August 29, 2021
Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for the live stream on August 29th (in the order they are needed).
Eternal Anchor
eternal wisdom, eternal grace
is there a creature you have not named
and known in greater depth
than the cells of which its made
and bound up in a love not even
death could separate
eternal anchor, eternal grace
wrapped in light like eternal flame
would you incinerate the thorns
stabbing in my brain
and with a word obliterate
the cycles I retrace
would you raise a staff, split the sea
and graft my withered branch into your family tree
and come to my defense if my brother called it cheap
as if my every breath someone else had planned to breathe
eternal anchor, eternal love
is there a distance you would not run
with glory gathered up, kicking up the dust
to close the gap I made to try my luck
would you raise a glass, call a feast
and grace my withered hand with your family ring
and as I search for words to try to explain
would they be drowned out with your redemption parade
and as the forests claps their hands, mountains stomp their feet,
would 1000 trumpets roar as trampled voices sing
and would I be caught up in that embodied melody
of the all-creation misfit family band of everything?
will all that was lost yet be found?
will all that was lost yet be found?
Name beyond all naming, Love beyond all framing
will all that was lost yet be found?
Call to Worship
we have gathered to worship
the Living God
the Eternal One in whom we live
and move and have our being
to enter the story of God
and find our own stories reimagined
that the Spirit might transform our hearts and minds
teaching us to love God
and love our neighbor
in the way of Christ
Amen
Fall Afresh
awaken, my soul, come awake
to hunger, to seek, to thirst
awaken, first love, come awake
and do as you did at first
spirit of the living god
come fall afresh on me
come wake me from my sleep
blow through the caverns of my soul
pour in me to overflow
awaken, my soul, come awake
though broken, spread thin, and worn
awaken, true hope, come awake
and transform these hearts of stone
spirit of the living god
come fall afresh on me
come wake me from my sleep
blow through the caverns of my soul
pour in me to overflow
spirit come and fill this place
let your glory now invade
spirit of the living god
come fall afresh on me
come wake me from my sleep
blow through the caverns of my soul
pour in me to overflow
Pulse
there’s a secret pulse hidden in
the fabric of creation
and the story of every creature is
bone from dust//gift from Gift
reconnect our hearts to that pulse you hid
resurrect the peace we’ve unlearned
and in the wreckage of our selective loves
build a tow’r that can’t be hidd’n
there’s a remedy for the ache
that plagues us all in waves
and the cure for our other-scorning rage
is break my bread, i’ll break your shame
reconnect our hearts to that pulse you hid
resurrect the peace we’ve unlearned
and in the wreckage of our selective loves
build a tow’r and lock us in
until we find there’s only one kind
of love that won’t break
more than blind, more than selfless in name
it’s open arms either way
’cause there’s a pulse at the heart of all things
that gives life all the same
and a design to the rhythm we breathe:
Holy Name//Give and Take
The Window (by Leonard Cohen)
why do you stand by the window
abandoned to beauty and pride
the thorn of the night in your bosom
the spear of the age in your side
lost in the rages of fragrance
lost in the rags of remorse
lost in the waves of a sickness
that loosens the high silver nerves
o chosen love, o frozen love
o tangle of matter and ghost
o darling of angels, demons, and saints
and the whole broken hearted host
gentle, this soul
come forth from the cloud of unknowing
and kiss the cheek of the moon
the new Jerusalem glowing
why tarry all night in the ruin
and leave no word of discomfort
leave no observer to mourn
but climb on your tears and be silent
like a rose on its ladder of thorns
o chosen love, o frozen love
o tangle of matter and ghost
o darling of angels, demons, and saints
and the whole broken hearted host
gentle, this soul
then lay your rose on the fire
the fire give up to the sun
the sun give over to splendor
in the arms of the high holy one
for the holy one dreams of a letter
dreams of a letter’s death
o bless thee, continuous stutter
of the word being made into flesh
o chosen love, o frozen love
o tangle of matter and ghost
o darling of angels, demons, and saints
and the whole broken hearted host
gentle, this soul
Old Testament Reading
Today’s Old Testament reading, and Josh’s sermon text, is Song of Solomon 2:8-13:
The voice of my beloved!
Look, he comes,
leaping upon the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
My beloved is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Look, there he stands
behind our wall,
gazing in at the windows,
looking through the lattice.
My beloved speaks and says to me:
"Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away;
for now the winter is past,
the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away."
New Testament Reading
Today’s New Testament reading is Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23:
When the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.’
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”
Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.” For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
Giving
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Wild One
overwhelming, you cannot be contained
in leather bindings, the turn of a word or phrase
overwhelming, these idols that you break
crumbling to the ground in place
you were running with iconoclast strides
god, you’re wilder than we ever thought you would be
though we try, we can’t pin you down
you’re a wild one
and you’re greater
disconcerting, these figures that we form
we want more money, we want a higher bar
disconcerting, these idols that we carve
controlling like the wind to a sail
you were running with iconoclast strides
god, you’re wilder than we ever thought you would be
though we try, we can’t pin you down
you’re a wild one
and you’re greater
unbound, you’re overwhelming
we built you a house but you keep moving
maker, you’re not done making
we gave you seven days, but you’re still forming
so form these broken bodies into gold
a greater love with a lighter load
tear these temples down, stone from stone
crashing to the ground like broken chains
you were running with iconoclast strides
god, you’re wilder than we ever thought you would be
though we try, we can’t pin you down
you’re a wild one
and you’re greater
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise God, all creatures here below
Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Timeless, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen.
Benediction
As we approach this week
May we love God
Embrace Beauty
and Live Life to the fullest
Amen