Commissioned and Called

This morning, during the worship service at James Lees Presbyterian Church, my congregation chose to offer up a commissioning for this next month of service. They stood together, in a pledge to remember and support me, and prayed for the situation I am entering. When I arrived (later than I had hoped), I read the liturgy the Worship Committee had prepared and nearly wept because of the tender understanding their writing demonstrated. Phil Lloyd-Sidle, the author and my minister, had composed the following when another of our congregants, Arch Taylor, left to participate in a Christian Peacemaker Team delegation in the Middle East. It will be used again in three months, when my friend and co-worshipper Billie Healy embarks upon her term as an accompanier in November. It astounds me that our congregation of 50 can produce so many steadfast and faithful followers. I have included the liturgy here. Use it as you see fit, but make sure to credit it to Phil. Normal lettering indicates an individual speaker; bold lettering indicates group recitation.

Each of us is on a journey of faith, seeking to lay claim to and share the love and mercy of God. In the church we hear the call from Jesus Christ to be disciples, faithful to God's will.

In a spirit of love and trust,
we seek to be guided in our discipleship by the way of Christ,

a way of love and justice, of care and of reconciliation,

Of good news to the poor and release to the captives,
of recovery of sight to the blind,
and freedom for the oppressed.

The way of Christ, as well, the way of the cross. In Christ we live this paradox: the path of love is also the path of the cross.

Yet our suffering is not the last word.

That which appears silenced and forsaken is in the eternal mystery of Christ resurrected and transformed.

The way of Christ is the way of reconciliation,
of bringing down the walls of hostility,
and of being led by the Holy Spirit to participate
in new creations of justice and peace.

Today, we encourage each other to be reconcilers and peacemakers, to follow in the way of Jesus Christ. We pray a special blessing on Amy and on the Colombian Presbyterian church. May the violence stop.

We pledge to pray for you, Amy, and your colleagues, and for the people of Colombia.

Let us affirm our faith as expressed in one portion of the Brief Statement of Faith:

In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage
to pray without ceasing,
to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior,
to unmask idolatries in church and culture,
to hear the voices of peoples long silenced,
and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace.
In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit,
we strive ot serve Christ in our daily tasks
and to live holy and joyful lives,
even as we watch for God's new heaven and new earth,
praying, "Come, Lord Jesus!"
With believers in every time and place,
we rejoice that nothing in life or in death
can separate us from the love of God
in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Grateful beyond measure for the infinite blessings of God, may we respond with our lives. Let us sing our thanks.

(sung)
Gracias, Senor, por lo que nos das
Gracias por bendecirnos
Gracias por tu fidelidad Y por tu provision.
Te doy de lo que tu me das,
Con gozo en mi corazon.
Recibe hoy mi ofrenda,
Te la entrego a ti.

Amy, will you seek to follow the way of Christ as best as you are able?

You have our prayers and our blessing. Let us pray.

(silence)

The Servant Song, by Richard Gillard (audio here)

Brother, Sister, Let me serve you,
Let me be as Christ to you;
Pray that I may have the grace to
Let you be my servant, too.

We are pilgrims on a journey;
We're together on this road.
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load

I will hold the Christ-light for you
In the nighttime of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
Speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping;
When you laugh, I'll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we've seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in Heaven,
We shall find such harmony,
Born of all we've known together
of Christ's love and agony.


Benediction









Audio courtesy of "St. Luke's Jukebox"
"Brief Statement of Faith" from the Book of Confessions of the Presbyterian Church (USA)