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GATHERING OF COMMUNITY

CENTERING WORDS

“A human being,” Einstein concluded, “is a part of the whole, called by us ‘Universe,’ a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” ~ quoted by Grace Lee Boggs in The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century

CENTERING MUSIC

OPENING PRAYER

Holy Wisdom, as we journey through valleys of death and over mountains of injustice, your truth is our sustenance and your presence our comfort. Though the struggles make us weary, keep us determined in love. We are here, O God, to grow and be transformed. May it be so among us. Amen.

WELCOME STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION

(Please check in on Facebook and/or on Twitter @ChicagoBUMC.)

Welcome to worship, God’s beloved! YES, I Am Welcome! Bienvenidas y bienvenidos!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SCRIPTURE READING: Psalm 25 (Inclusive Bible)

To you, YHWH, I lift up my soul. My God, I trust in you; don’t let me be ashamed, don’t let my enemies triumph over me. No—none who hope in you will be ashamed, but shame will come to the wantonly treacherous. Show my your ways, YHWH! Teach me your paths! Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation. I wait all the day long for you. Remember your mercies, YHWH, your love—your ancient and unwavering love! Pardon the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; remember me because of your love, because of your goodness, YHWH! And how good and upright you are, YHWH! You instruct sinners in the path, you guide the humble in what is right, and teach them your way. All of your paths, YHWH, are full of love and faithfulness for those who keep your Covenant and Testimonies. For the sake of your Name, YHWH, pardon my guilt, for it is great. Who are those who revere you? They are the ones you teach which way you want them to go. Their lives will be spent in prosperity, and their children will possess the land. YHWH becomes friends with those who show reverence, and reveals the Covenant to them. My eyes are always on you, YHWH, for you will pluck my feet out of the snare. Turn to me, be gracious to me, for I am lonely and anguished. How heavy are the trolls of my heart! Free me from my distress! Look at my affliction and my trouble, and mend all my brokenness. See how my enemies keep multiplying, how they hate me so violently! O guard of my life, rescue me! Don’t let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, for you are my only hope. Ransom Israel, O God, from all trouble!

The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

PASTORAL PRAYER

THE PRAYER OF JESUS [You are invited to say this prayer in the language of your heart.]

Our God in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kindom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kindom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

HYMN: “Let There Be Peace on Earth”

SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 (Inclusive Bible)

Later that day, Jesus left the house and sat down by the lake shore. Such great crowds gathered that he went and took a seat in a boat, while the crowd stood along the shore. He addressed them at length in parables: “One day, a farmer went out sowing seed. Some of the seed landed on a footpath, where birds came and ate it up. Some of the seed fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. This seed sprouted at once since the soil had no depth, but when the sun rose and scorched it, it withered away for lack of roots. Again, some of the seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. And some of it landed on good soil, and yielded a crop thirty, sixty, even a hundred times what was sown. Let those who have ears to hear, hear this!”…”Now listen to the parable of the sower. When people hear the message about the kindom of God without understanding it, the Evil One comes along and snatches away what was sown in their hearts. This is the seed sown along the path. Those who received the seed that fell on rocky ground are the ones who hear the word and at first welcome it with joy. But they have no roots, so they last only for a while. When some setback or persecution comes because of the message, they quickly fall away. Those who receive the message that fell among the thorns are the ones who hear the word, but then worldly anxieties and the lure of wealth choke it off, and the message produces no fruit. But those who receive the seed that fell on rich soil are those who hear the message and understand it. They produce a crop that yields a hundred, or sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Here ends the reading of the Gospel. This is the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

MESSAGE Rev. Alka Lyall

MISSION MINUTE: Middle East Children’s Alliance

The Middle East Children’s Alliance is a nonprofit organization working for the rights and the well-being of children in the Middle East. MECA supports dozens of community projects for Palestinian children and refugees from Syria. Since 1988 we have delivered $25 million in food and medical aid to Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon. MECA welcomes the support of all people who care about children and their future. You can donate by designated cash or check in the offering plate, mailing checks to the church, or giving online.

THE INVITATION TO OFFERING

[Broadway is committed to the financial support of its identity, vision and ministry by tithing. Consider making an offering this morning of 10 percent of your income from this past week.]

One way that we nurture Divine Life together is by sharing what we have. We turn from all that cuts life off through greed and consumption. We choose a better way than individualism and selfishness. In commitment to one another and all our neighbors, we nourish love through generosity and mutuality. In this spirit, let us bring our offerings to God. 

God is inviting you to specific ministry of sharing your resources. Please be as generous as you can in your giving. To give online, visit us at BroadwayChurchChicago.com/give or scan the QR code. Thank you for your commitment to God’s purposes through our faith community!

WAYS TO GIVE: Mail a check (Broadway Church, 3338 N. Broadway St., Chicago, IL 60657), drop off a check in our mailbox, set up recurring giving or make a one-time contribution through your bank account or credit card through Vanco here or by scanning the QR code above, Zelle (send to bumclakeview@gmail.com), or text the amount you wish to donate to

833-990-2149 (You’ll receive a registration link the first time. For future giving, simply send a text with the amount you wish to give, and it will process automatically.)

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Holy One, you have provided us with all that we need to cultivate life and love in community. Even under harsh conditions, you come to us with gifts of care, compassion, and courage, promising to multiply them among willing hearts. We bring our offerings in gratitude, as we pray that we may be faithful to one another and loyal to the calling of these days. Amen.

BENEDICTION

The way of God is the way of transformation. We need not be afraid of what we don’t yet understand. We need not grasp for control. We need not hide from the chaos of change. In a spirit of humility, God calls us to open our hearts to the seeds of new life. That the harvest may be plenty, let us go with courage and practice together the way of Christ. Amen.

POSTLUDE Robert Galbreath, Jr.

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Liturgy adapted from enfleshed.com. Hymns reprinted under OneLicense.net # A-725521.

COVID-19 has placed many of our church members and our Lakeview neighbors in great and unexpected need. Some have been furloughed by their employers; many have lost their jobs; others are facing health challenges. Broadway Church wants to provide financial help to our neighbors in need. We invite you to join us. Our goal is to raise $5,000, but we hope to surpass it with your generosity and concern! After we receive donations, we will begin taking requests for financial help and disperse up to $250 per family. Help us make a difference. Thank you! Click here to go to our GoFundMe page.

We are now taking requests for assistance. Fill out our request form here: https://tinyurl.com/yc9xtnk3

CELEBRATING GOD’S LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLE

We are black, brown, red, yellow, white, and all the colors of God’s created rainbow. We are lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, and straight. We are transgender, intersex, female, male, gender fluid. We are queer. We are questioning. We are every age. We are every ability.

We are every economic & theological location. We are YOU.

Welcome to God’s Beloved Community at Broadway.

BROADWAY’S MISSION STATEMENT: “God calls Broadway United Methodist Church to be a faith community embracing the diversity of our Chicago neighborhood and larger community. We

welcome all persons — celebrating the human family’s God-given diversity of race, age, gender, sexual orientation, and physical or mental capacity. We also welcome persons of all social and economic classes and faith backgrounds. At Broadway, we are accepted into God’s nurturing

family, which invites us into spiritual growth through worship, study, mission, and social action. We are grateful for the opportunities God gives us to experience and share the love of Christ.”

Broadway United Methodist Church

3338 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60657; 773-348-2679

www.BroadwayChurchChicago.com

Rev. Alka Lyall, Pastor (text at 815-474-6721) pastoralkalyall@gmail.com

Rev. M Barclay, Deacon mxbarclay261@gmail.com

Robert Eldridge Galbreath Jr., Director of Music Ministries ziggy6870@gmail.com

Church Office bumclakeview@gmail.com