Sunday School, June 21, 2015 4 Pentecost B, Proper 7
Themes:
One has to choose Hebrew Scripture/Psalter selection
David and Goliah in the time of all of the battling super
heroes might be popular with the youth even though the story itself might be
PG-13 or even regarded to be violent if one tells the ending with the beheading
of Goliah by David.
One could also use the loyal friendship theme between David
and Jonathan even though the story includes Saul’s effort to kill David.
If one wants to match themes, one could go with God speaking
out of the whirlwind to Job informing Job that he is really not as big as God
to be able to understand how and why everything that happens to us in this
world, so we have the necessity to have faith in one who is greater than us to
handle all situations in life and in death.
The whirlwind theme of job could be coupled with the storm
on the sea with Jesus sleeping in the boat while the disciples are terribly frightening. Jesus reminded them to have faith because he
was present with them and if he was calm enough to sleep during the windy
storm, they could have faith in his presence even during a difficult times.
A possible fruitful line of instruction might be to present
Storms as great events over which we have no control as to when they happen,
how strong they are and when they will end.
Storms could be a metaphor for all of the big challenges in life that we
have to face, like an exam in school and other things which come up in our life
and even may surprise us. The lesson
that we can learn is that if we have this natural energy to fear, then we can
have the energy of fear converted to faith, if we can trust that others are
with us to help us as they represent the presents of Christ to us. When we are tempted to fear, we are to take
some deep breaths and say inside of ourselves, “Jesus, speak peace to my stormy
heart.” It is important to stop and
remember Christ and remember to have faith instead of fear.
I think that we can find out in our lives that Christ is not
sleeping and ignoring us; quite the opposite, we often are forgetting and
ignoring Christ. When we make the effort
to awaken the presence of Christ in our hearts, then we have the chance to know
the voice of Christ say within us, “Peace be Still.”
You can have your children times when they really needed to
have peace in their hearts.
St. John the Divine Episcopal Church
17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Family Service with Holy Eucharist
June 21, 2015: The Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
Gathering Songs: Only a Boy Named David, Peace Before Us,
Precious Lord, When the Saints
Song: Only a Boy Named David (All the Best Songs for Kids #
112)
Only a boy named David, only a little sling. Only a boy named David but he could pray and
sing. Only a boy named David, only a
rippling brook. Only a boy named David
and five little stones he took. And one
little stone went in the sling and the sling went round and round. And one little stone went in the sling and
the sling went round and round.
An-----------------------------------------d, Round and round and round
and round and round and round and round.
And one little stone went up in the air; and the the giant came tumbling
down.
Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Liturgist: Oh God,
Our hearts are open to you.
And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.
Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship
you.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Liturgist: The
Lord be with you.
People: And also with
you.
Liturgist: Let us
pray
Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast
faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with
boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior
Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now
and for ever. Amen.
Litany Phrase: Alleluia (chanted)
O God, you are Great!
Alleluia
O God, you have made us! Alleluia
O God, you have made yourself known to us! Alleluia
O God, you have provided us with us a Savior! Alleluia
O God, you have given us a Christian family! Alleluia
O God, you have forgiven our sins! Alleluia
O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead! Alleluia
A reading from the First Book of Samuel
Then David took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth
stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd's bag, in the pouch; his
sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine, Goliah. The giant said to David, "Am I a dog,
that you come to me with sticks?"
But David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with sword and
spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God
of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This very day the LORD will
deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head so
that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this
assembly may know that the LORD does not save by sword and spear; for the
battle is the LORD's and he will give you into our hand." When the
Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line
to meet the Philistine. David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung
it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his
forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.
Liturgist: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 9
The LORD will be a refuge for the oppressed, * a refuge in
time of trouble.
Those who know your Name will put their trust in you, * for
you never forsake those who seek you, O LORD.
Sing praise to the LORD who dwells in Zion; * proclaim to
the peoples the things he has done.
Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)
Litanist:
For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to
God!
For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!
For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks
be to God!
For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!
For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!
For work and for play. Thanks be to God!
For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!
For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!
For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of
our friends and parish family.
Thanks be to God!
Liturgist: The
Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark
People: Glory to you,
Lord Christ.
When evening had come, Jesus said to his disciples,
"Let us go across to the other side." And leaving the crowd behind,
they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.
A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was
already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they
woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are
perishing?" He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea,
"Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.
He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" And
they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is
this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
Liturgist: The
Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you,
Lord Christ.
Sermon – Father Phil
Children’s Creed
We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father
is the maker of the world.
Since God is so great and we are so small,
We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus,
son of the Virgin Mary.
We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the
life, death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy
Spirit.
We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church
where everyone is
welcome.
We believe that Christ is kind and fair.
We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.
And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve
us forever. Amen.
Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy. (chanted)
For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have
mercy.
For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have
mercy.
For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.
For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.
For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.
For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in
our world. Christ, have mercy.
For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have
mercy.
For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have
mercy.
For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have
mercy.
For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.
Liturgist: The
Peace of the Lord be always with you.
People: And also with you.
Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving
of an offering.
Song: Peace Before Us
(Wonder, Love and Praise, # 791)
Peace before us.
Peace behind us. Peace under our
feet. Peace within us. Peace over us. Let all around us be Peace.
Love before us… 3.
Light before us…..4. Christ before us.
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all
creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost.
Prologue to the Eucharist
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong
the kingdom of heaven.”
All become members of a family by birth or adoption.
Baptism is a celebration of birth into the family of God.
A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.
The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to
his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.
The Lord be with you
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made
us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts. Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all
of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might. Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.
All may gather around the altar
Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;
You have made us in your image
And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to
live by faith:
Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob
and Rachael.
And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured
by Joseph
And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.
Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this
Holy Meal so that when we eat
the bread and drink
the wine, we can know that the Presence
of Christ is as near to us as
this food and
drink that becomes a part of us.
And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine.
Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and
Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. 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: Precious Lord, Take My Hand (Wonder, Love
and Praise # 800)
Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand, I am
tired, I am weak, I am worn; thought the storm, through the night, lead me on
to the light, take my hand, precious Lord, lead me on.
When the way grows drear, precious Lord, linger near, when
my life is almost most gone; hear my cry, hear my call, hold my hand, lest I
fall, take my hand, precious Lord, lead me on.
When the darkness appears and the night draws near, and the
day is past and gone; at the river I stand, guide my feet, hold my hand,
precious Lord, lead me on.
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 (Christian Children’s Songbook
# 248)
1-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.
2-O when the girls go marching in…. 3-O when the boys go marching in….
Dismissal:
Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.
People: Thanks be to God!
