8/14/2019 Sending Out Salty Servants
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Sending out Salty Servants
in ministries of mercy & justice
This last week, I joined Jesus as a Salty Servant to
personsbeyond our congregation for at least one hour
in one of the following ways
Mercy MinistryRelationship BuildingJustice
MinistryEarth-Care
Jesus was clear that his followers are to be servants:
Whoever wants to become great among you must be your
ervant . . . just as the Son of Man did not come to be
served,
ut to serve. (Matthew 20:26-28) Service flows naturallynd
inescapably from the teachings and example of Jesus.
Let me tell you why you are here, says Jesus. Yourehere to be
salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of
his earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste
godliness? (Matthew 5:13 The Message).
Beginning this Sunday, our Bishop and Annual
Conference leaders are asking each church to begin
tracking and reporting the number of people in ourongregation
that perform at least one hour of their week in a
ministry of mercy and justice (examples could include
olunteering at the Clothing Closet, working with Habitat
orMetropolitan Ministries, tutoring in a school, collecting
food
rom your neighbors for a food drive, painting a house in
paint your heart out etc.)
Each week when you come to worship, if you would like
o indicate to God that you have spent at least one hour in
Salty Service beyond our local church, please take one ofhe
pebbles and place it in the family bucket. We willount the number
of pebbles after worship on Sunday and
ecord that as the number ofSalty Servants from our
ongregation, reporting that number to the Annual
Conference. This is a weekly self-reporting effort; if you
re going to miss a Sundayarrange for a friend or familymember to
move your pebble for you (or just double up theollowing week). We
are not counting the hours, but the
number of Salty Servants.
After this Sunday, our table of pebbles will be located in
he narthex, so if you dont come in that door on a regularasis,
plan to head there before you leave. We will also
eport to the congregation the number of Salty Servants
dentified the previous week. Remember: if you serve during
he week, move one pebble from the tray into the little
ucket (wouldnt it be great to have to get a bigger bucket)!
Desperately seeking
crafty & creative creatures of God!
One Sunday at another church, on a communion Sun
I hooked up a bread maker and had it going so that as peo
came for worship, they smelled the baking breadwhile
wasnt a visual, it certainly added to the scent of worshipso
much want to add more to our worship experience othan just words
and music.
As your pastor, this week, I made a trip to a local
Michaels to acquire some means of counting the numbeSalty
Servants in our church (see other side of insert). I
asked several workers where to find some of those little
flattened marbles, as I thought that might be a good way
use in counting. The employees all looked at me as if dueveryone
knows where those things are and generallypointed towards the
middle of the store.
I envisioned a table in the sanctuary to lift up
saltyservantsmaybe a salt shaker or a bag of salt on displa
with some flowing linen, some hand tools shown asexamples of
serving others, several nicely designed and
printed handouts of ways to serve, along with a creativway to
count the Salty Servants.
It dawned on me that being crafty wasnt one of myGod-blessed
gifts; but I suspect that we have some crafty
folks right here at Seminole Heights.
Additionally, I have really desired a worship displaytable or
altar that would highlight that Sundays worshipemphasis. As the
worship is planned for the week, a crew
folks might brainstorm how one aspect of the worship
service could be emphasized in an artistic manner.
Looking around Michaels I saw lots of great craft
ideascandles, fabrics, objects, pictures, statutes, etc. th
could easily be a springboard to showing a visual of wha
happening in worship.
Would that be something you might be interested intaking on as a
project? Maybe one time or once a month
once a season? Grab some buddies and do it together?
I would be glad to suggest several ideas and scripture
am using to plan for the time of worship and then encour
you to go forth and multiply using the visual arts to enha
our worship time together.
One great resource to tap into is an upcoming worshi
seminar hosted by the Temple Terrace UMC and led by t
Rev. Kandace Brooks (she has been designing the worsh
displays at the Florida Annual Conference for several yea
we worked together at a church in Gainesville. Ask Judy
about attending this worship seminar next week; she has
the details. Whos up for being crafty?
Pastor Glenn
8/14/2019 Sending Out Salty Servants
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The Great Thanksgiving
PRAYER OF THE DAY
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.And also with
you.
et the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,nd establish the
work of our hands;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.
NVITATION
From the earliest times, breaking bread together has been aign
of peace and reconciliation. When we break bread andhare the cup,
we share the peace of Christ one withnother, and declare the power
of love to break down the
walls that divide us.
You are invited here. You were invited before you were evenorn,
and you will be invited here if you grow up, if you go toollege, if
you change, if you move away.
You are invited here if you are old or if youre young, if
youreay or if youre straight, if you are poor or if youre rich, if
youave faith or if you doubt.
Even when you die, our Scriptures promise that you will benvited
to sit at Gods table in heaven. You are invited here,o eat this
bread and to drink from this cup, and by doinghese things, to
remember Jesus promise that he will bewith us always.
We accept the invitation!
COMMUNION PRAYER
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
ift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
et us give thanks to the Lord our God.It is right to give our
thanks and praise.
t is a good and fruitful work to give thanks to you,Almighty
God, in all places and at all times and in all ourasks.n our cars,
our homes, our offices, our fields, and ouritchens;t our tables,
our desks, our telephones, and computers;
when we are resting or waiting, laboring or supervising,ollowing
or leading.
All these we do with all your people now on earth and all
themultitude of heaven, praising your namend joining in their
unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,Heaven and earth
are full of your glory.Hosanna in the highest.Blessed is the One
who comes in the name of the Lord.Hosanna in the highest.
Holy are you and holy is your work among us in JesusChrist,who
came to be born in the home of a carpenter, trade he learned and
practiced, a laborer in our midst.
He called out fishermen and activists.
He healed the servant of a soldier.He received the support of
resourceful women.He delegated his ministry to his
disciples,empowered all his followers to do his divine work in
thisworld.By his suffering, death, and resurrection, you gave birth
tyour church,delivered us from the bondage of sin and the power of
deand made with us a new covenant by water and the Spir
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
On the night in which he gave himself up for us,he took bread,
gave thanks to you, broke the bread,gave it to his disciples, and
said:"Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.Do this in
remembrance of me."
When the supper was over, he took the cup,gave thanks to you,
gave it to his disciples, and said:"Drink from this, all of you;
this is the new covenant, in mblood,poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of siDo this, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of me."
And so as a baptized and commissioned people,remembering your
mighty work in Jesus Christ,we offer ourselves, our daily lives,and
our unique locations for ministry in the world-homes and hospitals,
parks and stores, prisons and conchalls-as a living and holy
sacrifice in union with Christ's offerinusas we proclaim the
mystery of faith.
Christ has come among us. Christ has died.Christ has risen.
Christ abides with us.
Christ will come again.
PRAYER OF CONSECRATION
Eternal God, we unite in this covenant of faith. We spreayour
table with these gifts of the earth and of our labor. Wpresent to
you our very lives, committed to your service ibehalf of all
people.
We ask you to send your Holy Spirit on this bread and wion our
gifts, and on us. Strengthen your universal churchthat it may be
the champion of peace and justice in all thworld. Restore the earth
with your grace that is able to mall things new.
Be present with us as we share this meal, andthroughout all our
lives, that we may know you as theHoly One, who with Christ and the
Holy Spirit, lives foever. Amen.
SHARING OF THE BREAD AND CUP
Through the broken bread we participate in the body ofChrist
Through the cup of blessing we participate in the nlife Christ
gives. The gifts of God for the people of God.Come, for all things
are ready. Our table is Christs tableand all are welcome.
