Sunday School, January 17, 2021 2 Epiphany B

 Sunday School, January 17, 2021  2 Epiphany B

Theme:

The Call of God

The Bible teaches us that God like us.  How do we know?

God calls to be God’s friends.

The boy Samuel heard a voice in his efforts to try to sleep.  It was the voice of God calling to him.  Samuel was shocked to find out that God was interested in him.  When Samuel said, “Speak Lord for your servant is listening,” he accepted a friendship with God to become an important leader for the people of Israel.  He became the most important Judge of Israel and God used Samuel to select the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David.

God like us so much, God sent God’s son Jesus to live with us and Jesus like us and called us to be his brothers and sisters and friends.

Philip was so excited that Jesus called him, he told his friend Nathaniel.  Nathaniel was not so sure at first about Jesus, but when he met Jesus he became very excited.  Jesus had a special way of making friends.

You and I are called by Jesus to be his friends and we are also asked by Jesus to introduce other people to Jesus.  How do we do that?

How do you make a friend?

Take an interest in them.  Share your life with them, your story and your good news.  You ask them to share their story with you.  You care for them.  One of the best things we can share with our friends is what Jesus means to us and to our lives.  The best news we can give our friends is the knowledge that God loves them and that Jesus calls them into a special relationship with God to help them live their lives in the very best way for themselves, their family and for our world.

Sermon:

What church season are we in now?  Epiphany.  And what is the color that we use during Epiphany.  Epiphany sounds like a funny word; what does it mean?

  Epiphany is when you discover something and your life changes because of that discovery.

  As a baby, when you learned that you can walk; that is an Epiphany.  And when you learn how to read and sound out words; that is an epiphany because it changes your life.

  Do you know what one of the greatest discoveries is in life?  It is the discovery of a friend.  Friends change our lives; they share with us their time; they help us when we’re sad; they encourage us.

  Today, we read about a man named Philip and he had a friend Nathaniel.  And since Philip was Nathaniel’s friend, he wanted to share with him his best news.

  And Philip had some good news.  And what was that good news.  Philip had met a wonderful teacher named Jesus.  And Jesus was such a good teacher who had taught Philip so many wonderful things; Philip wanted to share his friend Jesus with his friend Nathaniel.  Why?  Because he knew that Jesus could be a friend and teacher to Nathaniel too.

  Nathaniel was not sure that he wanted a new friend.  But he decided to go with Philip and meet Jesus.  And Nathaniel found out that Philip was right; Jesus was a good friend and teacher and Nathaniel became the friend of Jesus too.

  Epiphany is about discovering Jesus as our friend and teacher.  Epiphany is about discovering each other as friends and sharing our very best news with each other.

  The word Gospel means, “good news.”  And as friends we share good news with each other.  And what is our good news?  That God loves us, God cares for us, God forgives us when we make mistakes, God gives us family and friends to share our good news with.

  So remember the word Epiphany…it is when we discover that God is our friend and God sent his Son Jesus to let us know about the friendship that we can have with God.  And that is good news.  Amen

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

January 17, 2021 The Second Sunday After the Epiphany

Gathering Songs: Hallelu, Hallelujah; Peace Before Us; Lord, Be Glorified; 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: Hallelu, Hallelujah (Christian Children’s 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

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for 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 from the First Book of Samuel

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. The LORD called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, `Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.  Now the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 139

How deep I find your thoughts, O God! * how great is the sum of them!

If I were to count them, they would be more in number than the sand; * to count them all, my life span would need to be like yours.

Birthdays:   James Gabbard, Greg Parish, Ed Ludwick, Chad Church

Anniversaries:   Frank and Bethan Bath

  

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 John

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

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:  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 before us….

Light before us…

Christ before us….

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

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Song: Lord, Be Glorified  (Renew! # 172)

In our lives, Lord be glorified, be glorified.  In our lives, Lord, be glorified today.

In our homes, Lord…

In your church, Lord…

In your world, Lord…

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! 

The Baptism of Jesus and Our Baptisms

1 Epiphany B  January 10, 2021
Genesis 1:1-5   Ps. 29 
Acts 9:1-7   Mark 1:4-11

Lectionary Link

Today on this first Sunday after the Epiphany, also the Baptism of our Lord and one of the four liturgically designated days for baptism, it behoves us to look at the meaning of baptism.   And first, we might distinguish between the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, and the baptism which we Christians have practiced for centuries.

What does the Greek word for baptism mean?  It means to immerse.  When one is plunged into water, one disappears and it appears that one has been lost in becoming one with water.  One appears to have become the water.

What does the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist mean?  It symbolizes the identity of the divine with the human which happened in Jesus Christ.  For many centuries, seers, prophet and sages had been speaking about God using human words.  What was behind the use of human words about the great and more-than-human God?  There was the assumption that men and women could speak anthropomorphically about God using human words, human analogies, and human attributes for the divine.

The life of Jesus as representing the fullness of God and humanity in one Being, validated that ancient practice of using human words about God.  Jesus validated that human experience is an accepted way of knowing about God.

So, the baptism of Jesus was a significant moment in his life of the life of God being baptized into  an identity with human life.  In Jesus, we celebrate the direction of God toward humanity.  One of the names from Hebrew Scriptures with which Jesus is identified is Emmanuel, which means God with us.  How much is God with us?  Completely with us as is seen in the life of Jesus.

In the words of the Pauline writings, Jesus is God emptied into human form.  In the words of the Gospel of John, Jesus is the Eternal Creating Word of God made flesh.

Jesus was baptized, immersed completely into human life.  His baptism by John the Baptist is one of many events of the solidarity of Jesus with human life within a particular human community.  So, how far did the baptism of Jesus go?  What happens when someone is held under the water?  They die through drowning.  Immersion in water symbolizes a death.  In the case of Jesus, it was death to grasping a sole divine identity and coming out of the water, one can see his embrace of his full human identity.  This entire transaction is symbolic of what we profess in the incarnation, namely, that human experience is a valid way to come to know about God.  And as we know, the identity of Jesus with human experience took him into death.  To be fully human, one must die, and that is the identity which Jesus took with humanity.  And so, we confess him to be a most capable and valid representative for us before God on our behalf.

If this is the baptism of Jesus, what is the nature of your baptism and mine?  In our baptismal immersion, we express our identity with Jesus.  Immersed in the waters of baptism, we die with Christ and confess like St. Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ."  Raised from the waters of baptism, we confess, "I have been raised with Christ, to be part of a new creation, a new humanity, a new fellowship of people."

Today, let us remember our baptismal covenants, which we will renew today, as we use the Apostles Creed, the baptismal Creed as a confession of our vows.

Today, is a good day to cite the orthodox statement often called "theosis" or divinization.  It expresses the reverse identities which is expressed in the baptism of Jesus and in our baptisms.

The statement is: "In Christ God become human or hominized, so that humans might be divinized or made godly."  To state it in another way on the day of baptism:  Jesus became baptized fully into humanity, so that we might be baptized into Christ as sons and daughters of God.

Let this day be a birthday anniversary for each of our baptisms, as we offer our thanksgiving to God for Jesus Christ, as Emmanuel, God with us, who became baptized fully into identity with our humanity, so that we could be raised to know ourselves as sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Local Issues and Goals for 2021

 

This was submitted to the Ramona Sentinel, and a portion was published on January 6, 2021

 

What are the biggest issues Ramona faces in 2021 and why?

 

I think the biggest issues faced by our community have to do with the situational application of the main themes of the Serenity Prayer.  Having courage to do the things which are in our power, while having serenity about the things over which we have no control in this pandemic which confronts us as individuals, as churches, as businesses, as families, governing bodies, and as educational institutions.  The biggest issue which faces us is the uncertainty about how the changing situations of the pandemic are going to impinge upon our existence.  It is one thing to ask for serenity to accept the things that we cannot control, but the pandemic requires that we just keep accepting things that we cannot control for a very uncertain period of time whose duration is still very much a mystery.  In more ordinary grief situations, there are caregivers and support teams who are not a part of the impact of the loss.  The pandemic is so embracing and widespread to everyone, there is no one who is outside of the crisis to be modeling what “normal life” is like now outside of the crisis.

 

The biggest issue for us in 2021 is what I would call the maintenance of serenity as we face things over which we have no control.

 

Accepting things that we cannot control?  That is what the serenity project would be.  And when everyone is partaking of the same crisis with no outside caretakers who are exempt from all of the elements of the crisis, what can we do?  We have already seen much community discord instigated by the pandemic crisis.  We have seen the typical reactions to loss, including denial, anger, bargaining, depression and more.  In the continuing losses of this pandemic crisis, it is easy to be swayed by the emotions and the feelings of continual loss.

 

What is the outside mentor for us during a crisis in which all of us are trapped?  Science.  Science is the best method of actuarial wisdom which involves eschewing feelings to apply the methods of statistical approximation.  With dispassion, one asks what are the probabilities based upon what we heretofore know?  In medicine, in business, in education, in politics, in emergency planning we allow ourselves to be guided by the very best actuarial wisdom.  It does not mean that we always get every response to probable outcomes correct, but it is the collaborative processing of best research and practical application of the same.

 

While it may sound very theoretical to say, look to science, we get the most practical advice on behaviors from the scientific communities.  And if we don’t think that we can trust what a political leader or pastor advises, then the most practical spokespersons are the doctors and nurses who are not dealing with a theoretical virus; they experience the immediate outcome of the pandemic and they are the most credible authorities.

 

What goals do you hope to accomplish in Ramona in 2021?

 

Since I am a priest who believes I can be a poet and scientist at the same time without contradiction, my goals would to be articulate faith as a way to promote the best practices for our community’s response to the changing conditions forced upon us by the pandemic, at its full tide effect and as it ebbs in its power.  Faith at its root means what one is persuaded about to the degree of unifying the total person in action toward hopeful outcomes.  A community goal would be to gain greater unity together in our persuasion about safe behaviors in our community.  A goal would be for us to understand the conditions of forced fasting from so many habits that we’ve taken for granted.  We have lost and had to give up so many things.  A religious fast has an intentionality about it.  A goal would be to teach us how we can come to meaning regarding what we are losing.  The main meaning might be the attaining of an empathy for people in our world who have lived prolonged deprived lives as their ordinary staple of existence.  A goal would be for us to develop appreciation for a different kind of presence, the virtual presence of Zoom meetings, phone calls, and other ways of reaching out.  We can appreciate that virtual presence is derived from the real face to face presence.  Another goal is to “take notes” on what we are learning in the times of our deprivation; what will we retain to bring with us to assist our regathering in better ways?  How much burning of fossil fuels has been saved by Zoom meetings?  Virtual meetings can actually expand participation because of ease of instant connection.  Another goal would be to visualize what the future fondness of gathered community will be like since the absence has intensified the heart’s fondness.  Another goal would be to do some American self-examination, as we compare how other countries have dealt with the pandemic: Would we rather sacrifice 1-2 persons per thousand for the sake of our open gathering habits?  What does that tell us about ourselves?  In 2021, a community goal should be to look at who is dying the most in the pandemic, and why are certain groups of people dying more than others?  Will it indicate that we unevenly divide the rewards and punishment for people in our country, because some have been forced to live more closely in harm’s way for economic reasons?  A further reality goal in 2021 will be to convince people that we are in a marathon and not a hundred-yard dash, so we have to be prepared to run accordingly.  The goal is endurance, and most of all, the practice of how best to endure together.

Sunday School, January 10, 2021 1 Epiphany B: The Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ

 Sunday School, January 10, 2021   1 Epiphany B: The Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ

Theme:

Joining and Belonging

Joining and Belonging is what makes us great

God is the greatest of all, so great that God doesn’t need to join humanity.  God did not need to even let men and women know of God’s existence.

But God joined the human community.

First by giving men and women a law and way of living for their lives.

God joined and belonged to human family in the closest way by being born in Jesus.

Jesus was God special Son and he could have believed that he was so perfect that he did not have to be with those who were not as good and perfect as he was.

What did Jesus do?

He fully joined the human community.  How did he show this?

He was baptized by John the Baptist.  He perhaps was joining the community of John the Baptist.

The baptism of Jesus shows us that he did not think that he was too good for all people.

The baptism of Jesus shows us that Jesus joined and belonged to human community.

Jesus did not act too good and perfect for us, he joined, he belonged, and he participated.

God is great and Jesus is great because they joined humanity.

Great people join.  They join to share with other people the greatness of love, kindness and wisdom about how we should live best.

How should we follow Jesus?

We follow Jesus by joining, by being baptized, by belonging to groups of people.

By joining our church, we gather to follow Jesus who joined us to show us how to live.

If we want to live the best life, the way that we do is to join and belong to groups of people who are committed to what Jesus has taught.

Sermon

What is the most common mistake that everyone makes, children and adults?

  I think the most common mistake that all of us make is the mistake of forgetting.

  Do you ever forget?  Forget to do your homework?  Forget to clean your room?   Forget what your teacher told?  Forget what your parents told you?  Forget what you promised to your children or spouse?

  Forgetting is easy to do.

  But the most serious forgetting is forgetting about God.   Today we have read the story about John the Baptist on the day that he baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.

  John the Baptist and Jesus were special men who were prophets.  And they came to help people recover from their forgetting.  See many people had forgotten some important things about God.  Even the religious leaders had forgotten some important things about God.  And what is often forgotten about God?

  People often forget that God loves them.  People often think that God loves the people in our country, or in our neighborhood or in our race better than people in another country, neighborhood or race.

  When Jesus was baptized, the voice of God said, this is my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.

  You and I need to remember what baptism means.  Baptism looks like just pouring some water over the head of a baby or an adult.  But what does baptism mean?  It means that we celebrate that each and every person is a child of God, a son or daughter of God.

  You see the problems in our life happen when we forget that we are sons and daughters of God.  The problems in our life happen when we forget that other people are son and daughters of God.

  When we remember that we are children of God we treat ourselves with respect.  When we remember that other people are children to God, we treat them with respect too.  When we remember God, then we remember to live good lives for God and we remember to live in peace and love with each other.

  John the Baptist and Jesus came to remind us about some things that we had forgotten.

  Let us remember the meaning of baptism.  Our baptism is a reminder that we and all people belong to the same family of God.  And if we remember that we will work to love one another and live in peace with each other.  Amen.

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

January 10, 202: 1 Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Gathering Songs:

 There Is One Lord, Jesus Loves Me, Jesus Loves the Little Children, God is So Good

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

People: And Blessed be God’s Kingdom, Now and forever. Amen.

Song: There is One Lord (Renew # 161)

There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; there is one God who is Father of all.

 (Twice to begin, once after each solo verse)

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. 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 from the Book of Genesis

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Liturgist: Let us read together a verse from Psalm 29  

Ascribe to the LORD, you gods, * ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his Name; * worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; * the LORD is upon the mighty waters.

The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice; * the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor.

My faithfulness and love shall be with him, * and he shall be victorious through my Name.

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 Mark  

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

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. (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.

Offertory: Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering

Song: Jesus Loves Me, This I Know (# 104 in All the Best)

1-Jesus loves me, this I know.  For the Bible tells me so.  Little ones to him belong.  They are week but He is strong.  Yes, Jesus loves me.  Yes, Jesus Loves me.  Yes, Jesus loves me.  The Bible tells me so.

2-Jesus love me. He who died.  Heaven’s gates to open wide.  He will wash away my sin, let His little child come in.  Yes, Jesus loves me.  Yes, Jesus loves me.  Yes, Jesus loves me.  The Bible tells me so.

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 him 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 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 that we may love God and our neighbors.

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 may rejoin their parents and take up their instruments)

Our Father (Sung): (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 by 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: Jesus Loves the Little Children (# 30 in All the Best)

Jesus loves the little children, All the children of the world.  Red and yellow, black and white, They are precious in His sight; Jesus loves the little children of the world.

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: God is So Good (# 31 in  All the Best)

1-God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He’s so good to me.

2-He cares for me, He cares for me, He cares for me, He’s so good to me.

3-I’ll do His will, I’ll do his will, I’ll do his will, He so good to me.

4-He is my Lord, He is my Lord, He is my Lord, He’s so good to me.

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God!

The Meaning of the Magi

2 Christmas B January 3, 2021
Jeremiah 31:7-14   Ps 
Eph. 1:3-6,15-19a Matthew 2:1-12

Lectionary Link

   I hate to do this, but I have to deconstruct or de-mystify the prevailing notions regarding the magi, the Wisemen from the East, who also came to have the names of Caspar, Balthasar and Melchior.    Were there just three travellers?  Probably not, since three people probably would have travelled in a protective caravan entourage across the desert for protection.  Why do we say there are three wisemen?  We infer that because there were three gifts there were only three magi.  But of course that does not logically follow.  Were the Christmas travelers magi and kings?  Well no, because the Gospel does not indicate that they were kings.   How did they become kings?  From references in the Hebrew Scriptures about all kings paying homage to a special person, it was inferred that these travelers had to be kings and so we have the famous song, "We three Kings of Orient Are," even though it is no longer politically correct to call Asia, the Orient.  Most every Christmas Pageant has the Magi arriving at the stable, but this violates the text.  The Magi actually visited the Christ Child in a house in Bethlehem after the birth.  Alas, the poor Pageant director cannot do an entire scenery change in the chancel of the church on Christmas Eve, so the magi end up having the stable as their final destination.  Directorial license is taken.

   And the costume designers for the Pageant demand that the magi be three kings.  It allows them to go wild with luxurious costumes for the three kings.  Why would you want three poor scholarly wisemen coming to the manger?  Such plain costumes would take away color from the pageant.

So, we've deconstructed our common visions of the Magi.  What was the meaning of the Magi within the messaging of the early Matthean churches?

The story of the Magi illustrates what was happening within the Jesus Movement.  God-fearing non-Jewish people were having their faith validated within the group of people who were followers of Jesus of Nazareth.

The followers of Jesus, were those who traced their roots to Jesus of Nazareth and they highlighted his special mission with a certain strain within the Hebrew Scriptures.  What was this strain?  It was the universal strain of Judaism. The prophets believed the Temple to be a House of Prayer for all people, not just the people of Israel.  The prophets believed the one God was available to foreigners like the Ninevites.  The prophets believed that God's covenant to Israel was to be the means of delivering the message to the entire world.

And when religious people do not practice the universal accessibility of God, there needs to some more messaging.  The message of Jesus Christ did not come to nullify the mission of the Jews and Judaism; it came to say there was another mission to make the universality of God more accessible to people who could not locate themselves completely within ritual adherence to Judaism.

What do you do to God-fearing seekers who are different from you and not acquainted with all of your ritual customs?  You find a way to indicate to them that they are desirous to connect with the image of God on their lives as it is known in the eternal Word Christ within them.

God-fearing seekers may travel far beyond their own limiting situation to make a journey.  Even we who think that we have found God and God has found us, still need to be God-fearing seekers on a journey deeper into a further realization of God.

The meaning of the Magi is that people who once were regarded as foreign and not God-approved by a certain group of people of God,  became accepted and regarded by God and by a community of welcoming people.

The meaning of the Magi continues through out the history of the church.  The meaning of the Magi continues within the church for people who have sought God and yet who have not been properly regarded with full grace status within the church.

Imagine all of the "superior colonial" missionaries bringing the message of God's love in Christ to people of color all over the world.  Imagine missionaries who brought the message of the love of Christ to people of color but who could not admit people of color to the level of dignity which they themselves held.

Just think about all slaves who professed and sang the love of Jesus and yet who were for so long not allowed the basic dignity of Jesus?  Imagine Absalom Jones and Richard Allen, Black Americans who were called to be ordained minister, being denied their recognized call for so long by "white churches?"  They were Magi worshipping the birth of Christ in their souls but not recognized in the equal call of God's Spirit on their lives.

Think about all of the women, gay persons who have been baptized in churches but who have been told that all of the sacraments are not open to them, like marriage and ordination.  What kind of sacramental justice is there if so many people know a deep call to these sacramental ministries and yet are denied by church policies which still have not caught up to universal availability of the call of God.

Remember Herod?  In the magi story, Herod is the person who feigns interests in the Christ Child and tries to use the magi as spies to do something devious.

How often has the church been willing to live off the gifts and the money of baptized person but then deny those same people the fullness of calling within the ministries of the church? We know the blessing of having opened up the ordained ministry to women and gay persons in the Episcopal Church, but do you know how much of a controversy and a scandal such ministries remain for many people who call themselves Christians?

The meaning of the Magi continues today.  People who are God fearers inside and outside of the church are looking for validation and welcome in community.  And we need to understand our identity as a community to be those who welcome the regarded foreigner and outsider to the community of Christ.  

The meaning of the Magi for us should also be personal.  You and I are to be the wise persons still on our journey to what is yet new in our spiritual journey.  We may have arrived at the place of the birth of Christ within us; we need to journey to those other sites of the growing up of the presence of Christ within us toward spiritual maturity.

May God help us be magi on a quest of further reading the signs of God in our circumstances; but let us also be magi who are always welcoming other magi who seek to find God's presence born within them as the awareness of the Risen Christ.  

Let us live the meaning of the Magi in our lives today, both as continual seekers on a journey, but also as those who are open to accept the full validity of other seekers who may be different from us.  Amen.