Sunday School, September 10, 2017 14 Pentecost, A proper 18

Sunday School, September 10, 2017   14 Pentecost, A proper 18

Theme

How is someone present even when they are not seen?

People who love and care for us, who become very important for our lives in how we think, talk and act become so much a part of us that even when we are not with them, we feel like that are with us because they have taught us so well.

Jesus was a person who could not be forgotten.  He made such a deep impression on this friends that even when he was gone and no longer seen, he still seemed to be present.

This is what great people do to us.  They are so great that they never leave us even when we don’t see them anymore.

The friends of Jesus continued to gather after Jesus was gone and no longer seen.  Sometimes they had disagreements but they had a way to solve their disagreements.  What did they do?  They got together and they all thought about one thing: “What would Jesus do, think and say.”  And they believed that when they did this, they could know that Jesus was acting, thinking and saying things through them.  This is presence of Christ that we cannot see but it is the presence of Christ that we can be together.

We know that someone born in America is an American.  Whereever an American or Americans are, then the presence of America is known even though America is too big and mysterious to actually see.

St. Paul called the church, the “Body of Christ.”  When Christians are together, they are forming an expression of the “Body of Christ.”  As the body of Christ, Christians become the presence of Christ in this world even though Jesus left this earth a long time ago.

How can we know that we are a part of the body of Christ and that Christ is still present with us?  When we practice love.  St. Paul says that love is the best expression of keeping the law of God.  When we love, we are being a part of the body of Christ and we help to make the presence of Christ known to other people.

Let us learn to love.  Let us learn to be the body of Christ.  Let us be people who help others know that Christ is still present in this world through us.

Sermon:

  Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."

  After Jesus left this world, his disciples and friends worried about knowing what to do.  They worried about who would settle arguments when Jesus wasn’t there.

  But could Jesus still be with them when he couldn’t be seen?

  Can your parent still be with you when you can’t see them?

  When you go to school and are not with your parents, can they still be with you?

  Of course they can.  You can remember that they care for you and you can remember what they have taught you, and so even though you don’t see them, they still are with you.

  When do brothers and sisters usually get into arguments?  When mom and dad are out of the room, right?   When you can’t see mom and dad, sometimes you think that you can do something that you wouldn’t do if mom or dad were in the room.

  What about when the teacher leaves the classroom?  Sometimes students think that can get away with something when the teacher is not there.

  But when mom and dad are gone they are still there…..how many times does the brother or sister say, “I am going to tell mom.  I am going tell Dad.”  So even though mom or dad isn’t there they are still present.

  When the teacher is gone from the classroom.  If a student misbehaves, sometimes another student will say, “I’m going to tell the teacher.”  So even the teacher is gone, the teacher is still present.

   When Jesus left this world, he did not take his presence from his friends.  He told them that he would be with them when they gathered together.

  And Christ has remained with us for a long time.  And every Sunday we gather as brothers and sisters in Christ to remember that Christ is with us.  And we gather to remember how we are supposed to behave and live.  And we remember how we are supposed to care for one another.

  So today we gather and even though we don’t see Christ, we know that he is here.  Amen.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

September 10, 2017: The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Lord, I Lift Your Name on High, Jesus Stand Among Us, Sing a New Song,  

 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: Lord, I Lift Your Name on High (Renew!  # 4)

Lord, I lift your name on high; Lord, I love to sing your praises.  I’m so glad you’re in my life; I’m so glad you came to save us.  You came from heaven to earth to show the way, from the earth to the cross, my debt to pay.  From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky; Lord, I lift you name on high!

(Sing three times)

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for 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

Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet"; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 149

Hallelujah! Sing to the LORD a new song; * sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.

Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; * let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

Let them praise his Name in the dance; * let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.

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, "If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."

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 Music: Jesus Stand Among Us, (Renew # 237)

1          Jesus, stand among us in your risen power; let this time of worship be a hallowed hour.

2          Breathe the Holy Spirit into every heart; bid the fears and sorrow from each soul depart.

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 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 Hymn:  Jesus Stand Among Us, Renew! #17

Jesus stand among us, at the meeting of our lives, be our sweet agreement at the meeting of our eyes; O, Jesus, we love You, so we gather here, join our hearts in unity and take away our fear.

So to You we’re gathering out of each and every land.  Christ the love between us at the joining of our hand; O, Jesus, we love You, so we gather here, join our hearts in unity and take away our fear.

Jesus stand among us, the breaking of the bread, join us as one body as we worship Your, our Head.  O, Jesus, we love You, so we gather here, join our hearts in unity and take away our fear.

 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: 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 your sleep; your Savior now has come.  He has turned your sorrow to joy and fill your soul with song.  Refrain

Dismissal:   

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

People:      Thanks be to God!