Free & Fit - A Service for a Sports & Spirituality Centre for Free & Fit - Anglican & UMC Liturgy

Free & Fit A Service for a Sports & Spirituality Centre for Free & Fit through a United Methodist and Anglican Context of Liturgical Service - Practice of Christian Worship Preached, Presided and Performed by Tim Cheux

Introduction to Service

During instructions and discussions for my Practice Eucharist it was suggested to me to practice my Eucharist within my own denominational context and tradition. This is always a difficult answer. In the Fall of 2018 when I started at General I was a Church of England parishioner, in the Spring of 2019 an Episcopalian and in the Fall of 2019 exploring Methodism. Throughout, this time my wife and I have been attending a non-denominational Church Hillsong Church in London and, since August 2016, Hillsong New York City. Note-ably, I was Baptized at Hillsong in 2019 with adult full immersion Baptism.

Currently, my Field Education placement is at Hillsong New Jersey, and I will be completing my “Wisdom Year“ at Hillsong New York City this coming Fall. In this vein, I wanted to include a mixture of Anglican & UMC liturgy with Hillsong Worship music. Outside these experiences in my own faith journey I am currently working on an internship at a PCUSA member led non-denominational Church and I work for another congregation where I am exploring the possibility of ordination within the United Methodist Church. With that all said my only experience of preparing a UMC service has been to Preach, guest Preach, a Lay reader from a text from the Book of Worship and to write up the order of Service for my wife and I at our wedding. This has all been happening since when I first preached in September or October of 2019 in a United Methodist context.

Therefore, I would like to imagine my Practice Eucharist is for my new Retreat centre for my personal Sports and Arts Ministry Centre “Free & Fit.” As a result, I believe this worshipping community maybe non-denominational in legal terms, but if represented by my wife and I we would “borrow'' different traditions worship styles and not strictly follow their said denominational doctrine and religious postures, but would look to honor both the Episcopal and United Methodist traditional shared sacramental services. My hope is this service captures Hooker's “three legged stool” of Scripture, Reason, Tradition and Wesley’s Experience model. This is my liturgical theological perspective on this specific Church Ground Breaking Free & Fit Sports and Spirituality Service.

With that all being said I wanted to honor my pursuit of ordination, the relevance of following a denominational liturgical service and so I worked on, with the help of my local United Methodist Pastor, a UMC service to select the most relevant service choices for opening a Sports & Spirituality Centre. Firstly, where to find the Great Thanksgiving response. My Pastor helped me to identify where to find this selected service in the UMC Book of Worship, where to look in terms of page references for confession and where to place Holy Communion within the service. Much of the resources used to develop this service refer to the UMC Book of Worship, but I have also tried to incorporate some of the Book of Common Prayer where possible and it seems possible to do so. This, I hope, goes someway into proving that the United Methodist Churches liturgical rights and rules can incorporate their more traditional Anglican Episcopalian Brothers and Sisters. It is my prayer that this liturgy may be a sign to endorse eccumenical services within both denominational Churches in the future across the UMC and the TEC which will hopefully help build a positive liturgical relationship for both denominations.

The Choice of Readers & Crucifer

It was a difficult concept for me to understand if I needed a Crucifer for my service. This was considered as being significant as it was to consecrate a Christian Retreat Centre. What this type of approach means liturgically, at least what I think it means, is that the Church (UMC and TEC) refers to as “Breaking Ground”. I understand this to mean that an Alter, Congregation, Holy Communion and Holy Sacraments would be shared here. Unlike the Anglican or Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church only believes in two main essential sacred sacraments; Baptism and Holy Communion. Both would be performed at the Free & Fit Spirituality & Sports centre and potentially other sacred religious services. Therefore, having a Crucifer signifies the importance of having a Breaking of Ground, as well as a Breaking of Bread and Wine.

The Choice of Liturgical Service

The choice of liturgical service was recommended to me by the Pastor of our Church, the Westwood United Methodist Church. Three different services were mentioned in the “alternative” sections guide of the Book of Common Worship (UMC equivalent of the BCP) for breaking ground in a Church Building. Also, there were notable alternatives to a Holy Communion Prayer and Confession of Sins Prayer which I now have formed and chosen as part of my said liturgy.

You will also note that I open my service informally. That is because not every person who will be present at the time of my Eucharist is from an Anglican, Methodist or liturgically aware of any said prayer traditions or have attended such a liturgical service.

The alternative sections in the UMC Confession of Sins liturgy section of the Book of Worship are significant. There were at least six different types of confession, but I not only selected more than one, two of the confessional prayers, but wanted to differentiate them. This was a deliberate choice. I tried to include a focus on who wrote the prayers by gender for a male and female prayer of confession. As the current world we now live in screams for reformation and a more gender focused agenda of accepting each other as equal, but different and especially within the Northern East region where diversity of both religion, culture, race or social class could be perceived as being privileged.

More commentary should be said here about the Confession of Sins, the noteable diverse selection and mention of Michael J O’Donnell and Maria Steward. I am unaware of having the freedom to share two confessional prayers within the Book of Common Prayer, but I wanted to experiment and share my preference in this service and learn if what I have learnt from our discussions in class, talking points and question and answer sessions would help me make informed decisions of if I needed to ask for further help from my Pastor. In both scenarios, I am practising my Eucharist and it is my belief if I don't try to be creative now at seminary I will lose site and the opportunity to do it later. Hence why my Hymnal choices, Prayer choices and Liturgical Choices all include some mistakes, mixtures of traditions and relevance to my background. Again, re-enforcing my eccumenical nature.

The Choice of Hymns

The choice of hymns have been deliberately chosen to fit with the flow of the liturgical service, but to also complement (songs related to the House theme of the sermon), replace ( the Apostles Creed with the Creed Song) and encourage a more Worship focused Church service with acoustic and sombre downtime. Indeed, I believe I selected eight songs for this service! At our wedding, when I last wrote a UMC order of service in full, we only had three songs. Tomorrow we have eight!

The first song is an instrumental version of Cornerstone, this represents Christ being your cornerstone. This will be played as a procession into the building and a more vocal, uplifting and upbeat version when we process out of the building. The cornerstone represents the stone the builders could not roll away. The “house of prayer” mentioned from the Gospel reading is also relevant to Christ Alone by Natalie Grant and also to Matthew 21 from today’s reading.

The Choice of Prayers

Again here I tried to honor the traditions of both the UMC and TEC by using a Church Ground Breaking Service, Confession of Sin and a General Thanksgiving from the UMC, in part, with a TEC Holy Communion Prayer. However, the Prayers of the People were strictly following the TEC and again this causes me to stumble, as I have such limited experience of presiding and by using mixed denominational services would it offend any of my fellow classmates, Professor or guests. However, having sent my service sheet to over seven or eight different people to review my feedback is that the service looks beautiful, but perhaps not perfect liturgically.

One key decision was to ensure that the Prayers of the People, the General Thanksgiving and Holy Communion were in at least some kind of common sense order. One point of feedback I received was to ensure that the Lord's Prayer was between the Amen of the General Thanksgiving and the Breaking of the Bread. Any such feedback in terms of order was helpful and I tried to make as many suggested changes when possible before printing the service sheets.

The Choice of Scriptures

The readings were selected from the UMC’s list which was suggested as part of the Service for the Breaking of Ground for a Church Building. Quite simply the suggested readings included a Psalm or Proverb, Old and New Testament reading with selected Gospel reading. However, I tried to restrict my readings to just one Psalm (my favourite book of the OT), an New Testament reading and of course a relevant Gospel reading.

My prayer is that this service will be appreciated by all, performed well by those reading, leading and presiding and those who feel called to pray can welcome and invite the Holy Spirit into our lives, workplaces and family life.

Conclusion

In Conclusion, further reading, study and collaboration with the Book of Common Prayer, Book of Worship and some adaptations to the non-denominational Church Worship service are required to improve this liturgical service.

Through such vast diversity the Euchatist itself may not represent the breaking of ground for the Church within the UMC and thus may lead to further debate about what could have been done better or worse with my practice of Eucharist. Either way the experience, the learning and the investment have taught me many new skills, liturgical insights and will endeavour to keep myself open to new and interesting liturgical ideas.

A SERVICE FOR THE BREAKING OF GROUND FOR A CHURCH BUILDING (UMC)

GATHERING The Cross & Procession at 11:00am

Crucifer Akash Matthew

Followed by Readers Lilo Rivera & Anne Hartley

Celebrant Timothy Cheux

Led into the OPENING HYMN - Cornerstone - Hillsong Worship - Eric Liljero, Jonas Myrin , Ruebens Morgan - Instrumental Version - Shamrock ‘nRoll Records

The music will be played as the Crucifer, Readers and Celebrant Process.

INFORMAL WELCOME

Welcome to this amazing Sanctuary here at the General Seminary. One thing that my seminary and Church have in common is the phrase “Welcome Home!”

Today we welcome you into a story, a liturgical service to celebrate the brand new, Hypothetical and Prophetic, Free & Fit Sports & Spirituality Centre. We are so grateful that our vision, with your faithful prayers, can come true and has come true liturgically today after dreaming, believing and trusting in God! Together we can now celebrate the idea of this space with you!

Let Us Pray. We are going to be doing that a lot this morning!

GREETING (UMC)

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it.

HYMN - Break Every Chain - Acoustic Version - Deborah Rosenkraz - Will Reagan - July Records

OPENING PRAYER (UMC)

Almighty and everlasting God, ever exalted yet always near:

Be present with us, gathered together here

to set apart this ground upon which we stand

to the honor and glory of your great name.

Let your Spirit descend upon your church that will come together here,and within these walls let your glory dwell.

Fill with your love all who shall seek your face here;

and as they depart from this place,

go with them in the peace and power of your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

HYMN- Graves into Gardens - Elevation Worship - Brandon Lake, Mack Brock, Steven Furtick, Tiffany Hummer - Acoustic by Will Morriston

SCRIPTURE READINGS

PSALM 122

“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together. To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.” For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭122:1-9‬ ‭NRSV‬‬

Read by Lilo Rivera

SCRIPTURE

Ephesians 4:1 –7, 11–13

“I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift.

The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:1-7, 11-13‬ ‭NRSV‬‬

Read by Anne Hartley

HYMN - The Father’s House - Cory Asbury - Acoustic Version

GOSPEL Read by Celebrant

Matthew 21:12 –17

“Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.” The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did, and heard the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became angry and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself’?” He left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21:12-17‬ ‭NRSV‬‬

SERMON - by Tim Cheux

HYMN - This I believe (The Creed) Alternative Version - Hillsong Worship - Ben Crocker, Tom Fielding

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (BCP)

The Prayers of the People - Form III

The Leader and People pray responsively

Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church;

That we all may be one.

Grant that every member of the Church may truly and humbly serve you; That your Name may be glorified by all people.

Celebrant

We pray for all bishops, priests, and deacons;

That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacraments.

People

That we all may be one.

We pray for all who govern and hold authority in the nations of the world; That there may be justice and peace on the earth.

People

That we all may be one.

Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake;

That our works may find favor in your sight.

People

That we all may be one.

Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble; That they may be delivered from their distress.

People

That we all may be one.

Give to the departed eternal rest.

Let light perpetual shine upon them.

People

That we all may be one.

We praise you for your saints who have entered into joy; May we also come to share in your heavenly kingdom.

Let us pray for our own needs and those of others.

People

(Either Silently or Aloud Make Your Requests Be Known to God)

That we all may be one.

Celebrant

Almighty and eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and Mercifully accept the prayers of your people, and

strengthen us to do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

CONFESSION - The Confession of Sin (UMC)

Almighty and merciful God,

we know that when we offend another, we offend you.

We are aware that we have often allowed the shadow of hate to cloud our souls, hiding the light from our unseeking eyes.

We have said unpleasant and hurtful things to our brothers and sisters when they failed to live up to our expectations.

Grant that we might find that spark of love that ever burns within us, the love that you have shown to us even when we failed you. Fan the embers of that love until it roars again in flames of love, peace, and reconciliation.

Forgive us our sin and help us to forgive those who have sinned against us.

Lead us into new life through your Son Jesus Christ,

who died for the sins of all.

Amen.

(Source: MICHAEL J. O'DONNELL, U.S.A., 20TH CENT.)

O Lord God,

the watchers of Zion have called peace, peace,

when there was no peace.

Wherefore have you so long withheld from us

the influence of your Holy Spirit?

Why have you hardened our hearts?

It is because we have honored you with our lips,

when our hearts were far from you.

Return again to us, O Lord God,

and pardon this iniquity of your servants.

Cause your face to shine upon us, and we shall be saved.

O visit us with your salvation.

Raise up sons and daughters from Abraham and Sarah, and grant that there might come

a mighty shaking of dry bones among us,

and a great ingathering of souls.

Be pleased to grant

that the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ may be built up;that all nations and kindreds and tongues and peoples might be brought to the knowledge of the truth,

and we at last meet around your throne,

and join in celebrating your praises.

Amen.

(Source: MARIA STEWARD, AFRICAN AMERICAN, U.S.A., 19TH CENT., ALT.)

THE PEACE

Please stand for the Peace

Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People And also with you.

HYMN - In Christ Alone - Natalie Grant- Keith Getty & Stuart Townsend - Curb Records

The Holy Communion

Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2

Offertory Hymn: O Come to the Alter - Acoustic - Elevation Worship - Chris Brown, Mack Brock, Steven Furtick, Jade Woye

The pastor stands behind the Lord's table.

Celebrant

The Lord be with you.

People

And also with you.

Celebrant

Lift up your hearts.

The pastor may lift hands and keep them raised.

People

We lift them up to the Lord.

Celebrant

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People

It is right to give our God thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, our Alpha and our Omega,

whose strong and loving arms encompass the universe, for with your eternal Word and Holy Spirit you are forever one God.

Through your Word you created all things and called them good,and in you we live and move and have our being.

When we fell into sin, you did not desert us.

You made covenant with your people Israel

and spoke through prophets and teachers.

In Jesus Christ your Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.

And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

The Celebrant may lower hands.

Celebrant and People

Holy, holy, holy 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.

The Celebrant may raise hands.

Holy are you, and blessed is Jesus Christ, who called you Abba, Father.

As a mother tenderly gathers her children,

you embraced a people as your own

and filled them with a longing for a peace that would last and for a justice that would never fail.

In Jesus' suffering and death you took upon yourself our sin and death

and destroyed their power for ever.

You raised from the dead this same Jesus,

who now reigns with you in glory,

and poured upon us your Holy Spirit,

making us the people of your new covenant.

The Celebrant may hold hands, palms down, over the bread, or touch the bread, or lift the bread.

On the night before meeting with death, Jesus took bread,gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to the disciples, and said: "Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

The Celebrant may hold hands, palms down, over the cup, or touch the cup, or lift the cup.

When the supper was over Jesus took the cup,

gave thanks to you, gave it to the disciples, and said

"Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

The Celebrant May raise hands.

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Celebrant and People

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

The Celebrant may hold hands, palms down, over the bread and cup.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts, that in the breaking of this bread and the drinking of this wine we may know the presence of the living Christ and be renewed as the body of Christ for the world, redeemed by Christ's blood.

The Celebrant may raise hands.

As the grain and grapes, once dispersed in the fields,

are now united on this table in bread and wine,

so may we and all your people be gathered from every time and place into the unity of your eternal household

and feast at your table for ever.

Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and for ever.

Amen.

THE LORD'S PRAYER

Let us Pray as Our Saviour Taught Us

Celebrant and People

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those

who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,

now and for ever. Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant

Alleluia.

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

Celebrant and People

Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.

The Gifts of God for the People of God.

The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven. [Amen.]

The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation. [Amen.]

After Communion, the Celebrant says

Let us pray.

Celebrant and People

Eternal God, heavenly Father,

you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ,

and you have fed us with spiritual food

in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.

Send us now into the world in peace,

and grant us strength and courage

to love and serve you

with gladness and singleness of heart;

through Christ our Lord. Amen.

BREAKING OF GROUND (UMC)

Pastor:

To the glory of God, in the presence of this congregation,

I now direct that ground be broken

for the Free & Fit Sports & Spirituality Centre

The responsibility and the privilege rest upon us

to cause a building to rise here

that shall be a house of this people of God

and a place devoted to the worship of almighty God

and to the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

As each one of those selected turns a spadeful of earth, the pastor says one of the following sentences, to which the people respond:

That a church may meet here

where children shall learn to love God

and grow in grace and goodness, and in favor with God and all people, we break this ground today. That a church may meet here where youth shall be inspired to pray and serve.

That a church may meet here where the weary and heavy laden shall find inner peace that the world can neither give nor take away.

That a church may meet here where God is worshiped in prayer and praise,

where the Word of God shall be so read and preached

that it shall become the living Word, and the Sacraments so celebrated that all life shall become sacramental.

That a church may meet here where multitudes shall be refreshed in spirit, relieved from pain, released from bondage, and redeemed from sin.

That a church may meet here where the grace of God may make our human lives into a Christ-like love

and our homes places of living witness for that realm where Christ is Lord.

That a church may meet here from which, by the power of your Holy Spirit, your people are sent forth into this community and all the world as champions of justice and peace to all peoples.

Amen

DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING

Celebrant

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

People

Thanks be to God. (Alt. In the Name of Christ). Alleluia, Alleluia.

Closing Hymn: Cornerstone - Hillsong Worship - Eric Liljero, Jonas Myrin , Ruebens Morgan

GOING FORTH

Love & Blessings F&F Team

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Free & Fit Mission

Free & Fit mission to build community through Sports, the Arts, Outreach & Service.

Free & Fit Vision

Free & Fit Vision The vision of free and fit course is to engage, motivate, improve and hence find freedom in a physical and spiritual state. As such the freedom that leads to a peaceful heart; leads to a healthy body.

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