A Call to God in Heaven

Trinity Sunday  cycle b May 31, 2015

Isaiah 6:1-8  Psalm 29

Romans 8:12-17   John 3:1-17

3 preachers all with cell phones

Catherine:  In the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.  You may be seated.  If you will excuse me for a minute.  I have to make a phone call, a special phone call on Trinity Sunday. (begins to call)

Rylie: Catherine, who are you calling?  And in the middle of church?  Really, isn't that a bit rude.  Well, I guess at least you're not preaching and texting.  You could get a ticket for that.  But really, who is so important for you to call during the sermon?

Catherine: Rylie, I am calling God of course!  I really needs some help with some answers for Trinity Sunday.

Rylie:  What do you need help with?

Catherine:  It's the math that I don't get.

Rylie:  Math?  What do you mean?

Catherine:  Well the math of the Trinity is this: One plus one plus one equals One.

Rylie: O, I get it.  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Three persons, but One God.

Andrew:(answers the phone)  Hello, you have reached Heaven Incorporated.  Press 1 if you have an emergency prayer request.  Press two, if you would like to speak to the Blessed Virgin Mary, press 3, if you would like to speak to Jesus.  Press 4, if you would like to speak to the Holy Spirit and press 5 if you would like to speak to the Father.

Catherine: I just want to speak to God.

Andrew: Please press a number so that your call can be processed in the order that it was received.

Catherine: Wow!  The phone line to heaven must be busy but I didn't expect such a long wait.  I mean, aren't you God?  Shouldn't you be able to handle all calls at once?

Andrew: Hi, Catherine, how are you today?

Catherine: How did you know me?

Andrew: Well, I am God, after all, so I know everyone.

Catherine: But I thought that I was getting a recorded message.

Andrew:  Well, I sometimes like to play a joke on human beings by pretending to act like they do.  Did you think it was funny?

Rylie:  Who are you talking too?  Did you get through?

Catherine: I'm talking to God,  shhhh.

Rylie:  You have to like someone who answers his own phone.

Catherine: Well, God, I guess it is funny for you to pretend to be human.  We can sometimes be very funny in our foolishness.  But who am I speaking to?

Andrew:  You are speaking to God, of course.

Catherine: But am I speaking to the Father, the Son or to the Holy Spirit now?

Andrew: Well, now you are speaking to the Father.

Rylie:  Which one are you talking to?

Catherine: The Father.

Rylie: Tell him hi, for me.  Okay?

Catherine: Father, I needs some help.  I am preaching today on Trinity Sunday at St. John's and I need to know how to tell my friends about the Trinity.   I went to Father Phil for help and he said to just tell them that the Trinity is a mystery.  Big help!  Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys are mysteries and they always solve their mysteries.  But what about the Mystery of the Trinity?  How do I solve it?

Andrew:  Well, the Trinity is a very big Mystery but that shouldn't be a surprise.  The universe is so big and people are so small that there will always be things which people do not understand and so there will always be mysteries for human beings.

Catherine:  So, we just have to accept that we are small and that there will always be mysteries?

Rylie:  I love mysteries; what is God saying about mysteries?

Catherine:  Hold on, Rylie, I am trying to get some answers.  So Father, you want me to accept the mystery of God?

Andrew:  You have no choice because I am bigger than you and I contain you; you do not contain me.

Catherine: What does that mean?

Andrew:  It means that you live and move and have your being within my Great Being.

Rylie:  Can I talk to God too?

Catherine: Just answer your phone.  You're on a conference call.

Rylie:  Hello, your majesty.  Am I suppose curtsy or bow?  How am I to address you?

Andrew: Well, you can respect me by just being my child and my friend.

Rylie: Well, that's really cool.  But like Catherine, I have questions about you.  Some of my friends who believe in One God, say that we Christians have three gods, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  So are you three or are you One?

Andrew:  Well I am three and I am One.  But let me explain.  First of all what are we using to communicate with each other?

Catherine:  We are using language.  We are talking?

Andrew: Well, as God, I am greater than language but I have to allow myself to be translated into ways that people can understand me.  But I am always more than language and more than what can be said about me.

Rylie:  So we can never understand all of God?


Andrew:  Yes that it right, but I have given you enough to understand about me so that you can progress to live the very best of your human lives.

Catherine:  But why did you choose to be translated as Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

Andrew: What is the best thing about being a human being?

Rylie:  I guess it is being a person.  A person is someone who has relationships with other people.

Andrew:  You are right Rylie.  Being a person is what is the greatest thing about human life.  People were made in my image and if being a person is what is best about human life, then being a person is very important to understand who I am as God.  What is important  to understand about me is that I am not just a collection of all of the atoms of the universe as some big machine.  You are not a machine, you are a person and so you are different from a machine.  I am a Person who made all people to be like me in some way so that we could have a relationship.

Catherine:  So why are you Father?  

Andrew:  As Father, you understand that I have been before everything and everything was born or created out of me.  And as Father of the universe I want you to know that I love and care for everyone and everything as a good parent would care for a child.

Rylie:  Could I speak to Jesus?

Andrew: Hello, Rylie, I am now Jesus.  How can I help you?

Rylie: Jesus, why are you the Son of God and why do we need you to be known as the Son of God?

Andrew:  Well, being God means that God is  so great that people might think that a great God does not understand them and their problems.  Do you like people to try to understand you in  everything that happens to you?

Catherine: I do.  It is called empathy.  Sometimes we say, "Don't judge another person until you've walked a mile in their shoes."

Andrew: Yes, that is exactly correct.  God wants all people to know that God knows what they are feeling.  And to prove it, I was sent to live as a fully human person so that you could know that God is really close to how you think and feel.  And because I lived as a human being and showed you a relationship with God as my Father, you can be my sisters and brothers and you can know God as your Father too.

Rylie: I like that Jesus.  You sure walked more than a mile in our shoes to show us how much God cares for us.  But now can I talk to the Holy Spirit?

Andrew: Here I am Rylie, the Holy Spirit.  Some call me the Comforter.  I like to comfort people.

Catherine:  How can you comfort us Holy Spirit?  

Andrew:  Well, you know when you were a baby and your parents went out of your sight and you could not see them?  You got worried that they might not be with you anymore because you felt you could only believe that your parents existed if you could see them or hear them.

Catherine: Yes, I remember that.  Sometimes it was frightening to think that my parents were gone.

Andrew:  But were they gone?  Did they still love you when you could not see them?

Catherine:  Yes, they did and it soon became like they were with me always even when I did not see them.

Andrew: Well, I, the Holy Spirit are like the invisible but real presence of God wherever you go.  I am more present to you than even your parents because I help hold the entire world together with my presence all of the time.  And even when your parents are not perfect, I still am with you to comfort you.

Rylie: Wow! God, you are great and wonderful.

Catherine: But God you also understand us and are our Friend.

Andrew: Now I am God speaking in all three voices at once.  I am great and big but I want to be understood by you and everyone and so I allow myself to come into the language and experiences of people so that they can know my greatness.  If people know the greatness of God then they will have a perfect model for improving their lives at all times.  Any other questions?


Catherine: Not a question but I just want to thank you God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit for making yourself known to me and to all people.

Rylie: Yes, Thank you God, Daddy, Brother, and friendly Holy Ghost.  I am glad that you are with me always.

Catherine:  We'll hang up now. God.  Bye for now.   I think that all of these people have been on the conference call with us to understand a little more about God.    And even though we have not solved the mystery of the Trinity.  We have enjoyed the mystery of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Sunday School, May 31, 2015 Trinity Sunday B

Sunday School, May 31, 2015  Trinity Sunday B

Theme of the Day: The Holy Trinity

Use the metaphor of translation for understanding God’s Greatness

When we go to another country or when we hear other people speaking languages other than our own, how can we understand what they are saying?

We need a translator or someone who knows both language who can change what is said in another language into our own language.

Imagine God as being foreign because of God’s Greatness.  God is so great that God is in some way foreign unless God can be translated into human language and experience.

Faith in a Great God means that we believe that God is approachable enough to allow God to be translated into human language and experience.

So how is God translated into human language and experience?

We take the greatest things of human experience and since we believe that God is greater than everyone, then God must be the best example of everything great in human experience.

Make signs of the Names and Attributes of God to show how we translate and understand God in human language and experience.  The last three Sign would be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  We understand that being a person is what is greatest about being human.  And  if we are persons, then God must be the greatest Person and so he is known to us in how his Personality is shown to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Holy or Special or Uniquely Greatest

I AM or Highest Being

Infinite: Too big for anyone to measure

All Powerful

Creator

Good

Merciful

Lovingly Kind

Love

Compassionate

Caring

Cares for the Poor

Sustainer: Keeps all things God

Perfect in Greatness

All Containing

Every in Inside of the Boundaries of God’

Salvation and Health

All Knowing

Omnipresent: Everywhere

Wise

With Us

Gracious

Comforter

Advocate: One who prays for us

Strength

Courage

Power

Hope

Father

Son

Holy Spirit

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

May 31, 2015: Trinity Sunday

Gathering Songs:

Bless the Lord; Holy, Holy, Holy; Father, I Adore You; Our God is an Awesome God

Song: Bless the Lord (Renew! # 114)

Bless the Lord my soul and bless His holy name.  Bless the Lord my soul, he rescues me from death.

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.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, 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 to the Romans

When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ-- if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together Canticle 13

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; * you are worthy of praise; glory to you.

Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; *  we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *  on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.

Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths; * in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.

Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

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 John

People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, `You must be born from above.' The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?  "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."

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.

Song: Holy, Holy, Holy (blue hymnal, # 362) vs. 1 and 3

Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, Early in the morning, our song shall rise to Thee.  Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity.

Holy, holy, holy, though the darkness hide thee, though the sinful human eye they glory may not see, only thou art holy: there is none beside thee, perfect in power, in love, and purity.

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.

Children 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.  Sanctify us 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: Father, I Adore You (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 56)

Father, I adore you, lay my life before you, how I love you.

Jesus….

Spirit…

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: Awesome God (Renew! # 245) Sing Three times

Our God is an awesome God, He reigns from heaven above

with wisdom, power and love, our God is an awesome God.

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God!