Today’s service will be held outdoors at the woods stage as an in-person service and also live streamed at this link.  Click on “live” for the live stream.  Join us!   

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Gathering Music                                        Polly Dunford               

Welcome and Announcements             Katelyn Saunier                                     

 

Call to Worship 

Leader:  Come, all who have wandered in wilderness places—
cut off, cast out, or barely holding on.

People:  We come, seeking restoration, dignity, and peace.

Leader:  The Spirit meets us where we are—
crossing every barrier to bring wholeness.

People:  We are seen, known, and called by name.

Leader:  Even when healing is costly,
even when inclusion unsettles the comfortable—

People:  We choose to welcome, to grow, to love beyond the lines.

Leader:  Let us gather in this sacred space,
where the outcast is embraced and the silenced find voice.

People:  With open hearts, we enter into worship.

Opening Hymn     “A Wilderness Wandering People”                    Handout

Words and Music by Jim Strathdee

1996. Desert Flower Music.  All rights reserved.

1) We are a wilderness wand’ring people on a journey of the soul.

May we find our destination in our longing to be whole.

Our Holy God is calling to us.   With Jesus by our side

may compassion be our compass may the Spirit be our guide.

2) May we cherish all our children, let us heal our family’s pain.

Help us cure our city’s madness, let love and justice reign.

Reconciled with one another in prayer and praise and song,

we’re the body of Christ together and we know that we belong,

we belong, we belong, we belong.                     

                                                                                                                                                     Scripture Lesson            Luke 8:26-39

               

Sermon      “Jesus Mission: Crossing Boundaries”                    Dr. Keith Ray

Thoughts to Ponder: What happens when healing disrupts the status quo?  Today we explore the powerful and provocative story of Jesus meeting a man possessed by demons in the wilderness of the Gerasenes.  It's a story about restoration, fear, and the cost of true inclusion—a story that challenges us to see the teachings and ways of Jesus as not just sources of comfort, but as sources of radical transformation.

Whether you’ve ever felt pushed to the margins or wondered what it means to welcome others fully, let’s consider how Jesus crosses boundaries we thought were fixed to bring healing we never imagined.  This can be both beautiful and difficult.

Joys and Concerns 

Prayers of the People 

Closing Hymn   “Turning of the World”  Handout

      Words and Music by Ruth Pelham

1982. Ruth Pelham  (ASCAP). All rights reserved.

1)   Let us sing this song for the *turning* of the world,

That we may *turn* as one.  With ev‘ry voice, with ev’ry song,

we will move this world along and our lives will feel the echoes of our *turning*

With ev’ry voice, with ev’ry song!  We will move this world along.

With ev’ry voice, with ev’ry song, we will move this world along

and our lives will feel the echoes of our *turning*.

2) Substitute *healing* for *turning*.

3) Substitute *loving* for *turning*.

Benediction        

Discussion

Shalom  (meaning - “May you be well and whole and in communion with all creation.”)

Shalom, my friends, Shalom, my friends, Shalom, Shalom.

Till we meet again, Till we meet again, Shalom, Shalom.                       *************************************************************************************

Reprinted with permission under One License #A-625711.  All rights reserved.

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Calendar of Service -  

June 29 - Dr. Keith Ray  —  Outdoors

July 6 - TBD

July 13 - Dr. Keith Ray — Outdoors

July 20 - Dr. Keith Ray

July 27 - Dr. Keith Ray — Outdoors

Outdoor services will be held on 2nd, 4th, 5th Sundays, weather permitting.
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Three Nights on Nature is coming!

July 15, 7:00 pm - Dr. Mike Ferro - "A Few Stops on the Walk Around the Back Yard"

Collection Manager at the Arthropod Collection of Clemson University, a research and teaching resource, with 1.3+ million specimens.

July 16, 7:00 pm – Melissa Fuentes – “Nature’s Wonders, Part 2”

Curator of the Vertebrate Collection at the Bob and Betsy Campbell Museum of Natural History, Clemson University.

July 17, 7:00 pm – Dale Gilbert – “The Marvelous Gift of Weather”

Meteorologist, Retired, Yet working Part Time with WYFF4, a football and basketball public address announcer for the Clemson Tigers.

NACCP folk: Please bring an item for the light refreshments to be shared with all.

Non-perishable food time(s) are encouraged for donations to Hope Mission.

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The Anderson County Library is hosting a “tree” event which will last until October.  When you go to the library, write a wish on a supplied piece of cloth and then tie your wish to a tree there.  For every 20 wish ties on the tree, a new tree will be planted at the Anderson Civic Center in October.

You may be able to write your wishes at church and then they will be taken to the library.

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Bible Study meets on Mondays at 6:30 pm through Zoom.  If you’d like to be added to the Zoom invite list, contact Cynthia at cynthiakwarner@mac.com.

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An updated church directory is available for upload.  If you do not have the password, please send request to mhc.clemson@gmail.com
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Please remember to donate non-perishable food items to AIM (Anderson Interfaith Ministries).  An extra item when you shop is a great help to others in our community.

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Remember the glass “tip jar” is still on the piano.  Dave and Polly will donate the “tips” to a cause related to music, such as bringing music to schools.
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Women’s clothing is needed for women coming out of incarceration. Good, gently used items please. All sizes.
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Doug Booth encourages everyone to volunteer at PAWS – there is something for everyone, from socializing with the dogs on-site to taking a dog to lunch to hosting weekend visits. There are many dogs at the facility who crave human interaction.  Additionally, don’t forget to bring in any donations of blankets to the church.
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Are you interested in becoming a member of NACCP?  Would you like to make this community your spiritual home?  Please contact Keith at keithdray@gmail.com or at 864-508-1530.

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