The Inheritance of (em)Power(ment)

The Inheritance of God Worship Series: THE INHERITANCE OF (em)POWER(ment)
Third Sunday After Pentecost - June 30, 2019

Planning for this Series

How can this historic statement of faith provide further definition and clarity of what the Christian church believes about the nature of our Triune God during the seasons of Trinity Sunday/Pentecost/ Kingdomtide? More importantly, how might this Trinitarian legacy be passed on to our children and youth?

There could be no more appropriate time to demonstrate the concepts of inheritance, relationship, creative speaking, and listening than during this high holy day, Trinity Sunday, celebrated alongside Father’s Day and beyond. For that reason, this series seeks to punctuate the ways in which God, Father (Creator), God, Son (Savior), God, Spirit (Sophia) are dancing together over, among, within, around us in perfect rhythm and divine harmony. This is the POWER of ONE-IN-THREE, THREE-IN-ONE. Not only are we recipients of this POWER, but we are also called to be a reincarnation of this inheritance and to pass it on! What better way, place, or time for the church to demonstrate the richness of this rite of passage than Father’s Day! Here are two ideas for your consideration:

An in-depth study series of the Nicene Creed shared by several generations within your faith community could result in a contemporary translation of the creed through the medium of the spoken word, composed by children, youth, and/or young adults. What is the outcome of this experience? In the prologue of John’s Gospel, the writer substitutes Logos for Word. In the third century, Logos functioned as that which offered logic or reason. However, John is referring to the Greek meaning of Logos, the mind of Christ: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:3).

Perhaps a more contemporary written description of the character of God from the creative hearts and minds of millennials, next-gens, and others might serve to build bridges among multiple generations in your congregation. A stunning example of this art form is aptly demonstrated in “Next Generation Resources” of The Africana Worship Series Book for Year C, (Discipleship Resources, p. 96, www.discipleshipresources.org). The litany is titled “Trinity Sunday: Custom-Made by God’s Own Hand.” Written by Sharletta Green, the litany is a paraphrase of Proverb 8:1-4, 22-31

A second outcome might be an action or embodiment of how we perceive God.

“The Word became flesh and made his home among us” (John 1:14a).

“No one has ever seen God. God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made God known” (John 1:18).

Jesus Christ, the Logos, becomes flesh!

“What came into being in him was life and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it (John 1:3b-5).

What a metaphor! How might this concept live in the celebration of worship? Consider various forms of liturgical movement:

• Dancers (multi-generations, genders) leading the Processional with the Light of Christ, the Bible, the cross, emblematic of the dance of the Trinity (perichorisis)
• Scripture choreographed, while the voice of the reader is heard, not seen.
• Procession of the Communion elements

What other artistic ways can your congregation experience, embody, live into the legacy extended to us through the power and presence of our Triune God?

THE INHERITANCE OF POWER[ment]

2 KINGS 2:1-2, 6-14

¹When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. ²Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

⁶ Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

⁷ Fifty men of the company of prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they were both standing by the Jordan. ⁸ Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.

⁹ When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit."

¹⁰ He responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not."

¹¹ As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven.

¹² Elisha kept watching and crying out, "Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

¹³ He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.

¹⁴ He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

WORSHIP RESOURCES

AWS – Africana Worship Series, Year C
SOZ – Songs of Zion
TFWS - The Faith We Sing
UMH - The United Methodist Hymnal
URW - Upper Room Worshipbook
W&S - Worship & Song, Music Edition

LITURGICAL RESOURCES

Music:

UMH 77, 97, 110, 113, 141, 151, 152, 159, 181, 203, 206, 220, 330, 336, 338, 384, 393, 396, 398, 402, 407, 415, 428, 430, 500, 538, 544, 549, 579, 603, 651, 700, 704, 730

Canticle:

UMH 652

TFWS: 2008, 2016, 2047, 2038, 2049, 2092, 2101, 2104, 2108, 2118, 2129, 2130, 2151, 2162, 2169, 2171, 2175, 2176, 2179, 2182, 2188, 2191, 2192, 2196, 2201,2215, 2211, 2221, 2224, 2227, 2240, 2242, 2256, 2262, 2273, 2278

SOZ: 8, 9, 11, 32, 64, 72, 80, 102, 104, 134, 138, 158, 182, 226

URW: 64, 99, 141, 154, 159, 173, 198, 203, 205, 206, 257, 394, 395, 415, 416

W&S: 3003, 3017, 3018