Today's Service for Sunday, July 27, 2025

 Next Sunday we will meet together at Bethesda United Presbyterian Church at 11:15 for joint worship, celebrating Holy Communion.  A time of fellowship will be shared prior to worship in the Social Hall.

Worship Service for July 27, 2025

Prelude

Announcements:

Call to Worship

L:      Why have you come to this place?

P:      We have come to find Christ.

L:      Why have you come today?

P:      We are tired in body and spirit.

L:      Come, rest awhile and be fed through music and word.

P:      We are here to worship and to be renewed.

L:      Then let us worship God together.

 

Opening Hymn – O Worship the King           #476/104  5 verses in Blue

 

Prayer of Confession

God of steadfast love, fools say in their hearts: “There is no God.”  How often, O Lord, are we the fools who confess You with our lips, but deny You with our actions?  How often do we act as if You sleep, O God confident that You know not what we do?  How often do we cause others to stumble, when we act hypocritically in our faith?  Help us be constant as the north star, O God, that others have no occasion to witness our example and say: “I’d be a Christian if it weren’t for the Christians.”  Forgive us, O Lord.  (Silent prayers are offered)  AMEN.

Assurance of Pardon

L:      God’s love is lavished upon you.  It is always there for you, offering healing and hope.

P:      Thanks be to God for God’s steadfast love.  AMEN.

Gloria Patri

Affirmation of Faith/Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.  AMEN

 

Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s Prayer

Gracious God, we give you thanks for all the blessings that come from your hand, especially for the invitation to live as your holy people, the body of Christ.  We lift in prayer today your church, in all its various forms, as it struggles to proclaim your gracious reign in a world dedicated to wealth and possessions.  Strengthen the people of this planet for an attitude of peace and goodwill and all who lead them.  For the nations that struggle with war, violence, and injustice, grant your full measure of peace and righteousness. 

 

We especially lift up to you the people of other countries that have been torn apart by violence, civil war, invasions, and radical ideologies that hurt and destroy, but we also must include our own country in the midst of so many acts of violence against one another.

 

For the sick and those facing death, we pray that you send your Spirit and your people to bring comfort and hope.  We pray for…

 

For this congregation, as we endeavor to let Christ rule our hearts, open those hearts that we may give and serve gladly; that the witness of those who have gone before us is a guiding hand. 

 

In this time of silence, we lift our personal petitions to you…

 

These and all other things you know we need, we ask in the name of Jesus, the only name that matters as we pray together saying... Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  AMEN.

 

Hymn – Alleluia! Sing to Jesus   #144/377         Brown/Blue

Scripture Reading:

First Scripture Reading –   Leviticus 19:33,34,37

Second Scripture Reading – Ephesians 4:25-32

Sermon

Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness

(based on Ephesians 4:25-32)

 

         How many of you have seen the musical Into the Woods?  In it, Stephen Sondheim weaves the story of various fairy tales like Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and the Baker and his Wife into one story, exploring the consequences of wishes and actions.  Each of their desires leads to unexpected complications.  As their stories interweave and come to a dramatic climax, one of the last songs is called, The Last Midnight.

         The witch, played by Meryl Streep in the film version, was made famous on Broadway by Bernadette Peters.  She begins singing;

It's the last midnight
It's the last wish
It's the last midnight
Soon it will be boom
Squish!

Told a little lie
Stole a little gold
Broke a little vow
Did you?
Had to get your Prince
Had to get your cow
Had to get your wish
Doesn't matter how
Anyway, it doesn't matter now
It's the last midnight
It's the boom
Splat!

Nothing but a vast midnight
Everybody smashed flat!
Nothing we can do
Not exactly true
We could always give her the boy
(spoken)
Just give me the boy.

 

The boy she’s referring to in the song is Jack, because his greed for gold has brought the disaster of the Giantess coming down from the beanstalk in search of her Giant who is now dead, and she wants revenge.  All of the characters refuse to give Jack up, protecting him from the Witch who wants to save them all from the Giantess by giving her the boy.

It’s the next few lines that always get me.

You're so nice
You're not good
You're not bad
You're just nice
I'm not good
I'm not nice
I'm just right
I'm the Witch
You're the world

         I think about those lines a lot.  The witch says that the characters aren’t good, but their also not bad.  They’re just nice.  And it’s said as if it wasn’t exactly a good thing – You’re JUST nice.  I’ve always thought of nice and kind as being relatively the same and kind is what scripture tells us we should be.   So, is there a difference between nice and kind?

         You’re just nice.  Nice generally refers to being pleasant, agreeable, and polite in social interactions.  Being nice can be motivated by a desire to be liked, to avoid confrontation, or to conform to social norms.  Often, it’s a more superficial way of relating to others, focusing on outward appearances and social expectations.  An example of being nice is complimenting a friend's outfit, even if you don't genuinely like it, or offering a simple apology to avoid an argument.

         Being kind to one another however, involves genuine empathy, compassion, and a desire to help or support others.  It stems from a desire to alleviate suffering, promote well-being, or connect with others on a deeper level.  Being kind often involves a willingness to go beyond what is expected, to understand others' perspectives, and to offer support or assistance.  An example would be for a person to offer a listening ear to a friend going through a difficult time or volunteer their time to help a person in need.

In essence, being nice can be a social lubricant, while being kind is a more profound and authentic expression of care. 

So, in the story of Into the Woods, the Witch is saying that all their actions that were done because of their desires proves that they don’t really have empathy, compassion or genuine care.  That their actions for saving the boy are just superficial, they’re just nice.  In the end, however, they prove the witch wrong that their desire for saving Jack does, indeed come from a deep sense of compassion.

I think the person who taught all of us, in our day and age, what it truly means to be kind is Fred Rogers.  The ministry of Mister Rogers focused on teaching children – and us – how to live out the assertion that we have inherent worth and dignity just by being human, and how to treat ourselves and each other with kindness.

         One of the episodes that had a profound and lasting impact on its viewers was filmed in 1969 during a period of racial tension and segregation surrounding public swimming pools.  In the scene, Mister Rogers is cooling his feet in a small wading pool, whereupon he invites Officer Clemmons, a black man, to join him.  Clemmons initially hesitates, claiming that he lacked a towel to dry off his feet after getting wet.  But Mister Rogers offered to share his.  This simple act of sharing and inclusion was a profound moment of teaching kindness, but it went deeper than that to his audience given the context.  It was a powerful message about racial equality as well.

Being nice is superficial, but being kind goes deeper.  We need to see one another as family, as the people we devote our last measure of affection to.   Paul, in his letter to the Ephesian Church members, wants us to be our best selves because Jesus wants us to be our best selves.  How we treat others is important; it shouldn’t be superficial.  It should be deep and authentic.

Kindness sees a need and offers to help.  Kindness stands up for the person being bullied and then makes sure they’re safe.  Kindness disrupts lawlessness and incivility.  Kindness goes out of its way.  Kindness recycles.  Kindness holds the door.  Kindness builds a ramp.  Kindness knows its privilege and uses it to build justice.

Kindness is not easy.  Kindness is sometimes uncomfortable, because it requires us to not stay nice and docile.

Kindness doesn’t sit still.  And kindness acts in many big and small ways.  Kindness calls elected representatives, and writes letters, and votes – and makes sure other people can get to vote too, and goes to protest marches, and makes sure everyone who wants to have a voice has one. Kindness believes the survivors.  Kindness prays for the protection of sacred land and water and asks forgiveness.  Kindness knows that trans people cannot be erased.  Kindness presses legislators to send aid to every place aid is needed.  Kindness works for racial justice because it knows that Black Lives Matter.

Kindness doesn’t calculate the return on investment or the risk to reputation or the fear of comments.  Kindness is present to the moment.  Kindness matters.

Kindness welcomes new ideas as a gift, not a challenge.  Kindness embraces complexity.  Kindness embraces discomfort in service to something better.  Kindness prefers effectiveness over efficiency.  Kindness apologizes and takes responsibility.  Kindness lets go of perfectionism. Kindness speaks honestly but also speaks with thoughtfulness and care.

We are kind to one another when we stop building walls and start building bridges.  We are kind to one another when we work for equal rights and equal pay and safety and clean water and accessibility for everyone. We are kind to one another when we join our forces together – remembering these words by Margaret Mead, a famous anthropologist, “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Friends, we are called to change the world by being kind to one another.

Thanks be to God.  AMEN.

Offertory –

Doxology –

Prayer of Dedication –

Lord, you have called us to be the very presence of Christ in this hurting world.  We offer these gifts to you as symbols of our willingness to spend our time, energy, and material resources to continue Christ’s ministry of kindness to one another.   AMEN.

Closing Hymn –  O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee        #357/665 

Blue/Brown

Benediction –

         The world is thirsting for God’s good news of love and grace.  People struggle for words of hope and peace.  As you have been blessed, now go out to be blessing and be kind to one another.  AMEN.

Postlude