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Combined Worship: First Baptist Church Cooperstown NY, First Presbyterian Church Cooperstown NY and Tabernacle Baptist Church, Richmond VA. September 6, 2020
The visit with Rev. Joe Perdue and the congregants from First Baptist and First Presbyterian was a balm to my broken soul. I can tell that they are struggling with many of the same things we struggle with. There were technical difficulties that they worked through real time. Mask usage and distancing was mixed.
There were prayer requests for loss of a loved one, adjusting and healing and a request for the people of Vietnam. Joe also asked for prayers for the people of Rochester NY. Because of the murder of a man by police last spring and the violent response to the protestors from local police. This was close to home as Joe has two pastor friends in Rochester who are walking through this. He asked for prayer for “peace but not at the expense of justice”. The two pianist, tenor soloist and hammered dulcimer player were all delightful. I enjoyed the comfortable mixture of musical styles throughout the service, with English classical, a spiritual and the black national anthem. The sermon “Fault Lines” was an excellent illustration of the behavior of conquerors. God sent 10 plagues before Pharaoh let the people go. The reminder that there are natural consequences for actions and that God’s grace has often given us forgiveness. He recounted the trouble and demonic forces that we face in 2020. Joe said that when things are as bad as they can possibly be, we are called to worship and encounter God. He closed in challenging us. God chooses to act through us, so we “better get to it”. He challenges us to do the work of the Exodus in caring for others, wearing masks, hearing people of color, valuing black lives, protecting, and serving our neighbors. I was truly inspired by the closing “We are not obligated to complete the work, neither are we free to abandon it”. The closing was equally powerful with the Canticle of Turning as the last hymn and a benediction from Benedictine Sister Ruth Fox of Sacred Heart Monastery.
May God bless you with discontent with easy answers, half-truths, superficial relationships, so
that you will live from deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, abuse, and exploitation of people, so
that you will work for justice, equality, and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and
war, so that you will reach out your hand to comfort them and to change their pain to joy.
May God bless you with the foolishness to think you can make a difference in this world, so
that you will do the things which others tell you cannot be done.
If you have the courage to accept these blessings, then God will also bless you with:
In the coming days we should continue to pray for the unrest in New York as well as other communities including our own. We need to lift up First Baptist in prayer as they begin a bible study on race. We should pray that God’s provision be upon them in their upcoming fundraiser.
I am thankful that God has graced us with Joe Purdue and will make sure to pray regularly for his ministry and the community in Cooperstown.
Respectfully Submitted By
Denise L. Walters
Celebrating Churches Crossing Racial Boundaries: Neighbors Under the Son in Ashland
First Baptist Church of Ashland is a mostly White church; their neighbor, Shiloh Baptist Church, is mostly Black. For the past year, teams from each congregation have been partnering to build friendships and learn how worship can bind the two churches together. Terry and I joined their remote service on September 6 for a celebration of that partnership, “Neighbors Under the Son.”
It was a wonderful worship service. Readings, reflections and prayers from members of the two teams gave a glimpse into the year they spent talking, fellowshipping, praying and working together. The service also included original worship songs written and led by songwriting interns from Urban Doxology, a summer program that mentors young adults in learning how worship can help them bridge racial boundaries (Tab’s own Alan Lowery was an intern with them not long ago!).
Finally, the pastors of each church preached together about repentence and reconciliation. Pastor Josh Hayden of FBC said the world approaches sin in two ways–seeking revenge or avoidance–but the church has a different call. “If we as the church will acknowledge the sin between us, staying out of the ditches of revenge or avoidance, healing can begin. There is no resurrection without the cross, no healing without repentence.”
Pastor Randell Williams of Shiloh said the question is, “How much is the price of a person’s dignity or humanity?” He said there is a price to loving others across racial lines, a cost to not standing by while others devalue the person I care about. But, he added, “If we are faithful to repent, God will take on the matter; He will not leave us alone in working this out.”
Pastor Josh said the partnership between the two churches started small, with just 12 people from each church committing to build their relationships over a year. “We brought our two fish and fives loaves, and told God we needed a miracle to help this little group become friends, a foretaste of God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven,” he said.
“And,” he added, “we found God’s intervention came through our shared intention. It is in the small places that healing begins.”
In a time when the voices about race in the U.S. are strident and the anxiety is high, it was such an encouragement to see two churches who are building friendships in the context of the kingdom of God. It’s obviously God’s providence that they began their relationships before the pandemic and the groundswell of tension in the wake of George Floyd’s killing. And this worship service offered a prophetic word in a world that values and devalues according to the color of skin. God’s way to healing is neither avoidance or vengeance, but open-hearted confession and repentance, which opens the door for reconciliation.
As a friend recently reminded me, “Racism can’t be healed with the head, but only with the heart and the body.” The partnership between First and Shiloh put feet to bridging the distance between them, and spoke through the heart in confession of the sin of separation. In turn, hearts are being healed and learning to love. I’m sure the journey so far has been neither easy nor perfect, but it lifted my spirits to hear the good news of these two congregations learning to walk together.
And what about my own church family? My hope is that we at Tab, like First and Shiloh, will be open to God’s call to us. God brought together “neighbors under the Son” in Ashland…what might God want to do between us and our neighbors at Meadow and Grove? I pray our ears, eyes and hearts will be open.
The service is available on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/1stashland (“Neighbors Under the Son”)
Or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=694200051180614
Submitted by Beth McMahon
The Prelude portion of worship on the Sabbath is a time spent at the beginning of the day deliberately reminding yourself of the presence of God in your life and preparing to spend the day celebrating and enjoying that presence.
You could choose to do this in many different ways. Some people will spend time in prayer, some will read and reflect on the scripture passages for the day, some will take a walk outside paying close attention to the beauty of creation all around them, some will listen to music, some may choose to engage in a small creative project. There are numerous ways to turn your heart and mind toward acknowledging the presence of God. These activities are personal and for many people private.
God calls us into personal relationship, but God also calls us into a communal relationship with others who are worshiping each Sabbath. If you would like to participate in a communal preparation for worship on the Sabbath, the resources for this are found in this space. You may join this Livestream experience of preparation for the Sabbath at any time between 8:00 AM and 9:30 AM to prepare silently with others in our congregation for worship on the Sabbath Day. Stay for as long as you like! The lighting of the Christ Candle at the beginning of worship reminds us that we are deliberately stepping into the presence of God. Come quiet your mind and soul, light your candle and prepare to worship God.
Prelude is just the beginning of a day of worship. We hope you’ll also join us for a virtual church-wide communal gathering at 11AM (EDT) and spend time with a small group of other disciples nurturing your spiritual growth. Find more information about our rhythm of Sabbath here.
This week’s sermon is is based on the first third of the Exodus Story.
We WATCH on a larger screen but use a second smaller device to make use of the CHAT.
The service is designed to help close the gap in physical distance. Thus, we want you to see the color of our leaders eyes. The service is also designed to be interactive through the Chat. Using a bigger device to see and a small device to interact provides the best of both worlds.
Many of us are using streaming devices, or our computers, to watch netflix, hulu,etc. Why not put those devices to use to help facilitate corporate worship?
1) download the free app for your streaming device, or computer, (apple TV, roku, etc.), open it up and search for “tbcrichmond”
2) You’ll also want to download the app on a second/smaller device (e.g. smartphone). Bonus points if you sign-up for a free livestream account as its enables you to subscribe to updates and identifies you whenever you use the chat.
3) OK, you’re ready. Open the app on both devices. Here’s the key: Pause the video on the smaller device as you are only using it to CHAT. Otherwise you’ll end up with the livestream version of “row, row, row your boat” in a round.
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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 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: God in Worship (Cherwien)
Praise to the God in worship;
Praise to the God of the cloud-filled room,
to the God of epiphany,
the God of making-known:
Holy is the God among us
relentless in presence
Present in the water, the fluid strength the carves canyons
Present in the bread, the many made one
Present in the wine, spirit of the earth
Present in the cloud, messenger of vision
Present in the sacred space, vessel of grounded transcendence
HYMN #1: “Holy, Holy, Holy” (NICEA)
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.
SCRIPTURE READING: Isaiah 6:1-9a, Psalm 100, Colossians 3:1-17, John 4:28-38
Receiving Sustenance through the breaking of Bread. Remembering a promise and keeping a promise.
A day of worship.
A day of reunion.
An adventure with purpose.
On September 6, we will gather for a brief Communion service at 9:30AM before being sent out to worship with sister churches (mostly virtually) and participate in our Sunday School classes. There will be another brief Communion service at 4PM. Find more details and sign up to join a virtual travel group here!
Sabbath is the culmination of Creation. It is planted deep in our hearts. As we approach fall, we are moving into a new rhythm that we hope will remind us to celebrate our freedom in Christ and deliberately engage in relationship with God and with others. We invite you to pray and think about this structure before we begin on September 13.
Our Sabbath will take form in three parts. Prelude is an opportunity to prepare your heart for the day. This is something you can do creatively, and we will have some opportunities to do so alongside others. Communal Gathering will remain an integral part of our Sundays. We will continue to gather as a church family at 11AM to worship God in unison. Circles are deliberate engagement with the Word and intentional commitment. Our goal is for Tab Circles to help people find places of belonging, support, and spiritual community while we can’t all gather in the building together. Sign up for a Circle here by August 31!
Do church with others.
Study.
Pray.
Connect.
Gather with the family of God.
The Gather Summer Series is a weekly set of discussion questions and worship guide for you to enjoy in small gatherings of 10 or less, with other church members, or even neighbors. Participate in any way you feel comfortable, whether that be gathering via Zoom, around the fire pit in your backyard, or in your driveway.
This summer, we will actively covenant together in multiple ways, particularly in our physical gatherings in 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:
| Receiving Sustenance through the breaking of Bread. Remembering a promise and keeping a promise. A day of worship. A day of reunion. An adventure with purpose. On September 6, we will gather for a brief Communion service at 9:30AM before being sent out to worship with sister churches (mostly virtually) and participate in our Sunday School classes. There will be another brief Communion service at 4PM. A page with the hyperlinks will be available in the coming days. |
By Houston Blake, Summer Intern
When I was sixteen years old, I prayed the scariest prayer and told God, “Here I am. Send me.” Little did I know all the things that prayer would bring. From joining the Army straight out of high school to preaching my first sermon and interning during a pandemic, I have been sent in all sorts of directions that I didn’t even know existed. After praying that prayer, I immediately felt a strong calling into ministry. I knew I was called to preach and work with youth. Since then, CBF and CBFVA have blessed me with countless opportunities to fulfill this call. This summer was my second year as a CBF Student.Church intern. I had the honor of working with Tabernacle Baptist Church in Richmond, VA. My former youth pastor described this as a once in a lifetime opportunity that I needed to get involved with as soon as possible. She was so right. Despite the chaos of social distancing, the Tabernacle family still managed to welcome with open arms through their screens. I worked with and alongside the youth and pastoral staff. I participated in weekly staff meetings and worship prep. I hosted Thursday game nights with our youth on Zoom. My last week with Tabernacle was spent participating in “Camp Corona” with our youth. Tabernacle really knows how to have fun, even with social distancing. Tabernacle recently gave me what they like to call “Bread for the Journey.” It is their beautiful way of sending members of their church family onto their next adventure. This had me replaying the entire summer over in my head. This summer was not easy for anyone, but Tabernacle shaped my call and helped me learn more about who God wants me to be. Their congregation supported me wholeheartedly, without ever seeing me in person. Their youth, who are wise beyond their years touched my heart and often left me teary eyed. The staff gave me a platform to share my testimony and guided me through my walk with Christ in a time where I needed it most. I’ve learned a lot this summer. I learned to meet people where they’re at and to love first. I was reminded of the importance of giving everyone a place at the table, even if we are six feet apart. This is what beloved community looks like. This is ministry.
