The Illusion That Life Can Be Freeze-Framed

24 Pentecost A p. 28 November 15, 2020
Judges 4:1-7    Psalm 123      
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11  Matthew 25:14-30
 

Lectionary Link

The parable of the 5, 2, and 1 talents arrives in our reading in the fall when it is  Every Member Canvass Time.  I wonder if that is just a sheer coincidence, or did the lectionary makers know the financial rhythms of parish life?  So, the preacher is all set up to deliver a stewardship sermon emphasizing, not equal giving but proportionate giving, and to remind us all about the cruel law of atrophy which applies even to our gifts in ministry; use it or lose it as the saying goes.  If one fails to develop one's baptismal ministry, then those who are diligent will take up the slack and do the ministry which the slacker was given to do.

These are good sermon ideas, I've worn them out many times but for today, I'd like to presents some insights that this parable provides for people who have no choice but to live in time, and what does time mean?  It means continuous change.  I would like for us to understand this parable as wisdom insights regarding the stewardship of time and change.

In life people are dealt different situations in life, and some of what we are dealt are gifts which can be invested and developed.  Some have five talent occasions, some two talent occasions and others one talent occasions.
The five talent guy took his five and not only retained his original five, he added five more.  The two talent guy, did the same.  He kept his two and added two.

But what about the one talent guy?  The parable says that he acted in fear and buried his talent in the ground so that he would not lose it.  No matter what happened, he thought he would always have the same.

Let us consider the one talent guy with this illustration.  We all know what freeze-frame is when it comes to videos; we can stop a video and have it frozen so we can cherish the moment.  We can turn a moment in the movie into a single photo.
We suddenly want to preserve the movie by stopping it permanently at a favorite moment.  This might be like what the one talent man did.

Burying what is a gift or trying to freeze-frame what we once enjoyed is the act of conserving, of being a conservative.   We think that we can freeze-frame conserve and we do this out of anxiety and fear of loss.  And what happens?  We can lose all because we fail to realize that the gift and blessing of this moment are not meant to be the end all of life; they are to be a gift for us to invest in the present and in the future for better outcomes.

One might think, "I love this gifted moment; I want to stay here.  I want time to stop because if I bury it and keep it same, I will not lose it and I am fearful about loss."

 

Let us apply this for a moment at many who hold literal biblical views.  We like the Bible as our holy book.  And we may want to be very literal about a biblical view, and so we try to freeze-frame the Bible to preserve or keep what we think is valuable.  And indeed we can find great value.  But look what we see in a biblical freeze-frame of the Bible.  We see slaves, we see subjugated women whose abilities are not developed or cherished, we a perceptual flat earth and many other cultural details which cannot be validly woven into our current lives.

 

What if we did the same as American Constitutional Originalists:  We freeze-frame the primitive American Constitution situation.  We see grand ideas of law and justice, but when we look closer we see Washington and Jefferson as slave-holders, we see that women and non-landowners unable to vote and many other practices that are out-dated with enlightened justice.  So why should we "freeze-frame, bury or completely conserve" a good time,  when it still is a time with much unfinished business?

The church can be selectively "Amish" in many of our practices who decided that it was god-like to stop the advance of technology 150 years ago.  A much different kind of life has gone on and developed outside of Amish cloistered life.  The attempt to freeze-frame may have the romance of the simple life; but is it realistic to time and change?

The good stewardship of time and change means that we conserve the good in dynamic engaging investment in the now and in the future, but what else do we do?  We expand our investment beyond the good that was which with a closer look may have been surrounded by too many bad actors who did not live up to the ideals of love and justice for all.

What if we were to freeze frame our church now; what do we see?  We see many young people uninterested in our liturgies and practices.  They seem to be like those who are not interested in taking up Amish buggies when it comes to some of our practices.  But if we look closer we will also see some wonderful good.  We are trying to open our doors of full participation to more people, in the way in which St. Paul saw the message of Jesus expand beyond the boundaries of Judaism to the Gentiles.  We see the inclusion women in the full ministry of the church, we seek the full sacramental participation of gay and lesbian persons in the life of the church, we seek to be both religious mystical poets and brute fact scientists.  And do it without contradictions as we find faith to be a force for graceful mediations of all of the facets of the ways in which we can be fully human.  And we do this on the quest to more a perfect embodiment of love and justice.

The parable of Jesus invites us to move from the sense of anxiety and fear of the good that we think we might lose, and move into the dynamic investment in the now and in the future.  Why?  Because the faith of Jesus Christ is the call to surpass ourselves in a future state.  The magnet of God's power bends us in an arc aimed at  more perfect love and justice.

Dear friends, we are invited to the dynamic investment of time today.  Let us not in fear, freeze-frame what we might revere as the "good 'ol days;" let us be investors in real time, continuous time.  By doing so we conserve the good of the past into the present and future, even as we continue to work on what is yet unfinished in reaching the wonderful love and justice of Jesus Christ for all.  Amen.

 

Sunday School, November 15, 2020 24 Pentecost, A proper 28

 Sunday School, November 15, 2020    24 Pentecost, A proper 28

Theme:  Use it or lose it

The Parable of the talents

Jesus told a story about people who were given money.

Some invested their money and received more money.

One person buried his money in the ground and when he did not invest it, the person who gave him the money took it away and gave it to the one who invested wisely.

This story is about some important things in life:

Everyone is given gifts.  Our gifts are different in what they are and in our ability to use them.

Jesus does not ask that we compare ourselves with each other.  Jesus asks that we compare ourselves with ourselves in the future when we have developed and learned and practiced.

How do you know if you can play soccer, play the piano, dance or sing, or invent things if you never try them or practice?

Practice makes perfect and if we don’t practice, we will never know what gifts we have or how good we can be with our gifts.

Jesus wants us to develop ourselves to max. We are not to hide our gifts but to use them, share them and develop them and perfect them.

Atrophy is the law of nature which says, “Use it or lose it.”   That is the message of the parable of the talents.

Sermon:

  Sometimes it hard to understand things in lives.  And Jesus knew that things were hard to understand, so he told stories to help people understand some of the difficult things in life.

  He told a story about a rich man who gave some money to three of his workers.  He gave five thousand to one, two thousand to another and one thousand to another.  He left town and when he came back he ask his workers what they did with their money.  The one with five thousand earned five thousand more.  The one with two thousand earned two thousand more.  But the one with only one thousand, did not earn anymore.  He simply hid his money so that no one could steal it.

  Jesus told this story to remind us that God is the owner of our lives and that we are all supposed to be working for God.  And God has given us many gifts.  But we still have to find our gifts and practice to use our gifts.

  If I have a gift to run fast, but never practice.  Will my gift be useful?  If I have the gift of singing or dancing or doing mathematics, but never practice, what will happen?

  I am going to teach you a word.  The word is Atrophy.  Atrophy means that if you don’t practice and use your ability, you lose your ability.

  Did you know that if you stay in bed too long without exercise, that your legs will not work?

  Jesus reminds us to work and practice our gifts.  The people who practice their gifts do not lose their gifts and they enjoy their gifts because they help many people.

  So remember today.  God has given you many gifts.  And the fun in your life is discovering your gifts.  But you also must practice your gifts as well.

  Say:  God has given me gifts.  I will practice my gifts.  I will help God and other people with my gifts and abilities.

Liturgy for the Day

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

November 15, 2020: The Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: The B-I-B-L-E, I Am the Bread of Life, Peace Before Us

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

People:            And Blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever.  Amen.

Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.

And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.

Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song: The B-I-B-L-E, (All the Best Songs for Kids   # 119)

The B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the book for me.  I stand alone on the word of God, the B-I-B-L-E.  

The B-I-B-L-E, It is God’s word for me.  I will obey God’s holy word, the B-I-B-L-E.  

The B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the book for me.  I stand alone on the word of God, the B-I-B-L-E.  

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Alleluia (chanted)

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia

O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia

O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

Liturgist: A Reading the First Letter to the Thessalonians

For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 123

So our eyes look to the LORD our God, * until he show us his mercy.

Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy, * for we have had more than enough of contempt,

Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, * and of the derision of the proud.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Liturgist:

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 Matthew

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus said, "For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, `Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.' His master said to him, `Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, `Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.' His master said to him, `Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, `Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master replied, `You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' "

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase:

Christ, have mercy. (chanted)

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Liturgist:         The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People:            And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering.

Offertory Music:  For the Beauty of the Earth,    # 416  (blue hymnal)

1-For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies, Refrain: Christ our God to thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.

2-For the beauty of each hour of the day and of the night, hill and vale, and tree and flower, sun and moon, and stars of light, 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 up 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.

(Alll 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,

Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:       Alleluia.  Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Song:  Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart   (Renew!,  # 266 )

Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, give thanks because he’s given Jesus Christ his Son.  (sing twice)

And now let the weak say, “I am strong”; let the poor say “I am rich” because of what the Lord has done for us.  (sing twice)

Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the holy one, give thanks because he’s given Jesus Christ his Son (sing twice) Give thanks!

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

Peace before us, peace behind us, peace under our feet.  Peace within us, peace over us, let all around us be peace.

Love before us,…

Light before us…

Christ before….

Dismissal   

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

People:      Thanks be to God! 

Plan on Being Lucky for Christ's Arrivals

23 Pentecost, Cycle A proper 27, November 8, 2020
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 Psalm 78
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Matthew 25:1-13

Lectionary Link

The kingdom of heaven will be like this. Be ready for it at all times.

You may have heard it said, that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have. Also, the more I pray, the more luck I seem to have.

How can this "folk knowledge" be correct? Whether we're scouts or whether we do emergency planning, we often think of being prepared for things to go wrong.
I would like for us to look at the parable of the bridesmaids in a "glass half full" type of way. What do the bridesmaids get to do if they are prepared?  They get to fulfill their wedding role when the bridegroom arrives.

This is what the kingdom of heaven is like. Be prepared for the in-breaking events.
God, for a long time, wanted to bring the people of Israel into their new home. But they weren't prepared. They are presented as those who were grumblers about the terrible conditions of the journey, and indeed the journey lasted forty years.

And when the successor of Moses, Joshua brought them to the door step of the Promised Land, he asked the people to renew their covenant with God, the one they often forgot during the journey.   Joshua asked them to be loyal to God as they entered the  homeland of their new kingdom.

Paul wrote to some worried people in Thessalonica who believed in the resurrection and they believed in a coming kingdom of the return of Jesus to this earth. But they were worried about their friends who had died before the return of the Lord. And Paul wrote as a comforting parent.  And he encouraged them to do their preparation of being faithful and he gave a comforting scenario of how he believed that God would unite the dead with the living in the future kingdom of heaven.

In our community, we try to presents some recommendations for a rule of life for people to adapt to their own life rhythms.  It involves a holistic program, prayer, Bible study, corporate worship occasion, take care of your physical body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, and opportunity for mission and giving as we identify with those who are poor.  And why do we do it?  Because we need to pay the bills and maintain the institution?  No.  We want people to be prepared for the arising of the God-events in their lives.

You have the seeming experience of more events of grace and favor, if you actually have been preparing your life to see and process them when they happen.  

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven will be like this."  And the sad thing is that many people miss the experiences of the kingdom because they are not prepared.  They are like the sleeping bridesmaids who did not have enough oil for their lamps and when the bridegroom arrived, they did not have their lamps ready to be the needed luminarias for the honored guest.

The metaphor of a wedding bespeaks of union.  The kingdom of heaven is about union, union with God and each other.  And such unions offers many occasions of climactic events, if we are prepared and practiced to be able to recognize them.

Today, as we live in earthquake and wildfire country, we are encouraged to be prepared for threatening events.  But the life of faith is not just about being prepared for what can go wrong.

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven will be like this...."  Like what?  An arrival of an event of union and joy.

The Gospel program of the church is a program of preparation for the arrival of the Christ-events each day in our lives.  And for these, I say, be prepared.  Amen

Sunday School, November 7, 2020, 23 Pentecost, A Proper 27

 Sunday School, November 7, 2020   23 Pentecost, A proper 27

Theme:

Wisdom means being prepared.

What is motto of the Boy Scouts?

Be Prepared

What do we prepare for?  We try to prepare to make the best response for all things that can happen to us in life.  We prepare for emergencies.  We also prepare for good things in life, like for graduation, for learning skills, sports, dancing and we prepare for the work and jobs that we will do in our lives.

Jesus told a parable about being prepared.  Jesus used stories to teach lessons.

He told a story about five wise bridesmaids who were prepared and five foolish bridesmaids who were not prepared.

In the time of Jesus bridesmaids had an important role at weddings;  they had the important role when the groom made a parade to get his bride and bring her back to the wedding feast.  And the bridesmaid had to be ready to greet the wedding party.even if it was late at night.

The five wise bridesmaid had enough oil for their lamps to be ready to give light for the parade of the groom.  The five foolish bridesmaids did not have enough oil and so when the wedding parade arrived, they could not help light the parade.  They were locked out of the wedding.

What is the message of Jesus that is hidden in the story?

We need to be prepared.  For what?  For the wedding of our souls with God.  A wedding is the beginning of a special friendship between two people.  Jesus used the wedding to teach us about the special friendship that we can have in our lives.  And we need to be prepared for this friendship with God.  And if we are lazy and not prepared we will miss out on a wonderful relationship with God that has been shown to us by Jesus Christ.

We come to church and learn so that we can be prepared for our wonderful relationship, for our wedding with God as a special companion and friend.

Sermon:

Have any of you ever been to a wedding?

  A wedding is a very happy time when two people get married.  It is a great celebration and a great celebration needs lots of people to do things that make the celebration special.

  Besides the people getting married who else is at the wedding?  A priest or pastor, or judge.  There are groomsmen and bridesmaids and the bridesmaids get to wear those “once in a life time” dresses.  And the men get to wear tuxedoes.

  And in many weddings there are boys and girls.  What do the boys get to do in some weddings?  They get to carry the rings.  And what do the girls do?  They carry the flowers.

  A wedding needs someone to arrange pretty flowers; someone to fix and cater the food; music for dancing and much more.  And there is one more very important wedding job:  The photographer.  Someone to take pictures of the wedding. 

  Can you imagine a photographer at a wedding taking all of the pictures at the wedding and when the wedding is over, going back to print the pictures.  And he discovers that the memory card in his camera was not formatted and so he has no pictures of the wedding.  How do you think that bride would feel when the photographer tells her that there are no pictures?  She would be angry and hurt.  She would say, “Why did you not check your camera?  Why did you not have a backup camera?  Why weren’t you prepared?”  The photographer would be quite embarrassed

  How would you like to be the photographer who did not provide the wedding pictures?  It would be a horrible feeling and a feeling of failure.

  Jesus told a story about some bridesmaid who had a special job at a wedding.  At a certain time in the evening when the groom would come, they were supposed to be there to greet the groom, and this was just as important as the photographs of a wedding in our time.

  But some of the bridesmaid did not get enough oils in their lamps and so it was dark, and they could not provide light for when the groom came.  And they failed at their jobs.

  This was just a story that Jesus told.  And he told stories to teach lesson.  And the lesson of his story is this:  Be prepared!  Be prepared is a scout motto, right, because being prepared is very important in life.

  How do you prepare if you know it is going to be raining?  How do you prepare if you know that it is going to be cold?  How do you prepare if you know that you have to take a very difficult test in school?  How do you prepare for a soccer game?

  How do you prepare for meeting the most important person in the world?

  The story of Jesus tells us that we need to be prepared to meet God, who is the most important of all.  And how do we prepare?  We practice what God wants us to do?  And what does God want us to do?  To love with all our hearts and to love our neighbors.  If we practice these two things, then we will be prepared to meet God; we will be ready to meet God.

  Remember the message today.  Be prepared! Why because we want to give our very best to God.

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

November 7, 2020: The Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Give Me Oil in My Lamp, The Butterfly Song, Alleluia, Awesome God

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

People:            And Blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever.  Amen.

Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.

And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.

Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song: Give Me Oil in My Lamp (Christian Children’s Songbook,   # 53)

Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning.  Give me oil in my lamp I pray.  Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning, keep me burning ‘til the break of day.  

Refrain: Sing hosanna, sing hosanna, sing hosanna to the King of kings.  Sing hosanna, sing hosanna, sing hosanna to the king.

Give me joy in my heart, keep me shining.  Give me joy in my heart, I pray.  Give me joy in my heart keep me shining.  Keep me shining ‘til the break of day.  Refrain

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Alleluia (chanted)

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia

O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia

O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

A reading from the Wisdom of Solomon

Wisdom is radiant and unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her, and is found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.  One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty, for she will be found sitting at the gate. To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding, And one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care, because she goes about seeking those worthy of her, and she graciously appears to them in their paths, and meets them in every thought.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 78

We will recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the LORD, *
and the wonderful works he has done.

 He gave his decrees to Jacob and established a law for Israel, * which he commanded them to teach their children;

 That the generations to come might know,
and the children yet unborn; * that they in their turn might tell it to their children;

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Liturgist:

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 Matthew

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus said, "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, `Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise replied, `No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, `Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, `Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

  

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy. (chanted)

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Liturgist:         The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People:            And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering.

Offertory Music:  The Butterfly Song  (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 9)

If I were a butterfly, I’d thank you Lord for giving me wings.  If I were a robin in the tree, I’d thank you Lord that I could sing.  If I were a fish in the sea, I’d wiggle my tail and I’d giggle with glee, but I just thank you Father for making me, me. 

Refrain: For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile.  You gave me Jesus and you made me your child and I just thank you Father for making me, me.

If I were an elephant, I’d thank you Lord by raising my trunk.  If I were a kangaroo, you know I’d hop right up to you.  If I were an octopus, I’d thank you Lord for my fine looks and I just thank you Father for making me, me.  Refrain

If I were a wiggly worm, I’d thank you Lord that I could squirm.  If I were a Billy goat, I’d thank you Lord for my strong throat.  If I were a fuzzy-wuzzy bear, I’d thank you Lord for my fuzzy-wuzzy hair, and I just thank you Father for making me, me.  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 up 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 can we love God and our neighbor.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Children rejoin their parents and take up their instruments)

Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:       Alleluia.  Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Song: Alleluia, (Renew! # 136)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

He’s my Savior, alleluia….

He is worthy, alleluia….

I will praise him, alleluia…

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;

We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.

And His Presence has been known to us.

We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers

    and sisters in Christ.

Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the

     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,

As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: Awesome God, (Renew! # 245)

 Our God is an awesome God, He reigns from heaven above, with wisdom, power and love, our God is an awesome God.      (Sing three times)

Dismissal   

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

People:      Thanks be to God! 

Prepare to Be a Holy Haunter in the Cloud of Witnesses

All Saints’ Sunday, Cycle A Proper, All Saints, November 1, 2020
Revelation 7:9-17 Psalm 34:1-10
1 John 3:1-3    Matthew 5:1-12

 Lectionary Link

Today, we are in the second day of a three day observance of those who have entered the life to come.  All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day comprise this three day articulation of what the resurrection means for us as Christians as it pertains to the people who have left our lives through their deaths.

In our baptismal theology we believe that everyone becomes a "saint" through Holy Baptism; that is one is born of water and the Holy Spirit.  And the presence of the Holy Spirit within us makes us "saints" who are set apart to do the work and ministry of Christ.

We do not all live out our baptism vows in the exact same way.  We do not all have the same public impact with the witness of our lives.  Most of us remain very local and unknown beyond usual geography and social groups of our lives.  But there are others who become known through their manner of life to a greater audience.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mother Teresa of Calcutta are more widely known than we are.  And what does this mean?  It means that saints are global and regional and saints are locale and particular to our own settings in life.  And that's unavoidable.  Just like in Baseball, the Hall of Fame is unavoidable, in the life of the church,  that some Saints became widely known was and is inevitable.  It is the calling given to some to become well known saintly people as global and historic witnesses who lived out the recommended Christ-like values in special ways.   And we celebrate them in individual feast days and in a grand single day, like today, All Saints' Day.

Why do we do this?  Do we want to elevate and revere people above Jesus?  No, but we want to display a vast gallery of exemplars of what the risen Christ can do in the lives of many different people.  If the Risen Christ did wonderful in St. Mary and St. John and St. Francis, what can the Risen Christ do in us?  Saints do not take away glory and honor from Christ; they only demonstrate the Risen Christ in a variety of personalities so that the appeal of Christ can reach us in accessible ways.

In the Eucharistic preface for All Saints Day, we declare that God has surrounded us with a great cloud of witnesses in the lives of the saints.  If you believe in ghosts, I would call this a Holy haunting.  The cloud of witnesses is the atmospherics of the saints.  It's the values of how they lived which are ghostly haunting us to live our very best lives.  Let us live in this cloud with them as it is the atmosphere of the values available to us.  This cloud?   No, not that offsite internet storage place; live in the cloud of the witnesses who are the holy ones who have informed the highest values of our lives.  This is how we understand what we confess in the belief of the communion of saints; we live within the holy haunting  from cloud of witnesses of the ones who have been great in love and justice.

And this gives us a clue about how we should live our lives now; we should live in such a way that we will enter the cloud of witnesses at our deaths, so that we to can become holy haunters of the future generation towards the values of love and justice of Jesus Christ.

What is the Holy Haunting inspiring for us this All Saints' Day?  For one, get out and vote.  Live lives of doing justice, loving mercy and walking humbly before God.  If we do this  we might be worthy to join the Cloud of Witnesses someday as Holy Haunters of the people to whom we will leave on this earth.

We believe the saints are in heaven and we want to go there too.  But they are also still a present cloud of witnesses and they haunt us in gentle ways to walk in justice, love and mercy.

And who knows, if we do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly in the best way that we can, we too may become Holy Haunters in the Cloud of Witnesses to inspire those who will continue to live after us.

With God's help today, let us all seek to be holy haunters in a future cloud of witnesses, but not yet, we're not done with the work of justice and mercy of Jesus Christ.  Amen.