Sunday School, April 24, 2016 5 Easter C

Sunday School, April 24, 2016   5 Easter C

The disciple were friends of Jesus but they were also his students.  Jesus watched how his students were learning.

What did he notice about his student?  He noticed that his student argued about who could have the best seats in the kingdom of Jesus.  Peter was very sure of himself even bragged about how brave he was.  Jesus knew that Jesus was planning to help some people who did not like Jesus.

So what did Jesus think that his students and disciples needed?  They needed to know how to live together.  When Jesus hosted a meal for his students, he noticed that none of them washed the feet when they came to the meal.  In the time of Jesus, it was the custom to have one’s dusty feet washed when one arrived at a person’s house.  The disciples and students of Jesus believed that they were too important to do the job of a servant.  They only wanted to be important people.  So Jesus, decided to wash the feet of his disciples.  He said to them, I am your teacher but I washed your feet.  And you need to do this for each other.  Why?  Because all of the small courteous things in life are very important.  So Jesus gave the disciples the “11^th Commandment.”  “Love one another as I have love you.”  Jesus showed his love for his disciples by washing their feet and he said that they needed to practice the small deeds of courteous love for each other.

Have the children list lots of very small things which they can do to show that they love the people in their lives.

A Children’s sermon on the “11^th Commandment”

You remember that we have studied the rule book that God has given us to show us how to live our lives.  What are those famous rules called?

  The 10 Commandments: Love the One God.  Don’t let anything else be the god of your life.  Don’t use God’s name in a wrong way. Make time for God.  Don’t steal.  Don’t kill.  Don’t tell lies.  Be content with what you have. Respect the family.  Honor your father and mother.

    So we have the 10 commandments.  But today we read about a new commandment that Jesus gave to his friends.  So now we have 11 commandments.  What is that new commandment?  Jesus said, “I want you to love one another, just as I have loved you.”

  Jesus had watched his friends and some times he did not like how they behaved.  Sometimes they would argue about who should have the best jobs.  Some times they thought that they were better than other people.

  And that is why Jesus had to give them the 11th commandment.  Was Jesus an important person?  Yes he was.  And what did Jesus say that really important people do?  He said that they served other people.  How do we serve other people?  By being kind.  By doing nice things.  By helping with the chores. 

  Jesus said to his friends, “ you need to love and care for each other, just like I have loved and cared for you.  That is the only way that you will be able to stay together without hurting each other.”

  So loving one another as Jesus loved us.  This is the best rule of all.  This is what makes your family work well.  This is what makes our parish work well.  When we love one another, we are doing the best of all.

  So can you remember the 11th commandment, the new commandment?  Love one another as Jesus loved us.   And I will tell you a secret:  If you learn and practice this 11th commandment, then you will be keeping all of the other 10 commandments too.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

April 24, 2016: The Fifth Sunday of Easter

Gathering Songs: I Am the Bread of Life, This Little Light of Mine,  Ubi Caritas, Soon and Very Soon

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.

Song: I Am the Bread of Life,  (Blue Hymnal, # 335)

1-I am the bread of life, they who come to me shall not hunger; they who believe in me shall not thirst.  No one can come to  me unless the Father draw them. 

            And I will raise them up, and I will raise them up, and I will raise them up on the last day.

2-I am the resurrection, I am the life, they who believe in me, even if they die, they shall live forever.  And I will raise them up, and I will raise them up, and I will raise them up on the last day.

3-Yes Lord we believe that you are the Christ, the Son of god who has come into the world.

And I will raise them up, and I will raise them up, and I will raise them up on the last day

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of 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 Revelation to John

And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life."

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 148

Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; * praise him in the heights.

Praise him, all you angels of his; * praise him, all his host.

Praise him, sun and moon; * praise him, all you shining stars.

Praise him, heaven of heavens, * and you waters above the heavens.

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.

At the last supper, when Judas had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for 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

Offertory Song: This Little Light of Mine, (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 234)

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.  This little light of mine.  I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel, no!  I’m going to let it shine.  Hide it under a bushel, no! I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Don’t let anyone blow it out.  I’m going to let it shine.  Don’t let anyone blow it out.  I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Shine all over my neighborhood.  I’m going to let it shine.  Shine all over my neighborhood, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

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.

Baptism is a celebration of 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)

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.

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. Bless and 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,

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:       Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast. 

Words of Administration

Communion Song: Ubi Caritas (Renew!, # 226)

Ubi caritas et amor, ubi caritas, Deus ibi est.

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: Soon and Very Soon (Renew!  # 276)

Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King.  Soon and very soon, we are going to see the king.  Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King.  Alleluia, alleluia, we are going to see the King.

No more dying there, we are going to see the King.  No more dying there, we are going to see the King.  No more dying there, we are going to see the King.  Alleluia, alleluia, we are going to see the king.

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!