Sunday School, December 11, 2016 3 Advent A

Sunday School, December 11, 2016   3 Advent, Year A

Theme: Perfect Worlds

Have the children invent or talk about how they would imagine a perfect world.  What would a perfect world look like?

Eat all the chocolate you want with getting sick or ruining your teeth.  Be smart without having to go to school.  Be able to fly like birds.  Never get sick.  A world without diseases.  A world without war.  A world with peace. 

After making a list of what their perfect world would look like, look at how some of the writers of the Bible imagined a perfect world, or a better world or a world that is becoming healed from its troubles.

For Isaiah: The wilderness and desert would be like a garden and forest.  The weak would be strong.  God would intervene with justice.  The blind could see.  The deaf could hear.  The handicapped could jump like a deer.  Those who could not speak would be able to.  There would be plenty of water in the desert.  Traveling would be easy and safe from robbers and wild animals.  People who were forced away from their favorite homeland could go back home safely.

Perfect world for the writer of the Psalm:

A God who keeps promises.  God who gives justice to the enslaved.  God setting the prisoners free.  God caring for the strangers.  God caring for the orphan and widow.  God confusing bad people so they cannot win.

 Perfect world for Mary as seen in the Song of Mary

God looking with favor on us.  Being blessed.   God being merciful.  A strong God who defeats the proud.  God who helps the lowly poor.  God filling the hungry with good things.  God helping his people.

For the writer of James

A perfect world would happen when the Lord comes in the future.

For the writer of Matthew’s Gospel in the words of Jesus

the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.

Ask the students:  Has the perfect world happened yet?  If not, why not?  And if the perfect world cannot happen, why do we have imaginations of perfect worlds?

Some answers:

We don’t have perfect worlds because freedom allows what is not perfect to happen.  If there was not freedom for bad things to happen, then we would be robots or machines of perfection.  A machine does not have a choice and so if the world was a “perfect machine” it would not be what we value about being human people.  True freedom is what makes us really valuable as God’s creatures.

We have imaginations of the perfect to inspire us toward how we want to heal our world from the bad things which do happen.  If we just had imaginations of a bad world or the actual world, we would not be taught the right direction to learn.

Let us be happy for the imaginations of a better world because they teach us the direction that we should aim for in our words and deeds.

Sermon:  

  What season are we in right now?   Advent.  And what is the color of Advent?    And what season comes after Advent?   Christmas?

   And what do we celebrate at Christmas?  The birth of Christ.

   The season of Advent is also a season of imagination.

   What is imagination?

    Imagination is when we think about a different world.  Make believe worlds.  Can you think of some make believe worlds?

  Never-never land of Peter Pan.  Harry Potter’s world is an imaginary world.  The worlds of Snow White, Cinderella & Belle and Ariel are all imaginary worlds.

  The world of Batman, Superman, Sponge Bob are imaginary world.

  We like imaginary worlds because they entertain us.

  They also help us to develop our imagination, because when we use our imagination, we learn to think.  We learn to create.  We learn to make new things and do new things.

The writers of the Bible built imaginary worlds too.  They wrote about a world with no sickness.  A world where all the sick people would be healed.  They wrote about a world with no fighting and war.  They wrote about a world where a lion and lamb could play together, and where a little baby could play with a snake.  They wrote about a world where flowers would grow in the desert where there was no water.

  We need to imagine a better world, if we are going work at making our world a better place.

  So let us remember to use our imagination to help us make our world a better place.

  John the Baptist imagined that Jesus was a super hero called the Messiah.  But since he was prison, he wanted to make sure.  And when he found out that Jesus was making sick people well and that he was telling good news to people, John then knew that Jesus was the Messiah, a superhero who was helping to make our world a better place.

  Remember God gave us Jesus as the Messiah to make our world a better place, and God gives us imagination so that we can work to make our world a better place.  Can you use your imagination to make the world a better place?

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

December 11, 2016: The Third Sunday of Advent

Gathering Songs: We Light the Advent Candles, Butterfly Song, What Wondrous Love, Christ Beside Me

Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever.  Amen.

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:  We Light the Advent Candles (While lighting the two purple candles & the pink candle)

1-We light the Advent cands against the winter night, to welcome our Lord Jesus who is the worlds’s True Light, to welcome our Lord Jesus who is the world’s True Light.

3-Three candles now are gleaming and show the true way, rejoice, the Baptist cries out, your Lord has come today, rejoice the Baptist cries out, your Lord has come today!

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Litany of Praise: 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 Letter of James

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 146

Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help!* whose hope is in the LORD their God;

Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; * who keeps his promise for ever;

Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, * and food to those who hunger.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God!

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 Matthew

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."  As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, `See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

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: If I Were a Butterfly (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 9)

If I were a butterfly, I’d thank you Lord for giving me wings.  If I were a robin in the tree, I’d thank you Lord that I could sing.  If I were a fish in the sea, I’d wiggle my tail and I’d giggle with glee, but I just thank you Father for making me, me. 

Refrain: For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile.  You gave me Lord Jesus and you made me your child, and I just thank you Father for making me, me.

If I were an elephant, I’d thank you Lord by raising my trunk.  If I were a kangaroo, you know I’d hop right up to you.  If I were an octopus, I’d thank you Lord for my fine looks, but I just thank you Father for making me, me.  Refrain

If I were a wiggly worm, I’d thank you Lord that I could squirm.  If I were a billy goat, I’d thank you Lord for my strong throat.  If I were a fuzzy wuzzy bear, I’d thank you Lord for my fuzzy wuzzy hair, but I just thank you Father for making me, me.  Refrain

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 God.”

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,

(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.

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: Christ Beside Me (Renew! # 164)

Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, King of my heart.  Christ within me, Christ below me, Christ above me, never to part.

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God!