So often, our lessons about discipleship focus on our human neighbors only. We need to remember that God loves ALL creation and calls us to do the same. A sermon by Rev. Jeffrey Spencer presented on October 3, 2021.
Scriptures: Psalm 148
Series: Season of Creation

INVITATION (Joy )

As we prepare to celebrate communion, please gather something to eat and something to drink. And if you aren't already in gallery view, I encourage you to switch to that so you can see one another. And when we get to the words of institution, I invite you to raise your bread and cup. As Pastor Jeff raises his bread and cup on this world communion Sunday come to the table of the holy one, whose footprints are on Tundra, Desert, Muddy Delta, the Sea of Galilee, bushland and forest, and whose good news is spoken in many, many languages Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, Urdu, Hindu sign language. And the table will be wide. The welcome will be wide and the arms will open wide to gather us in and our hearts will open wide to receive and we will come as children who to trust. There is enough. We will come unhindered and free and our aching will be met with bread and our sorrow will be met with wine. And we will open our hands to the feast without shame. And we will turn toward each other without fear, and we will give up our appetites for despair and we will taste and know of delight. We will become bread for a hungry world. We will become drink for those who thirst, and the blessed will become the blessing. And everywhere will be the feast. So come to the breaking of Trovata Pumpernickel. No, no bread, rice cake, corn tortilla, unleavened bread and not come to the pouring of a cup of cabernet malo or grape juice, almond milk, herbal infusion or cool pure water come to a meal with a global guest list. All are welcome at this table here in sacred cyberspace. There are no exceptions, and now let us lift up our hearts in prayer.

PRAYER (Joy )

Holy one breath of life, divine weaver. Source of all that is created. Bless all of your creation. The rocks and soil which support all life the microbes, the plants, the animals and the humans. All of us are entwined embedded in the cosmos in accord with your elegant design. Bless every meeting of hunger and generosity. Bless our memories of food shared and our hopes for food justice. Bless the peace of our common cup and the pieces of our broken bread so that everywhere and in this place sacred to us today, it may become a sacred meal, become our pledge of an open table and a sign of our care for Earth itself. Thin feather scale and fur wave and wind and the quaking ground beneath our feet breath clear of wildfire. And we say together on that.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION (Jeff)

As we gather around this table of grace, we remember that this is world communion Sunday that people around the globe who identify as Christian are sharing this meal with us. And we gather around this table remembering that when Jesus gathered with people, whether they were his intimate friends or crowds of unknown people that may have numbered in the thousands. He had a tendency to do this. He would take bread. He would bless it, he would break it. And he would share it with those who were gathered. May the sharing of this spread in live in us to be the body of Christ. Take and eat. And we remember how on the night of his betrayal, when he gathered with his disciples in an upper room to share a final meal, he did this as well as sharing the bread. He took the cup from the table and he blessed it and he shared it, inviting his disciples to drink of it, to drink of a covenant of love that surpasses all other emotions that grounds us and moves us into the future. Take and drink for this is the cup of blessings.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING (Jeff)

Would you join me in prayer? Thank you for welcoming us at your table as we are. No questions asked. Thank you for making us as a part of your creation. Thank you for allowing us to taste the blessings of your grace in the simple elements of grain and grape. Help us to live day by day in such a way that our lives are a blessing to all your creation. Amen.