A Service of Worship for
April 11, 2021
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Adult Education - TODAY, 9AM
Today adult education will feature a Zoom visit by Amanda Yoder and Anne Slater therapists who have developed and lead an innovative six-week program called Examining Whiteness. This presentation will not be the first session in this program, but an introduction and explanation of what the program entails, described more fully here. Those who choose to participate in the six sessions of the program would do so in groups of approximately ten people. Zoom link is available on the Online Gatherings page on our website: https://www.covenanthouston.org/covenant-gatherings.html Full worship service video:
COFFEE TIME Gathering on Zoom
Today, 11AM We will begin as a large group before we transition into “rooms" for coffee time. Log in details on the Online Gatherings page. |
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Prelude
"Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor" by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Andrew Bowen, organ. Call to Worship Opening Sentences From the place where we are right flowers will never grow in the Spring. The place where we are right is hard and trampled like a yard. But doubts and loves dig up the world like a mole, a plough. And a whisper will be heard in the place where the ruined house once stood. Scripture Lesson: John 20:19-31
Hymn "When Thomas Heard from Jesus," Words: Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. The Covenant Singers. Andrew Bowen, organ. Time for Children Confession Unison Confession
From arrogance, pompousness, and from thinking ourselves more important than we are, may some saving sense of humor liberate us. For allowing ourselves to ridicule the faith of others, may we be forgiven. From making war and calling it peace, special privilege and calling it justice, indifference and calling it tolerance, pollution and calling it progress, may we be cured. God of our mixed up, tragic, aspiring, doubting, and insurgent lives, help us to be as good as in our hearts we have always wanted to be. Amen. Music
"An Easter Carillon" by W. Leonard Beck. The Covenant Singers, directed by David Lee. Andrew Bowen, piano. |
Proclamation
Prayer As we pray today, I want to thank Thomas for his doubts. Thomas is all of us. We find it so difficult to believe in what we cannot see. How many of us would believe what happened to George Floyd if we had not had a video to see with our own eyes? How many other realities are we choosing to not believe? God, we ask you to forgive us when we choose doubt over listening to someone. We also know that doubt can be a guide, but only if we use it to ask questions, to seek more, rather than ignore realities. God, we are grateful for the ability to wonder, to ask, to pursue truth. The Burrus family is held close to our hearts as they struggle with the death of Sidney while they are still freshly grieving Mary Lee. We are grateful for being able to gather online to celebrate the lives of sisters and founding members Ann Pirtle and Martha Murphree. We are holding their families in our hearts as well. God, we know you are with them and others in our community in need of comfort and help. Amen. -Jodi Bash Invitation
Prayer of Dedication All of us tend to hold certainty dearer than truth. We want to learn only what we already know; want to become only what we already are. Doubts, Lord knows, are important for the development of religious faith if, with St. Augustine, you “believe in thinking and wish to think in believing.” But if doubts are important, wonder is all-important. None of us scoffs at the stars, nor do we sneer at sunsets. Yet we depreciate so much else, it seems almost inevitable that, as civilization advances, the sense of wonder declines. We forget that both the tree of life and the tree of knowledge are deeply rooted in the soil of mystery. Doxology
Affirmation of Faith It is more important to follow the way of Jesus than to believe or disbelieve the traditional claims about him. The real task of Christianity today is the challenge not only to go on interpreting the world in the old way, but to start disturbing it with renewed power. Benediction Postlude "Toccata in Seven," by John Rutter. Andrew Bowen, organ. |
Worship Notes
The worship leader is Paula Ortega.
The prelude and postlude are played by Andrew Bowen, organ.
The Call to Worship is from Singing the Living Tradition, the 1993 Unitarian Universalist Hymnal.
The Opening Sentences are from Yehuda Amichai’s poem, “From the Place Where We Are Right.”
The hymn text is by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette.
The Unison Confession is by Harry Meserve in Singing the Living Tradition, the 1993 Unitarian Universalist Hymnal.
“An Easter Carillon” is sung by The Covenant Singers, directed by David Lee.
The Prayer of Dedication is from The Heart Is a Little to the Left by William Sloane Coffin.
The Affirmation of Faith is adapted from Doubts and Loves: What Is Left of Christianity by Richard Holloway.
The worship leader is Paula Ortega.
The prelude and postlude are played by Andrew Bowen, organ.
The Call to Worship is from Singing the Living Tradition, the 1993 Unitarian Universalist Hymnal.
The Opening Sentences are from Yehuda Amichai’s poem, “From the Place Where We Are Right.”
The hymn text is by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette.
The Unison Confession is by Harry Meserve in Singing the Living Tradition, the 1993 Unitarian Universalist Hymnal.
“An Easter Carillon” is sung by The Covenant Singers, directed by David Lee.
The Prayer of Dedication is from The Heart Is a Little to the Left by William Sloane Coffin.
The Affirmation of Faith is adapted from Doubts and Loves: What Is Left of Christianity by Richard Holloway.
Sunday schedule for today:
9:00 - Adult Education with Zoom
10:00 - Worship via videos on the Worship Page
11:00 - Transition from worship to coffee time with Zoom
9:00 - Adult Education with Zoom
10:00 - Worship via videos on the Worship Page
11:00 - Transition from worship to coffee time with Zoom
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