The World is our Parish

The Church on the Hill United Methodist Church

21Jesus said,“Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 23But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father

in spirit and truth . . . “

John 4:21, 23

Sacrament of Welcoming

The church is a family of people with varieties of gifts, united by the Spirit revealed in Jesus of Nazareth.

It is the Spirit of caring for one another, of forgiving, of helping each other, of love revealed in the life and death of Jesus.

The church is the people of God, with a diversity of needs, ideas, and visions, inspired by the Spirit burning through the words and deeds of Jesus

14Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country.15He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

16When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

19to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.21Then he began to say to them,“Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

(Luke 4:14-21)

It is the Spirit of openness to the world and to all people as our sisters and brothers, of continual searching and learning and of saying, “We believe, help our unbelief.” It is the stirring toward growth and renewal that takes many forms.

The Spirit of the Christ calls us into a life of servant hood unto suffering.

The Suffering Servant is one who is despised and rejected, a person of sorrows and well acquainted with grief. The Suffering Servant bears the grief and sorrows of others, and through suffering brings wholeness.

The Spirit of the Christ which was present with Jesus is the Spirit of the Exodus-the Spirit that opts for Liberation.

The cries of the brink-makers in Egypt and throughout history have been heard by the God of the Exodus.

The Spirit of the Christ which was present with Jesus is the Spirit of Covenant Formation, of community building.

We stand at the end of a cloud of witnesses that Include Abraham and Sarah, Miriam and Moses, Esther and David, Job’s daughters and the sons of the prophets, Martha and Jesus, and brothers and sisters in our midst who stand open to the Spirit’s bidding.

The Spirit of the Christ is also the Ruler of Creation.

The Spirit that was the creative brooding Presence in the midst of the waters of chaos is still moving in our midst and in the midst of the ongoing creation of the world to bring order out of chaos, unity in the midst of disunity, life in the midst of death.

Affirmation of Faith #2051 “Borning Cry”

Introduction

And in this spirit we welcome, Marion Popelka to this community of faith in the hope that the Spirit of Christ might rest upon them, on each of us and all of us together. May the Spirit of the Resurrected Christ make us into that Body which is of Christ.

Marion, do you in the presence of God, and this congregation, renew the solemn vow and promise made at your baptism?

I do.

Marion, do you promise, according to the grace given you, to keep God’s holy will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of your life as faithful members of Christ’s holy church.

I do.

Marion, will you be loyal to the United Methodist Church? Will you faithfully participate in the Ministries of this congregation of the UnitedMethodistChurch? Will you up hold it with your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness?

I will.

Now I ask this congregation of the Church on the Hill United Methodist Church, the United Methodist Church of Shawano, do you, as Christ’s body, the Church, affirm your commitment to Christ?

We do.

Will you nurture one another in the Christian faith and do your part in helping Marionto discover the grace of God?

We promise to give Marionour support as she lives in the pathways of Christ. We offer ourselves also, as ones who take herinto our love, our prayers, and our daily lives, striving to build a community rich in the Spirit of God in which to nurture them.

Pastor - Blessing

The God of all grace, who has called us to eternal glory in Christ, establish you and strengthen you by the power of the Holy Spirit that you may live in grace and peace.