# St. John's United Church of Christ — May 31, 2026 > [!info] Trinity Sunday > **Creator · Savior · Spirit.** The bulletin cover ("Trinity" by John / *traqair57* on Flickr) holds a triquetra over a star-strewn cosmos, with the dove, the earth, and the cross woven through. Trinity Sunday is the one Sunday of the year organized around a *doctrine* rather than an *event* — and Rev. Saxton preached it as an invitation to wonder rather than a litmus test. > **Video:** [Full service on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=1s) — timestamp deep-links appear on every Order of Worship subheading below. --- ## Liturgical Context ### Christian Liturgical Calendar - **Day:** Trinity Sunday — the First Sunday after Pentecost. - **Season:** Season after Pentecost (Ordinary Time). Trinity Sunday opens this long green season but is itself a festival of the Lord. - **Liturgical Year:** **A** (Matthew-focused) in the Revised Common Lectionary. This is the RCL year running from Advent 2025 through Christ the King 2026. - **Color:** **White** (festival of the Triune God). Some traditions that fold Trinity Sunday directly into Ordinary Time use **Green**; St. John's cover art and the celebratory framing point to the festal reading. - **Significance:** Trinity Sunday comes immediately after the fifty-day Easter-to-Pentecost arc, asking the church to step back and contemplate the God it has just spent the season getting to know — the God who *creates*, who is *praised*, who *blesses*, and who *sends and accompanies*. ### Narrative Lectionary Transition (important for this vault) - St. John's followed the **Narrative Lectionary Year 4 (John)** through the program year. That published cycle **ends at Pentecost** (NL446, May 24, 2026 — Acts 2:1-21 / Philippians 4:4-7). - Trinity Sunday is **not** part of the Narrative Lectionary's preaching schedule. As is customary, the congregation has shifted to **Revised Common Lectionary seasonal propers** for the summer. - Today's texts are precisely the **RCL Trinity Sunday Year A** set, and the cited worship resources (UCC Worship Ways, *Feasting on the Word Worship Companion*) are RCL-keyed — confirming the transition. ### Jewish Calendar - **Hebrew date:** ~**15 Sivan 5786** (the Hebrew day begins at sundown the prior evening). - **Festivals:** None on this date. It falls the week *after* **Shavuot** (6–7 Sivan, observed sundown May 21 through May 23, 2026). - **Shabbat proximity:** The preceding Shabbat (Saturday, May 30) read **Parashat Naso** (Numbers 4:21–7:89), the longest single parashah — fittingly containing the **Priestly Blessing** (Numbers 6:24-26), a resonance with today's Pauline benediction and the threefold "grace… love… communion" of 2 Corinthians 13:13. ### Ecumenical & Global Observances - **Trinity Sunday** across Western Christianity (Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed, Methodist, UCC). - **The Visitation of Mary** (May 31, Western calendar) — Mary's visit to Elizabeth and the Magnificat (Luke 1:39-56). A quietly apt pairing with a sermon about being *sent* and about God working *from the margins*. ### Lectionary Readings (Revised Common Lectionary, Trinity Sunday, Year A) - **First Reading:** Genesis 1:1–2:4a — Creation by the word; "and it was good." *(Not read in service; note the echo of the Narrative Lectionary's opening Sunday, NL401.)* - **Psalm:** Psalm 8 — "O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" *(used as the Responsive Reading)* - **Second Reading:** 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 — Paul's farewell; the trinitarian benediction. *(used as the Scripture Reading)* - **Gospel:** Matthew 28:16-20 — the commissioning of the disciples. *(the sermon text)* ### Connection to Today's Message The four RCL windows onto the Triune God — **Creator** (Genesis 1 / Psalm 8), **the God who blesses** (2 Cor 13), and **the God who sends and accompanies** (Matthew 28) — line up exactly with the bulletin cover's **"Creator / Savior / Spirit"** and with Hymn #6, *Creator God, Creating Still* (Creator / Redeemer / Sustainer / Great Trinity). Rev. Saxton braided two threads: (1) the **Trinity as mystery to wonder at, not dogma to master**, and (2) **Matthew 28 re-read against its colonial misuse** — discipleship as lifelong, mutual formation rather than conquest. The unifying refrain: ***keep wrestling.*** --- ## Order of Worship > Subheadings link to the moment in the [service recording](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=1s). `*` = please stand in body or in spirit. ### Gathering #### [Gathering Song — "This is the Day"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=2013s) A scripture chorus drawn from **Psalm 118:24** ("This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it"), most familiar in the **Les Garrett (1967)** setting. *Lyrics are under copyright (© 1967 Scripture in Song / Universal Music – Brentwood Benson) and are not reproduced here.* See [Hymnary.org — "This Is the Day"](https://hymnary.org/text/this_is_the_day_the_lord_has_made_let_us). #### [*Unison Welcome](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=2013s) > *"No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here."* The UCC extravagant-welcome formula. Rev. Saxton framed the gathering: whether joining online or in the sanctuary, "it is so good to be gathered together… we have gathered together for worship. Let us welcome one another into this time." #### [Announcements](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=2049s) Lloyd and Shani came forward (see **Church News & Announcements** below for the full content): the **June 14 Labyrinth prayer gathering**, **Craft Night / bird-feeder decorating** (Monday at 6:00), **Vacation Bible School — Snowball Mountain Challenge** (Roxanne, needs kitchen and guide help), the **Habitat for Humanity** congregational conversation after worship, and the **parking-lot project kickoff** ("thirty years of waiting is finally over"). #### [Passing of the Peace](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=2315s) > **Leader:** *"The peace of Christ be with you."* > **People:** *"And also with you."* > *"Let us share signs of peace with one another."* #### [Chiming of the Trinity & Prelude](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=2592s) > *"We worship in the name of God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Amen."* #### [*Call to Worship](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=2592s) *(adapted from UCC Worship Ways)* > **Leader:** We have come to worship God, the living God, > **People:** **who calls prophets and teachers to bear witness.** > **Leader:** We have come to praise God, the almighty God, > **People:** **who answers the forces of hatred and hurt with the power of grace.** > **Leader:** We have come to worship God, all-gracious God, > **People:** **who chooses even you and me, to receive and carry the Word of life and hope. All glory to God!** #### [*Hymn #1 — "Holy, Holy, Holy"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=2640s) **Words:** Reginald Heber, 1826 (after Revelation 4:8-11) · **Music:** John B. Dykes, 1861 (tune: NICAEA) · **Public domain.** > **1.** Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! > Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; > Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty! > God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity! > > **2.** Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee, > Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea; > Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee, > Who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be. > > **3.** Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee, > Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see, > Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee, > Perfect in power, in love, and purity. > > **4.** Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! > All Thy works shall praise Thy name, in earth and sky and sea; > Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty! > God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity! #### [*Prayer of the Day — "three is the magic number"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=2828s) *by Steve Collins (posted on Jonny Baker's "Worship Tricks" site)* *The prayer is a contemporary creative work under the author's copyright; the full text is in the bulletin and on the source site. Paraphrased summary of what the congregation prayed:* It opens by naming **three** as a number that pulls us out of individualism and into relationship — *I to you, we to one another* — the Trinity "seeding networks" until the whole cosmos joins in. It then moves through a litany of triads describing the three Persons' shared work — *creating / saving / sustaining; authoring / fighting / enlivening; conceiving / dying / resurrecting; planning / acting / explaining* — pivoting on the line that one is sufficient, two is company, and **three is community**. It closes by asking the Trinity to expose our self-reliance, break open our exclusivity, and "seed our joining." (Source: [Jonny Baker — Worship Tricks](https://jonnybaker.blogs.com/worship_tricks/).) ### Word #### [Anthem — "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=2940s) **Words:** Charles Wesley, 1739 (**public domain**) · sung by the choir (Gary Crum, director; Barbara Motichka, organist). *The specific choral arrangement may be under copyright; the Wesley text is public domain. Opening stanzas:* > **1.** O for a thousand tongues to sing > my great Redeemer's praise, > the glories of my God and King, > the triumphs of his grace! > > **2.** My gracious Master and my God, > assist me to proclaim, > to spread through all the earth abroad > the honors of thy name. > > **3.** Jesus! the name that charms our fears, > that bids our sorrows cease; > 'tis music in the sinner's ears, > 'tis life, and health, and peace. > > **4.** He breaks the power of cancelled sin, > he sets the prisoner free; > his blood can make the foulest clean; > his blood availed for me. #### [Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 13:11-13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=3081s) Read by lector **Holli Burton** in a traditional/KJV-style rendering ("Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace…"). Bible Linker embeds (NRSVue): ![[2 Corinthians 13#11]] ![[2 Corinthians 13#12]] ![[2 Corinthians 13#13]] > *Note:* v. 13 is **the** trinitarian benediction — "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you." This is one of the few genuinely triadic texts in Scripture and a natural Trinity Sunday reading. #### [Responsive Reading — Psalm 8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=3108s) *(The Peoples' Bible, NRSV. Responsive division per the bulletin: plain = Leader; **bold** = People.)* > **Leader:** O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. > **People:** **Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.** > **Leader:** When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; > **People:** **what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?** > **Leader:** Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. > **People:** **You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the sea.** > **Leader:** O LORD, our Sovereign, > **People:** **how majestic is your name in all the earth!** Bible Linker embeds: ![[Psalm 8#1]] ![[Psalm 8#2]] ![[Psalm 8#3]] ![[Psalm 8#4]] ![[Psalm 8#5]] ![[Psalm 8#6]] ![[Psalm 8#7]] ![[Psalm 8#8]] ![[Psalm 8#9]] #### [Bell Choir Anthem — "Joseph and the Coat" / Children's Corner](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=3192s) Handbell anthem arr. **Tammy Waldrop**; offered as a narrated **handbell drama** that doubled as the **Children's Corner** (Roxanne Davenport). The narrator invited the children and "those who are young at heart" forward (Oscar was recruited to help) and told the **Joseph story** (Genesis 37–50) over the bells: Jacob's twelve sons and his favoritism toward Joseph; the rainbow-colored coat; the brothers' jealousy and Joseph's dreams (the bowing sheaves; the sun, moon, and eleven stars); the pit and the sale to the Ishmaelite caravan to Egypt; Potiphar's house; the prison; Pharaoh's dreams of seven fat/seven lean cows and seven good/bad ears of grain; Joseph's rise to governor; the brothers' arrival in the famine, his testing of them, and the tearful reconciliation and forgiveness. The narrator's moral: when people sin against one another and disobey God's law to love, "unhappy times are sure to come" — yet God brings blessing; Joseph traded an earthly father's coat for his family and his heavenly Father's blessings. Closed with a round of applause for the ringers. *(A game in Children's Corner followed, testing whether the kids caught the details.)* #### [Scripture Reading — Matthew 28:16-20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=3969s) Read by **Rev. Caroline E. Saxton** in a contemporary translation (close to the **Common English Bible** — "I've received all authority in heaven and earth… Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age"). Bible Linker embeds (NRSVue): ![[Matthew 28#16]] ![[Matthew 28#17]] ![[Matthew 28#18]] ![[Matthew 28#19]] ![[Matthew 28#20]] > Prayer before the Word: *"Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable to you, O God, for you are our rock and our redeemer. Amen."* #### [Sermon — "Keep Wrestling" (Rev. Caroline E. Saxton)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=4021s) *Full notes, analysis, and scoring in the [Sermon section](#sermon) below.* ### Response #### [Nicene Creed: An Affirmation of Faith](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=4805s) *(Hymnal Companion C-10/C-11; ecumenical ICET/ELLC English text — public domain)* > We believe in one God, > the Father, the Almighty, > maker of heaven and earth, > of all that is, seen and unseen. > > We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, > the only Son of God, > eternally begotten of the Father, > God from God, Light from Light, > true God from true God, > begotten, not made, > of one Being with the Father; > through him all things were made. > For us and for our salvation > he came down from heaven: > by the power of the Holy Spirit > he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, > and became truly human. > For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; > he suffered death and was buried. > On the third day he rose again > in accordance with the Scriptures; > he ascended into heaven > and is seated at the right hand of the Father. > He will come again in glory > to judge the living and the dead, > and his kingdom will have no end. > > We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, > who proceeds from the Father and the Son, > who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, > who has spoken through the prophets. > We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. > We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. > We look for the resurrection of the dead, > and the life of the world to come. Amen. > [!note] Wrestling note > A small but real tension worth holding on Trinity Sunday: the **Nicene Creed** (325/381) is the fourth-century conciliar settlement that Rev. Saxton named in the sermon as *not* original to the earliest Jesus-followers — and it includes the contested *filioque* ("who proceeds from the Father **and the Son**"), the very clause that split East and West. Reciting it right after a sermon that prized *wonder over dogma* stages exactly the "Sunday wrestling" she invited. #### [Sharing of Joys and Concerns](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=4920s) *For personal prayer use. Individual timestamps below.* | Person | Joy / Concern | Timestamp | |---|---|---| | **Mike & Carol** | Thanks for the congregation's support; **Carol** was recently hospitalized for **blood clots in her lungs**, now home and on the road to healing — continued prayers requested. | [4965s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=4965s) | | **Virginia** | **Two praises:** her son **Dan** got a good oncology report (tumor has not grown — "chemo's working"); and her husband received the **promotion** she'd requested prayer for. | [4989s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=4989s) | | **Greg (St. Clair family)** | On behalf of his mother and the family, thanks for prayers and support after his **father Harold St. Clair's passing**; continued prayers for his mom. | [5047s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=5047s) | | **Peg** | Gratitude for **music** as a resource for joy and concern; the **Harrisburg Gay Men's Chorus** sang in the sanctuary the previous evening — an affirmation of St. John's becoming **Open and Affirming**. | [5090s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=5090s) | | **Rosemary Elder** | A recent **fall**; injured shoulder; likely no surgery (a relief) but in significant pain — prayers for healing. | [5187s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=5187s) | | **Jen** | Seen "hobbling on crutches" — an infected **toe** required removing the toenail; prayers for a quick, easy recovery. | [5220s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=5220s) | | **Bob** | Joy at seeing **Jim Moyer** present and "looking great." | [5283s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=5283s) | #### [Prayers of the People & The Lord's Prayer (Debts)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=5315s) Pastoral prayer ("Holy One, you hear the prayers of our hearts and our lips… help us to be Jesus' hands and feet…"), gathering the spoken and silent prayers, leading into the **Lord's Prayer** in the **"debts/debtors"** form. #### [Invitation to Giving & Offertory](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=5423s) > *"Embracing the work that we have done and the work that we will do in the future, let us continue the mission and ministry of our church here on Earth, doing the work of the Gospel just as it is done in Heaven. May our giving reflect God's love for us and our neighbors. Our morning offering will now be received."* > > *Today also received the* **Strengthen the Church** *special offering (UCC).* #### [*Offertory Response #706 — "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=5640s) **Words:** Thomas Ken, 1674/1709 (the Doxology) · tune: OLD HUNDREDTH (Genevan Psalter, 1551) · **public domain.** > Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; > Praise him, all creatures here below; > Praise him above, ye heavenly host; > Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. #### [*Prayer of Dedication](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=5647s) *(from* Feasting on the Word Worship Companion*, Kimberly Bracken Long, ed. — copyrighted; paraphrased.)* A unison thanksgiving: gratitude to gracious God for all that has been given — for day and night, evening and morning, land and sea, fish and birds, plants and animals, for humankind, and for the Son who came among us with the gift of abundant life — asking that the Holy Spirit abide and work through the gifts so that all people may know joy and peace, in Jesus' name. **Amen.** ### Sending #### [*Hymn #6 — "Creator God, Creating Still"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=5683s) **Words:** Jane Parker Huber, 1977 (**© 1980 Presbyterian Publishing / Westminster John Knox Press**) · **Music:** William Croft, 1708 (tune: ST. ANNE, CM). *The Huber text is under copyright and is not reproduced verbatim. Paraphrased stanza-by-stanza:* - **St. 1 — Creator:** God creates still, by will and word and deed; the prayer is that God would create a new desire in us to meet the present need. - **St. 2 — Redeemer:** God redeems still, with overflowing grace; pour your love on and through us, making this a holy place. - **St. 3 — Sustainer:** God sustains still, with strength for every day; empower us now to do your will — and correct us when we stray. - **St. 4 — Great Trinity:** For this new day we need your presence still; create, redeem, sustain us now to do your work and will. A near-perfect distillation of the day: the same Creator/Redeemer/Sustainer triad as the bulletin cover, set to **ST. ANNE** ("O God, Our Help in Ages Past"). See [Hymnary.org — "Creator God, Creating Still"](https://hymnary.org/text/creator_god_creating_still). #### [*Commission & Benediction](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=5795s) A traditional sending blessing (drawn from 1 Thessalonians 5:13-22 / Romans 12, by way of the Book of Common Prayer): > *"Go forth into the world in peace. Be of good courage. Hold fast to that which is good. Render to no one evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted. Support the weak. Help the afflicted. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit."* Followed by a **sung benediction response** (paraphrased; source/copyright uncertain): a brief blessing asking that God's love would surround and enfold the gathered, enlighten and inspire them, and bless them all. #### [Postlude (seated)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZbgk7-YcQ&t=5880s) Organ postlude (Barbara Motichka). The congregation remained for the **special congregational meeting** to endorse the Habitat for Humanity proposal. --- ## Sermon > [!quote] Refrain > ***"Keep wrestling."*** ### Sermon Notes #### Introduction Rev. Saxton opened with **Diana Butler Bass**, who calls Trinity Sunday an invitation into "Sunday wrestlings" — "the doctrine of the church most likely to get you labeled and treated as a heretic." She named the historical-critical baseline plainly: Scripture contains very few mentions of the Trinity (chiefly Matthew 28's baptismal formula and John 14's Spirit-as-advocate/companion); **even Jesus doesn't explain how the three Persons fit together.** Her thesis: Jesus invites us into **wonder rather than dogma**, "indescribable beauty rather than a litmus test for faith." The formal doctrine didn't arrive until the **fourth century**, and the earliest Jesus-followers "would probably have no idea what we are talking about" with Trinitarian theology. Personal disclosure: she's wrestled with this since her first seminary semester and "I don't know that I've landed anywhere," other than that the Trinity eludes explanation — "We can love threeness and be drawn toward oneness." **Faith is found not in certainty but in trust.** #### Main Points ###### Point 1: Chapter, verse, and headings are later additions — so question the labels. Markers like chapters, verses, and section headings are **not original** to the biblical text. The **1560 Geneva Bible** consolidated earlier efforts to divide the text; editorial **headings** were added much later (chiefly late 19th–20th c.) by publishers and committees, and they vary. **Matthew 28:16-20** is titled *"Commissioning of the Disciples"* in the CEB and NRSV, but *"The Great Commission"* in the NIV — "that's probably how many of us know it." The label itself is a constructed, contingent interpretive frame. ###### Point 2: The "Great Commission" was weaponized by colonialism — but the text is anti-imperial. Like the Trinity, the early church didn't center this passage as the basis for its missionary work **until the age of Western colonialism (17th c.)** — citing **Father Joe Ash P. Thomas** and **Rev. Dr. Derek Penwell** (their Substack newsletters). Colonialism "domesticated the Christian faith into a tool of empire," reducing Christianity "from transformation to transaction." Yet Matthew's own context is **anti-imperial**: the Sermon on the Mount, the parables of God's realm, the **economic reversals of chapters 19–20**, the danger of accumulated wealth, and the **judgment scene of 25:31-46**, where solidarity with the hungry, the stranger, and the incarcerated is solidarity with Christ. "To worship the risen Christ is to say that **Caesar doesn't get our final loyalty, God does.**" The deep irony: a text this anti-imperial has been used to justify "some of the most catastrophic violence in Christian history." ###### Point 3: The command is "make disciples" — formation, not conquest. The main imperative is **make disciples** ("form people as learners"), not *go* (travel the world). Making disciples isn't teaching the sinner's prayer; the church is "an embodied, enfleshed experience formed through relationship, practice, obedience, and shared life." **Baptism is an entry point, not the end goal — discipleship is.** Counter-example to the colonial frame: the **Apostle Thomas** took the gospel to India, and **St. Thomas Christians emerged long before the merchants, mercenaries, and missionaries did.** The call is to "the long-term work, the harder, less glamorous, more patient task of making disciples and building Christian communities" (citing **Tom Long**). **"Discipleship is more like an internship than a professorship"** — our posture is learner/student; "we have things to learn, not just things to teach… a ministry of mutuality." God works **from the margins**, forming communities whose loyalty competes with empire. #### Illustrations / Stories - **Lesotho missionaries (personal, childhood):** As a child at **Peace UCC, Gladbrook, Iowa** (~age 8–9), two missionaries the church supported visited from **Lesotho** — a small, impoverished constitutional monarchy entirely encircled by South Africa and "the only country in the world situated entirely above 1,000 meters in elevation." They brought back beautiful textiles and crafts, gifts to her parents. She didn't think to ask their *purpose*; it was "likely just assumed they were making disciples in accordance with Matthew 28." The memory becomes the hinge for re-examining inherited mission assumptions. - **The Apostle Thomas / St. Thomas Christians of India** (above) — the gospel arriving by relationship and travel, *not* conquest, centuries before colonial missions. - **CCDA:** She's looking forward to the **Christian Community Development Association National Conference** (October, **Richmond, VA**); **Network Ministries** friends attend yearly — a contemporary model of the "long-term, patient" community-building she commends. - **The Jacob motif:** The closing ties the refrain to **Jacob wrestling** (Genesis 32) — "like Jacob, it's one of the ways that we encounter the divine." #### Scripture Connections - **Primary:** Matthew 28:16-20 (commissioning; baptismal formula; "I am with you always"). - **Cross-references:** John 14 (Spirit as companion/advocate); Matthew 5 (Sermon on the Mount); Matthew 19–20 (economic reversals); **Matthew 25:31-46** (solidarity with the hungry/stranger/incarcerated = solidarity with Christ); Genesis 32 (Jacob wrestling, implied); 2 Corinthians 13:13 and the day's trinitarian benediction. #### Key Quotes - "Faith is not found in certainty. Faith is found in trust. **Keep wrestling.**" - "Colonialism… **domesticated the Christian faith into a tool of empire, one that reduced Christianity from transformation to transaction.**" - "**Discipleship is more like an internship than a professorship.**" - "To worship the risen Christ is to say that **Caesar doesn't get our final loyalty, God does.**" - "We don't have to have everything figured out to be faithful. We just keep wrestling." - "Jesus doesn't tell the disciples to '*Go and build buildings*,' but '*Go and make disciples*.' Our focus should always be on people and relationships." - "I'm trying to find ways to **decolonize my own theological imagination**… to do what was always intended, which is to be more like Jesus." ### Comprehensive Sermon Analysis #### Sermon Summary - **Central Message:** Faith is **trust, not certainty**. The Trinity is a mystery to wonder at, not a dogma to master; and discipleship (Matthew 28) is **lifelong, mutual, anti-imperial formation** — "internship, not professorship" — not conquest, conversion-by-force, or empire-building. *Both* personal transformation (decolonize your own imagination; keep wrestling) *and* communal/systemic responsibility (form communities whose loyalty competes with Caesar's). - **Liturgical/Thematic Focus:** Tightly integrated — Trinity Sunday + the RCL Trinity A gospel, braided with the day's trinitarian benediction (2 Cor 13:13), Psalm 8's "what are human beings," and the Creator/Savior/Spirit cover art and Hymn #6. - **Score:** **5/5** — strongly integrated; two themes woven without fraying. #### Preaching Style Assessment A blend of **Doctrinal/Topical** (the Trinity), **Prophetic** (anti-colonial / anti-imperial), **Contemplative-Conversational** (wonder, vulnerability, the "keep wrestling" refrain), with a **Textual** anchor in Matthew 28 and a strong **Inductive** posture (raises tension, withholds tidy resolution, invites the hearer to wrestle). Well-suited to a progressive, Open-and-Affirming UCC congregation on a doctrine-centered Sunday. - **Score:** **5/5** — clear, intentional blend, well-matched to text and people. #### Storytelling and Illustration Strong, personally rooted (Lesotho missionaries; Peace UCC childhood), globally aware (Lesotho geography; St. Thomas Christians of India), and reflexively honest ("there are days when I fall short"). Diverse-but-could-be-deeper: global-South Christianity is centered, but contemporary illustration is light apart from CCDA. - **Score:** **4/5** — engaging, balanced, inclusive; one or two more contemporary, concrete stories would lift it. #### Intonation and Delivery *(As far as a transcript allows.)* Warm, measured, conversational; the **"keep wrestling" refrain** functions as anaphora, giving rhythm and cohesion. Self-disclosure ("I don't know that I've landed anywhere"; "there are days when I'm discouraged") creates intimacy and lowers the authority gradient. Congregational verbal engagement appears modest (a contemplative listening posture). - **Score:** **4/5** — dynamic in cadence and tone, inclusive; hard to fully assess gesture/visuals from text. #### Content Structure Clear arc: Trinity-as-wonder → the constructedness of "headings" → colonial misuse of the Commission → recovery of "make disciples" as formation → sending. Transitions ride the refrain. The two large themes (Trinity *and* the Commission) make the middle slightly diffuse — a listener could lose the through-line between "love threeness/oneness" and "decolonize mission" without the refrain stitching them. - **Score:** **4/5** — mostly strong; the dual thesis costs a little tightness. #### Engagement and Application Explicitly inclusive: ties directly to St. John's becoming **Open and Affirming** (the prior night's Harrisburg Gay Men's Chorus concert is named in the prayers), to solidarity with the marginalized (Matthew 25), and to anti-imperial economics. Applications are real if somewhat **postural** (be a learner; decolonize; keep wrestling; form counter-imperial community) rather than itemized next-steps. - **Score:** **5/5** — strongly inclusive and actionable in orientation. #### Scripture Handling Responsible and deep: historical-critical awareness (Geneva 1560; the late origin of editorial headings; 4th-c. councils; 17th-c. colonial framing), grammatical emphasis on the main imperative *make disciples* (the Greek **μαθητεύσατε** is the lone main verb; "going/baptizing/teaching" are participles — she makes the point without naming the Greek), and rich intratextual reading within Matthew (5; 19–20; 25). Scripture is used **for** justice and inclusion, not as a proof-text. - **Score:** **5/5** — deep, responsible, justice-aware. #### Logical Reasoning **Strong moves:** (1) a **genealogical/historical argument** — headings are later editorial constructs, therefore "Great Commission" is a contingent frame, therefore re-examine the colonial reading; (2) **contextual exegesis** — the surrounding Matthew material establishes an anti-imperial horizon; (3) an implicit **grammatical** argument privileging *make disciples*. **Watch-points** (for your own rigor, not fallacies per se): (a) the claim that "the early church didn't really focus on this passage… until the 17th century" is broadly defensible about the *modern missions-mandate* framing, but flattens the fact that the early church *did* expand and *did* use the baptismal formula liturgically; (b) a mild **appeal to authority** stack (Bass, Thomas, Penwell, Long, Beaton) — used legitimately as corroborating voices, not as sole warrant; (c) the "what was always intended" recovery move (see Hermeneutical Genealogy note below). - **Score:** **4/5** — strong, consistent reasoning with one historical overgeneralization to flag. #### References Cited: **Diana Butler Bass**, **Father Joe Ash P. Thomas** (Substack), **Rev. Dr. Derek Penwell** (Substack), **Tom Long**, theologian **Richard Beaton**; institutional references to **CCDA** and **Network Ministries**; historical references to the **Geneva Bible (1560)**, the fourth-century councils, and 17th-c. colonial mission. The *perspectival* diversity is real (postcolonial, progressive, a global-South Catholic voice), though explicit Black, feminist, and LGBTQIA+ *theologians* are more implied (via the O&A framing) than named. - **Score:** **4/5** — rich and varied; naming an explicitly Black/feminist/Indigenous theologian or two would round it out. #### Quotes and Illustrative Stories Memorable, quotable lines that travel ("internship, not professorship"; "transformation to transaction"; "Caesar doesn't get our final loyalty"; "keep wrestling") tied tightly to the text and to lived experience (Lesotho; St. Thomas Christians). - **Score:** **5/5** — memorable and well-anchored. #### Calls to Action Invited: **keep wrestling** (intellectual/spiritual); **decolonize your theological imagination**; adopt a **learner's posture** ("internship"); **form communities** whose loyalty competes with empire; **don't be afraid of your questions**; love that "shows up in what we say and what we do." Grounded in Matthew 25 solidarity and modeled by CCDA. Multi-modal in orientation (reflection + communal formation + justice), though light on concrete, this-week handles. - **Score:** **4/5** — clear and inclusive; could name one or two concrete practices. #### Style Effectiveness Analysis The **contemplative-prophetic** blend is unusually well-chosen for *this* content: a doctrine that "eludes explanation" is served by wonder rather than syllogism, and the anti-imperial reading lands harder *because* it's offered humbly ("there are days when I fall short") rather than as a new certainty. Learning styles served: strongly **auditory/intrapersonal** (reflective), **interpersonal** (mutuality, community), less **kinesthetic/visual** (few concrete images beyond the coat/textiles). - **How it would shift:** *Fully expository* would unpack the Greek imperative/participles and Matthew 28's structure verse-by-verse (gain: rigor; risk: losing the wonder). *Fully prophetic* would sharpen the empire critique into a direct contemporary indictment (gain: urgency; risk: foreclosing the "wrestling"). *Narrative/first-person* would expand the Lesotho memory into the spine (gain: emotional pull; risk: under-developing the historical-critical scaffolding). - **Score:** **5/5** — well-chosen and effective for text, day, and congregation. #### Scoring Summary | # | Category | Score | |---|---|---| | 1 | Sermon Summary | 5/5 | | 2 | Preaching Style | 5/5 | | 3 | Storytelling & Illustration | 4/5 | | 4 | Intonation & Delivery | 4/5 | | 5 | Content Structure | 4/5 | | 6 | Engagement & Application | 5/5 | | 7 | Scripture Handling | 5/5 | | 8 | Logical Reasoning | 4/5 | | 9 | References | 4/5 | | 10 | Quotes & Illustrative Stories | 5/5 | | 11 | Calls to Action | 4/5 | | 12 | Style Effectiveness | 5/5 | | **Total** | | **54/65** | #### Side-by-Side Comparison: Contemplative-Prophetic vs. Fully Exegetical | Aspect | This Sermon's Style | Fully Exegetical Version | |---|---|---| | Primary Style | Contemplative-prophetic, inductive, conversational | Verse-by-verse expository of Matthew 28:16-20 | | Stories | Lesotho missionaries; St. Thomas Christians; Jacob-wrestling refrain | Minimal narrative; illustrations subordinated to the text | | Scripture Depth | Historical-critical + intratextual Matthew (5; 19–20; 25); implicit Greek grammar | Explicit on μαθητεύσατε + the three participles; structure of vv. 16–20; "all authority"/"I am with you" inclusio with Matthew 1:23 (*Emmanuel*) | | Application | Postural: decolonize, keep wrestling, form counter-imperial community | Systemic + textual: discipleship-as-formation drawn directly from the verbs; concrete baptismal/teaching practices | ### Hermeneutical Genealogy Observations *(Your signature lens — worth recording, because this sermon does, from the pulpit, the very thing your scholarship does.)* - **The sermon performs a hermeneutical genealogy.** It explicitly traces how an interpretive frame — "The Great Commission" — was *constructed* (editorial headings, 19th–20th c.), then *naturalized* and *weaponized* (17th-c. colonial mission), then mistaken for the text's plain meaning. That is exactly the move from "tracing the origins of interpretive traditions" to showing how a constructed authority gets read back as original. - **The reflexive tension to flag:** having denaturalized the colonial reading, the sermon makes a **recovery claim** — "to do what was always intended" — which itself *renaturalizes* a particular (anti-imperial, formation-centered) reading as the original meaning. This is not a flaw so much as the unavoidable structure of any retrieval: every deconstruction of one "original intent" tends to install another. For your audit: the sermon swaps a colonial naturalization for an anti-imperial one; the *epistemology* shifts too (from certainty toward "trust… keep wrestling"), which is what keeps it from being a mere **lateral transfer** of authority. - **Lateral-transfer check — passes.** A high-control reading would replace colonial certainty with a *new* certainty system and a new gatekept orthodoxy. This sermon does the opposite: it relocates faith from certainty to **trust**, decentralizes authority ("don't be afraid of your questions"; "we have things to learn, not just things to teach"), and refuses closure. The *form* of the message (humility, mutuality, open questions) matches its *content* — the structural tell that this is genuine deconstruction, not a swap of one bounded-choice frame for another. - **DARVO / high-control contrast (relevant to the WHO corpus).** None of the manipulation markers you track appear: no fear-binding, no us/them gatekeeping, no demand for loyalty to the preacher, no appeal that closes inquiry. The dominant rhetorical device — the **"keep wrestling" refrain** — is *anti-coercive*: it returns agency to the hearer. This is a useful clean **counter-exemplar** to file against the coercive sermons in your taxonomy: same liturgical genre, opposite epistemology. ### Personal Reflections ##### What spoke to me: - - ##### Questions raised: - Where does my own theology still carry an inherited "Great Commission" reflex — and what would *make disciples* (form learners) look like in practice here? - ##### Challenges / Convictions: - ##### Liturgical Context Reflections: - Reciting the Nicene Creed (with the *filioque*) immediately after a sermon that prizes wonder over fourth-century dogma — sit with that on Trinity Sunday. - #### Applications ##### This week I will: - ##### People to pray for: - Carol (lung clots, recovering) · the St. Clair family (Harold's passing) · Rosemary Elder (shoulder) · Jen (toe/infection) · Virginia's son Dan (oncology) ##### Follow-up study: - Look up **Fr. Joe Ash / Joash Thomas** and **Rev. Dr. Derek Penwell**'s Substack pieces on Matthew 28 and colonialism. - The history of the phrase "**the Great Commission**" (Justinian von Welz, 17th c.; popularized in the 19th-c. missions movement) — test the sermon's "not until the 17th century" claim. - **St. Thomas Christians of India** (Mar Thoma tradition) as a pre-colonial mission counter-narrative. #### Connections - Trinity Sunday RCL Year A · ties to the Narrative Lectionary's opening creation Sunday (NL401, Genesis 1) — the year ends near where it began. - Theme link to the **James** evening Bible study (faith embodied in works) — Beaton's "faith without appropriate behavior is empty" rhymes with James 2. --- ## Worship Leadership | Role | Person | |---|---| | Pastor | Rev. Caroline E. Saxton | | Organist | Barbara Motichka | | Choir Director | Gary Crum | | Deacon in Charge | Cathy Kinton | | Lector | Holli Burton | | Children's Corner | Roxanne Davenport | | Media Coordinators | Calvin Frantz and Neath Ham | | Bell Choir Anthem | "Joseph and the Coat," arr. Tammy Waldrop | | Bulletin Cover | "Trinity" by John (*traqair57* on Flickr) | **Church staff (News in the Pews):** Rev. Caroline E. Saxton, Pastor — [email protected], (641) 260-1868 (cell) · Tonya Schwartz, Office Administrator — [email protected], (717) 263-8593 (office) · Gary Crum, Music Director · Barbara Motichka, Organist · Roxanne Davenport, Director of Children & Youth · Rev. Stephen W. Hoffman, Pastor Emeritus. **Flowers at the Foot of the Cross:** given in loving memory of **Sylvia Morningstar Harrison** by her husband Tom and children Kathy, Tim, and Mark. --- ## Church News & Announcements ### Today (May 31) - **Special congregational meeting after worship** (Sanctuary) to endorse continuing the **Habitat for Humanity** conversation about possibly using part of the church property in conjunction with Habitat. Representatives joined for the discussion; the congregation was asked for an endorsement to keep moving forward. - **Strengthen the Church** special offering received today (supports UCC church growth, new churches, and youth/young-adult spiritual life). - **Sunday Night Bible Study — James, Chapter 5**, 8:00 pm via Zoom (Meeting ID 836 0593 5961, Passcode 277938; link in the Friday e-blast). ### From the live announcements - **Summer Prayer Gatherings (first of three):** Sunday, **June 14**, during the Sunday-school hour (~8:45 am), at the **Labyrinth**, *in lieu of* Sunday school — come and go as the Spirit moves; a tent for shelter will be provided; **bring your own chair**. Lloyd plans to bring his mother's devotional as a starting point. Goal: building shared spiritual bonds; a place for reflection and the shedding of temporal cares. - **Craft Night — bird feeders:** Monday at 6:00 pm (Room 202). Four signed up but eight feeders available — last-minute folks welcome; add your name on the lobby page. - **VBS — "Snowball Mountain Challenge"** (Roxanne): kitchen/snack help needed (see **Barb Wissinger**); group guides/leaders needed (no planning required — just guide and keep the kids "in control"); daytime decorating workshops being planned (watch the e-blast; teen help especially welcome). "There's a lot of people needed to pull this off — please help if you can." - **Parking-lot project kickoff:** Begins Monday with **Lot A** curbing being cut. Park in **Lot B** / away from curbs this week; expect significant dust. "Thirty years of waiting is finally over." - **Harrisburg Gay Men's Chorus** sang in the sanctuary **Saturday evening (May 30)** — a celebrated affirmation of St. John's becoming **Open and Affirming**; Rev. Saxton looks forward to welcoming them back. ### Standing announcements (News in the Pews) - **Camp Cooks (kitchen helpers)** needed **June 22–26**; sign-up at the welcome center (under Kirk Johnson's direction). - **Bible and a Beer:** 3rd Monday monthly at the **Trojan Diner**, 6:30 pm; next gathering **June 15**. - **Summer Church School Classes** (run all summer): **Wired Word** (Room 116) and **Upper Room** (Conf. Room 111) adult classes; plus **K-12 Faith & Fellowship** (Youth Room 206). Questions: **Diana Kongkeattikul** or **Roxanne Davenport**. - **Summer Snacks for NETwork Ministry:** collection boxes in the front lobby (suggested-items list on the boards / in the June *Spirit*). - **VBS wish list (Snowball Mountain):** snow-sports equipment; white poly-fill stuffing/batting; Styrofoam balls (3"+ diameter); white sheets; Styrofoam medication coolers; a snowflake projector. Grocery cart in the lobby for collection. **VBS Work Days** after worship **June 28** and **July 12**. Contact **Roxanne**. - **Summer Special Music:** sign up on the choir-room door to provide special music (vocal or instrumental). Contact **Gary Crum**. - **An Evening of Food, Fun, and Fellowship** (all three congregations): **Saturday, June 13, 4–8 pm**, Fellowship Hall — bring a dish to share; sign-up at the Welcome Center. - **Summer Quarter First Fruits** (May/June/July) supports the **Race Against Poverty (RAP)**, **Maranatha Ministry**, and **United Way's Stuff the Bus**. - **Monday Afternoon Book Study:** **Adam Hamilton's *The Walk: Five Essential Practices of the Christian Life*, Chapter 2** — Monday, June 1, 1:30 pm, Conf. Room 111. - **Upper Room devotionals (May/June)** at the Welcome Center; suggested donation $1 (small print) / $2 (large print); mailed copies available via the office. - **Sunday Night Bible Study transition:** James concludes May 31; **Book of Ecclesiastes begins June 21** (no study June 7 or 14). --- ## Vision & Mission > **St. John's Vision** > We are called to love, to learn, to worship and to witness in Christ as a congregation that welcomes everyone, and seeks service that will advance God's realm on earth. > **St. John's Mission** > To grow in love of God and neighbor. --- ## Calendar & Upcoming Events | Date | Time | Event | Location | |---|---|---|---| | Sun May 31 | After worship | Special congregational meeting (Habitat endorsement) | Sanctuary | | Sun May 31 | 8:00 pm | Bible Study — James 5 | Zoom | | Mon Jun 1 | 1:30 pm | Monday Afternoon Book Study — *The Walk* ch. 2 | Conf. Room 111 | | Mon Jun 1 | 6:00 pm | Craft Night (bird feeders) | Room 202 | | Mon Jun 1 | 7:00 pm | Boy Scouts | Fellowship Hall | | Mon Jun 1 | — | Parking-lot project begins (Lot A curbing) | Lot A | | Tue Jun 2 | 10:00 am | Summer Singers Practice | Fellowship Hall | | Tue Jun 2 | 5:30 pm | Yoga | Room 202 | | Thu Jun 4 | 7:00 am | Men's Breakfast | Texas Lunch | | Sat Jun 6 | 3:00–7:30 pm | Race Against Poverty | Downtown Chambersburg | | Sun Jun 7 | 8:45 am | K-12 Faith & Fellowship | Youth Room 206 | | Sun Jun 7 | 8:45 am | Wired Word Church School | Room 116 | | Sun Jun 7 | 8:45 am | Upper Room Church School | Conf. Room 111 | | Sun Jun 7 | 10:00 am | Sunday Worship | Sanctuary | | Sun Jun 7 | 8:00 pm | **No** Bible Study (Ecclesiastes begins 6/21) | — | | Sat Jun 13 | 4:00–8:00 pm | Evening of Food, Fun & Fellowship (all 3 congregations) | Fellowship Hall | | Sun Jun 14 | ~8:45 am | Summer Prayer Gathering #1 (in lieu of Sunday school) | Labyrinth | | Mon Jun 15 | 6:30 pm | Bible and a Beer | Trojan Diner | | Jun 22–26 | — | Camp (Camp Cooks needed) | St. John's Camp | | Sun Jun 21 | 8:00 pm | Bible Study begins — Ecclesiastes ch. 1 | Zoom | | Sun Jun 28 | After worship | VBS Work Day | — | | Sun Jul 12 | — | Summer Prayer Gathering #2 / VBS Work Day | Peace Pole | | Sat Aug 22 | 9:30 am | Summer Prayer Gathering #3 | St. John's Camp | ### Birthdays This Week - **06/03:** Heidi Ramos, Mark Reichelderfer, Cheryl Sollenberger - **06/04:** Adelaide Dietrich, Owen Reichelderfer - **06/05:** Connie Strunk --- ## Worship Resources Cited - UCC Worship Ways (Call to Worship) - "three is the magic number," Steve Collins — posted on Jonny Baker's *Worship Tricks* site (Prayer of the Day) - *The Peoples' Bible* (New Revised Standard Version) — Psalm 8 responsive reading - *Feasting on the Word Worship Companion*, Kimberly Bracken Long, ed. (Prayer of Dedication) --- > [!note] Copyright handling > Public-domain texts (*Holy, Holy, Holy*; *O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing*; the Doxology; the Nicene Creed; the traditional benediction) are reproduced in full for personal devotional use. Texts under active copyright (*This is the Day*; *Creator God, Creating Still*; the Steve Collins prayer; the *Feasting on the Word* dedication) are paraphrased/described with attribution and links, not reproduced verbatim.