Sunday School, August 27, 2023 13 Pentecost, A proper 16
Theme:
Building a church
How does one build a church building? From the bottom up.
What is the bottom of the church called? It is called the foundation.
Old buildings were built with stones, shaped to fit together.
A large anchor stone on the foundation was called a cornerstone. Other stones were laid next to the corner stone and on top of the cornerstone to build a church building.
But a church is not just a building. Before we called churches, buildings, the church was the group of people who believed that Jesus was God’s special Son and that he was God’s chosen King for the world. Another name for God’s chosen King is Messiah or Christ.
Jesus told Peter and the disciples that he would build his church upon a rock. Peter’s name means rock. Since he was one of the first followers of Jesus, he was at the foundation of the church.
Jesus is the Big Rock or Cornerstone of the church. Peter was a smaller rock or stone. Jesus used people to build the group of people called the church.
Image the church like a great building. All of us are like stones that fit together to make the large People Church.
How does a building keep standing? If the bricks and stones are not toppled or pushed off the foundation.
How does the people church keep alive? By remembering that we are built upon Jesus Christ as our foundation and on Peter and the disciples and on all of the Christians who have come before. We join with other Christians to form the People Church now that still rests upon the foundation of Jesus and Peter and the apostles.
How do we keep alive and well as the church of people? We remember that we were founded by Jesus Christ. We remember to confess him to be the Messiah. And we remember that Jesus continues to build the church through us as people who share the news about Jesus with other people.
Sermon:
How many of you know about super-heroes? Does anyone know who Clark Kent is? Does anyone know who Bruce Wayne is? Does anyone know who Peter Parker is?
When Batman does not have his uniform on he is Bruce Wayne. When Superman is not in his costume he is Clark Kent. When Spiderman does not have his costume showing, he is Peter Parker.
Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker. Who knows that these ordinary people are superheroes? Only a few special people, and of course, we do when we watch the movie. But most people do not know the superheroes unless they have their uniforms on.
Many people who lived during the time of Jesus did not know that he was a special person like a superhero. Yes, they knew that he could do wonderful things, but they thought that he was just another prophet, teacher and preacher.
But there were some people who came to know how special Jesus was. Peter and the disciples who followed Jesus got to know how special Jesus was. They got know him as a superhero.
Peter said to Jesus, “You are the messiah, the son of the living God.” You are the superhero.
And Jesus said to him, “Not every one knows this Peter, so you are special to know my true identity.”
The story of Jesus has been written in a book so that readers can read this story too. And everyone who hears and reads this story can come to know the identity of Jesus of Nazareth.
We today confess the true identity of Jesus of Nazareth. We know that he was not just an ordinary person, he was a superhero. And so we say today about Jesus. You are the Christ, the Messiah, the son of the living God.
And you and I today can feel very happy because we are privileged to know the true identity of Jesus of Nazareth. He is our superhero, and we know that he is the special son of God. And we know that he has made us sons and daughters of God too. He has made us know that we are a part of God’s family.
Let us be thankful that we have come to know our super hero, Jesus Christ.
Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist
August 27, 2023: The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Gathering Songs: Shine Jesus Shine; Christ Beside Me; Open Our Eyes; Here I Am, Lord
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: Shine Jesus Shine, (Renew! # 247)
Refrain: Shine, Jesus shine, fill this land with the Father’s glory, blaze, Spirit blaze, set our hearts on fire; Flow, river flow, flood the nations with grace and mercy, send forth Your word, Lord, and let there be light.
Lord, the light of Your love is shining in the midst of the darkness shining; Jesus, light of the world, shine upon us, set us free by the truth You now bring us. Shine on me, shine on me. Refrain
Lord, I come to your awesome presence from the shadows into your radiance; by the blood I may enter your brightness, search me, try me, consume all my darkness. Shine on me, shine on me. Refrain
Liturgist: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Liturgist: Let us pray
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 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
A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
Liturgist: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 124
Blessed be the LORD! * he has not given us over to be a prey for their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; * the snare is broken, and we have escaped.
Our help is in the Name of the LORD, * the maker of heaven and earth.
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 came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
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.
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 Song: Christ Beside Me, (Renew! # 164)
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.
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.
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Prologue to the Eucharist
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of heaven.”
All become members of a family by birth or adoption.
Baptism is a celebration of our birth into the family of God.
A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.
The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.
The Lord be with you
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts. Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might. Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.
(All may gather around the altar)
Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;
You have made us in your image
And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:
Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.
And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph
And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.
Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat
the bread and drink the wine, we can know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as
this food and drink that becomes a part of us.
And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. Bless and sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbor.
On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."
After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."
Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.
Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ. May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.
By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory
is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,
(Children rejoin their parents and take up their instruments)
Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)
Our Father who art in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.
Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.
Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.
And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.
As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.
Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.
But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.
Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.
Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.
Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.
Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.
Breaking of the Bread
Celebrant: Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
People: Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!
Words of Administration
Communion Hymn: Open Our Eyes, Lord, (Renew! # 91)
Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus, to reach out and touch him, and say that we love him.
Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen, open our eyes Lord, we want to see Jesus.
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: Here I Am, Lord, (Renew! #149)
I the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry. All who dwell in dark and sin my hand will save. I who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright. Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send?
Refrain: Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.
Dismissal:
Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.
People: Thanks be to God!
