Sunday School, April 2, 2023 Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday A

 Sunday School, April 2, 2023    Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday A

Theme:

Peer pressure.  Sometimes we do and say things just because of the people that we are with.  We want to fit in and so we do and say things to fit in.

Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday is a day when we look at two crowds of people.  One crowd of people took branches from the tree and formed a parade behind Jesus riding on a donkey.  They marched into Jerusalem and shouted, “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”  They treated Jesus as though he was their king.

But another crowd gathered in Jerusalem at night when Jesus was being put on trial.  Since some people were treating him as a king, this angered the officers who served the Caesar who was the king of the Roman world and Jerusalem.  Jesus was accused of being a rival to the Caesar of Rome who controlled most of the world with his armies.  There was a different crowd at the trial of Jesus.  They yelled, “Crucify him. We have no king but Caesar.”

Remember we must choose the crowd of people that we want to hang around with.  And it is important to choose people as our friends who will help us to do and say the very best things.

Story Sermon for Palm Sunday.

Once upon a time in a village near the city of Jerusalem, the village of Bethphage; a little donkey was born in the pasture.  And that donkey was called by his owner, Shorty, because he was so tiny when he was born.

  But the donkey’s mom, called him Christopher.  When Christopher became old enough to talk to his mom, he asked her, "Why does my owner call me Shorty, even now when I've grown to be a tall and strong donkey?"  Christopher's mom said, "Well once you get a name, it sometimes just sticks and people won't let you be anything else."

  Christopher asked his mom, "Then why do you call me Christopher?"  His mom said, "Well, I'm not sure but I just had this feeling that it was the right name for you."

  Christopher looked in the other pasture and he saw a beautiful big stallion prancing around.  He saw important Roman Generals ride this beautiful horse.  And Christopher thought, "I wish that someone important would ride on my back some day.  And Christopher was a little jealous of the stallion.

  But one day something exciting happened to Christopher.  Two visitors came to the farm where Christopher was kept.  They called themselves disciples of Jesus, and they said there was going to be a parade into the great city of Jerusalem.  They also said that they needed a donkey to carry their king.  Christopher's owner Farmer Jacob, said, "I've got two donkeys, that jennet over there and her colt that I call "Shorty."  If Jesus needs the donkeys, take them.  Jesus is my friend, he healed my son, and I owe him everything I have."

  So the two disciples took Christopher and his mom with them and they went to a place just in front of the sheep gate in Jerusalem.  There was a large crowd gathered who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover Holiday.  After waiting for about an hour, the crowd soon got excited.  Jesus arrived and it was time for the parade to start.  The people put some robes on Christopher to make a saddle for Jesus.  Christopher had never been ridden before, and he was nervous.  But Christopher's mom said, "Calm down, Jesus is the nicest man in the world.  You don't need to buck him off."

  Jesus Climbed up on the back of Christopher and the parade started.  The people took some branches from some palm trees and they began to wave and shout and scream, because their superstar was there.  They followed Jesus as he was riding Christopher into the city of Jerusalem and Christopher trotted proudly through the streets.  This was the happiest day of his life.  At night, he and his mom were tied up at the house of one of the disciples in Jerusalem.  Christopher's mom was proud of him and she said, "Well now I know why I named you Christopher.  "Christopher" means, "the one who carries Christ."  And today you have carried Christ on your back, so today you have lived up to your name."  Christopher was so happy he wanted hee haw with joy.  But his happiness didn't last too long.

  He looked out on the street and he saw another parade.  In the darkness he saw a tired and naked Jesus walking with soldiers.  And the soldiers were forcing him to carry this large wooden cross on his back.  He was bleeding and he was too weak to carry the cross, so at one place they forced a man named Simon to carry the cross for Jesus.  The people who were following the soldiers were laughing and making fun of Jesus.  They were saying, "you're going to die Jesus.  You were just pretending to be a king, but you don't have any power, you're going to die Jesus."

  Christopher ran to his mom and said, "If I had known that this would happen to Jesus, I would not have brought him to Jerusalem."

  Christopher's mom said, "It is a terrible, terrible thing, but we must trust God.  Jesus is the best and nicest person who ever lived and God will take care of him.

  Well, Jesus went on to die on the cross.  And he was buried in a grave.  But does the story does not end here.  Come back next week and we will tell you the end of the story.  What happened to Jesus after he died and was put in the grave?

  What was the donkey's name?  Christopher.  What does Christopher mean?  It means "The one who carries Christ."  In a way, every Christian could be called Christopher.  Because you and I are asked to carry the presence of Christ into this world by being nice and kind.  Amen.

Intergenerational Holy Eucharist

April 2, 2023: Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday

Gathering Songs:

Hosanna! Hosanna!; Hosanna! Hosanna!;  The King of Glory

Palm Procession Entrance: Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest! (Renew!, # 71)

Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!  Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!  Lord we lift up your name with hearts full of praise; Be exalted, oh Lord my God! Hosanna in the highest!

Glory, Glory, glory to the King of kings! Glory, Glory, glory to the King of kings! Lord we lift up you name with hearts full of praise; Be exalted oh Lord my God! Glory to the King of kings!

Liturgist: Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.

People: His mercy endures 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.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Assist us with your mercy and help, O Lord God of our salvation, that we may enter with joy as we think about your mighty acts which have given us life and an everlasting future; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

First Litany of Praise: Chant: Hosanna

O God, you are Great!  Hosanna

O God, you have made us! Hosanna

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

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

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

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Hosanna

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

A Reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Let us read together from Psalm 118

On this day the LORD has acted; *we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Hosanna, LORD, Hosanna! *LORD, send us now success.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; *we bless you from the house of the LORD.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:

For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!

For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!

For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!

For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!

For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!

For work and for play. Thanks be to God!

For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!

For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!

For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.

   Thanks be to God!

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

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

When Jesus and his disciples had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, `The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately." This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, "Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey,

and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."  The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest heaven!" When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?" The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee." 

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

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

Since God is so great and we are so small,

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

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

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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

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

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

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

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

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

People:                        And also with you.

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

Offertory Song: Hosanna! Hosanna!  (# 102, The Christian Children’s Songbook)

 Hosanna, Hosanna, the little children sing.  Hosanna, Hosanna for Christ our Lord is King.  Prepare the way, the children sing, Hosanna to our Lord and King!  Hosanna, Hosanna, the little children sing.

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 God.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

All are born into the family of God by Baptism.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

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

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

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

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

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

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

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

(All may gather around the altar)

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

You have made us in your image

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

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

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

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

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

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

  this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

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

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

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

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:       Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast. 

Words of Administration

Communion:   Fairest Lord Jesus,    a 

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: The King of Glory, (Renew # 267)

Refrain: The King of glory comes, the nation rejoices. 

            Open the gates before him, lift up your voices.

Who is the king of glory; how shall we call him?  He is Emmanuel, the promised of ages. Refrain

In all of Galilee, in city or village, he goes among his people curing their illness. Refrain

Sing then of David’s son, our Savior and brother; in all of Galilee was never another. Refrain

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God! 

Resurrection as Future and as Now

5 Lent a March 26, 2023
Ez. 37:1-14 Ps. 130
Rom. 6:16-23 John 11:1-44

Lectionary Link

Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died?

In the relationship with God, one might cite the continuous mistiming of good things happening to undo bad things which have occurred.

The Lazarus story in the Gospel of John, encapsulates the way in which the early Christians were pondering their lives in their circumstances, which were not always so good.

By the time that the Lazarus story came to textual form, the Jesus Movement had moved from being a community waiting for the imminent end of the world to becoming a community which needed to survive and grow within the cities of the Roman Empire.

The very first writing of the New Testament, 1 Thessalonians was written by St. Paul to people who were anxious about the deaths of their friends happening before the Day of Lord.  St. Paul wrote words of comfort to link up resurrection life as a holding place in the now with the future resurrection of everyone.

The Thessalonian believers worried that death before the day of the Lord would put the preservation of such pre-deceased in question.

The Gospel of John is a writing which mixes a narrative of Jesus of Nazareth with a narrative of the Risen Christ for people living decades after Jesus.  The Risen Christ narrative is super-imposed over the narrative of Jesus of Nazareth.  

The Gospel of John incorporates a "Book of Signs" in it.   The word signs is used instead of "miracle" or wonder.  The Gospel of John proclaims Christ as the eternal Word of God from the beginning.  And as Eternal Word, the Risen Christ is all and in all.  And being all and in all, the Risen Christ is present to all life circumstances, some of which are cited in the book of Signs.  Christ is present in the seemingly trivial, like when wine runs out at a wedding feast.  Christ is present when one's child is deathly sick.  Christ is present when there is a storm on the Sea.  Christ is present for the blind and the lame.  Christ is present when the multitude lack enough to eat.  And finally Christ is present when one's loved ones die.

In this way, the writer of John is saying the Gospel is profoundly real to the actual circumstances of our lives.  It is not some other worldly, utopian, pie in the sky system of denial.

We do not necessary like the Risen Christ being compatible with all the conditions which we face in life.  We wish the timing of Christ would be our timing, and like children we wish that all human experience could be always already completely pleasant and "us" friendly.

The Gospel of John proclaims through the word of Jesus that the Risen Christ is resurrection, not only the resurrection or his resurrection, but rather resurrection itself.   What could this mean?  It means the preserving essence of life itself even when life is going through apparent states of change.  The most apparent states of change are designated as birth and death,  and resurrection encompasses both.  Neither birth nor death changes the status of resurrection.

The story of Lazarus is how John's Gospel intertwines the realization of Christly presence with all the circumstances of life, which includes death.

The Gospel of John was written for a minority community in the Roman Empire who had members suffering, and members who were dying.  What kind of life is compatible with all that humans have to face?  Resurrection life.  Resurrection life while we are living.  Holy Spirit continuous life even across the portal of death.

Today, we are ask to be humble about certainty of the continuity of any specific state of our existence, given the reality of changes in life.  The probable conditions which can happen to any of us at anytime are numerous and confronted with the uncertainty of what might happen to us, how do we live on the quicksand of such tentativeness?  We embrace resurrection as what continues within every change.

Resurrection is the continuity under the changing apparent conditions of our life.  And John's Gospel tells us to embrace this resurrection as the anchor for the roller coaster of our changing lives.

John's Gospel super-imposes the life of the Risen Christ upon the presentation of a life of Jesus.   The Gospel for us is for us to super-impose the Risen Christ upon the circumstances of our lives because as Jesus going to grave of Lazarus says, "I am Resurrection, I am Life."  You and I need to let resurrection be more than getting to some heavenly place in the future to be "saved"; we need to embrace it as the preserving continuity within the changes of our life.  John's Gospel invites us to embrace resurrection as life, even in Lent before Easter.  Amen.

Sunday School, March 26, 2020 5 Lent A

 Sunday School, March 26, 2020 5 Lent A

Theme:

Stories and Babushka dolls

Babushka dolls are like an onion.  They have layers.  They are a way of showing how things grow.  The way that you and I appear today includes all of the layers of stories about us before we became who we are.

The Gospel stories can be seen like babushka dolls; they are layers of story and sometimes bigger story includes a smaller story that came before the bigger story.

In the Gospel of Luke Jesus told a story about a beggar who was very sick who lived at the gate of a wealthy man and the wealthy man ignored beggar and did nothing to help him.  The beggar’s name of Lazarus and we don’t know the name of the wealthy man.  Both Lazarus and the wealthy man died.  The wealthy man after death went to a place of discomfort; but Lazarus went to a place of pleasure to live with the great Abraham.  In death, Lazarus and the wealthy man lived on the opposite sides and there was a big canyon between them that could not be cross.  The wealthy man was sad about being in a bad place.  He yelled across the canyon and asked that Abraham would send Lazarus back to life again to warn his family who had not yet died to live better lives so that when they died they would not have to suffer.  Abraham said that even if Lazarus came back to life and spoke to the wealthy man’s family, his family would not believe.  Why?  If they don’t listen to what Moses and the prophets taught them, then they would not even believe a man who returned from the dead.

The writer of John wrote about a man name Lazarus who died.  The sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha were very sad and when Jesus saw their sadness, he cried.  Jesus went to the tomb of Lazarus and he called Lazarus back to life again.  But did everyone believe in Jesus after this happened?  No.  People still did not believe that Jesus was the Resurrection and the life.

So do you see how the later story about Lazarus who died was like another layer of the story that Jesus told about Lazarus and the wealthy man.

Remember you and I are in the outer layer of another babushka doll about Jesus and the Resurrection.  How are you and I making the resurrection of Christ appear in our lives today?  Are we doing it with love, kindness, hope and justice?  What will people in the next layer of life and history say about how we believed in the resurrection of Christ?

Sermon:

Do a Lazarus “mummy” sermon with strips of cloth.  Get a child to be “mummy” Lazarus and other children to help bind the mummy and then unbind him as you retell the Lazarus story.

When the pyramids of Egypt were opened, they were found to be burial chambers for the kings of Egypt.

  And when they took the dead bodies out of the wooden caskets what did they call them. Mummies.

  So when people died they wrapped their bodies in cloth.

  I need a volunteer mummy today.  Would someone like to volunteer?

And so we are going to wrap up our volunteer to look like a mummy.

  We read the story about the death of Lazarus.

  Jesus came to see Mary and Martha after their brother had been wrapped and buried.

  And Jesus cried when he saw the sadness of everyone.

  So Jesus went to the tomb and he said, Lazarus, come out!

And Lazarus came out.

  And Jesus said, “Unbind the man.”

  So let us unbind our mummy and let him free.

  Jesus wanted to teach people that God is stronger than death.  But death is very strong.  It can make us have worry and fear.  And these worries and fear can be like that clothes that wrap up the mummy.

  Jesus says, unbind the man.

  Jesus tell us that we don’t have to be tied down because of death, because, there is a new life for us after death.

  After death, our life is preserve by God.

  So we don’t have to live in fear of death during this life, because we believe that God will preserve us forever.

  Let us remember that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.  Amen.

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

March 26, 2023: The Fifth Sunday in Lent

Gathering Songs: Dry Bones, Christ Beside Me, There is a Redeemer, I Am the Bread of Life,  

Liturgist: Bless the Lord who forgives all of our sins.

People: God’s mercy endures 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.

Opening Song: Dry Bones

Ezekiel connected dem dry bones, Ezekiel connected dem dry bones. Ezekiel connected dem dry bones. Now hear the word of the Lord. 

The toe bone connected to the foot bone. The foot bone connected to the ankle bone. The ankle bone connected to the leg bone.  The leg bone connected to knee bone. The knee bone connected to the thigh bone. The thigh bone connected to the hip bone. The hip bone connected to the back bone. The back bone connected to the shoulder bone. The shoulder bone connected to the neck bone. The neck bone connected to the head bone. Now hear the word of the Lord.

Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around. Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around. Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around.  Now hear the word of the Lord.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Litany of Praise: Praise be to God! (chanted)

O God, you are Great!  Praise be to God!

O God, you have made us! Praise be to God!

O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Praise be to God!

O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Praise be to God!

O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Praise be to God!

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Praise be to God!

O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Praise be to God!

Liturgist: A reading from the Prophet Ezekiel

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know." Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord."

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 130

If you, LORD, were to note what is done amiss, * O Lord, who could stand?

For there is forgiveness with you; * therefore you shall be feared.

I wait for the LORD; my soul waits for him; * in his word is my hope.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:

For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!

For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!

For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!

For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!

For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!

For work and for play. Thanks be to God!

For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!

For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!

For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.

   Thanks be to God!

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

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world."  When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?" Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me." When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

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

Since God is so great and we are so small,

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

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

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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

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

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

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

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

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

People:                        And also with you.

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

Offertory: Christ Beside Me   (Renew! # 164)

1          Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me—King of my heart;  Christ within me, Christ below me, Christ above me—never to part.

2          Christ on my right hand, Christ on my left hand, Christ all around me—shield in the strife:  Christ in my sleeping, Christ in my sitting, Christ in my rising—light of my life

3          Christ be in all hearts, thinking about me, Christ be on all tongues, telling of me; Christ be the vision, in eyes that see me, in ears that hear me, Christ ever be.

4          Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me—King of my heart; Christ within me, Christ below me, Christ above me—never to part.

Doxology

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

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

Prologue to the Eucharist

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

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

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

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

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

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

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

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

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

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

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

All may gather around the altar

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

You have made us in your image

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

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

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

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

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

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

  this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. Bless and sanctify us 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: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:       Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast. 

Words of Administration

Communion Song: There is a Redeemer (Renew! # 232)

There is a redeemer, Jesus, God own Son, precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One.

Refrain: Thank you, O my Father, for giving us your Son; and leaving your Spirit ‘til the work on earth is done.

Jesus, my Redeemer, name above all name, precious Lamb of God, Messiah, hope for sinners slain.  Refrain

When I stand in glory I will see His face, and there I’ll serve my King forever, in that holy place.  Refrain

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:  I Am the Bread of Life, Lord (Blue Hymnal, # 335)

1-I am the bread of life; they who come to me shall not hunger; they who believe in me shall not thirst.  No one can come to me unless the Father draw them. 

Refrain: And I will raise them up, and I will raise them up, and I will raise them up on the last day.

4-I am the resurrection, I am the life.  They who believe in me, even if they die, they shall live for ever.  Refrain

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God! 

Everyone Is Blind; Everyone Can See

4 Lent A  March 19, 2023
1 Sam. 16:1-13 Ps. 23
Eph. 5:1-14 John 9:1-38

Lectionary Link
Everyone is blind; everyone can see.  How so?  We are blind to what we cannot yet see, and we see the things which seem so obvious to us based upon our observations and our spiritual experience and emotional intelligence.

An age old question is why don't all people see things the way that I do?  And why do other people see things so differently than I do, that such different interpretations of reality makes us incompatible if not unfriendly or even enemies?

Seeing and blindness issues have always been part of human experience and differences in seeing and reading life experience is the constant challenge for people to live together well.  Seeing and blindness can be merely human experience in the process of time.  Time and change, especially changing human context creates differences.

We may think that something as objective as science is exempt from time and change, but science often has tentative conclusions that must be given up if more adequate answers are discovered. T.S. Kuhn, a historian of science noted that there are changes in thought networks within science and he called them paradigms.  Isaac Newton devised a definitional system for physics and he used terms like energy, mass, and matter.  Albert Einstein articulated the physics of relativity and he used the same words as Newton, energy, mass, and matter, but within his physics these tried and true words had different meanings.

The New Testament is essentially about a new paradigm in faith practice that arose out of Judaism.

The Gospels provide narratives about how Jesus was the one who initiated a new faith paradigm.

The New Testament is also a record of how not everyone comes to accept the new faith paradigm initiated by Jesus.

The Gospel of John lays out in story form the conflict between paradigms.  In our Gospel story, the blind man who encountered Jesus was able to see.  Conversely, the Pharisees, who did not have an experience of enlightenment about Jesus, were blind to this new faith paradigm.

The writer of the Gospel of John is elucidating this blindness/seeing divide that occurs when people live in different faith paradigms.

The Pharisees believed in God, they believe in resurrection, they believed in a fuller list of book of the Hebrew Scriptures than the Sadducees, and they believed in a Messiah.  But they could not see and understand God in the way in which the followers of Jesus understood God, the resurrection, the interpretation of the Scriptures and the identity of the Messiah.

The blindness/seeing metaphor helps us to be honest about division which exists between people who live in different religious, cultural, and political paradigms.  And the result is the we/they break down.  We see clearly.  They are blind.  However, they say that they see clearly and that we are blind.

What must happen for a person who was blind to message of the Risen Christ within the early Jesus Movement?  A person had to be converted; he or she had to have a new birth in order to see life, and the life of Jesus differently.

We today still divide ourselves up into groups of people who think that they see and that their opponents are blind.  

One way to understand the blindness/ seeing divide is to understand process and time.  As an older person, I understand God, Jesus, the Bible, the Holy Spirit, in a completely way now than I have at many different times in my earlier life.  In the past, I have been blind to what I have come to see.

Will the blind/seeing divide ever go away?  Probably not, as long as people are in the process of growing up with varied capacities for what they can learn and understand.

The best way to advocate for the adequacy of how we see and understand our lives of faith is to ask, "Is my way of seeing Christ-like?  Is is accessible to all people?  Does it end in actions of love, kindness, and justice?"

Now we can become pessimistic about the persistence of the great divide between people who think that they see while regarding others to be blind.  Or we can live optimistically toward the kind of enlightened seeing which manifests itself in a winsome kindness, love, and justice.

Today, let us not be too proud of our seeing.  Let us not be so sure that others are blind.  But let us endeavor to prove the worth of our enlightened seeing with truly Christ-like living, so that we are always preaching the Gospel of Christ, and if necessary, sometimes use words.  Amen.