(War in Gaza used with permission from Google Creative Commons)

10:15 a.m.

August 10, 2014

www.colonialucc.org

913-362-7735

Politics: A strife of interests masquerading as a

contest of principles. -Ambrose Bierce, journalist

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The Colonial Church in Prairie Village—United Church of Christ

“Politics without Principle” Sunday Worship Service

in the series The Seven Deadly Social Sins

Please silence your mobile phone in preparation for worship.

* Please rise in body or spirit.

WE GATHER AS GOD’S PEOPLE

ORGAN PRELUDE In Thee, Lord, have I hoped -Dupre

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Please sign and pass pew pads and fill out Prayer Request cards you may have. You

can place the Prayer Request cards in the offering plates later in the service.)

MOMENT TO LAY YOUR BURDENS DOWN

* OPENING HYMN #576 For the Healing of the Nations

* CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: For all the ways we squander right relationship–

grabbing to “have” more while some go without…

People: God, in your mercy, forgive and transform.

Leader: For all the ways we abuse our freedom–

engaging hateful speech towards those not on “our” side…

People: God, in your mercy, forgive and transform.

Leader: For all the ways we deny equality–

deeming some “in” and others “out…”

People: God, in your mercy, forgive and transform.

* SONG OF PRAISE — GLORIA #759 ADAPTED

Glory to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.

World without end. Amen. Amen.

* SHARING GOD’S WELCOME (Greet everyone in the hope of peace and friendship.)

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CHILDREN’S CONVERSATION (Children of all ages are welcome to come forward to the

chancel steps. Following the Conversation, children are welcome to remain to

worship or to attend our Sunday School.)

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, this little light of mine, I’m gonna let

it shine, this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it

shine.

WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

THE WORD PROCLAIMED Pastor Aaron Roberts

The Beginning of Land Conflict in Israel/Canaan/Palestine

Deuteronomy 7:1-6 Now once the LORD your God brings you into the land you are

entering to take possession of, and he drives out numerous nations before you – the

Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites,

and the Jebusites: seven nations that are larger and stronger than you – once the

LORD your God lays them before you, you must strike them down, placing them

under the ban. Don't make any covenants with them, and don't be merciful to them.

Don't intermarry with them. Don't give your daughter to one of their sons to marry,

and don't take one of their daughters to marry your son, because they will turn your

child away from following me so that they end up serving other gods. That will make

the LORD's anger burn against you, and he will quickly annihilate you. Instead, this is

what you must do with these nations: rip down their altars, smash their sacred

stones, cut down their sacred poles, and burn their idols because you are a people

holy to the LORD your God.

John 9:1-3 As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who was blind from birth. Jesus'

disciples asked, "Rabbi, who sinned so that he was born blind, this man or his

parents?"

Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his parents…”

Express your thoughts via social media at #ColonialUCC.

THE WORD IN OUR HOLY MEAL

Communion Prayer

Pastor: The Liberating God be with you!

People: And also with you!

Pastor: Lift up your hearts with joy!

People: We lift them up to God!

People: Let us give praise to the Author of Freedom!

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People: It is right to give our thanks and praise!

Pastor: It is right, and a good and holy thing to give our praise to you this day,

Liberator of all Humankind. You unleashed your creative power and a

world blossomed. You bestowed upon every living thing life and breath,

color and movement. No matter how many battles we wage within and

between ourselves and against you, your promise, vision and gift of peace

and abundance continues.

And so we lift up our voices in celebration of You!

People: Holy, holy, holy are You!

Pastor: We join all the prophets and saints!

People: Heaven and earth are full of your glory!

Pastor: We join the parade of justice!

People: Blessed are they who come in the name of the Lord!

Pastor: We add our cries and exclamations!

People: Hosanna in the highest!

Remembering and Consecrating

Pastor: Holy are you and blessed is Jesus. To those who were imprisoned by

status, law, illness, poverty, gender, age, disease, he said, “your trust has

set you free. You are a child of God.”

He invited disciples, friends and strangers alike to his tables.

He proclaimed God’s grace to all with whom he broke bread.

He proclaimed God’s love to all with whom he shared the cup.

And he told us to remember:

All: Freedom has come,

and freedom is coming!

Pastor: Holy Spirit, transform this meal and transform this body so that we might

be free to love without condition, invite without hesitance, go without

reservation and proclaim your freedom to all the world! Let the people

say,

People: Amen!

Sharing the Bread and Cup

(As the bread and cup are served, we will sing Amazing Grace, How Sweet the

Sound, which is #547 in the hymnal. Drink the cup as you are served as a sign of

God’s particular love for you. Hold the bread until everyone has been served, and

we will eat it together as a sign of our unity in Christ.)

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WE RESPOND WITH THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER

CALL TO OFFERING AND OFFERTORY Cavatina -Stanley Myers

-Chucho Marquez, guitar

* Doxology (#780 adapted; tune Old Hundredth)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, you heavenly host:

Creator, Christ, and Spirit, One. Amen.

* Prayer of Dedication

Make us agents of peace, LORD. Send us out with your true Spirit of forgiveness

and reconciliation. Amen.

TIME OF PRAYER

Prayers of the People

Believing that each joy and/or concern expressed is indeed a prayer, after each

expression, the pastor will say:

Lord, in your mercy.

And the people may respond:

Hear our prayer.

Praying in Silence

Our Lord’s Prayer

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 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.

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WE DEPART TO SERVE

* HYMN #86 When Morning Gilds the Skies

* RENEW OUR COVENANT (Turn towards the center aisle as we bless one another with the

promise of our covenant.)

We covenant with the Lord and with one another and do bind ourselves in the

presence of God to walk together in Christian Love. We seek to worship God in spirit

and in truth and to love our neighbors as ourselves. With God’s help we will honor

Colonial Church in our conduct, support its program, and extend the influence of

Christ throughout the world.

* CONGREGATIONAL SONG OF BLESSING #809 God Be With You

God be with you, God be with you, God be with you till we meet again.

O God be with you, God be with you, God be with you till we meet again.

* BENEDICTION AND POSTLUDE New Britain - Kern

Liturgist: Jayne Moore

Children’s Conversation: Martha Wofford

Greeter: Becky Johnson

Head Usher: Howard Lee

Ushers: Bob and Judy LeVeau, Tim Taylor, Howard Lee

Communion Servers: Marti Lee, Stacy Lybarger, Martha and Bruce Wofford

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God is Still Speaking, but how do you know what God is saying?

Monday – Genocide – Read Deuteronomy 7:1-6

Does this sound like God to you?

The entire book of Joshua is the story of the battles that ensue in accord with this

command to kill. Entire nations, albeit very small ones, were condemned to death, and

3,000 years later were are still seeing the horror of war over the same piece of land.

Over the next few days, we are going to ask some hard questions that have no easy

answers for this brutal passage that seems to advocate genocide.

Even if you accept that death is God’s penalty for wrongdoing, does God have

methods that are more “targeted” than mass killing? Or perhaps not?

Can children be blamed – and punished – for the sins of their parents or culture?

Think about the Passover.

Tuesday – Is Just Following Orders Justified? – Read Exodus 23:2

“Don’t take sides with important people to do wrong.”

This commandment of Torah states that “just following orders” of an important person –

a leader – to do wrong is itself wrong. You are accountable for your actions.

The command to “strike down” entire cities must be questioned, even if it is coming

from a respected religious or national leader.

Think about times in history that the “just following orders” line has been used.

What comes to mind?

Are there instances where complete obedience is necessary – in a military

context, for example?

Wednesday – People Justifying Their Selfishness – Read Leviticus 19:33-34

The command to strike down people living in Canaan didn’t come directly from God to

all people. It came in this instance through Moses, and was remembered and recorded

many years later.

When the Israelites first came to Egypt, escaping famine, they were greeted with

hospitality – for a while. After Joseph, the people were enslaved. This passage reminds

the Israelites to welcome immigrants remembering their own history.

So, why strike down the Canaanite cities? The justification given is that they are

immoral, and God wanted them gone. Is that good enough?

Colonial Church Study Guide

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The Canaanites had something the Israelites wanted – land. When people think

that they are owed something, they can justify a great deal to get it. Do you think

that is possible in this case?

Thursday – Authority of Religious Leaders – Read Exodus 33:7-11

Moses had a tent in which he could go to speak to God directly. Joshua, who would later

lead the attack on Canaan, wouldn’t even leave this tent. Later, Samuel was able to

discern God’s voice directly.

Religious leaders are blessed or credited with the ability to discern God’s voice. A

pastor’s call, or vocation, from God is questioned, tested, and confirmed in the process

of ordaination. It is a sacred and important task in a religious community to recognize

these gifts.

But…what if someone lies? Or, what if God’s voice goes silent to that person?

A wise woman of faith once said, “Ordination doesn’t mean a thing unless the

Holy Spirit is present.” The same thing is true of baptism. How should any

member of a religious community hold authority of religious leaders?

How should a religious leader be tested? Who should test them?

Every person has spiritual dry spells, but they can be especially hard for religious

leaders. What should a pastor do when he or she is having difficulting discerning

God’s voice? (It’s kind of important for the job…)

Friday –Jesus as Pioneer and Perfecter – Read Hebrews 12:1-3

For anyone who studies scripture seriously, there are troubling passages like the one we

dealt with on study. People in the Bible are often dishonest, lying, and hurtful – just like

people you may know. We are broken. The overarching narrative of the Bible though is

about finding healing, being renewed, and resurrected. For Christian disciples, it is in

the person of Jesus of Nazareth that God is most clearly revealed. How Jesus lived - his

teachings and actions – become the goal of how to live a fully enlightened human life.

Jesus purposefully did not get involved as a politician or as a direct rival to the

Roman Emperor. Instead, his political activism was done with people directly.

Jesus critiqued and even condemned the abuses of power he saw, but he never

forced himself on others – a lesson that some of his followers sometimes forget.

Jesus shared a vision of how this world could be healed and find peace. He did

this in practical terms, and his church is committed to this day of continuing to

try to build that world. Even when we fail, the effort and the condition of your

heart matters to God.

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