Sunday, October 6, 2024

Theme

The Hebrew people have been redeemed from Egypt, and brought to Sinai, the mountain of God. There they heard the voice of God proclaiming the Ten Commandments, the beginning of the Torah instruction and the Covenant that they will make with the LORD. They were invited onto the mountain to receive this law, but they instead send Moses alone to talk with God. But it has now been forty days since Moses went up the mountain, and they are getting nervous. Nervous about what has happened to Moses, nervous about being out in the wilderness, and nervous in following a God that they cannot see. So they decide to take things into their own hands, and make a god of their own.

We also get nervous about God’s instructions. We are quick to follow false gods when we think they can serve us better, sometimes we even create our own gods and pretend that they are God.

This week is also World Communion Sunday, when many churches across the world all celebrate the Lord’s Supper together as a way to celebrate and remember our interconnection and diversity.

Questions for Reflection:

• What are some things in your life that you can focus on more than God?
• What false gods do we have in our culture?
• What false images of God have you encountered?

Reflections:

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost/World Communion Sunday

Introit: Most of the hymns choices for this Sunday are informed by World Communion to represent the wide variety of cultyres represented within our hymnal. The introit is a paraphrase of Psalm 150 set to and Iraeli melody.

Opening Hymn: Our opening hymn, “O God of Every Nation”, is set to a Welsh folk melody, and the text ties in with World Communion Sunday as well. From the footnotes: “If we truly believe that God cares for all people, we cannot limit our prayers and songs for peace to the welfare of our own nation…”

Thanks for God’s Forgiveness: Adding a special note here to say that the Worship and Music Team has decided to recincorporate the Gloria Patri (“Glory Be to the Father”) into the service on Communion Sundays, where it will take the place of “Give Thanks”.

Transition Hymn: Our transition hymn for October will be “Know That God Is Good”, which came from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Special Music: “There Is a Balm in Gilead”, arranged by Mark Hayes; sung by Kenneth Jones

Communion Hymn: “When at This Table”

Sending Hymn: “Lord Jesus, You Shall Be My Song”, created in French, represents the ministry of a Roman Catholic community, the Little Sisters of Jesus.

Benediction: For October, “Now Go in Joy”; the lively tune, from a Carribean folk melody, is named after a parade held in many Bahamian towns on Boxing Day (JUNKANOO).