February 2, 2025
Voice
“I am not anxious to be the loudest voice or the most popular.
But I would like to think that at a crucial moment,
I was an effective voice of the voiceless,
an effective hope of the hopeless.”
~Whitney M. Young Jr.
BRUNCH!
Words of greeting and GATHERING
Alexis Owens
WELCOMING STATEMENT
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 PSalm
Ps. 71:1-6 (NRSV, adapted for the plural)
1 In you, O Lord, we take refuge;
let us never be put to shame.
2 In your righteousness deliver us and rescue us;
incline your ear to us and save us.
3 Be to us a rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save us,
for you are our rock and our fortress.4 Rescue us, O God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.
5 For you, O Lord, are our hope,
our trust, O Lord, from our youth.
6 From birth we have leaned upon you,
our protector since our mothers’ wombs.
Our praise is continually of you.
Opening Songs
Brent Holl
“Keep Your Lamps”
~Gary Davis
Keep your lamps trimmed an burning,
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
Come see what the Lord has done.
Children, don't grow weary,
Children, don't grow weary,
Children, don’t grow weary,
Come see what the Lord has done.
Troubles and trials soon be over,
Troubles and trials soon be over,
Troubles and trials soon be over,
Come see what the Lord has done.
Keep your lamps trimmed an burning,
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
Come see what the Lord has done.
Soon the morning will be breaking,
Soon the morning will be breaking,
Soon the morning will be breaking,
Come see what the Lord has done.
Brothers and Sisters keep on singing,
Brothers and Sisters keep on singing,
Brothers and Sisters keep on singing,
Come see what the Lord has done.
Keep your lamps trimmed an burning,
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
Come see what the Lord has done.
“Hold on”
~American Spiritual, arr. Mahalia Jackson
Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
Heard the voice of Jesus say
Come unto me, I am the way.
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.
When my way gets dark as night,
I know the Lord will be my light,
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.
Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
You can talk about me much as you please
The more you talk, gonna stay on my knees.
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.
When I get to heaven, gonna sing and shout
Be nobody there to put me out.
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.
Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
Brothers and Sisters don’t you cry!
There’ll be good times by and by
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.
When I get to heaven, gonna sing and shout
Be nobody there to put me out.
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
Scripture ReadingS
Jeremiah 1:4-10 (CEB)
4 The Lord’s word came to me:
5 “Before I created you in the womb I knew you;
before you were born I set you apart;
I made you a prophet to the nations.”
6 “Ah, Lord God,” I said, “I don’t know how to speak
because I’m only a child.”
7 The Lord responded,
“Don’t say, ‘I’m only a child.’
Where I send you, you must go;
what I tell you, you must say.
8 Don’t be afraid of them,
because I’m with you to rescue you,”
declares the Lord.
9 Then the Lord stretched out his hand,
touched my mouth, and said to me,
“I’m putting my words in your mouth.
10 This very day I appoint you over nations and empires,
to dig up and pull down,
to destroy and demolish,
to build and plant.”
Luke 4:20-30 (CEB)
20 He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the synagogue assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the synagogue was fixed on him. 21 He began to explain to them, “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled just as you heard it.”
22 Everyone was raving about Jesus, so impressed were they by the gracious words flowing from his lips. They said, “This is Joseph’s son, isn’t it?”
23 Then Jesus said to them, “Undoubtedly, you will quote this saying to me: ‘Doctor, heal yourself. Do here in your hometown what we’ve heard you did in Capernaum.’” 24 He said, “I assure you that no prophet is welcome in the prophet’s hometown. 25 And I can assure you that there were many widows in Israel during Elijah’s time, when it didn’t rain for three and a half years and there was a great food shortage in the land. 26 Yet Elijah was sent to none of them but only to a widow in the city of Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 There were also many persons with skin diseases in Israel during the time of the prophet Elisha, but none of them were cleansed. Instead, Naaman the Syrian was cleansed.”
28 When they heard this, everyone in the synagogue was filled with anger. 29 They rose up and ran him out of town. They led him to the crest of the hill on which their town had been built so that they could throw him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the crowd and went on his way.
THEOLOGICAL Reflection
Chris Zepp
“Voice”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What is the blessing of your voice on this journey of life in this season? What is your truth to share? What is the word of God that you have been chosen to reveal?
Where do you struggle to find (or use) your voice? Is the struggle unique to this time/season? Have you heard or experienced anything today that might help you to own your voice?
Remember the quote from Walter Brueggemann: “The prophetic tasks of the church are to tell the truth in a society that lives in illusion, grieve in a society that practices denial, and express hope in a society that lives in despair.” How can RISE live into this prophetic calling today? Who needs to hear OUR voice right now?
PRAYER
Song
Brent Holl and Allison Garcia
“How Can I Keep From Singing”
~Pete Seeger* (see note below)
My life fows on in endless song, above earth’s lamentation.
I hear the sweet, though far off hymn that hails a new creation.
Through all the tumult and the strife, I hear its music ringing.
It sounds an echo in my soul. How can I keep from singing?
While though the tempest loudly roars, I hear the truth it liveth.
And though the darkness round me close, songs in the night it giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I’m clinging.
Since love is Lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing?
When tyrants tremble in their fear and hear their death knell ringing,
When friends rejoice both far and near, how can I keep from singing?
In prison cell and dungeon vile our thoughts to them are winging.
When friends by shame are undefled, how can I keep from singing?
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I’m clinging.
Since love is Lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing?
I lift my eyes, the clouds grow thin, I see the blue above it.
And day by day this pathway clears, since first I learned to love it.
The peace from love makes fresh my heart, a song of hope is ringing.
All things are mine, since truth I’ve found. How can I keep from singing?
_______________________________________
*The original hymn text may well be a Quaker hymn written in the 1850’s by Ann Warner who lived on an island in the Hudson River. Her text refers to Quakers who were jailed for their beliefs. Pete Seeger brought the song to life in 1957 by publishing it in Sing Out Magazine. He learned the third verse (When tyrants...) from Doris Plenn, who wrote it during the McCarthy era in tribute to those, like Pete Seeger, who refused to take loyalty oaths and were often punished.
The hymn text and the original tune in the The Worship Book hymnal are attributed to Robert Lowry. The original tune was later adapted and arranged by Ira Sankey
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!
Big Game Watch Party!
CLOSING SONG
“Standing in Oppressions Way”
~Michael Stern
When some folks read the Bible, they think of God up in the sky,
and the only end to suffering is some great by and by.
But the way I read the Bible, I see it in a different way,
what a friend we have in Jesus, standing in oppression’s way.
And I want to know where, if-a not here, oh when, if-a not now,
and who if-a not you and me standing in oppression’s way.
(Repeat)
When Jesus started preaching, He said to let the captives free,
and he fed the poor and hungry before He died for you and me.
We must know and show compassion, now as much as yesterday,
and be a friend like Jesus standing in oppression’s way.
And I want to know where, if-a not here, oh when, if-a not now,
and who if-a not you and me standing in oppression’s way.
(Repeat)
Now if someone sins against you, and you want to just retaliate,
you know Jesus said be different, return love instead of hate.
And if anyone is outcast for their color, faith, or if they’re gay,
we can be a friend like Jesus, standing in oppression’s way.
And I want to know where, if-a not here, oh when, if-a not now,
and who if-a not you and me standing in oppression’s way.
(Repeat)
Some say when you find Jesus, you must accept Him in a certain way,
and if you don’t say the right words, you’ll have hell to pay,
I don’t know that Jesus, there’s another one in whom I pray,
He’s the one I feel beside me, standing in oppression’s way.
And I want to know where, if-a not here, oh when, if-a not now,
and who if-a not you and me standing in oppression’s way.
(Repeat)
Parting Blessing
~Homiletics, adapted
Empower us, O God,
especially when things get tough,
and give us strength.
Do not let us be afraid.
Send us out with renewed courage, spirit and voice,
in the name of Jesus, whose way we follow.
Amen.
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