white people.
With time and effort, we can sharpen our antiracist lens to focus on the racial inequity in our institutions and systems of social interaction. We can join Ibram Kendi, the author of “How to be an Antiracist”, in seeing that racist policies are the problem not people. What policies, laws, ideas and processes are contributing to and maintaining such injustices as homelessness, food insecurity, mass incarceration, poverty, environmental degradation, and over policing? How can we restructure our ministry efforts to address these long-term issues while meeting the short-term needs of our neighbors?
A spiritual antiracist journal is a possible option to assist in capturing our reflections and insights. In addition, setting a daily morning intention helps to focus our self-exploration and to open our self to changing perspectives as we integrate more deeply. We are encouraging guidance from our spirit not our heads. Keep the activity simple so that it fosters consistency. It also helps to set aside a specific time and place for your short daily devotion and meditation followed by a sentence or three in your journal. You are not writing your autobiography or memoir in this space. If you choose to explore a life experience in more depth feel free to do so outside this journaling time. Don’t worry about catching up if you miss a day and also don’t take yourself too seriously. Your reflections are for you alone and for your ever-deepening spiritual integration. No grades will be assigned. This is a blessing and a joy not a burden. Know that God is your companion and guide so there is nothing to fear.
Daily morning intention:
Open my heart Loving Presence so that I may feel your Divine guidance to greater awareness of racial inequity and to my antiracist role this day.
(submitted by Pat Deeney, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Trenton NJ, pjdeeney@hotmail.com)
Call to Confession and Reconciliation
Holy God, we confess that we are reluctant to let go of our fears and worries. We let our anxieties control our actions, instead of being led by your Spirit of Peace. Forgive our stubbornness, and free us from whatever troubles our hearts. Teach us to trust in you, that we may know the peace that you give. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Leader: Believe the good news of the gospel: In Jesus Christ you are forgiven!
All: Thanks be to God!
Prayer for Illumination
Scripture Reading by
Princeton Theological Seminary Intern Lexi Aligarbes
Sermon by Pastor Karen
Hymn of Response
Prayers of the People
Prayers of the People happens each week on Zoom at 10:30am! Use the info at the top of the page to join us. If you missed it, stay tuned for next week’s Zoom info or reach out to Pastor Karen for info on how to join.
Our Father in heaven
Hallowed be Your name
Your kingdom come
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Give us today our daily bread
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever
Amen.
Offering
Even as we are unable to gather for our Sunday morning worship services, many of the church’s expenses remain the same, and now more than ever we want to have the resources to bless the community around us. Your gracious donation will ensure that Westminster continues to Seek the Shalom of the Capital City of Trenton and beyond.
Westminster can receive donations via a simple text:
Text to 609-438-8828 the word “Give”
Westminster’s online giving number will respond asking how much you’d like to give, and steps to follow
Westminster can receive donations online:
Westminster can receive donations by check:
Westminster Presbyterian Church
PO Box 3719
Trenton, NJ 08629
Prayer of Dedication
Jesus, we hear your voice calling us
To love
To serve
To give
These gifts are our response to your call
Keep our hearts and ears open to continue to listen
Today and every day
Amen
Closing Song
Benediction
The Lord be with you
And also with you
La paz de Dios sea con-ti-go
Y tam-bien con-ti-go
Sa-wa-bona
Si-ko-na
Pyeong-hwa
Pyeong-hwa