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!
