God is Generous to Equalize; We Should Do the Same

14 Pentecost, Cycle A Proper 20, September 20, 2020
Jonah 3:10-4:11 Psalm 145:1-8
Philippians 1:21-30 Matthew 20:1-16

Lectionary Link

In the parables of Jesus, Jesus often liked to speak in riddles. Such cryptic speech was a method of training which required people to enter a new state of wisdom to be able to understand the message which is being taught by Jesus. 

The riddle from today's Gospel parable is this: "The last shall be last and the first shall be first."  Now this is certainly counter logic to our competitive natures.  Can you imagine after an election, that it be declared, "The candidate with the fewest votes will be first and the candidate with the most votes will be last?"  Can you imagine in sports, an end of season declaration: "Folks the teams with the worst record will be declared the first place winners and the first place team will be declared in last place?"

The parable of Jesus illustrates the riddle.  Vineyard workers were hired for a single wage at different times of the day because the crop had to be picked.  And when the workers got paid the same amount for those who worked all day and those who worked only a few hours, those who worked all day cried, Unfair."  But the owner said, "no, the contract was honored with everyone."

The parable and riddle illustrate an important principle of justice: equality in difference.  We understand this concept when it seems that there are "acceptable" differences.  We think that children should not be required to do the same amount of work as adults.  We think that elderly, disabled and others should not be held to the same standards of production as abled-body adults.  And so even though people have different physical, mental, educational, age conditions, they need to be treated with the integrity of equality when it comes to justice.

Sometimes the wealthy, the powerful, the privileged, the healthy are not true peers with people in society.  Our society is based upon equal justice under the law, but we know that does not always get affirmed in actual practice.  We know the the wealthy, powerful and the privileged have more opportunities to the goods and services and the legal services of our society.  When the differences are so stark, what kind of corrections and reparation can be implemented to even up so that true peer relationships can be practiced in justice?  This is why the Black Lives Matter Movement matters.  This is why we had the feminist's movement because it had to be declared that Women's lives matter.  This is why we had to to have LGBTQ lives matter.  This is why we had to have the American Disability Act, because lives of Disabled people matter.  When equality in difference does not function, those who are neglected have to be lifted up from last place to first place, because their lives are equally precious to God and they should be equally precious to us.

The first shall be last and the last shall be first is the recommended correction to society that Jesus brought.  Societies are dominated by the powerful and the wealthy in every age and that is why programs of distributive justice have to be instituted to promote the true dignity of every person.  This is not socialism; this is the Gospel of Jesus, the practice of equality in difference.

And we need to begin in religion and in the church.  The book of Jonah is a satire about equality in different.  The Ninevites were aliens and foreigners to Israel; why should they have access to the Torah and the gift of God's favor?   Jonah was like most Israelites in thinking that Israel is first in God's eye and God's favor belongs only to Israel.  So God with a sense of humor says to Jonah, "Go to Ninevah and preach Torah repentance."  Jonah essentially said, "God I can't go; I disagree with you giving the same opportunity of repentance to our foes."  And after spending time in the belly of a whale, Jonah obeyed and sure enough these Ninevites who were last in the eyes of Jonah, became first in God's favor and they embraced God's message.  And Jonah was ticked.   He pouted and said, "See, I told you."  He was angry that God was to be shared with all.

And this was the Gospel situation.  Jesus found lots of people who were last.  And what did he say?  "I came to make those who feel like they are last in the eyes of the people of power and privilege, first and equal in God's grace and favor."

And this is the story of Gentile Christianity.  We who have been last in favor have been made first in favor.

Remember the Gospel presentation of the nature of God.  When too many people are made to be last in their social situation, Jesus came to inspire corrective programs to lift those people into first place.  If you and I are not on board with this distributive mercy of God in our time and place, then we are not true practitioners of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Period.

Let us join the Gospel program of Jesus Christ to help lift those who are last through no fault of their own, into first place of equal dignity and favor in God's love and care.  Remember when you and I, feel last and seek dignity.  And let us go forth to offer the program of Jesus to make the last understand and know how they can experience being first in knowing God's love.  Amen 

Sunday School, September 20, 2020 16 Pentecost, A proper 20

 Sunday School, September 20, 2020   16 Pentecost, A proper 20

A riddle of Jesus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sermon

Text:

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

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

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

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

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

  Jesus was trying to teach a lesson to his friends.

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

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

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

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

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

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

  That is what Jesus came to teach us.

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

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

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

September 20, 2020: Sixteenth Sunday of Pentecost

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

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

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

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

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

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

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song: Give Thanks  (Renew! # 266)

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

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

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

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

Give thanks.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

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

First Litany of Praise: Alleluia (chanted)

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

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

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

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

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

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

Liturgist: A reading from the Book of Exodus

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

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 105

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

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

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:

For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!

For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!

For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!

For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!

For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!

For work and for play. Thanks be to God!

For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!

For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!

For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.

   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

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

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy. (chanted)

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

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

People:            And also with you.

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

Offertory Music:       Renew! # 174  (gray hymnal)   

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

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

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

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

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Baptism is a celebration of our birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

(All may gather around the altar)

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat

 the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as  

 this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Bless and sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory

 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,

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

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

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

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

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

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

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

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

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

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

Breaking of the Bread

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

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Hymn:  Glorify Your Name, (Renew! # 37)

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

Jesus, we love you….

Spirit, we love you…

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;

We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.

And His Presence has been known to us.

We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers

    and sisters in Christ.

Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the

     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,

As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

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

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

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

Dismissal:   

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

People:      Thanks be to God! 

Counting Sins or Practicing Forgiveness

15 Pentecost, Cycle A proper 19, September 13, 2020

Genesis 50:15-21   Psalm  103:8-13

Romans 14:1-12  Matthew 18:21-35

Lectionary Link

The Psalmist proclaimed that "The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."

If the nature of God is compassion and mercy, and we are made in the image of God, how should we act?  We too should be people of compassion and mercy.

And what is the word which expresses mercy the best?  Forgiveness.

What if we asked God, God how many times do you have to forgive me?  Seven times?  And what does the Psalmist say, "As far as the east is from the west, so far God has removed our sins from us."   That sound like more than seven times.  It sound like more than seventy-seven times.

Why does God forgive?  Because compassion and mercy is the divine nature.

When Jesus began his ministry, he found many people who believed that they were unforgiven people.  Many people felt alienated from God because the role of the religious leaders had become to make sure that lots of people knew that they were not forgiven.  Many people did not know that God is compassionate and full of mercy because the gatekeepers were counting sins, rather than declaring forgiveness.  The role of religion was to count the number of sins of the people while requiring so many religious hoops to jump through to qualify for God's forgiveness,

Peter, a disciple was aware of the counting sins game in religious circles so he asked Jesus about the limits of forgiveness.  "Jesus, how many time do I have to forgive my brother?  Seven times."  Jesus answered, "Seventy-seven times."   And then Jesus told a financial parable about two lenders and two borrowers.  One man borrowed a lot and couldn't repay the debt on time and he begged for forgiveness and received total forgiveness of his large debt.  This same man who received the forgiveness of his debt went to someone who owed him a small amount and he demanded that this man pay.  And when he couldn't he had him punished.  The story was told to the big lender the King,  and he was furious at the man who happy to receive forgiveness for his great debt but was unwilling to practice forgiveness to the debtor who owed him but a little?

A central teaching of Jesus about forgiveness is what I call the reciprocity of forgiveness.  In the Lord's Prayer, in Matthew and Luke, we are taught to pray, "Forgive us our sins, debts, trespasses, as we forgive our debtors, and those who sin and trespass against us.  Receiving forgiveness for ourselves is tied to our willingness to practice forgiveness.  That is the reciprocity of forgiveness and this a central teaching of Jesus.  Jesus often coupled the healing of people with the declaration of their sins forgiven.  Lots of sickness involves people living in the state of mind of guilt and not knowing forgiveness.  Forgiven is central to both physical and spiritual health.

If we want to be like God, be like Christ, we need to learn the practice of forgiving and being forgiven.

What does forgiveness mean in a practical sense?  It means that God is always giving us time to become better.  We not perfect beings.  We fall short of God's expectations and our own expectation and the expectations of other people.  And what does forgiveness mean?  It means that God allows us to tolerate ourselves and each others in this process of repentance.  If God demanded that we be perfect finished people all at once, we would be doomed.  God as a compassionate and merciful parent gives us more time as we together forgive each other and learn how to be more compassionate and merciful people.

We are mistaken, if we think that God's mercy is carte blanche forgiveness to do whatever we want because we know that God will forgive us.

The forgiveness is operative under the condition of always amending our lives toward being better.

Let us today be thankful that God is compassionate and merciful and forgives us.  But let us know that the full activation of forgiveness only occurs when we too, receive God's mercy and compassion to forgive others.

And forgiveness is not always easy, which is why we need to receive it as God's gift even as we as a community try to heal in the mutual hurts and harms that we often inflict on each other.

Lord Jesus Christ, today we pray with new fervor, "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."  Amen.

Sunday School, September 13, 2020 15 Pentecost, A proper 19

 Sunday School, September 13, 2020     15 Pentecost, A proper 19

Theme:

Forgiveness.

In the most famous Christian prayer, the Lord’s Prayer or the Our Father, we say forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

In other translations: Forgive us our sins and we forgive those who sin against us.  Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

What do we owe each other?  We owe each other love and kindness and when we do not pay what we owe, we need to be forgiven.

It is hard to forgive but what makes forgiveness easier is when we need forgiveness ourselves.

The story that Jesus told was about a man who wanted forgiveness for himself, but he would not forgive other people.

Jesus want us to be fair with forgiveness.  As we know that God forgives us, then we copy God’s forgiveness of us by offering forgiveness to others.

Forgiveness is not always easy especially when we hurt each other.

Forgiveness can make broken relationship repaired.  To live in a family and a community we often find that self-interest brings competition and sometimes we hurt each other in our competition.

Like medicine or a band aid on a wound, forgiveness is the medicine that helps us heal the hurt of broken relationship.

Forgiveness is hard which is why we ask for God’s help and grace to help us forgive.  But we need to remember that other people also may find it difficult to forgive us.

To need forgiveness and to forgive makes us seek God’s help for our lives.

Do you see why we pray to God?  Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

Sermon:

  Jesus told a story about two men.

  One man owed lots of money to the king and he had to pay it back by Friday.  And Friday came, and he did not have the money.  So he begged the King to forgive.  He told him about all of his problems.  And the King had mercy.  So the King said, “You don’t have to pay me back.”

  That man was happy but that same man, went to another man who owed him just a few dollars.  He said to him give me the money now.  But the man said, “I don’t have the money.  My family has been sick and I haven’t been able to work.”  But the man said, “I am going to have you thrown in jail until you pay me the money.”

  When the King found out, he was very angry?  Why?  Because the man who had received mercy, did not offer mercy.

  Jesus used this story to teach a message about forgiveness.

  First God is merciful.  God forgives.  God allows us to continue to live even when we are not perfect, even when we do wrong.  God keeps giving us more time and more chances to learn and improve.

  And because God is merciful.  God asks us to be merciful with each other.

  For a family to be successful, members of the family have to practice mercy.  This means that we have to learn how to say that we are sorry.  This means that we have to be able to accept the apologies of others.

  So too, our church and our schools and in our city and country, we need to have mercy and forgiveness in order to survive.

  Let us remember that God is always having mercy on us, even when we don’t think that we need it.

  Let us remember that there are people who love us and have mercy on us even when we don’t think that we need it.

  So let us remember to have mercy on other people, because we know that we ourselves need mercy.

  Jesus came to teach us about the mercy of God.  God’s mercy means that God loves us, so God keeps giving us many, many chances to get better.  So too, we should help each other be better people by practicing mercy.

  Let us learn this important lesson from Jesus today.  Let us learn to practice mercy and forgiveness.   Amen.

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

September 13, 2020: Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Hallelu, Hallelujah, Forgive Our Sins, Come My Way,  When the Saints

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: 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:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

O God, because without you we are not able to please you mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Alleluia (chanted)

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

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

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

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

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

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

A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans

Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God." So then, each of us will be accountable to God.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 103

For as the heavens are high above the earth, * so is his mercy great upon those who fear him.

As far as the east is from the west, * so far has he removed our sins from us.

As a father cares for his children, * so does the LORD care for those who fear him.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:

For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!

For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!

For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!

For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!

For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!

For work and for play. Thanks be to God!

For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!

For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!

For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.

   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Peter came and said to Jesus, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, `Pay what you owe.' Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy. (chanted)

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

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

People:            And also with you.

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

Offertory Music:     Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive, (Renew! # 184)

1-Forgive our sins as we forgive, you taught us Lord to pray; but you alone can grant us grace to live the words we say.

2-How can your pardon reach and bless the unforgiving heart that broods on wrongs and will not let old bitterness depart?

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Baptism is a celebration of our birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

(All may gather around the altar)

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat

 the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as  

 this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Bless and sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory

 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,

(Children rejoin their parents and take up their instruments)

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

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

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

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

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

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

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

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

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

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

Breaking of the Bread

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

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Hymn:  Come My Way, (Blue Hymnal # 487)

Come, my way, my truth, my life: such a way as gives us breath; such a truth as ends all strife; such a life as killeth death

Come, my light, my feat, my strength: such a light as shows a feast; such a feast as mends in length; such a strength as makes his guest.

Come, my joy, my love, my heart: such a joy as none can move: such a love as none can part; such a heart as joys in love.

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: When the Saints Go Marching in, (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 248)

O when the saints, go marching in, O when the saints go marching in.  Lord I want to be in that number when the saints go marching in.

O when the girls, go marching in,…..

O when the boys, go marching in….

Dismissal:   

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

People:      Thanks be to God!