22nd Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 24

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Call to Worship

We are servants in training, gathered to learn and listen.
We serve the Triune God, Ruler of All Creation.
Our service requires us to do things that do not make sense to this world.
We serve God the Creator, who creates abundance.
Our service requires us to share our resources with the needy and vulnerable.
We serve God the Redeemer, who redeems us from our sinfulness.
Our service requires us to preach the good news of the Gospel in word and deed.
We serve God the Sustainer, who sustains the world with Holy Breath.
Our service requires us to be guided by Her wisdom in all that we do.
We are servants of the Sacred, sealed in our baptism as disciples of Christ.
Come, let us worship God!

Prayer of the Day

Today, Gracious God,
we are reminded of a story in your scripture
when two followers of Jesus 
failed to understand the cost of discipleship. Mark 10:35-45
Help us have a clearer understanding of that cost
and to treat it not as a burden
but as a gift that has the ability to transform our lives
and the lives of others in our community.  Amen.

Call to Confession

In humility and honesty,
let us gather before our gracious God
to be forgiven our sins.

Confession

God of Servant Leadership,
so often we fight over and complain about the silliest of things, Mark 10:34-45
who’s more important,
who’s more influential,
who’s more worthy of love and respect.
How exhausted you must get from our incessant bickering
Forgive us for the moments when we’ve lost sight of what’s truly important.
Forgive us for the moments when we’ve given into our selfish natures.
Forgive us for the moments when we’ve turned your gospel 
into a platform for our self-promotion.
Help us prioritize the mission of the Church over and above our egos.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our confession.  Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Friends, God will not let our sin separate us from God’s love!
No amount of bickering or selfishness
can remove the fact that we are saved through Jesus Christ!
I announce to you this day that our sins are forgiven.
Alleluia!  Amen.

Prayer for Illumination

Holy Spirit, settle our hearts, relax our bodies, and open our ears,
that we may be ready to receive your Word.  Amen.

Prayers of the People

Let us pray to God, saying:
Source of Eternal Salvation, hear our prayer.             Heb. 5:9

We gather this day to bow before your magnificence, Wondrous God.
We come to you as followers eager to learn,
as disciples seeking to serve,
as children trying to absorb your wisdom.
It is a difficult task, indeed.
Where we have been stubborn, give us discerning ears.
Where we have been cruel, give us gracious hearts.
Where we have been shortsighted, give us open eyes.
Make and mold us into the community you are calling us to embody.
Source of Eternal Salvation, hear our prayer.

Today we pray for the politicians who are seeking office this November.
We pray for the Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and others who seek to serve.
We are reminded this day that Jesus Christ calls us to place aside our ego
in order that we might serve more fully and more faithfully.
We pray that all candidates seeking office may understand
that their voices and their votes affect the least of these among us.
Source of Eternal Salvation, hear our prayer.

Today we pray for this congregation,
that in this season of divisiveness,
that we might be guided by the unity of the Holy Spirit
to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you.
Source of Eternal Salvation, hear our prayer.

God of all Healing and Wholeness,
we pray for the those close to our hearts
that are struggling with issues of various kinds.
Especially those that are craving kindness,
for those that are seeking employment,
for those that are yearning to be whole,
for those that are calling for justice,
for those that are discerning righteousness.
Source of Eternal Salvation, hear our prayer.

We gather as your servants this day
to lift up our supplications for your mercy.
Hear now the prayers we lift to you
either out loud or in silence…
Source of Eternal Salvation, hear our prayer.

Gracious God, hear us as we pray as your Son taught us to pray, saying:  Our Father…



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Stephen Fearing

Stephen was born in 1988 in Cookeville, TN, where his parents met whilst attending Tennessee Tech. Shortly after, they moved to Dalton, Georgia where they put down roots and joined First Presbyterian Church, the faith family that taught Stephen that he was first and foremost a beloved child of God. It was this community that taught Stephen that it was OK to have questions and doubts and that nothing he could do could every possibly separate him from the love of God. In 1995, his sister, Sarah Kate, joined the family and Stephen began his journey as a life-long musician. Since then, he has found a love of music and has found this gift particularly fitting for his call to ministry. Among the instruments that he enjoys are piano, trumpet, guitar, and handbells. Stephen has always had a love of singing and congregation song. An avid member of the marching band, Stephen was the drum major of his high school's marching band. In 2006, Stephen began his tenure at Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where he majored in Religion and minored in History. While attending PC, Stephen continued to explore his love of music by participating in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Jazz Combo, Jazz Trio, as well as playing in the PC Handbell ensemble and playing mandolin and banjo PC's very own bluegrass/rock group, Hosegrass, of which Stephen was a founding member (Hosegrass even released their own CD!). In 2010, Stephen moved from Clinton to Atlanta to attend Columbia Theological Seminary to pursue God's call on his life to be a pastor in the PC(USA). During this time, Stephen worked at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Silver Creek Presbyterian Church, Central Presbyterian Church, and Westminster Presbyterian Church. For three years, Stephen served as the Choir Director of Columbia Theological Seminary's choir and also served as the Interim Music Director at Westminster Presbyterian Church. In 2014, Stephen graduated from Columbia with a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Arts in Practical Theology with an emphasis in liturgy, music, and worship. In July of 2014, Stephen was installed an ordained as Teaching Elder at Shelter Island Presbyterian Church in Shelter Island, NY. Later that year, Stephen married the love of his life, Tricia, and they share their home on Shelter Island with their Golden Doodle, Elsie, and their calico cat, Audrey. In addition to his work with the people who are Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, Stephen currently serves as a commission from Long Island Presbytery to the Synod of the Northeast and, beginning in January of 2016, will moderate the Synod's missions team.