November 10, 2024
Indianola Presbyterian Church, Columbus
“Just Hold Your Light Together”
Sermon by Rev. Trip Porch
November 10,2024 Based on Based on Acts 2: 42-47
I spent the beginning of this week with church leaders from all over the country, trying to hone a theme for a high school youth conference next summer.
The theme is “Light my Path”
I think you’ll be able to tell what sort of headspace we all were already in, working the day before the election, because we began to hone the theme “Light my path” and immediately went to… darkness… What if we spend the whole week exploring darkness… what if we start the week at sunset, naming the hard realities of the world right now, how uncertain and dark things feel, and dwell there.
Little did I know how pertinent that would be.
I’ve been holding on to the discussions we had, the scriptures we turned to ever since. They’ve been echoing in my mind in the wake of the election results… how we hoped to dwell in the dark longer than feels comfortable, to let our eyes adjust so that we can begin to see all the light that is around in the dark. The plan is that the week culminates on Friday candlelight service around Lake Susan, where the thousand Highschool students and leaders present at the conference surround the lake, light a candle, and remember Jesus’ words… You are the light of the world.
As the person in charge of writing the liturgy for this candlelight gathering, I keep thinking about this moment. I keep placing myself in the shoes of one of these high schoolers. What it’s like to look at the one candle I’m holding, the small light it contains and then look up and see an entire lake illuminated by all these candles.
And in the wake of the election… I keep having this thought.
I alone cannot light the world. But that is not what is being asked of me. I am asked to shine my own light.
I can hold my candle.
I can hold my candle of faith, of Hope, of Love.
And I can place myself among others who are letting their light shine.
This is what is asked of us.
To carry our own light.
And to place ourselves with others letting their light shine.
Today, we wrap up our Stewardship series, reflecting on the final gift we’ve been given to steward: the church. Not just the building or the institution, but the community—the people who gather, who show up for one another, who commit to being here for the long haul, carrying each other’s light through times of joy and times of darkness.
Acts 2:42-47 gives us this beautiful glimpse into the first Christian communities. We read that these early followers of Jesus “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” They shared meals, worshipped together, supported one another, and sold their possessions to make sure no one among them went without. This wasn’t just a social group or a Sunday morning club. It was a group of people who had chosen to live life together in deep, radical ways.
It’s easy to look at this passage and see an idealized version of community. But this wasn’t some utopia; these people were real, with all the same messiness we bring with us today. What set them apart was their choice, every day, to commit their lives to each other and to live in ways that showed their love of God and their love for one another. They understood that they were the ones who would need to make God’s love visible in the world, no matter how small their corner of it.
In these difficult days, we can feel the darkness pressing in, and it’s tempting to think that only big, sweeping movements could make a difference. But Acts reminds us that the light shines brightest in small, close-knit communities where people really know and care for one another. We are called to build these small circles of care and support, to be a sanctuary for one another—a place where no one goes unseen, unheard, or unloved.
Each of us has our own “candle” of faith, hope, and love. Individually, we might feel that light isn’t enough to overcome the darkness around us. But what happens when we bring these little lights together? Just as those high schoolers will surround that lake, lighting it with their candles, we can create a place where light grows and expands, not because of any one person, but because we’re all bringing what we have to share.
None of us are called to light the world alone. We are called to shine our own light, to carry it faithfully, and to place ourselves among others doing the same. That’s how we create light in the darkness, by lighting our own corner of the world.
This is the invitation the church has for us. It’s a commitment—not just to come here on Sundays, but to show up for each other and for our neighbor in real, tangible ways, as those early Christians did. To build a church that reflects God’s dream for us, where no one is left out, where needs are met, and where we are bound together by our faith, our hope, and our love.
Today, on Commitment Sunday, we remember that this church—this small, beloved community—will be the light for so many in the months and years to come. But that light is something we all help sustain. Supporting this church means supporting the people around you, committing to the work of being here for each other, of carrying each other’s burdens, of welcoming those who come to us in need of care.
Today, we each have the opportunity to carry our light forward, to let it shine with this community. We’re asked to support our church, to offer our time, our resources, our presence, so that together we can reflect the early church’s spirit—of mutual support, shared joy, and genuine love.
We don’t have to light the world on our own, but together, in this community, our lights can become a beacon. Together, we can create a place where no one is lonely, where no one is unseen, and where God’s love is felt in real, life-giving ways. So, let’s recommit today to this place, this church, this family of faith. Let’s hold our candles high and trust that, together, our light will be enough. Amen.
WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE
PRELUDE “Generosity” Stephen DeCesare
INTROIT “Though I May Speak” English Folk Melody
WELCOME Rev. Trip Porch
One: This is the day that the Lord has made
All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it
*CALL TO WORSHIP
One: Welcome beloved creature to this sacred space.
All: We come to give thanks for the Earth, our sacred gift.
One: Make yourself at home, settle into your place in Creation.
All: We feel the earth beneath us. We are on holy ground.
One: We come to give thanks and to be reinvigorated for the work of tending.
All: And to be reminded of our role as part of Creation.
One: We come to remember the world and everything in it is holy.
All: Yet the world and everything in it is at risk of an empty future.
One: O Maker of all, restore us to our role as caretakers.
All: May we be the holy earth-keepers you need us to be.
*HYMN 713 “Touch the Earth Lightly” TENDERNESS
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION Rebekah Gayley
Creating God, we confess that we have doubted what you are able to create through us. We have failed to see that our church is part of your gift to creation, and have struggled to steward it as a gift to share…
Individual confessions offered in the silence…
Forgive us, Lord, for our reluctance to give freely, for our hesitation to share openly, and for the times we have let our own desires overshadow the needs of the community we serve. Fill us with your Spirit so that we may live and love as Christ has shown us. Amen.
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
*RESPONSE OF PRAISE 694 “Great God of Every Blessing” vs. 1 AURELIA
*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 “Sing a Mighty Song” Daniel Gawthrop
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE Acts 2: 42-47
After the day of Pentecost, The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. All the believers were united and shared everything. They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved.
Holy Wisdom, Holy Word
Thanks be to God
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Trip Porch
SERMON Rev. Trip Porch
WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD
HYMN on screen “The Church’s One Foundation” AURELIA
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
TIME OF OFFERING online giving is available at www. indianolapres.org/give
Offering of our Money and Commitments
OFFERTORY “Song Without Words, Op. 10” Dora Pejacevic
OFFERTORY RESPONSE 693 “Though I May Speak” vs. 2 GIFT OF LOVE
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
God of all gifts, we thank you for the opportunity to give back a portion of what we have received, and our commitments to continue to care for your church. Bless our offering and use our gifts today and throughout next year to strengthen our church, care for our neighbors, and proclaim your love. May our gifts bring forth your kingdom here on earth, for the glory of your name. Amen.
*HYMN 314 “Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness” CHRIST, BE OUR LIGHT
TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING
CHARGE & BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE “All Things Bright and Beautiful/For the Beauty of the Earth Medley” arr. Becky Briscoe
Acknowledgments:Unless otherwise indicated, all texts and music are printed and broadcast under OneLicense.net license #A-702452