Sunday School, April 17, 2016 4 Easter C

Sunday School, April 17, 2016    4 Easter C

Themes

Good Shepherd Sunday

A good shepherd is a person who takes really good care of sheep.  Jesus is called our Good Shepherd and we are his sheep because he takes care of us by loving us and by showing how us to live together in love and care for each other.

There was a shepherd boy who became the King of Israel.  His name was David.  David also played the harp and he wrote poetry.  One of the most famous poems in the world is found in Psalm 23.  The poem begins:  “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.”  David discovered a wonderful relationship with God.  David was a good shepherd for his sheep and he believed that God was a good shepherd for him because he knew God’s love and care.

Sometimes we are like sheep and sometimes we need to be shepherds.  When we have a need, we need help from others.  We need others to be our shepherds like parents, doctors, nurses, teachers, police officers and fire fighters.  But each of us also need to be good shepherds too, because God has given us strength and ability to take care of others who need our help.  When our friend falls on the playground we can be a good shepherd and help them.  We can be good shepherd for our pet and take good care of them.  We can even be good shepherds for our parents when we help with the chores at home or help them when they are sick or when we take care of our younger brothers and sisters.

In our lives we are both sheep and shepherds because we often are in need, but we also have the ability to help others in need.

When we have a need, let us pray that we will find good shepherds to take care of us.  When we see someone who needs our help, let us pray that we will be good shepherds to them.

The Bible tells us the story of the sheep and the Good Shepherd so that we can understand that this life requires us to know what it is to be sheep and good shepherds.

Puppet Show on David the Shepherd

Characters:

David the Shepherd

Sheep, Lion, Crocodile

Fr. Phil

Father Phil:  Boys and girls, today is good Shepherd Sunday.  And a long time ago when the Bible was written, there were lots of sheep to take care of.  When the people of the Bible tried to teach about being a good leader, they said being a good leader was like being a good shepherd.  And Jesus was a good shepherd because he was a good teacher and leader.  But there was also a famous shepherd boy who became the King of Israel.  His name was David.  David, hello, do you have time to talk?

(David is busy rescuing a sheep from a lion)

David, are you there?

David (out of breath after rescuing a sheep):  Sorry, I had work to do.  I had to chase the lion away from my sheep.

Fr. Phil:  David, that is dangerous.  You could get hurt by the lion.  You must be very brave.

David:  Well, I want to take care of my sheep.  I get to know all of my sheep and so I don’t want them to get attacked and hurt.

Fr. Phil:  So, you are good shepherd.

David:  Well, I try to be.  I like to be out in valleys and mountains with the sheep.  It gives me time to pray.  And also I can write some poems too.

Fr. Phil: Have you ever written a poem?

David: Yes, I wrote one that begins, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want for anything.”  I wrote that because I am out alone with the sheep and I have come to know God.  And so I feel like God, the Lord is my shepherd; and because I feel like God takes good care of me, then I want to be a good shepherd and take good care of my sheep too.

Fr. Phil:  Well, you were a good shepherd.  And God noticed because God made you to be King of Israel.

David:  Being a good king is like being good shepherd.  You have to care for people.  A good King, a good leader is like a good parent.  A good leader takes care of people who need care.

Fr. Phil: Well, people and sheep often need lots of care.  Babies need care, sick people need care, and hungry people need care.

David:  Yes, since the Lord God is good shepherd, God wants all of us to be good shepherds.

Fr. Phil:  Do you mean that these boys and girls can be good shepherds too

David:  When they help their moms and dads they are good shepherds.  When they take care of your younger brothers and sisters they are good shepherds.  When they do their chores they are good shepherds.

Fr. Phil: So some times we are sheep and some times we are shepherds?

David:  Yes, that is true.  When we need help, we are like sheep.  And when we help others we can be shepherds.  Oh, Oh, I have to go.  I see that a sheep has wandered near the river and I see a crocodile.  See you later.

(David leaves to rescue the sheep from the crocodile)

Fr. Phil:  Boys and girls, David was a good shepherd because he discovered that he sometimes was like a sheep and God was his good shepherd.  God sent Jesus to be a good shepherd for us.  So when we need help we can ask for help.  And when we are strong, we can be good shepherds too.  Can you remember to be a good shepherd?

Children’s Sermon

Today we have read about the Good Shepherd and we have learn that Jesus is like a Good Shepherd.

  A Good Shepherd takes good care of his sheep.  How does he do that?  He finds them a pasture with grass to eat.  He finds them water to drink.  He keeps them safe from wolves and coyotes.  He takes care of them when they are injured or sick?  Why?  Because the sheep need care.

  Do you know that we are both like shepherd and sheep?  A shepherd is one who gives care to someone who needs it.  A sheep is someone who needs care.

  I’m going to play a quiz game with you?  You tell me who is the shepherd and who is the sheep.

  When a person is really, really sick, she goes to the doctor and the doctor helps by giving her some medicine.  Who is the shepherd and who is the sheep.

  A father and mother go to work and they provide money for their children to have food and clothing.  Who is the shepherd and who is the sheep?

  A boy has a dog and the boy feeds the dog every day and brushes the dog furry coat.  Who is the shepherd and who is the sheep?

  An older sister is with her baby brother, and mom leaves the room.  And the baby brother drops his bottle and starts to cry.  So the older sister picks up the bottle and gives it to her little baby brother.  Who is the shepherd and who is the sheep?

  So any of us can be a shepherd or a sheep.  Why?  Because sometimes we need things and sometimes we need care.

  But most of the time we have the ability to provide care for someone else.  So when someone needs care, we need to be like a good shepherd.

  Jesus is the good shepherd because he cared for people who needed his care.

  So, we too need to be good shepherds too.  Why?  Because people need us, and we need people too.

  Just as you and I often need help and care for ourselves.  We should learn to give care to others when we can.

  Jesus as the good shepherd has taught to care for people in need.

How many of you are going to try to be good shepherds this week?  I know that you can be a big help to your family and friends and to other people who need your care.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

April 17, 2016: The Fourth Sunday of Easter

Gathering Songs: Praise Him, All Ye Little Children; O Be Careful; O, How I Love Jesus; Peace Before Us

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: Praise Him, All Ye Little Children (Christian Children Songbook, # 184)

1-Praise him, praise him, all ye little children, God is love, God is love.  Praise him, praise him, all ye little children.  God is love, God is love.

2-Love him, love him, all ye little children.  God is love, God is love.  Love him, love him all ye little children.  God is love, God is love.

3-Thank him, thank him, all ye little children, God is love, God is love.  Thank him, thank him, all ye little children.  God is love.  God is love.

4-Serve him, serve him, all ye little children, God is love, God is love.  Service him, serve him all ye little children, God is love, God is love.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, 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 Revelation to John

For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple,  and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.  They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Let us read together from Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; *I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures * and leads me beside still waters.

He revives my soul * and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.

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.

At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon –   

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: O Be Careful, (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 180)

1-O be careful little hands what you do.  O be careful little hands what you do.  There’s a Father up above and he’s looking down in love, so be careful little hands what you do.

2-O be careful little feet where you go.  O be careful little feet where you go.  There’s a Father up above and he’s looking down in love, so be careful little feet where you go.

3-O be careful little lips what you say.  O be careful little lips what you say.  There’s a Father up above and he’s looking down in love, so be careful little lips what you say.

Children’s Choir: Freely, Freely,   by Carol Owens

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.

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 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 Song: Oh, How I Love Jesus (Children’s Christian Song book, #182)

O how I love Jesus, O how I love Jesus, O how I love Jesus, because he first loved 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: He’s Got the Whole World (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 90)

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.

Little tiny babies. 

Brother and the sisters  

Mothers and the fathers

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!

The Risen Christ Converts, Forgives, Restores and Commissions

3 Easter           April 10, 2016 

Acts 9:1-20       Ps. 30

Rev. 5:11-14        John 21:1-19    

Lectionary Link
  Would you rather be a shepherd or an instrument?  An  instrument sounds more mechanical or surgical?  Being a shepherd seems to be a bit more personable.

  Today we have read about Peter, called by Jesus to be a shepherd and Paul, called by Jesus to be a chosen "instrument."
  The New Testament writings are writings which survived among many other Christian writings.  The survival of the New Testament writing is an indication of their continuous function in successive groups of people who came to follow Christ.  Often the ancient papyrus documents achieved duration by having the fading ink text re-rewritten over with new ink.  This meant that there was a continuing use of a text.  The texts that did not get retraced meant that a community of reader did not regard them has having continuing use in their community.  Some texts were also destroyed.  The famous Athanasius of Nicaean orthodoxy, ordered the destruction of many documents which he did not believe to be orthodox.
  The portion of the Gospel of John we've read today and the account of the conversation of St. Paul in the Acts of the Apostles were written by writers who knew what had happened in the history of the Jesus Movement.  They knew that Jerusalem had been destroyed; they knew that the inhabitants of Jerusalem both Jews and Christians had been forced to relocate.  They knew that Peter and Paul had made heroic witness with their lives as martyrs in Rome.
  The New Testament was in part, written to establish the succession of the life and ministry of Jesus through the two cardinal leading apostles of the Christian Church, Peter and Paul.  And though all roads did not lead to Rome for everyone, they did lead to Rome for Peter and Paul.
  Their presence in Rome was emblematic of the success of the Jesus Movement in the cities of the Roman Empire.  The examples of their lives were presented to promote their strains of leadership in the practice of Christianity.  Some scholar have even opined that the purpose of the Acts of the Apostles was to establish the credibility of the writings of St. Paul.  By showing the heroic life of St. Paul, it would follow that his writings were worthy to be considered by a very wide audience, and as we know from history, eventually the church voted to include his letters and the letters written in his name in the official text book of the church, the New Testament.
  Today we have read about the dramatic conversion of Saul who was persecuting the followers of Jesus.  He was even complicit in the death by stoning of followers of Jesus, particularly the death of St. Stephen.  After Saul was converted, Ananias, a Christian leader who was afraid to approach Saul, was told that Saul was going to be a chosen instrument of God.
  Saul became Paul, and Paul became the instrument to bring about the first major paradigm shift in the Jesus Movement.  Paul became the architect of a Christ-centered Judaism offering full membership to Gentiles; Gentile followers of Christ did not have to comply with all of the purity rituals of Judaism.  Paul was the main instrument in crafting the theology and practice of bringing a Christ centered Judaism to the Gentile people.  Why did Paul do it?  Because the Gospel message was successful with the Gentiles.  The success of the Gentiles receiving God's Spirit of transformation in their lives necessitated that Paul write about God's new plan.  But the success of the Gospel message for the Gentiles was so profound, it brought about a threat to Judaism, and the members of the synagogue decided that they needed to separate from the followers of Jesus to maintain their distinctly Jewish mission.
  Peter did not have a dramatic conversion, but he did have a profoundly intimate experience of forgiveness, restoration and commissioning to ministry.  We might call the restoration of Peter by the Risen Christ, Three for three.   When Jesus was taken to trial, Peter said about Jesus three times: "I don't know Him."  The very confident Peter was crushed in self-disappointment about his denials.  Why would anyone still be his friend again if he had denied him in the time of the very worst of life crisis?  Three for three.  Jesus let Peter replace his three denials with three "I love you's."  Jesus who once predicted that Peter would deny him, now predicted great things for Peter.  Jesus, the Good Shepherd in the Gospel of John, ask Peter to a be good shepherd for the followers of Christ.  Jesus, then predicted that Peter would be given a second chance.  Peter did not choose to go to the cross with Jesus, but Peter had the inner strength to remain faithful and suffer and die a death upon the cross.  Tradition records that he died upside down upon the cross.
  What did the Risen Christ do for Paul and Peter?  The Risen Christ converted Paul from being a killing persecutor into being the instrument and the architect of the theology for bringing the message of Christ to all of the people in the Roman Empire.  St. Paul wrote the theology for the inclusion of Gentiles in continuity with salvation history recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures.  Indeed Paul's life proved that he was a chosen instrument in the forging of the Christian Mission. 
  What did the Risen Christ do for Peter?  Well, the Risen Christ does not have or hold grudges.  The Risen Christ did not have a fragile ego.  The Risen Christ was kind enough to help Peter be restored to himself.  Peter was completely self-disappointed by his vehement denials of Jesus.  The Risen Christ, gently restored Peter to the friendship and the original ideals that enticed Peter to follow Jesus in the first place.  For Jesus, it was not one, two or three strikes and you're out; Jesus practiced a loving forgiveness which not only restored Peter's esteem and self-image, he also commissioned Peter to be the shepherd of the sheep or new members  of the Jesus Movement.
  So what does the Risen Christ do?  The Risen Christ converts people who oppose him and inspires them to bring the message of love to more people.  The Risen Christ gives his followers more chances even when they don't follow him with perfect loyalty.  The Risen Christ will keep asking us, three times or a hundred times, "Do you love me?"  If you do, then be a good shepherd and take care of those who are needy and vulnerable.  The Risen Christ still remains optimistic about our future even in light of our past failures.
  So what is the Gospel for us today?  The Risen Christ converts, restores, commissions to ministry and is very optimistic about our future.
  This is reminder to us; never give up on ourselves because the Risen Christ has not given up on us or anyone.  Amen.

 

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.