Finding the Identity of Identities

23 Pentecost, A p26, November 5, 2023
Micah 3:5-12           Ps. 43
1 Thessalonians 2:9-13,17-20 Matt. 23:1-12

Lectionary Link

 
Because we are people in relationship and location and social settings we come to have many personal identities in our lives.  The list of identities are many and varied: father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, uncle, cousin, grandfather, grandmother, aunt, all kinship identities.  But we also have vocational identities: student, teacher, athlete, business man or woman, police officer, priest, and so on.  We receive important identity from what we do.  We receive identity from where we live: other side of the tracks, ghetto, rich neighborhood, gated community, and blue collar neighborhood.  We receive identity from associations and institutions: alumni, Mason, parish, diocese, denomination, and faith community.

Identities can be a positive or negative thing.  They can be something that we are proud of or ashamed of.  They can be how we regard the very worth of our lives.  They can be seen as how people regard our worth.

Our social lives might be regarded as trying to clamor for the best and highest identities.  We want to be part of the "in-crowd."  I am important because I am father, son, in such a such a family.  I am a businessman and millionaire.  I live in a very expensive house.  I went to the best schools.

But what if we are socially stuck with some not so fortunate identities?  Someone poor, someone uneducated, someone who has cancer, someone unemployed?

Identities which are socially forged can become the very basis of personal esteem and personal self worth, and the way in which others in society regard us.

The words of Jesus from our appointed Gospel address the identity issue for the members of the early Jesus Movement.  Many of those who followed Jesus had less than positive identities within their social settings.  Jesus appealed to those who were not given high regard in society.

The Jesus Movement was a movement to get people restored to their primary identity.  And what was that?  Created in the image of God, and therefore a child of God, first and foremost.  So this is where each person begins their identity.  Every other identity is simply how one is called to manifest the primary identity of life, namely being a child of God.  How am I a child of God as a father, mother, teacher, lawyer, business person, student, son, or daughter?

The words of Jesus were not meant to deny or get rid of the other identities in our lives; they were to remind us that whatever we do, whomever we are, we are first and foremost children of God, and therefore in our being and doing we are strive to perform our identities in godly ways?  And how do we do this?  By loving God, our neighbor as our self.

The Gospel message for us today is to found our identity upon being children of God and then in our various callings in life, strive to be godly in our behaviors, and seek our esteem in being children of God and treating others with that same esteem.  Amen.

Sunday School, November 5, 2023 23 Pentecost/ All Saints Sunday, A proper 26

 Sunday School, November 5, 2023   23 Pentecost/ All Saints Sunday,  A proper 26

Theme:

Being what we appear to be

At Halloween we wear lots of costumes

We look like other people.  We dress up as firemen and women, police men and women, ghosts, witches, cats, princesses and superheroes.

But we are not the person of our costume.

Halloween costumes are fun.  It is fun to act like we are someone else.

But in our lives, Jesus warned about acting like someone we’re not.  Jesus saw religious people dressed up in their religious clothing; he saw people in the clothes they put on to pray.  But religious clothing should not be like a Halloween costume.

If on the outside we look like people who pray and go to church, but the rest of the time we aren’t kind and loving, then we have a problem.  We are lying because we are saying that love God but in our heart and in our actions, we do not show this to be true.

If we say that we are Christians and we come to church and we look like we follow Jesus, then we also need to do what Jesus ask us to do, to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Jesus taught us that the way we show ourselves is also the way that we should be.  Jesus wants us to both present ourselves as Christians and to actually live as Christ wants us to live.

Sermon:

Text:

  What holiday did we just celebrate?  Halloween.  And on Halloween you get to wear costumes and some of you are wearing your costumes today. 

  Halloween is fun because it allows to pretend that we someone or something else.  And pretending is fun.  It allows us to exercise our imagination.

  But sometimes pretending does not work.

  What if I dressed up like a doctor tomorrow and I had a costume on for performing surgery.

  Should people come to me for surgery?

  What if I wear a fireman’s costume tomorrow?  Should people call me to put out a big fire?  Why, not?  I am not a fireman…I’m only pretending to be a fireman.

  It is fun to pretend but remember pretending is only a game.  If we wear a Spiderman costume, it does not mean that we can really jump off a building and create a web to keep us from hitting the ground.

  Today we have read a story about Jesus.

  Now Jesus loved children and I’m sure that he would play pretend games with them.  But he knew that there was a time to pretend and a time when you can’t pretend.

  Jesus saw some religious leaders who were pretending.  They were dressing up in their religious clothes, but they were not serving or helping people.  In fact, they were making people’s lives harder.

  Jesus was saying: Loving God and loving our neighbors is something that we cannot pretend about.

  Just because we wear the right religious costume, we cannot pretend to love God or our neighbor.

  Jesus said, “If we want to be leader, we are not a leader by putting on a costume, we are a leader by helping and serving people.”

  If I put on a police uniform, does that make me a police man?  No.  I have to take special training and I have to actually work as a police man and protect the safety of the community.  If I don’t do the job of protecting the community, I am not a police man.

  Let us have fun tomorrow with our costumes pretending that we are someone else.

  But let us not pretend about loving God and loving our neighbors.  Let us find ways to serve God and our neighbors.  Amen.

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

November 5, 2023: Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: The Lord is Present,

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: The Lord Is Present  (Renew!,  # 55)

The Lord is present in his sanctuary, let us praise the Lord.  The Lord is present in his people gathered here, let us praise the Lord.  Praise him, praise him!  Let us praise the Lord!  Praise him, praise him!  Let us praise Jesus!

The Lord is present in his sanctuary, let us sing to the Lord.  The Lord is present in his people gathered here, let us sing to the Lord.  Sing to him, sing to him!  Let us sing to the Lord!  Sing to him, sing to him, let us sing to Jesus?

The Lord is present in his sanctuary, let us love the Lord.  The Lord is present in his people gathered here, let us love the Lord.  Love him, love him, let us love the Lord!  Love him, love him, let us love Jesus.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; 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 First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians

We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God's word, which is also at work in you believers.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 107

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, * and his mercy endures for ever.

Let all those whom the LORD has redeemed proclaim * that he redeemed them from the hand of the foe.

He gathered them out of the lands; * from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

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 crowds and to his disciples, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father-- the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted."

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:  I’ve Got Peace Like A River  (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 122)

I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.  I got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.

I’ve got love like a river….

I’ve got joy like a river…

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.

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,

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: Let All Mortal Flesh, (Renew! # 229)

Let all mortal flesh keep silent and with fear and trembling stand.  Ponder nothing earthly minded for with blessing in his hand.  Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary as of old on earth he stood, Lord of lords in human vesture in the body and the blood, he will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way, as the Light of light descendeth from the realms of endless day, that the powers of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away.

At his feet the six winged seraph, cherubim, with sleepless eye, veil their faces to the Presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry, “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Lord most High!”

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: If You’re Happy, (Christian Children’s Songbook,  # 124)

If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands, if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.  If you’re happy and you know, then your face should surely show it, if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.

……make a high five…

……make a low five….

……shout Amen!…

Dismissal:   

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

People:      Thanks be to God! 

Do Clothes Make the Person?

22 Pentecost, A p26, November 5, 2017
Micah 3:5-12           Ps. 43
1 Thessalonians 2:9-13,17-20 Matt. 23:1-12
Lectionary Link
On Tuesday, I was greeting students coming to the preschool and the teachers and the children were all in Halloween costumes.  And a parent asked me, "Fr. Phil, where's your costume."  And I said, "I'm wearing it.  I'm dressed as an old priest."   And he replied, "Well, your costume is really authentic."

The oracle of Jesus in the early church's Gospel includes some comments about costume religion.  And that hits home to us Episcopalians since we like to use vestments in our liturgies.  We have a long tradition of liturgical haberdashery, especially in our High Church tradition.  We like color and ceremony; we like aesthetics.  But we need to remember that it is not clothes that makes the person, even though this might be a common cliché of culture or a quote of Mark Twain who said, "Clothes makes the man; naked people have little or no influence on society."

Clothes have meanings.  This is particularly evident with the clothes which we call uniforms.  Uniforms announce the occupation of the persons wearing them.  In a hospital, doctors and nurses have "uniforms."  Police and fire personnel have uniform.  Clothes make a certain kind of announcement about a person before we actually know the person.

Clothes make false announcements at certain times, like at Halloween.  Lots of little princesses, superheroes, policemen and firemen seen on Halloween.  It's fun to pretend and make a false showing of oneself.  It's fun to play and act and appear to be someone or something that we are not.

Jesus said that it is inauthentic to wear the outward signs of faith and religion when there is not an inward and authentic practice of religion.

In outward religion, along with the clothes of faith, there comes the institutional titles.  Rabbi, teacher, Reverend, Father, Pastor, Confessor,  Rector, Presbyter and Bishop.

The words of Jesus warn us about becoming too over-identified with the outward signs of religion and position.

His words are harsh.  He cries to us: Don't play at religion.  Don't wear the costumes of being religious unless we are doing the inner work of faith and religion in the transformation of our lives to manifest the true character and identity of the life of faith.

What is one of the best ways to have our truer selves revealed and be delivered from our over-identification with outward appearance?  It comes from those who know us apart from our outward identities.  How does the children of police and fire personnel know their parent?  They know them as mom or dad, not as officer or captain.  How do the children or spouse of priest know their parent or spouse?  Not as father or pastor but as mom or dad, or dear take out the trash.

When people don the uniforms of their professions, it is natural for them to expect a certain degree of respect for what the uniform represents.   At the same time, a person who is called to a profession knows that the love of doing one's calling is more important than getting any respect for doing what one is called and loves to do.

The words of Jesus cite religious people who had the appearance of religious office but who did not have the inner charism or the calling of the office.  They were like religious police who expected respect for the uniform even while they misused the power of the uniform.

The words of Jesus are exaggerated speech to provoke authentic living.  Jesus said, "don't call anyone your teacher or father or rabbi.  Call only God your Father and only have one teacher, the Messiah."

Some biblical literalists have used this passage to forbid the use of any religious titles at all.  Persons have told me it is wrong for people to call me Father Phil because of these words of Jesus.  But if one is crassly literal, one could by the same logic be forbidden to call one's own parents mom or dad, because we really only have our heavenly parent.

I believe the wisdom that is being taught by Jesus is the importance of uniting office and charism.  I can have the office of rector, priest, teacher but not have inward grace and charism of doing what priestly, leader teachers are supposed to do.  And it is a shame when people have titles of authority but do not have the inward grace of actual character in their calling.

A doctor can be brilliant but have really off-putting bedside manner; some doctors can really contradict their very healing arts with their lack of personal tact with the people whom they are called to heal.

For a Texan, this saying of Jesus is like the saying, "He's all hat and no cowboy!"

We can be seduced to live our lives as religious pretenders.  We can get the "certificates" of baptism, confirmation and ordination and still fail to get into the spiritual flow of the grace of God that we can access with authentic faith in our professions.

I don't believe that Jesus is against religious professions or any profession.  What Jesus wants is the authentic uniting of the inward grace of God's calling to complement the outward certificates of professional competencies.  We need both.

If we pretend in our profession of faith, we actually may still get public approval because we "look" the part for those who do not know what we are really like.

As harsh as the indictment as the words of Jesus seems, his words are really an invitation for us to connect the outer appearance of our lives of faith with the inward grace of the winsome performance of love and justice and kindness.  And isn't this what all want?  Don't we want to live with authentic connection between what people think that we do, with God's grace working in us to give us calling and love in what we do?

And what does it mean to know God as our heavenly parent?  And the Messiah as our instructor?  I think it means that we are less hung up on the outer trappings of our professions, and motivated by a sense of calling, love and service of others in what we do.  And we cannot fake this for ourselves.  We know when we are authentically connected with charisma and grace, because then we help others be and become their better selves too.

I was raised in a denomination where ministers did not have vestments.  I am now in a church which has vestments and titles.  I read the words of Jesus when we didn't have vestments.  I read the words of Jesus now when I wear vestments.  And clothes don't make the person.  Titles of respect and authority don't make the person.

What makes the person is the inward connection to God as our heavenly parent and to the Messiah, the Christ.  And if we live and work from our connection to God and to the Messiah, we can hope to unite the outer office and the inward charism of our lives so that we can winsomely present Jesus Christ to the people in our world.  Amen.

Sunday School, November 5, 2017 22 Pentecost, A proper 26

Sunday School, November 5, 2017   22 Pentecost/ All Saints’ Sunday,  A proper 26

Theme:

Being what we appear to be

At Halloween we wear lots of costumes

We look like other people.  We dress up as firemen and women, police men and women, ghosts, witches, cats, princesses and superheroes.

But we are not the person of our costume.

Halloween costumes are fun.  It is fun to act like we are someone else.

But in our lives, Jesus warned about acting like someone we’re not.  Jesus saw religious people dressed up in their religious clothing; he saw people in the clothes they put on to pray.  But religious clothing should not be like a Halloween costume.

If on the outside we look like people who pray and go to church, but the rest of the time we aren’t kind and loving, then we have a problem.  We are lying because we are saying that love God but in our heart and in our actions, we do not show this to be true.

If we say that we are Christians and we come to church and we look like we follow Jesus, then we also need to do what Jesus ask us to do, to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Jesus taught us that the way we show ourselves is also the way that we should be.  Jesus wants us to both present ourselves as Christians and to actually live as Christ wants us to live.

Sermon:

Text:

  What holiday did we just celebrate?  Halloween.  And on Halloween you get to wear costumes and some of you are wearing your costumes today. 

  Halloween is fun because it allows to pretend that we someone or something else.  And pretending is fun.  It allows us to exercise our imagination.

  But sometimes pretending does not work.

  What if I dressed up like a doctor tomorrow and I had a costume on for performing surgery.

  Should people come to me for surgery?

  What if I wear a fireman’s costume tomorrow?  Should people call me to put out a big fire?  Why, not?  I am not a fireman…I’m only pretending to be a fireman.

  It is fun to pretend but remember pretending is only a game.  If we wear a Spiderman costume, it does not mean that we can really jump off a building and create a web to keep us from hitting the ground.

  Today we have read a story about Jesus.

  Now Jesus loved children and I’m sure that he would play pretend games with them.  But he knew that there was a time to pretend and a time when you can’t pretend.

  Jesus saw some religious leaders who were pretending.  They were dressing up in their religious clothes, but they were not serving or helping people.  In fact, they were making people’s lives harder.

  Jesus was saying: Loving God and loving our neighbors is something that we cannot pretend about.

  Just because we wear the right religious costume, we cannot pretend to love God or our neighbor.

  Jesus said, “If we want to be leader, we are not a leader by putting on a costume, we are a leader by helping and serving people.”

  If I put on a police uniform, does that make me a police man?  No.  I have to take special training and I have to actually work as a police man and protect the safety of the community.  If I don’t do the job of protecting the community, I am not a police man.

  Let us have fun tomorrow with our costumes pretending that we are someone else.

  But let us not pretend about loving God and loving our neighbors.  Let us find ways to serve God and our neighbors.  Amen.

Family Eucharist for November 5, 2017

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

November 5, 2017: Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: The Lord is Present,

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: The Lord Is Present  (Renew!,  # 55)

The Lord is present in his sanctuary, let us praise the Lord.  The Lord is present in his people gathered here, let us praise the Lord.  Praise him, praise him!  Let us praise the Lord!  Praise him, praise him!  Let us praise Jesus!

The Lord is present in his sanctuary, let us sing to the Lord.  The Lord is present in his people gathered here, let us sing to the Lord.  Sing to him, sing to him!  Let us sing to the Lord!  Sing to him, sing to him, let us sing to Jesus?

The Lord is present in his sanctuary, let us love the Lord.  The Lord is present in his people gathered here, let us love the Lord.  Love him, love him, let us love the Lord!  Love him, love him, let us love Jesus.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; 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 First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians

We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God's word, which is also at work in you believers.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 107

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, * and his mercy endures for ever.

Let all those whom the LORD has redeemed proclaim * that he redeemed them from the hand of the foe.

He gathered them out of the lands; * from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

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 crowds and to his disciples, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father-- the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted."

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:  I’ve Got Peace Like A River  (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 122)

I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.  I got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.

I’ve got love like a river….

I’ve got joy like a river…

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.

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,

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: Let All Mortal Flesh, (Renew! # 229)

Let all mortal flesh keep silent and with fear and trembling stand.  Ponder nothing earthly minded for with blessing in his hand.  Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary as of old on earth he stood, Lord of lords in human vesture in the body and the blood, he will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way, as the Light of light descendeth from the realms of endless day, that the powers of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away.

At his feet the six winged seraph, cherubim, with sleepless eye, veil their faces to the Presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry, “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Lord most High!”

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: If You’re Happy, (Christian Children’s Songbook,  # 124)

If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands, if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.  If you’re happy and you know, then your face should surely show it, if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.

……make a high five…

……make a low five….

……shout Amen!…

Dismissal:   

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

People:      Thanks be to God!