Lifted

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[5:29] Remnants of summer still linger in the air and we're grateful for that. As we are going through this series of worship services this morning, we are going to be talking about being lifted.

[5:46] And I just want to remind you of Jesus, we are going to be here in the context of there are about Jesus, and we're going to be here in the air and we're going to be here in the air and we're going toind hijos, stomp and feel for the cult, and we're going to be here in the air and here in the air and yeah, No.

[7:05] God is doing? heal us. In Jesus' precious name, amen. As we move into the song, I just want to remind everybody that after worship, after this particular worship service, between the services, we're going to do something wonderful, but only wonderful because of who it involves, and that is celebrating Sue Wasayowitz last Sunday here as our accompanist and hero in music and all things worship, and so I invite you to just celebrate this time together, this morning in worship, and then stop by as we continue to honor and celebrate her during that time, but it wouldn't hurt to start now.

[8:07] Good morning, everybody. This is one of Sue's favorites, and it's a song of celebration.

[8:21] We look at God's amazing grace, and we're called to respond, and I can't think of a better response than one of the lines in this song. Jesus, I sing for all that you've done for me, so I invite you to stand as we sing, This is Amazing Grace.

[8:35] God's amazing grace.

[9:05] God's amazing grace.

[9:35] God's amazing grace.

[10:05] All that you've done for me Who brings our chaos back into order Who makes the orphan a son and daughter The King of glory, the King of glory Who brings the nation with truth and justice Shines like the sun in all of its brilliance The King of glory, the King of glory This is amazing grace This is unfeeling love That you will take my place That you will bear my cross

[11:06] You would bear my mind That I would be set free Oh, Jesus, I sing for all that you've done for me Worthy is the Lamb who was slain Worthy is the King who conquers the grave Worthy is the Lamb who was slain Worthy is the King who conquers the grave Worthy is the Lamb who was slain Worthy is the King who conquered the grave Worthy is the Lamb who was slain Worthy, worthy, worthy, worthy Worthy is the King of glory This is amazing grace

[12:07] This is unfeeling love That you would take my place That you would bear my cross You would bear my cross You would bear my life That I would be set free Jesus, I sing for all that you've done for me All that you've done for me You may be seated Morning!

[13:17] Morning! Morning! So we have, is Carl here? He wants to make an announcement this morning Oh, there he is Come on up! Thank you Morning everyone And yes, it's fall fish fry season again October 15, 22, and 29 And for those of you who have not heard The drive-through fish fries are out And bringing people into the dining room To fellowship with us is back in That's great And nothing says we're back like clipboards here I know I've talked to a bunch of people already And this response has been great And I'm grateful for that But we'd really like to get as many people as possible involved Even if it's for just one

[14:18] There's still a lot of slots open for helping out And I was, like I said last night What I'm looking forward to is showing Kathy and Scott and Jennifer What a fish fry here at Pendleton is And that's, the only way that happens is through our volunteers So the clipboards will be, there's a table in the back There'll be two there, one on the fellowship desk Or the welcome desk, sorry about that And so check that out Even the people I've talked to You might want to look through it Just in case I didn't write down exactly what you told me So I'll know The other thing we need, as in the past Are little plastic containers for leftovers There'll be a bin back in what used to be Mission Alley Might still be Mission Alley, I'm not sure But that box will be there You can help us out with that So get the word out

[15:18] So we can have a success back in the dining room Like we've had in the past So thank you very much Along that lines Naomi wanted me also to announce On our clipboard table Is signups to help with the rummage sale This Saturday, October 9th And they are also looking for baked items So if you are willing to bake There's a signup sheet back there also So look around us today We're a gathering We're a community of people who want to follow Jesus We share so much with those early Christians Who struggled in the work of the gospel But they also found joy in the world Joy in the Lord And joy in that life that they shared together No matter what you're carrying this morning Or what we face You are not alone At this moment in our worship

[16:19] We're invited to share what we have So that others will feel and find that same welcome That same joy that we have known So let us take time And gather our gifts together And offer them to God In gratitude and praise So let us pray Thank you.

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[28:00] You can go ahead. Thank you. You can go ahead.

[28:26] The video. Thank you.

[29:26] Thank you. Thank you. They call you.

[30:26] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Beautiful, beautiful, is all that's left, is all that's left, beautiful, beautiful, your hands have stopped, your hands have left pieces of canvas on the floor, is all that's left, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, yummy, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, qué was Dolores Brumhoff, atcker,roduce 들어 on the floor, is all that's left, all that's left.

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[33:26] Thank you. Now, you've probably seen or been to services where there have been examples of washing one's feet.

[34:07] One pastor wanted the whole leadership team to have their feet washed on Monday, Thursday in front of everyone. Anybody who's here on the leadership be like, yay me, I'll be right there.

[34:18] Um, what this pastor found was that only six were willing. And they came and they were lined up in their chairs up front with their shoes off.

[34:30] And here's this one who just had a pedicure that afternoon because she knew it was coming. Here's this one who had his gold toe socks right in his shoes, ready to go.

[34:41] And here's the next one and the next and the next. And someone thought maybe they smelled Febreze because somebody maybe smelled, sprayed Febreze in their shoes before the service.

[34:54] It's a personal, personal space. Some people don't like touching their own feet, let alone touching other people's feet.

[35:06] Some people don't want other people to touch their feet. Some, if they're like my daughter Katie, it's because they're so ticklish that she just can't even stand it.

[35:17] And it's not funny to her to tickle them. She doesn't, she laughs, but she mostly laughs and screams and pulls her foot away. Why did Jesus need to do this?

[35:31] This chapter in the book of John goes from the very beginning where Jesus is admitting that his hour has come and that soon he will face the end of his days.

[35:51] And here he is with those he loves. And how shall he leave them? What message shall he leave them?

[36:01] And he doesn't recite the Ten Commandments. He doesn't recite things from the law and the eating rules and the who's in and who's out rules.

[36:14] Why? Because that isn't how Jesus operated in the years of his ministry. Jesus never encountered anyone who didn't belong.

[36:26] At least at first chance. Jesus never encountered someone who was so broken that they couldn't be brought in to the community of faith.

[36:38] Jesus never found anyone so damaged or so sinful that they couldn't be redeemed and brought in. But brought in how?

[36:48] Jesus never found anyone who was so broken that they couldn't be brought in to the people of faith. In this culture in which we live, we live in a time when leaders are this way.

[37:01] You know, raised to the top, lifted up above those who are around them. And they are like this. Jesus' sense of how that worked was not like that.

[37:19] It was, okay, I can do it. You saw it. It might be the only time that ever happens. It was more like this. That we are, because of Jesus Christ, we are all lifted up.

[37:33] And as those who are all lifted up, our goal is not to be any higher than those around us. You remember the disciples squabbling about who's going to be next to Jesus in the kingdom.

[37:46] Oh, it's going to be me. It's going to be me. Like, you know, like little kids shoving. When I have children's moments, sitting here in the front of a sanctuary, there's always someone who comes around the back and squishes in either to be next to me or to be next to their best friend.

[38:08] But that's kind of how our society operates. The lifting, the washing is about the reality that we are all on a journey of being lifted in faith.

[38:30] And not me more than anybody else, not you more than anybody else. But the hope is, is that we all just keep rising in faith and truth and love and grace and forgiveness until that day when we are all together in the kingdom of God.

[38:49] We might want to think that it's a good idea to have people who maybe are closer.

[39:05] People like to say, well, you know, you're the pastor. You're like closer to God than we are. Nope, not true. We are all as close to God as we pursue.

[39:20] As we pursue our callings. As we pursue what God would want us to do with our gifts. Foot washing. Foot washing is not a sacrament.

[39:35] In the United Methodist Church, sacraments are communion and baptism. And why? It's because they are a mysterious means of grace. That when we share in the bread and the cup, that we actually invoke the Holy Spirit to be present with us in that bread and in that cup.

[39:55] So that the love of Jesus Christ kind of like comes into that. We don't believe that that becomes Jesus. But we believe that the Holy Spirit comes into that bread and that juice so that we may then take in the very love of Jesus Christ.

[40:15] Baptism is a sacrament because we believe when we pray over the water that the Holy Spirit will become a part of that water with which we baptize. But foot washing isn't a sacrament.

[40:27] Making that person who is baptized new in spirit, new in faith, even if they are very tiny or if they are very elderly. But foot washing isn't a sacrament.

[40:40] And yet, the question comes, can it be a means of grace? And I say that Jesus proclaimed it as a means of grace when he washed his disciples' feet.

[40:52] But why? Had he not told them that he loved them? Had he not shown them that he was about healing and lifting up people and including people?

[41:07] Had he not challenged them in ways that asked them to know the love of God made known through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit?

[41:22] They had seen him heal, raised from the dead, do all kinds of miraculous things. But it was not necessarily to them.

[41:36] In this, them sitting, laying, really, at a table, and him bringing the basin and the towel that was wrapped around his waist to wash their feet, he took on the role of the lowliest servant.

[41:58] That's why they were like, no, no, no, no, you can't wash my feet. He needed hands-on to demonstrate what it means to truly love another person.

[42:12] It isn't just the pretty stuff. It isn't just cards or flowers or a night out or whatever it is we might think of as love.

[42:23] It is those things, but it's not just those things. It's just the way that we're going to be able to take what we often think of as one of the most unlikable parts of our bodies, straight out of our shoes.

[42:42] No wafting. No waiting. Just straight out of our shoes and wash them with the dirt and the cracks and the veins and the smell and the whatever.

[42:56] You may have the most beautiful feet in the world, but they're still feet. Our current bishop, Bishop Mark Webb, in 2012.

[43:10] Is that right, Scott? 2000. He came to be our bishop, and as one who was on the cabinet, I'd already had Bishop Fisher, then Bishop Matthews, and now Bishop Webb, and we were all anxious to meet him more in depth because he was going to be our boss.

[43:30] We were going to be working in close quarters for as long as either we were superintendents or he was the bishop in this area. And we were all excited and nervous about working with him, and he comes and we're at a retreat center.

[43:43] We're dressed in casual clothes, and we get there, and there he is, and he's dressed in jeans and a shirt. We begin to meet him, and then he tells us, as we are kind of in a circle, he offers us his Bible that was from his consecration as a bishop.

[44:08] And it says on the front, engraved, Bishop Mark J. Webb. He wanted us to sign it as witnesses to the beginning of this ministry, and then he would wash our feet after we had shared communion together.

[44:28] Notice the after. You don't wash feet and then handle food. No. No matter how much it looks like you can wash up here, you can't really. It's feed and then wash.

[44:41] And you could see that people were a little uncomfortable. A little uncomfortable because this is the man that we just met, and we're going to be working with him, and he's going to touch our stinky, dirty feet.

[44:57] You could see, I mean, I know myself, I edged my feet out of my sandals and let him wave there a little bit before it was my turn. Why would he do that?

[45:09] Why did Jesus do that? Because, brothers and sisters in Christ, the love of Jesus is tangible. It's touchable.

[45:19] It's touchable. It's touchable. And it calls forth a request to be able to be touched, not to shudder away from that love like it's okay up there.

[45:35] It's okay up there because that's the ultimate sign of love. But it doesn't translate to you touching intimate parts of my body that smell bad. But it does.

[45:49] And Jesus said, If you don't let me do this, then you will not be counted among me, among mine. If you don't let me do this.

[46:03] Now, I would never put that before anyone, that if you don't let me wash your feet. But how is it that we have that sense when Jesus tells the disciples, Now I want you to go do that.

[46:20] Now the disciples, kind of like Bishop Webb, we're going to show up in a new neighborhood and say, Let me wash your feet. Why, Bishop Webb? Why? Because we are now bound together in a story of deep faith.

[46:40] And the bishop's actions were, I'm here to serve. I'm here for all the good, the bad, the ugly.

[46:50] And we saw it all and he still sees it all. And the beauty of the difference that it makes when people acknowledge and accept the love of Jesus Christ.

[47:05] So when the disciples pulled away and said, No. In some ways what he was saying is, You must let me love you.

[47:16] You must let me love you. Because if you don't let me love you, then somehow you're proclaiming at some level that you're not worthy of that love, or you don't believe in that love, or whatever the case might be.

[47:37] So week after week after week after week after week, when we proclaim the love of Jesus Christ, who lived and died and was risen from the dead, and is with us with the Holy Spirit and God who made us, that the foundation of that is love, and we kind of want to let it lean into Hallmark Land.

[48:01] But it's not. It's the love that sees and feels and touches and knows the worst, the darkest, the most broken, the most wonderful, the most parts of us, and does not look away.

[48:22] Does not look away. Whether it's anger or disbelief or a sense of hatred or self-hatred or other hatred, that love will not look away because that love lifts.

[48:43] And when you are offered this bread and cup, that is a physical representation of that love.

[48:55] And so I invite you as you receive it today, as we offer it to everyone all the time, no matter who, no matter where, to let yourself begin to be lifted by that love because you're seen, you're known, and you're loved no matter what.

[49:21] And then, I'm lifted, so then I choose. I have no choice. Sometimes I don't choose, but I have no choice to love others.

[49:36] I'm grateful to have been born with a, I think, a pretty loving disposition. But the reality is, is that if I truly know the love of Jesus in my heart, what choice do I have than to share it, to see how it lifts.

[49:56] And that's also why I know that Jesus forgives me when I fail, as any or all of us will. But, Jesus would say, no matter whether you knew you were going to have your feet washed, and you scrubbed them as clean as you could, I still wash them.

[50:21] No matter whether your feet have walked through the muddy grass around the church, and you come in, and you leave mud tracks, Jesus doesn't see them.

[50:32] Jesus only sees the you, and washes your feet. So may we know that lift.

[50:45] May we know that maybe someday some pastor will surprise you and say, okay, I picked you to come up here and get your feet washed. That happened to me once.

[50:57] I came back to a church, came back to a worship service where I'd been away, and some of the men had been to Promise Keepers, and at Promise Keepers, they told them to go home and wash their pastor's feet.

[51:10] And so, that Sunday morning, they showed up, and they said, we're going to wash your feet today. And I was like, whoa, pantyhose. I did not say that.

[51:22] You know, I managed myself, and they washed my feet. But that is that kind of initial, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

[51:35] No better time than this time to say, in my heart, I'm letting you in that far. I'm letting you in.

[51:49] Give me the bread. Give me the juice. And let me take your love and be lifted. Amen. God sees us for who we are, and he offers his unfailing love.

[52:16] And as we choose to receive that, and we respond, let us stand and lift our voices as we sing, how great is our God. wegenies and sins on the word andheimer washing and際 so let us Brothers Let all the earth rejoice All the earth rejoice works He wraps himself in light And darkness tries to hide And trembles at his voice And trembles at his voice How great is our God Sing with me how great is our God

[53:22] And all will see how great How great is our God Age to age he stands And time is in his hands Beginning and the end Beginning and the end And God at three in one Father, Spirit, Son The Lion and the Lamb The Lion and the Lamb How great is our God Stand with me how great is our God And all will see how great

[54:22] How great is our God I pray with all names You are worthy of praise And my heart will sing How great is our God How great is our God I pray with all names You are worthy of praise So thank you, sing my heart, oh thank you How great is our love How great, how great is our love

[55:32] As we have been reminded of the love of God, as we have sung praise to the love of God, let us prepare to take part in the love of God as you heard from Pastor Kathy in the sacrament of Holy Communion.

[56:02] Lord be with you. And also be with you.

[56:13] Lift up your hearts. To lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and grace. It is right and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere, to give thanks to you, almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth.

[56:31] You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life. When we turned away and our love failed, your love remained steadfast.

[56:42] You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through your prophets, who looked for the day when justice would roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream.

[56:58] When nation would not lift up sword against nation, neither would they study war anymore. And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn.

[57:13] Holy, holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.

[57:23] It is ye who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Holy are you and blessed is your son, Jesus Christ.

[57:34] Your spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind. To set at liberty those who are oppressed and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people.

[57:51] He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water in the spirit.

[58:11] At his ascension, you exalted him to sit and reign with you at your right hand. And on the night in which he gave himself up for us, Jesus took bread and he gave thanks to you.

[58:25] He broke the bread and he gave it to his disciples and he said, take and eat. For this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

[58:38] And when the supper was over, he took the cup and he gave thanks to you and he gave it to his disciples and he said, drink from this, all of you. For this is my blood.

[58:50] Sign of the new covenant. Which is poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sin. Every time you drink it, do this and remember me.

[59:03] And so in remembrance of these, your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice in union with Christ offering for us as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

[59:24] Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again. Christ will come again. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and cup. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

[59:41] By your spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other and one in ministry to all the world until Christ comes at his final victory. And we feast at his heavenly banquet through your son, Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit and in your holy church, all honor and glory is yours.

[60:00] Almighty God, now and forever. Amen. And now let us pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

[60:13] 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.

[60:28] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

[60:58] With today's service, please come forward.

[61:23] Come forward. Thank you.

[61:57] Thank you.

[62:27] Thank you.

[62:57] The table is set and the Lord calls. The table is open, truly open, as you heard explained for you today. Because it's not based on who you are. It's based on who he is.

[63:08] So let the spirit move you. As the spirit moves, please move to the center. Come down the center. Receive the elements and then go out through the sides. Make sure that you receive the gift because it is a gift to you from our Lord and Savior.

[63:22] There's a gluten-free station here on the far left, my far left, your right. And if you would prefer prepackaged elements, please let one of the servers know and they will give them to you. Come as the spirit moves.

[63:34] Come as the spirit moves. Come as the spirit moves. You have to meet. Hmm. You own your рас開ación. You have to kannstSi. Come as the spirit moves. And the spirit moves. Come as the spirit moves. Let the spirit moves. Let it show you how you can eat.

[63:45] Ok? Thank you.

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[68:45] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. With so much to be thankful for, not in small part to Sue's long ministry, but God's love for us, I invite you to stand as we sing our final hymn, How Great Is Our God.

[69:02] Scratch that. Scratch that. Scratch that. To God be the glory. Thank you. To God, we pray, praise the Lord, let us submit to your coach, Lawrence about the word, give harmony.

[70:13] Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice. O come to the Father through Jesus the Son, and give him the glory, great things he has done.

[70:32] O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, to every believer the promise of God.

[70:46] The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus of pardon receives.

[71:00] Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let me hear his voice. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice.

[71:14] O come to the Father through Jesus the Son, and give him the glory, great things he has done.

[71:27] Great things he has done us, great things he has done. And great are rejoicing through Jesus the Son.

[71:42] But purer, higher, and greater will be. Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

[71:56] Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice.

[72:09] O come to the Father through Jesus the Son, and give him the glory, great things he has done.

[72:25] To God be the glory, and may the lifted up people of God go and lift up the world.

[72:40] Be the light, be the friend, be the caregiver. Be the people of Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[73:18] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Jesus the Son, and my father are saved. Amen.

[73:45] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.