Westminster presbyterian church July 26, 2020 · 8th Sunday after pentecost •

_______________________ We Come Into God’s Presence ______________________•Prelude Be Still and Know arr. Mark Hayes

Welcome and Opening Prayer

Call to Worship (poem, p. 4) Sabbath Dan Bellm

hymn #393 O Day of Rest and Gladness es flog ein kleins waldvogelein

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_____________________________ We Hear God’s Word _____________________________•Reading from Hebrew Scripture Deuteronomy 5:12–15 Barb Greschaw, reader

Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work – you, or your son or your daughter, or your male or female slave, or your ox or your donkey, or any of your livestock, or the resident alien in your towns, so that your male and female slave may rest as well as you. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day.

anthem God Will Surely Care for Me John Carter

Reading from the Gospel Mark 2:23–3:6One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?”

And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.”

Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.”

Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent.

He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

SERMON Sabbath: The Rhythm of Reconciliation Rev. Dr. Melissa Lynn DeRosia

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________________________ We Respond to God’s Word ________________________•Preparation for Prayer #792 There Is a Balm in Gilead balm in gilead

Prayers of the people

The lord’s prayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Hymn #182 I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say Kingsfold

____________________________ We Go Forth to Serve _____________________________•BENEDICTION . . . and let all God’s people say, “Alleluia! Amen!”

Postlude Amazing Grace arr. John Carter

Sabbathby Dan Bellm

Then will I carryyou within me for as long as I can: not a

consolation buta promise, and not because I must: not as you

carried me but tobe your keeper, a place where you remain the one

bearing life: not asa god or idol that I have made too small, but

only blessing youdo I keep the blessing safe: infant image of

the created oneI long to be, Sabbath-self concealed in the guise

of ordinarytime, my life the covering that protects the vow.

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• _______________________________ This Week’s News _______________________________ •Summer Worship Series: We continue our exploration of what it means to be the church, using the book Slow Church: Cultivating Community in the Patient Ways of Jesus by C. Christopher Smith and John Pattison. For today’s worship, we suggest you watch these videos: Rhythms of Life: Sabbath, at bit.ly/sabbath-rhythm.

Birthdays continue even in lockdown, and Westminster continues to provide birthday treats for guests at Riverside Community Gathering. We’re providing birthday cookies on the first Wednesday of each month: 60, individually wrapped, included in the weekly boxed meal. Please contact Alice Chambers (a2alice@comcast.net or 734-971-4440) to provide cookies on August 6 or any month after that – and we’ll provide pickup and delivery as needed.

Memorial service for long-time Westminster member Dwight Bornemeier is Saturday, August 8, at 11 am at Knox Presbyterian Church (2065 S. Wagner Road, Ann Arbor). Dwight died March 17, 2020; the obituary may be found at horizonfuneral.com/obituary/dwight-bornemeier.

Monday Conversations are weekly at 1 pm on Zoom. Join the discussion about this week’s scripture and sermon. The Zoom meeting invitation arrives via email on Monday mornings.

Wednesday Conversations are weekly at 7 pm on Zoom, providing time for us to connect, catch up with and encourage one another. The Zoom meeting invitation arrives via email on Wednesday mornings.

Walk and pray with us Thursdays at 8:30 am. A group meets in the Scio Church parking lot to walk for a half hour or so, praying for our Westminster neighbors, getting some exercise and deepening friendships. This week’s route takes us along Barnard, Mershon, Hartford, Winsted, Weldon, Waverly and Hanover streets, prompting us to pray for the 100 or so families on those blocks.

Note that several small groups at Westminster meet regularly online and welcome newcomers:• Reading Through the Bible Group meets

every Sunday at 9:30 am. Please contact Jun Zhang ( ) or Marcia Anderson ( or 734-757-4305) to receive the meeting invitation and join the conversation. All are welcome!

• Mary Martha Group meets the first and third Mondays of the month at 7 pm. Please contact Sharon Flynn ( ) to receive the meeting invitation. New members are welcome.

• Thursday Book Club meets at 1 pm weekly and welcomes newcomers. Please contact Jill Fairchild ( ) to receive the meeting invitation and join the conversation.

• You are welcome to set up virtual meetings with existing, new or ad hoc groups. Please contact Marti Burbeck ( ) for help (or simply use your own video conference account if you have one).

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Westminster presbyterian church1500 Scio Church Road, Ann Arbor, mi 48103 . www.westpresa2.org

(734) 761-9320 . wpcoffice@westpresa2.org• _______________________ Welcome to Westminster __________________________•

Westminster Staff members All may be reached by phone at 734-761-9320

Rev. Dr. Melissa Lynn DeRosia, Pastor;

Shawn McDonald, Minister of Music;

Margaret Compton, Office and Facilities Manager;

April Wright, Bookkeeper, Assistant Financial Secretary;

Marti Burbeck, Media and Communications Director;

Lat Brown, Sarah Marion, Veronica Zeimet, Nursery Care

Deb Gangler, Cook | Isaias Celestino, Custodian

We thank you for choosing to worship with us, and hope you experience God’s presence and love. We invite you to indicate your presence in worship at bit.ly/worship-sign-in.

Westminster reaches out through both local and global mission. Opportunities are available for spiritual growth through study and practical application of the Christian message. We are serious about prayer and caring for those in need. We are an authentic faith community offering fellowship and encouragement on life’s journey. We welcome all who seek deeper meaning in their lives.

More information is available on our website (www.westpresa2.org). You may contact Dr. DeRosia or any staff member by calling the church office at 734-761-9320. For deacon care, please contact Lynda Berg ( ).

The Building Readiness Task Force continues to formulate plans for reopening the church facility, referencing Governor Whitmer’s “Safe Start Plan,” CDC guidelines, and other congregations’ plans.

We pray for our Westminster familyOngoing needsKathryn and George FoltzAnne Gensheimer

Emily GleasonDonna Greyerbiehl

Current needsDee HarveyBob Snider

Please email prayer requests to Lynda Berg ( ) for inclusion here in the Sunday bulletin; or contact Jill Fairchild, prayer chain coordinator ( or 734-417-0816). You can join our email prayer chain by contacting Jill. To keep us current, please share updates on those for whom we are praying.