Sunday School, October 5, 2025 17 Pentecost, C proper 22
Themes
One can use the C proper 22 or themes associate with St. Francis and The Blessing of the Animals
We use the liturgy and the occasion as a time to promote awareness of stewardship role toward our animal friends but also highlight our responsibility to care for our beautiful creation.
The Blessing of the animals and the blessing of the beauty of creation is inspired by our thanksgiving for our animal friends and for the beauty of creation.
Our thanksgiving come enjoyment. From thanksgiving we move to blessing. We ask for a joyful relationship with our animal friends and with creation.
But with enjoyment, thanksgiving, blessing joyful relationship we move to our responsibility. To show our responsibility we make vows to be those who take good care of our animals and the beautiful creation.
In our blessing of the animal liturgy we make vows; we promise to good care of our animal friends.
How do we care for our animals and our beautiful creations?
We take care of our pets. We treat them with kindness. We also help with the animal shelters. We promote the humane treatment of animals.
We promise to take care of our environment. We recycle. We pick up trash. We preserve our water. We support laws which will make sure that people after us will be able to enjoy the beautiful earth.
Gospel theme
Jesus told parables about mustard seed faith. What he meant by this is faith is not some superhero act; faith is all of the very small faithful things that we do which collect and they grow to be big and important things.
Do you graduate from college when you start kindergarten? No. But when you graduate from college it means that you have faithful to study and learn every day for about 22 years. Graduating from college is a great achievement but it does not happen overnight with magic. It happens because all of the small individual faith acts of learning. So Jesus reminds us that if we want to accomplish big and important things, it starts with each individual “small” act of faith. This is what Jesus meant by mustard seed faith.
Next Jesus reminds us that we should not expect a reward for doing good? Why? Because doing good is its own reward. The reward is that we "get to be good." Now as young children we might fear punishment if we don't do good things. We also might expect rewards, surprises and treats for being good. Jesus is trying to teach us to grow to realize that being good is its own reward and so we should not want something for doing something which is good for us. As we grow older we can learn that doing good is the best reward itself.
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.
Child-friendly Holy Eucharist
and Blessing of the Animals
October 5, 2025 The Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
Gathering Songs:
Morning Has Broken, If I Were a Butterfly, Make 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 Lamentations
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD
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 Luke
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" The Lord replied, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, `Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.
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 ma 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: I Sing a Song for the Cat and Dog, Tune (blue hymnal # 293)
1-I sing a song for the dogs and cats
Rabbits and donkeys too,
Their big soft hearts will love us still no matter what we do.
And one is a pony and one is a hen
And one is a pig waiting in a pen.
As I care for these saints and the earth around,
I’m learning to be one too.
2-I sing a song for our furry friends,
loyal and faithful and true,
who bark and mew and fetch and scratch for the love of me and you.
And one was a rabbit and one was a cat
And one was a Schnauzer and one was a rat.
They are all God’s creatures - - great and small
and we honor one and all!!!
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.
(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, 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 may rejoin their parents and take up their instruments)
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 and Beautiful (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 12)
Refrain: All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and 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!
