October 13, 2024
Words of greeting and Gathering
Chris Zepp
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 Prayer
~An excerpt from a concluding prayer of Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’”
All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. You embrace with your tenderness all that exists. Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty. Fill us with peace, that we may live as your children, harming no one…We thank you for being with us each day. Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace. Amen
Opening Music
Alexis Ward Owens
“You are a Gift”
~Brent Holl
*Sung to the tune of “Joy to the World”
You are a gift to all the world!
Now go and be a gift!
Spread joy and kindness everywhere
Speak peace and justice as you go
Show love to all around
Show love to all around
Show love, Show love to all around!
THEOLOGICAL Reflection
Alexis Ward Owens
“Abortion and Reproductive Rights”
SCRIPTURE READINGs
Psalm 139:11-16 (CEB)
11 If I said, “The darkness will definitely hide me;
the light will become night around me,”12 even then the darkness isn’t too dark for you!
Nighttime would shine bright as day,
because darkness is the same as light to you!13 You are the one who created my innermost parts;
you knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb.14 I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart.
Your works are wonderful—I know that very well.
15 My bones weren’t hidden from you
when I was being put together in a secret place,
when I was being woven together in the deep parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my embryo,
and on your scroll every day was written that was being formed for me,
before any one of them had yet happened.
Exodus 20:13 (ASV)
13 Thou shalt not kill.
Exodus 21:22-25(CEB)
22 When people who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that she has a miscarriage but no other injury occurs, then the guilty party will be fined what the woman’s husband demands, as negotiated with the judges. 23 If there is further injury, then you will give a life for a life, 24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, 25 a burn for a burn, a bruise for a bruise, a wound for a wound.
Numbers 5:11-28 (CEB)
A woman accused of adultery
11 The Lord spoke to Moses: 12 Speak to the Israelites and say to them: A man may suspect that his wife has had an affair[a] and has broken faith with him, 13 that a man has had intercourse with her unknown to her husband and that she has defiled herself in secret—even though there are no witnesses and she isn’t caught. 14 If jealousy overcomes him and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself, or if jealousy overcomes him and he is jealous of his wife who hasn’t defiled herself, 15 then the man will bring his wife to the priest. He will bring the offering required for her, one-tenth of an ephah[b] of barley flour. He will not pour oil on it, nor offer frankincense with it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, a grain offering for recognition in order to recognize guilt. 16 The priest will bring her close and make her stand before the Lord. 17 The priest will take holy water in a clay jar, and taking dust from the floor of the dwelling, the priest will place it in the water. 18 The priest will make the woman stand before the Lord, let the hair of the woman hang down, and place the grain offering for recognition, that is, the grain offering for jealousy, in her hands. The water of bitterness that brings the curse will be in the hands of the priest.
19 Then the priest will make her swear a solemn pledge, saying to the woman, “If no man has slept with you and if you haven’t had an affair, becoming defiled while married to your husband, then be immune from the water of bitterness that brings these curses. 20 But if you have had an affair while married to your husband, if you have defiled yourself, and a man other than your husband has had intercourse with you”— 21 then the priest must make the woman utter the curse and say to the woman, “May the Lord make you a curse and a harmful pledge among your people, when the Lord induces a miscarriage and your womb discharges. 22 And may the water that brings these curses enter your stomach and make your womb discharge and make you miscarry.” And the woman will say, “I agree, I agree.”
23 The priest will write these curses in the scroll and wipe them off into the water of bitterness. 24 Then he will make the woman drink the water of bitterness that brings the curse. And the water that brings the curse will enter her, causing bitterness. 25 The priest will take the grain offering for jealousy from the woman’s hands, elevate the grain offering before the Lord, and bring it to the altar. 26 The priest will take a handful of the grain offering as a token part of it and turn it into smoke on the altar. And afterward he will make the woman drink the water. 27 When he has made her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and has broken faith with her husband, then the water that brings the curse will enter her, causing bitterness, and her womb will discharge and she will miscarry. The woman will be a curse among her people. 28 But if the woman hasn’t defiled herself and she is pure, then she will be immune and able to conceive.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What do you think our scripture is trying to tell us in the Psalm 139 and Exodus 20 passages?
What about in the Exodus 21 and Numbers passages?
Do you think both sides of the coin can be true to a certain extent? Meaning, can a fetus be considered a person while also valuing the life of the pregnant person? If so, how?
At the end of the day, the thing we need to remember is that every pregnant person is a human trying to do the best that they can. What do you think our calling is as Christians when interacting with and supporting pregnant persons, those who have lost children, and those who for one reason or another have chosen to terminate a pregnancy?
Where is God in all of this? (It’s a basic, wide-open question, but also the most essential theological question we can ask!)
Song
“it is well with my soul”
When peace like a river, attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
Chorus: It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood for my soul
Chorus: It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o my soul!
Chorus: It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul
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!
Craft ‘n’ Chat
6-8 pm Tuesday Evenings
James Madison University
Gabbin Hall, Room 0204
Join RISE on campus for evenings of crafting together and conversation about life and maintaining balance in a chaotic world. Feel free to bring any projects you’re already working on, but craft supplies will also be provided!
Contact Alexis or Sheridan for more info and/or directions.
The Sitting
(With an Issue)
6-8 pm Wednesday Nights
Brothers Craft Brewing
October 2 - November 6
It’s been great joining many of you over the past few months at The Sitting for open-ended conversation and company. But we’ve decided to get a bit more intentional about bringing some timely and topical conversation to our Sittings. For the next six weeks, we will take the opportunity on Wednesday nights to continue the conversations we will begin at worship on Sunday mornings by taking an even deeper dive into the issues that concern ourselves, our country, and our world during this election season. How do we live as people of faith in these trying times? And how do we think about the issue and concerns that divide us and our neighbors? Let’s talk about it and try to figure it out together!
During this election season, it is hard to find a safe place to talk about the prevalent issues in our country. We hope RISE can provide a safe place for judgment-free and pressure-free discussion about issues that affect us all. ❤️ Please come with an open heart and open mind!
Movie and Discussion
Sunday, October 20
3-6 pm
Zepp Home
"Bad Faith" is a feature-length documentary that explores the dangerous rise of Christian Nationalism in the United States. Part archival chronicle, part exposé, the film reveals the secretive political machinery that has relentlessly sought to weaken and destroy American democracy in order to promote an authoritarian vision.
Together we’ll watch the movie, then take some time to process and discuss the ideas it raises. Bring a snack & drink or just yourself and join us! DM us or contact Chris Zepp (worship@riseharrisonburg.com) for address, directions, or more info.
RISE GROUP OPTIONS SURVEY
We are actively considering planning some group options for the next several months at RISE and are seeking community input so that we can try to offer programming that best meets your needs & desires at the most accessible time(s). Please take a few moments to complete our short "Group Options Survey" at the link below to let us know what you are looking for!
Your source of information for all things RISE! Check out the latest edition if you haven’t already! Its packed with info on all our events this summer, staffing updates, etc.
closing SONG
“The COmmon Good”
~Chris Zepp
In this world where strife and hatred cause division with our friends
It is hard to find a vision that unites instead of rends
Politicians stoke division, talking heads just make it worse
So-called leaders chase poll numbers, taking care of their own purse
We declare that women's bodies are within our own control
Perhaps we should see the people, weeping mothers to console
Folks are grieving, we’ve been deceiving, perhaps we are the true Frauds
Pregnant people and the babies, all created by our God
But the church should be much different — for each other we should live
Looking not to our own interests, but instead to what we give
Can we take our love and caring into public, witness bear?
The Golden Rule we preach on Sunday, our world needs us all to share
We are called to love our neighbors even when we disagree
Work for justice, and for mercy — turn the “me” into a “we”
Then together we shall flourish, treating each as if our own
The common good shall be our calling — faith-filled values be made known
Parting Blessing
The month of October is Pregnancy loss awareness month. In Honor of all of the grieving parents who have lost their children we pray,
Almighty God, I pray today for those whose eyes have grown weak with sorrow, whose soul and body are weighed down by grief, and whose strength may be failing. Pour out your mercy upon them. Let your face shine upon them and save them in your unfailing love and empower them to trust in you. It’s in your holy name we pray, Amen.
REMEMBER - YOU ARE A GIFT!
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