Community Church

of the
Monterey Peninsula

Independent & United Church of Christ

Order OF Worship​​ 

March 8,​​ 2020

Nursery care available​​ 

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 Community Church please​​ share your name​​  and address with us in the red friendship register that you will​​  find at the end of each pew.)

As We Gather…. ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ .(Howard Thurman, 1900-1981)

(I like to think of Jacob thinking/praying something like the following on the eve of his encounter with his brother Esau)

My ego is like a fortress.

I have built its walls stone by stone

To hold out the invasion of the love of God.

But I have stayed here long enough.

There is light over the barriers.

O my God –

The darkness of my house forgive

And overtake my soul.

I relax the barriers.

I abandon all that I think I am,

All that I hope to be,

All that I believe I possess.

I let go of the past,

I withdraw my grasping hand from the future,

And in the great silence of this moment,

I alertly rest my soul.

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 ​​​​ “On Eagle’s Wings” ​​ Michael Joncas

Call to Worship   ​​ ​​​​ (Ulrich Schaffer, Contemporary)

Leader: I experienced it again today.

  You were suddenly there

  with your surprising presence.

People: You were suddenly there

  without any visible reason,

Leader: without my having done anything,

People: without preparation,

Leader: without warning.

People: Suddenly you were there

  with your complete joy,

Leader: with the relaxation​​ 

  which emanates from you,

People: with the sense​​ 

  you put back into life.

Leader: There you are and I can only smile

People: at how connected everything is

  in my life.

*Opening​​ Hymn​​ 488  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ “Be Still My Soul”

Morning Prayers

Unison Prayer   ​​ ​​​​ (Richard Foster, Contemporary)

(Perhaps Jacob thought/prayed something like this after his wrestling match with God)

Today, O Lord, I accept your acceptance of me.

I confess that you are always with me​​ 

 ​​ ​​​​ and always for me.

I receive into my spirit your grace,

 ​​ ​​​​ your mercy, your care.

I rest in your love, O Lord. I rest in your love.

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.

Anthem ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Three Spirituals

Scripture Text: ​​   ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Genesis 32:22-30

22 The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.​​ 23He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had.​​ 24Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.​​ 25When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.​​ 26Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day is breaking.’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go, unless you bless me.’​​ 27So he said to him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’​​ 28Then the man said, ‘You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and​​ with humans, and have prevailed.’​​ 29Then Jacob asked him, ‘Please tell me your name.’ But he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’ And there he blessed him.​​ 30So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.’​​ 

Sermon:  WRESTLING WITH GOD

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

Hymn​​ 500  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ “We are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder”

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  (Edwina Gateley, Contemporary)

I suffered, and now there is joy.

I was lonely, and now there is comfort,

I was desolate, and now there is warmth,

I was empty, and now there is fullness.

The years and months of pain dragged on

And plunged me into dark solitude,

And now, why now, do I see the light

 ​​ ​​​​ and feel the warmth?

Is it that my despair reached its depth

And God, in pity, said: Enough?

Where was my soul then

When my spirit was so dead?

And now there is a relief,

An almost tangible gratitude that it is over

And that a spark of life and love

Is being born from nothing.

This will not last forever.

But thank you, God, for living again,

For letting me know and feel

your life and presence in me.

And if this hope should die again,

Let me remember the years of emptiness

 ​​ ​​​​ that passed.

Stay now, God, a little longer.

Announcements     Pastor Paul

*Closing​​ Hymn "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"

Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home,

Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home.

I looked over Jordan and what did I see,

Coming for to carry me home;

A band of angels coming after me,

Coming for to carry me home.

Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home,

Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home.

If you get there before I do,​​ 

Coming for to carry me home ;

Tell all my friends I'm coming too.

Coming for to carry me home.

Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home,

Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home.

*Benediction

Closing Hymn (cont.) ​​ ​​​​ "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"

I'm sometimes up and sometimes down,

Coming for to carry me home;

Be still my soul feels heavenly bound.

Coming for to carry me home.

Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home,

Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home.

Postlude

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THANK YOU TO OUR READER​​ Richard Gray.

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.

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:​​ 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 Kucks​​ for​​ taking​​ St. Mary’s Church in PG.

CLOTHING CLOSET AT DOROTHY’S PLACE:​​ Clothing and toiletry​​ items may be left in the church office. ​​ Clothing is sorted and sized Mondays 10-12 and taken to Dorothy’s on Saturdays between ​​ 9-12.​​  ​​​​ 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.

OUR 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

HELP CLEAN UP OUR CHURCH FOR EASTER!!

Join us after worship on March 29

for a sandwich and salad lunch

(bring something to share)​​ and

then we will polish up the sanctuary.

If indoors is not your thing, there are plenty

of outdoor chores!

Many hands​​ make​​ light work!