November 3, 2024
“Politics, though often denigrated, remains a lofty vocation and one of the highest forms of charity,
inasmuch as it seeks the common good.”
~Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium #205
“The law of love excludes no one, but requires a choice from everyone.”
~Wendell Berry
BRUNCH!
Words of greeting and Gathering
Alexis Ward 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 Prayer
Opening Music
Brent Holl
“Sweet, Sweet Spirit”
~Dorothy Akers
There's a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place,
And I know that it's the Spirit of the Lord;
There are sweet expressions on each face,
And I know they feel the presence of the Lord.
Sweet Holy Spirit, Sweet heavenly Dove,
Stay right here with us, filling us with Your love.
And for these blessings we lift our hearts in praise;
Without a doubt we'll know that we have been revived,
When we shall leave this place.
There are blessings you cannot receive
Till you know Him in His fullness and believe;
You're the one to profit when you say,
"I am going to walk with Jesus all the way."
Sweet Holy Spirit, Sweet heavenly Dove,
Stay right here with us, filling us with Your love.
And for these blessings we lift our hearts in praise;
Without a doubt we'll know that we have been revived,
When we shall leave this place.
If you say He saved you from your sin,
Now you're weak, you're bound and cannot enter in,
You can make it right if you will yield,
You'll enjoy the Holy Spirit that we feel.
Sweet Holy Spirit, Sweet heavenly Dove,
Stay right here with us, filling us with Your love.
And for these blessings we lift our hearts in praise;
Without a doubt we'll know that we have been revived,
When we shall leave this place.
“The Great Storm is Over”
~Bob Franke
The thunder and lightning gave voice to the night,
The little lame child cried aloud in her fright,
Hush little baby, a story I'll tell,
Of a love that has conquered the powers hell.
Alleluia, the great storm is over,
Lift up your wings and fly!
Alleluia, the great storm is over,
Lift up your wings and fly!
Sweetness in the air and justice on the wind
Laughter in the house where the mourners have been
The deaf shall have music, the blind have new eyes
The standards of death taken down by surprise.
Alleluia, the great storm is over,
Lift up your wings and fly!
Alleluia, the great storm is over,
Lift up your wings and fly!
Release for the captives, an end to the wars
New streams in the desert, new hope for the poor,
The little lame children will dance as they sing,
And play with the bears and the lions in spring.
Alleluia, the great storm is over,
Lift up your wings and fly!
Alleluia, the great storm is over,
Lift up your wings and fly!
Hush little baby, let go of your fear,
The lord loves his own and your mother is here,
The child fell asleep as the lantern did burn,
The mother sang on 'til her bridegroom's return.
Alleluia, the great storm is over,
Lift up your wings and fly!
Alleluia, the great storm is over,
Lift up your wings and fly!
SCRIPTURE READINGs
Romans 13:1-7 (The Message)
1-3 Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it’s God’s order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you’re irresponsible to the state, then you’re irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible. Duly constituted authorities are only a threat if you’re trying to get by with something. Decent citizens should have nothing to fear.
3-5 Do you want to be on good terms with the government? Be a responsible citizen and you’ll get on just fine, the government working to your advantage. But if you’re breaking the rules right and left, watch out. The police aren’t there just to be admired in their uniforms. God also has an interest in keeping order, and he uses them to do it. That’s why you must live responsibly—not just to avoid punishment but also because it’s the right way to live.
6-7 That’s also why you pay taxes—so that an orderly way of life can be maintained. Fulfill your obligations as a citizen. Pay your taxes, pay your bills, respect your leaders.
Psalm 146 (CEB)
1 Praise the Lord!
Let my whole being praise the Lord!
2 I will praise the Lord with all my life;
I will sing praises to my God as long as I live.3 Don’t trust leaders;
don’t trust any human beings—
there’s no saving help with them!
4 Their breath leaves them,
then they go back to the ground.
On that very same day, their plans die too.5 The person whose help is the God of Jacob—
the person whose hope rests on the Lord their God—
is truly happy!
6 God: the maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
God: who is faithful forever,
7 who gives justice to people who are oppressed,
who gives bread to people who are starving!
The Lord: who frees prisoners.
8 The Lord: who makes the blind see.
The Lord: who straightens up those who are bent low.
The Lord: who loves the righteous.
9 The Lord: who protects immigrants,
who helps orphans and widows,
but who makes the way of the wicked twist and turn!10 The Lord will rule forever!
Zion, your God will rule from one generation to the next!Praise the Lord!
Habakkuk 1:1-5 (The Message)
1-5 The problem as God gave Habakkuk to see it:
[Habakkuk says]
God, how long do I have to cry out for help
before you listen?
How many times do I have to yell, “Help! Murder! Police!”
before you come to the rescue?
Why do you force me to look at evil,
stare trouble in the face day after day?
Anarchy and violence break out,
quarrels and fights all over the place.
Law and order fall to pieces.
Justice is a joke.
The wicked have the righteous hamstrung
and stand justice on its head.
God Says, “Look!”
“Look around at the godless nations.
Look long and hard. Brace yourself for a shock.
Something’s about to take place
and you’re going to find it hard to believe…
Habakkuk 2:1-4 (NRSV)
(God’s Reply to the Prophet’s Complaint)
1 [Habakkuk says]
I will stand at my watchpost,
and station myself on the rampart;
I will keep watch to see what he will say to me,
and what he will answer concerning my complaint.
2 Then the Lord answered me and said:
Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so that a runner may read it.
3 For there is still a vision for the appointed time;
it speaks of the end, and does not lie.
If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
it will surely come, it will not delay.
4 Look at the proud!
Their spirit is not right in them,
but the righteous live by their faith.
THEOLOGICAL Reflection
Chris Zepp
“Come What May”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What is your level of anxiety / hopefulness related to the upcoming election? How are you holding these feelings? Who are you surrounding yourself with to help process? What will you be doing Tuesday night / Wednesday morning as you anticipate the results of the election? How will you keep perspective, no matter the results?
As people of faith, what are we called to do once the election is decided? Does our calling change depending on who is or is not elected?
Regardless of outcome, a significant number of our fellow neighbors, citizens, and Christians will be disappointed and distressed. How do we build bridges with our not-like-minded neighbors and work for the common good after the divisiveness and vitriol of this election cycle?
Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (Prayer for Peace)
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
Song
“LEST WE FORGET”
~Michael Stern
Lest we forget in our striving to win
Where we are going and where we have been
Remember the dawn and the glorious sunset
Remember lest we forget
Lest we forget as we struggle in love
The gift of each other is a gift from above
As we forgive others, forgive our debt
Remember lest we forget
Lest we forget or if we should get lost
The things we can hold to whatever the cost
Creator, Redeemer will be with us yet
Remember lest we forget
Lest we forget to see God in each face
For in serving each other, receive wondrous grace
Through peace, justice, mercy we’ll never regret
Remember lest we forget
Through peace, justice, mercy we’ll never regret
Remember lest we forget
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!
GaME Night
Friday, November 15
6 pm
Zepp Home
Bring a friend, your favorite game(s), and any food/sharing snacks as you wish and join us for a night of fun! Sodas, seltzers, and coffee/tea/hot chocolate will be provided, but you are welcome to bring something of your choosing as well.
DM us or contact Chris Zepp (worship@riseharrisonburg.com) for address, directions, or more info.
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THEME SONG (One Last Time!)
“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
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
Politics cause us to worry, what will happen in the end
It is tempting to believe that all depends on who will win
Yes the outcome can determine whether justice will be done
But no matter who’s elected, we still live by faith alone
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 Christian Voter’s Guide”
~Brian Zahnd
1. The political process, while necessary, has little to do with how God is saving the world.
2. The fate of the kingdom of God does not depend upon political contests.
3. Don’t be naïve, political parties are more interested in Christian votes than they are in Christian values.
4. The bottom line for political parties is power. The bottom line for a Christian is love. And therein lies the rub.
5. While in pursuit of the Ring of Power, you are not permitted to abandon the Sermon on the Mount.
6. If your political passion makes it hard for you to love your neighbor as yourself, you need to turn it down a notch.
7. Your task is to bring the salt of Christian civility to an ugly and acrimonious political process.
8. To dismember the body of Christ over politics is a grievous sin.
9. Exercise your liberty to vote your conscience and conviction, while accepting that other Christians will do the same and vote differently than you.
10. It’s more important that your soul be filled with love than it is for your political team to win the game.
Parting SONG
“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
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
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
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
REMEMBER - YOU ARE A GIFT!
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