THERE WILL BE NO IN-PERSON WORSHIP SERVICES FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY
Second Sunday after Epiphany
A Service of the Word
January 16, 2022 ª10am
We open our hearts to the presence of God and worship together.
Today is the Second Sunday after Epiphany, January 16, 2022. It finds us still in throes of a pandemic and living with threats of storms in our land. But there is bright hope on the horizon as vaccines continue to roll out, numbers come down, and protective measures are put in place. And above all, our hope in God who is still speaking and active in our midst.
We open our hearts to the Presence of God and worship together.
Call to Worship:
*Give thanks to God who equips us.*
With steadfast love, God calls our names.
Come to find refuge in the shelter of God’s wings.
We long to be recognized and affirmed.
We are eager for a place of shelter and security.
*Give thanks to God who equips us*
Feast on the abundance of God’s house.
Come drink deeply from the fountain of life.
We are ready to hear the Word of God.
We want to be guided by eternal truth.
*Give thanks to God who equips us
Reach out to claim the gifts God pours out on us.
The Spirit is eager to inspire and empower each one.
When God calls us, we cannot remain silent.
When Christ is real to us, we are reshaped for discipleship.
*Give thanks to God who equips us.*
Opening Prayer:
Good and Gracious God, we give you thanks and praise as you care for us, love us and lift us up. Your delight in us brings out our best. As we draw you closer, we come we are blessed by our capacity for your goodness. When your light and salvation dawn in our lives, a peace-filled joy come to us. Remind us now of the gifts you so freely bestow. Help us to recognize them in ourselves and in one another, that we may use them to build up one another in love and give glory to your name.
We have come together, listening God, because you have spoken your word of summons and welcomed to us. We are drawn to the promise of your presence and by the persistence of your voice. Speak to us in this time in ways we can understand. We want to hear the message you intend for us. We want to listen, not because someone else needs to have it told to them, but because we ourselves need your healing Word. We bow before you, eager for the heavens to be opened with the epiphany of your blessings. It is in Jesus' name that we gather and we pray. Amen.
Hymn: “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”
https://youtu.be/ZVrrqqFu2cg
Prayers of the People:
Gracious God, your miracles surround us day by day as bounty and beauty come to us. Your revelation in Jesus Christ awakens our wonder. May this time feature a new encounter with you in which our gifts are awaked forth for the sake of your people and for the transformation of your world. Work within us, among us, and through us, we pray, that believing minds may blossom into trusting hearts and helping hands, fully committed to your service.
Loving God, you know the condition of your people. The pandemic continues to ravage your children throughout the world. Those who love you suffer in illness and in grief. Come and comfort, come and heal. Help us all to figure out patterns of inoculation that work and to speak well to those who can serve you as they help others.
Bless and strengthen all the health care workers and researchers, the reviewers and approvers, the transporters and the administrators. Equip your people with stamina and resolve to conquer the disease that holds us captive.
Loving God, you know the condition of our nation. We remain impatient and divided. Let the wisdom of your peace be the rule of our days. Bless and protect those who protect us. Be with all who strive to make our nation a true democracy of respect, compassion and understanding.
Loving God, you know the condition of our very selves. Bless us. Help us. Heal us. Move within us and among us so that the inertia of our being is overcome by the power of your love. Grace us with the sight and hearing we need to discern ways that we can bring comfort and hope to our world.
Gracious God, embrace our families and friends, those in our church and beyond. Comfort, heal, protect and lead them all. Enable us to be your ambassadors of genuine helpful, serving and generous means.
We pray, dear God, for the many on our prayer list... Bless us all, O God, and grant us your saving presence in our midst. We ask these things in Jesus' Name who taught us to pray saying, "Our
Father who art in heaven...."
Readings: Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 36:5-11; 1 Corinthians 12:1-12; John 2:1-11
Reflection: "Lemonade"
I've named this sermon "Lemonade" because of an old and simple aphorism: "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." I like lemonade, but it's winter. Lemonade in winter... well, it's just sorta' what you might have if you haven't a better choice. Surely there's something better to do with lemons in winter. If we have the choice, if we have the smarts.
It’s MLK weekend, the only US federal holiday that is named for a person of color. It’s not only a time to reflect on the life and work of that man, but also on how we too benefit from his story. It’s a wonderful opportunity for anyone who feels s/he is on the underside of history to garner strength and to make things better.
Most everyone these days will certainly agree that we’ve got room for improvement. Life has been handing us a lot of lemons. As smart as it is, I'm not a happy camper that we're back to Zoom, but that's only a small result of the problems that face us, and certainly not a problem in and of itself, but a blessing, even if it's a bit like lemonade in winter. Problems. Some things we can fix ourselves; other things require the effort of many; and all things require faith and the steady and strong hand of God.
I've shared this before, but I'll share it again, as it's an important aspect to the person I became. Before I worked as a pastor full-time, I worked in publishing, for a company called Boardroom, under the direction of Martin Edelston. He had a saying that he would readily share with all the employees, and one that he hoped to instill in all of us. It was “Good, better, best, never let it rest, until the good is better and the better best.” Of course the trick was to discern what we need to be working on. What can we make better – in our own work, in our own lives or in our world?
Some things we need to improve are easy to see – they nag at our systems and cause us to complain. They can be physical: “oh my aching back” or “this cough is killing me.” Or they can reflect greater ills, ranging from the banal -- “I’ve got to organize this house,” or “these school taxes are out of sight” -- or the more universal, “when will this pandemic even end?” And the chances are that if you manage to make that of your immediate life better, you’ll find that you are more inclined to work for the greater good of us all in helping to bring about the improvement we all need.
But it always comes down to a matter of getting it done. Each of our scripture lessons this morning offer us insight on how we can labor together to make something better with the lemons, perhaps even better than lemonade in winter.
First, from Isaiah: Cyrus the Great of Persia, the empire that replaces Babylon, has permitted the people of Israel to return to a small parcel of land round Jerusalem. The land is ravished, and after initial elation, the people feel that God has ceased to care for them. But yet, the prophet has told of a new Zion – of a renewed city and people. And it is with this vision that the prophet hopes they can all together work to make it better. The lesson for us is to restore hope with a vision of renewal, of how things can and should be, even within the scope of our own imagination and understanding of the possible. With the hope of a clear vision of a better future, we will indeed be led to making it better.
Second is the lesson from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. The people have inquired about spiritual gifts and there seems to be competition, misunderstanding and rancor. In Paul’s response of chapter 12, we get this message: Be mindful of the gifts of God – not just your own, but of the gifts present in others around you. All are to work for the common good and not just for your personal edification. It is a matter of building up one another in love and we do this by working together. And when you are better and I am better, we together can make our world better too. Sometimes, you alone are not going to able to bring about the needed improvement because you alone are not sufficiently gifted. But powerful gifts of God are at work in the lives of others who can help you and us work together to make it better.
Next is the Gospel lesson. John’s Gospel presents signs of the coming kingdom, as Jesus displays the power of God at work within him. In this section, Jesus turns water into wine at the wedding of Cana. The lesson for us as we strive to make it better is this: Remain aware that God works in surprising ways, and even puts joy into the mix. Look for and recognize signs of the hand of God at work and rejoice in the coming kingdom. God is at work.
Good, better, best, never let it rest, until is good is better and the better best. Improvement is possible. Not only for ourselves personally, but for our world. Are you suffering physically? Take in hope with a vision. Eat right, exercise, see a doctor when you should, take your medications or get ones that will help. If no cure is possible, then do all you can to make the best of a bad situation, by looking at the gifts of God still at work in you and in others, by looking for the good wine from water and work on bringing in joy. For our societal ills, and there are many, we are called to do the same. Dr. MLK, the one who kept the dream alive, knew the faithful could be agents of improvement.
Let us work to make it better – the “it” of our own lives and of our world. Take in hope with a vision of renewal. Embrace the many gifts of God, in your life and in the lives of those around you. Recognize the hand of God at work and make room for joy. Good wine can come from water and justice can rain down even from stormy clouds of misdirection and erroneous policy. God is at work; let us work with God and make it better.
Maybe we can do better than lemonade in winter. I like tea with lemon and make lots of recipes with lemon zest and lemon juice, but if all we can do is make lemonade in winter, so goes it; and lemonade is really pretty good no matter the season. At least let's do that. We can certainly work with what we've got, and we can make it better. Be blessed by God. Amen.
Hymn: “Gifts from God"
https://youtu.be/cfLGfuINnG4
Benediction:
May our God bless us with ears to hear the voice of God who call us. May our God bless with eyes to see the vision of the tomorrow that God is bringing. May our God bless us with hearts and hands and voices that build one another up and brings holy healing and love. Be blessed by God. Amen and amen.
