Community Church

of the
Monterey Peninsula

Independent & United Church of Christ

Order OF Worship​​ 

February 2, 2020

10:00 a.m.

Nursery care available​​ 

and children’s activities

Welcome to Community Church!

We’re glad you have chosen to worship with us this​​ morning.

No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here!

Prelude

Welcome​​ 

(An asterisk (*) indicates when the congregation may stand) ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (If you are new to​​ CCMP​​ share your name/address with us in​​ register​​ in the​​ pew.)

As We Gather….. ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (Julian of Norwich, 1342-c.1413)

Every sorrow and desolation He saw,

and sorrowed in kinship.

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (Denise Levertov, Contemporary)

On a Theme from Julian’s Chapter XX

Six hours outstretched in the sun, yes,​​ 

hot wood, the nails, blood trickling

into the eyes, yes –

but the thieves on their neighbor crosses

survived till after the soldiers

had come to fracture their legs, or longer.

Why single out this agony? ​​ What’s

a mere six hours?

Torture then, torture now,

the same, the pain’s the same,

immemorial branding iron,

electric prod.

Hasn’t a child

dazed in the hospital ward they reserve

for the most abused, known worse?

This air we’re breathing,

these very clouds, ephemeral billows

languid upon the sky’s

moody ocean, we share

with women and men who’ve held out

days and weeks on the rack –

and in the ancient dust of the world what particles

of the long tormented,

what ashes.

But Julian’s lucid spirit leapt

to the difference:

perceived why no awe could measure

that brief day’s endless length,

why among all the tortured

One only is “King of Grief.”

The oneing, she saw, the oneing

with the Godhead opened Him utterly

to the pain of all minds, all bodies​​ 

--sands of the sea, of the desert –

from first beginning

to last day. ​​ The great wonder is

that the human cells of His flesh and bone

didn’t explode​​ 

when utmost Imagination rose

in that flood of knowledge. Unique

in agony, Infinite strength, Incarnate,

empowered Him to endure

inside of history,

through those hours when He took to Himself

the sum total of anguish and drank

even the lees of that cup:

within the mesh of the web, Himself

woven within it, yet seeing it,

seeing it whole. Every sorrow and desolation

He saw, and sorrowed in kinship.

Congregational Greeting

This is an opportunity to greet those in front and back of you and on either side of you.

Choral Call to Worship ​​​​ “Lean Into The World” ​​ Laurence Cole

Call to Worship ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (Janet Morley, Contemporary)

Leader: ​​   Spirit of comfort and longing,

People:  enfold my fear,

Leader:  unclothe me of my pride,

People:  unweave my thoughts,

Leader:  uncomplicated my heart,

People:  and give me surrender:

Leader:  that I may tell my wounds,

People:  lay down my work,

Leader:  and wait to follow you.

*Opening​​ Hymn​​ “Come. Come, Whoever You Are”​​ 

Sing three times:

Come, come, whoever you are

wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving.

Ours is no caravan of despair.

Come, yet again, come.

Morning Prayers

Unison Prayer   ​​​​ (Angela Ashwin, Contemporary)

When I feel threatened

or believe myself to be a failure,

give me courage to enter my still center,

the place of buried treasure

and sunshine

and solitude,

where you are, Lord,

and where it no longer matters

who approves of me

or how successful I am

because you are there,

and, in your presence,

I rediscover the confidence

to be me.  ​​ ​​​​ 

Amen.

Shared Silence

Please meditate using the​​ phrase most appropriate for you, or another phrase of your own choosing.

Abba, I belong to you. ​​​​ Abba, I trust you.

Loving God, I belong to you. ​​​​ Loving God, I trust you.

Pastoral Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer​​ (Unison)

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. ​​ Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. ​​ Give us this day our daily bread. ​​ And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. ​​ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: ​​ for thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. ​​ Amen.

The Joyful Feast of Communion

Table Setting Song  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ “We Come To Your Feast”  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Choir

Invitation

Jesus said: I am the bread of life. ​​ You who come to me shall not hunger; you who believe in me shall never thirst. ​​ In company with all who hunger for spiritual food, we come to know the risen Christ in the sharing of this life-giving bread.

Litany of Thanks

 Leader: God be with you,

 People: And also with you.

 Leader: Lift up your hearts;

 People: We lift them to God.

 Leader: Let us give thanks to God.

 People: It is right to give God thanks and​​     praise.

Communion Prayer

With great joy, O God, we give you thanks for this bread wherein are gathered all the times when you have given us our daily bread. ​​ Again we are hungry, in body and soul, and earnestly desire that you feed us. ​​​​ As our bodies are strengthened by this bread, so may our inner selves be​​ nourished by the risen Christ who comes to us in this earthly sign, and in whose name we pray. ​​​​ By your Holy Spirit be present as we eat this bread.

We give you thanks, O God for this cup of blessing. ​​ Here we remember our spiritual thirst, and the over-flowing abundance of wine that you​​ provide. ​​​​ By your Holy Spirit be present as we drink from this cup. ​​​​ As our bodies are refreshed by the fruit of the vine, so may our spirits be replenished by the very life of Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. ​​ Amen.

Words of Institution

We remember that on the night before he died, while at supper with his friends, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to them saying, “This is my body, broken for you. ​​ Go on doing this to recall my presence with you. ​​ Then he took the cup. ​​ He said the blessing, passed it to his friends and said, “Whenever you drink this, remember me and the blessing of our covenant with one another.”​​  ​​​​ So he lets his presence be experienced among us, and we sense and share his undying life.

Sharing The Bread And Cup​​ 

Communion Song ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ “Eat This Bread”

Scripture:  Genesis 12:1-2; 15:1-11, 17-18

12 Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.​​ 2I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.​​ 

15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’​​ 2But Abram said, ‘O Lord God,​​ what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’​​ 3And Abram said, ‘You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.’​​ 4But the word of the Lord came to him, ‘This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.’​​ 5He brought him outside and said, ‘Look towards heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’​​ 6And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.​​ 

7 ​​ Then he said to him, ‘I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.’​​ 8But he said, ‘O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’​​ 9He said to him, ‘Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.’​​ 10He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.​​ 11And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.​​ 

17 ​​ When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire-pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.​​ 18On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,​​ 

Sermon: THE LEAST KNOWN “MOUNT EVEREST”​​ 

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ TEXT IN THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Pastor Paul Wrightman

Hymn​​ 439  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”

Invitation to Giving

Freely you have received,​​ freely give,

remembering the words​​ the Lord Jesus himself said:

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Offertory    

*Doxology

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow;

Praise God all creatures here below.

Praise God above all heavenly host.

Creator, Christ and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Unison Prayer   ​​ ​​​​ (Ulrich Schaffer, Contemporary)

Loving God,

You meet me in gentleness.

You come close.

You take my coldness

and warm me from the inside.

As my cold heart melts, Loving God,

let your streams flow through me

that I may play my part

in the renewing of the earth.  ​​ ​​​​ Amen.

Announcements      ​​​​ Pastor Paul

*Closing​​ Hymn​​ 327  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ “Jesus Loves Me” ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Vs. 1

*Benediction

Closing Hymn (cont.) ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ “Jesus Loves Me” ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Vs.​​ 2,3

Postlude

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THANK YOU TO OUR READER​​ Jane Heider.

ENGAGING THE BIBLE: ​​ We meet Wednesdays 1:15-2:15. ​​ Join us in the Library!

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE CLASS:​​ meets for dinner at 5:30 (optional) with class 6:00 p.m. ​​ 

HEALING PRAYER GROUP: ​​ Joanne Anderson welcomes those interested to meet in the Broaddus room after the worship service. ​​ Prayer requests are welcomed.

FRIDAY MORNING WOMEN’S SUPPORT & FAITH-SHARING GROUP:​​ The group meetings are 10:30 am Fridays in our church library  ​​​​ We are reading​​ Gone With​​ the Wind​​ by Margaret Mitchell,, who was awarded the National Book Award for most distinguished novel in 1936 and the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1937. ​​ Feel free to drop in, read along with us on your own, knit, bring a snack, bring a neighbor, talk, be silent, etc. ​​ All sharing is confidential & voluntary. Rev. Elizabeth Wrightman.

FELLOWSHIP NEEDS YOUR HELP! ​​ Those of you who wish to be part of the Fellowship team contact Cindi Daniel or Peter Sewald. ​​ We can use help with setting up and cleaning up on Sundays and for potlucks ​​ and special events. ​​ Treats are welcome for coffee hour!!!

OUR MISSION OUTREACH

OUR MISSION​​ OUTREACH

(I-HELP) FOR MEN:​​ We collect clothing and toiletries for the men. ​​ Monthly dinners are the 2nd Weds.  ​​​​ (We offer shelter one or more additional times each month.) ​​ Sign up in Woodhull Hall. ​​ Call Dolores Joblon for info.​​ 

I-HELP FOR WOMEN​​ could use help from our congregation!  A week before the dinner (which is held the 3rd​​ Tuesday of the month), Kim Swan-Sosky sends out an email with items needed for the meal. If you would like to be included on the email to help when you can with ​​ dinner, please contact Kim Swan-Sosky 831-402-9014; ​​ kswan@mbayaq.org )

THE TOWEL TEAM MINISTRY:  We provide bath towels for showers at Dorothy’s and Sun Street Center in Salinas.  We need hand towels for the I-HELP programs.  ​​ Clean towels may be left in the office.

SUN STREET CENTER/SALINAS  is a service for education, prevention & recovery of alcohol addiction and drug abuse in men. ​​ We provide bedding and toiletries.

FOOD BANK: ​​​​ St. Mary’s Food Pantry, needs non-perishable foodstuff. Leave in food basket in narthex. ​​ Thank you Peggy and Larry Kuck for transporting the food to the Food Pantry at St. Mary’s Church in PG.

CLOTHING CLOSET AT DOROTHY’S PLACE:​​ Clothing and​​ toiletry​​ items may be left in the church office. ​​ 

Clothing for the closet is sorted and sized Mondays 10-12 and taken to Dorothy’s on Saturdays between ​​ 9-12. ​​ Thank you to Kathy Curless for her continued support. ​​ Call Carolyn Gray for info.​​ 

ONE STARFISH SAFE PARKING: ​​​​ Parking in our church lot is available to homeless persons registered in the program and are supervised by Starfish staff.  ​​​​ Parking is allowed for those with permits from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

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The Community Church of the Monterey Peninsula encourages individual spiritual exploration. We pray, we seek, we study individually and around the table to learn what it means to be a Christian and follow Christ.  ​​​​ We encourage and support each other in our learnings. ​​ Our​​ mission​​ is to welcome independent-minded people of all ages, build a diverse Christian community, and nurture one another to love God, neighbor and self.

TEN CORE VALUES

God loves all people.

We welcome all people, wherever they are on their​​ life​​ journey.

Worship is the life breath of our community.

We are the heart and hands of Christ serving others.

We grow spiritually in Christ.

We provide creative, open, lifelong Christian education.

We are stewards sustaining all of God’s creation.

We promote understanding and cooperation among people of all faiths.

We are a vital democracy and value independent thinking and dialogue

We joyfully support our mission with time, talent and​​ treasure.

PLEASE COME AGAIN!

Worship Service is 10:00 a.m.

followed by Fellowship in Woodhull Hall.

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Location: ​​ 4590 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel CA 93923

Mailing Address: ​​ P. O. Box 222811, Carmel CA 93922

Phone: ​​ (831) 624-8595

Givingtree Phone: ​​ (831) 624-3060

Website: www.ccmp.org