Sunday School, July 9, 2017
5 Pentecost, A proper 9
Theme:
Discovering that we have help
What do trains and trucks do? They carry heavy loads. Before trains and trucks were invented how
did we carry heavy loads? Heavy loads
were place on wagons and carts and they were pulled by animals, like horses,
donkeys and oxen. A really heavy load
needed to be pulled by more than one animal.
A yoke was used to keep two animals pulling together.
Jesus used the yoke to talk about getting help in life. Life can be like a heavy load. Life can be difficult. Life can be hard. Life can be like pulling a very heavy
load. What did Jesus say about life
being a heavy load to pull?
He said, “Take my yoke.”
If we can know that someone else is helping us through the difficult and
hard times of life then the burden can be easier to bear.
How can we know that we are pulling the hard things of life
with Christ? We can know the strength of
God within us as the presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit. Also friends and the church can be in the
yoke of our lives. Other people can help
us in difficult times so that we never have to feel alone.
Jesus agreed that life can be difficult. Sometimes we can only grow through difficult
challenges. Jesus lets us know that the difficulties
in life need not destroys, if we discover how we are helped by God and by
others.
Jesus said, “Take my yoke.”
This means we have to learn to accept help in our lives. It also means that if we are with Christ, in
the yoke, it means we are help others to pull the difficult loads of their
life.
The yoke is a symbol of how we can be kept together helping
each other during the difficult things that we have to face in our lives.
Sermon
Does anyone know what a yoke is?
The yellow part of
an egg right? Egg yolk is spelled
different. What about another yoke?
If two horses are
pulling a wagon, how do the horses stay even?
They wear a harness. A harness is
like a yoke.
In the time of
Jesus, when two oxen pulled a cart, they wore a large wooden yoke around their
necks. This yoke was attached to the
cart and it allowed two oxen to pull the cart without one getting ahead of the
other.
So, Jesus told his
friends, take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Sometimes life is
hard. And since life is sometimes hard,
we don’t want to be alone. We want to
know that someone else is helping us.
Jesus didn’t promise
us an easy life with no work. That would
make us lazy. What Jesus promised us is
help.
Jesus promised us
the yoke of a community. In a community,
we live helping each other. Your family
is a community. You live together to
help each other, so you don’t have to do all the hard things alone.
Jesus also promised
that we have the life of God’s Spirit within us, helping us too.
Remember the yoke
and the harness. A yoke is used to help
two animals pull together to do the hard job of moving a heavy wagon.
Remember that we are
not alone in the many jobs that we have to do in our lives. We have family and friends to help us. And remember we are helping our family and
friends too. And life is easier when we
do things together.
And life is easier
when we discover that the life of God is within us helping us to more than we
ever thought that we could do.
Let us be thankful
today that we are helping each other today in all of the work that we are given
to do in our lives.
If we just had an
easy life, we would not grow and get strong.
In our lives we always have something more difficult to do to help us to
grow. And let us always remember that we
have the help of Jesus and the help of each other in all of the difficult
things in our lives.
Jesus said that we
should take his yoke upon us. And he
said this as a riddle to let us know that we can find help in life, both within
us and from each other. Amen.
St. John the Divine Episcopal Church
17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Family Service with Holy Eucharist
July 9, 2017: The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Gathering Songs: Hallelu, Hallelujah , He’s Got the Whole
World, Eat This Bread, May the Lord
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.
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah, Praise ye the
Lord.
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah, Praise ye the
Lord.
Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord,
Hallelujah.
Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord.
Liturgist: The
Lord be with you.
People: And
also with you.
Liturgist: Let us
pray
O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by
loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we
may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure
affection; 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
I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I
want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I
agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but
sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me,
that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I
do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now
if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells
within me.
Liturgist: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 145
The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, * slow to anger
and of great kindness.
The LORD is loving to everyone * and his compassion is over
all his works.
All your works praise you, O LORD, * and your faithful
servants bless you.
They make known the glory of your kingdom * and speak of
your power;
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 to the crowd, "To what will I compare this
generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one
another, `We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and
you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say,
`He has a demon'; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, `Look,
a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom
is vindicated by her deeds." At
that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have
revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All
things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son
except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to
whom the Son chooses to reveal him. "Come to me, all you that are weary
and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon
you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
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
1 He’s got the
whole world; in his hands he’s got the whole wide world in his hands. He’s got the whole world in his hands; he’s
got the whole world in his hands.
2 Little tiny
babies.
3 Brother and
the sisters
4 Mothers and
the fathers
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,
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: Eat This Bread (Renew! # 228)
Eat this bread, drink this wine, come to me and never be
hungry.
Eat this bread, drink this wine, come to me and you shall
not thirst.
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.
May the Lord, Mighty God, Bless and keep you forever, Grant
you peace, perfect peace, Courage in every endeavor. Lift up your eyes and seek His face, Trust
His grace forever. May the Lord, Mighty
God Bless and keep you for ever.
Dismissal:
Liturgist: Let us
go forth in the Name of Christ.
People: Thanks be
to God!
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