Sunday School, October 1, 2023 18 Pentecost A Proper 21

  Sunday School, October 1, 2023  18 Pentecost A Proper 21

Theme:  Learning to make our actions agree with our words.  Discuss the importance of verbal contracts.  If we say we're going to do something, then we need to do.  And also remember when we say we will not do something, we can still change our minds and do the right thing.  Talk about the practical promises children make regarding home chores and school homework.

  Exercise:  With News print.  Have the children list some times they have made promises and broken them.  Have them list things that they say they would not do, but went ahead and did anyway.  But then have them list the things which they promised to do and did, so as to show them how their words and deeds need to be in agreement.

Puppet Show:

Matching Words and Deeds

Noah:  Okay animals, you need to brush your teeth.  There is lots of bad breath on this ark and so you need to brush your teeth.  Ally, please brush your teeth.  Mrs. Noah will help you.

Ally: No, I won't.  I've got more teeth to brush and it takes me too much time.  I won't do.

(Ally, goes away but then sneaks in and lets Mrs. Noah brush his teeth)

Noah:  Roary, go brush your teeth.

Roary: Okay, Mr. Noah.  I will brush my teeth.

(Roary does not brush his teeth)

Noah: Tookey, please go brush your teeth.  Mrs. Noah will help you.

Tookey: Okay, Mr. Noah, I'll get my teeth brushed.

(Tookey goes to Mrs. Noah and gets her teeth brushed)

Noah: Shem, please go and get your teeth brushed.

Shem: No, I will not go. And I won't get my teeth brushed.

(Shem refused to get his teeth brushed)

(Later Noah returns)

Noah:  Okay, it is now inspection time for your teeth.  Ally, let me see your teeth.

Ally: Okay.

Noah: Very good Ally.  You said that you would not brush your teeth but you decided to get them brushed.

Noah: Okay Roary, let me see your teeth.  Your teeth did not get cleaned.  You told me you were going to brush your teeth but you didn't.  I am disappointed with you.

Roary:  Oh, Oh I must have forgotten.  How about if I brush just once a week?

Noah: That won't do.  Your breath smells awful.  Okay Tookey.  What about your teeth?  Wow, your teeth are very clean.  And you did exactly what you said you were going to do.  I'm very proud of you.  Okay Shem.  Let me see your teeth.

Shem: I told you that I wasn't going to brush my teeth and I didn't do it.

Noah:  Well, I am very disappointed Shem.  You need to learn to say and to do the good things for your life.  Brushing your teeth is good for the health of your teeth.  You need to follow the good rules.

Noah:  Okay boys and girls.  We have learned that it is good to say and do good things in our life.  Which animal said I will brush my teeth and he also did it?

Tookey:  I did.

Noah:  Well let's give Tookey a hand.

Noah:  Who said that he would not brush his teeth but he went and brushed his teeth anyway.

Ally: I did.

Noah: That's good Ally but you need to remember to say yes to the good rules for your life.

Still, Ally brushed his teeth so let's give Ally a hand.  Okay, who said that he would brush his teeth but he didn't do it?

Roary: I did.  Sorry.  I told you I would because I did not want to hurt your feelings.

Noah:  But my feelings are still hurt because it is important that you take good care of your teeth.  And by saying that you would brush them and not doing it, you lied to me.  You need to work on your obedience Roary.  Okay, now who said that they would not brush their teeth and didn't do it?

Shem: I did.  I don't want to brush my teeth.  It takes me too long.

Noah:  Shem you have to learn how to follow rules.  The rule to brush our teeth are for the protection of your health.  You need to learn to honor the rules and do them.  So boys and girls, we have learned a lesson.  We need to learn how to make our words agree with what we do.  This is how we can live honest and truthful lives.  Can you remember that today?

Family Liturgy

Gathering Songs: Do Lord; Thy Word; May the Mind of Christ, Our Savior; 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: Do Lord  (Christian Children’s Songbook,  # 42)

1.    I’ve got a home in glory land that outshines the sun.  I’ve got a home in glory land that outshines the sun.  I’ve got a home in glory land that outshines the sun, ‘way beyond the blue.

Refrain: Do Lord, oh do Lord, oh, do remember me.  Do Lord, oh, do Lord, oh, do remember me. Do Lord, oh, do Lord, oh, do remember me, way beyond the blue.

2.    I took Jesus as my Savior, you take Him too. I took Jesus as my Savior, you take Him too. I took Jesus as my Savior, you take Him too, ‘way beyond the blue.  Refrain

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:          And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Alleluia (chanted)

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

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

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

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

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

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

A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Philippians

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus…

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 78

Hear my teaching, O my people; * incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

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

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 entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, `From heaven,' he will say to us, `Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, `Of human origin,' we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet." So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.  "What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, `Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' He answered, `I will not'; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, `I go, sir'; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him."

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:  Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling,   

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.

(Children may gather around the altar)

The Celebrant now praises God for the salvation of the world through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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:  May the Mind of Christ, My Savior, (Renew! # 285)

1.    May the mind of Christ, my Savior, live in me from day to day, by his love and power controlling all I do and say.

2.    May the word of God dwell richly in my heart from hour to hour, so that all may see I triumph only through his power.

3.    May the peace of God, my Father, rule my life in everything, that I may be calm to comfort sick and sorrowing.

4.    May the love of Jesus fill me as the waters fill the sea.  Him exalting, self abasing: this is victory.

5.    May we run the race before us, strong brave to face the foe, looking only unto Jesus as we onward go.

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! 

How Is Justice Seemingly Unfair?

17 Pentecost, Cycle A Proper 20, September 24, 2023

Jonah 3:10-4:11 Psalm 145:1-8
Philippians 1:21-30 Matthew 20:1-16

Lectionary Link

Our country is currently experiencing some labor union strikes.  Worker want fair wages and benefits and there is justice in that.

The parable of Jesus that we have read for today presents an unfair wage situation to evoke an insight about what justice means in actual practice.

The workers of the parable who worked long hours got paid the very same as the workers who worked but a very short time.  And so they naturally cried, "Unfair!"

The prophet Jonah believed that his people had an exclusive covenant contract with God, and when God called him to share the benefits of a covenant with God with the foreign people of Ninevah, he was angry.  His behavior said to God, "It's not fair.  We are God's favorites, and we have favored nation status with God.  Why should I have to share news of God's favor to foreign people?"

God's grace and favor belonging to everyone, can seem to us in our presumption of specialness to be unfair.

We proclaim that all are made in the image of God and this means each person is blessed with the dignity of bearing God's image.

But we are not equal in our appearance, our DNA, skills, age, talent, health, social, political, and economic circumstances.

How does the equality of God function in the circumstances of vast differences of human conditions?  This question is the spiritual, social, political, human, and Gospel question.

A young child might complain about the privileges of an older sibling.  "Mom, why can't I stay up as late as my big brother?"  It is apparent that there are conditions in life which require different treatment, seeming unequal treatment.

How do we treat people differently according to their circumstance but do it while affirming their equal dignity?  This is the question of applied justice.  Applied justice can seem unfair in actual treatment situations.  Mom and dad have good reasons for have different bedtimes for their children, and yet they have equal love for all their children.

The God contract with everyone is the same.  That is where we are all equal, equal in bearing the dignity of the image of God.

The probable conditions of freedom leave us in an ocean of differences among people.  The great Gospel question is how can we honor the equal dignity of every person while honoring the very specifics of their life situations.

The wide array of differences in people's life situation makes the work of justice very difficult; it makes it a "feeling art," one based upon having empathy with others to know their situation and act in their best interest within their community of people.

The church was established by the early followers of Jesus to be a hybrid community of living the wisdom of applied justice for people with differences.  And this is still our Gospel task today; to model applied justice with the people closest to us as a way to spread the divine dignity which is upon the lives of everyone.

Societies provide us laws of applied justice as well; but Gospel justice is based upon an enhanced meaning of the worth of each person in having the treasure of God's image upon them.

Our task as Gospel communities is for the release and the development of the treasure of God's image on each person in life.  The task is not easy; it requires the persistent discernment of what is needed for each person to know dignity in their life situation.  This means learning how to live with each other well.

Today, the Gospel invites us to the mission of learning, discerning, and practicing applied justice to the many different people in our lives.  Amen.

Sunday School, September 24, 2023 17 Pentecost, A proper 20

  Sunday School, September 24, 2023   17 Pentecost, A proper 20

A riddle of Jesus

The first shall be last and the last shall be first.

When a new baby arrives, the baby is the last or latest member of the family.  Everyone is happy when a baby is born.  We put the baby on a pedestal; we celebrate the baby as first in our recognition.  We don’t get jealous about the baby getting the recognition.  Does that mean we love the baby more than other members of the family?  No, of course not.  But the birth of a new baby is special and so we give the new baby special recognition.  Those who are older are respect but also the one who is just born is for the occasion given a “first” place.

This was a riddle that Jesus used to say that even though we are different in age and in many other ways, we still are equal or first in dignity in God’s eye.

When it comes to dignity in God’s eye, everyone is first.  And everyone get opportunity to share the respect of being “first” in dignity in God’s eye.

If only the people who have always been around are “first” in dignity then we will never make room for new babies and others to grow in God’s love and the dignity that God shares with all.

Today, let us be thankful that we are all different; but let us also celebrate that we are equal and first in knowing God’s love and grace.

This is also an American belief:  We are all created equal have the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Long before America was ever a country, Jesus said that the first shall be last and the last first.  This means that equality in difference is an important understanding of the Gospel of Jesus.

Sermon

Text:

  Have you ever said to your mom or dad, “That’s not fair!”  Have you ever said to your friend, “That’s not fair?”

  May be your brother or sister gets to stay up longer than you do or they get to go somewhere with their friends and you say, “That’s not fair.”

  Jesus once told a story about people who cried, “That’s not fair.”

  A man owned a vineyard… What do you plant in vineyards?  Grapes.  And he had lots of grapes that needed to be picked.  So, he hired some workers for a day’s wages, early in the morning to pick grapes, but he saw that he needed more.  So, at 10 o’clock in the morning, he hired some more workers at a day’s wages.  And still he needed more workers.  He hired at noon, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and he hired them all at a day’s wages.

  In the evening when all the grape picking was finished, he gave the workers their pay.  And all the workers got the same amount of money.  The workers who started very early in the morning cried, “That’s not fair.  We worked longer so we should get more!”

  Jesus was trying to teach a lesson to his friends.

  There were some religious people who thought that they and their family had loved God longer than some other people.  They had Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and David in their family tree.

  They were upset when Jesus said that God was for everyone equally.  They said it was not fair to offer the good news of God to foreigners, beggars and poor people.

  But Jesus said, “God has equal mercy for everyone, for old people, for young people, for people of every shape, size and color.

  God is equally God for everyone, no matter when and where we are born.  In God’s eyes we are all born equal.  That is why in our Declaration of Independence it is written that all men and women are created equal.  Why?  Because God is available to everyone in an equal way.

  I do not possess more of God than you do.  God gives mercy to all of us.

  And so what do we have to do?  We have to accept God mercy and we have to let all people know how merciful and loving God is.

  That is what Jesus came to teach us.

  Don’t you think it’s fair that God is merciful to everyone?

  Let us thank God for God’s love and mercy to everyone today.

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

September 24, 2023: Seventeenth Sunday of Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Give Thanks, Lord of all Hopefulness, Glorify the Lord, Pass It On

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

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

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

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

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

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song: Give Thanks  (Renew! # 266)

Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the holy one,

give thanks because he given Jesus Christ his Son.  (sing twice)

And now let the weak say I am strong; let poor say I am rich

because of what the Lord has done for us.  (sing twice)

Give thanks.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Alleluia (chanted)

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

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

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

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

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

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

Liturgist: A reading from the Book of Exodus

Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day….The LORD spoke to Moses and said, "I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, `At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'"  In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat."

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 105

Give thanks to the LORD and call upon his Name; * make known his deeds among the peoples.

Sing to him, sing praises to him, * and speak of all his marvelous works.

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.

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, `You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, `Why are you standing here idle all day?' They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, `You also go into the vineyard.' When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, `Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

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:       Renew! # 174  (gray hymnal)   

1. Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy, whose trust ever child-like, cares could destroy: be there at our waking and give us we pray, your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

2. Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith, whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe: be there at our labors and give us we pray, your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

3. Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace, your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace: be there at our homing, and give us, we pray, your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.

4. Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm, whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm:  be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray, your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.

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,

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:  Glorify Your Name, (Renew! # 37)

Father, we love you, we worship and adore you, glorify your name in all the earth; Glorify your name, glorify you name, glorify your name in all the earth.

Jesus, we love you….

Spirit, we love you…

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: Pass It On, (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 177)

It only takes a spark to get a fire going.  And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing.  That’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experienced it; you spread his love to everyone, you want to pass one.

I wish for you my friend the happiness that I’ve found.  You can depend on Him, it matters not where you’re bound.  I’ll shout it from the mountain top, I want my world to know the Lord of love has come to me.  I want to pass it on.  I’ll shout it from the mountain top, I want my world to know the Lord of love has come to me.  I want to pass it on.

Dismissal:   

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

People:      Thanks be to God! 

Forgiveness as the Chief Strategy of Reconciliation

16 Pentecost, Cycle A proper 19, September 17, 2023
Genesis 50:15-21 Psalm 103:8-13
Romans 14:1-12 Matthew 18:21-35

Lectionary Link

In Second Corinthians, St. Paul wrote, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not counting their sins against them."

So one could say that the big task in the world of vast differences is the task of reconciliation.

And this is a big dream, and one might think that it's an impossible dream.  But even those who do not believe in God, have this dream.  Just take a look at the John Lennon song, "Imagine."  Imagine a world, with no heaven, no hell, no killing, no possessions, no religion, but peace and the brotherhood of all.

And religionists would say that such a dream is based upon unreality.  Let's just pretend that people do not sin and that everyone is a perfect angel.

Whether we believe in God or don't, the dream of reconciliation hangs over us a reminder that we need to be better.  The dream remains because the highest standard needs to inform the direction of our aspiration.

The insight behind reconciliation is that everything belongs together with a purpose.  Such an insight might be called the harmony of justice, or giving each being its dignified place in the great mixture of the community of all things.

It is quite one thing to dream impossible dreams of reconciliation for all things; it is another thing to actually do the work in real life situations.

The mission of the church as it came to writing in the New Testament was this great mission of reconciliation.  And to make reconciliation more than a grand theory, such reconciliation needed a strategy.

And the specific strategy of reconciliation is the strategy of forgiveness.  The church was to be a model community where reconciliation was practiced through events of forgiveness.  And often, we might think that churches and their members have been better at fighting among themselves than at reconciling.  Even so, it remains the mission of the church to be the laboratory of forgiveness, proving love in the specific practice of forgiveness and becoming a model for the greater task of reconciliation in the world at large.

The practice of forgiveness is a chief strategy of reconciliation.  Forgiveness is both difficult and necessary for the survival and the effective functioning of family and community.

Today in our world of bad news which scream louder than the good news; we can get the impression that the work of reconciliation is failing on a grand scale.  We can note that human populations reside in places of great natural disasters which take human lives.  And we can bewail that human life patterns do not seem to be reconciled with the great happenings in nature.  And when we look at the war, fighting, gross inequality, and the oppression of tyrants, we wonder about any success toward reconciliation in our world.

We recognize that forgiveness in practice is very difficult since the paths of avenging, revenging, or passive aggression seem to even the sides of harmed people.  This is why we need to focus upon the great reconciliation which is evidenced in each moment of life, namely everlastingness itself.  The continual renewal of everything in time is proof of everything being forgiven and given another chance in a new moment with slightly different conditions than the previous moment.  What we call the sustaining work of God is also God's forgiveness of all that was so that all that is can still become something better.

God's sustaining is the always already forgiveness for all that is, to have another chance at becoming.  And this sustaining is God ever present forgiveness of what has been.

And we need to learn how to reside within this great forgiveness of God to let everyone and everything continually have a chance at being better.

We need not be sentimental or naive about reconciliation or forgiveness.  Both co-exist with the needs for confession, penance, reparations, juridical punishment, as well as the extreme sicknesses of psycho and social pathologies which highly complicate the practice of forgiveness.  The practice of forgiveness is not a naive pacifism in face of some horrendous evils.

While the big evils dominate our world news, it is the myriads of acts of forgiveness which preserve human community and helps us continue to function toward a better justice for all people.

And so let us not grow weary in continuing to pray, "forgives us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."  "God let us survive another day to improve as we allow others to survive another day to improve as well."

And let us stop counting how many times we have to forgive.  God's sustaining forgiveness is endless, and we need to live in the train of the grace of forgiveness.   In this way we will be with Christ in reconciling the world to God, and us to each other.  Amen.