Christly Leadership: Welcoming Children

19 Pentecost Cycle b Proper 20 September 22, 2024
Proverb 31:10-31  Ps. 54
James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a Mark 9:30-37

Lectionary Link

One might safely say that the child motif of the Gospels, especially the synoptic Gospels is significant.

What is the chief message of the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke?  Welcome the presence of God in your midst as an infant.  That is what Merry Christmas means.

You want to be profound in your theism, then welcome God as an infant incognito among us.

This encapsulates the counter logic of the words of Jesus; the first shall be last and the last, first.

Who is last in the world?  Those who have newly arrived.  A newborn infant is the last in the world and young children are the latest to be in this world.  And what does Jesus say?  Make them first in importance and care.

Is not not ironic that Jesus is using a child to say to his male disciples who are jealous for power in his earthly administration and he's saying, "Guys, you're going to have to be more like women, like mothers, like child-care givers."

In the history of patriarchy, the role of women has been hidden in the privacy of the home and they have been designated as the primary child-care givers.  Indeed their nursing bodies seem to better fit them for significant relevance to the lives of their children in the time of their infancy.  Too long children, and women have been regarded by men as Dad's trophy children and wives at best, labor force for the family, and disgraces if they don't please their fathers and husbands in the right way.  The reading from the book of Proverb extols the virtues of a "good wife," one of which relates to the care children such that,  "Her children rise up and call her happy;

her husband too, and he praises her:"

The teaching found in the appointed lesson from the Epistle of James touts gentleness and not being jealous or envious with the highly desirable trait of wisdom: "Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy."

This teaching from James is the attitude which Jesus both demonstrated and taught to his disciples. Being a disciple of Christ means undergoing a counter programming in the way in which men have been taught to be adults.

What are adults taught?  We are taught to be selfish, ambitious, competitive, biased, prejudiced, and judgmental.

The spirituality of Jesus Christ involves being deprogrammed from selfishness, ambition, competitive, judgmental, and biased.  And how do we know that the spiritual reprogramming has been effective?  When we can welcome the child with gentleness and care.  When we can tend to the vulnerable within our world as the very sign of our wise leadership among people.

The Gospel of Jesus is this: Take care of children and the vulnerable as proof of your vocation in life.  This may first involve a healing of one's own child aspect of personality in being able to return to the original joy of having been born before one may have received harmful conditioning by imperfect adults in one's life.

The Gospel of Christ is to know the presence of the Holy Spirit as the recovery of the original blessing of our birth, and as we cherish all that is gentle and tender within ourselves, we go forth to minister to those who need the gentle and tender hospitality of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Sunday School, September 12, 2024: The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost B proper 20

 Sunday School, September 12, 2024: The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost  B proper 20

Themes

You might discuss the difference between knowledge and wisdom.

Wisdom is more than collecting facts and information, it is knowing what to do with facts and information so that you benefit your life and the lives of other.

Wisdom is learning how to think with one’s heart.  It is adding feeling, compassion and love and the sense of right and wrong to knowledge, information and facts.

With knowledge we can discover the use of atomic energy; with wisdom we can understand it is better to use atomic energy for the purposes of medicine and providing electrical energy rather than build bombs which can destroy.

With wisdom we can learn to ask God in our prayers for the good and right things for our lives and for the lives of others, rather than just asking for whatever we may desire.

The Gospel Lesson is a lesson about being great as taught by Jesus.

The disciples thought that Jesus was going to establish a kingdom on earth and that he would pick them to be the presidents and leaders of his kingdom.  They argued with each other about who Jesus should pick to be the greatest.

Jesus gave them a riddle: The first shall be last.  The last shall be first.  The one who serve is the greatest.  We should ask ourselves about what we really want to be great at and why we want to be great.  The goal of our lives should be to be great so that we can help other people.

Jesus used the example of a child.  Sometimes children are just ignored in the world of adults.  But Jesus told his disciples that if they wanted to be great, they should not neglect the children.  They should welcome children.  Being great means that we make the world safe for children.

Children’s Sermon

Today, we have heard some important words of Jesus.  The friends and disciples of Jesus were talking about who would have the best place in the kingdom of God. 

  So Jesus decided to teach them a lesson.  He brought a child to them and said, if you welcome a child then you are welcoming me.
  This is an important lesson for adults.  Sometimes we think that the most important things in life is having a more important job, or making more money and sometimes adults forget the really important things, like welcoming children, taking care of the people who need help until they grow up.
  Jesus loves children.  He said that the kingdom of heaven belongs to children.  He said that adults need to become child-like to understand the kingdom of heaven.
  Jesus loves children and adults.  So children and adults should be together.  That’s why we have this service on Sunday, because children and adults can be together to worship God.
  Children and adults need each.  Adults really need children.  Well, can’t adults take care of themselves?  Yes they can, but they need children.  Children do something special for adults.  We adults have forgotten most of what our lives were like when we were children.  And the only way we can recover memories is to see children in our lives.  That is why Jesus said that adults have to become like children to understand the kingdom of heaven.  Adults have to “be born again,” to become child-like again to have hope, faith, joy, wonder and curiosity to be alive in them.
  So we adults, need children.  But you children need adults too.  You need teachers.  You need people to drive you around.  You need people to provide you with food, clothing and home while you are young and can’t provide it for yourselves.
  So we need each other.  And that’s way it should be.
  We have this special family service on Sunday because we believe that children and adults should worship God together.  Today, I want to thank you children for all that you do for us adults.  And I want to thank you adults for what you do for the children in your lives.  I think that is what Jesus wants us to do.  But let us not forget that there are other children and adults who need our help too.  And let not forget to pray and work to help all of the children in the world.  That is what Christ would want us to do.  Amen.

 

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist
September 22, 2024: The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs:  Jesus Loves the Little Children, He’s Got the Whole World,  Let Us Break Bread Together, Seek Ye First

Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever.  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: Jesus Loves the Little Children  (Christian Children’s Songbook,  # 140)

Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.  Red and yellow, black and white all are precious in his sight.  Jesus loves the children of the world.

Jesus cares for all the children, all the children in the world.  Red and yellow, black and white all are precious in his sight.  Jesus cares for all the children in the world.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Litany Phrase: Alleluia (chanted)

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia
O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia
O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia
O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia
O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia
O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

A reading from the letter of James

You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 54

 Save me O God by your Name; * in your might defend my cause.

 Hear my prayer O God; * give ear to the words of my mouth.
 Behold God is my helper; * it is the Lord who sustains my life.

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 Mark

People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus and his disciples went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again." But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?" But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon:  Fr. 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.

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

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 birth into the family of God.
A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.
The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

All may gather around the altar

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

You have made us in your image
And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:
Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.
And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph
And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.
Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat
  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as    this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

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.  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:  Let Us Break Bread Together (blue hymnal  # 325)

Let us break bread together on our knees.  Let us break bread together on our knees.  When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me.

Let us drink wine together on our knees. Let us drink wine together on our knees.  When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me..

Let us praise God together on our knees.  Let us praise God together on our knees.  When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me.

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: Seek Ye First  (blue hymnal  # 711)

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.  And all these things will be added unto you, Allelu, Alleluia!

Refrain: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Allelu, Alleluia!

Ask and it shall be given unto you, seek, and ye shall find.  Knock and the door shall be open unto you, Allelu, Alleluia! Refrain

Dismissal:   

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ. 
People: Thanks be to God! 

  

Selfish Ambition or Service Motive?

20 Pentecost Cycle b Proper 20 September 19, 2021

Jeremiah 11:18-20  Ps. 54
James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a Mark 9:30-37

Lectionary Link

Having been a chaplain in preschools for 20 years, I have observed some very young children.  They hold hands and hug whether black or white or Asian or Latino.  But they also fight irrespective of color of skin if their little egos get involved.  So in their innocent friendships and in their fighting, they are impartial as to color of skin.

So how and when do children grow into adults who become highly aware of black and white and Asian and Latino?  How do we arrive at becoming adults with pronounced partiality?

In our Gospel reading for today, we read one example of many of the child motifs used by Jesus for teaching purposes.

The teaching from the Gospel lesson has to do with the motive for association with Jesus the Messiah.  Can you imagine the behind the back discussions among the disciples?  Can you imagine Andrew saying, "Peter since I was called to follow Jesus before you and I recruited you, I should be the prime minister in the administration of Jesus when he takes over Palestine."  James and John disagree, "No Andrew, we were before you and our dad Zebedee helped finance the movement Galilee.  Surely that counts for our high appointments in the administration of Jesus, the Messiah?"

Once again, we find that the Gospels present the pre-Risen Christ disciples as misunderstanding what kind of Messiah Jesus was.  And it shows that they are motivated by selfish ambition.  Jesus uses the child to highlight the selfish ambition of the disciples.  The writer of the epistle of James wrote: "For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind."

We should not over-romanticize children and babies.  They can be selfish in very individual ways; it is just that they are not old enough to be selfish for corporate and social ambition like adults can become.

In the adult developmental psychology of Erik Erikson, the young adult has task of achieving intimacy in personal relationships, but often in work relationships the behaviors become very political because the young adult is trying to get to the top of his or her field.  And often work relationships become competitive and young adults are often encouraged to be selfishly ambitious in order to get to the top of their fields.  Young adults are not often mentoring because to give away their skills and their experience to someone else is seen as a weakness that might cost them rising on the corporate ladder.

Erikson, wrote that the task of the middle age adult is generativity or what we call "mentoring."  At a certain age one has peaked out in terms of promotions and so one begins to feel comfortable with giving away one's knowledge to younger colleagues.

But Jesus of Nazareth was asking his disciples to skip the natural adult psychological patterns through the experience of the Holy Spirit of the kingdom of God.  With the Holy Spirit, one is called to service and mentoring from day one, free from selfish ambition in wanting to be those who are the bosses calling all the shots.

You notice many of the heroes from the Scriptures were those who did not want the big jobs they ended up doing.  People like Moses, David, and the prophets did not want their positions.  They had to be chosen and coaxed into doing what they were called to do.

The lesson Jesus was trying to teach and the lesson which the early churches were trying to promote for leadership was God's will and God's call involves humility and it involves service to others.  If your motive is wanting to sit on thrones and wear fancy robes and have very public authority over other people, then you do not have the motives of the suffering servant Messiah.

And herein is the secret of the calling of God and in understanding God's will: Does it involve service of others?  If we are serving others with our life vocations, then we can be sure that we are in God's will.

And how do we do that?  We prepare ourselves to be born again, returning to that child-like aspect of our personalities which perceives the sheer joy of life, without regard to social position or financial gain.

Jesus was trying to tell his disciple that if they misunderstood the Messiah, they would also misunderstand their own vocation and calling.  If you think that the Messiah is a conquering king who is going to set up an earthly administration needing generals and ministers and presidents, then you're missing the point.

But if you understand the suffering servant Messiah, then you will take up your cross in identity with the cross of Christ and this will give you the internal power to die to the ego self that tends toward selfish ambition.  This will give you the power of humility to make service the motivation for your calling and vocation in life.

And what is the great calling and vocation of life?  To love God and to love one's neighbor.  And to do that well, one has to learn to check the ego and enter into the will of God in articulating one's life as service to others.

May God help us as persons, as a parish, as a city, state, country and as people of the world to come to the service motive for living for each other and the fullest benefit of humanity.  The survival of the world depends upon it.  Amen.

Sunday School, September 19, 2021: The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost B proper 20

Sunday School, September 19, 2021: The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost  B proper 20

Themes

You might discuss the difference between knowledge and wisdom.

Wisdom is more than collecting facts and information, it is knowing what to do with facts and information so that you benefit your life and the lives of other.

Wisdom is learning how to think with one’s heart.  It is adding feeling, compassion and love and the sense of right and wrong to knowledge, information and facts.

With knowledge we can discover the use of atomic energy; with wisdom we can understand it is better to use atomic energy for the purposes of medicine and providing electrical energy rather than build bombs which can destroy.

With wisdom we can learn to ask God in our prayers for the good and right things for our lives and for the lives of others, rather than just asking for whatever we may desire.

The Gospel Lesson is a lesson about being great as taught by Jesus.

The disciples thought that Jesus was going to establish a kingdom on earth and that he would pick them to be the presidents and leaders of his kingdom.  They argued with each other about who Jesus should pick to be the greatest.

Jesus gave them a riddle: The first shall be last.  The last shall be first.  The one who serve is the greatest.  We should ask ourselves about what we really want to be great at and why we want to be great.  The goal of our lives should be to be great so that we can help other people.

Jesus used the example of a child.  Sometimes children are just ignored in the world of adults.  But Jesus told his disciples that if they wanted to be great, they should not neglect the children.  They should welcome children.  Being great means that we make the world safe for children.

Children’s Sermon

Today, we have heard some important words of Jesus.  The friends and disciples of Jesus were talking about who would have the best place in the kingdom of God. 

  So Jesus decided to teach them a lesson.  He brought a child to them and said, if you welcome a child then you are welcoming me.
  This is an important lesson for adults.  Sometimes we think that the most important things in life is having a more important job, or making more money and sometimes adults forget the really important things, like welcoming children, taking care of the people who need help until they grow up.
  Jesus loves children.  He said that the kingdom of heaven belongs to children.  He said that adults need to become child-like to understand the kingdom of heaven.
  Jesus loves children and adults.  So children and adults should be together.  That’s why we have this service on Sunday, because children and adults can be together to worship God.
  Children and adults need each.  Adults really need children.  Well, can’t adults take care of themselves?  Yes they can, but they need children.  Children do something special for adults.  We adults have forgotten most of what our lives were like when we were children.  And the only way we can recover memories is to see children in our lives.  That is why Jesus said that adults have to become like children to understand the kingdom of heaven.  Adults have to “be born again,” to become child-like again to have hope, faith, joy, wonder and curiosity to be alive in them.
  So we adults, need children.  But you children need adults too.  You need teachers.  You need people to drive you around.  You need people to provide you with food, clothing and home while you are young and can’t provide it for yourselves.
  So we need each other.  And that’s way it should be.
  We have this special family service on Sunday because we believe that children and adults should worship God together.  Today, I want to thank you children for all that you do for us adults.  And I want to thank you adults for what you do for the children in your lives.  I think that is what Jesus wants us to do.  But let us not forget that there are other children and adults who need our help too.  And let not forget to pray and work to help all of the children in the world.  That is what Christ would want us to do.  Amen.

 

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist
September 19, 2021: The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs:  Jesus Loves the Little Children, He’s Got the Whole World,  Let Us Break Bread Together, Seek Ye First

Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever.  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: Jesus Loves the Little Children  (Christian Children’s Songbook,  # 140)

Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.  Red and yellow, black and white all are precious in his sight.  Jesus loves the children of the world.

Jesus cares for all the children, all the children in the world.  Red and yellow, black and white all are precious in his sight.  Jesus cares for all the children in the world.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Litany Phrase: Alleluia (chanted)

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia
O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia
O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia
O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia
O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia
O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

A reading from the letter of James

You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 54

 Save me O God by your Name; * in your might defend my cause.

 Hear my prayer O God; * give ear to the words of my mouth.
 Behold God is my helper; * it is the Lord who sustains my life.

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 Mark

People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus and his disciples went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again." But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?" But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon:  Fr. 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.

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

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 birth into the family of God.
A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.
The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

All may gather around the altar

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

You have made us in your image
And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:
Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.
And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph
And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.
Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat
  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as    this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

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.  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:  Let Us Break Bread Together (blue hymnal  # 325)

Let us break bread together on our knees.  Let us break bread together on our knees.  When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me.

Let us drink wine together on our knees. Let us drink wine together on our knees.  When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me..

Let us praise God together on our knees.  Let us praise God together on our knees.  When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me.

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: Seek Ye First  (blue hymnal  # 711)

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.  And all these things will be added unto you, Allelu, Alleluia!

Refrain: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Allelu, Alleluia!

Ask and it shall be given unto you, seek, and ye shall find.  Knock and the door shall be open unto you, Allelu, Alleluia! Refrain

Dismissal:   

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ. 
People: Thanks be to God!