A Service of Worship for
September 6, 2020

Now I wanted to say something about the fact that we have lived over these last two or three summers with agony and we have seen our cities going up in flames. 
And I would be the first to say that I am still committed to militant, powerful, massive, non­-violence as the most potent weapon in grappling with the problem from a direct action point of view. I'm absolutely convinced that a riot merely intensifies the fears of the white community while relieving the guilt. 
And I feel that we must always work with an effective, powerful weapon and method that brings about tangible results. But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. 
And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. 
And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Worship notes are included at the bottom of this page.
With this link you can make a donation to Covenant through PayPal or a credit card. 
Picture
We light the Christ candle this morning in honor of Ann Pirtle. Ann died this week. She was a founding member of our congregation and vital to our church life. She will be greatly missed.
Full worship service video for September 6
Adult Education - TODAY,  10AM
Ben Ball and Jackie Rundstein will lead a discussion on “Taking the Bible Seriously” and “Thinking Theologically” respectively, led by Jackie Rundstein and Ben Ball. These are two lessons from the curriculum of Living the Questions: https://livingthequestions.com/. You will find it extremely helpful to have reviewed the Session Guide found HERE for the first class. 

We will start by viewing a 20-minute DVD by contributors including such luminaries as John Spong, Marcus Borg, John Dominic Crossan, and Helen Prejean. This will be followed by a guided conversation responding to their presentations.
​​
​Zoom links and materials are available on the Online Gatherings page on our website: https://www.covenanthouston.org/covenant-gatherings.html
Prelude
"Rejoice Greatly, O My Soul," Sigfrid Karg-Elert, Patrick Parker, organ.

​Call to Worship

Opening Sentences
Loving God, our many interconnections
draw us close to others and to the whole created order;
and thus we may both care for
or unwittingly oppress our neighbors and our world.
Help us to be mindful of these potentials;
encourage our acts of compassion;
grant us the grace of loving community.
Amen.

​Scripture Lesson: Exodus 2:11-3:12

​Hymn
"Here I Am, Lord" by Daniel L. Schutte,
The Covenant Singers with Patrick Parker, organ. 

​Time for Children
Time for Children features a video clip from NBC Nightly News Kids Edition. The full video is here: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8PKOCBW4KI

​Call to Confession
Unison Confession
Holy God,
Open our eyes to the presence of your Spirit
upon us, within us, among us.
 
For our apathy in the presence of oppression,
Forgive us.
 
If we have contributed to the brokenheartedness of anyone,
Forgive us.
 
For our participation in systems that enslave,
Forgive us.
 
When we are deaf to your good news,
Have mercy and open our ears.
 
When our mouths remain too tightly closed,
Loosen our lips with songs of praise.
 
Hear our prayer, O God, and forgive our sins.
Hold us in your mercy, now and forever. Amen

​Music
"I Am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger" arranged by Robert Norman. The Covenant Singers, Fran Avera, director.
Proclamation
Today's proclaimer, David Kline, is a former attendee of Covenant and a current professor at the University of Tennessee in the Religious Studies Department. David is the son of Bill and Karen Kline who are soon to become members of our Covenant community.
​
​Prayer
Loving God and Consoling Spirit,
Our world is filled with hatred, injustice, racism, illness, and overwhelming need. But we have hope that our deliverance is at hand. We pray for love, justice, reconciliation, healing, and strength. 
​
We celebrate the life and mourn the passing of our dear friend Ann Pirtle. We pray for John’s comfort in these hard days. Help us to find ways to show him how much he is loved. 

We pray for our friend Cathy Knapp as she recovers from surgery.

We pray for the students, teachers, and families among us as they return to school. These are challenging times for our school populations. Please help us find ways to support them.

Tomorrow is Labor Day. We celebrate the workers among us and in our community and are grateful for the social progress that the labor movement has sponsored in our country.

In a few moments of silence, we pray for the unspoken concerns of those in our community. 
Amen.
​-Jeff Nobles
​
​​Invitation

​Prayer of Dedication
In a world rich with plentiful resources,
In a world where neighbors are hungry,
poor and powerless,
In a world where our brothers and sisters
demand both bread and justice,

Help us to give ourselves in love.
 
You have called your church to echo
the voice of the poor,
You have called us to speak out against
oppression and injustice,
You have called us to give and work for the
liberation of all humankind.

You are the God who makes all things new;
You are the God of hope who calls us
to have courage and faith;
​
Help us to give ourselves in love.

​Affirmation of Faith
Equity must be the norm.
We must look for ways to narrow the economic gap
every chance we get.
 
While everybody else is backing up
  and the gap keeps widening,
    the Christian church along with other faith traditions
      must come forward and impact this nation’s            
​        consciousness.

​Benediction

Postlude
"Largo" from Sonata in G Minor, by Frederic Chopin. Susan Wegner, cello and Patrick Parker, organ.
Worship Notes

The worship leader is ​Jeff Nobles​.

David Kline is the guest proclaimer. David is a former attendee of Covenant and a current professor at the University of Tennessee in the Religious Studies Department. David is the son of Bill and Karen Kline who are soon to become members of our Covenant community.

The Call to Worship is by James H. Cone from ​God of the Oppressed​.

The Opening Sentences are from ​Simpler Living, Compassionate Life: A Christian Perspective​, edited by Michael Schut​.

“Here I Am, Lord” led by The Covenant Singers.

The Unison Confession is ​by an unknown author, based on Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11.

“I Am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger” by Robert Norman is sung by The Covenant Singers.

The Prayer of Dedication is ​adapted from a Corrymeela Worship Book.

The adapted Affirmation of Faith is by James Forbes, from ​Whose Gospel? A Concise Guide to Progressive Protestantism.

The postlude is played by ​Susan Wegner​, cello and Patrick Parker, piano.
Copyright (c) 2020, Covenant Church