June 28, 2020 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

9:30 a.m.

Gathering those who fear they are not enough, so we may experience grace, wholeness, and renewal as God’s beloved.

Preparing Our Hearts for Worship

Before your church decides to go out and protest, consider protesting your own theology that continues to intentionally and unintentionally do harm to Black and Brown bodies. Before taking a knee and holding a prayer vigil, consider this: there is no real substantive difference between a racist bigot holding a Bible in front of a church, and a Christian holding up a #BlackLivesMatter sign with no plans to parse out the practical implementation of the holy truth of justice.

– Marc Antoine Lavarin

Prelude The Gift of Love arr. Joseph Martin (b. 1959)

Welcome

* Song for All Here in This Place (vv. 1, 3)

* Please stand in body or spirit

Opening Prayer

Scripture Amos 5:18-24

Alas for you who desire the day of the LORD! Why do you want the day of the LORD? It is darkness, not light; 19as if someone fled from a lion, and was met by a bear; or went into the house and rested a hand against the wall, and was bitten by a snake. 20Is not the day of the LORD darkness, not light, and gloom with no brightness in it? 21I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. 23Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. 24But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream.

ONE: The Word of the Lord. ALL: Thanks be to God.

Reflection James Sledge

We believe • that God has revealed God’s self as the one who wishes to bring about

justice and true peace among people; • that God, in a world full of injustice and enmity, is in a special way the God

of the destitute, the poor and the wronged • that God calls the church to follow God in this; for God brings justice to the

oppressed and gives bread to the hungry; • that God frees the prisoner and restores sight to the blind; • that God supports the downtrodden, protects the stranger, helps orphans

and widows and blocks the path of the ungodly; • that for God pure and undefiled religion is to visit the orphans and the

widows in their suffering; • that God wishes to teach the church to do what is good and to seek the right; • that the church must therefore stand by people in any form of suffering and

need, which implies, among other things, that the church must witness against and strive against any form of injustice, so that justice may roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream;

• that the church as the possession of God must stand where the Lord stands, namely against injustice and with the wronged;

• that in following Christ the church must witness against all the powerful and privileged who selfishly seek their own interests and thus control and harm others.

from the Confession of Belhar

Receiving of Gifts and Song for All Light Dawns on a Weary World (vv. 1, 3)

Minute for Mission Mercy Ministry Team

Prayers of the People from Jenny Lansbury

The Prayers of the People are offered on behalf of and with the congregation, usually by an elder currently serving on Session (governing council). Following each petition we will sing:

Please keep in your prayers…

Avery Burns, recovering from hip surgery after a fall, and entering inpatient rehab at Mount Vernon Hospital

Bob Moore, in hospice care Becca Leland, as she begins clinical pastoral education Frank Burdette and family on the death of Frank’s father, F. Page Burdette, from

Covid-19 on June 11, and for Page’s wife, Lois, sick with Covid-19 Anne and Cort Peret on the death of their mother, Barbara Ann Peret, on June 2 Those who have lost jobs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic Staff and residents of elder care facilities everywhere First responders, health care providers, caregivers, essential employees, and all who

are putting their lives at risk during the coronavirus pandemic

Continued prayers for… Doug Ammons, Kris Barth, Hayden Beatty, Brenda Buchly, Chuck and Marty Campbell, Judy Cornier, Soledad Cuzzi, Sgt. John R. Goldsmith, Steve Graff, Mike Hugo, Linda Issaacson, Doug Jonas, Nora Long, Nancy Lundien, Ruth Mileham, Cheryl Naderman, Ruth Nowjack-Raymer, Cort Peret, Stanley Rusher, James Steele, Cathy Stewart, Lawson Swift, Doris Webb, Doris Williams, Charles Wirth, Christa Young

Prayer requests can be sent to Pastors James and Diane at prayers@fallschurchpresby.org

Communion of the People

Invitation to the Table, Prayer of Thanksgiving, and the Lord’s Prayer

ALL: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

Communion Song I Come with Joy (v. 1)

Post-Communion Prayer

* Song for All Come! Live in the Light! (vv. 1, 3)

The Peace

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you. ALL: And also with you.

Go now in peace, go now in peace, may the love of God surround you, everywhere, everywhere, you may go.

All songs used by permission under OneLicense.net #A-721003

Supporting us in Worship

Audio/Video Diane Maloney

Music Lisa Bloy, piano; Andrew Jonas, tenor; David Schoonover, baritone

Flowers The flowers today are given to the glory of God by Carly Kelly and Christian Beckner in loving memory of their grandparents.

A Warm Welcome

Thank you for joining us in worship this morning. We welcome all to our live-stream community, and hope that you will join us in song and prayer from the safety of your own homes. If you would like to learn more about our family of faith, please visit our church website.

Falls Church Presbyterian belongs to the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, “working for the unity of the church, furthering the inclusion of LGBTQ persons, seeking understanding and

reconciliation, and joining with others seeking a still more just and inclusive church.”

The Rev. James Sledge, Pastor The Rev. Dr. Diane Walton Hendricks, Pastor for Spiritual Growth Diane Maloney, Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministry

The Rev. Megan Klose, Parish Associate The Rev. Rusty Lynn, Hon. Ret., Parish Associate

David Schoonover, Music Coordinator Dr. Lisa Bloy, Organist

225 East Broad Street, Falls Church, VA 22046 703-532-6518 www.fallschurchpresby.org