October 2010 Archives

THE FIRST LESSON 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12

THE SECOND LESSON Luke 19:1-10

SERMON "Letters of the Reformers"

Worship Notes

Welcome to worship at Westminster on this the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today is Reformation Sunday, in which we celebrate our historical Presbyterian roots and the ways in which the church continues to live out the reformed notion that it was "once reformed, always reforming."

Our sermon this morning is an exercise in imagination where we listen in on correspondence between John Calvin and John Knox. John Calvin, considered the father of Reformed Theology, led the Reformation in Geneva and corresponded frequently with other Reformers on the continent. John Knox, considered the father of Presbyterianism, worked in Scotland for the reformation of the Scottish church. Calvin and Knox did frequently write letters to each other after meeting in Geneva when Knox had to flee persecution in England. The imaginary setting for the sermon is around the forty fifth anniversary of Luther's dramatic nailing of the 95 thesis on the church door. While the sermon is a work of fiction, the issues and theological discussion reflected in the letters could be a reflection of the concerns of these reformers as they wrestle with the legacy of the Reformation.

The music through which we worship today is chosen purposefully to highlight the role of reformers in our hymnody. We begin our worship by singing the great hymn of faith written by the reformer Martin Luther in 1529, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." The Choral Prayer Response and Choral Benediction Response are verses taken from a hymn with text attributed to John Calvin and tune drawn from the Genevan Psalter. The Genevan Psalter is a musical collection of psalms created under the supervision of John Calvin. Before the Reformation, the psalms singing in worship was generally done by a select group of performers, not by the congregation. Calvin believed the whole congregation should actively participate in praising God in the worship. It is from this resource that our familiar "Doxology" is also taken.

In addition to the Offertory Anthem, several other music selections used in worship today are settings by J.S. Bach (1685-1750). Bach was the greatest contributor to church music in the reformed tradition. In observance of the Reformation, our service concludes today with an offering of one of the most familiar organ works of Bach. The powerful and dramatic energy of this piece has been widely, and unfortunately, usurped by popular culture for association with Halloween images of fear or fright. However, this piece would have been played by Bach at his church in Arnstadt, Germany, and well demonstrates the style of music through which his reformed congregation would have worshipped.

THE FIRST LESSON Jeremiah 14:7-10, 19-22

THE SECOND LESSON Luke 18:9-14

SERMON "Discipleship: Humility"

Worship Notes

Welcome to worship at Westminster on this the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The liturgical color for Ordinary Season is green.

In worship today, we read Luke's account of the Pharisee and the Publican (tax collector), who approach God in prayer in very different ways. The Pharisee's sense of humility before God stands in stark contrast to the tax collector's sense of entitlement. Which of these characters most resembles our approach to God? Which character do we most wish to become? As we worship and pray together this morning, may we be open to hearing God's word and serving God with a new sense of humility.

This is the lesson and sermon from Sunday, October 17, 2010.

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The First Lesson 2 Timothy 3:14- 4:5

The Second Lesson Luke 18:1-8

Sermon "The Call to be Persistent"

Worship Notes

Welcome to worship at Westminster on this the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The liturgical color for the Ordinary Season is green.

In worship today, we read in Luke of the story of the persistent widow and reflect on our individual and collective ability to persevere in our pursuit of justice in response to God's call upon our lives. The music through which we worship today is chosen to give voice to our corporate prayer and to enliven our persistence in living out God's word. As our worship begins, we sing the hymn "O God of Earth and Space," which speaks of God's mighty acts and calls for justice. In response to God's word proclaimed, we sing "Lord, Make Us Servants of Your Peace," which is a setting of the familiar prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. As our worship ends, we sing a hymn of perseverance in which we ask the question, "How Can I Keep from Singing?"

The postlude is a passacaglia, which is itself an example of persistence. A passacaglia establishes a melodic pattern consisting of just a few notes over which is set elaborate musical exposition. In the context of today's worship, the melodic passacaglia theme becomes to us like the persistent widow, which can still be clearly heard over "all the tumult and the strife" of life.

THE FIRST LESSON 2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15

THE SECOND LESSON Luke 17:11-19

SERMON "Discipleship: Where are the Nine?

Worship Notes

Welcome to worship at Westminster on this the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The liturgical color for the Ordinary Season is green.

In worship today, we reflect on what it means to live a life of gratitude in response to God's gifts and boundless mercy. In the gospel lesson today, we read an example of a leper who put worship of God first above all else after he was healed. To this act, Christ responds, "Your faith has made you well." As we consider God's word this morning, we ask ourselves where we place our faith in our long list of things to do. Do we live life with an attitude of gratitude and worship God?

The music through which we worship today reflects these themes of faith expressed through worship and gratitude. The prelude is a setting by German composer Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) of the chorale, or hymn, "O God, Our Faithful God." The text of the chorale is hymn 277 and you are invited to read the words as you listen to the prelude and prepare your heart and mind for worship. The choir's anthem, "For the Lord God is Sun and Shield" draws text from Psalm 84 and reminds us that having faith in God means trusting fully in the bounty of God's grace. We give voice to our spirit of gratitude toward God by uniting to sing the hymn "Give Thanks" in response to God's Word proclaimed. As our worship ends, we join in a chorus that includes all things now living as together the whole creation cries out in worship of God our creator.

Worship Notes

In worship tonight, we gather as "one people, united in peace" to pray without ceasing through scripture, silence, song, and sacrament. As we prepare our hearts and minds for this act of prayer, we gather in silence. Silence is an essential component of prayer. However, we also pray through scripture and through song.

The scriptures through which we pray were chosen to reflect our longing for unity and peace as the body of Christ. The Old Testament and Psalm texts describe the divisions that exist in the world and the hope of salvation found in God. The New Testament and Epistle texts describe the reconciliation we have in Christ, through whom we are made one. It is our prayer that, through this service of prayer, we might come to experience God's peace and grow to better fulfill our call to be peacemakers in the world.

The music through which we worship tonight is from the Taize Ecumenical Community in France. As these simple pieces are sung in repetition, they act as a mantra. The repetition not only frees our mind to concentrate on the act of prayer, but also helps to sustain a meditative quality that evokes the peace of Christ. You may choose to sing all the pieces. However, you may also choose to sit silently from time to time and listen to the sound of others praying through song. You may choose to focus on the candlelight in the room or you may choose to close your eyes from time to time. Although we will pray without ceasing during this worship experience, the form of prayer--scripture, silence, and song--and your particular involvement in it are matters left to your discretion and your sense of God's spirit acting on your heart.

The Taize Ecumenical Community has gathered to worship through scripture, silence, and song since 1949. The book, Rules of Taize, eludes to the particular challenges of prayer without ceasing and offers us guidance for our service tonight:

"If your attention wanders, return to prayer as soon as you notice your distraction, without lamenting over it. If you feel your weakness while actually praying, you possess nevertheless the earnestness of the victory of God. There will be days when the [prayer] is a burden to you. On such occasions, know how to offer your body, since your presence itself already signifies your desire, momentarily unrealizable, to praise the Lord. Believe in the presence of Christ within you even though you feel no tangible response."

"The Lord could do without our intercession and our praise. Yet it is the mystery of God, that He should require us, His co-workers, to keep on praying and never to lose heart."

THE FIRST LESSON 2 Timothy 1:1-14

THE SECOND LESSON Luke 17:5-10

SERMON "Discipleship: Faith and Duty"

Worship Notes

Welcome to worship at Westminster on this the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today is also World Communion Sunday, which originated in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1936. From the beginning, this event was planned with the hope that other denominations would embrace it. In 2010, it is observed by congregations in the United Methodist, United Church of Christ, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) among others. As we join Christians from around the globe at the Lord's Table, we understand that it is one bread of life and one cup of blessing that unites us as one community of Christ. In service to God, today we are also mindful of our responsibility to be peacemakers and care for the powerless in our community. As a visible sign of that caring, our Deacons will be taking communion elements to the homebound within our Westminster community.

We observe World Communion Sunday in special ways. The liturgy, hymns, and music offered in worship of God today are drawn from different cultures, countries, and traditions throughout Christ's global church. The country of origin for each element of the service has been identified in the bulletin.

As the service begins, we sing a song from the Congo as the Chancel Choir and worship leaders will enter the sanctuary from different directions to symbolize that we "come from the North, the South, the East, and the West" to take our place at the table of the Lord. As we observe the sacrament of communion, we will do so aware of our place within the community of believers gathered here to worship by coming forward to receive the elements. As an additional sign of our unity in Christ, we will sing a simple song of communion from the Taize Ecumenical Community as we share the meal.

As our communion and corporate worship draws to an end, we will unite in singing "Let There Be Peace on Earth." While we sing, the Chancel Choir will lead us out to become God's messengers of peace in the wider world outside the walls of Westminster.