Sunday School, July 2, 2017 4 Pentecost, A proper 8

Sunday School, July 2, 2017     4 Pentecost, A proper 8

Theme:  Passing on Identity

Life is about receiving identity and passing it on.

We are born into a family, and we have family identity.  We have birth certificates and we are raised by family member who teach us who we are and where we have come from.

We have a citizenship identity as Americans.  How do we know that we are Americans?  We were born here or we applied for and received our citizenship.  We learn about our heritage and our fathers and mothers pass on citizenship to us.  We may have citizenship but we still need to practice citizenship by obeying the laws of our country.

What about our Christian identity?  How did we receive it?  Someone shared with us the life of Jesus Christ.  And we have welcomed the message of Jesus Christ as our life identity.

Jesus told his disciples that “whoever welcomed them were also welcoming him.”  For two thousand years people have been sharing the life of Jesus Christ with others.  And when we welcome the people who bring us the message of Christ, we are welcoming Jesus Christ.  In this way, the church has stayed alive and grown for two years, because we believe the presence of Christ is passed on as we share it with people.

Remember when we share Jesus Christ with other people; Christ is present and is being welcomed into the future life of other people

Sermon:

  Jesus said to his friends, “Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me.”

  How many of you are alone?  Are you a son or a daughter?  Are you a brother or sister?  Are you a mom or dad?  Are you someone’s friend?

  Even though we each have a name and we are each different from one another, we also know ourselves from our relationships with one another.

  Something happened to me when I got married.  I used to be  Phil, but suddenly lots of people were calling me Karen’s husband.  Something else happened to me when I had children.  Lots of people started called me Tessa’s dad or Simon’s dad.  So I used to be just Phil, but then I became Karen’s husband, Tessa’s dad and Simon’s dad.  What happened to me?

  I became very close to other people; so close that I sometimes would lose my name in them.

  Let me tell you how close this feeling was.  Did you know that when someone did something nice to my children or to my wife, I actually thought that they were doing it to me too?  That how close I felt with them.

  So when Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me.”  That is how close Jesus felt with his friends.

  And that is how close Jesus wants to feel with us.  And that is how close Jesus wants us to feel with each other.

  When God sees us doing nice things for each other, God feels like we are doing these things for him.  Jesus called God is father.  And Jesus invited us to live as a part of God’s family and live so close that when we do things for each other, we are doing them for God and for Jesus.

   In the church, we celebrate the fact that we are part of God’s family.  And when we welcome each other, we are pleasing Jesus, because each time we welcome someone, each time we do a kind deed, each time we love one another, we are doing it to Christ.

  Now do you understand how close Jesus wanted to be with his friends?  Do you understand how we are live together as friends?  It means we share our lives with each other.  If you are sad, then all of feel your sadness.  And if you are joyful, then all of us feel you happiness.  Why?  Because God has put us together to be the family of Christ in this place.

  Just remember when someone does something nice to you, your parents feel so joyful; because they know that if someone is nice to you, they are also nice to them.

  And that kind of feeling together, is the feeling that Jesus gave to the church.  Let us learn how to feel together for one another as we were taught by Christ.  Amen.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

July 2, 2017: The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Jesus Loves the Little Children, The Butterfly Song, There is a Redeemer, Soon and Very Soon

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: Jesus Loves the Little Children, (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 140)

Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. 

Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in his sight. 

Jesus love the little children of the world.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; 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: Alleluia (chanted)

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 Paul to the Romans

Do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.  No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness.  For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.  

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 13

But I put my trust in your mercy; * my heart is joyful because of your saving help.

I will sing to the LORD, for he has dealt with me richly; * I will praise the Name of the Lord Most High.

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 Matthew

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus said, "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple-- truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."

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. (chanted)

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.

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: Butterfly Song (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 a 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 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.  And I 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, and 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.  And if I were a fuzzy wuzzy bear, I’d thank you Lord for my fuzzy wuzzy hair, and 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 heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

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)

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: There is a Redeemer (Renew!  # 232)

There is a redeemer, Jesus, God’s own Son, precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One.  Refrain: Thank you, O my Father, for giving us your Son; and leaving your Spirit til the work on earth is done.

Jesus, my Redeemer, name above all names, precious Lamb or God, Messiah, hope for sinners slain.  Refrain

When I stand in glory I will see His face, there I’ll serve my King forever, in that holy place.  Refrain

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.  Hallelujah, hallelujah, 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.  Hallelujah, hallelujah, we are going to see the king.

Dismissal:   

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

People:      Thanks be to God!