Call to Worship
May you be filled.
May you be comforted.
May you be gladdened.
May you dance with joy.
May you be shown mercy.
May you be called God’s children.
May you receive what God has promised.
May you inherit the Kingdom of God.

Unison Prayer
Lord Jesus, your kingdom is
a city on a hill, a light on a lamp stand,
a hidden treasure, a buried pearl.  
Help us to seek your kingdom above everything else,
and to place you first in our hearts.  Amen.

Words of Assurance: Psalm 127:3, NIV
Children are a heritage from the Lord.

The Lord’s Prayer
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;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil;
for thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory forever.
Amen.

Opening Song: Frank Sinatra, “Pennies from Heaven”

Scripture Reading: Psalm 100, NIV
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Sunday Sermon

Our March Madness Tournament kicked off this week (see the March Madness page of this website!). Parishioners were invited to nominate songs that were happy, uplifting, encouraging, comforting and inspirational, but that came from outside the Christian tradition. The response was amazing, as 80 songs were nominated. The oldest is 90 years old, the same age as Carl Meinen. The youngest is ten days old, younger than Finley (the baby we are baptizing today).

On multiple occasions, King David writes, “Sing to the Lord a new song.” This doesn’t mean, “forget the old songs.” It means that God wants to hear more than just the same old songs. When we held our March Madness tournament of Christian songs, the winner was “Here I Am, Lord,” which was published in 1981, the same year as “Don’t Stop Believin’.” The runner-up was “Oceans,” which was released in 2013, the same year as “Brave” and “Don’t You Worry, Child.” It takes time for a song to be considered a classic. But all of these are newer than “What Child Is This,” which dates back to 1580 and is one of the oldest songs in our hymnal. In the year 2525, if man is still alive, will Jelly Roll’s “I’m Good” be in our hymnal? We’ll have to wait and see.

The best thing about our tournament so far is the discussion it has caused, as people are not only thinking about the songs that have given them strength, but singing them all over again. A good song can get us through the day. The best songs include lines that we quote throughout our lives, whether to ourselves or to others. Most of the songs in our tournament contain words of advice or support. Some are songs from our weddings. Others are favorite songs from childhood or college or other important phases of life. Some have been played so often that some people find them annoying while others still love them. Some are so old that young people don’t know them, and some are so new that old people don’t know them. I hope you’ll play all of the songs you don’t know, because there are some incredible finds from every era.

Today’s sermon is for Finley, Merritt, Elizabeth and Kyle. Merritt was baptized here a while back, so she probably already has some favorite songs. Finley has a whole life of discovery ahead of her. She won’t remember being baptized during the Blizzard of ’26, but she’ll be able to tell the story forever.

Who knows what her favorite things will be? Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens?

Every time I hear a newborn baby cry, or touch a leaf or see the sky, then I know why I believe. I see babies cry, I watch them grow; they’ll learn more than I’ll ever know. From the day we arrive on the planet and blinking, step into the sun, there’s more to see than can ever be seen, more to do than can ever be done. Man gave names to all the animals; and I say to myself, “What a wonderful world.”

Finley may look into her father’s eyes. and hear the songs from the places she was born.” And Kyle may say, “Don’t you worry, don’t you worry, child. Heaven’s got a plan for you.” Parents pass songs down to their children; they also pass on their wisdom. It’s easy for a child to be anxious. A parent might say, “In your life expect some trouble. When you worry, you make it double. Don’t worry; be happy.” In similar fashion, Jesus tells his disciples, “Don’t worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will have enough worries of its own.” He also says, “The world will give you trouble, but take heart, for I have overcome the world.” Another way to put it is “Nobody’s gotta worry ’bout nothin’, don’t go hittin’ that panic button, it ain’t near as bad as you think. Everything’s gonna be alright.” Or as Bob Marley sings, “Don’t worry about a thing, because every little thing’s gonna be alright.” Reassure your children. Let them know that they can make it through. Tell them, “it just takes some time, little girl, you’re in the middle of the ride. Everything, everything will be just fine; everything will be alright, alright.”

Jelly Roll has been through a lot in his life, but he writes, “O what a beautiful day. I’m just so glad I’m alive. I got this smile on my face ’cause I opened up my eyes. I found my way out of that place. I never thought that I would see the day I could say, ‘I’m good.” Others might say, “O what a beautiful morning. O what a beautiful day” or “It’s a beautiful day; don’t let it get away” or “my oh my, what a wonderful day” or “heavenly day, all the trouble’s gone away for a while anyway.”

To a child, a parent is the voice of God. A loving parent might say, I will see you through everything you do. Take me there; take me there with you. Like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down.

And in response, the child might say, “You raise me up so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up to walk on stormy seas. I am strong when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up to more than I can be.” Jesus does this for Peter. Paul writes, “because of God, when I am weak, then I am strong.” We can fly higher than an eagle, because God is the wind beneath our wings.

As children grow, they will begin to make friends. Michael W. Smith sings, “Friends are friends forever if the Lord’s the Lord of them.” One of our favorite hymns is “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” Carole King, and later James Taylor, sing “When you’re down and troubled, and you need a helping hand, and nothing, oh nothing is going right, close your eyes and think of me, and soon I will be there to brighten up even your darkest night. You just call on me, and you know wherever I am, I’ll come running to see you again. Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you’ve got to do is call, and I’ll be there. You’ve got a friend.” Hush, my darling; don’t cry, my darling. Think of me. Lean on me when you’re not strong, and I’ll be your friend; I’ll help you carry on. Trouble me; disturb me with all your cares and your worries. Stand by me. That’s what friends are for.

When you start believing in yesterday, if I only could, I’d make a deal with God, and I’d get him to swap our places. You might be waiting for just one victory. Coldplay sings, “I pray that I don’t give up; I pray that I do my best.” But don’t give up, ’cause you have friends. Don’t give up; you’re not beaten yet. Don’t give up, ’cause I know that there’s a place where you belong. Don’t give up, because you are loved. Don’t stop believin’; hold on to that feelin’. When we internalize this strength, the words become a mantra: “Don’t give up, I won’t give up, don’t give up, no, no, no.”

A few people asked, “How did ‘Dust in the Wind’ get in there?” “Dust in the Wind” is loosely based on the book of Ecclesiastes. It reminds us that our lives here are finite, and that every moment counts. The road is long, with many turns. One day we shall be released, and we’ll be knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door. This very knowledge can give meaning and purpose to life. And if we’re dust in the wind, and the answers are blowin’ in the wind, then we’re right next to the answers. And if the wind is right, we can find the joy of innocence again.

You might ask, “how long must I sing this song?” But I know that the heart does go on.

In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and snap! The job’s a game. You’ve got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative.

So say what you wanna say, and let the words fall out. I wanna see you be brave.

Look for the good in everything. Look for the people who will make your heart sing. It always seems impossible until it’s done; look for the good in everyone. People all over the world, join hands on the love train. Put a little love in your heart. We are the world. You should know that it’s time for the world to try Jah love. The only love that can bring peace is Jah love. If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change.

Zac Brown band sings, “I thank God for my life.” There’s more to life than what you can see. All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin’. So when you walk through a storm, hold your head up high, and don’t be afraid of the dark. When darkness blinds the skies with all its light, come see where your eyes cannot see. Kyrie eleison, through the darkness of the night, until Mr. Blue Sky comes out again, until the rain has passed, through the long, cold, lonely winter. And just remember, in the winter, far beneath the bitter snows lies the seed that with the sun’s love in the spring becomes the rose.

I hope you never lose that sense of wonder. I hope you feel good vibrations, and I hope you dance. May you always have high hopes and a package of sunshine. May you walk on that sunshine. May you be somebody else’s sunshine when their skies are grey. May you have a bright sunshiney day. May you climb every mountain. May you see God’s face, and become a believer. May every dawn be a new day and a new life, and may you be feelin’ good.

Today is where your book begins; the rest is still unwritten. We look forward to getting to know you. You are titanium. You’re a firework. Your true colors are beautiful like a rainbow. Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. Follow the yellow brick road. You’re gonna be, gonna be golden. May you see the light, and let it shine. Amen. Amen. Amen, amen, amen.

Closing Song: Jelly Roll, “I’m Good”

Benediction

May you always have
a happy song on your lips
and an encouraging tune in your hearts!
Amen.