The Presbyterian Outlook - Worship resources for September 3, 2023

September 3, 2023 Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost Romans 12:9-21 Howard Thurman was a Christian minister, philosopher, public theologian and author. He was a prominent religious figure who lived in the 20th century and influenced the church and its leaders in so many ways. He was one of the people folks like Martin Luther King, Jr. grew up reading. In one of Thurman’s books, Jesus and the Disinherited, he argued that going the way of Christianity is not always the same as going the way of Jesus. Because we live in a complex world and because of our sinful nature, we have taken many of Jesus’ teachings and adapted them in some unhelpful ways he argues. He writes: “The basic principles of [Jesus’] way of life cut straight through to the despair of his fellows and found it groundless. By inference he says, ‘You must abandon your fear of each other and fear only God. You must not indulge in any deception and dishonesty, even to save your lives. Your words must be Yea–Nay; anything else is evil. Hatred is destructive to hated and hater alike. Love your enemy, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven.” Thurman argued that many of the religious leaders of his day had many formal (and informal) teachings about fear, dishonestly and hatred that were counter to how Jesus was calling us to live. Thurman believed that Jesus’ way told us that we should fear only God, so it would be silly for us to fear another person because of their skin color. We should never be dishonest even to save ourselves because in our dishonesty we lose ourselves. And we should reserve hate for only what is evil because any other hatred is poison to the one who holds it. Thurman pushed the church into a more authentic faithfulness in our walk with Christ. He challenged many mainstream misconceptions, asked us to take an honest look at our biases, and created a space for future generations to question from where the teachings passed down to them had come. The apostle Paul was a Jewish leader, philosopher, public theologian and author. He was a prominent religious figure who lived in the 1st century and influenced the church and its leaders in so many ways. He was one of the people folks like Martin Luther King, Jr. grew up reading. ... You can read the rest of the commentary on our website. Thank you to this week's guest writer Brian Christopher Coulter. Order of worship for September 3, 2023, by Molly Spangler. These liturgies are free to use. How we do — Weekly Christian ed lesson by Joelle Brummit-Yale The divisions we create (September 3, 2023), by Daniel Frayer-Griggs The 2023-2025 Book of Order is now available and in effect by Lucinda Isaacs Want the worship resources for August 27, 2023? You can find them here. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... What story Bible should I buy? Based on a recent Outlook survey, Jo Wiersema shares the top children’s Bibles for early and pre-readers — and what you should consider when purchasing a story Bible. How to travel with intention Thinking about a pilgrimage? Heather Prince Doss recommends several books that help you move beyond tourism and travel with spiritual intention. Reading recommendation: Prayers for imperfect days Sometimes, pastors need help finding the right words. Rebecca Gresham shares a resource she turns to when she's tired, overwhelmed, or feels at a loss. We bear the mark Ben Weakley, who spent 14 years in the U.S. Army, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, reflects on the cost of killing and the work of healing. Sacred Self-Care: Daily Practices for Nurturing Our Whole Selves Amy Pagliarella and Shani McIlwain review Chanequa Walker-Barnes' new book where she writes: "We are our bodies. There can be no spiritual life that does not engage the body.” The theology of Barbenheimer: What a plastic doll and an atomic bomb can teach us about our call as Christians Jodi Craiglow examines the practical theology of summer blockbusters “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie.”