The Latest Is the First

8 Pentecost, Cycle A Proper 11, July 23, 2023

Genesis 28:10-19a, Psalm 139: 1-11, 22-23
Romans 8:12-25 Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Lectionary Link

In the enigmatic words of Jesus, "the last shall be first."  I think that this might be appropriately understood as the "latest shall be first." Why?  Because it is hard to conceive of an existence without time, an existence when there is no longer a before and after.  What might be called an ending is only the transition to a beginning of a different sort.

There is great temporal provincialism in the notion of the "latest is the first."  Why?  The latest is the now that we always live in and we can so privilege the now in a time egotism that we over-value our judgments of the current moment.  But how is the latest the first?  God, as the omni-becoming greatest with no rival is always the most supreme Latest who comprises the greatest possible synthesis of everything that has been, is, and might be.

We, who live in the now, share with God as sharing a very small portion of what it means to be the latest, and we become first in having the last say upon everything that we know which has come before.  We are the retroactive sorters of the traces of what we call the time before, the past events of our lives.

We become first by the accident of being the latest; those who have privilege to be like the wise scribes who bring forth new treasures as well as wisdom from what is old.  Being the latest is first but also a daunting privilege because we are heirs of what has happened and must cull the past and analyze the past and learn from it to bring forth what is new and best in our lives now.

And in being the latest in our particular time in our existence on earth, what do we discover about the life that has gone before us?  We find that everything that has happened before us is mixtures of lots of experiences, including some very good things and very bad things.  People have been very good and they have been very bad.  We ourselves, have known various states of goodness and badness in our own existence.

The parable of the weeds and the wheat is about the human condition of the great mixture in the diversity of occasions.  The wisdom of the words of Jesus is this:  It is impossible and unthinkable to think that we can weed and undo the past without destroying everything else in the field of existing beings.

So what is the chief task of us, who are the latest and who are now first in interpreting all of what has previously happened?  The chief task for us know is the hard task of patience.  "Oh, Drats!  Everything has not been perfect, and I have not been perfect.  Everything should be fixed now, immediately." Patience means that we are not and cannot be like action movie heroes and suddenly and quickly remove all the bad and evil people and circumstances which have faced people in the past and which face us now.

Patience is the preservation of the chief value of freedom which is what makes moral and spiritual choice truly valuable.  And what can be the result of being patient with what has heretofore happened?

Patience can result in inspired judgments about how things close to us need to be different going forward, especially  in better approximations of love and justice in the lives of more people.  And from the inspired judgments of how things can be better can flow the actions to make things better than they would be if we did not take the agency of patient wisdom to make judgments and actions in the direction of the better practice of love and justice

And how can we have patience when we are challenged by the teeming mixtures of so many things happening at once in our lives?  Like Jacob of old, we can ponder our mistake of forgetting or not knowing God as the divine ground of our lives.  Jacob about his past event realized, "God was there and I did not know it.  I did not live in the realization of living and moving and having my being in God."

Unfortunately, and fortunately, we mostly come to realize providence after the fact.  If we have enough after the fact realizations of providence, we may eventually learn to accept the always already divine presence, even when it does not seem to present itself as apparent present goodness for us in our lives.

In the parable of the weeds and the wheat, the situation gets resolved at the "end of the ages."  Since time means that there is no final end of ages, only continual births of new ages, the parable bespeaks of insightful moments when we attain wisdom events of putting together understanding of past and present with enlightened words and acts of love and justice in our lives now.

We pray for the end of ages of ignorance when good and evil can be sorted out and used as fertilizing energy for more fruitful love and justice in our lives today.

Let us accept the daunting task of being first, because we are the latest.  And this small latest in time of our lives, resides upon the greatest Latest of the divine, who comprehends all for the further sustenance of all.

We ask today for patience to bear with what is, not in resignation to what is evil, bad, and as yet unhealed; we ask for patience to come to wise judgments and actions for a better now and future.  Amen.

Sunday School, July 23, 2023 8 Pentecost, A proper 11

 Sunday School, July 23, 2023   8 Pentecost, A proper 11

  

Theme:

A story about God’s patience with the free conditions of the world

Does sun shine only on Americans or does it shine on people of other countries?  Does the sun shine only on me when I am good or does it continue to shine when I do something wrong?

Does the sun shine only on plants that are useful or does the sun shine to make weeds grow as well?

God has made this world in a way so that everything and everyone has the sunshine of freedom.  This means that some good things can happen and some bad things can happen.

If there was not freedom for bad things to happen or for people to make bad choices, then life would be like a big machine.  A machine does not do good or bad, a machine does what it is programmed to do.

The parable of the wheat and the weeds  told by Jesus is a story about how God is patient with the freedom that allows both good and bad things to happen.

Weeds and wheat grow so closely together that when a gardener tries to remove the weed, the wheat is pulled up as well and the good wheat dies.  So the gardener waits until it is time to harvest and the garden separates the good wheat from the weeds at harvest.

Sometimes we want the world to be a world where only good things can happen and we want to be people who automatically do good things. 

We grow as human beings by being free and by learning to make good choices.  We don’t want to be punished with a death penalty when we make a mistake.  Why?  Because we know that we need more time to learn to get better and make good choices.  We want God and other people to be patient with us as we continually learn to make good choices.

Sometimes we might be impatient about the badness we see in the world or we might be impatient about our own faults and weakness.  We need to know that God is patient and God always allows us more time to get better.

Let us be thankful for a patient God.  Let us be thankful for people who are patient with us.  And let us learn to be patient with others as we wait for all to make better choices.

Let us be patient with the freedom that is in life.  Let us be glad that we are not machines and appreciate that our choices really mean something special.

Prayer:  Thank you God for being patient.  Thank you God for freedom.  Thank you God for being patient with me while I learn to make good free choices.  Help me to be patient with the freedom in this world even as we learn to make good choices.  Amen.

Sermon:

  Have you ever planted a garden?  Have you ever planted some seeds in the ground?

  If you plant pumpkin seeds or tomato seeds or spinach seeds, there is always some extra plants that grow too.

  So if I plant some flower seeds, and I get some extra plants, that should be a nice surprise, shouldn’t it?

  But those extra plants are not nice surprises….why?   What are those surprise plants called?

  They are called weeds.

  Weeds are plants that grow every where.  They grow even when you didn’t when you don’t plant them.  They grow in places where you don’t want them to grow.

  And sometimes they are a big problem.  They grow so close to the plants that you want to live, if you try to pull the weeds, the plant comes out of the ground too.

   Jesus told a story about weeds and wheat.  A farmer wants wheat to grow so that it can be made into flour to make bread.

  But the farmer does not want weeds to grow in the wheat.

   But when the weeds start growing in the wheat, one of the farm workers wanted to pull out weeds.  But the farmer said, “Don’t pull the weeds, because if you pull the weeds, the wheat will be pulled out with it.  Waiting until the wheat is fully grown and when it is cut, the weeds will be cut too…and then the weeds will be separated from the wheat.

  What does this story mean?  This story is about God’s patience.  Sometimes, when we see something that we don’t like, we want to correct it and make it right.

  If you’re doing something wrong in front of lots of people.  Sometimes your Mom or Dad won’t correct you until you get home alone, because they don’t want to embarrass you or make you feel badly in front of people.  They have the patience to wait because you will learn better if you are not embarrassed.

  So God is patient with our world.  Some times we wish God would get rid of all the people who are acting badly, but God is patient.  Why?  God knows that even bad people can get better and they can say they are sorry.  So God is patient and waits and waits to give us many chances to make good choices.

  So today, let us remember that God is patient and God is always waiting for us to become better.  Amen.

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

July 23, 2023: The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Jacob’s Ladder, He’s Got The Whole World, Spirit of the Living God, The King of Glory

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:  Jacob’s Ladder  (Christian Children’s Songbook,  # 130)

We are climbing Jacob’s ladder; We are climbing Jacob’s ladder;  We are climbing Jacob’s ladder; Soldiers of the cross.

If you love Him, why not serve Him?  If you love Him, why not serve Him; If you love Him, why not serve Him; Soldiers of the cross.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son 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 Book of Genesis

Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 139

LORD, you have searched me out and known me; * you know my sitting down and my rising up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.

You trace my journeys and my resting-places * and are acquainted with all my ways.

Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, * but you, O LORD, know it altogether.

You press upon me behind and before * and lay your hand upon me.

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 put before the crowd another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, `Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' He answered, `An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, `Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he replied, `No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"  Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!"

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 Song: He’s Got the Whole World(Christian Children’s Songbook, #90)

He’s got the whole world, in his hands.  He’s got the whole wide world, in his hands.  He’s got the whole world, in his hands.  He’s got the whole world in his hands.

He’s got the little tiny babies…

He’s got the boys and the girls….

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 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 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: Spirit of the Living God  (Renew!  # 90)

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.  Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.  Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me. Spirit of the living God.  Fall afresh on me.

Spirit of the living God, move among us all; Spirit of the living God, move among us all.  Humble, caring, selfless, sharing.  Spirit of the living God, fill our lives with love.

The God of Jacob is our God.  The God of Jacob is our God.  The God of Jacob is our God.

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: The King of Glory  (Renew! # 267)

Refrain: The King of glory comes, the nation rejoices.  Open the gates before him, lift up your voices.

Who is the king of glory; how shall we call him?  He is Emmanuel, the promised of ages.  Refrain

In all of Galilee, in city or village, he goes among his people, curing their illness.  Refrain

Sing then of David’s son, our savior and brother; in all of Galilee was never another.  Refrain

Dismissal:   

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

People:      Thanks be to God! 

   

Why How We Believe Happens?

7 Pentecost, Cycle A Proper 10, July 16, 2023

Isaiah 55:10-13 Psalm 65: (1-8), 9-14
Romans 8:1-11 Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Lectionary Link

Science is based upon statistical approximations observed and charted.  Innumerable tests of boiling water at sea level measured by mercury thermometers graphed on a chart led to the conclusion that water boils at 212 degree Fahrenheit.   In science we like controlled conditions so that replication of results can be verified and a law can be stated from the conclusions.

When sociologists and psychologists attempt to have success in predicting outcomes, like what  happens in the natural sciences, the observed behaviors of human beings do not conform to same standards of control and replication.  To present a range of probable behaviors does not have the same exactness as what happens in the experimental predictable outcomes which render a scientific law.

The Gospel parable of the sower of Jesus might be called a story form sociology of why we come to believe in the way that we come to believe.

The inexactness of why we come to believe what we believe and how we believe means that an allegory is language science to present the very vague mystery of why and how we believe what we believe.

The parable of Jesus uses the allegory derived from the ancient science of agriculture.  And for modern farmers, it would be regarded to be very bad agricultural practice.

If the best yield of the crop includes a good seed, and ideal growth conditions, it is the imperative that controlling the quality of seed and the growth conditions be the main farming task, and the modern farmer can do precise planting, create a greenhouse and employ irrigation so as not to be vulnerable to the weather conditions of the growth season.

The sowing technique of casting seeds to the wind and letting them fall where they may fall, seems to be very inexact and indeterminate farming, even bad farming.

But the parable is not really about good or bad farming, or ancient or modern farming, it is addressing the sociological questions of the early Jesus Movement.  And what was that question?  Why do some people believe and what is the nature and the duration and outcomes of such belief?

And the parable of the sower provides a very vague answer.  Belief depends upon the conditions of the believer.

A person may believe for a short period of time, and they may quit the practice of a belief?  Why?  There may be other things to do, like maintaining all the responsibility of having wealth.  "I don't have time to practice faith because I have to take care of all my life assets."  Competition of other persuasive goals determines the quality of the practice of belief.

If one has to suffer for one's beliefs, then one might decide the cost of belief is too difficult.

So, God, the timing of circumstances in my life is not favorable to the practice of belief.  I have too many other attractive and competing choices, or there is not family and social support to make belief an easy choice, so I decide that it is not worth the persecution or the suffering.

But then there are ideal conditions; the message hits the spot at the right time to become a fully ingrained practice of belief.

So how precise is the sociology of belief as presented in the story insights of the parable of the sower?

Not very precise, if the answer is that belief depends upon the conditions.

So what can we say about the why and the how of our belief today?  It involves good timing, bad timing, serendipity of situation, the quality of the message, the strength of will, the community support, and the conditions for maturation.

Why do we believe what we believe?  First it involves being drawn to what we regard to be the highest and best for our lives.  In biblical divine agriculture, the seed of God is the divine image which is planted within creation and most poignantly upon each human being.  What are the conditions which allow the divine image to rise to its best and highest effect?  Good mentors and exemplars, freedom to practice our lives toward what is best and highest, good orchestration between all alternative belief practices, and finally the strongest condition of probability which is implied by Jesus and the Gospel preachers, namely, the free will of each person.

The free will of each person is operative in the events of competition of belief ideals, the nature of nurturing influences, and the kinds of challenging environments.

The Gospel of the Parable of the Sower is to remind us about the pairing of the hybrid seed of God's image planted upon us and the personal freedom to always choose toward the image of God no matter what happens to us, including the many failures, suffering, and competitions that we have in the process.

Today, let us live the mystery of having faith as we ever learn how to respond in excellent ways to the image of God, which is the seed that has been planted in our lives.  Amen.

Sunday School, July 16, 2023 7 Pentecost, A proper 10

 Sunday School, July 16, 2023   7 Pentecost, A proper 10

Right conditions for success

What is needed to successful boil water?  Heat  water to 212 degrees.

What is needed to be successful at sports or dancing?  Some skills and lots of practice.

What is needed to get good grades in school?  Lots of study

Jesus told a parable to help people understand why the good news of God becomes successful in the lives of people.  He told the parable of the sower who planted seeds that landed in different places: on the pathway or road, on the rocks and in good soil.

A seed grows best in good soil.  There is the best chance for a good harvest when the conditions are right.

How can the conditions be right for us to understand God’s plan for us?

We need people who teach us what is right and support us to make good choices.

We need to be able to survive difficult challenges without losing our faith.

We need to say no to the things that compete with doing what God wants.

God is like a farmer who has created this beautiful world.  But there is freedom in this world.  We have the freedom to arrange our lives to honor God or forget God.

The word of God is the good seed in this world.  It is planted in our lives as a place to grow.  So we need to arrange our lives in such a way so that we make our lives as good places for the word of God to grow and be successful.

How can God’s word be successful in our lives?

By studying God’s word, by praying, by gathering with others to help support doing the very best, by loving and caring for our neighbor.

We are responsible for preparing our lives like a well-kept garden so that God’s word can be successful in the right conditions of our lives.

Sermon

What is the beginning of a tree or a plant?  How does a tree get started?  How does a flower get started?  It starts from a seed right.

  So I have some seeds.  And seeds are really small.  They are so small, it seems like magic that they can grow and become very large plants or a very large tree.

  So I am going to plant some seeds.  And there are some good places to plant them and some bad places to plant them.  If I plant a seed on this chair, is that a good place?  If I plant it on the concrete floor, is that a good place?  What if I planted it in this little planting pot that has some soil in it? And I put some water on it?  Will it grow?  It has the best chance to grow in the soil.

  Jesus told a story about someone who planted seeds.  And this farmer who planted seeds threw seeds.  Some of the seeds fell on the road.  Some of the seeds fell on the rocks.  Some of the seeds fell among the thorns.  And some of the seeds feel in some good dirt.

  And where did the seed grow the best?  In the good dirt.

  And Jesus said, the message about the kingdom of heaven is like a seed.  If people are going to understand the message of the kingdom of heaven, their hearts and minds have to be in a certain way to be understand it.  So just as a seed will grow if it is good soil, so the message of the kingdom of heaven will be understood if our hearts and minds are ready to receive it.

  And what is the message of the kingdom of heaven?  The message is this:  God is our creator.  So we belong to God.  God loves us and cares for us.  And God wants us to love him and care for each other.

  But if we think that we made ourselves.  Or if we think that we own the world ourselves, then we will not be able to accept the news about the kingdom of heaven.  And so our hearts and mind will not be ready.

  We come to church to prepare our hearts and minds to receive the message of the kingdom of heaven.  And what is that message?  God created the world.  God loves us.  God wants us to love him and each other.

  That’s a very good message.  And if we learn this message, then we will know that we are in the kingdom of heaven.  Amen.

Young Child friendly Eucharistic Liturgy using the option found on page 400 of the Book of Common Prayer

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

July 16, 2023: The Seventh Sunday after  Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Hallelu, Hallelujah, The Foolish Man, Be Still and Know, Awesome God

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

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

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

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

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

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song:  Thy Word, (Renew! #94)

Refrain: Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path

When I feel afraid, think I’ve lost my way, still you’re right beside me.  And nothing will I fear as long as you are near.  Please be near me to the end.  Refrain.

I will not forget your love for me, and yet my heart forever is wandering.  Jesus, be my guide and hold me to your side; and I will love you to the end.  Refrain

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; 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

But you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.  But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 119

Your word is a lantern to my feet * and a light upon my path.

I have sworn and am determined * to keep your righteous judgments.

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 went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!"  "Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."

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 Song: The Foolish Man and the Wise Man (Christian Children’s Songbook, #250)

The foolish built his house upon the sand.  The foolish man built his house upon the sand.  The foolish man built his house upon the sand.  And the rains came tumbling down.  Oh the rains came down and the floods came up.  The rains came down and the floods came up.  The rains came down and the floods came up.  And the house on the sand, went “Crash!”

O, the wise man built his house upon the rock.  The wise man built his house upon the rock.  The wise man built his house upon the rock.  And the rains came tumbling down.  O, the rains came down and the floods came up.  The rains came down and the floods came up.  The rains came down and the floods came up and the house on the rock stood firm.

So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ.  So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ.  So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ.  And the blessings will come down.  The blessings will come down as the prayers go up.  The blessings will come down as the prayers go up.  The blessings will come down as the prayers go up, so build your house on the Lord.

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 Song: Be Still and Know  (Renew!  # 10)

Be Still and know that I am God, be still and know that I am God.  Be still and know that I am God.

The Lord almighty is our God.  The Lord almighty is our God.  The Lord almighty is our God.

The God of Jacob is our God.  The God of Jacob is our God.  The God of Jacob is our God.

Post-Communion Prayer

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

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

And His Presence has been known to us.

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

    and sisters in Christ.

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

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

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

Closing Song: Awesome God  (Renew! # 245)

Our God is an awesome God, he reigns from heaven above.  With wisdom, power and love, our God is an awesome God.

Dismissal:   

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

People:      Thanks be to God!