February 12, 2023
WORDS OF WELCOME
Pastor Amanda Miller Garber
NOMOFOMO
Just Be (Reimagined) - For the 15-25ish crowd, Sunday afternoons, 1-2 pm
Today’s Topic - God, Love, and RelationshipsWe’ve been using the metaphor of a journey (or road trip) as we have discussed the Just Be experience. Journeys (or road trips) often require adjustments and an awareness of when we need to be rerouted. So, we’ve reflected and revamped a bit. We’re hoping that these adjustments will enable more folks to attend, and perhaps the commitment won’t seem as overwhelming. It’ll still be a meaningful and transformational experience - we’re just gonna travel a little differently and “lighter.”
We will now meet for an hour, starting at 1 pm in the Ice House Library. We will spend a few minutes checking in, and then we will “jump in” and spend the rest of the time exploring questions. We will ask people to write down their questions about the topic, and we will explore as many of them as possible.
While we hope that folks will come to as many sessions as possible, we’re designing this so that each session can “stand alone.” So, if people can only come to some of the sessions, that’s ok. So please, come and “Just Be” for an hour on Sundays this semester. (You do not need to sign up)! Explore your questions about life, faith, God and all the things. Make some new friends along the way.” We strongly believe this will be worth your time!
Requests for care and/or prayer can always be sent via e-mail to cares@riseharrisonburg.org, texted to 833-803-0868, or submitted online via our RISE Cares form.
Connect:
If you would like to connect more deeply with RISE, you can start by submitting this short form to Get Connected!
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
Please continue to check social media/the website for all updates and information!
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, 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.
SONG
Brent Holl
“Nothing Without Love”
~Michael Stern
If I have eloquence & power
It’s nothing without love, nothing without love
If I have beauty like a flower
It’s nothing without love, nothing without love
Instrumental 1⁄2 verse
If I have faith that can move mountains
It’s nothing without love, nothing without love
If I have knowledge flowing fountains
It’s nothing without love, nothing without love
Instrumental 1⁄2 verse
If I have courage facing fire
It’s nothing without love, nothing without love
Or sacrifice all I desire
It’s nothing without love, nothing without love
Love is patient, love is kind
Love remembers those left behind
Instrumental 1⁄2 verse
Love is not jealous or conceited
There’s nothing without love, nothing without love
Even in death is not defeated
There’s nothing without love, nothing without love
Love is patient, love is kind
Love remembers those left behind
There’s nothing without love, nothing without love
There’s nothing without love, nothing without love
THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION
Amanda Miller Garber
Alexis Owens
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS OR TEXT THEM TO 833-803-0868!
This may seem strange at first - you may wonder why would we need to reclaim this word or concept. We have a bias here - we think that this word is indescribably powerful but also is overused and misunderstood: When you hear the word love, what comes to mind?
How does our culture define love? Finish this: Love is like ________ OR love is __________.
How does church culture define or describe love? We hear a lot about it, and talk a lot about it, but we often don’t explore or consider what we’re saying.
Have you ever seen the idea of love (or God’s love) used to cause harm? What are ways that “love” has been used in unloving ways?
What Bible stories/verses etc come to mind when you hear the word “love?”
Here’s one of the classics (like the word love, it’s a bit tired and overused and many of us tend to tune it out like background noise). Let’s try to lean in and listen closely…
1st Corinthians 13: 1-10
If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.
If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies.
What struck you as you heard it?
Did any words or phrases or images come to mind?
Does it challenge any of your/our typical ideas about love?
How can we reclaim the idea of love?
SHARE YOUR QUESTIONS OR TEXT THEM TO 833-803-0868
COMMUNION
SONG
Brent Holl
“The Old Lover’s Waltz”
There’s a touch of the past in the Old Lover’s Waltz
You can’t play it too fast, or the beauty is lost.
Each note has a purpose each beat has a pause,
There’s so much that goes into the Old Lover’s Waltz.
Refrain:
One, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three,
You learn how to follow, you learn how to lead.
And when you’re gliding with ease and steppin’ light,
The Old Lover’s Waltz, you’ll do it in rhyme.
It’s not all laughter out there on the floor,
If it’s true love you’re after, you’ll come back for more.
For the pleasure is real and well worth the cost.
When you capture the feel of the Old Lover’s Waltz.
Refrain
When you get to the end of the Old Lover’s Waltz,
You’ll be happy that you took the chance
And grateful you learned how to dance.
Refrain
FINAL BLESSING
“BEANNACHT / BLESSING”
~John O’Donohue
On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.
And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets into you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green
and azure blue,
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.