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Worship | Selected Sermons | Worship Order | Invitation
Worship times: 9:00 am and 11:30 am Sundays
Preview for Sunday May 11, 2008
Sermon
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This Sunday is Pentecost, the day when we bring the Easter season to a close with an ancient story of a spirit that came and enlivened the people. In recent years, more and more progressive churches have also begun referring to the day as Pluralism Sunday, hoping that we might honor the rich diversity of voices, experiences, and traditions that we encounter in our search for what is ultimately meaningful. It is a time to say plainly that we are of one tradition, but we are not of the only tradition. The best part of our tradition invites us into dialogue with others, not simply for the sake of tolerance, but for the benefit of mutual enrichment. With this in mind, I invite you to consider how you have experienced other Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Confucians. Consider how you have experienced skeptics, true believers, agnostics, and seekers. Consider how you have experienced people of different ages and ethnicities, different sexual orientations and identities, different lives and interests. Perhaps we could ask together, as we make our ways toward Sunday, what spirit we have known in all of these voices. Could there be something sacred whispering in the cacophony? Text: Acts 2.1-21 --Jeremy
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Music
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The anthem at the first service is an arrangement of the hymn by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), “Come Down, O Love Divine.” The tune is named Down Ampney, the village in Gloucestershire England where Vaughan Williams was born. The arranger is P. R. Dietterich.
At the 11:30 service, Ryan McKinney will sing “Songs My Mother Taught Me” by noted American composer, Charles Ives (1874-1954). Ryan, a member of the Houston Grand Opera company, is currently appearing in Benjamin Britten’s “Billy Budd.” He will also sing in the production of “The Refuge” to be presented at Miller Outdoor Theater on May 16 and 17. A Covenant contingent will be attending the performance on the 17th as a group (see announcement elsewhere in the newsletter). To see and hear preview clips of “The Refuge” go online to Houston Grand Opera, click on : “The Refuge” and select ‘learn more’. --Fran
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Education
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Children’s Education: Our children are learning and teaching our sacred stories each week with help each other, their teachers, and the Seasons of Spirit curriculum. Preschool: meet in the nursery; Kindergarten – Second Grade: meet in the third classroom on the right; Third Grade – Fifth Grade: meet in the first classroom on the right. All of these classes are in the church building. Youth Education: Youth Sunday School meets on the third floor of Meeks house. Adult Education BIBLE DISCUSSION: This class will meet in the main building in the library.
The focus scripture is Acts 2:1–21, “Life-giving spirit”. IN THE SANCTUARY:
This Sunday continues with the third meeting of a five-session series entitled Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures, an exploration led by Herbert Rothschild, Ph.D. This session is entitled “Symbolizations of order 1: Liberation”. Preparation: - Exodus 12-15:21; Deut. 26:1-11; Hosea 2.
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