“Our Money Story” - Week 1
October 2nd, 2022 – Exodus 16:1-18, Luke 22:1-23
Color: Green
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Call to Worship
One: May we remember
All: That God created.
One: May we remember
All: That God liberated.
One: May we remember
All: That God fed.
One: May we remember
All: That God is still creating,
God is still liberating,
And God is still feeding us.
One: Let this be our story.
All: Let this be where we begin.
One: Let us worship holy God.
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Prayer for Illumination
Holy God, There is something about scripture that stirs us awake.
For when we hear of a deep love that made room for everyone at the table,
We remember that we are hungry.
And when we hear of manna raining down in the desert,
We remember that we are lost.
There is something about scripture that stirs us awake,
And it feels like hunger and it looks like hope. So stir us awake, oh God.
Remind us that this story starts with love and ends with love.
We are hungry, which is to say, we are listening. Amen.
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Exodus 16:1-18
Bread from Heaven
16 The whole congregation of the Israelites set out from Elim and came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.”
6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” 8 And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites: ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’ ” 10 And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 The Lord spoke to Moses, 12 “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer per person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.”
17 The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed.
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Luke 22:1-23
The Plot to Kill Jesus
22 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. 2 The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people.
3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; 4 he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. 5 They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.
The Preparation of the Passover
7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us so that we may eat it.” 9 They asked him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for it?” 10 “Listen,” he said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’ 12 He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.” 13 So they went and found everything as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal.
The Institution of the Lord’s Supper
14 When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves, 18 for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
20 And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 21 But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. 22 For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!” 23 Then they began to ask one another which one of them it could be who would do this.
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Loose Threads
Reflections of our beloved quilter, Cathie Favret
“Log Cabin”
A log cabin block consists of a small center square surrounded by narrow strips representing the logs which make up the cabin. The center square is traditionally red which represents the hearth that was the center of every cabin.
In a way we are like a log cabin block. The narrow log strips are the experiences, friends and family which construct our lives. But the center square is always our faith. It is our foundation and the hearth of our soul. The deeper our faith, the sturdier our log cabin will be!
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Our Plates are Too Full
Reflections from Pastor Trista Wynne
Where do we go to find nourishment? Last year, one of my siblings arrived in service with my youngest niece. It was a joy to have them come and visit from farther inland, and of course we enjoyed some of the children’s toys, books and activities that the church always has on hand to share with the youngsters in our community! My little niece was so very excited to see that the church had a kitchen that was just her size. She set to work immediately, cooking up a veritable storm in the fellowship hall as I waited patiently for my serving to arrive.
We had just celebrated The Lord’s Supper during worship in the sanctuary, and she wanted to show me what she had learned from watching me preside at the Holy Table. What she prepared was everything that the whole kitchen had to offer. Not only did she prepare one plate, she prepared all of the plates. And when the plates were full, she spread the meal on the floor because, of course, we had more room to enjoy all that this little chef wanted to offer.
What an incredible lesson this was, although perhaps she didn’t know it at the time…
Sometimes our plates are too small to receive the blessings that our Great Chef has to offer us. What blessings do we inadvertently bypass because our plates are too full? This can be asked of our schedules, of our relational lives, of our health, and of our finances.
Are our plates too full for us to receive nourishment? Are we setting aside time for the blessings to flow? Are we noticing what our Creator is already wishing to give to us? What stories are we telling ourselves that are keeping our spiritual, emotional, financial or physical health from receiving the gifts that might make us more whole and connected?
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This month, we will be using a resource from A Sanctified Art called, “Our Money Story”.
The creators share this introduction:
Here in this first week, we take time to Remember. What were the stories that we were raised with when we were young? We begin our series by looking back at what our spoken and unspoken money stories have been, and how those stories have impacted our practices of stewardship.
"Re-Member Me" by lisle gwynn garrity inspired by luke 2 (The Last Supper & Judas’ Betrayal) digital painting In these texts, we remember God’s steadfast relationship with us throughout times and trials. We remember that Jesus was betrayed by Judas in exchange for money and yet he was still invited to the table. We remember that the Israelites complained in the wilderness but were met with manna. Even in stories of deep desperation and betrayal, we are gifted with God’s provision – of the feast of enough, and the holy meal of remembrance.
So, as we begin this series here at Tillamook United Methodist Church, we remember and we give thanks. We remember our blessings and give thanks for the gifts of nourishment that are provided by our Creator. We remember the gift of the Lord’s Supper, and honor Jesus by inviting everyone to the Holy Table, as often as we eat and drink together in His name. And we give thanks for the provision of the Holy Spirit who is enabling us to share from the heart as we gather together, in person or in online groups, so we can reflect on the stories that have shaped us.
This week, we remember with gratitude.
And we now reflect together upon a Poetry Prayer written by Sarah Are
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a money story | Nickels
Prayer by Sarah Are | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org
My grandfather pressed a nickel into my hand—
One of those small silver circles
That countries are built on
And people live and die for.
I cupped my eight-year-old palm around it
As if that gift could become a part of me.
And once I had blessed it,
And once I had tossed it,
And once wishes had been made on heads and tails,
It was time to let it go.
I laid that cool silver circle
That countries are built on
And people live and die for
On the railroad tracks.
And after the train passed,
I marveled at how something so small
Could endure so much
And still be here at all.
But I guess you could say the same for me.