Worship Guide 10/18/2020

Worship Gathering in the Midst
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (October 18, 2020)
Scripture Readings:
Exodus 16:1-18 (Manna in the Wilderness)
The Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Luke 22:1-23
(the Last Supper and Judas’ Betrayal)

Season of Stewardship: “Our Money Story”
Week One
Theme: Remember
Rev. Stacy L. Thomas

We are entering into our Season of Stewardship with an emphasis this week on the theme of Remember. The two Scripture readings center us on two different stories, one from the Hebrew Bible and one from the Second Testament, about remembering. In the story from Exodus, which we read several weeks ago, we encounter the community of the Israelites not long after their escape from enslavement in Egypt. They are starving and complaining (“murmuring”) against their leaders, Moses and Aaron, for bringing them into the wilderness only to die from starvation. They remember only the good parts about Egypt, namely, the cook pots filled with meat and all of the bread
they could possibly eat. Moses turns the grumbling assembly
over to God, and asks for intervention.
Do you remember the rest of the story? Do you remember what happens to the Israelites? How does this story connect with your money story – our money story?
In the second reading, from Luke, we encounter Jesus and his disciples preparing for and then eating the Passover meal. Here, Jesus, when sharing the cups of wine and the bread, charges his followers to remember him, remember his teachings, his stories and parables, his interactions with others, and the sufferings which are to come, and his death and resurrection, and even the reign of God which is still to come. While there are some interesting, intriguing, even puzzling things Jesus says during this exchange, the key word is “remember.” Do you remember the connection with Judas and the fearful religious leaders? How does that match up with who Jesus is? How does this story connect with your money story – our money story?
The overall theme of this year’s Season of Stewardship is “Our Money Story.” All of us have a story about money, whether or not we realize it. As a church community, we have a story, too. Think about how that story plays into the current image of our church, and consider how God might be speaking a new story to us. I am reading a particular story, and am curious about the story you are reading right now. In what ways is God wanting to change the narrative?
Join us on Sunday as we invite God into our story about money and consider how our money story is a spiritual story and how God is liberating
and transforming our money story.

Don’t forget to attend the Congregational Meeting immediately following Worship as we share our church’s new branding campaign! See you there!

~ With Peace, Grace, and Love in the Time of Coronavirus,
   Rev. Stacy