For many years, for me, World Communion Sunday has been about the bread, as many different types and flavors as possible. It has also been about baking this bread with other people: Bonnie Dance, Kimberly Yednock and Todd Schall-Vess, James and Emma Braford to name a few. Sadly the church kitchen will be empty this year with no flour being spread from one end to the other. This means that bread baking will have to be done in your really clean and very solitary home kitchen.
One of the things we always made was cheese muffins—-don’t ask me what they have to do with World Communion Sunday, but most everyone in the Tabernacle congregation loves them. Because there is no communal baking taking place this year you are going to be on your own for bread baking. This is the recipe for the cheese muffins. It makes two dozen. I always use whole milk and full fat cheese, but you can make them with 2 % milk and low fat cheese if you would like.
Cheese muffins:
Wet ingredients:
1 stick of butter melted, 1/2 cup
2 cups of milk
2 eggs beaten
Dry ingredients:
3 ½ cups of flour
2 T baking powder
4T sugar
1/8 t salt
2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar Cheese
It is also possible here to throw in a quantity of bacon crumbles
Place the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir, make a small well in the center of the ingredients. Combine wet ingredients and pour into the well in the dry ingredients. Stir until just moistened, batter is thick.
Place the batter in greased muffin tins and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
We also made some yeast breads. I have usually just gone to the King Arthur Flour website and chosen a couple of easy bread recipes to make from there. One easy one is the “No-Knead Crusty White Bread.” It is easy to mix and then make into loaves. Making bread is not terribly difficult and while it is time consuming, it is not labor intensive.
Grab a family member and make some bread or muffins this week in honor of World Communion Sunday. The abundance of bread on the Communion Table for World Communion Sunday at Tabernacle is to remind us of the abundance of God’s grace and care for ALL people in the world. Pray for Christian communities all over the world this week as we and they celebrate World Communion Sunday.
We would love for you to let us know you’re here. This worship guide is meant to be a companion to our Livestream service. You can join us live at 11am on Sunday morning, watch the recorded service later, or participate live on Wednesday evening at 8:30pm (EDT) on Facebook, following along with the words to hymns, etc. in a separate window or on your phone, or print this guide out if you like!
We encourage you to prepare your elements before we begin if you would like to participate.
HYMN: “The Church’s One Foundation”
CHILDREN’S MOMENT: Rev. Jerusha Moses
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Where is the servant church amidst the bluster and boast? Look to the tables: Look to the dining tables where stranger and misfit find both food and welcome. Look to the altar tables where humility and justice roll down. Look to the bread: Broken shared at the altar broken shared in the home broken shared in the lunch break broken shared in the open heart.
Look to the eyes: eyes that rejoice eyes that weep eyes that celebrate eyes that see the Christ clothed in humanity Where is the servant church? Look to the eyes that see, across the table, through broken bread, the eyes of Christ in each returning gaze.
Following the Worship Service, we encourage you to continue visiting with friends in the Livestream Chat, or join a Talk-Back moderated by Sandi Lowery and Beth McMahon. Share your laughter and tears, along with your prayer needs, as we discuss the sermon of the week.
This summer, we will actively covenant together in multiple ways, particularly in our physical gatherings in one one another’s homes. You can find more details related to our expectations, hopes, and practices here.
Our Community Ministry is actively serving neighbors on a weekly basis. We have consistently seen about 50 families each week, and sometimes up to 100! If you would like to support this key ministry to our neighbors, our current needs include:
This worship guide is meant to be a companion to the Livestream service. You can join us live at 11am on Sunday morning, or watch the recorded service later, following along with the words to hymns, etc. in a separate window or on your phone, or print this guide out if you like!
CALL TO WORSHIP: “Ascension Day” (Malcolm Guite, Sounding the Seasons, Seventy Sonnets for the Christian Year)
We saw his light break through the cloud of glory whilst we were rooted still in time and place, as earth became a part of heaven’s story and heaven opened to his human face. We saw him go and yet we were not parted, He took us with Him to the heart of things. The heart that broke for all the broken-hearted is whole and heaven-centered now, and sings; sings in the strength that rises out of weakness, Sings through the clouds that veil him from our sight, whilst we ourselves become his clouds of witness and sing the waning darkness into light; His light in us and ours in Him concealed, which all creation waits to see revealed.
HYMN #215:“Rejoice, the Lord is King”
V. 1: Rejoice, the Lord is King: your Lord and King adore! Rejoice, give thanks and sing, and triumph evermore: lift up your heart, lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
V. 2: Jesus, the Savior, reigns, the God of truth and love; when He had purged our stains, He took His seat above: lift up your heart, lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
V. 3: His kingdom cannot fail, He rules both earth and heaven; the keys of death and hell are to our Jesus given: lift up your heart, lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, Rejoice!
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 28:16-19
DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below, praise Him above ye heavenly hosts, praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Following the Worship Service, we encourage you to continue visiting with friends in the Livestream Chat, or join a Talk-Back moderated by Sandi Lowery and Beth McMahon. Share your laughter and tears, along with your prayer needs, as we discuss the sermon of the week.
Whether you’ve been coming to Tabernacle for years, or just recently started worshiping with us online, we are glad you’re here, and invite you to participate in other opportunities for fellowship and discipleship as well! There are several groups meeting regularly that are open to newcomers, and our Community Ministry is actively serving neighbors on a weekly basis. The Soul Care Project is a digital series that that you can follow along with at your own pace. It offers a weekly theme promoting practices to help us care for our souls by connection with ourselves, God, and the world. We encourage you to listen to this week’s podcast and interact with the resources available on our Facebook and Instagram feeds.
This worship guide is meant to be a companion to the Livestream service. You can join us live at 11am on Sunday morning, or watch the recorded service later, following along with the words to hymns, etc. in a separate window or on your phone, or print this guide out if you like!
CALL TO WORSHIP: Mark Andrist “Lord I Lift Your Name on High”
CALL TO WORSHIP: “Who Was This Jesus?” (Susan Palo Cherwien)
Who was this Jesus we call Christ, the Anointed One? Who is this who said I AM? I am the Vine. I am the Gate. I am the Bread of Life. I am the Light of the World. Who is this at whose Name every knee should bend? We know Christ Jesus was steeped in divinity one with God, the Breath, the Heartbeat, of creation. We know Jesus was compassion, excluding no one, having mercy on all. We know he set aside time to be alone in prayer. He sat at table with the whole spectrum of people he met. He helped people who were outside the circle of acceptability. He taught in stories. He wept at his friend’s death. He suffered with those who were suffering. He asked hard questions. He challenged the values of his society. He loved without promise of return. And so when we pray, “Come Lord” when we sing “Give Me Jesus” we are praying into our lives all that Jesus Christ is: compassion, discernment, mercy, joy at friendship, suffering with the suffering. We are praying into our lives the ability to love without promise of return.
HYMN #606:“Lord, I Lift Your Name on High”
Lord, I lift Your name on high, Lord, I love to sing Your praises I’m so glad You’re in my life, I’m so glad You came to save us You came from heaven to earth to show the way; from the earth to the cross, my debt to pay. From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky, Lord, I lift Your name on high.
Gospel Lesson: John 20:30
Prayer: This prayer was originally given by Rev. Anna Miller on May 10, 2009. Anna is currently serving on staff at River Road Church, Baptist. Her son Adam is graduating from James Madison University this year and recently took a job as the band director at Parry McCluer High School in Buena Vista, VA, where Rev. Bryon LePere is the pastor of Buena Vista Baptist Church. Bryon served on staff at Tabernacle about 17 years ago. His daughter is a member of the band’s flag corps.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy Name.Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
TRIO:“Be Not Afraid”
HYMN #196:“Alleluia No. 1” (ALLELUIA NO. 1)
Chorus: Alleluia, alleluia Give thanks to the risen Lord. Alleluia, alleluia! Give praise to His name.
V. 1 Jesus is Lord of all the earth. He is the King of creation. Chorus: Alleluia, alleluia Give thanks to the risen Lord. Alleluia, alleluia! Give praise to His name.
V. 2 Spread the good news o’er all the earth; Jesus has died and has risen. Chorus: Alleluia, alleluia Give thanks to the risen Lord. Alleluia, alleluia! Give praise to His name.
OFFERTORY: Tony Williams, “Because He Lives” (Matt Maher)
DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below, praise Him above ye heavenly hosts, praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Following the Worship Service, we encourage you to continue visiting with friends in the Livestream Chat, or join a Talk-Back moderated by Sandi Lowery and Beth McMahon. Share your laughter and tears, along with your prayer needs, as we discuss the sermon of the week.
Whether you’ve been coming to Tabernacle for years, or just recently started worshiping with us online, we are glad you’re here, and invite you to participate in other opportunities for fellowship and discipleship as well! There are several groups meeting regularly that are open to newcomers, and our Community Ministry is actively serving neighbors on a weekly basis. The Soul Care Project is a digital series that that you can follow along with at your own pace. It offers a weekly theme promoting practices to help us care for our souls by connection with ourselves, God, and the world. We encourage you to listen to this week’s podcast and interact with the resources available on our Facebook and Instagram feeds.
The diversity of our unique theological heritages is one of our God’s greatest gifts at Tabernacle. One of markers of the gift is our diverse convictions about the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Jesus opens the table to everyone. That said, we also believe that each person should remain true to their convictions. Some of us were raised in traditions that believe communion should only be received after someone has been baptized or confirmed, while others were raised to believe that no specific criteria is required for participation. There is a wide assortment of beliefs about the symbolism and meaning of communion.
We are a priesthood of all believers, an eclectic and beautiful circle of Jesus followers. We celebrate our differences. We make space for people to grow in their understanding of theology while also honoring the places we’ve come from.
We want you to know that it’s okay for you, or your loved ones, to partake of the elements if you feel that it is appropriate to do so. We also want you to know that it’s okay for you, and your loved ones, to abstain. Regardless, all of us sit at the table together.
PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION AND/OR BLESSING: 1) Please arrive to worship with bread and cup prepared. In our tradition, there is complete freedom in the specific type of bread or wine/juice that is brought to to the table.
2) At the designated moment in worship, our Pastor will lead the congregation in the partaking of the elements.
3) Should you, or someone in your household, choose to abstain, one of the Pastors will offer a special blessing through the chat feature in the live-streamed worship service.
