Sunday School, April 10, 2106 3 Easter C

Sunday School, April 10, 2016    3 Easter C

Last Sunday, in the Doubting Thomas story, we learned that forgiveness was one of signs of the presence of Christ in the Church.

This Sunday, we have the story of the forgiveness and how Jesus gave Peter a special job to do in the church.

What is the best thing to do when we do something wrong?  Do we hide or cover up what we did wrong?  Do we lie about what we did wrong?  No, we recover from what we did wrong by doing something good.  If we said something wrong.  Then we say something good.

Jesus allowed Peter the opportunity to recover from what he said and what he did.  He allowed him to replace three bad things he said with three good things that he said.

Peter was afraid when Jesus was captured by the guards.  Peter had told Jesus that he would never leave Jesus or deny that he knew.  But when Jesus was captured and some people asked Peter if he knew Jesus, Peter said, “I don’t know Jesus.”  And he did this three times.  Why, because he was afraid that the guards might capture him too.

Peter was very sad about saying that he did not know his best friend Jesus.  He was worried about his friendship with Jesus being finished.

After Jesus died, he re-appeared to Peter.  In fact he helped Peter catch lots of fish and he fixed breakfast for Peter and his friends.  Peter was wondering if Jesus would still be his friend.  What did Jesus do?  He allowed Peter to tell him “I love you”  three times.  So Peter got to replace his three times of denying with saying that he loved Jesus three times.  This teaches us that we can work to overcome the mistakes which we make by doing good things.  Jesus did not just forgive Peter, he gave him a very important job.  He told him to “feed the sheep.”  The sheep were all of the people who needed know about God’s love and forgiveness.  Jesus is called the Good Shepherd.  And Jesus told Peter that his job now was to be a good shepherd too   Peter became a very good shepherd and leader in the church.  In fact he died in a death like Jesus.  The life of Peter shows us about the importance of the forgiveness that Jesus offers us.  Jesus does not give up on us when we make mistakes; he allows us to do good things to overcome the mistakes which we have made.   Jesus doesn’t only forgive us, he gives us very important work to do.  He makes us shepherds who can take care of the people who needs the kind of care which we can give.

Today, remember the forgiveness of Christ.  We forgive each other.  We work to do good things to overcome the bad things.  And we don’t quit trying to be good when we make mistake; we remember that Jesus wants us to keep trying to do good.  Jesus wants us to be good shepherds as we take care of people who need us.

A Children Sermon on Forgiveness

   I want to tell you a story today about the famous disciple of Jesus named Peter.

  Peter was a fisherman.  He was a follower of John the Baptist, but when John told him about Jesus, Peter began to follow Jesus.  He became a student of Jesus.  He travelled with him and listened to all of the stories that Jesus told.

  Peter was a very confident person; he was like you and I are sometimes.  We sometimes are wrong but never in doubt.  Sometimes we can be very confident of ourselves and sometimes that is good and sometimes it doesn’t work for us if we fail to do what we say that we are going to do.

  Peter had a big failure.  When Peter was a friend with Jesus, he bragged that he would always be faithful and loyal to Jesus.

  But you know what happened?  When Jesus was arrested and taken by the guards, Peter followed Jesus to the place of his trial.

  And when some people saw Peter, they said to him, “You are a follower of Jesus.”  Peter was afraid and so do you know what he said?  He said, “I do not know Jesus.”  And he did not just say it once but he said it three times.  And  so Peter said about his best friend, “I don’t know Jesus.”  And he said it three times.

  Well, Jesus died on the cross and he came back into the lives of his disciples.  So Peter got to see Jesus again.  How do you think that Peter felt when he saw Jesus again? 

  He probably felt sorry and ashamed.  He probably thought that Jesus would not like him anymore.

  But what did Jesus do with Peter?  He talked to Peter and he forgave Peter and he ask Peter three times, “Do you love me?”  Peter answered strongly three times, “Lord you know that I love you.”  So, Peter denied Jesus three times but Jesus gave Peter an opportunity to tell him that he loved him, three times.  And Jesus accepted Peter as his friends.  But he also gave Peter a job, “He told Peter to “feed his sheep.”  And what did he mean by this?  He meant that Peter was to be like good shepherd and take care of those who could not take care of themselves.

  And Peter became a good shepherd too.  He also died on a cross like Jesus but he died upside down.  He became a hero in the church.

  Let us remember this lesson from Peter.  If we think that we disappoint God, our friends, our parents or Jesus, let us remember that Jesus is always willing to forgive us and let us be friends again.  We are not perfect and so we always need forgiveness so that we can live together.  Let us remember that Jesus forgave Peter.  Let us remember that Jesus forgives and gives us more chances to prove that we are his friends.  And let us remember to forgive each other too.  Amen.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

April 10, 2016: The Third Sunday of Easter

Gathering Songs: Hallelu, Hallelujah!; Peace Before Us; I Come With Joy; O When the Saints

Liturgist: Alleluia, Christ is Risen.

People: The Lord is Risen Indeed.  Alleluia.

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: Hallelu, Hallelujah (Christian Children Songbook, # 84)

Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah!  Praise ye the Lord! 

Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah!  Praise ye the Lord! 

Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah!  Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah! 

Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah!  Praise ye the Lord!

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Chant: Alleluia

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 Revelation to John

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, "To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the elders fell down and worshiped.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Let us read together from Psalm 30

Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me; * O LORD, be my helper."

You have turned my weeping into dancing; * you have put off my sad appearance and clothed me with joy.

Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; * O LORD my God, I will give you thanks 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.

Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberius; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.  When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.  When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, "Follow me."

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.

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.

Youth 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 Song: Peace Before Us (Wonder, Love and Praise,  # 791)

Peace before us.  Peace behind us.  Peace under our feet.  Peace within us.  Peace over us.  Let all around us be Peace.

Love,  3. Light, 4. Christ

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:       Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast. 

Words of Administration

Communion  hymn: I Come With Joy   (Renew! # 195)

I come with joy a child of God, forgiven, loved, and free, the life of Jesus to recall, in love laid down for me.

I come with Christians, far and near to find, as all are fed, the new community of love in Christ’s communion bread.

As Christ breaks bread, and bids us share, each proud division ends.  The love that made us makes us one, and strangers now are friends.

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

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

O when the boys go marching in…

O when the boys go marching in….

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!

Inferior Experiences of Christ?

2 Easter Sunday  Cycle C      April 3, 2016 

Acts 5:27-32 Psalm 150
Revelation 1:4-8  John 20:19-31

Lectionary Link
 

  We need to remind ourselves continually that when we read the Gospels, we are reading more about the experience of the churches at the time when the Gospels were written and less about the events contemporary with the life of Jesus of Nazareth.  This is sometimes difficult because the art of writing which time-lapses narratives about Jesus are effective in giving us a "sense" of actually being there.  All good literary art gives us this "as if"  we were there experience.  But the effective literary art of the Gospels was used by the Gospel writers to address and deal with the issues in the early church.

  The early church believed that Jesus was with them even after he could no longer be seen.  They believed that the Spirit and Mind of Christ was within them.  Even before the Gospels were written, St. Paul wrote, "I have the mind of Christ."  This belief that Christ still could take identity with his followers long after he had gone meant that the churches wrote in the "first person" as though Jesus was speaking through them.  They called it speaking in the name of Jesus.  The Gospel writings mix actual oral traditions about Jesus with the writers' own writing and speaking ministries of being oracles of Christ within their communities.  The Gospel narratives of Jesus then present the oracles of the Risen Christ within the early churches using the visualization and imaginative effects of the wonderful stories of Jesus.

  The Doubting Thomas story deals with a major issue within the community which was responsible for writing the Gospel of John.  And what this issue?  We who did not actually see Jesus, talk with him, walk with him, eat with him during his time on earth or in his post-resurrection appearances; should we have an inferiority complex about our experiences of Christ?  Are the eyewitnesses of Jesus on such a superior pedestal of experience that when those eyewitnesses of Jesus were dead and gone, the quality of the presence of Christ was diminished and impoverished?  Now that all of the disciples of Jesus are dead, do we the church have to live on the second hand fumes of the hearsay of oral reports of Jesus or the third hand written reports?  How intimate can I get with Jesus if I cannot see him, touch him or hear him or speak with him.  How can I have a relationship with Jesus when there are only occasional dreams or visions of Jesus?  And what if I do not have any visions or dreams about Jesus?  How intimate can I presume to be with Jesus?

  So has the church survived because we have lived with this inferiority complex about our real and intimate experiences of Jesus?

  The belief of the early churches was to proclaim that the many, many different kinds of experiences of the Risen Christ were different from the physical presence of Jesus but they were equal in their meaning, validity and truth value.

  The Doubting Thomas story is specifically framed to show that the physical presence of Jesus and the non-physical presence of the Risen Christ were different but equal, and maybe not equal because the non-physical presence of the Risen Christ was perhaps regarded as superior since it required the activation of that inner spiritual organ of perception called faith.

  Have you noticed how all of the Gospels go to great pains to show how the disciples of Jesus who walked with him in his physical presence were basically clueless about the real meaning of his life?  They only came into the fullness of the meaning and presence of Jesus after he had Risen and left the earth and was experienced as Spirit who brought them the effervescence of love and peace within their communities.  St. Paul did not see Jesus even though he was contemporary with him; but he had an experience of the Risen Christ which he regarded to be equal in validity to the experience of the 12 disciples.  This equality in valid experience of the Risen Christ is what the Doubting Thomas story is about.

  The Gospel writers were trying to do what we people of faith try to do with persons today who doubt in matters of faith.  Many people today want to limit the experience of real and true meaning to the scientific method.  Something is real, valid, truthful and meaningful, if and only it can be empirically verified.  Like Thomas, people are stubbornly limiting themselves to the experience of what is "out there" and can be externally validated by the common language of scientific reporting.  What they forget is that what is "out there" is only processed by means of what is "in here" and everything which is "in here" cannot be empirically verified.  You and I cannot actually see what is in us even when we are processing any experience of the external world.  There were people who experienced Jesus "out there" but they still did not believe the meaning of his life; and some who physically knew him crucified him as a person of threat to their existence.  The empirical experience of what is out there is always accompanied by the quality of what is in here.  And what is "in here" is what the Gospel writers were trying to impart to their readers.

  And how did the Gospel writers specify the "in here" presences of the Risen Christ?  How did the early churches know the real and continuing presence of Christ?   Jesus breathed on his disciples and said “Receive the Spirit.”  St. Paul wrote that in Christ we are a new Creation.    In the creation story, the Spirit or the Wind and Breath of God moved over the face of the earth in the creation events.  In this Gospel story, Jesus was one who was saying, “My Spirit is your Spirit, my breath is your breath.  My Spirit will recreate you.  How close is your breath to you?  That is how close I am to you.  I am your breath.”  Those who practice yoga and meditation understand the significance of the power and the reality and the godly energy of breath.  Through his action Jesus was telling his disciples to know their breath as mingled with his and to know it as the re-creating power of the Holy Spirit.

  Another way the church knew the presence of Christ was through the experience of peace.  Peace is a state of equilibrium of living with oneself and with others.  We don't pass the peace in the church because it is a cute ritual; we do it because as a command of Christ it has the power to effect what it commands.  We have the power always to be both in the state of peace and the process of peace.  Peace is both static and dynamic.  We have peace but always are to be committed to the dynamic process of peace.  This is a sign of the real presence of Christ, a sign proclaimed by the church and enshrined in the Eucharistic liturgy.

  And what is a manifestation of dynamic peace?  The experience of forgiveness.  The disciples could have been angry at doubting Thomas; they could have been angry at Peter’s denial of Jesus.  They could have been angry at the betrayal of Judas.  They could have dwelled in the state of retaining each other’s sins. But Jesus said, "Don't retain each other sins; forgive them."  What I don't like about what has happen to this forgiveness dynamic in the church is reducing confession and forgiveness to semi-magical liturgical actions of the church and priests.  Forgiveness is really the evidence of Christ's presence.  The Risen Christ is always saying, "You want to know my presence?  Then do not retain each other's sins and faults, forgive one another."

  Finally, one of most fascinating things about the Doubting Thomas story is that the writer is shamelessly promoting the value and validity of his/her own Gospel writing.  You need not touch Jesus to believe, you can believe by reading my accounts of Jesus and his teaching.  The Gospel of John begins by saying the Word was in the beginning and was with God and was God.  And this Word created all human life as we know it.  Further the writer of the Gospel of John indicates the words of Jesus were spirit and life.  Breath, life and words are all internal processes.  And in the doubting Thomas Story the Gospel writers tells us that even the written words about Christ have the power to enter us and to create belief in our lives about the presence of Christ to us.  Why?  Because the external written words on the page get inside of us and do the work of inward persuasion.

  Today, all of us are invited to get out of our inferiority complexes about our experiences of the Real Presence of Christ.  Don't let anyone intimidate you about the validity of your experience of Christ.  The Doubting Thomases of religious experience would like to say that their kinds of empirical experience of Christ are better than yours.  Even religious leaders for purposes of their own community control can unwittingly diminish or keep people in the dark about the discoverability of the many presences of Christ.  It is my duty to tell you that we, the church have seven sacraments, not to limit or exhaust the presence of Christ, but to encourage each of us to find the presences of Christ inside and outside whenever and wherever we go.

  People of faith, we cannot get away from the presence of Christ.  It is real, valid, different everywhere and at all times.  And I wish us all many delightful occasions of discovery and realization of the many presences of Christ uniquely tailor to the specifics of your experience and mine.  Amen.

Sunday School, April 3, 2016 2 Easter C

Sunday School, April 3, 2016     2 Easter C

Doubting Thomas Sunday

Question how can we believe in Jesus even though we can’t see him, hear him or touch him?

How does a child know that one’s parents are still present even when they don’t see them?

A child has other evidence that their parents are alive and that their parents still love and care for them even when they don’t see them.

That a child is sleeping in the same house provided by one’s parent means that they know their parents by the provision of a house for them.  They can see everything that a parent provides for them and know that their parents are with them.  They can carry a picture of their parents to remember what their parents look like.

Jesus wanted the early church to know that he was still as much with them as he was with the other disciples.  Jesus said that his disciples could know that he was with them when they experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit, when they lived in peace together, when they practiced forgiveness and when they read about him and his teachings in the Gospel.

All of these features of knowing the presence of Christ are shown to us in the Doubting Thomas Story.  Jesus was showing the church that even though some people got to see and touch Jesus, their experience of him was not superior to those who did not see and talk with Jesus.  Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen me but still believe.”  The fact that the church has kept going for 2000 years is proof that many, many people have not seen Jesus but still believed him and have known his presence through his Spirit, through peace in their hearts and with their church friends, through practice of forgiveness.  And also through the reading of the Gospel.  The Gospel writer of John wrote that he was writing about Jesus so that the readers could know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  And people have been reading about Jesus for 2000 years and through the words they have come to know Jesus as being present in their lives is a real and special way.

Doubting Thomas  Puppet Show

Characters: Fr. Phil, Doubting Thomas, and Jesus

Father Phil:  Today, boys and girls we are going to meet a famous disciple and friend of Jesus.  But he is known for not believing things.  So his name is Doubting Thomas.  O look, I see that he’s here now.  Hello Thomas, how are you?

Thomas:  I’m not sure about how I am?  I just have some doubts about how I am.

Father Phil:  Well you do have a reputation.  Some people call you Doubting Thomas.  Is that true?

Thomas:  I doubt it.

Father Phil: Can you children say hello to doubting Thomas?

Children:  Hello, doubting Thomas.

Thomas: What children?  I don’t see any children.

Father Phil: These children right here.

Thomas:  I doubt it.

Father Phil:  What do you mean you doubt it?  Look at these children here.  Can’t you see them?

Thomas:  I see some little creatures here, but how do I know that these aren’t space aliens?  

How do I know that they aren’t  Sponge Bobs?

Father Phil: Well, you have a serious doubting problem Thomas.  You could ask their parents.  They would tell you that these are their children.

Thomas:  But if you were a space alien parent, you might not tell the truth about your space alien children?

Father Phil:  Thomas, have a really serious problem with doubt.  Is something wrong?

Thomas:  Yes, I am really having some problems with belief.

Father Phil: Why?

Thomas:  Well, you know my best friend Jesus died.  He died a horrible death on the cross.  And his body was placed in a tomb.  And now his body is missing from the tomb.  And I don’t know what this means.

Father Phil:  Well what happened?

Thomas:  Well, my friends went to the tomb and they said they saw an angel and the angel told them that Jesus had risen from the dead.  How can anyone believe that?

Father Phil: Well, that is pretty amazing.  Don’t you want to believe it?

Thomas:  My friends have teased me and I think that they are playing a joke on me.  They said that they have seen and talked with Jesus.  How can this be true?  And why would they say this to me?  I don’t think it is a very funny joke.  My best friend Jesus died and now my friends are saying that he lives again and they are saying that they have seen him and talked with him.

Father Phil: Well, what are you going to do?

Thomas:  I told them that I have my doubts.  I don’t believe them.  And I won’t believe them unless I can see Jesus and talk with him.  I want proof.  I want to put my hands in the scars on his body or I will not believe.  How can my friends tease me in this way?

Father Phil:  Well, maybe you should go and talk with your friends.

Thomas:  Well, they are having a meeting in a secret place.  They still are frightened and so they are meeting in secret.  I guess I’ll go and see them but I don’t like this joke they are playing on me.

(Thomas goes and suddenly Jesus appears)

Thomas:  O my goodness.  Is that you Jesus?  It looks like you but are you real?  Am I just dreaming?  Are you a ghost?

Jesus: Thomas, peace be with you.  It is I, Jesus your friend.  Look at my scars.  Put your finger out and touch them and feel. 

Thomas:  My Lord and my God!  It really is you.  I am so sorry that I did not believe.  I am so sorry that I doubted.

Jesus:  Well, now you can believe.  But many people will not be able to see me like you have and those people will still believe.  Look at all of these children here.  They have not seen me like you have but they still believe.

Father Phil:  And now Thomas has lost his name; he no longer is Doubting Thomas.   His name is Believing Thomas.  Don’t you like that name better.

Thomas:  I do like that name better.

Father Phil: Well, I like that name better too.  And you see all of these children.  They are Believing Children.  And now can you repeat after me, “I believe that Jesus is alive!”  Amen.

Children’s Sermon

  Today we read a story about a man named Thomas.  And Thomas has a nickname.  Do you know what his nickname is?  He’s called “doubting Thomas.”  What does that mean?  Well, it means that he would only believe that Jesus was alive, if he could see him, hear him, and touch him.

  Do any of us see, hear and touch Jesus today?  Do we believe that Jesus is alive?

  Do we only believe things that we can see, touch and hear?  No.  In fact some of the greatest things that we believe, cannot be seen, touched or heard.

  When you are not in the same room as your mom and dad, do they still love you?  Do your parents still love you when you can’t see them, touch them or hear them?  Of course they still love you.  And you can believe in that love.  So when you are at school, do your parents still love you?  Of course they do.

  I had a very special grandmother when I was young.  I just loved to be with her.  She was so much fun and she gave a nice birthday party and she always fixed special favorite food for us.  And she told wonderful stories and she sang songs with us.  And I knew that she loved me.  And my grandmother got old and she died, and it is very sad that I could not hear her, see her or talk to her anymore in the way I used to.  But you know what?  I still feel her love for me.  I still believe in her love, even though I don’t see her, hear her or talk to her.  I still believe in her love.

  After the resurrection of Christ, the disciples could not see, hear or touch Jesus in the same way.  But they continued to know that Jesus loved them.  They still continued to believe that Jesus was still with them in very special ways.  And how could they tell that Jesus was still with them?

   They were used to arguing with each other; but when they live in peace with each other they knew that this peace was because Christ was still with them.  They used to hold grudges against each; but when they forgave each other, they knew that Christ was still with them.

  When I look at you, I can see you, I can hear you and I can touch you.  And you are wonderful to look at.  But you know what?  I can’t really see the very best part of you?  I can’t see what is inside of you.

And what is inside of you is your spirit.  It is your spirit that makes you a wonderful mystery to enjoy.  And that spirit of yours is always going to be young and new and fresh.  Even though I can’t see your spirit, I know it is most important part of you that makes you special.

  The friends of Jesus did not see the Spirit of Jesus; but it was his best part too.  And when they could no longer see his body;  they could still feel his Spirit with them.  And we can feel the Spirit of Jesus with us today.  We can feel it when we have peace and when we forgive each other.

  So remember today; we can believe in things that we don’t see.  The spirit of Christ is with us today.  And that is meaning of the resurrection of Christ.  Amen.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

April 3, 2016: The Second Sunday of Easter

Gathering Songs: Glory Be to God On High; Alleluia, Give Thanks; He is Lord, He Lives!

Liturgist: Alleluia, Christ is Risen.

People: The Lord is Risen Indeed.  Alleluia.

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: Glory Be to God on High (Christian Children Songbook, # 70)

Glory be to God on high, alleluia.  Glory be to God on high, alleluia.

Praise the Father, Spirit, Son, alleluia.  Praise the Godhead, Three in one, alleluia.

Sing we praises unto Thee, alleluia, for the truth that sets us free. Alleluia.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Chant: Alleluia

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 Acts of the Apostles

But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Let us read together from Psalm 150

Praise him with timbrel and dance; * praise him with strings and pipe.

Praise him with resounding cymbals; * praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.

Let everything that has breath * praise the LORD.
Hallelujah!

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!

Birthdays: Harry Simonsen, John Feret, Bryce Nielsen

Anniversaries

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."  A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."  Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

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.

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.

Youth 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: Alleluia, Alleluia, Give Thanks, (Blue Hymnal, # 178)

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

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

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

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

4-Come, let us praise the living God, joyfully sing to our Savior. Refrain

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Baptism is a celebration of our birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

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

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

(All may gather around the altar)

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

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat

  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as  

  this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Bless and sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory

 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,

(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 Anthem: He Is Lord (Renew!,  # 29)

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

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

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

4-He is Life.  He is Life.  He has died to set us free and he is Life.  And he calls us now to live evermore, for Jesus Christ is Life.

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: He Lives (Lift Every Voice and Sing # 42).

I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world to today; I know that He is living, whatever others say;  I see his hand of mercy, I hear his voice of cheer, And just the time I need Him He’s always near.

Refrain: He lives.  He lives.  Christ Jesus lives today.  He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.  He lives, He lives salvation to impart!  You ask me how I know He lives.  He lives within my heart.

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christians, lift up your voice and sing.  Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, the King!  The hope of all who seek Him, the help of all who find, None other is so loving, so good and kind.  Refrain

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God!  Alleluia.  Alleluia