June 4,2023
"The something between us"
By Rev. Trip Porch
May 14, 2023 Based on John 14:15-21
My first internship out of Seminary or in seminary was at a place called Broad Street Ministry in downtown Philadelphia. I've talked about it before, and I will talk about it again because it was a very formative church for me in my Ministry. It's also a very unique Church because it was a church that was in all of its Vision dedicated to neighboring and serving as Community.
But that's not what makes it unique, clearly, I think we could say that about ourselves too, one of the things that made this church very unique was that its community was right in the heart of downtown Philadelphia. Situated exactly next to an art and design college for Art and Design so everything about this church was shaped in the vision of artists. Interns were regularly brought in from the art school to serve as artists in Residence and even the secretaries were art school students and taking some extra time to work at the church. This was reflected in everything. At the church there was a huge art piece commission that hung in the ceiling of this Gothic Cathedral of windmills, reflecting the story of Don Quixote and tilting at windmills, to chase the impossible giants in the world. And in between the windmills as the wind of the spirit grew through were the prayers that were folded into doves to remember the spirit blowing through that place.
Art was all around this community I was serving. There as a seminary nurture intern I was responsible for making worship experiences. At one point in my summer there I was invited to do something I wasn't very comfortable with.
Along with one of my mentors and our boss I was to paint a piece of art or worship. I asked why she thought I could do that, and she said well you're an artist, you're a painter. I didn't know that about you and I said that I would never claim that for myself. She said are you sure? I saw on your Facebook that you paint often, in fact there are these images here of you painting.
I said “I like doing photography and other media”. I told her that painting is actually not something I've done. “I found a an E3 template maker where I could choose picture and it makes it look like you painted it.”
She said “that's one of the reasons I hired you. I thought that you are a painter and creative.”
I was like “well I would never claim to be an artist but I'm definitely artistic. I would never really claim to be a painter but I would definitely claim the creativity as a part of my core being.” So I eventually said yes to doing this project.
We were focusing in on a theme of The Lord's Prayer for the summer and that was the theme of the worship service. We were painting and before they recognized that I was not the greatest painter, I consulted with a painter who was in this congregation. Together (she greatly did most of the work) we thought through what we could do as a painting and worship. We decided to go and get some sheets of canvas and build a frame that was 10 by 10 feet. We would stretch the canvas out on and we ripped it out into individual lines. During the worship service I was invited to write out the Lord's Prayer in different paint colors. Each line of the Lord's Prayer stretched across the canvas and as I finished they took the strip and nailed it on the frame stretching it out so that by the end of the service the entire Lord's Prayer was there.
One of the things that was so powerful about this painting in worship something that I never would have expected was how holy it felt and how even though I would never claim to be an artist a painter and myself I found that having my own personal hand doing the painting of the word seeing my own handwriting up there was a true reflection of me my essence. Combining that with the Holy powerful and special thing was the first time I ever really experienced art. Add in the fact that God at God's most pure self the thing that we've first come to know God as is creator, as an artist who paints the heavens and makes creation is how we experience God.
One of the things that I learned at this community was that every act of art, everything that you do with your hands and make something beautiful is Holy, is divine because that's who God is. And when we do that, as we who reflect God's creations, we do our creation itself participate in making and shaping with our own hands.
I'd like to do that now. You all have some clay in your hands and just as we reflected in the Psalms that the handy work of God reflects God's glory, so too will that work for ourselves now.
This is a guided meditation that comes from a friend of mine who is a Potter and artist in North Carolina who is also a pastor. I invite you to settle into your body where you are seated put both feet on the ground through yourself into your pew, into your chair begin to calm and steady your breath. I invite you to take the container into your hands to open the lid and take the clay out and put the container down.
Close your eyes.
Take a moment to feel the clay in your hands. Notice it's coolness it's softness. Are there any rough or dry places that you feel? Allow yourself to become fully present with this tactile experience, to what your hands are doing. Feel the weight of this clay in your palm. Imagine its color. Rub your fingers around its current shape. What do you notice? What is it about this current shape inspires you? What might this shape become?
Now think about what you'd like to shape this into. What is the clay telling you it will become?
Perhaps a vessel of some kind, a bowl, something to hold. Will you save that?
It can sometimes be helpful in the creative process to set a direction ahead of time, but just as God continues to shape us and hold us throughout our lives, you don't have to be restricted by this vision. You can change what you are making with your hands at any time.
Now I invite you to start to shape this clay. Feel your hands and fingers moving across its surface exploring its contours and form. Let your touch guide you as you mold the clay to whatever shape or object
feels right. There's no judgment or expectation here, only the freedom to create as God does. Focus on just one part of what is in your hands.
Press here and hold there. Stretch this part out twist mold and shape it as you received it. As you manipulate the clay you take a moment to view it and imagine the shape it is still becoming. Allow yourself to let go of any limitations or preconceived notions, trust in the spirits guiding you whispering to you speaking to you. Now trust that inner creative wisdom that comes from God. Guide your hands, feel the clay responding to your touch yielding and transforming under your gentle guidance. What is this clay turning into now? How can you help us get there? With each movement allow yourself to become more immersed in the creative process. Feel God's energy flowing through you bringing life to the clay as you shape it.
Notice the sensations in your body, the subtle shifts and adjustments as you make it work.
When we call God creator and US creation this is what we need to understand. That God is an artist working with hands and just as you hold this clay closely and intimately in your own hands as you work it and shape it with your own touch, so too God is working on us, intimately and carefully throughout our lives.
God is always aware of where we have been of how we started, where we are going. God is never giving up
working on us to get there. As you continue to shape the clay let your mind quiet and your thoughts fade into the background. Focus solely on the sensations and the creative energy flowing through you. Embrace the joy of creation. The simple pleasure of bringing something new into existence. Consider how God might feel the same way about you. About this world, about all the joy and beauty and goodness that God Bears witness to and helps to make it happen. How God holds each thing in God's hands and works on us
shaping us slowly into something beautiful something holy. Take a few moments now to finally bring your clay creation to completion. Trust in your instincts to know when it feels finished. Feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction as you begin to open your eyes and admire your creation, knowing that it came from an inner place of wisdom and creativity. Take a deep breath in as you bring your awareness back to your physical body and the space around you. Wiggle your fingers and toes bringing gentle movement back into your lens.
Consider what you have just made. Try not to look at it with judgments or critique but try to love what you've made. Appreciate the goodness that you have done because every Act of Creation is polish. All the work of our hands is Holy. When our work aligns with God's handiwork, when we open ourselves up into God's spirit and allow our creative process to flow to be and offering to God into this world, that's when the world begins to be shaped into the vision that God has.
I invite you to turn to your neighbor and share with each other what you've made. Then I invite you to discuss what it means to call God a creator. What does it mean to call yourself a creation? How might we see ourselves as both creation and co-creators with God? Take a moment to discuss with those around you.
In a moment we'll be coming to the communion tables and as you come up to receive communion I invite you to bring the work of your hands and leave it at the table as an offering. Let us pray.
O God of creation bless us to be both creation and creators with you. m\May we use and share our gifts to make the world a more joyful and beautiful realm. Through our labors teach us to see more clearly truth that you'd speak all around us.
Inspire us with your vision of the beauty you've woven into the world and help us call forth wonder and awe in our own living in your hope and vision. Remind us of the Holiness that is all around us in this
Life. Bless all who create in your image. O God of creation, pour out your spirit upon them at their inherent Hearts we sing your words and their Works may be fulfilling in your sight.
WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE
PRELUDE
WELCOME Rev. Trip Porch
*CALL TO WORSHIP
One: We gather to worship the God of all creation
All: who crafted the seas and mountains, and yet cares for each of us.
One: We gather to worship the God of all mystery
All: who rejoices in our being, and invites us to join the cosmic dance!
*HYMN # 1 “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!” NICAEA
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION Jessica Riviere
Presence, Life, Fire, God who is Three in One, we confess that we have turned away from you. We gaze upon ourselves as if we are worthy of worship. We take your creation into our hands, not to love, but to use and then to discard. We go to the people of the land, not to serve, but to press them into our service. We do not deserve that you would even notice us, but we pray for mercy because you are merciful.
Flame of Love, purify us from sin; Eternal Now, lead us to your truth; Risen One, baptize us into union with you.
Transform us into faithful disciples who worship you alone, God who is Trinity. Amen.
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
*RESPONSE OF PRAISE “Glory to God, Whose Goodness Shines on Me” GLORY TO GOD (Vasile)
*PASSING OF THE PEACE
One: The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
All: And also with you.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
ANTHEM “The Canticle of the Sun” Marty Haugen
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 8 CEB/MSG
God, brilliant Lord,
how majestic
is your name throughout the earth!
Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
toddlers shout the songs
That drown out enemy talk,
And stop your vengeful foes.
I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
The work of your fingers, your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
Why take a second look our way?
Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
bright with Eden’s dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
Made us stewards of sheep and cattle,
even animals out in the wild,
Birds flying and fish swimming,
whales singing in the ocean deeps.
God, brilliant Lord,
how majestic
is your name throughout the earth!
One: Holy Wisdom, Holy Word All: Thanks be to God
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Jeremy Carroll
SERMON Rev. Trip Porch
*HYMN INSERT “Creator God, Your Home Is Heaven”
TIME OF OFFERING
*OFFERTORY RESPONSE No. 710 “We Lift Our Voices” OFFERING
COMMUNION
INVITATION TO THE TABLE
GREAT PRAYER with Lord’s Prayer using debts and debtors
SHARING THE BREAD AND CUP
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
For all that you have given us, we thank you, gracious God. For day and night, evening and morning, for land and sea, for fish and birds, plants and animals, for humankind, and for your Son, who came among us with the gift of life abundant. Let your Holy Spirit abide in our midst and work through our gifts, that all people may have joy and peace, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
*HYMN NO. 25 “O Lord, Our God, How Excellent” WINCHESTER OLD
TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING
Moment for Mission NSI Michael Ayers
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
Acknowledgments: Unless otherwise indicated, all texts and music are printed and broadcast under OneLicense.net license #A-702452
Liturgy by Rev. Sarah A. Speed | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org.
Worship & Music Leaders
Pastor - Rev. Trip Porch
Summer Choir
Liturgist – Jessica Riviere
Director of Music – Christopher Dent
Children’s Message – Jeremy Carroll
Assoc. Director of Music – Ariel Alvarado
Guest Keyboardist – Ella Bryan