Sunday School, August 2, 2020 9 Pentecost, A Proper 13

Sunday School, August 2, 2020 9 Pentecost, A Proper 13

Themes:

The most famous wrestler in the Bible?  Jacob.  Jacob, when he was going home and when he was afraid of meeting his brother whom he had run from in fear many years ago, wrestled one night with an angel.  The angel was a better wrestler, but Jacob was good at just hanging on.  He would not let the angel go until the angel blessed him.  And Jacob was successful at holding on for his blessing.  And what did Jacob receive as a blessing?  He received a new name.  What was that name?  Israel, which means the one who wrestles with God and is successful.  Jacob the wrestler became Israel, the father of the sons who would be the head of the tribes of Israel.

When we are afraid, we sometimes need to use our prayer as a way of holding on to God for a blessing so that we can receive from God a plan for our lives.  We don't have to be given a new name, but we can receive new important work to do in our lives.

The Gospel:  When Jesus saw a multitude, he told his disciples and helpers:  "You feed them."  This means that if we are followers of Jesus, we need to make sure that all people receive the best medicine in the world.  What is the best medicine in the world?  Enough food to eat.

We are like doctors when we make sure that all people of the world have enough food, which is the most basic medicine of life.

We come to church to receive bread at communion.  We need to remember that the bread of communion is not just for a special religious meal; it is also to remind us that everyone needs enough food.  And we need to hear Jesus say to us: "You feed them."

Sermon:

   One time upon a time there was a bus trip that had to travel on a road that went through the desert.

   And there were sixty people traveling on the bus.  And there was not place to stop and get gas and not restaurants in the desert, because no one lived there.  There was only one bus that came on the road every two days.

  Well, on this particular the bus broke down.  The bus had engine trouble, and here they were stalled in the desert with no place to go for food and shelter.  And there was no bus coming for more than a day.  And the cell phones would not work.

  So the people got off the bus…and they were worried about having enough food and water for the babies and the older people.

  So the bus driver announced that everyone would have to be calm.  Find some shade and help each other.

  Some people were very worried and they complained about being hungry and thirsty.

  The bus driver said, “Let see how much snack food everyone has brought.  Let see how much food we can gather together for a meal.  And many people complained that there was not enough food.  But the driver said, “Let us meet under that one big tree by the side of road in about an hour and see what kind of meal we can put together.

  The driver also open the storage area under the bus where all of the suitcases were, so people could get into their suitcases.

  And in an hour, they all gathered for their meal.  And it was surprising to see how much food people had brought.  All kinds of chips and drinks.  Lots of bottles of water.  And when the suitcases were opened, some people brought canned hams and boxes of fruit and nuts that they were taking to their families.  And when all of the food was shared, the driver was amazed.  He said, “We have plenty of food to last us until the next bus arrives to rescue us.”

   And so the people, who at first thought that they had nothing, when everyone shared, they found out that they had more than enough to go around.

  When Jesus was teaching a large crowd followed him far from the city.  And it was time to eat.  And his disciples did not think that there was enough food outside of the city to feed this large crowd.  But someone donated five loaves of bread and two fish.  And Jesus took this bread and blessed it.  And he thanked the little boy who shared his lunch.

  And after he prayed, suddenly there was enough food to go around.  It could be that when this little boy shared his lunch, everyone else decided they could share their lunches too, and so there was more than enough food to go around.

  And what we need to learn is that when we all share together, we will find that we have enough to go around.

  Jesus came to teach us to share with one another, so that all might have enough to eat.  And that is a good lesson for us to learn.  Amen.

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

August 2, 2020: The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost 

 

Gathering Songs: 

 

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: 

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it always by your goodness; 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 Book of Genesis

The same night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, "Let me go, for the day is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go, unless you bless me." So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." Then the man said, "You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved." The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

 

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 17

 

I call upon you, O God, for you will answer me; * incline your ear to me and hear my words. 

Show me your marvelous loving-kindness, * O Savior of those who take refuge at your right hand

from those who rise up against them.

 

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 withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

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: 

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.

 

(Children may gather around the altar)

The Celebrant now praises God for the salvation of the world through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

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.

 

The Prayer continues with these words

 

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.

 

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:  Something in the Way God Loves  (song sheet)

 

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: O Lord, You Are My God   (song sheet)

Dismissal:    

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

People:      Thanks be to God!