Friday, May 31, 2024

Aphorism of the Day, May 2024

Aphorism of the Day, May 31, 2024

One can look at Sabbath as legalistic requirement for behaviors on a day of worship, or one can see it as a basic principle of people needing rest sprinkled throughout their lives.  It becomes a religious law so that a minimum is enforced so that authorities cannot deny the rest privilege to what everyone needs.

Aphorism of the Day, May 30, 2024

An ancient "labor union" injunction: keep the sabbath.  Seven days of labor could not be forced upon anyone and use religious justification.

Aphorism of the Day, May 29, 2024

The Sabbath principle is the principle of balancing of active life with rest.  One might see the arising of Sabbath as a way of forcing person with wealth to provide their "servants" with rest so that they could not be completely exploited.

Aphorism of the Day, May 28, 2024

The quest of the law is justice for everyone equally.  When laws serve only the rights and opportunity of a privileged class of people, justice is not served.  The goal of a just society is to provide equal access to justice in equal ways to everyone.  But how many poor people have unlimited resources for legal assistance?

Aphorism of the Day, May 27, 2024

It's one thing to believe that there are behaviors which are legal and right in life; it is another thing to be rightfully related to the law.  The application of the law is more of an art than a science but it is both in that it relies upon the honest reporting of what actually happened coupled with a sensitive heart for loving relationships within a community.  Jesus said that the sabbath law was made for humanity, not humanity for the sabbath law.  The literal application of the law can sometimes result in harm.  A law that is seen as consistent as a well oiled machine can sometimes grind and hurt those who do not understand its functioning purpose.

Aphorism of the Day, May 26, 2024

The language of science is privileged because it results in the most effective and consistent manipulation of our external world.  When we experience things that we cannot explain, like why love happens, why we are moved by poetry, art, music, and seeing the ocean, the sky, the mountains, and other phenomenon of nature,  we resort to the very unscientific "wow" language that seems to be another discourse of language appropriate to such experiences.  Modern fundamentalism has occurred because certain "religious" persons have tried to say that "wow" language is actually scientific language.  So we have much discursive confusion.

Aphorism of the Day, May 25, 2024

In the use of  language we define and definitions create tautologies, as in God=the Greatest.  From such tautologies it follows that greatness at the very least involves superlative personhood, because humans are personal, and to be greater than human would be to have the greatest form of Personhood.  Even though such arguments are circular, they have meaningful relevance in our continual exploration of personhood.  We don't deny God Personhood because we don't deny that in ourselves.

Aphorism of the Day, May 24, 2024

One might say that the implicit understanding of God as Trinity arose because the words in the Traditions of Jesus regarding how he understood himself and his relationship to the divine.

Aphorism of the Day, May 23, 2024

The Trinity is a stated value about Personalism being central to human life.  Having language is what distinguishes human in knowing anything at all.  Language is personal because language is the basis of knowing relationships.  The Trinity presents a a dynamic equality in differences Personhood.  Life lived well is about the equality of harmony among the different people in life.  The Trinity models a Communal Personalism which we strive for with the practice of love and justice.

Aphorism of the Day, May 22, 2024

Language itself is the main metaphor for what is not language and comes to language.  Within the field of language in human attempts to relate to Plenitude, God-language traditions have occurred.  The Trinitarian language tradition arose, mainly because of the words in the Jesus tradition in how he is presented in his words regarding himself, God his Father, and the Advocate Spirit.

Aphorism of the Day, May 21, 2024

The Trinity arose within the Christian community as a standardizing way of speaking about God for the purpose of Christian unity within a growing religious movement.  The claim is that the Trinity arrived at an explicit explication in the words and traditions of Jesus even while it was implicit from the beginning.  God the Father created by speaking the eternal Word Christ as the Holy Spirit moved over the face of the abyss to make things become.

Aphorism of the Day, May 20, 2024

Language is the personal field in which we live because language is the expression of connection of relationship through which we are defined as personal.  Is it any surprise then that God as that which none greater can be conceived would include ultimate personalities?

Aphorism of the Day, May 19, 2024

Pentecost is a language day.  Christ as the Eternal Word was translated into every language.  The Christ image of God on each person rises within people of every language.

Aphorism of the Day, May 18, 2024

Once one accepts the mediation of all experience through language, whether consciously or unconsciously, the notion of the spontaneous must get reassessed because everything happens through a pre-existing interpretive grid.

Aphorism of the Day, May 17, 2024

Language is the built axiology of humanity in continuously assigning value from human contexts.  It is a system of privileging metaphorical ways of speaking about everything.

Aphorism of the Day, May 16, 2024

A mystery in life is how sentient beings have mutual experience of each other conducted.  Is it empty space between you and me or is it space which conducts sensorial experience.  Is Holy Spirit omnipresence a name we give the mystery of being able to mutually connect at all?

Aphorism of the Day, May 15, 2024

Holy Spirit in language becomes the personification of the metaphors of wind or breath, which for the ancients was the hidden sign of life within a person or nature.

Aphorism of the Day, May 14, 2024

Can we know the specific effects of everything that is and was on everything else that is and was?  There is two much negligible to deal with, and yet practically we have deal with statistical approximations of what our five senses tell us.

Aphorism of the Day, May 13, 2024

The mystery of Spirit: how does the quantities of all possible entities fit into the quantity of ONE?

Aphorism of the Day, May 12, 2024

The Ascension of Jesus might be metaphorical understood as the historical Jesus being expanded to being poetically declared by Paul as the Christ who is all and in all.  The Ascension might be insightfully understood as an expansive diffusion of understanding personal Christliness as accessing the image of God upon everything.

Aphorism of the Day, May 11, 2024

Oneness with God is not the equality of exact coincidence with God; it is is the equality of difference of living and having our becoming within God.  The continual goal is to accept the unity of being within God rather than forgetfully living a life of alienation.

Aphorism of the Day, May 10, 2024

The New Testament writing come to be generated long after Jesus has become invisible.  The writers start with their own reality of their experience of the Risen Christ, and present a program of the phases of Jesus Christ, stretching from the prehistorical Word from the beginning through his return to the invisible after earthly life state of being beyond the elevator of the Ascension.

Aphorism of the Day, May 9, 2024 (Ascension Day)

Ascension and Assumptions are presentations of the belief of specific memorable transitions of persons between the visible and invisible words.  This belief includes the connection between the lifetimes of the departed persons with the remaining memorial traces of that person as continuing inspiration for humanity in need of superlative exemplars to guide our quest for surpassability in excellence.  Each person makes a transition to the invisible and the goal of a good transition would be to leave some memorial traces worthy to inspire courage in excellence.

Aphorism of the Day, May 8, 2024

The similarity between checkers and chess is the same board on which they are played.  Language is the game board of human life on which many games of discursive practices are played, each with rules pertaining to their own "game." 

Aphorism of the Day, May 7, 2024

Within the main paradigm of human life, having language, there are many different paradigms or language games.   Like Venn diagrams, when language users experience the expanding of the flooding or mutual areas of different paradigms, the experience of ironies, contradictions, and ambiguities arises.  How does one live in the "scientific empirical verification" paradigm and the biblical writings at the same time.  The failure to know how to be scientists and poets at the same time and confusing discursive practices has caused much confusion.  Persons confuse by trying to be scientifically poetic or poetically scientific.

Aphorism of the Day, May 6, 2024

Anachronism occur when referring to the past because we can't be there and we project the paradigms of our "now" onto the understanding and presentations of the past.

Aphorism of the Day, May 5, 2024

Today is different any other other day because it has never been before even while it retains in our experience similar traces of what has gone before.  These traces have to be reapplied with invention for what new must arise in response to what is new.

Aphorism of the Day, May 4, 2024

Today we re-contextualize every memorial traces that lingers from yesterday and depending upon the goals which we have for today and the future, we use the traces variously.  Imagine the great expanding Plenitude re-contextualizing everything and always already including the absolute past which comprising a new NOW.

Aphorism of the Day, May 3, 2024

In John's Gospel, the notion of friends has a special meaning.  It refers perhaps to the affinity and fondness which members of the community shared because of their confession of an experience of the Risen Christ.  Such friendship was a reference to "fellowship" love.

Aphorism of the Day, May 2, 2024

In saying or writing, one cannot control the perceived meanings of others about what one writes or says.  We are fortunate if the meanings received are within an area of commonality to allow us to live together.

Aphorism of the Day, May 1, 2024

Laying down one's life for one's friends is an expression of love.  The Gospel of John uses the Greek word pseuche or "soul life" for life.  When we make room for each other to live together effectively, laying down one's soul life is a constant requirement.

Quiz of the Day, May 2024

Quiz of the Day, May 31, 2024

Of the following High Priest, which did not serve in the Temple?

a. Zadok and Azariah
b. Eli and Aaron
c. Hilkiah and Seraiah
d. Johanan and Ahimaaz

Quiz of the Day, May 30, 2024

Who said, "speak Lord for your servant is listening?"

a. Paul
b. David
c. Moses
d. Samuel
e. Noah

Quiz of the Day, May 29, 2024

The office of "bishop" is not mention in

a. 1 Timothy
b. Acts
c. Titus
d. 1 Peter
e. 1 Corinthians

Quiz of the Day, May 28, 2024

Where is the list of the 7 fold gifts of the spirit found in the Bible?

a. 1 Corinthians
b. Ephesians
c. Galatians
d. Isaiah

Quiz of the Day, May 27, 2024

Who referred to himself as the "foremost of sinners?"

a. a publican in a parable of Jesus
b. Peter
c. Jeremiah
d. Paul

Quiz of the Day, May 26, 2024

Which Gospel contains the most metaphors about Jesus?

a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John

Quiz of the Day, May 25, 2024

Which of the following is not a classification in the canonization process?

a. holy
b. venerable
c. blessed
d. saint

Quiz of the Day, May 24, 2024

Who might "elder and elect lady" refer to?

a. Priscilla
b. Dorcas
c. Recipient of 2 John letter
d. metaphor of the church in Revelations

Quiz of the Day, May 23, 2024

Why does the Book of Common Prayer have a feast day in Pentecost?

a. English became an officially accept language of Prayer
b. the first BCP was published in 1549, on the day after Pentecost
c. Cranmer said the BCP was essentially about the meaning of Pentecost
d. Henry VIII wanted the BCP release on his birthday

Quiz of the Day, May 22, 2024

Which of the following saints is associated with concern for the holy sites in Jerusalem?

a. Monnica
b. Helena
c. Egeria
d. John of Damascus

Quiz of the Day, May 21, 2024

What is chief recommendation of the writer of the book of Proverbs?

a. delight in the law
b. read the Torah
c. love God with all your heart
d. get wisdom

Quiz of the Day, May 20, 2024

Antichrist or antichrist is used in two New Testament books, which are

a. 1 & 2 Thessalonians
b. 1 & 2 Timothy
c. 1 and 2 John
d. 1 John and Revelation

Quiz of the Day, May 19, 2024

The persons who heard speaking in their own various languages were

a. Gentiles living in Jerusalem
b. Jews from the Diaspora visiting Jerusalem
c. Galileans
d. Roman citizens

Quiz of the Day, May 18, 2024

Which military metaphor is not found in the Bible?

a. soldier of Christ
b. armor of God
c. flaming arrows
d. two-edged sword
e. fiery darts
f. stones of battle

Quiz of the Day, May 17, 2027

What Episcopal priest provided the strategy for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling?

a. Barbara Harris
b. Richard Allen
c. Absalom Jones
d. Pauli Murray

Quiz of the Day, May 16, 2024

Where is reference to seven lamps found in the Bible?

a. Ezekiel and Revelation
b. Daniel and Zechariah
c. Revelation and Zechariah
d. Revelation and Daniel

Quiz of the Day, May 15, 2024

What is the invitatory anthem for Morning Prayer during Easter?

a. Venite
b. Pascha nostrum
c. Nunc dimittis
d. Magnificat

 Quiz of the Day, May 14, 2024

Jesus healed the mother-in-law of whom?

a. Andrew
b. Peter
c. Mary of Bethany
d. Peter
e. an unnamed centurion

Quiz of the Day, May 13, 2024

Frances Perkins, the mother of Social Security, was a member of what faith community?

a. Roman Catholic
b. Episcopalian
c. Lutheran
d. Methodist
e. Baptist

Quiz of the Day, May 12, 2024

Where is the hill fortress of "Zion?"

a. it a spiritual concept for Israel
b. it is in Jerusalem
c. it is the location of the first Temple
d. it is actual place where singers and dancers are born

Quiz of the Day, May 11, 2024

In which Gospel does the "Sermon on the Mount," actually occur on a mountain?

a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John

Quiz of the Day, May 10, 2024

Of the following, who does not have a "song" in the Bible?

a. Hannah
b. Ruth
c. Miriam
d. Mary
e. Deborah

Quiz of the Day, May 9, 2024

An account of the Ascension is not found in

a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John
e. Acts

Quiz of the Day, May 8, 2024

Of the following, who did not refer to Jesus using a mother metaphor?

a. Paul
b. Jesus
c. Julian of Norwich
d. Anselm

Quiz of the Day, May 7, 2024

The root word for "rogation" means

a. to bless crops
b. to ask
c. to bless life
d. to sprinkle

Quiz of the Day, May 6, 2024

What is not true about the biblical person "Dives?"

a. he is not mentioned in the Bible
b. he is the name associated with the rich man in a parable
c. he was the counter part to Lazarus in a parable of Jesus
d. dives is rich man in New Testament Greek which came to be used as a proper name
e. he was rich Pharisee known to the disciples of Jesus

Quiz of the Day, May 5, 2024

Which year is the year of Jubilee?

a. 100th
b. 7th
c. 12th
d. 50th
e. 3rd

Quiz of the Day, May 4, 2024

What is the meaning of building of booths for certain holidays in Judaism?

a. celebrating escape from Egypt
b. remembering atonement for sins
c. reminder about transitory shelters during wilderness sojourn
d. making use of celebratory palms branches

Quiz of the Day, May 3, 2024

"Don't throw your pearls before swines," are words of whom?

a. Moses
b. the Psalmist
c. Jesus
d. Paul
e. bin Sira

Quiz of the Day, May 2, 2024

Which of the following is not a law from Leviticus?

a. you shall not have a tattoo
b. you shall love an alien as yourself
c. you shall not make your daughter a prostestute
d. you are permitted to charge aliens a higher price

Quiz of the Day, May 1, 2024

Philip is pair with which James on the saints calendar day?

a. James of Jerusalem
b. James, son of Zebedee
c. James, son of Alphaeus
d. James the Greater

Sunday, May 26, 2024

Sunday School, June 2, 2024 2 Pentecost B, Proper 4

 Sunday School, June 2, 2024   2 Pentecost B, Proper 4



God’s Law and How to use it

Laws can be very general or very specific

Love God, Love your Neighbor, Love Yourself: these are general laws.

Drive 25 miles per hours in a school zone:  This is a very specific laws.

Think about some very specific laws that you know about
Think about some very specific family rules

Think about the reasonable use of a law.

You must always clean your bedroom on Saturday mornings.

Would there ever be exceptions to this family law?

What about if you were sick?
What if you were gone?
What is a soccer match happened at the same time?

What would you think about your parents if they made you clean your bedroom on Saturday morning even if you were sick?

In the time of Jesus there were rules for the Sabbath
On the Sabbath one was supposed to rest from work.
But what counts for work on the Sabbath?

Can a farmer feed the farm animals on Sunday?
Can parents work to fix meals for their family on Sunday?

Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath.  Some of the religious leader told him that he had broken God’s law because healing was on the Sabbath when he was not supposed to be working.

Jesus said that Sabbath law was made for people to honor God and people were not made so that they could follow Sabbath laws.

Laws are good but we have to know how to use laws in the right way.


Fire fighters, police, nurses and doctors work on Sunday and the Sabbath, why?  Because healing people, taking care of people and protecting people are important.  The big rules to love God, love one’s neighbors, and love oneself can be adjust to little rules which help to make life loving, kind and fair to everyone and still honor God.


Sermon:


  How many of you have rules in your family?
  Do your rules ever get broken?
  Do your parent want you to eat the food that is put on your plate?
  But do they make you eat food if you have a tummy ache or if you are sick?  Why not?  If you are sick, then rules about eating change.  Why?  Because the rules have to change to help a person when they are sick. Right.
  Do your parents make you take a bath?  Do you have to take a bath if you are sick?  No.  Again the rules change when you are sick.
  Does a police car have to stop at a red light if they have turned on their flashing lights and sirens and if the police car is rushing to an accident?
No, the police get to break the law.  The same is true for fire trucks and for ambulances.  So there are special situations in life that make us change or adjust the rules.
  In the time of Jesus there was a law about the Sabbath.  The Sabbath was a day of rest, a day of worship.  And no one was supposed to work on the Sabbath.  But what did Jesus do?  He healed a sick woman on the Sabbath.  And the religious leader got mad at him for breaking the rule.  And Jesus told the religious leader that he was being silly about the rule of the Sabbath.  You give water to your animals on the Sabbath and that is work but you still do it.  So why is it wrong to heal a sick woman on the Sabbath?
  Jesus showed that laws are good, but they still have to used in the right ways so that they truly help people.
  What if I am playing soccer with you and there is only one soccer ball and it is mine.  So, when we play soccer, I get to touch the soccer ball with my hands.  And you say, “That’s not fair.”  And I say, “Too bad.  If you don’t want to follow my rules, then I am going to take my ball and go home.”
  What kind of rule would that be?  It would be a selfish rule that served only me.  And because I owned the only soccer ball, I controlled the game.”  That would not be a fair rule, would it?
  Jesus said that the leaders were not fair in their rules.  They made rules that were good for them and their jobs, but not good for ordinary people who wanted to know that God loved and care for them.
  So you and I need to remember that laws and rules are good, but we have to know how to use them so that they truly help us to love God and help us to love and help other people.  That is what Jesus taught us about the law. Amen

 
Family Service with Holy Eucharist
June 2, 2024: The Second Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Hallelu, Hallelujah, He’s Got the Whole World, I Come with Joy, I’ve Got Peace  

Song: Hallelu, Hallelujah   (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 84)
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord. 
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord. 
Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah. 
Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord.

Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever.  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
O God, your never-failing providence sets in order all things both in heaven and earth: Put away from us, we entreat you, all hurtful things, and give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen..

Litany Phrase: 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 Second Letter to the Corinthians
We do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 81

1 Sing with joy to God our strength * and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.
2 Raise a song and sound the timbrel, * the merry harp, and the lyre.
3 Blow the ram's-horn at the new moon, * and at the full moon, the day of our feast.
4 For this is a statute for Israel, * a law of the God of Jacob.


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 Mark  
People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.


One sabbath Jesus and his disciples were going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.” Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”  Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.” Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy 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.

Song: He’s Got the Whole World (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 90)
He’s got the whole world; in his hands he’s got the whole wide world in his hands.  He’s got the whole world in his hands; he’s got the whole world in his hands.

He’s got the little tiny babies. ….
Brother and the sisters….  
Mothers and the fathers…..

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, amen: Hallowed be thy name.


Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:       Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Song: I Come With Joy   (Renew! # 195)
1-I come with joy a child of God, forgiven, loved, and free, the life of Jesus to recall, in love laid down for me.
2-I come with Christians, far and near to find, as all are fed, the new community of love in Christ’s communion bread.
3-As Christ breaks bread, and bids us share, each proud division ends.  The love that made us makes us one, and strangers now are friends.

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’ve Got Peace Like a River (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 122)
1          I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.  I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river.  I’ve got peace like a river in my soul..
2          I’ve got love…. 
3          I’ve got joy……

Dismissal:   
Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ. 
People: Thanks be to God! 

Prayers for Advent, 2024

Friday in 3 Advent, December 20, 2024 Creator God, you birthed us as humans in your image, and you have given special births to those throug...