THE FIRST LESSON Hebrews 11:32 - 39
THE SECOND LESSON Jeremiah 38:4-13
SERMON The Servant of the King
Worship Notes
Over the past four weeks, we have reflected on the act of corporate worship as the central activity we perform together as the body of Christ at Westminster Presbyterian Church. In the weeks ahead, we build upon this understanding of worship and expand it to include our engagement in the community outside Westminster's walls. This task of bearing and following God's Word into the world is also known as mission, which is itself a form of worship.
Today, we read in Old Testament scripture of Jeremiah's rescue from the pit by the servant Ebed-melech. This experience frames God's Word in the context of hope and mercy and serves to remind us that we, too, have a choice to build our hope on a solid foundation and emerge from the pit. In several ways, this scripture also parallels the journey of slavery. The interpretation of God's Word today is offered in the form of a dramatic monologue by guest preacher, Craig Howard.
The music through which we worship today illumines these themes. The prelude is an improvisation on imagery of the pit and emergence from the dark depths. The solo, sung during the sermon, is an African American spiritual "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child." The response hymn sings of the "Solid Rock" that is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. The closing hymn is "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which was first set to music in 1905 and later became an important hymn of faith and song of social justice in the civil rights movement.
We extend a warm welcome to Craig Howard who fills our pulpit this morning. Craig is an ordained minister of the Word and Sacrament and currently serves as a Senior Development Officer at McCormick Seminary in Chicago. Craig and his wife, the Rev. Marilyn Gamm, live in Madison where Marilyn serves as pastor of Dale Heights Presbyterian Church. Welcome, Craig!
