McPherson Church of the Brethren | Worship Bulletin

07 Jun Worship Bulletin – 6/7/20

Posted at 00:27h in Worship Bulletin by Anne Kirchner

McPherson First Church of the Brethren
We invite your active participation in the life of this congregation, as together we continue to grow in grace and seek justice for God’s creation.

Sunday, June 7, 2020
Non-Violent, Anti-Racists, Allyship

Welcome

Centering Music

Children’s Time

Invitation to Give
Giving Music
Giving Prayer
Give online or send a check made payable to “McPherson Church of the Brethren,” 200 N. Carrie, McPherson, KS 67460

Scripture Focus | John 4:19-21
We love because God first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And God has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
Racism
Racism is a marriage of racist policies and racist ideas that produce and normalize inequities.
Anti-Racism
Anti-racism includes beliefs, actions, movements, and policies adopted or developed to oppose racism.
Anti-Racism Song | “Put Peace into Each Other’s Hands”

Scripture Focus | Matthew 8:1-3 | Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy
When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”
Immediately [the man] was cleansed of his leprosy.
Allyship
An active, consistent, and arduous practice of unlearning and re-evaluating, in which a person in a position of privilege and power seeks to operate in solidarity with a marginalized group.
Allyship Song | “There Is Love All Around”
Allyship List (See Allyship List below)

Scripture Focus | Matthew 5:38-41 | Concerning Retaliation
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”
Non-Violence
The personal practice of being harmless to one’s self and others under every condition. It comes from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and it also refers to a general philosophy of abstention from violence.
Non-Violence Song | “Let There Be Peace on Earth”

Sending Words
Sending Music

Music Coordinator/Accompanist/Pianist/Organist: Ellen Gilbert
Children’s Time for June: Dan Lichty & Lara Lichty Schoming
Technical Crew: Eric Goering, Ryan Goering, Shane Kirchner, Doug Lengel, Steve Lolling, Chris Whitacre, Ira Whitacre

Four Thoughts for White Christians: Awareness, Acknowledgment, Accountability, Action
Levi Yancy | May 30, 2020 | https://www.redletterchristians.org/four-thoughts-for-white-christians/

Awareness: Having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.
Action steps
Start with humility. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you become more aware, sensitive, and active in the fight.
Listen. Listen well. Don’t interrupt. Don’t listen to argue. Listen to understand.
Diversify your friend groups. What do your friend groups look like?
Do you have different races in your friend groups?

Acknowledgment: Accept or admit the existence or truth of.
Action Steps
Love your neighbors. Have neighbors or friends that are minorities? Invite them over for dinner.
Get to know them and build a relationship with them and learn about them and their culture. It may be uncomfortable. But necessary.
Diversify who you follow. Shaun King, Latasha Morrison, Austin Channing Brown, Eric Mason, are a few examples.
Share/comment on social media posts about racial injustices. White voices tend to carry more weight.
Don’t be afraid to comment or share.

Accountability: Subject to the obligation to report, explain or justify something; responsible; answerable.
Where silence has been the main response from Christians in the past, we have the opportunity to change that.
Action Steps
Have conversations with your family and friends.
Sign a petition. Help hold those that are responsible accountable.

Action: Process of doing something, especially when dealing with a problem or difficulty.
Action Steps
Be active.
Check on your friends of color. When injustices happen, reach out to your brothers and sisters of color.
Text them, call them, DM them, reach out to them. This is a huge action point.
We often feel alone and misunderstood and support in this way is life-giving.
Share/comment on social media posts about racial injustices. White voices tend to carry more weight.
Don’t be afraid to comment or share.
Bring someone along with you. As you begin to learn, send that information to them, share your opinion and ask them theirs.
Show yourself grace. You will make mistakes. You will accidentally say racist things.
You’ll think you’re spot on but you’ll be completely wrong. Show yourself grace.
God forgives us, so that means you can forgive yourself too.

BEING AN ALLY by Dr. Wendy VanderWal Gritter

It’s not about you. Don’t worry about who notices, approves, or appreciates – none of that is the focus.
It will cost you. But not nearly as much as the burden those you are an ally to – live with every day.
You don’t get to be angrier than the people you are being an ally to. Sometimes your anger has more to do with your privilege than you realize. You have the safety and power to feel free to be angry.
Being an ally isn’t about just one particular group of people. A true ally is motivate by a drive for justice where ALL can flourish.
Allies forfeit the right to get defensive. Again – it’s not about you!
Allies recognize the need to keep learning. They take ownership to keep educating themselves. Do not expect the marginalized person to carry the burden to educate you.
Allies need to pay attention to self-care. This doesn’t mean you get to ‘opt out’ of difficult situations. Those who we are allies for – do not get to ‘opt out’ – they face inequity every day.
Allies need spiritual disciplines. Release the grief – including anger that you experience. Read Psalm 77:1-2 & 11-12
Being an ally will open your eyes to more injustice than you were initially attuned to. Don’t let it paralyze you – it can be overwhelming.
Recognize that self-doubt, feelings of inadequacy, and whispers of uncertainty are par for the course. Don’t let these have too much power – or allow them to distract you.
Look for opportunities to resist. However be careful you are not taking up space that should be filled by someone you are an ally to.
Grow in enemy-love. If you – as an ally – are not growing in the capacity to love, even to those who oppose you – then you will become part of the problem – perpetuating violence and hatred.
You can both need ally-ship AND be an ally to others.
Don’t presume to take on the identity of an ally. Recognition of ally-ship is bestowed by those your serve.

https://www.redletterchristians.org/black-people-are-tired/ (Poetry read while Song sung)
Black People are Tired – author anonymous – Narrator – Lisa Sharon Harper

Tired
We can’t go jogging
We can’t relax in the comfort of our own homes
We can’t ask for help after being in a car crash
We can’t have a cell phone
We can’t leave a party to get to safety
We can’t play loud music
We can’t sell CDs
We can’t sleep
We can’t walk from the corner store
We can’t play cops and robbers
We can’t go to church
We can’t walk home with Skittles
We can’t hold a hairbrush while leaving our own bachelor party
We can’t party on New Year’s Eve
We can’t get a ‘normal’ traffic ticket
We can’t lawfully carry a weapon
We can’t break down on a public road with car problems
We can’t show up at Walmart
We can’t have a disabled vehicle
We can’t read a book in our own car
We can’t be a ten year old walking with our grandfather
We can’t ask a cop a question
We can’t cash our check in peace
We can’t take out our wallet
We can’t run
We can’t breathe
We can’t live
We can’t even peacefully protest these types of injustices
We’re tired
Tired of making hashtags
Tired of trying to convince you that our Black Lives Matter too
Tired of dying
Tired of explaining this to yet another generation
Tired
Tired
Tired So Very Tired

Music, Rose Petals, written by Dee Wilson (BMI)
© 2017 Common Hymnal Digital (BMI), The Wilson Songbook (BMI) (admin by CapitolCMGPublishing.com). CCLI 7130036.

VERSE 1
The blood of my brother was spilled on the street
He was the rose that grew out of the concrete
The same ground where his body lay
Like rose petals on a stony grave
Why do we fear each other
From the lies of yesterday, I’ll never know

CHORUS
But look at all these roses
With petals on the ground
They called this one Mike Brown
I’m asking you to look at all these roses
With petals on the ground
They called this one Trayvon Martin
I’m asking you to look at all these roses
With petals on the ground
They called this one Tyshawn Lee
I’m asking you to look at all these roses
With petals on the ground
It’s far too many for me

VERSE 2
The tears of my mother were spilled at his grave
She knows the cost the whole world could not repay
And when she should’ve felt our sympathy
All we told her is that her baby was guilty
Do we even have compassion
Do we even want to see, I’ll never know

CHORUS 2
But look at all these roses
With petals on the ground
They called this one Freddy Gray
I’m asking you to look at all these roses
With petals on the ground
They called this one Eric Garner
I’m asking you to look at all these roses
With petals on the ground
They called this one Sandra Bland
I’m asking you to look at all these roses
With petals on the ground
Every woman, every man

BRIDGE
Sometimes I wonder, if you were more than a number
would we ever see how beautiful and special and precious you were
Somebody told me, that if only, if only
You would ‘better decide’, you would still be alive

CHORUS 3
But I’m asking you to
Look at all these roses
With petals on the ground
Like the ones from Sandy Hook
I’m asking you to
Look at all these roses
With petals on the ground
Cause they will change the story
In our history books
So while we can let’s
Look at all these roses, look at all these roses
Look at all these roses with petals on the ground
I’m asking you to
Look at all these roses, look at all these roses
Look at all these roses with petals on the ground
I’m asking you to look at all these roses, look at all these roses
Look at all these roses with petals on the ground
I’m asking you to
Look at all these roses, look at all these roses
Look at all these roses with petals on the ground
I’m asking you to
Look at all these roses, say a prayer for all these roses
Shout and march for all the roses with petals on the ground
I’m asking you to
Look at all these roses, look at all these roses
Look at all these roses with petals on the ground

VERSE 3
The blood of my brother was spilled on the street
He was the rose that grew out of the concrete

Lift every voice and sing ‘til earth and heaven ring – ring with the harmonies of liberty.
Let our rejoicing rise high as the listening skies let us march us on ‘til victory.
Let us march on ‘til victory.
Let us march on ‘til victory is won