J. Todd Bruning
Jun 27, 202116 min
More details available at:
https://bruningt.wixsite.com/companionship/post/how-to-zoom-worship-with-us
Rev. J. Todd Bruning, Pastor
Dolphene Davis, Minister of Music
3100 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dallas, TX 75215
(church) 214-428-2892 (cell) 972-653-0316
We Serve as a Vehicle through which the Gospel of Jesus Christ is spread.
Revelations 22:1-2 - Then the angel showed me the RIVER of the WATER of LIFE, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the RIVER stood the TREE of LIFE, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.
The Battle of the Little Bighorn ended, known to the Lakota and other Plains Indians as the Battle of the Greasy Grass and also commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand.
John F. Kennedy scripted his Clarion Call for Freedom facing the Berlin Wall: “Two thousand years ago, the proudest boast was ‘Civis Romanus sum,’” he proclaimed.
“Today, in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is ‘Ich bin ein Berliner!’” The words rang true not only for the hundreds of thousands of people who were there, Putnam said, but also for the millions around the world who saw the speech captured on film. Kennedy’s point-by-point dismissal of support for communism with a repeated mantra,
“Let them come to Berlin,” accompanied by his fist beating the rostrum, electrified the crowd.
His conclusion linked him eternally to his listeners and to their cause: “All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin. And therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words,
Ich bin ein Berliner.”
A) PRELUDE: Hymn #108 in the Red Book: Shall We Gather At the River?
B) First Lesson: Lamentations 3:22-33 read by #1
His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for one to bear the yoke in youth, 28to sit alone in silence when the Lord has imposed it, to put one’s mouth to the dust (there may yet be hope), to give one’s cheek to the smiter, and be filled with insults. 31For the Lord will not reject forever. Although he causes grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone.
C) First Hymn: The Steadfast Love of the Lord led by Victory Fort Music Team
Please MUTE and SING (lyrics are in the video:)
What is the mission of Mt. Olive Lutheran Church?
Lime GREEN is the color for Mental Health Month in MAY and the BLUES are played during Black (or BIPOC) Mental Health Month in JULY
C) SECOND LESSON: MARK 5:21-34, led by #2
2) When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” He looked all around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her,
This is the Word of the Lord.
D) I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in My Heart, heading into our MESSAGE for the YOUNG at HEART, a special edition for the EASTER Season.
E) KYRIE, led by Carlos Leggett
In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
E) LITURGY & PRAYER led by #5 & #6
3) The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
4) We gather together and share a CREED to remember that in God, we have a Companion who will never fail us and will be with us always. It is a CREED that reminds us that death is never the final answer, and the hope springs eternal for those who follow the God of Resurrection and Life.
3) We take this moment to confess our sins: Do you confess that you are captive to sin and cannot free yourself from this trap of sin and death, at least not in this life? Do you confess that you have sinned against God in anger, rebellion, frustration, doubt and fear.
4) Do you confess that, because your neighbor fails to love in the way that God commands, that you also have not loved your neighbor as yourself? Do you confess that you struggle to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength?
3) Do you ask, with the help of Jesus Christ, Forgive us, Lord, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.
4) Brothers and sisters hear this grace: In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for you and for His sake, God forgives you all of your sins. As a called disciple of Christ I declare the entire forgiveness of all of your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
3) The peace of Christ be with you always.
4) We will now switch to Gallery View. As forgiven sinners, please share the peace with somebody on this call, using their name.
F) Gospel Lesson: MARK 4:26-34, led by #5
Our Gospel Lesson comes from John 3rd Chapter.
5) While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them,
And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her,
And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
H) SECOND SONG: What If I Gave Everything. led by Casting Crowns
Please MUTE and SING (lyrics are below)
J) SERMON: "GATHERED at the RIVER to HEAL the NATIONS" shared by Pastor Todd
It was a grim New Year's Eve for Erik Jonsson. On that night, the Reverend Mark Herbener, a white Lutheran pastor whose Mt. Olive Lutheran Church is in the heart of the black community on what is now Martin Luther King Boulevard, had turned his church's basement over to the Fair Park homeowners and their supporters, many of whom were white. "It was really moving to watch the process affect some of these North Dallas block partnership people," Johnson says now. "They started out with all of their condescending liberal attitudes, and then, when they saw what was going on, when they saw that the city was giving black people one price for their property and a white property owner right next to them three times that amount, they said, 'Hey, that's not right. That's terrible!' And they became radicalized."
Almost 500 people were huddled in the church basement, prepared to leave the basement at midnight and march to the processional route of the Cotton Bowl parade, where they would take a stand. Peter Johnson had figured out the ceremonial workings of the city brilliantly. Whatever else might happen in Dallas, whatever the strictures might be against nonhierarchical dialogue, the oligarchy could not and would not allow a desecration of the Cotton Bowl Parade. Certainly not with the whole world watching.
Repeated bomb threats were called in to the church. Johnson says the threats did not necessarily come from the white hierarchy. They were not the ones most immediately threatened by what was going on that night in the basement of Mt. Olive Lutheran. "The black ministers were the ones who had the most to lose. If we could reach around them and make things happen in the white power structure, then they would no longer be needed. They would lose their power base." At various points in the evening, the group was canvassed to see who desired or needed to leave. At one point, there was actually a drill in which people who were willing to go to jail were arrayed on one side of the room and checked to ensure they were armed with toothbrushes. Through the evening, calls and then emissaries came to invite Peter Johnson to meet with this official at City Hall or that one and finally to come and meet with Mayor Jonsson.
consider strategically working in Companionship with 5-6 other Congregations toward:
K) THIRD SONG: I've Just Seen Jesus, led by Larnelle Harris and Dandi Patti
Please MUTE and SING (lyrics are in the video)
L) LITURGY of HOLY COMMUNION (Google Drive) This is the Feast of Victory (Dropbox) .... Led by Carlos Leggett & Tanya Browne
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
Power, riches and wisdom and strength, and honor and blessing and glory are his.
Sing with all the people of God and join in the hymns of all creation.
Blessing and honor and glory and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
GREAT THANKSGIVING & Preface by #8
Please UNmute & RESPOND
The Lord be with you,
Lift up your hearts
Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, Holy Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who on this day overcame death and the grave and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. And so with the Church on Earth and all the hosts of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord, led by Pastor Todd
Please MUTE & SING:
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, LORD, Lord God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he, who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna, in the highest.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION & Lord's Prayer, led by #8
The Words of Institution are recorded for us in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke as well as by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:
“Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night in which He was betrayed, took bread and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples saying: ‘Take and eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.’
“In the same way also He took the cup after supper, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying: ‘Drink of it all of you; this cup is the New Covenant in My blood, which is shed for you and for all people, for the remission of sins. This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'”
When the disciples didn't know how to PRAY in the face of the challenges ahead of them, they asked Jesus for help. He said, "Pray this way!" Will you share with me the Lord's Prayer?
Please UNMute & RESPOND
Come to the Resurrection Banquet, for all is ready. We have journeyed for 40 days from Ashes and Dust to Resurrection and an Empty Tomb during Lent, and for 50 days from Easter to Pentecost. This is a much longer season, from Pentecost to Advent. And still:
1) Lamb, Of God, led by Dolphene Davis
2) Deep River, led by the Century Singers of Texas A&M (Pastor Todd's college choir)
Please MUTE & SING:
M) Post Communion Blessing & Prayer led by #8
Let us pray. Life-giving God, in the mystery of Christ’s resurrection you send light to conquer darkness, water to give new life, and the bread of life to nourish your people. Help us to stand with Jesus as witnesses to your Son’s resurrection, that we may show your glory to all the world, through Jesus Christ, our risen Lord. AMEN.
N) BENEDICTION: Shall We Gather at the River - led by Fountainview Academy
O) SENDING: Led by led by #8
What is the mission of Mt. Olive Lutheran Church?
Go in Peace and Serve the Lord!
Blessing Bags & Companionship
12 Months & 12 Companions - 600 Bags plus Special Gift
EMMANUEL & FIRST UNITED in East Dallas & Lake Highlands
2 for KING of GLORY in North Dallas (Cameron)
2 for CHRIST in University Park (Holli)
ST. LUKE'S in Richardson
RESURRECTION in Plano
PRESTON MEADOW in Plano
REJOICE in Frisco
ST. JOHN'S, OROMO, UMOJA Churches (African & African American)
WARREN, ST. PAUL & ST. LUKE'S United Methodist Churches
BETHANY & CENTRAL in East Dallas & Lake Highlands
EMMANUEL & FIRST UNITED in East Dallas & Lake Highlands
GLORIA DEI & FIRST SEGRADA FAMILIA in Garland
FAITH in Flowermound or REJOICE in Coppell
HOLY TRINITY, OUR REDEEMER, NEW LIFE IN CHRIST, West of Dallas
FIRST & HIGHLAND PARK UMC Churches
Visit ALL of our Companion Congregations in 2021, starting with St. Luke's Lutheran Church on Sunday, MAY 2, 2021
3-4 Mt. Olive COMPANIONSHIP TRAINERS to go through Companionship Train-the-Trainer on May 21-22 (Pentecost Weekend) ... Tanya, Helen, Marie, Lakeesha, Corey, Holli
3-4 South Dallas COMPANIONSHIP TRAINERS go through Companionship Train-the-Trainer:
7/30 (6-9 PM) & 7/31 (9 AM - 5 PM): Virtual Training -Via Zoom
8/27 (6-9 PM) & 8/28 (9 AM - 5 PM): Virtual Training -Via Zoom
73 People from our past who will give $73 to our Short Term Building Project (more than $5000)
73 People from our present and future who will give $730 to our short term mission project (more than $50,000)
POSTLUDE: Overcomer led by Mandisa from her "The Greatest Hits” Album