Does Saying, "I Am Not a Prophet" Get Us Off the Hook?

7 Pentecost Cycle b proper 10 July 11, 2021
Amos 7:7-15 Psalm 85:8-13
Ephesians 1:3-14 Mark 6:14-29

Lectionary Link

When Amos was challenged by the king about his prophetic authority.  He issued a disclaimer: "I am not a prophet or the son of prophet.  I'm just farmer but God wanted me to do this."

Probably we too feel like Amos most of the time.  "Who, me?  I'm not a prophet or a child of a prophet."  We don't want the job of the prophet because they often go against public opinion and sentiment or go against wealthy and powerful people and they end up paying the price.  "Thanks for asking though.  I'll leave being a prophet up to people who don't mind getting killed like Jesus, Stephen the Martyr, Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.."

But our disclaimer about "not being prophets" does not get us off the hook for taking stands, even if unpopular against injustice, hatred and unkindness.

Even if we aren't prophets, we are still called to be prophetic often in our words and deeds.  Why?

Because the office of any official ministry does not exhaust the work of that ministry.  The reason that we have official priests in the church is to remind the entire church that her ministry and the ministry of every member is priestly, in that we are called to intercede on behalf of our world.

The reason that we have prophets is to remind the entire church, that our life is to be prophetic in taking stands, even public stands on behalf of what is true, just, loving and kind.  No one is exempt from being prophetic in the words, and body language deeds of one's life.

Now if we are all called to be prophets in the witness of our lives for what is true, just, loving and kind, what remains for each of us are the prophetic strategies appropriate to our lives, our personalities, and our living situations.

And we might have different strategies than the prophet John the Baptist.  We don't really want to have our heads served on a platter as a party hors d'oeuvres.

John the Baptist was such an unbribed soul and he did not believe in a separation of spiritual and secular world.  He believed that everyone was obligated to be a "moral" being, and so he criticized King Herod's multiple marriage situation.  And as a result he was killed because Herod's wife didn't like his criticism.

We live in a different world.  We may criticize a president for having multiple marriages or marital infidelity but in the separation of the spiritual, moral, and religious world from the secular political world, such criticism may simply be regarded as one's personal politics.

There are other prophetic strategies that we must take up, like how do we make a stand for what is true, right, just, and kind in the face of some overt words and deeds of racism, sexism, ageism, wellism and the many other habits of bias which afflict our world.  Sometimes it is uncomfortable to make a stand when the habits of bias and prejudice are so ingrained in social and even religious practice.  We don't want to hurt people's feelings when they make a racist or sexist jokes or statements.

Sometimes Christians have been the last to embrace new understanding of applied justice and love in our world.  Christians have used the ancient cultural practices found in the Bible as reason to uphold slavery, subjugation of women, the discrimination against gay and lesbian and transgendered persons, and even genocide.

As Christians, we need to be leaders in what exemplifies justice, love, and kindness toward the dignity of each person being made in the image of God.

So, today please don't forget that our baptism means that we are prophets.  And we might be timid and shy to embrace this baptismal role.  We ask for God's grace to give us courage to change the situations of injustice whenever we can and in ways that are appropriate to our gifts.

In the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I remind you that you are an ordained prophet of truth, justice, love and kindness by virtue of your baptism.  Go forth and work out your prophetic calling today.  Amen.

Sunday School, July 11, 2021 7 Pentecost, B proper 10

Sunday School, July 11, 2021  7 Pentecost, B proper 10

Sunday School themes

If you use the passage from the prophet Amos, you can use the metaphor of the plumb line.

Bring a plumb line and show how the lowest point of the pendulum swing creates a vertically straight line.  This can be used by brick layers so they can be sure their wall is straight up and down and not leaning.

So God provides us with plumb lines so that we can live lives which do not topple over.

The Plumb lines of our lives are the laws and rules which give us guidance for our very best behaviors.

You might remind them of some of the famous Plumb Line Rules:  10 Commandments, Golden Rule and the Summary of the Law.

The letter to the Ephesians remind us that we are made for a wonderful purpose.  We are created for higher values and we need to learn to find those highest values as we practice our faith within our community.

Amos was a prophet who had to remind his people that their lives had become like a wall that was built crooked.  They needed a plumb line to correct their leaning wall by rebuilding to be straight up and down.  Amos was to remind them to return to the vows of keeping the commandment of God.

People do not always like to be corrected.  The prophets were sometimes attacked and injured when they tried to correct the bad behavior of people.

John the Baptist was a prophet too who was put in to prison and put to death because he tried to instruct all people including King Herod about what the law of God was for their behavior.  We need to stand up for people who are willing to tell us the truth about wrong behaviors.

Sermon:

Does anyone know the name of the cousin of Jesus?  His name was John the Baptist.

  How did John get his name, the Baptist?  We could also say John the Baptizer.

  If his name is John the Baptizer, what do you think John did?  He baptized.

  What is baptism?  Baptism for John was like taking a bath.  Why do we take a bath?  To get clean right?

  Do you really think that John the Baptizer wanted everyone to take a bath to keep clean?  No.  John the Baptizer wanted people to be clean inside.  He wanted people to make a promise to improve their lives.  He wanted people to make a promise to try to get better every day.  And he baptized people who made that promise.

  Today we still baptize.  Jesus asked his disciples to baptize.  Why do we baptize?  Do we do it to get clean?  You know when we baptize we just pour a little bit of water over the head.

  So, we do not baptize to take a bath; we baptize as a way to celebrate our adoption as sons and daughters of God.

  Baptism is a celebration that we belong to two families.  We belong to the family of our birth and we belong to the family God.

  Let us remember John the Baptist today.  And let us remember that we are baptized to celebrate that we are God’s children and that we belong to a wonderful family.  Amen.

Liturgy for the Day

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

July 11, 2021: The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Prepare the Way; Peace Before Us; My Jesus I love Thee; Soon and Very Soon

Song: Prepare the Way of the Lord   (Renew!  # 92)  Sing Four times

Prepare the way of the Lord, prepare the way of Lord, and all people will see the salvation of our God.

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

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.

Litany Phrase: Alleluia (chanted)

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

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

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

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

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

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

A reading from the  Letter  to the Ephesians

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Or A reading from the Prophet Amos

This is what the Lord God showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by;

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

 

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 85

Truth shall spring up from the earth, * and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

The LORD will indeed grant prosperity, * and our land will yield its increase.

Righteousness shall go before him, * and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.

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.

King Herod heard of the demons cast out and the many who were anointed and cured, for Jesus' name had become known. Some were saying, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him." But others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon:  Fr. Phil

Children’s Creed

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

Since God is so great and we are so small,

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

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

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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

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

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

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

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

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy. (chanted)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For the forgiveness of all 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.

The Prayer continues with these words

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Bless and anctify 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: My Jesus, I Love Thee (Renew! # 275)

My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine, for thee all the follies of sin I resign; my gracious Redeemer, my Savior art thou; if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now.

I love thee because thou hast first loved me, and purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree; I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow; if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight, I’ll ever adore thee in heaven so bright; I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;  If ever I loved thee, my Jesus ‘tis now.

Post-Communion Prayer

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

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

And His Presence has been known to us.

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

    and sisters in Christ.

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

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

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

Closing Song: Soon and Very Soon (Renew! # 276)

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

No more dying there, we are going to see the King.  No more dying there, we are going to see the King.  No more dying there we are going to see the King.  Alleluia, alleluia, we are going to see the King.

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God! 

Continued Uncovering of the Original Blessing

7 Pentecost Cycle B Proper 9 July 4, 2021

Ez. 2:1-7 Ps.123

2 Cor.12:1-10 Mark 6:1-13

 Lectionary Link

We can often regard revelation as something that happens with big flashy events, like clouds and thunder and fire on Mount Sinai.

 

But the meaning of revelation is actually an unveiling or an uncovering to see things as they are.  The Bible is a record of events in uncovering how things have been, are and will be, and because uncovering happens within time, it is not finished; it is and will continue to happen at many times and in many ways.  You and I within our communities are having insights uncovered for us as we live and learn.  Learning is in fact an uncovering of important meanings for the benefit of practicing better living.

 

What does the biblical record uncover?  That we are made in the image of God. But we have experienced the cover up alienation of sin, and we have lost being in touch with our original blessing.  And our lives have been diminished and particularly when we have treated each other in oppressive, suppressive, or generally unkind ways.

 

God gave us Moses and the law to help us uncover the recommended behaviors on best expressing the image of God in our lives.  The Hebrew Scriptures record the many failures of people to live up to the image of God planted within them.

 

The prophet Ezekiel was one who tried to call Israel to their origins in the image of God by uncovering what they had lost in their practice in loyalty to God and to best community behaviors.  But Ezekiel did not have success or honor among his own people.

 

The Psalmist noted that it was the proud and indolent rich who oppressed and kept people from the living of true equality in the image of God.  The Psalmist asked for deliverance from the proud and the indolent rich.

 

Given the truth of our original blessing of being made in the image of God and given the fact that people generally live in alienation of this original blessing, what was the central message of another hometown boy, who was a prophet from the highest heaven, sent to help people return to the original blessing?  Jesus of Nazareth was all about health and salvation.  Health and salvation came from recognizing that we live and move and have our being in the realm of God whose image is stamped upon our lives.  But Joe and Mary's boy of Nazareth was too threatening.  "Imagine this hometown boy who should have stayed home and worked in his daddy's carpenter shop, thinking that he's some great uppity prophet."  The original blessing, health and salvation could not be revealed or uncovered by persons so cynical about obvious goodness.  So, Jesus did not stay home; he sent his followers to help him uncover the original blessing, known as health and salvation.  And he taught his followers to be people whisperers who like vacuum cleaners sucked the sense of inner uncleanness from people and offered them the renewal of right spirits and clean hearts.

 

Human history has known many events when important things have been uncovered or revealed.  Sometimes though, our current situations are so dominated by habits of bad practice, we cannot live up to what has been uncovered.  I believe that the Declaration of Independence of our Founders was a great uncovering of this truth about being created equal by God which guaranteed a corresponding pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all.  This was an incredible uncovering even though it was uncovered by persons who could not yet grant this great truth to the Black persons who were their slaves, and to women and poor persons who did not enjoy full access to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

 

Abraham Lincoln, again tried to address our American hypocrisy of being proud of our great ideal, but willingly failing to live up to this ideal in granting full justice to all within our borders.  Martin Luther King, Jr. did the same thing by saying, "People of America, be unhypocritical Americans by practicing your ideals in granting black people, brown people, poor people the full benefit of the self-evidence of being created by God in the divine image.  Lincoln was opposed by a large portion of the country of people who did not want to give up their slave economy.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who practiced the weakness of peaceful resistance, was rejected, and killed by the proud racists and indolent rich, who did want to share equally the American pie.    Yet his "weakness" was a witness to the power of God in uncovering the obviousness of the image of God upon all people.

 

St. Paul was another prophet who was rejected by his people because he thought that it was obvious as Abraham that all people were included in the original blessing.  He believed that this is what the dignity of the Risen Christ through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit meant.  How could anyone who could be indwelt by the Holy Spirit be regarded as inferior?  How could anyone who could have faith be regarded as God-rejected?  St. Paul was once stoned near to death for his belief.  Some scholars believe that in his near-death experience, he had this out of the body experience which he hints at in our reading today.  He wrote about the elation of such an experience.

 

His words reminds me of Dr. Martin Luther King's, "I have been to the mountaintop" sermon on the eve of his assassination: "Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

 

Many people have lost honor among their hometown people for pointing out the obvious.  The dignity of God upon every human being is being threatened in our country.  We have not attained Lincoln's, Jefferson's, or Martin Luther King's Jr.'s ideal, and certainly not the vision of health and salvation which Jesus of Nazareth uncovered for us in the restoration of dignity for all people.

 

On this Fourth of July, let us return to the great prophets who confronted us about our hypocrisy.  They uncovered, they revealed the original blessing of being created in the image of God and the health and salvation of living in God's image means Life, eternal life after death, qualitative life while we live, liberty and access to the equal means of being happy for full well-being with God and with each other.

 

On this Fourth of July, let us return in full practice to the image of God upon the life of every human being.  Let us look closely and see Christ in all and accord them the dignity of Christ.  Amen.

Sunday School, July 4, 2021 6 Pentecost Cycle B Proper 9

Sunday School, July 4, 2021   6 Pentecost Cycle B Proper  9

 
Dealing with the riddle of St. Paul: , “for power is made perfect in weakness ." So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

You might discuss the meaning of this riddle.  When we try to rely only upon ourselves and don’t ask Christ or anyone for help, we can find that we are not strong in all of our abilities and so we need other people to be strong in the areas of our weakness.

Remind them about one of the mottos of our country on Fourth of July weekend:  e pluribus unum:  Out of the many, One.  When we unite to do things together we are no longer weak as individual persons.

The Gospel lesson is about how Jesus chose to share the good news.  He wanted to get his message of love out really quickly and so he sent his disciples out two by two.  He told them to pack very light since if they took too many things they could not keep moving from village to village to share the good news.

How do advertisers get people to buy their products?

We are not selling the Gospel.  How can we get people to accept something which is free and wonderful?  How can we get teach and live the Gospel so that people will be able to accept something which can make their lives better?

Explain to children the saying: Familiarity breed contempt.  It means some time when people close to us are very good and marvelous people, we get so use their goodness that we don’t appreciate it anymore and we don’t understand how good it was until we find out that everyone is not as good as the wonderful people in our lives.

Jesus was not accepted by everyone in his family or in his hometown of Nazareth.  People in his family and in his hometown maybe were jealous of his success and because they were jealous of him, they would not accept him and the good things that he wanted to do for them.

We know that things are wrong when we cannot accept the good things that are being given to us because of our pride and jealousy.


A children’s sermon


  When Jesus was a boy, he lived in a town called Nazareth.  His father Joseph was a carpenter, and so he probably helped his father in the carpenter shop.
  But Jesus was a very bright young boy;  he liked to learn and he like to speak.  When he was a young boy, he was arguing with the smartest teachers in the religious law in the temple.  So his parent knew that he was going to have a different career than most boys.
  Soon the work of Jesus took him away from Nazareth.  He became a traveling preacher.  Jesus looked at people and he felt love for them.  He saw that many people needed to have encouragement and hope.  Many people needed to know that God cared for them.  Jesus knew that he was sent to this world to preach a message about God’s love and care.  He also knew that he was supposed to help people who were sick.  He knew that he was to invite forgotten people into the community of faith.
  One day Jesus went back to his home town.  He had become very famous, and he went home, probably to see his Mother Mary and Joseph.
  And Jesus wanted to help people in his own home town.  But they wouldn’t let him.  They said, “We know Jesus, he’s Joe and Mary’s son.  We were raised with him.  Who does he think he is coming here and preaching to us?    They were so jealous and so unfriendly, Jesus just had to leave town without doing something wonderful for them.
  He was very surprised about their unbelief.  Why wouldn’t they let him do good things for them?
  He was too familiar to them.  And they were jealous, so they would not receive any from him.
  Did you ever want to do something good for someone, but they won’t let you?  It hurts when you want to give something good to someone but they won’t take it.
  What about when your parents fix you a wonderful meal and they are so happy to take good care of you, but what you say, “No, I don’t want it.”  Aren’t you glad that your parents don’t stop giving things to you, even if you refuse to receive everything that they offer?
   Sometimes we treat God this way.  God wants us to receive good things…love, forgiveness and kindness, but sometimes we refuse to take God gifts.  And it really hurts us when we don’t receive God’s gifts.
  When Jesus went to his home town, he was very surprised that the people in his town would not let him do some good things for them, because he was so familiar.
  Did you know the best things that happen to us happen to us through the familiar people in our lives.  Friends, family, parents….   So we should not let our jealousy keep us from receiving good things from the people who are familiar to us.
  Remember your parents want to give some very good things to you and sometimes you don’t see how they are good.  But you need to trust your parents.
  So too, God has some very good things for us, and we might not see why they are good for us…..like learning to follow rules and laws.  But if we receive the gifts of God, some day we will see how good they are for us.  Let us always be ready to receive the good things that God wants to give us.  Amen.

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist
July 4, 2021: The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: My Country Tis of Thee; I’ve Got Peace, Eat This Bread, I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light

Song: My Country ‘Tis of Thee   (blue hymnal, # 717)
My country ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountain side let freedom ring.

Our fathers’ God, to thee, author of liberty, to thee we sing; long may our land be bright with freedom’s holy light; protect us by thy might, great God, our King.

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
O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Lord God Almighty, in whose Name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us, and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn: Grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Litany Phrase: Alleluia (chanted)

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia
O God, you have made us! Alleluia
O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia
O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia
O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia
O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia
O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

A reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians
Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
Liturgist: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
 
Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 123

To you I lift up my eyes, * to you enthroned in the heavens.
As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, * and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes look to the LORD our God, * until he show us his mercy.

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!
For our Country and for all of the liberties that we enjoy.   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon:  Fr. Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.
Since God is so great and we are so small,
We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.
We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and
     resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.
We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is
     welcome.
We believe that Christ is kind and fair.
We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.
And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy. (chanted)

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.
For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.
For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.
For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.
For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.
For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.
For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.
For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.
For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.
For the forgiveness of all 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: I’ve Got Peace Like a River (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 122)
I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.  I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul..
I’ve got love like a river, I’ve got love like a river, I’ve got love like a river in my soul.  I’ve got love like a river, I’ve got love like a river, I’ve got love like a river in my soul.

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.

Children 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.

The Prayer continues with these words

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Sanctify us by your Spirit 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 Song: Eat This Bread  (Renew!, # 228)
Eat this bread, drink this cup, come to me and never be hungry. 
Eat this bread, drink this cup, trust in me and you will not thirst.

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;
We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.
And His Presence has been known to us.
We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers
    and sisters in Christ.
Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the
     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,
As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: I Want to Walk As a Child of the Light, (Renew # 152)

1-I want to walk as a child of the light; I want to follow Jesus.  God set the stars to bring light to the world; the star of my life is Jesus.  Refrain: In Him there is no darkness at all, the night and the day are both alike.  The Lamb is the light of the city of God: Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

2-I want to see the brightness of God; I want to look at Jesus.  Clear Sun of righteousness, shine on my path, and show me the way to the Father.     Refrain

Dismissal:   
Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ. 
People: Thanks be to God!