J. Todd Bruning
May 9, 202114 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.
(Sip your coffee and discuss Numbers 3 or Joshua 4 or John 15 ... and how God might reach a Wide Range of People through us during the 50 Day, 8 Sunday season of Easter ... or what does COMPANIONSHIP mean for you for the final three quarters of 2021?)
On May 9, 1865, President Andrew Johnson issues a proclamation declaring armed resistance in the South is virtually at an end; this is the commonly accepted end date of the American Civil War.
A) PRELUDE: Hymn #8 in the Red Book: On Jordan's Banks
B) First Lesson: Numbers 3:1-2, 17-20, 23, 26-28, 30-33 read by #1
1) The Lord said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.”
When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)
2) When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.
1) Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
2) But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
C) First Hymn: Roll, Jordan, Roll - led by Topsy Chapman and Chiwetel Ejiofor and the movie cast of "12 Months a Slave" ... Roll, Jordan, Roll - led John Legend on Let Us Praise and Worship Him, Vol. 1 and the soundtrack of "12 Months a Slave"
Went down to the river Jordan, Where John baptised three
Well I walked to the devil in hell, Sayin John ain't baptise me
I say; Roll, Jordan, roll, Roll, Jordan, roll
My soul arise in heaven, Lord, For the year when Jordan roll
Well some say John was a baptist, Some say John was a Jew
But I say John was a preacher of God, And my bible says so too.
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: Joshua 4:8-11, 14-18 led by #3 & #4
3) So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”
So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.
4) Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the Lord and the priests came to the other side while the people watched.
That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law to come up out of the Jordan.” So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord.
This is the Word of the Lord.
D) Mama Said, led by Tanay Browne, 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
5) The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
6) 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.
5) 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.
6) 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?
5) 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.
6) 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.
5) The peace of Christ be with you always.
6) 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: JOHN 15:9-17, led by #7
Our Gospel Lesson comes from John 15th Chapter.
“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.
so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
H) SECOND SONG: Roll, Jordan, Roll -- led by
Fairfield Four and Crossroads at the Saturday Night Spectacular during the 2016 Barbershop Harmony Society International Convention in Nashville, Tennessee
What's ONE thing you NOTICED in the VIDEO?
Please MUTE and SING (lyrics are in the video)
J) SERMON: "Roll, Jordan, Roll" shared by Pastor Todd
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
K) THIRD SONG: Lord I Need You, led by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
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 we continue that journey for 50 days from Easter to Pentecost:
1) Lamb, Of God, led by Dolphene Davis
2) Be Still My Sout, by Pastor Todd
Please MUTE & SING:
M) Post Communion Blessing & Prayer led by #7
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: Give It Away. led by the· Gaither Vocal Band
O) SENDING: Led by led by #7
What is the mission of Mt. Olive Lutheran Church?
Go in Peace and Serve the Lord!
The 1969 Freedom Seder &
James Cone's 1969 book: Black Power & Black Theology
The Role of EXODUS in African American Liberation
Meet at 10 AM on Saturdays for 11 AM Distribution
May 9 (after worship): BLESSING BAG conversation
12 Months & 12 Companions - 600 Bags plus Special Gift
ST. JOHN'S, OROMO, UMOJA Churches (African & African American)
WARREN, ST. PAUL & ST. LUKE'S United Methodist Churches
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
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
5/21 (6-9 PM) & 5/22 (9 AM - 5 PM): Virtual Training -Via Zoom
3-4 South Dallas COMPANIONSHIP TRAINERS go through Companionship Train-the-Trainer:
6/25 (6-9 PM) & 6/26 (9 AM - 5 PM): Virtual Training -Via Zoom
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)
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
POSTLUDE: Hymn #61 in the Red Book: Christ Has Arisen, Aleluya, a traditional Tanzanian hymn led by Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, Burke, VIRGINIA, Mfurahini, Haleluya, led by Azania Front Lutheran Church, Dar Es Salaam, TANZANIA, Africa, Er ist erstanden, Halleluja, Evangelische Banter Kirche Wilhelmshaven, GERMANY, Mfurahini, Haleluya, led on Udugu Sunday at Advent Lutheran Church in NEW YORK CITY by Joshua Coyne, Nora M. Gustuson, Michael Eisenstein, Brian Peck, and Aaron Wunsch.