January 28, 2024

“DISCERNING”

WORDS OF GREETING AND GATHERING

Chris Zepp

WELCOMING STATEMENT

Allison Garcia

RISE believes that God has open arms, and so should we. Our Creator wants us to love, accept and affirm every human being, including persons of every age, race, ethnic background, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, family or socioeconomic status, educational background, religion or creed, and physical or mental ability. We celebrate our diversity and recognize the sacred worth and dignity of all. Everyone is invited and encouraged to join us as we seek to follow Jesus with mutual respect, understanding, and love.

*Read more about “Why Pronouns Matter” HERE.

OPENING MUSIC

Maggie McClary

“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”

~U2

I have climbed highest mountains
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you, only to be with you
I have run, I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls, these city walls
Only to be with you

But I still haven’t found what I am looking for
(2x)

I have kissed honey lips
Felt the healing in my fingertips
It burned like a fire, this burning desire
I have spoke with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of the devil
It was warm in the night, I was cold as a stone

But I still haven’t found what I am looking for
(2x)

I believe in the kingdom come
Then all the colors they will bleed into one
Bleed into one
But yes, I’m still running
You broke the bonds and you loosened the chains
Carried the cross of, of my shame, of my shame
You know I believe it

But I still haven’t found what I am looking for
(4x)

“Oceans”

~Joel Houston, Matt Crocker, and Salomon Lighthelm

You call me out upon the water
The great unknown, where feet may fail
And there I find you in the mystery
In oceans deep, my faith will stand

And I will call upon your name
And keep my eyes upon the waves
When oceans rise, my soul will rest in your embrace
For I am yours and you are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand will be my guide
Where feet my fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and you won’t start now

And I will call upon your name
And keep my eyes upon the waves
When oceans rise, my soul will rest in your embrace
For I am yours and you are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Led me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my savior (3x)

And I will call upon your name
And keep my eyes upon the waves
When oceans rise, my soul will rest in your embrace
For I am yours and you are mine

Scripture ReadingS

Allison Garcia

Mark 1:21-28  (CEB)

21 Jesus and his followers went into Capernaum. Immediately on the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and started teaching. 22 The people were amazed by his teaching, for he was teaching them with authority, not like the legal experts. 23 Suddenly, there in the synagogue, a person with an evil spirit screamed, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the holy one from God.”

25 “Silence!” Jesus said, speaking harshly to the demon. “Come out of him!” 26 The unclean spirit shook him and screamed, then it came out.

27 Everyone was shaken and questioned among themselves, “What’s this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands unclean spirits and they obey him!” 28 Right away the news about him spread throughout the entire region of Galilee.

1st Corinthians 8:1-13 (CEB)

1 Now concerning meat that has been sacrificed to a false god: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds people up. 2 If anyone thinks they know something, they don’t yet know as much as they should know. 3 But if someone loves God, then they are known by God.

4 So concerning the actual food involved in these sacrifices to false gods, we know that a false god isn’t anything in this world, and that there is no God except for the one God. 5 Granted, there are so-called “gods,” in heaven and on the earth, as there are many gods and many lords. 6 However, for us believers,

There is one God the Father.
        All things come from him, and we belong to him.
And there is one Lord Jesus Christ.
        All things exist through him, and we live through him.

7 But not everybody knows this. Some are eating this food as though it really is food sacrificed to a real idol, because they were used to idol worship until now. Their conscience is weak because it has been damaged. 8 Food won’t bring us close to God. We’re not missing out if we don’t eat, and we don’t have any advantage if we do eat. 9 But watch out or else this freedom of yours might be a problem for those who are weak. 10 Suppose someone sees you (the person who has knowledge) eating in an idol’s temple. Won’t the person with a weak conscience be encouraged to eat the meat sacrificed to false gods? 11 The weak brother or sister for whom Christ died is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 You sin against Christ if you sin against your brothers and sisters and hurt their weak consciences this way. 13 This is why, if food causes the downfall of my brother or sister, I won’t eat meat ever again, or else I may cause my brother or sister to fall.

THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION

“Discerning”

Reflection Panel Discussion: Pastor Amanda Miller Garber (moderator) with Daniel Green and Alexis Owens

TEXT YOUR THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS TO 833-803-0868

COMMUNION

Pastor Amanda Miller Garber
Servers:

SONG DURING COMMUNION

“Let Us Break Bread Together”

~African American Spiritual

Let us break bread together on our knees
Let us break bread together on our knees
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun
O Lord, have mercy on me

Let us drink wine together on our knees
Let us drink wine together on our knees
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun
O, Lord have mercy on me

Let us praise God together on our knees
Let us praise God together on our knees
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun
O, Lord have mercy on me

OFFERING AND NOMOFOMO

One of our core values is, "God gives to us, so we give back." We're called to give as a joy-filled response to what we've been given. Your financial gifts make a tremendous difference in the lives of God's beloved in Harrisonburg and beyond. Whether it's helping to make sure children in our community have enough to eat, helping to respond to the mental health crisis in our community, or providing much needed backing for the operating costs of our spaces and staff — your gift is a part of God's dream and we are grateful for everyone who partners with us on this journey!

PLEASE HELP WITH WORSHIP! We are always looking for persons willing to volunteer to assist and support our worship gatherings. If you'd be willing to volunteer to help (read, provide food, set-up, serve communion, clean-up run tech, etc) please sign up on this doc for the role and the date(s) of your choosing:

If you would like to connect more deeply with RISE, you can start by submitting this short form to Get Connected!
You might also consider:

• Sign up for texting services:

  • Text “RISE” to 833-803-0868 to join the primary list and receive weekly community updates and alerts

  • Text “RISEcares” to receive prayer requests, care needs, and community concerns and celebrations

• Requests for care and/or prayer can be sent via e-mail to cares@riseharrisonburg.org, texted to 833-803-0868, or submitted online via our RISE Cares form.

CLOSING SONG

“Let Us Love”

~NEEDTOBREATHE

We were born to embrace, not accept it
We were given nothing more, so we kept it
As the colors of our boots keep fading
We live a life that we hate without saying

Who would listen to the cries of a poor man
We’ve never done nothing, how could we be something?
Every heart has a hour of existence
Every breath brings a chance for redemption
If somehow we could
Wake up

Let us love Like we were children
Make us feel Like we’re still living
In a world I know that’s burning to the ground
Give us time To beat the system
Make us find What we’ve been missing
In a world, I know, is burning to the ground

In a crowd of the dead and disappointed
We’re ashamed, giving up what we wanted
Take a chance on a long shot this time
Aren’t we all just at least worth another try

I’m a king in a land of abuses
Undermined by the promise of excuses
Who’s to win if we know that it’s not fair
Who’s to fight when it seems like no one cares
If somehow we could
Wake up

Let us love Like we were children
Make us feel Like we’re still living
In a world I know that’s burning to the ground
Give us time To beat the system
Make us find What we’ve been missing
In a world, I know, is burning to the ground

It's hard to stay here but where do we go
I know we can't feel it anymore
It's true that time is wearing us down
We fall further and further away
Waiting for always to change

Let us love Like we were children
Make us feel Like we’re still living
In a world I know that’s burning to the ground
Give us time To beat the system
Make us find What we’ve been missing
In a world, I know, is burning to the ground

Parting Blessing

~Adapted from Kate Barclay Wilkinson
”Laughter, Silence & Shouting: An Anthology of Women's Prayers”

May the mind of Christ our Savior
live in us from day to day,
By his love and power controlling
all we do or say.

May the Word of God dwell richly
in our hearts from hour to hour,
So that all may see we triumph
only through God's power.

May the love of Jesus fill us
as the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self-embracing --
This is victory.

May we run the race before us,
strong and brave to face the foe,
looking only unto Jesus
as we onward go.

Amen.

REMEMBER - YOU ARE A GIFT!