Zoom Link for The Sunday Liturgy | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89752784023

The Call to Worship

Lighting of the Christ Candle

The Invitation to Pause & Become Present

Our Vision

FōS is a community creating space for everyone to find hope, beauty, and possibility in the story of Jesus by reimagining faith together.

We are a community practicing Big Tent Christianity.
We include because we have been included.
We love because we have been loved.
We invite because we have been invited.
We welcome diversity through open tables and open conversations.
We create space for God's generous guest list to be present and to participate fully.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father in heaven, let Your name remain holy.
Bring about Your kingdom.
Manifest Your will here on earth, as it is manifest in heaven.
Give us each day that day’s bread—no more, no less—
And forgive us our debts as we forgive those who owe us something.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Brave Space by Micky Scott Bey Jones

Together we will create brave space
Because there is no such thing as a “safe space”
We exist in the real world
We all carry scars and we have all caused wounds.
In this space
We seek to turn down the volume of the outside world,
We amplify voices that fight to be heard elsewhere,
We call each other to more truth and love
We have the right to start somewhere and continue to grow.
We have the responsibility to examine what we think we know.
We will not be perfect.
This space will not be perfect.
It will not always be what we wish it to be
But
It will be our brave space together,
And, we will work on it side by side.

The Message

Conversation Series | A Spiritual In(queer)y

In this conversation series, we delve into queerness, the Bible, and community, exploring overlooked characters and themes through a queer theological lens to help us cultivate a better understanding of the importance of a more generous and expansive community that honors and loves all, embracing the image of God in every person.

Message | Liberation

What can we learn from allowing our different perspectives to help us pick up themes and nuances in the Bible? Megan uses the story of Esther to help us better understand the liberation of coming out.

The Eucharist Litany (portions of this litany were written by Naomi Lippett)

Reader: This is Christ's table. The table of remembrance, which on the night He was betrayed, in the company of friends, he took bread and broke it saying, this is my body given for you, eat this in remembrance of me. He then took the cup of wine, and gave thanks saying this is my blood of the new covenant. Drink this in remembrance of me.

All: This is Christ's table

Reader: Remembering, therefore, this command of the Saviour, and all that came to pass, we pray:

All: We consume the broken body of Christ becoming the broken body of Christ present in a broken world.

Formational Learning

Rules of the Table

It’s Christ’s table, and we are all guests, a good guest makes sure everyone present can stay at the table.
This is a place to process together. Questions of curiosity and process are encouraged, not questions to force agreement or coerce a specific answer.
Keep answers to 1-2 minutes so everyone has room to share.
The facilitator will interject when the conversation moves too far away from our explicit topic. All questions are good but they are not all useful for this specific time.
We commit to hold Brave Space with one another, meaning that we can disagree without being disagreeable, we must own our intentions and our impact, we allow ourselves to be challenged by what others share without the need to defend our own position, we show respect to one another, and never attack someone else.

(Opening Question)

What stood out to you from the liturgy? What is one point of curiosity or a question that emerged as we walked through the liturgy together?

(Heart) What do I feel as I am reflecting?

What feelings emerged for you in today’s talk? Are there any things in your life that keep you from being your full self today? Where is an area in your life that you desire to experience liberation?

(Head) What do I think?

What are ways the queer perspective and lens can shift how we view theology, scripture, and faith?

(Hands) What do I do to respond?

What is one way you can participate in or encourage the practice of coming out in your life and community?

Examen

The Examen is a daily practice of reflection and prayer that helps us introspectively look at ourselves. Spend a few moments at the end of your day prayerfully reflecting. Grab a pen and journal and write your response out.

For what moment today am I most grateful?
For what moment today am I least grateful?
When did I feel most alive today?
When did I feel life draining out of me today?
What was today’s high point?
What was today’s low point?

Announcements

Big announcement for the summer! We are going to be changing our gathering rhythm. We will be holding our Sunday Liturgy bi-weekly starting tonight, July 2, to September 10, 2023. We will post the dates in the Messenger chat and on our socials as well.
Our Slow-Cooker Spirituality devotions will take us through the New Testament over the next year, requiring us to read for five minutes five days a week. We encourage you to walk through the Head, Heart, and Hands questions daily as you read.
This week we will be reading:
- Hebrews 12
- Hebrews 13
- Galatians 1
- Galatians 2
- Galatians 3
We have a Slow-Cooker Spirituality group that meets online at 7pm PST every Thursday. We will read the chapter of the day and reflect together using the Head, Heart, Hands questions to write down what emerges for you.
- (Head) What do I think about what I read?
- (Heart) What do I feel as I am reflecting?
- (Hands) What do I do to respond?
Be sure to look out for the latest episode of our Continuing the Conversation Podcast. Find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify under FōS Church Continuing the Conversation, or on our website www.fos.church/continuing-the-conversation

One of the ways we invest in the future of FōS is through tithes and offering, generous giving. You can give online at www.fos.church/partner. Make sure to follow the instructions.

Our Benediction

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever they may send you;
may Christ guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm;
may Christ bring you home rejoicing: at the wonders they have shown you;
may Christ bring you home rejoicing: once again into our doors.*
Amen …

*Claiborne, Shane. Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals (p. 52). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

﻿The Call to Worship