Friends,
As you spend time in prayer and reflection on Sunday morning, I will be praying for each of you and for all of you. Below is the scripture reading for Sunday, and the text of a hymn I refer to in the sermon. I encourage you to read the scripture passage from Exodus, then listen to the sermon, and finally, read the words of the hymn out loud as your prayer and Affirmation of Faith. If you have them available, take a piece of bread and a cup of juice or wine; ask God to be “HERE” with you. And know we are all worshipping together even though we are apart from one another.
Peace,
Pastor Jack
Exodus 17:1-17
From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Listen to the sermon, “Water in the Wilderness” by clicking on this link: https://soundcloud.com/user-363041879/water-in-the-wilderness-31520
God Is Here!
God is here! As we your people
Meet to offer praise and prayer,
May we find in fuller measure
What it is in Christ we share.
Here, as in the world around us,
All our varied skills and arts
Wait the coming of the Spirit
Into open minds and hearts.
Here are symbols to remind us
Of our lifelong need of grace;
Here are table, font and pulpit,
Here the cross has central place.
Here in honesty of preaching,
Here in silence, as in speech,
Here in newness and renewal
God the Spirit comes to each.
Here our children find a welcome
In the Shepherd’s flock and fold;
Here, as bread and wine are taken,
Christ sustains us as of old.
Here the servants of the Servant
Seek in worship to explore
What it means in daily living
To believe and to adore.
Lord of all, of church and kingdom,
In an age of change and doubt,
Keep us faithful to the gospel,
Help us work your purpose out.
Here, in this day’s dedication,
All we have to give, receive;
We who cannot live without you,
We adore you! We believe!
