Rev. Katie Morrison reports on the worship

The following is my summary of the fabulous Reformation Sunday Celebration service which took place at South Church in Dobbs Ferry, NY.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
And knock.
And knock.

If anyone hears my voice
and opens the door,
if any one does,
I will come in
and we will eat together.

At last."  (Revelation 3:20, more or less)

Renegades have trashed the Lord's Supper
October 28, 2002

Not satisfied with open defiance that threatens to shred the Constitution of the PCUSA into so much confetti, an outlaw band of renegades, who have the arrogance to still claim to be Presbyterian though they have essentially said they have no use for Presbyterian polity or discipline, have now trashed the Lord's Supper!

We've now had communion served from a "table" covered with prayers affirming that which God has declared sin is now holy. Maybe next time, there will be a pro-partial birth abortion group that will want to use the table from an
abortionist's execution chamber.

...yes, contrary to this report, the Reformation Service hosted by South Church in Dobbs Ferry, NY and coordinated by the Hudson River Dissenting Churches, Pres. Promise, and Pres. Welcome was deeply moving.  The service began at 3 pm on Sunday, Oct. 27, the day when Presbyterians traditionally celebrate our roots in the Protestant Reformation and our call to be "reformed and always reforming."

The front of our bulletins read, "To go against one's conscience is neither safe nor right.  Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise," from Martin Luther's second appearance before the Imperial Diet at Worms, 1512.  That statement and that principal which we hold dear set the tone for a moving and powerful worship service.  After processing in to "A Mighty Fortress is Our God," and a call to worship that incorporated the voices of PCUSA) members stating why they cannot comply with G-6.0106b, we were invited to come forward and place pre-written statements of our vision of the reformation we would like to see the PCUSA) take on nails that protruded from a door at the front of the sanctuary.  One by one, worship participants pushed their hopes onto the nails.  This was followed by a "fanfare for organ and nails."  Between waterfalls of booming organ scales came silence, and then hammering by host pastor Rev. Joe Gilmore of South Church from the balcony above.

Dick Hasbany (of Pres. Promise and long time More Light supporter) read from Jeremiah 31:33.  Host associate pastor Rev. Susan DeGeorge (South Church) and Rev. Cliff Frasier of Pres. Welcome NYC led the litany of confession which contained the congregational response refrain:  "You have made a new covenant with us, and written its law of love on our hearts."  One of the wonderful confessional parts was "Give us the courage and strength to confront others with compassion when misinterpretations of your law are given as reasons to exclude some of your people from the table you've prepared for us and from the ministries to which you have called us."  Rev. Jean Holmes of Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church in Pearl River, NY brought us a wonderful assurance of
God's grace.  Reaffirming this assurance was the Ambassador Chorus of the Gay Men's Chorus of NYC singing "Something So Strong Inside."

Rev. Liz Alexander of Church of Gethesemane, Brooklyn, NY then read Matthew 13:24-30 from the Christian writings, followed by the heartfelt and faithful words of Rev. Hal Porter, pastor emeritus at Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, OH, who preached about the nature of the reform we seek and why in "Dissenting in Place."

The sermon was followed by a reaffirmation of the ordination vows of Presbyterian Elders and Deacons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender.  Lisa Larges (Regional Coordinator of TAMFS) and I then invited everyone gathered to the joyful feast of all the people of God and we celebrated together the sacrament of communion on the door which became transformed into the table of the Lord's Supper.  We said, "Come as you are.  God does not rely on human divisions and prejudices, but welcomes all who
yearn to be whole, who see in Christ Jesus the hope of the world."  Lisa then broke the bread and lifted up the cup as I declared the words of institution.  We said, "Remembering therefore Jesus' death and resurrection, we set before you this bread and cup, thankful that you have counted us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you as your priestly people."  The Gay Men's Chorus
sang as we all ate together.

Ray Bagnuolo, an Elder and candidate for Ministry at South Church, then read from Martin Luther's speech ending with the words that we began with on the front of the bulletin.  We processed out into the front of the church and sand together "Here We Are, Lord."  Rev. Dae Eun Jung of Palisades Presbyterian Church in Palisades NY, led us in the Benediction and sending out.

After the service was a reception and an information table with postcards preaddressed to the Moderator and Stated Clerk of the General Assembly allowing participants to state their commitment to:  Stay within the PCUSA) and participate fully and faithfully in the life of the Church, including its judicial process;  Support and encourage the ordination and installation of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons for church office; work and pray for a Church as inclusive as God's grace.

What an incredible service affirming the great power of reformation in the Presbyterian tradition!  Our lives as a people in love with justice are refreshed and renewed by individual and corporate acts of conscience declaring our commitment to a just and welcoming church.  What a joy it was to do this in community together at the Reformation Sunday Celebration and service of worship at South Presbyterian Church in Dobbs Ferry, NY.

Together We Serve,
Rev. Katie Morrison
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rev. Katie Morrison
National Field Organizer
Outreach to Youth, Young Adults, and Seminarians
More Light Presbyterians
katie@mlp.org
office:  (617) 547-5222