Sunday, June 29th

West Tokyo Union Church Weekly

June 29, 2014  Pentecost+3     Worship 11:00 AM

Pastor:  Rev. Teresa Thompson Sherrill     wtucrev@gmail.com

THIS WEEK

Sunday, June the 29th -  At the 11am worship service, Pastor Teresa will preach from Psalm 89 , with a sermon titled, “Necessary Laments”.  During the worship service we will even have a time where we can write a Lament Psalm of our own.  After the worship service will be a fellowship time.  This Sunday is the last worship will have of the 2013-14 church year, and are already looking forward to seeing you back in September.

WORSHIP  11:00 AM

FELLOWSHIP TIME (after the service – all are invited)

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STRUCTURE OF A LAMENT PSALM

I. A personal Address to God (I, You)

II. Complaint to God – describing the BIG problem in their lives that they are innocent of and need help from someone or something “wicked” or “an enemy”

III. Affirmation of Trust – the turning point of the psalm – looking at You/God

IV. Petition – plea for God to “save” or “deliver”

V. Promise/vow to offer praise or sacrifice to God

VI. Doxology – blessing or praise for God`s help

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Upcoming Preaching Ministry and Community Events

June 29th          Pastor Teresa, Last worship service of the 13-14 WTUC church year

September 7th  Pastor Teresa, Worship Services resume, Communion

September 15th Back to School Sunday                                                                                                                       

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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION CORNER (we value your prayers & involvement in this vital ministry)  Contact Pastor Teresa at wtucrev@gmail.com with any questions.

June 29th – Little Kids please remain in worship and enjoy the books and coloring in the cabinet in the back

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WTUC  Announcements

*Any questions or concerns?  Feel free to email wtucrev@gmail.com anytime.

*Please enjoy and refer our website and FB page (West Tokyo Union Church) to others.  Please make any suggestions for additions to the Pastor Teresa and/or Steering Committee.  https://wtuc.net/  

*If you’d like to be added to the WTUC church email list, please contact Gene Witt ewitt@asij.ac.jp

*If interested in joining the WTUC Prayer Chain, let Pastor Teresa or Prayer Chain Coordinator, Kayo Ozawa, know of your interest. Please submit prayers to wtucrev@gmail.com or Kayo Ozawa.

 *Sign up for snacks for fellowship time with Ann or on the list on the white board for next year. We appreciate your contributions to our community life! 

*Interested in baptism or membership, please contact Pastor Teresa.  We will be having a membership class in October for all interested.

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Psalm 89 1-4 Your love, God, is my song, and I’ll sing it!

    I’m forever telling everyone how faithful you are.

I’ll never quit telling the story of your love—

    how you built the cosmos

    and guaranteed everything in it.

Your love has always been our lives’ foundation,

    your fidelity has been the roof over our world.

You once said, “I joined forces with my chosen leader,

    I pledged my word to my servant, David, saying,

‘Everyone descending from you is guaranteed life;

    I’ll make your rule as solid and lasting as rock.’”

5-18 God! Let the cosmos praise your wonderful ways,

    the choir of holy angels sing anthems to your faithful ways!

Search high and low, scan skies and land,

    you’ll find nothing and no one quite like God.

The holy angels are in awe before him;

    he looms immense and august over everyone around him.

God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who is like you,

    powerful and faithful from every angle?

You put the arrogant ocean in its place

    and calm its waves when they turn unruly.

You gave that old hag Egypt the back of your hand,

    you brushed off your enemies with a flick of your wrist.

You own the cosmos—you made everything in it,

    everything from atom to archangel.

You positioned the North and South Poles;

    the mountains Tabor and Hermon sing duets to you.

With your well-muscled arm and your grip of steel—

    nobody trifles with you!

The Right and Justice are the roots of your rule;

    Love and Truth are its fruits.

Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise,

    who shout on parade in the bright presence of God.

Delighted, they dance all day long; they know

    who you are, what you do—they can’t keep it quiet!

Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us—

    you’ve been so good to us! We’re walking on air!

All we are and have we owe to God,

    Holy God of Israel, our King!

19-37 A long time ago you spoke in a vision,

    you spoke to your faithful beloved:

“I’ve crowned a hero,

    I chose the best I could find;

I found David, my servant,

    poured holy oil on his head,

And I’ll keep my hand steadily on him,

    yes, I’ll stick with him through thick and thin.

No enemy will get the best of him,

    no scoundrel will do him in.

I’ll weed out all who oppose him,

    I’ll clean out all who hate him.

I’m with him for good and I’ll love him forever;

    I’ve set him on high—he’s riding high!

I’ve put Ocean in his one hand, River in the other;

    he’ll call out, ‘Oh, my Father—my God, my Rock of Salvation!’

Yes, I’m setting him apart as the First of the royal line,

    High King over all of earth’s kings.

I’ll preserve him eternally in my love,

    I’ll faithfully do all I so solemnly promised.

I’ll guarantee his family tree

    and underwrite his rule.

If his children refuse to do what I tell them,

    if they refuse to walk in the way I show them,

If they spit on the directions I give them

    and tear up the rules I post for them—

I’ll rub their faces in the dirt of their rebellion

    and make them face the music.

But I’ll never throw them out,

    never abandon or disown them.

Do you think I’d withdraw my holy promise?

    or take back words I’d already spoken?

I’ve given my word, my whole and holy word;

    do you think I would lie to David?

His family tree is here for good,

    his sovereignty as sure as the sun,

Dependable as the phases of the moon,

    inescapable as weather.”

38-51 But God, you did walk off and leave us,

    you lost your temper with the one you anointed.

You tore up the promise you made to your servant,

    you stomped his crown in the mud.

You blasted his home to kingdom come,

    reduced his city to a pile of rubble

Picked clean by wayfaring strangers,

    a joke to all the neighbors.

You declared a holiday for all his enemies,

    and they’re celebrating for all they’re worth.

Angry, you opposed him in battle,

    refused to fight on his side;

You robbed him of his splendor, humiliated this warrior,

    ground his kingly honor in the dirt.

You took the best years of his life

    and left him an impotent, ruined husk.

How long do we put up with this, God?

    Are you gone for good? Will you hold this grudge forever?

Remember my sorrow and how short life is.

    Did you create men and women for nothing but this?

We’ll see death soon enough. Everyone does.

    And there’s no back door out of hell.

So where is the love you’re so famous for, Lord?

    What happened to your promise to David?

Take a good look at your servant, dear Lord;

    I’m the butt of the jokes of all nations,

The taunting jokes of your enemies, God,

    as they dog the steps of your dear anointed.

52 Blessed be God forever and always!

Yes. Oh, yes.