The Sixth Sunday of Easter

Today’s service may be viewed on Facebook Live Stream at this link, hear it in the church parking lot at 107.1 FM, or join us in person. 

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Gathering Music        Polly Dunford Welcome and Announcements     David Lollis                         

Call to Worship

One:  *Bathala Maykapal (Bat-ha-la My-ka-pal)—Creator God, you call us.

Many:  We say, yes, to your invitation and we gather as one to worship you.

One:  Bathala Maykapal—Creator God, you invite us to stay with you.

Many: You never leave us, you never forsake us, you abide with us, and we gather as one to worship you.

One: Bathala Maykapal—Creator God, you love us.

Many: Extravagant is your welcome, great is your faithfulness, your grace overflows, and we gather as one to worship you.

*Bathala Maykapal is the name given to God by ancient Tagalogs which means transcending supreme being and the origin of the universe. The name, Bathala, was encountered by both Muslim and Spanish missionaries arriving in the Philippines hearing it from the natives referring to the supreme being and maker of the universe.

In ancient Philippine mythology Bathala is the supreme god and creator of all. Though the Spanish friars with Christian doctrine eventually got rid of the other deities (called anitos), they upheld Bathala which they retaught to the natives as equal to the Christian God.

Opening Hymn     “Here in This Place: Gather Us In”          Hymnal #401

     1)  Here in this place the new light is streaming; now is the darkness vanished away;

     see in this space our fears and our dreamings brought here to you in the light of this day.

     Gather us in, the lost and forsaken; gather us in, the blind and the lame;

     call to us now, and we shall awaken; we shall arise at the sound of our name.

2)  We are the young, our lives are a mystery.  We are the old who yearn for your face.

We have been sung throughout all of history, called to be light to the whole human race.

Gather us in, the rich and the haughty; gather us in, the proud and the strong;

give us a heart, so meek and so lowly; give us the courage to enter the song.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    3)  Here we will take the wine and the water; here we will take the bread of new birth.

Here you shall call your sons and your daughters, call us anew to be salt for the earth.

Give us to drink the wine of compassion; give us to eat the bread that is you;

nourish us well, and teach us to fashion lives that are holy and hearts that are true.

4)  Not in the dark of buildings confining, not in some heaven, light years away:

here in this place the new light is shining; now is the kingdom, and now is the day.

Gather us in and hold us forever; gather us in and make us your own;

gather us in, all peoples together, fire of love in our flesh and our bone.                

Scripture Reading Acts 17:22-31

Sermon      “Mingling with New Neighbors”            Dr. Keith Ray

Theme:  The late Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman wrote: “The first step toward love is a common sharing of a sense of mutual worth and value.”  How do we, as people of faith, practice such “common sharing” of mutual worth and value in a pluralistic society?

Paul gives us an example that might be a guide.

Prayers of the People

Closing Hymn/ Offertory          “Breathe on Me, Breath of God” Hymnal #286

1)  Breathe on me, Breath of God; fill me with life anew,

that I may love what thou dost love, and do what thou wouldst do.

2)  Breathe on me, Breath of God, until my heart is pure,

until with thee I will one will, to do and to endure.

3)  Breathe on me, Breath of God, till I am wholly thine,

until this earthly part of me glows with thy fire divine.

4)  Breathe on me, Breath of God, so shall I never die,

but live with thee the perfect life of thine eternity.

 

Benediction      

Discussion

Shalom   (“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

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Calendar of Service 

May 21 - Keith Ray; Communion; Session following worship service.  Outdoors.

May 28 - Service and lunch at South Main Chapel and Mercy Center

June 4 - Keith Ray; 1st Sunday Potluck meal.  Inside service

June 11 - Ed Yokley; Outside service.

June 18 - Keith Ray; Inside service.

June 25 - Keith Ray; Outside service.

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We will begin the following schedule for Sunday services, weather permitting:

• 1st and 3rd Sundays will be indoors in the sanctuary.

• 2nd and 4th Sundays will be at the outdoor stage in the woods. (Also 5th Sundays if applicable.)

HOWEVER, due to meeting at South Main on May 28th. We will be outdoors on May 14th and May 21st.

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Don’t miss out on seeing the final performances of “Kinky Boots” at Market Theatre on May 14-15.  The show is co-directed by our very own Thor Raines and features Barb Barham and Bill Griffith! Tickets are available at http://markettheatre.org.

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Outside Work at NACCP.  Our next Keenager Activity at NACCP will a Garden Party on Saturday morning 20 May.  As usual for NACCP events, this one will not be typical.  At this garden party, we will not serve drinks or hors d'oeurves; we will work in our gardens.  We have several types of gardens and thus many types of work will be available.  I hope everyone reading this will consider joining us.   You may arrive at whatever time fits your schedule. Some people will arrive early (by 7:30 or so) and others will not arrive until 9:30.  Come when you can; stay as long as you like.  Bring gloves and any tools that may be helpful. Pizza will be delivered for lunch.

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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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If you are interested in a class on Advanced Directives and/or the “Stop the Bleed” program, let Barb Barham know so that she and Rosie Thompson can plan accordingly for future programming.

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Undie Sundays has a couple more weeks to collect socks, men’s underwear (great need for size small men’s underwear) and women’s underwear and bras of all sizes for South Main Chapel and Mercy Center.  Bring your items between by May 28 when we have service and serve lunch at South Main.

South Main is currently experiencing a bottled water shortage. Donations are appreciated.

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Sarah Shumpert shared the Westside Community Center needs a new roof. They are asking folks to donate $40 in honor of the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King Day being signed into legislation as a national holiday. Donations can be made online through the United Way of Anderson County.  Use the “Donation Description” box to designate your donation for the Westside Community Center roof.

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Several of the church hymnals seem to have left the building. If you took a hymnal home for a walk (since they don’t have legs of their own), don’t forget to walk it back to church!

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Remember in prayer: Pat Bell; Patti Pitts; Bonnie Marsden and son Michael; Glennie Burns; Mary Alice Mundy; Jason Harding; Linda McFall; Mike Johnston; Madison Bishop (Whitney’s niece); Jackie Moore; Latha and Cheryl Semones; Immigrant families; Victims of all violence, oppression, and injustice; People of Ukraine; Victims of earthquakes in Turkey and Syria; Victims of tornadoes.

NACCP is an inclusive Faith Community that values questions

and the journey to the answers.

Ministry Leader: Dr. Keith Ray
keithdray@gmail.com

Pianist and Choir Director: Polly Dunford

Mailing address: P.O. Box 4346, Anderson, SC 29622

Phone: 864-225-3575

Website:  naccpchurch.org

Church News:  naccpnews@yahoo.com

Instagram:  northandersonccp

Facebook:  NorthAndersonCommunityChurchPresbyterian