The Risk of Inclusion | The Great Cloud of Ancestors pt. 3
Zoom Link for The Sunday Liturgy | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89752784023
The Call to Worship
FōS is a community creating space for everyone to find hope, beauty, and possibility in the story of Jesus.
We are a community practicing Big Tent Christianity meaning, we include because we have been included. We love because we have been loved. We invite because we have been invited. We are a community that welcomes diversity through open tables, open conversations, and open arms. Becoming a big tent creates space for God's generous guest list to be present and to participate fully.
We are a community cultivating Brave Space.
We are a community that is Reduced to Love.
We are a community that is Reimagining Faith together.
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.
The Table by Heather Beamish
I'm trying
I'm trying to let the love be
Louder than all this hate
But it's hard to stand tall
When with their words they emasculate
They denigrate
They try to negate
My place at Your table
My place in this pew
My place in the front-lines
Doing ministry for You
They say,
Well, I'm told to hate the sin and love the sinner"
But with their actions
They cheapen their words and make them thinner
They say,
"Go back into the closet and lose the key,"
With each careless slur
Throwing further judgment on me
But I say to them
It's not your table
You don't have the right to block my way
It's not your table
You can't keep me out, just because I'm gay
It's not your table
You won't have the final say because
It's.
Not.
Your.
Table.
After I've taken the time To vent and feel
And I've allowed the defences
Of my heart to unsteel In stillness and reflection
I find Your peace
Allowing me to let go of the control And just cease
Cease striving
And defending
And trying to prove that I belong
Cease performing
And cowering
And dancing along to their song
Because Your invitation
Has been extended to me
All along
For you prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies
You anoint my head with oil
My cup overflows
Surely Your goodness and mercy
Will follow me all the days of my life And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever!
The Message
Conversation Series | The Great Cloud of Ancestors
A Great Cloud of Ancestors | Learning from the Stories We Never Hear." We will be using Hebrews 12:1 as a lens for reading other stories in the Bible that can help us learn from those who don't usually get the spotlight.
Message | The Risk of Inclusion
This week, Carl helps us explore our ancestor Barnabas in a conversation about inclusion, encouragement, and the courage it takes for both.
The Eucharist Litany (portions of this litany were written by Naomi Lippett)
All: This is Christ's table
Reader: 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.
Brave Space Ideals for the Conversation
Controversy with civility
Own your intentions and your impact
Challenge by choice (allow ourselves to be challenged by what others share)
Respect
No Attacks
(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?
(Head) What do I think?
What changes when we see inclusion as a central tenant of our faith instead of something we may or may not do? Why do you think that it is so hard to include others?
(Heart) What do I feel as I am reflecting?
Has there been a time when you were excluded? What did that feel like? Tell us about a time when you were included. What did that feel like?
(Hands) What do I do to respond?
Most of us have been tempted to exclude others, and all of us do things, intentional or unintentional, that make others feel excluded or at least marginalized. So what is one thing you can do to help create an inclusive space for everyone?
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.
What is something that made me feel included today?
What is something that made me feel unincluded for you today?
When did I include others today?
When did I exclude others today?
Announcements
We have a Slow-Cooker Spirituality group that meets online at 9:30am PST every Thursday. This coming week’s reading will be 1 Samuel 14:49, 18:17-29, 19:11-17, 25:44, 2 Samuel 3:12-16, 6:16, 6:20-23 (it looks long, but is only 28 verses). Using the Head, Heart, Hands questions, spend some time reflecting on the passage and writing 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?
Our next Mental Health Check-in will be Wednesday, February 1, at 7pm (pacific time). It will be an opportunity to talk and explore wholeness and grounding together. We will use the same link as The Sunday Liturgy
Every week we put out a newsletter that has community updates, reflections from the community, and all sorts of other things that will help you stay connected with FōS. If you do not already receive it in your inbox please sign up with this link, https://mailchi.mp/2b6239ca32e4/sign-up-for-fs-newsletter
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.