Sunday School, May 10, 2015 6 Easter

Sunday School, May 10, 2015      6^th Sunday  of EasterB

Sunday School Themes

The Theme is love

We sometime limit the word love to mean “like”

We may not like to do lots of things.  We might not like other people as our favorite friends but we still have to love them.

Discuss the difference between love and like

We can love someone and like them too

Sometimes we love someone even when they may not be our favorite person.

The Greek language had different words for loving and liking.

Sometimes in the English language we use love for like and like for love.

Love is harder to do than to like; liking comes easily.  We don’t have to try to like something like when we like ice cream.

Sometimes when someone mistreats us, we may not “like” them in what they do and we may want to mistreat them.  But we still need to love them even if it is hard to do.

Jesus commanded his disciples to love one another.

Jesus would not have to command his disciples to “like” one another because you don’t have to be told to do something that is easy to do.

Why does love sometimes need to be a command?  Because it is sometimes hard to treat others fairly when they are not our friends and favorite people.  Treating people fairly is called justice.  And love is justice and so the practice of justice is the love which Jesus commands.

Puppet Show:

How is a STOP Sign the practice of love?

Officer George and Harry

Harry:  Officer, why did you stop me?

Officer George:  Because you drove through a STOP sign and I am going to give you a ticket.

Harry:  But Officer, nobody was coming from the other direction and I did not feel like stopping at the STOP Sign.

Officer George:  Well, excuse me.  Sorry if this STOP sign was inconvenient for your life.  But why is your life more important than the lives of other.

Harry:  What do you mean?

Officer George:  By not stopping at the STOP sign you are saying that you don’t have to follow the rules which protect the lives of everyone.  And so you are not practicing the love of other people’s lives.

Harry:  Well, that is not what I meant.  I just wanted to get to where I was going faster.

Officer George:  Well, you need to see this STOP Sign as a LOVE Sign.

Harry:  That is silly; how can a STOP Sign be a LOVE Sign?

Officer George:  This STOP sign is a sign which shouts out this law:  Thou shalt stop here because we love the lives and safety of all our people.  Because we love your lives and safety, thou shalt STOP!

Now do you see how this STOP sign is a LOVE Sign?

Harry:  I guess I do but I thought love was just about liking what I want to do.  I though love was liking my favorite people.

Officer George:  To like something, to like someone, or to like to do something is not the same thing as love.  Love is much greater and harder than just liking.  That is why Jesus commanded his disciples to love each other.  He didn’t command them to like each other.

Harry:  So we do not have to like everyone and everything, but we have to love?

Officer George:  Yes, because the practice of love is called justice.  It is being fair to everyone even if we don’t like them.  So everyone has to STOP at a STOP sign because we love and care for the safety of everyone.

Harry:  Okay…I get it now.  I understand how this STOP sign is a LOVE sign because it commands me to be careful for the safety of everyone.  My bad.

Officer George:  Well, Harry you have learned a very important lesson.

Harry:  Do you think that we should change all of the STOP signs from being octagons into heart shapes now.

Officer George:  No that won’t necessary Harry.  It is just a STOP Sign not a Country and Western song.  But love is a command of Jesus because everyone’s life is valuable even if we don’t like everyone.  So you don’t have you like STOP signs, but you have to love them, or I will give you a ticket.  Have a nice day.  Bye Bye.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

May 10, 2015: The Sixth Sunday of Easter

Gathering Songs: Sing a New Song,  What Wondrous Love, I Love You Lord

Song: Sing a New Song (Renew!  # 21)

Refrain: Sing a new song unto the Lord; let your song be sung from mountains high.  Sing a new song unto the Lord, singing Alleluia.

Yahweh’s people dance for joy; O come before the Lord.  And play for him on glad tambourines, and let your trumpet sound.  Refrain

Rise, O children from you sleep, your savior now has come.  He has turned your sorrow to joy, and filled your soul with song.  Refrain

Glad my soul for I have seen the glory of the Lord.  The trumpet sound; the dead shall be raised.  I know my Savior lives.  Refrain

Liturgist: Alleluia, Christ is Risen.

People: The Lord is Risen Indeed.  Alleluia.

Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.

And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.

Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Chant: Alleluia

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia

O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia

O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

A reading from the First Letter of John

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Let us read together from Psalm 98

Sing to the LORD a new song, * for he has done marvelous things.

Shout with joy to the LORD, all you lands; * lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.

Sing to the LORD with the harp, * with the harp and the voice of song.

With trumpets and the sound of the horn * shout with joy before the King, the LORD.

Birthdays:  Pamela Rhoten, Karen Falxa,  Sarah Feret, Carrie Dent, Christie Mendonca, Anne Dwyer, Jim Lewis, Joyce Nehlsen, Arinze Okafor, Chike Okafor

Anniversaries:

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:

For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!

For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!

For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!

For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!

For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!

For work and for play. Thanks be to God!

For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!

For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!

For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.

   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus said to his disciples, "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. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, 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."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy.

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Youth Liturgist:          The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People:                        And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering

Song:  Peace Before Us (Wonder, Love and Praise,  # 791)

1          Peace before us.  Peace behind us.  Peace under our feet.  Peace within us.  Peace over us.  Let all around us be Peace.

2          Love, 3 Light, 4 Christ

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Holy Baptism is a celebration of our birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n 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. Hosanna in the Highest.

(All may gather around the altar)

The Celebrant now praises God for the salvation of the world through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat

  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as  

  this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

The Prayer continues with these words

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory

 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,

(Children rejoin their parents and take up their instruments)

Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:        Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Song: What Wondrous Love (Renew! # 277)

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul.  What wondrous love is this O my soul.  What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul. To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down, when I was sinking down sinking down.  When I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown, Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul, Christ laid aside his crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing.  To God and to the lamb I will sing.  To God and to the lamb who is the great I AM—while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing, while millions join the theme I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on.  And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on; and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be, and through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on, and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;

We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.

And His Presence has been known to us.

We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers

    and sisters in Christ.

Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the

     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,

As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: I Love You Lord (Renew! # 36)

I love you Lord, and I lift my voice to worship you, O my soul, rejoice. 

Take joy, my King, in what you hear:  May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear.

Repeat

Dismissal:   

Liturgist: Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.

People: Thanks be to God! Alleluia!  Alleluia!