Elitism? Many Called, Few Chosen?

19 Pentecost, Cycle A  Proper 23, October 15, 2017

Exodus 32:1-14  Psalm 23

Philippians 4:1-9 Matthew 22:1-14

Lectionary Link

In religious polls and surveys, people are asked about their religious faith and group participation.  We are told today that the largest religious group in America now is not the Protestants, not the Catholics, or Muslims, or Evangelicals or Charismatics or Pentecostals.  The largest group is actually a negative.  It is the group of "nones," the non-affiliated and those who have no interest in the traditional faith communities.

Is this a bad thing that we are becoming people who don't identify with religion, faith communities or even the reality of God?  Or are people just able to be more honest today?  Faith and religion used to be so apple pie in America that one could not be honest about being disinterested in God and religion.

The punchline of the parable of Jesus is this: many are called but few are chosen.

This very harsh and even cruel parable is about the harsh reality of being chosen.  The reality of spirituality is that few are chosen.  The people who seem to be the chosen of society in their status and wealth and social prestige turn out to be those who are not chosen in their actual inner lives of faith.  There are many religious people who believe that being chosen means that they have public and political power.  They seek alliances with government as their affirming sign.

Saul of Tarsus seemed to be an obvious chosen one.  He was a devout Pharisee.  He could not see or understand the invitation of God that was coming through Jesus.  He was angered by the invitation, so much so that he persecuted the Christian evangelists and even seem to preside over the stoning of St. Stephen.  Saul was being called but he was not yet chosen.

The parable of Jesus gives us insights about the cruel reality of being chosen.  It indicates that most people are "nones."  Practicing a belief in God and the Gospel are completely irrelevant to their lives.  The parable also indicates that people can be called and seem to be religious but not experience being chosen.

How do you know that you've been chosen?  One is not chosen if one can easily avoid God.  One is not chosen if business, money, leisure and many other things have more appeal than God.  If one does not connect with God, one replaces the divine with many surrogates, many replacement idols.

Being called and chosen is a not an automatic thing.  Everyone is call but not everyone is chosen and that is the harsh reality of life.  It is the harsh reality that makes it often seem as though God, goodness and faith are actually losing in public life.

Not everyone all at the same time can be in the right conditions of being chosen.  That is just the sad fact of the Gospel.  It obviously was a concern of the early church leaders.  Why wasn't God universally winsome to everyone.  Why can't everyone just be automatic God-lovers?

I don't think the question is why people are not chosen, but when will they be chosen?

Saul was called but not chosen.  He persecuted the followers of Jesus until he had his dramatic conversion and discovered himself to be chosen.  And as the Apostle Paul he testified that he came to be chosen by God and that the experience of being chosen was opened for anyone to have, but it was not automatic.

This world is full of lots of called people.  All churches and communities of faith are full of lots of called people.  But not everyone knows the experience of being chosen.

What is it to be chosen?  It's when gentleness and kindness just seems right.  It is when freedom from worry happens.  It is when peace guards one's heart.  It is when thanksgiving arises as natural as the morning dew.  It's when one can rejoice even when there seems to be no reason to rejoice.  It is when generosity seems obvious and joyful and not a heroic gesture or a sacrifice.  Chosen people love to give as though it was natural as breathing.  Chosen people come to church not to get but to minister.  They are not religious consumers or people looking for entertainment at church.  Chosen people know the esteem of being loved by God as being sufficient to everything in their lives.  I feel sorry for people who cannot know the experience of being chosen in the way of knowing God's love, even as I know that I can't make it happen for them.

Many are called but few are chosen.  This is the harsh reality of life.  And we do well to ask ourselves if we are chosen?  Am I chosen?  Do I live my life as though I am chosen?  Am I playing a religious game for appearances to seem chosen?  Am I keeping involved in religion as I wait to be surprised to be chosen by God.  Lots of people who don't experience being chosen, graduate from religious practice because it was just something to have on the resume of appearances.  It is something to have as part of the village to raise one’s children and to move on from.

So welcome to the harsh reality of the parable of Jesus.  If one can avoid God, then go ahead and do so.  If lots of things are more desirable than God then go ahead and follow them; if they can be idols, golden calves, in the place of God, then let them be so.  If generosity is not joyful, cheerful or fun, don't do it.  Don't play at religion.  Don't throw a pittance at God or religion as false guilt of not really being engaged by the reality of God.  The only thing that I would say about being chosen is to keep the future open.  The future can bring the failure of idols when addictions set in.  When selfishness reaches the point of destructive excess, people may be open to being chosen.

People can have the experience of being chosen and lose it if it is not practiced.  Being chosen is not a onetime event.  Being chosen can still be a future experience for each of us.

The parable of Jesus today invites us to consider the harsh reality of coming to the place of being chosen.  And the Gospel for each of us today, is that we might come more fully into the reality of being chosen.  Amen.

Sunday School, October 15, 2017 19 Pentecost, A proper 23

Sunday School, October 15, 2017  19 Pentecost, A proper 23

Theme:

Being a part of the team.

Jesus told a parable about a person who did not come dressed properly to a wedding.

Should a dancer wear a football uniform to participate in a ballet dance recital?

Should a baseball player wear a football uniform to play baseball.

Should a soccer player play in ballet shoes and wear a tutu?

No.  Why?

There are uniforms appropriate to each occasion.

A person expresses their willingness to be on a team by following the team rules.

In an ancient wedding, the wealthy wedding giver would provide wedding dress for everyone so that no one would look wealthy or poor; everyone would be in the proper wedding uniform to celebrate the people who were getting married.

Jesus told us this parable to show us that we cannot always just do what we want or feel like?  Why?  Because we live with each other.  We have to live for God and for each other.  And this means that we respect the customs and rules as members of the human team and people who accept the same and equal gift of God’s grace.

Sermon:

  How many of you have watch the Disney movies about princes and princesses?  Have you seen Cinderella?

  The King and Queen had a big party called a Ball, and everyone wanted to be invited.  And remember, Cinderella was sad because she was not allowed to go to party.

  One time, Jesus told a story about King who was having a big party.  He was having a party because his son was getting married.  And so he invited his closest friends to the wedding.  But none of them came to the wedding.  So he sent his servants to his friends and told them that the wedding had started and he wanted them to be there.  But his friends were very rude; they still did not come to the wedding.  They ignored the invitation went on with their regular business, and they even harmed the servants who had invited them.

  So what did the King do?  He punished those people who refused to come to the wedding.   And he then he sent his servants out into all of the streets and he invited everyone to come to the wedding.

  Jesus told this story to teach a lesson.

  If you live in a kingdom, would you ignore the king?  No because in a kingdom, the king is the most important person.

  If God is the creator of the world, and if we live in this world that God created, should we ignore God?

  No, of course not.  When we come to church on Sunday, the bread and the wine is a reminder that God is always inviting us to a party.  In this party each Sunday, we celebrate that God loves us so much that God is with us.  God gave us his Son Jesus to be with us.  God gives us his very life of the Holy Spirit to be close to us.

  When we eat the bread and drink the wine?  How close does that bread and wine get to us?  Very close.  In fact the bread and wine actually becomes a part of us.

  So in this party each Sunday, we celebrate that God has become so close to us that God is a part of us.

  So we should always celebrate the invitation that God gives us to know and to love God.

  And we should not live our lives ignoring God who created us.  We need to learn how to honor God in our lives by learning how to love and obey God.

  Let us always remember to honor and obey God in our lives.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

October 15, 2017: Nineteenth Sunday of Pentecost

Gathering Songs: He’s Got the Whole World, Alleluia, Give Thanks, He is Lord, When the Saints

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: There is One Lord (Renew # 161)

There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; there is one God who is Father of all.

Sung twice, and between the three solo verses and once after the final verse

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; 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 to the Philippians

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 23

1  The LORD is my shepherd; * I shall not be in want.

2  He makes me lie down in green pastures * and leads me beside still waters.

3  He revives my soul * and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

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.

Once more Jesus spoke to the people in parables, saying: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, `Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.' But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, `The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.  "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, `Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, `Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen.

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.

Offertory Music:  Alleluia, Alleluia, Give Thanks,  (Blue Hymnal, # 178)

Refrain: Alleluia, Alleluia, give thanks to the Risen Lord, Alleluia, Alleluia, give thanks to his Name.

1-Jesus is Lord of all the earth.  He is the King of creation.  Refrain

2-Spread the good news o’er all the earth: Jesus has died and has risen. Refrain

3-We have been crucified with Christ.  Now we shall live forever. Refrain

4-Come, let us praise the living God, joyfully sing to our Savior. 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 up 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 : He Is Lord (Renew!  # 29)

1-He is Lord.  He is Lord.  He is risen from the dead and He is Lord.  Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

2-He is King.  He is King.  He will draw all nations to him, He is king.  And the time shall be when the world shall sing that Jesus Christ is King.

3-He is Love.  He is Love.  He has shown us by his life that He is Love.  All his people sing with one voice of joy that Jesus Christ is Love.

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 When the Saints (Christian Children’s Songbook,  # 248).

1-When the saints, go marching in.  O when the saints go marching in.  Lord I want to be in that number, when the saints go marching in.

2-When the boys go marching in…

3-When the girls go marching in...

Dismissal:   

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

People:      Thanks be to God! 

Self-Excommunication: A Much Too Common Practice

18 Pentecost, Cycle A  Proper 23, October 12, 2014

Exodus 32:1-14  Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23
Philippians 4:1-9 Matthew 22:1-14

Lectionary Link

  

  In the parable of Jesus which we have read for today, we are ask to imagine God as the king of the universe who is hosting a wedding banquet for his son.  By definition, a king is the most important and most valued person in a monarchy and so if a king extends invitations to his subjects to attend the wedding party of his own son, one would imagine such an event would be a "command performance" requiring the attendance of all who were invited unless poor health prevented an invitee from attending.

  The wisdom parable of Jesus is an attempt to provide insights on the nature of God, the nature of humanity and the state of interaction between God and humanity.

   The nature of God is to be one who is hosting a party for the one closest to the divine family.  The divine host wants to invite human subjects into this fellowship event.  But the human subjects are those who apparently view the kingly God as a distant kingly God and as one who does not practice regular intervention in the everyday affairs of the kingdom.  And so many of the human subjects do not have the need or the interest to bother to attend the banquet of the kingly God.  The kingly God is presented as an "unrequited party-giver."  He extends invitations and those invited do not bother to RSVP or attend.  So the kingly God just keeps asking more subjects to the party.  He goes through the “A list of guests,” the “B list” of guest, the “C list” of guest, down to those people living on the street who are not on anybody’s guest list.

  In the parable, the various waves of extended invitation refers to the timing differences in how people have come to know and experience the invitation to fellowship with God.  Throughout history humanity has lived in various states of alienation from the divine presence.  People come to God at different times and in different ways.  And the people who seem to the most obvious chosen people for the kingly God's party do not turn out to be so chosen, not because God did not choose them but because they themselves were not in the condition of heart and mind to understand the divine invitation.

  For the ancient Hebrew people, the giving of the law was seen to be a great invitation from God to live in this state of preparedness to attend the divine party of fellowship with God.  And so even when Moses was delayed on the holy mountain of Sinai to receive the law, the people of Israel felt like they had to make their own replacement god in the image of the golden calf.  People who have lots of different golden calves to worship are often distracted into alienation from the God of the universe who is the kingly owner of all.

   But let's be honest, the kingly God of the universe as presented by Jesus is not like earthly kings.  Earthly kings are quick and ready to make their obvious presence known in their kingdoms.  They have large standing armies to enforce their ability to own everything and to collect taxes for the maintenance of their authority.

  The kingly God as presented by Jesus seems distant and not a very specific interventionist.  The kingly God of Jesus is not like our earthly superheroes who exact punishment upon the foes of society right after they commit their heinous deeds.   The kingly God as presented by Jesus seems to be one who completely honors the freedom of all of his subjects to deny completely the kingship rights of God in the universe.  The kingly of God of Jesus is presented as one who just keeps issuing invitations; A list, B list, C list and all the way to the Z list and then the kingly God of Jesus just starts over again.  This kingly God of Jesus does not excommunicate people from the divine kingdom; they excommunicate themselves by living in the state of alienation from the inviting God of the universe who owns everything.  God as an unrequited party giver would be frustrated with the alienation of so many people except the freedom of alienation is expressive of freedom, even the freedom of sin which is so evident in our world.

  I quite admire the subtle way in which this parable indicates God's tolerance of the genuine state of freedom, because pure freedom and creativity is what is most true to the nature of God.

  The final tag on parable always was a problem for me as a young boy who thought that individual choice in manner of clothing was a downright American right.  But the wisdom of this parable of the man who shows up in the wrong clothes at the wedding is this: God does not excommunicate people from the divine party; each person has the right to do that on one's own.  At a typical wedding party a very wealthy host provided the wedding garments so as to insure that all of the guests had the appearance of equal standing at the party.  The wedding garments were like a uniform of equality indicating that all guests had equal standing in the eyes of the host.

  So a person excommunicates oneself from the fellowship of equals.  If one wants to play on the team, one has to wear the team uniform and be proud of the group association.  One can accomplish lots of individual excellence on the team wearing the team uniform; but if you don't want to wear the uniform, you excommunicate oneself from the team.

  God does not excommunicate people from the divine kingdom; God can't because it would mean that something would exist outside of God.  Only members of God's creation can live in the illusion that they don't live within God's kingdom and hereby excommunicate themselves from God's great world.

  Excommunication in the church is a practice of withholding the sacrament from people who have willfully removed themselves from a state of grace.  Certainly that might at times seem to be all of us.   And I think excommunication sometimes has been used wrongfully by church leaders.  In my memory, I don't recall a situation of knowing a priest who has excommunicated someone.

  The most common form of excommunication is self-communication; it being invited to the party and choosing not to come.  There are people who "excommunicate" themselves from the sacrament of the church, except at Christmas and Easter or except "once a month."

  This parable of Jesus is about people who "self-excommunicate" from the divine party.  This parable of Jesus is about a loving God who continues to extend invitations to all to come to the banquet and this is a loving God who provides the loving garments of equality to all who come to receive the one fullness of God's graceful presence.

  Let us not excommunicate ourselves from the divine party.  Let us come once again to the party of the one who owns the universe and our lives.  Let us come to the one who has stamped the divine image upon us as sons and daughters of God and who has given us the party garments of the full and equal grace of God.  God’s invitation to the divine party is offered to us again today.  Let us hasten to attend.  Amen.

Sunday School. October 12, 2014 18 Pentecost, Cycle A Proper 23

Sunday School

Music Time: Song, "As a Deer Pants for the Water."

Sunday School Themes:

Choosing what we decide to think about.  We can think about good things or bad things and if we learn to think about good things, we can learn to choose happiness over sadness and anger.

The Parables of Jesus teach us two lessons:

What if God throws a party and the people who are invited decide not to come?  How would God feel?  Would God call the party off or invite other people who would want to come?

You can discuss unrequited feelings.  Have a discussion about doing nice things for people but sometimes when people cannot appreciate what we do for them,how does it make us feel?  Do we want to quit doing good things?  Or do we just keep giving and find others who will receive our gifts?

The second parable is about choosing to be different at the wrong time.  What would happen if you showed up for the soccer game and you did not not wear the team uniform for the game because you liked your own soccer uniform better.  The coach would not let you play because you did not want to be a part of the team if you would not wear the uniform.  Some times we want to be different because we do not want to share with others.  And that can be a wrong kind of pride and selfishness.

Puppet Show

Mom and Joey

Joey: (with his soccer ball)

Mom:  Hi, Joey.  How did the soccer game go?

Joey: There wasn't any soccer game and it was no fun.

Mom: Why not Joey?   You said that you were going to your soccer game and you took your ball with you.  Didn't you play in the soccer game?

Joey:  No, I didn't because they didn't have a soccer game.

Mom:  Did they cancel the soccer game?

Joey:  No, it was a baseball game, but I wanted to play soccer.

Mom: But, Joey it is baseball season and you are on the Little League Baseball team.  Why did you take your soccer ball?

Joey:  Because I felt like playing soccer today.

Mom: What happen?

Joey:  I went out on the field with my soccer ball and the umpire and my coach told me to get off the baseball field.

Mom:  Well, you really can't play soccer on the baseball field.  You would get in the way of the baseball game.  A baseball game and a soccer game do not mix.

Joey:  But I wanted to play soccer; I did not want to play baseball.

Mom:  Joey, you have learn to accept the rules of the game and you have to play the right game at the right time or you will make other people angry at you.

Joey: Well, I wanted to play soccer.

Mom:  Jesus told a parable about a man who attended a wedding and everyone had their best wedding clothes on and this man crashed the party with his horseback riding gear on.  The host was very upset and told him to leave the party.

Joey:  Maybe the man had just come from riding his horse.

Mom:  The point of the parable is sometimes we have to be willing to accept the conditions which God gives us to be equal in his grace and love.  We just can't do what we want all of the time and expect that we will fit in.  Joey, there is will other times to play soccer but now it baseball season.  Can you be patient and learn to accept things and to learn to play by the rules?

Joey:  Okay, I sure would be more popular if I played by the rules and I have learned an important lesson.

Mom:  Good for you, Joey!

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

October 12, 2014: Eighteenth Sunday of Pentecost

Gathering Songs: He’s Got the Whole World, Alleluia, Give Thanks, He is Lord, When the Saints

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: He’s Got the Whole World (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 90)

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

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; 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 to the Philippians

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Liturgist:         The Word of the Lord.

People:            Thanks be to God.

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 23

 He makes me lie down in green pastures * and leads me beside still waters.
Children’s Creed
You have made us in your image
And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph
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 When the Saints (Christian Children’s Songbook,  # 248).
1-When the saints, go marching in.  O when the saints go marching in.  Lord I want to be in that number, when the saints go marching in.
2-When the boys go marching in…
3-When the girls go marching in...

The LORD is my shepherd; * I shall not be in want.

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.

Once more Jesus spoke to the people in parables, saying: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, `Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.' But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, `The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.  "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, `Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, `Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

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.

Intercession

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:    Rejoice in the Lord Always  

Round:

Rejoice in the Lord,always and again I say rejoice. / Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.  Rejoice.  Rejoice.  And again I say rejoice.  Rejoice.  Rejoice.  And again I say rejoice.

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 up 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)

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

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 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 : He Is Lord (Renew!  # 29)

1-He is Lord.  He is Lord.  He is risen from the dead and He is Lord.  Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

2-He is King.  He is King.  He will draw all nations to him, He is king.  And the time shall be when the world shall sing that Jesus Christ is King.

3-He is Love.  He is Love.  He has shown us by his life that He is Love.  All his people sing with one voice of joy that Jesus Christ is Love.

Post-Communion Prayer

Dismissal:   

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

People:      Thanks be to God!