March 19, 2023

WORDS OF Greeting and NomoFomo

Alexis Owens

  • Harrisonburg Chocolate Walk - Friday, April 7, 4 - 7:30 pm
    “The Sweetest Event in Harrisonburg" returns for its TENTH year in action! If you like chocolate and supporting local nonprofits, then this is the event for you! It doesn’t get much easier to support a cause you care about than by feasting on chocolate treats and enjoying a leisurely stroll around downtown Harrisonburg. Participants follow a map, which guides them through downtown as they stop at participating stores, restaurants, businesses, and offices along the walk's route and sample a wide variety of handcrafted chocolates prepared by the area's best chefs, bakers, and the Collins Center's confectionary-minded supporters. All proceeds support the work of the Collins Center & Child Advocacy Center to promote healing to all affected by sexual harm in our community.

    • Volunteers are needed during the event in two shifts! The first one will run from 3:30-5:45pm and the second one will run from 5:45pm-8:00pm. Most of the time on these shifts would entail helping distribute chocolates at participating host sites nearby, with some help setting up/cleaning up at the event's beginning and end. If you are interested in the possibility of volunteering, please fill out the short form HERE to let the event organizers know. Contact Abby B-C if you have any questions!

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • A New Season at RISE
    Those of you who are on the RISE E-mail list received an e-mail last week highlighting some of the transitions that are happening at RISE. (If you have not yet seen that letter you can view it HERE.) Leadership Team would like to know what questions and feedback you have after reading it. To submit your questions, thoughts, and comments, please complete this FEEDBACK FORM. Leadership team will be reviewing the submissions received, responding as necessary, and compiling a FAQ document as appropriate.

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.

*Read more about “Why Pronouns Matter” HERE.

Opening SONG

Brent Holl

“Welcome Table”

You’ve got a place at the welcome table
You’ve got a place at the welcome table,
Some of these days, Hallelujah!
You’ve got a place at the welcome table
You’ve got a place at the welcome table
Some of these days

We’re gonna feast on milk and honey…

We’ll give thanks at the welcome table…

We’ll come home to the welcome table..

I’m goin’ down to the river of Jordan..

I’m gonna sit down with my Jesus..

I’m gonna sing in the heavenly choir…

I’m gonna eat at the welcome table…

Hit Pause for a Moment

Amanda Zepp

SONG

Brent Holl

“Come, thou fount (Nettleton)”

Come, thou fount of ev’ry blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace.
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it, mount of God’s unchanging love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I'm come,
and I hope, by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger, wand'ring from the fold of God.
He to rescue me from danger, interposed his precious blood.

Oh, to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter, bind my wand'ring heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above!

THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION

Sam Hall
Chris Zepp

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS OR TEXT THEM TO 833-803-0868!

  • This week we’re exploring the concept of “salvation.” How do you define and understand that word? What ideas and/or experiences come to mind?

  • Some in the church like to talk about “salvation” using language of being “saved”. Does that language resonate with you and your faith experience? Why or why not?

  • How have you seen or experienced the language of salvation and being saved cause harm?

  • Our scripture today includes some of the best known words of scripture. Try to her it with fresh ears!

John 3:1-17 (NRSVue)

1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with that person.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

11 “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen, yet you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.

  • What resonated with you from this story? In other words, what sticks out?

  • Why do you think Nicodemus came to Jesus by night? Do you sympathize with his felt need to do that?

  • How does this story play into the harmful ways that we have experienced the concept of salvation? In what ways does it challenge them?

  • The idea of “eternal life” is prominent in this scripture, and in the current landscape of our faith? How do you understand this idea? Is Jesus talking about heaven here or something else?

  • Where is the good news in this scripture? How can we reclaim this good news in such a way that we do no harm?

SHARE YOUR QUESTIONS OR TEXT THEM TO 833-803-0868

Prayer

Abby Butler-Cefalo

FINAL SONG

Brent Holl

“Love as I have Loved You”

~Michael Stern

Love as I have loved you
Love, love
Like the moon and stars above you
Love, love, love

Your vine will branch and flower
Love, love
When love displays its power it will be given
Love, love, love

Ask, it will be given
Love, love
Forgive and be forgiven
Love, love, love

Love as I have loved you
Love, love
Like the moon and stars above you
Love, love, love

FINAL BLESSING

Alexis Owens

An Irish Blessing

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
The rains fall soft upon your fields
and until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.