March 3, 2024
WORDS OF GREETING AND GATHERING
Chris Zepp
BRUNCH TIME!
WELCOMING STATEMENT
Amy Lugo
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
Nancy Gaston and Allison Garcia
“We Shall Be Known”
~MaMuse
We shall be known by the company we keep
by the ones who circle round to tend these fires
We shall be known by the ones who sow and reap
the seeds of change alive from deep within the earth
It is time now
It is time now that we thrive
It is time we lead ourselves into the well
It is time now, and what a time to be alive
In this great turning we shall learn to lead in love
In this great turning we shall learn to lead in love
REPEAT
“AWAKE MY SOUL”
~Mumford & Sons
How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes
I struggle to find any truth in your lies
And now my heart stumbles on things I don't know
My weakness I feel I must finally show
Lend me your hand and we'll conquer them all
But lend me your heart and I'll just let you fall
Lend me your eyes I can change what you see
But your soul you must keep, totally free
Har har, har har, har har, har har
Awake my soul
Awake my soul
In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die
And where you invest your love, you invest your life
In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die
And where you invest your love, you invest your life
Awake my soul
Awake my soul
Awake my soul
For you were made to meet your maker
Awake my soul
Awake my soul
Awake my soul
For you were made to meet your maker
You were made to meet your maker
Scripture Reading
Amy Lugo
John 2:13-22 (CEB)
13 It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 He found in the temple those who were selling cattle, sheep, and doves, as well as those involved in exchanging currency sitting there. 15 He made a whip from ropes and chased them all out of the temple, including the cattle and the sheep. He scattered the coins and overturned the tables of those who exchanged currency. 16 He said to the dove sellers, “Get these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a place of business.” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written, Passion for your house consumes me.
18 Then the Jewish leaders asked him, “By what authority are you doing these things? What miraculous sign will you show us?”
19 Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple and in three days I’ll raise it up.”
20 The Jewish leaders replied, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and you will raise it up in three days?” 21 But the temple Jesus was talking about was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered what he had said, and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION
Alexis Owens
TABLE AND LIVE CHAT DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Have you ever been wracked with holy anger? What was the cause and how did you use it to Mend God’s creation?
As a general rule, do you as a person identify more with the perspective of the knowledgeable Rabbis or with the holy anger of Jesus?
Do you see another perspective in this story that we didn’t discuss already? What do you think those people were thinking while all of this was happening? What would be the modern day version of that perspective?
Lenten REFLECTIONS
Allison Garcia
PERSONAL SHARING, Prayer, and Ribbon Ritual
COMMUNION
Pastor Amanda Miller Garber
Servers: Abby Dotson and Daniel Green
SONG
“We Shall Walk through the Valley”
~African American Spiritual
We shall walk through the valley of the shadow of death
We shall walk through the valley in peace
And if Jesus himself will me our leader
We shall walk through the valley in peace
There will be no sorrowing there
There will be no sorrowing there
And if Jesus himself will be our leader
We shall walk through the valley in peace
(Hums)
And if Jesus himself will be our leader
We shall walk through the valley in peace
OFFERING AND NOMOFOMO
Abby Dotson
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!
LENTEN STUDIES
Journey with Lindsay Cowett in discussing all things Lent!
Open Community Study
Tuesdays at 7 pm
Icehouse #203
February 20-March 26
College Student Study
Wednesdays at 7 pm
JMU ENGEO 1207
February 21-March 27
Sign up for either one with the button below!
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
“Crowded Table”
~The Highwomen
You can hold my hand, when you need to let go
I can be your mountain, when you’re feeling valley low
I can be your streetlight, showing you the way home
If you can hold my hand, when you need to let go
I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we’re young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done
If we want a garden, we’re gonna have to sow the seeds
Plant a little happiness, let the roots run deep
If it’s love that we give, then it’s love that we reap
If we want a garden, we’re gonna have to sow the seed
Yeah, I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we’re young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done
The door is always open
Your picture’s on my wall
Everyone’s a little broken
And everyone belongs
Yeah, Everyone belongs
I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we’re young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done
Parting Blessing
~A Franciscan Blessing of Anger
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears, to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain to joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done, to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.
Amen.