17th Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 19

Call to Worship

    Today we sabbath, we take rest in the Lord our God.
    We put aside productivity to wonder and worship.
    Today we sabbath, to do a different kind of work.
    We have gathered to do liturgy, the work of the people.
    Today we sabbath, for the world does not revolve around us.
    We revolve around God and God’s goodness and grace.
    Come, let us worship God!

Prayer of the Day

    God of Creation,                                                                                                                        Ps. 19
    all of the world proclaims your praise,
    from the highest heavens to the deepest recesses of the sea.
    Make our voices true and faithful
    as we join the voices of all of creation to sing your praise.  Amen.

Call to Confession

    Friends, let us confess the ways that we have failed to live up to God’s bountiful invitation.

Confession

    God of Mercy and Steadfast Love,                                                                                     Jas. 3:1-12
    You gave us our tongues that we may speaks words of love, wisdom, and grace.
    But often our tongues are the vehicles of other things:
    instead of love, hatred,
    instead of wisdom, foolishness,
    instead of grace, rage.
    Like a small fire that sets a forrest ablaze,
    too often a word can set forth a flood of fear and anger.
    Help us use our tongues to start other things:
    kindness, compassion, and courage.
    In the name of your son, Jesus Christ, we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

    We love the Lord because God has heard our voice and our supplication.                   Ps. 116:1
    In the name of Jesus Christ, I announce to you this day: our sins are forgiven!
    Alleluia!  Amen.

Prayer for Illumination

    Holy Spirit,
    stir our hearts to be moved by your Word,
    that we might leave this place
    with your wisdom implanted within us.  Amen.

Prayers of the People

    Let us pray to God saying:
    Holy and Merciful God, hear our prayer.

    Today is a Sunday that many Presbyterian Churches
    celebrate and support places of theological education.
    We give thanks for the 10 seminaries of our denomination including:
    Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary,
    Columbia Theological Seminary,
    University of Dubuque Theological Seminary,
    Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary,
    McCormick Theological Seminary,
    Pittsburgh Theological Seminary,
    Princeton Theological Seminary,
    San Francisco Theological Seminary,
    Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary,
    and Union Theological Seminary.
    We give thanks for the two other seminaries
    in covenant relationship with our denomination:
    Auburn Theological Seminary and Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico.
    We also pray for our local seminaries, including:
    Lexington Theological Seminary and Asbury Theological Seminary
    May these places continue to teach faithfully the future leaders
    of our faith families here and abroad.
    Holy and Merciful God, hear our prayer.

    Gracious God,
    today’s scripture reminds us that words matter                                                                Jas. 3:1-12
    and that the way we choose our words
    holds within it the capacity to either harm or heal, to wound or welcome.
    In this time when words are tossed around so casually,
    may our words be used to build up the Body of Christ
    and share love and compassion in a broken and battered world.
    Holy and Merciful God, hear our prayer.

    Healing God,
    we pray for those who have been hurt by words of late:
    for refugees and immigrants with or without documentation,
    for women and girls who have endured words of sexism,
    for people of color who hear words of racism,
    for people with disabilities who are told they are “less than,”
    for elderly people who are told they are useless,
    for young adults who are told they are entitled, selfish, and irresponsible.
    God of the Living Word, help us speak the truth in love
    and to care for one another with the words we choose to speak.
    Holy and Merciful God, hear our prayer.

    God of Healing and Wholeness,
    we lift up to you our words of prayer    
    for the people near and dear to our hearts
    as we lift them up silently before you…
    Holy and Merciful God, hear our prayer.

    Triune God,
    we love you for you hear our voice and our supplications.
    We lift these prayers to your ears
    along with the prayer you taught us to pray, saying:   Our Father…

 

Comment

Stephen Fearing

Stephen was born in 1988 in Cookeville, TN, where his parents met whilst attending Tennessee Tech. Shortly after, they moved to Dalton, Georgia where they put down roots and joined First Presbyterian Church, the faith family that taught Stephen that he was first and foremost a beloved child of God. It was this community that taught Stephen that it was OK to have questions and doubts and that nothing he could do could every possibly separate him from the love of God. In 1995, his sister, Sarah Kate, joined the family and Stephen began his journey as a life-long musician. Since then, he has found a love of music and has found this gift particularly fitting for his call to ministry. Among the instruments that he enjoys are piano, trumpet, guitar, and handbells. Stephen has always had a love of singing and congregation song. An avid member of the marching band, Stephen was the drum major of his high school's marching band. In 2006, Stephen began his tenure at Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where he majored in Religion and minored in History. While attending PC, Stephen continued to explore his love of music by participating in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Jazz Combo, Jazz Trio, as well as playing in the PC Handbell ensemble and playing mandolin and banjo PC's very own bluegrass/rock group, Hosegrass, of which Stephen was a founding member (Hosegrass even released their own CD!). In 2010, Stephen moved from Clinton to Atlanta to attend Columbia Theological Seminary to pursue God's call on his life to be a pastor in the PC(USA). During this time, Stephen worked at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Silver Creek Presbyterian Church, Central Presbyterian Church, and Westminster Presbyterian Church. For three years, Stephen served as the Choir Director of Columbia Theological Seminary's choir and also served as the Interim Music Director at Westminster Presbyterian Church. In 2014, Stephen graduated from Columbia with a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Arts in Practical Theology with an emphasis in liturgy, music, and worship. In July of 2014, Stephen was installed an ordained as Teaching Elder at Shelter Island Presbyterian Church in Shelter Island, NY. Later that year, Stephen married the love of his life, Tricia, and they share their home on Shelter Island with their Golden Doodle, Elsie, and their calico cat, Audrey. In addition to his work with the people who are Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, Stephen currently serves as a commission from Long Island Presbytery to the Synod of the Northeast and, beginning in January of 2016, will moderate the Synod's missions team.