Gathering Our Spirit with God's Spirit

Room is in some places still dark, in other places lighter; maybe in some spots it’s a bit too bright. Small gardening tools (RD will bring) are on central table with communion elements: cups, juice, bread, napkins. Arch is a mess – brambles, branches, ivy skewed. Needs tending. Under arch is a pegboard with handwritten sign reading "workers wanted." 

• “The new New Testament” by Dave Madden plays  
• A Journeyer steps up to light the lamp and another rings the bell
• A Journeyer makes announcements

Worshiping with Our Children

• A Journyer leads our children in talking about how every person in this world has a gift to give. (Perhaps show garden tools; we’ll have some around.) Maybe it’s helping someone else play, or learn to tie their shoes or to read. And God wants us to give our gifts to help people feel loved and helped, like flowers and plants being helped to grow. 

Welcome and Breathe

• A Journeyer reads poem “Making Changes” (Poem not on screen. Use images of small things in nature or garden: seedlings, small trees, grass, flowers.) 

Seedlings are easy to nurture. 
Loose soil is easy to cultivate. 
The master gardener makes 
changes as the need arises. 
She knows that mighty forests 
grow from small seedlings. 
A new garden begins 
with a single shovelful of dirt. 
The master gardener understands change 
by following the natural course of things. 
Staying centered, she sees the beginning 
and also the end. 
Starting with nothing, 
she does not worry about loss. 
She has learned to let go. 
She enjoys the process of gardening 
and gives her heart to all living things.

• A Journeyer welcomes, has us breathe, talks about series
• Rick talks about job vs. work

God’s Spirit and Our Spirit

• A Journeyer reads from the Jewish scripture called Beginnings, or Genesis 2

At the time God made Earth and the heavens, God formed the adam out of dirt from the ground and blew into the adam’s nostrils the breath of life. The adam came alive—a living soul! 

Then God planted a Garden. God put the adam he had just made in it. God made all kinds of trees grow from the ground, trees beautiful to look at and good to eat. The Tree-of-Life was in the middle of the garden, also the Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil. 

God took the adam and set the adam down in the Garden. The adam’s job was to work the ground, and to take care of the Garden.

• Judi S. introduces “Beth Bob”
• Guest musician Beth Wood sings "Planting a Garden in October" and "Church of Melody"

Giving -- To Help God Do God's Work in This World  

• Helpers hand out index cards and pens/pencils
• Rick talks about job vs. work in the garden entrusted to us. Then, explains that as worship continues, people are invited to think/feel/pray about what their work in the garden is. Write it on the card. Keep it 'til later. 
• Three or four Journeyers come up and talk about their jobs/roles in the culture vs. their work in the garden 
• A Journeyer reads from the Jesus story known as the Gospel of Luke

Jesus took seventy-two of his followers and divided them into pairs. Then he sent each pair into the towns where he would soon be going. He gave them these instructions:

The harvest is ready to bring in. The fields are FULL of big grain. However, there are few workers willing to go into the fields and do the work. So, we’re asking the Master of the harvest to send workers to bring in the grain. I’m sending you, like migrant workers. 

And, I’m sending you into a tough world. You'll have to rely on God and each other. In fact, don’t take extra money so you’ll feel safe. Don’t take suitcases and supplies so you can imagine that you won't have to worry about how it goes. Don’t slow down in order to talk to people on the road. You have a job to do. 

When you enter a town, and there are people who welcome you, go into their houses. Let them be your hosts. Sit with them. Listen to them. Eat whatever they fix you – even if it’s unfamiliar or it doesn’t taste good. Offer healing to the people who are open to you. And tell them: “The thing God is doing, is right here, right now.”

But if you enter a town and no one welcomes you, and no one will feed you or listen to you, walk into the streets, and announce to the people of the town, “We’re leaving, and we’re wiping the dust of this town off our shoes. But know this: the thing God is doing, is right here, right now. We offered to share it with you -- and you're missing it.”

• A Journeyer reads “Making Changes” again (still not on screen!)

Please put your feet on the floor. Lay your hands at your side. Breathe deeply. Think about the work you do, every day. What does it produce? What does it serve? At the end of this life, what work will you want to have done? Are you doing it? 

Listen to this poem again, and then we’ll pray for our offering. 

Seedlings are easy to nurture. 
Loose soil is easy to cultivate. 
The master gardener makes 
changes as the need arises. 
She knows that mighty forests 
grow from small seedlings. 
A new garden begins 
with a single shovelful of dirt. 
The master gardener understands change 
by following the natural course of things. 
Staying centered, she sees the beginning 
and also the end. 
Starting with nothing, 
she does not worry about loss. 
She has learned to let go. 
She enjoys the process of gardening 
and gives her heart to all living things. 

• The same Journeyer leads an offertory prayer
• Beth Wood sings aobut her own work in the world in "January Rain" and "Funeral Day" for David Gentiles as the ushers pass the baskets and set them at the foot of the cross

Telling The Story and Our Story

• Rick talks
• Rick (E) and Leslie (L) introduce Communion. NOTE communion servers will hand out cups of juice and pieces of bread -- symbolically, a sandwich for working in the fields. 
• Everyone will bring their cards they made earlier and put them on Help Wanted board. Beth Wood plays instrumental music.

Go Out to Serve with Courage and Grace

• Rick brings it back – look at Help Wanted board – what’s your part? 
• A Journeyer reads “Making Changes” one more time and dismisses

Seedlings are easy to nurture. 
Loose soil is easy to cultivate. 
The master gardener makes 
changes as the need arises. 
She knows that mighty forests 
grow from small seedlings. 
A new garden begins 
with a single shovelful of dirt. 
The master gardener understands change 
by following the natural course of things. 
Staying centered, she sees the beginning 
and also the end. 
Starting with nothing, 
she does not worry about loss. 
She has learned to let go. 
She enjoys the process of gardening 
and gives her heart to all living things. 

Now go. Go into this world. You live in it. You work in it. Be awake. Listen to your heart. What work are you doing? What is it producing? Are you willing to stop long enough to change even one part of what your life is creating? Go. Do your work in the garden entrusted to you. 

• “The new New Testament” plays again as folks depart