Sunday School, October 13, 2024 21 Pentecost, B proper 23

 Sunday School, October 13, 2024     21 Pentecost, B proper 23

Themes

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews writes that we love and respect God because God embraced our human life so closely in Jesus Christ that we can say that even though God is Great and mighty, God still knows how we feel.

And God knows that freedom in life means life does not always seem to be fair.  Good things can happen to bad people and bad things can happen to good people.

The story of Job is a story about how good things happened to a bad person; he had such bad luck that he felt like God had forsaken him.

Jesus is God's Son, the best of all people,  but some bad things happened to him.  Before he died on the cross, he said that same words which are found in Psalm 22: "My God, why have you forsaken me."

Sometimes people think and believe that if we are always lucky, it means that we are good and God must be blessing us by giving us good luck.

It is true that we can prevent some bad things from happening if we do good and right things.  For example, if we are safe and wear a bike helmet we may not hurt our head when we fall, but we might scrape our hand or our knee.  Just because we are good and safe that does not mean some sad thing can't happen in our lives.

The letter of the Hebrews tells us we can know God's word when it works inside of us and sorts us out to help us improve our lives.

Sometimes we need to hear God's word in our education to make us better people.  Some times we will not get better if we only practice and celebrate the things that we can already do well.   Sometimes we need our parents and our teachers to tell us about the new things that we have to learn, even though the new things might be more difficult to learn.  If we only know addition in math, we need to learn subtraction, multiplication and division we are going to improve.

A rich man came to Jesus and he had followed all of the rules and he wanted Jesus to congratulate him for being so good.  He wanted Jesus to promise him that he had eternal life.  He had a good life and he wanted this good life to continue even after he died.

Jesus was a good teacher; he congratulated him for his success, but he told him that he could be even better if he would sell the good things of his life and give the money to the poor.  This rich young man was very sad to hear this because he had so many things.

Jesus said that it was hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God?  Why, a rich person thinks that the kingdom of God is enter by what he has or what he does.  The kingdom of God is everywhere because God make this world.  Everyone is already in God's world and kingdom; it is just that many people do not recognize where they are because they do not recognize that they and this world already belong to God.

The gift of the kingdom of God is the gift that everyone has to just accept as the world which God has given to us.  We cannot work to get there; we just have to accept that we are in the kingdom and that it is God's gift.  The rich man was trying to work to get into God's kingdom and Jesus was saying that it was sad that this young man did not know how to receive the gift of God's kingdom which he already have.

This helps us understand sin too.  Sin is living in God's world and not knowing that it is God's world but thinking that it is our world which we own because of our work, success or our wealth.

Remember if we know ourselves to be sons and daughters of God, then we have already inherited the kingdom of God.  You don't work for an inheritance; you get an inheritance because you are a child of God.

Sermon

I need some help today.  I need some directions because I need to get somewhere.  Can you tell me how to get to Morgan  Hill?  I need to go to a church there, St. John the Divine.  Can you tell me how to get to St. John the Divine?  If I give you some money will you tell me how to get to St. John’s in Morgan Hill?  If I keep the 10 commandments, will you help me get to St. John’s in Morgan Hill?

  Why does it seem strange for me to ask you for directions?  You are thinking…what wrong with Father Phil, is he lost?  Has he lost his mind? How come he doesn’t know that he is already in Morgan Hill and at St.  John the Divine.

  When you go to Disneyland, how do you know that you are there?  You see the sign..you see Mickey and Minnie…you see the Magic Kingdom.

  A man came to Jesus and said, how can I have eternal life.  How can I live forever after I die.  How can I have the kind of life that God’s has?

And Jesus told him to keep the 10 commandments.  And the man said,”Well, I have always kept the 10 commandments.”  Then Jesus said to him, “But have you sold all of the things you owned and given the money to the poor?”  And the man left Jesus and he was very sad, because he had lots of things to sell.

  Then Jesus told his disciples a riddle.  He said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than it was for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.  What is the meaning of this riddle?

  The rich man  thought that the kingdom of God began at the end of his life after he died.  Jesus was trying to say, the rich man was already in the kingdom of God, but he could not recognize.

  The rich man was like me, when I ask you if I could get to St. John’s, Morgan Hill.  You wanted to say to me.  Silly man…you are already there.

  Jesus came to tell us about something many people forget.  Jesus came to tell us that this world is the kingdom of God.  Why?  Because God made it and the world belongs to God.  So, everywhere we live is the kingdom of God.  And if God made everything, everything belongs to God.

  But sometimes we forget that this world, our lives, and our things belong to God.  That is when we get lost and confused.  We live in the kingdom of God but we don’t know it.  We live thinking that we are rich because and we pretend that everything belongs to us.  And we forget that all things belong to God.  We forget that this is God’s kingdom.  We forget that God cares for everyone.  And when that happens, then some people have more than enough to eat, and other people do not have enough to eat.

  So, do you see what sin is?  It is living in the kingdom of God and not recognizing it.

  So what can we do?  We can confess our understanding of God’s kingdom.

God made this world.  God made me.  I am a child of God.  I belong to God.  Everything in this world belongs to God.  I live in God’s Kingdom. God shares many good things with me.  I give some of my time, some of my talent, some of my treasure back to God.  I share what I have with those who are in need.  I share the good news about God’s kingdom. 

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

October 13, 2024: The Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs:  This Little Light of Mine, O Be Careful, Eat This Bread, Soon and Very Soon

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.

Song: This Little Light of Mine  (Christian Children’s Songbook,  # 234)

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.  This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel, No! I’m going to let it shine.  Hide it under a bushel, No! I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let shine, let it shine.

Don’t let anyone blow it out, I’m going to let it shine.  Don’t let anyone blow it out, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Shine all over my neighborhood, I’m going to let it shine.  Shine all over my neighborhood, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

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.

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 letter of Hebrews

The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.  Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 90

Show your servants your works * and your splendor to their children.

May the graciousness of the LORD our God be upon us; * prosper the work of our hands; prosper our handiwork.

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.

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'" He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.  Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."  Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon:  Fr. 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 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: O Be Careful (Christian Children’s Songbook,  # 180)

O be careful little hands what you do.  O be careful little hands what you do.  There’s a Father up above and he’s looking down in love, so be careful little hands what you.

O be careful little feet where you go.  O be careful little feet where you go.  There’s a Father up above and he’s looking down in love, so be careful little feet where you go.

O be careful little lips what you say.  O be careful little lips what you say.  There’s a Father up above and he’s looking down in love, so be careful little lips what you say.

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:  Eat This Bread (Renew! # 228)

Eat this bread, drink this cup, come to me and never be hungry.  Eat this bread, drink this cup, trust in me and you will not thirst.

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: Soon and Very Soon (Renew! # 276)

Soon and very soon, we are going to see the king.  Soon and very soon, we are going to see the king.  Soon and very soon, we are going to see the king, Alleluia, Alleluia, we’re going to see the king

No more dying there we are going to see the king.  No more dying there we are going to see the king.  No more dying there we are going to see the king.  Alleluia, Alleluia, we’re going to see the king

Soon and very soon….

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God! 

Are Rules about Divorce More Important Than Love?

20 Pentecost Cycle b proper 22 October 6, 2024
Genesis 2:18-24 Psalm 8
Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 Mark 10:2-16

Lectionary Link

What are some age old human questions?  Why do bad things happen to really good people or just ordinarily good people?  Why does good luck and prosperity happen to some really bad people and to greedy people?  Can I believe in an all powerful, all loving God when injustice and incongruence in the natural award system seems to be a common human experience?  How are we supposed to live when human sin and failure seems to be the norm?  And in a world of constant trouble what should be a chief value for people?

Our appointed lessons from Holy Scripture for today provides us with some insights to these recurring questions for living.

The wisdom story of Job provides a corrective rebuke to some very shallow views of interpreting events as God's providential specific blessings and curses to be corresponding responses to good and bad behaviors.  In short, people with simplistic theology state that good things and blessings happen to good people, while bad things and curses happen to bad people.  The wisdom writer of Jobs knows that such simplistic views are not only wrong but also cruel, and in the end do not present God in a very wise and good light.

In the Job story, God is seen as the one above the other higher agents of good and bad heavenly beings.  In a world of true freedom, the higher freedom of God is a weak and restrained freedom, not a sign of being without power, but the sign of allowing lesser agents of freedom the opportunity of true moral worth and validity.

Another issue which faced the people of Israel and which often faces anyone regarding their belief and faith in God.  Should one only have faith in God when things are safe and successful?  When my only luck is bad luck, should I curse God and die?  Do I impart a explicit divine motive on every event which occurs and assess God's view towards me based upon my immediate comfort or discomfort?

The message of Job in wonderful poetic dialogues is to come to the insight of mystery about how all the agents of freedom interact in this grand world.  One should have faith and worshipful respect for the Grandness behind it all, while being very humble about specific certain knowledge about all the motives behind causality of the events of our lives and the lives of others.

How do we live in the face of all probable conditions in life, some good, some bad, and some received with indifference?

We mostly live by common sense which is gained by observed and taught experiences based upon repetitions in what occurs.  Common sense on steroids is what we call the scientific method which is a deliberate stating of statistically approximate rules of causality of how thing have occurred, are occurring, and will occur.

In human behavior within community, such scientific exactness cannot be attained because the sentient freedom of human beings is of a different order than the behaviors of molecules and atoms of the material world.

Science and common sense in human behavior is known in what we call the Law.  The Law for the people of the Hebrew Scriptures was the discovery of wise behaviors for good community living, the communities as they knew and understood themselves in their time.

What is the difference between a scientific law and a law for human behaviors?  A scientific law has been stated because there has been an observed consistency such that the law will not be broken.  Scientific laws are descriptively accurate laws and so stated in the positive.  One does not says to water molecules, "Thou shalt not boil at 200 degree Fahrenheit at sea level."

But one of the Ten Commandments is, "Thou shall not commit adultery."  The law is stated in the negative because people have the freedom to fail in their loving relationships and vows.  Since people have the tendency to sin and to fail, it would seem to be more actuarially prudent to make sin and failure the normal goal of life.

This brings us to the divorce issue raised in the Gospel reading.  The issue is that the rules of human failure are more controversial than the rules of human success.  Why is it not controversial that people live in love and harmony in maintaining vows for their life?  Why should we be upset about the way things are supposed to be?

I think that the church has misunderstood the Gospel words of Jesus when they have reduced it to prohibitions against divorce and canonical machinations for annulments and remarriage.

The words of Jesus rebuke his interlocutors for their elevation of divorce to the supreme position.  What Jesus is saying, people may fail in love and there may have to be Mosaic allowances to deal with human failure, but that does not change the main principle, which is the endurance of love and unity.  Jesus is saying that human failure to love cannot change the normalcy of our call to love.

Jesus was rebuking the notion that rules for the divorce permission were being regarded as the superior principle over the supreme rule of the call to love.   Love is the standard, love is the motive and any failure at love does not change the positive principle of love to which we are called.

The Gospel reading concludes with the task of love, namely tending to children and the childlike in society.  Failure at love leads to making the vulnerable even more vulnerable.

The rule of Christ is love, and what love means in practice is that children and the vulnerable get taken care of.  Caring for the vulnerable is a chief value of the law of love. So, do not make human failure at love a replacement for the eternal principle of love.  Amen.

Job 1:1; 2:1-10


There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.

One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.” Then Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives. But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes.

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.



Psalm 26

Judica me, Domine


1 Give judgment for me, O Lord,
for I have lived with integrity; *
I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.

2 Test me, O Lord, and try me; *
examine my heart and my mind.

3 For your love is before my eyes; *
I have walked faithfully with you.

4 I have not sat with the worthless, *
nor do I consort with the deceitful.

5 I have hated the company of evildoers; *
I will not sit down with the wicked.

6 I will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord, *
that I may go in procession round your altar,

7 Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving *
and recounting all your wonderful deeds.

8 Lord, I love the house in which you dwell *
and the place where your glory abides.

9 Do not sweep me away with sinners, *
nor my life with those who thirst for blood,

10 Whose hands are full of evil plots, *
and their right hand full of bribes.

11 As for me, I will live with integrity; *
redeem me, O Lord, and have pity on me.

12 My foot stands on level ground; *
in the full assembly I will bless the Lord.






Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12


Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. But someone has testified somewhere,

“What are human beings that you are mindful of them,
or mortals, that you care for them?

You have made them for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned them with glory and honor,
subjecting all things under their feet.”

Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying,

“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters,
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”

Mark 10:2-16


Some Pharisees came, and to test Jesus they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.” But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Sunday School, October 6, 2024 20 Pentecost, B proper 22, with Blessing of the Animals Liturgy

 Sunday School, October 6, 2024   20 Pentecost,  B proper 22

Though Sunday takes precedence, October 4th is also the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

Sunday School Themes and a liturgy for the Blessing of Animals which include a vow to be good stewards of creation, maintaining the beauty and safety of our world and taking good care of the animals which are given into our care.

From the Genesis lesson one can see that in the Garden of Eden Story, God gave Adam the tasks of naming the animals.  We can see this as naming animals as a group of animals or giving each animal a special name.  What is the difference between a cow, and Sam the cow?  If the cow has an individual name of Sam that was given by a person who cared for that cow, the giving of a name means that one also takes upon oneself the task of taking care of an animal in a special way.

We should not just stereotype animals as a group because we rely upon them for our food; we should also see each creature as a special being for whom we care and give thanks.  Jesus said that there was not even a sparrow which falls to the ground without the Father knowing about it.  If God has made men and women to have the kind of intelligence to have the most responsible role in the world, then we then to be very good at taking care of our world and the animals of the world.  Let us remember to give each animal a special name as a sign of love and care.  And while we may use animal for our food let us be like God the Father and be aware with gratitude when the life of an animal is sacrificed to be food for our lives.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews said that God has made everything subject to men and women even more than to angels.  So we have a very important role in managing all of the goodness of creation.

The Gospel is about Jesus blessing children.  Children were very important to Jesus.  One might think that the children in the time of Jesus were not treated very well or that they were neglected.  The disciples of Jesus did not want children to bother Jesus, but he told them he wanted the children to be with him and he blessed them.  Jesus had given people an important talk on the lives of moms and dad and then he blessed children.  Jesus was saying that adults should not let their adult problem cause them to neglect children.

Remember the themes of this day: Animals and children.  Both need good and responsible people to take care of them.  This is why Jesus asks to be committed to take care of those who do not yet have the strength, the ability or the experience to take care of themselves.

And so we bless children and we bless animals as a reminder of the friendship that Francis of Assisi had with animals.  Learning to live in peaceful harmony with animals, creation, children and all people is the calling that we have from Jesus.

A sermon for the blessing of the animals

Today we celebrate the life of St. Francis.  St. Francis was a man who came from a wealthy family.  But he decided to leave the family business and try to live his life just like Jesus lived his life.  He decided to live his life with people who were poor.  He decided to take care of people who were sick and poor.

  St. Francis became a friend of animals; the birds used to fly down and rest on his shoulders because they were not afraid of him.

  Today, we are going to honor the life of St. Francis by blessing the animals of our lives.  But we are also going to do something else.  We are going to make promises to God to take good care of our world.  We are going to promise to care for the air, water, plants and trees.  Why?  Because we want all people in the future to be able to enjoy them.  We are going to promise to take care of our pets and animals too.

  The world of plants and animals provide so much to help us live.  So we need to be good at protecting our world so that our world will continue help people live for a long, long time.

  Today, we thank God for our wonderful world of animals, trees and plants.

  And the way that we thank God, is to promise to take good care of the world that God has given to us.  And to take care of the pets that we enjoy as our friends.

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

& Blessing of the Animals

October 6, 2024 The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs:

Morning Has Broken,  If I Were a ButterflyMake Me a Channel of Your Peace, All Things Bright and Beautiful

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: Morning Has Broken (Blue Hymnal # 8)

Morning has broken like the first morning; blackbird has spoken like the first bird.  Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!  Praise for them springing fresh from the word.

Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven, like the first dewfall on the first grass.  Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden, sprung in completeness where his feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight!  Mine is the morning born of the one light Eden saw play!  Praise with elation, praise every morning, God’s re-creation of the new day!

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Chant: Alleluia

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

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

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

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

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

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

Liturgist:  A reading from the Book of Genesis

The LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner." So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 8

You give men and women mastery over the works of your hands; *you put all things under his feet:

All sheep and oxen, * even the wild beasts of the field,

The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, * and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:

For our animal friends and pets, past and present. Thanks be to God!

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.

People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Fr. Cooke:

Collect for the Feast of St. Francis

Most high, omnipotent, good Lord, grant your people grace to renounce gladly the vanities of this world; that, following the way of blessed Francis, we may for love of you delight in your whole creation with perfect joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Vow to Creation

Celebrant:  Will you cherish the beauty of the Good Earth that God has entrusted to you, and will you do all in your power to preserve its beauty for own age and for the people of the future?

Response:  I will with God’s help.

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Word of God that issued from God’s mouth and created all things and God’s Spirit moved over the deep and made creation happen; you have called creation good, and we celebrate the goodness of creation which you have given to us to enjoy and tend; Bless the Good Earth and its fruits, and us as we commit ourselves to stewardship, in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Vow to our Animal friends

Celebrant:  Will you promise to love, enjoy, and care for all God’s creatures, and especially for the pet whom you present for a blessing?

Response:  I will, with God’s help.

Blessing:

Lord Jesus Christ, your friends, have brought to you these special friends:  Bless we pray these delightful creatures, and grant that those who tend to their care will take delight in all of God’s creation, in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Song sung during the blessing of each Animal: If I were a Butterfly

1-If I were a butterfly, I’d thank you Lord for giving me wings.  And if I were a robin in a tree, I’d thank you Lord, that I could sing.  And if I were a fish in the sea, I’d wiggle my tail and I’d giggle with glee, but I just thank you Father for making me ‘me.’

Chorus:  For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile.  You gave Jesus and you made me your child.  And I just thank you, Father for making me, ‘me.’

2-If I were an elephant, I’d thank you, Lord, by raising my trunk.  And if I were a kangaroo, you know I’d hop right up to you.  And if I were an octopus, I’d thank you Lord, for my find looks, but I just thank you Father, for making me, ‘me.’  Chorus

3-If I were a wiggly worm, I’d thank you, Lord that I could squirm.  And If I were a Billy goat, I’d thank you, Lord for my strong throat.  And if I were a fuzzy-wuzzy bear, I’d thank you, Lord, for my fuzzy-wuzzy hair, but I just thank you, Father, for making me ‘me.’  Chorus

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

People:                        And also with you.

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

Offertory Song: As the Deer Pants for the Water, (Renew # 9)

As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after you; you alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship you.  Refrain: You alone are my strength, my shield, to you alone may my spirit yield; you alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship you!

I want you more than gold or silver, only you can satisfy; you alone are the real joy-giver and the apple of my eye.  Refrain.

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.

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 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.

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.

The Prayer continues with these words

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

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

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

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

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

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

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed by thy name.

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

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

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

Breaking of the Bread

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

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Word of Administration.

Communion Hymn: Prayer of St. Francis

Make me a channel of your peace.  Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.  Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord, And where there’s doubt, true faith in you.  Refrain

Refrain:  Oh, Master, grant I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.  Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope.  Where there is darkness only light, and where there’s sadness ever joy.  Refrain

Make me a channel of your peace.  It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, in giving to all men that we receive and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.  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: All Things Bright & Beautiful (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 12)

Refrain:  All things bright & beautiful, all creatures great & small, all things wise & wonderful, the Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens, each little bird that sings, he made their glowing colors, he made their tiny wings.  Refrain

The purple-headed mountain, the river running by, the sunset, and the morning that brightens up the sky.  Refrain

He gave us eyes to see them, and lips that we might tell how great is God Almighty, who has made all things well.  Refrain

Dismissal:  

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

People: Thanks be to God!