We Are All Saints

All Saints Day

**Please note this service is based on the format of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, all prayers come from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW). Hymns and other prayers have been sourced to give appropriate credit.

**NRSV translation used for the readings, unless otherwise stated.

**This is for personal use at home as the church is unable to gather in our houses of worship but together we can worship in our own homes.

Introduction to the Day

All Saints celebrates the baptized people of God, living and dead, who are the body of Christ. As November heralds the dying of the landscape in many northern regions, the readings and liturgy call us to remember all who have died in Christ and whose baptism is complete. At the Lord’s table we gather with the faithful of every time and place, trusting that the promises of God will be fulfilled and that all tears will be wiped away in the new Jerusalem.

Confession and Forgiveness

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
in whose image we are made,
who claims us and calls us beloved.

Amen.

Holy One,
we confess that we are not awake for you.
We are not faithful in using your gifts.
We forget the least of our siblings.
We do not see your beautiful image in one another.
We are infected by sin
that divides your beloved community.
Open our hearts to your coming,
open our eyes to see you in our neighbor,
open our hands to serve your creation. Amen.

Beloved, we are God’s children,
and Jesus, our Beloved, opens the door to us.
Through ☩ Jesus you are forgiven,
by Jesus you are welcome,
in Jesus you are called to rejoice!
Let us live in the promises prepared for us
from the foundation of the world.

Amen.

Remembrance of All Saints

Let us remember all the saints before God.

We praise and bless you, O holy Trinity. You have taught your church that it is an ageless communion of saints. We thank you for gathering those who faithfully waited in hope for the redemption you promised, and now for adding us who celebrate the love of Christ for the redemption of the world. Prepare a place for us among those who are already with you. Help us remember them as an encouragement to saintly living, exciting us to love, in anticipation of an eternal reunion. With them we praise and bless you, O holy Trinity.
Amen.

Jesus says, Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me;
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
And you will find rest for your souls.

Gathering Song – For All Your Saints, O Lord (ELW #427)

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Greeting

Beloved of God, called to be saints:
Grace, mercy, and peace be with you all.
And also with you.

Canticle of Praise

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Prayer of the Day

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Almighty God, you have knit your people together in one communion in the mystical body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

A reading from the Book of Revelation 7:9-17

The book of Revelation is written to seven churches in western Asia Minor during a time of great oppression. Today’s reading is a response to the question asked in 6:17: “Who is able to stand?” The writer gives the faithful the assurance of God’s protection and a vision of victory.

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,

“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing,

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might
be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

For this reason they are before the throne of God,
    and worship him day and night within his temple,
    and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
    the sun will not strike them,
    nor any scorching heat;
for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
    and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Psalm 34:1-10, 22

I will bless the Lord at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me,
    and let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me,
    and delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him, and be radiant;
    so your faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord,
    and was saved from every trouble.
The angel of the Lord encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them.
O taste and see that the Lord is good;
    happy are those who take refuge in him.
O fear the Lord, you his holy ones,
    for those who fear him have no want.
The young lions suffer want and hunger,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

A reading from the First Letter of John 3:1-3

A saint is one who has been set apart by God for God’s purposes. God, out of divine love, set us apart to be the children of God. Our holy hope is that we shall see God as God really is.

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Children’s Message

As Christians, we begin November by remembering those who have died. We call the first two days of November All Saints Day and All Souls Day.

November 1, All Saints Day, was called All Hallow’s Day because hallow is another word for holy. The night before was called All Hallow’s Eve, which was eventually shortened to Halloween. Dressing in scary costumes and putting up pictures of tombstones and ghosts are ways to make death seem less scary at a time when nature is reminding us of death.

But the Church offers us an even better way of thinking about those who have died. On All Saints Day and All Souls Day we remember that we are members of the People of God. United with God, we are also united with all Christians who have come before us in the Communion of Saints.

All Saints Day and All Souls Day are good opportunities for us to remember how we are connected to one another through the Communion of Saints. Listen for where those words come up during the service.

We pray in thanksgiving that we all have eternal life and are united in the Communion of Saints.

Amen.

Gospel Acclamation

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The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew 5:1-12
Glory to you, O Lord.

After Jesus begins teaching in the temple, religious leaders try to trap him with questions. First they ask if God’s people should pay taxes to an earthly tyrant like Caesar.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable and pleasing in your sight O Lord, for you are our rock and our redeemer. Amen.

Very rarely does the book of Revelation come up in our Sunday readings. When it does, it seems to me that we should reflect on it.

The Book of Revelation is often considered to be apocalyptic literature – heavily symbolic displaying distinctive literary characteristics and claims to unveil the truth about the world as viewed from an apocalyptic perspective.1

It’s a very imaginative book, full of colour and sound. The stories are full of divine visions granted to a seer and then interpreted by angels or other spiritual beings. Symbolism is prevalent throughout the Book of Revelation, with the visions involving bizarre creatures and mysterious events.

Theologians like Calvin and Luther wanted nothing to do with Revelation, neither writing a word about it. In pop culture, it fuels films ranging from pulp fiction to rock operas. Revelation fuels the human imagination, taking readers beyond themselves, expanding our horizons as it travels from earth to heaven and from present to future. And most of the time, it is very difficult to figure out what the experience means.2

You can see maybe why the creators of the common lectionary leave Revelation out of the cycle for the most part.

So why is it part of our readings today? On All Saint’s Sunday?

The custom on All Saints Day is to remember those who have died in the last year. It gives us a moment to grieve those we have lost but also to move to thanksgiving for their life and, even more, for their place now among the saints gathered in the nearer presence of God.

All religions have saints – those who are deceased, and those who are living and walking among us, and if we think with Paul, perhaps even we ourselves are saints. The word saint is not limited to the “greats” of history, for Paul and other writers in the New Testament use the term synonymously with Christian and, at times, believer. No matter how you define it, the word saint has broad implications, and that is perhaps the best way to describe today’s passage from Revelation 7.

In contrast to the first eight verses in this chapter which depict a specific number of worshipers (144,000), Revelation 7:9 casts a larger and more general vision for those who are able to worship around the throne of the Lamb. Beginning with verse 9, the writer describes a great multitude that is countless, numbering those from every tribe, and people, and language. There is no limit to the scope of this multitude, be it geographic, ethnic, numeric, linguistic, economic, and on the list goes.

Also, this multitude is seen and heard. The multitude is clad in white, it is waving palm branches, and it is crying hymns of praise in a loud voice. While much of this imagery parallels the Triumphal Entry scene as depicted in the gospels, it should be noted that this multitude pledges itself to the Lamb. Unlike the multitude in the Triumphal Entry scene that later turns its back on the Messiah, this multitude will remain faithful to the Lamb “forever and ever.”3

They remain loyal to the Lamb, they wash their robes, and they worship in the temple. As a result, they are sheltered, they are fed, and they are protected. Summed up, it might be said that this multitude has found freedom in the One they worship. Herein, the prophecy of Isaiah 25 is fulfilled.

This passage reminds us that being a faithful witness – like the great multitude – is the baptismal vocation of us all. It also reminds us that when we live out our Christian vocation, we find freedom in the Lamb of God who sustains all of us.

Most importantly, this passage reminds us that the vision for sainthood is all encompassing. It is all-inclusive.

And so, on this Feast Day of All Saints, we Christians around the world gather to celebrate the lives of those saints who have gone on before us. We read the names of those who have passed since the last time we observed this day; do it with solemnity and dignity and reverence and joy.

But let us also remember that loss that deserves notice and demands comfort comes from many places, not only death. It comes in leave-takings, as we depart for a new job and home and leave beloved friends and colleagues behind. It comes as you slowly lose a loved one to Alzheimer’s. It comes in the loss of employment or dignity. It comes from struggles with illness both of body and mind. It comes from being isolated for months from friends and family.

Loss comes at us from so many sources.

The passage from Revelation then becomes a letter of encouragement, hope, and comfort to all of us who are struggling with enormous loss over the last 12 months, and not just in loved ones who have died.

When struck with grief or loss, there is little capacity to imagine, let alone move toward, a future not dominated by these difficult realities.

But Christ promises us that with faith in him, we will be sheltered, fed, and protected.

Jesus will indeed wipe every tear from our eyes one day.

In the meantime, Jesus sees our struggles and knows our grief. Indeed, he has borne them in his cross and bears them with us even now.

So I ask again, why does Revelation show up, really, only on All Saints Day in our lectionary?

Because this passage is a reminder that sanctity is a gift from God, and that commemorating the Saints in our lives, living and dead, is a way of affirming that the transformative power of Christ is at work all about us in human lives. We are saints because God’s sanctity is at work in us.4

Amen.

[1] Powell, Mark Allan. Introducing the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group, 2009. P. 523.

[2] Ibid. P. 537.

[3] Rowland, Christopher C. “The Book of Revelation: Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections,” in The New Interpreter’s Bible: Volume XII, ed. Leander E. Keck, Thomas G. Long, David L. Petersen, et al, The New Interpreter’s Bible: A Commentary in Twelve Volumes. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1994. P. 621.

[4] Stookey, Lawrence Hull. Christ’s Time for the Church. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996. P. 141-142.

Hymn of the Day – For All the Saints (ELW #422)

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Creed

Let us confess the faith of our baptism, as we say the Nicene Creed:

We believe in one God,
    the Father, the Almighty,
    maker of heaven and earth,
    of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
    the only Son of God,
    eternally begotten of the Father,
    God from God, Light from Light,
    true God from true God,
    begotten, not made,
    of one Being with the Father;
    through him all things were made.
    For us and for our salvation
            he came down from heaven,
            was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary
            and became truly human.
            For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
            he suffered death and was buried.
            On the third day he rose again
            in accordance with the scriptures;
            he ascended into heaven
            and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
            He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
            and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
    who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
    who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
    who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
    and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

Longing for Christ’s reign to come among us, we pray for the outpouring of God’s power on the church, the world, and all in need.

Silence

Lord of all the saints, we praise you for evangelists and martyrs whose sacrifices witness to your gospel across time and space. Inspire us by their courage to carry our faith to new people and places around us.

Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

Lord of every place, the universe proclaims your greatness from generation to generation. Bless the work of naturalists, and conservationists who train our attention to the wonders of the world you have made.

Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

Lord of every blessing, your Son’s blessing came to those living with poverty, grief, hunger, thirst, and persecution. Shape our vision of the saints to match his own. Awaken in us your call to serve all who suffer. We pray especially for all those we name aloud or in our heart.

Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

Lord of every venture, anoint us with the missionary spirit of the early church. Bless all new missions of our synod. Empower testimony from new communities of faith to shape a diverse witness to your saving power.

Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

Lord of every time, countless are the multitudes you have called by name and gathered to yourself. Comfort us as we grieve those who have died in the past year. In faith, may we join with them in ceaseless praise.

Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

Receive our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour, until that day when you gather all creation around your throne where you will reign forever and ever.

Amen.

Peace

The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.

Hymn of Thanksgiving – Precious Lord, Take My Hand (ELW #773)

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Thanksgiving for the Word

Let us pray.

O God of justice and love, we give thanks to you that you illumine our way through life with the words of your Son. Give us the light we need, awaken us to the needs of others, and at the end bring all the world to your feast; through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever.

Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
    hallowed be thy name,
    thy kingdom come,
    thy will be done,
        on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
    as we forgive those
        who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
    and the power, and the glory,
    forever and ever. Amen.

Blessing

May the God of all creation, in whose image we are made, who claims us and calls us beloved, who strengthens us for service, give you reason to rejoice and be glad! The blessing of God, Sovereign, ☩ Saviour, and Spirit, be with you today and always.

Amen.

Sending Song – Shall We Gather at the River (ELW #423)

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Dismissal

Beloved of God, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Love God and Love Your Neighbour: We Need to do Better

The Twenty-first Sunday of Pentecost

**Please note this service is based on the format of the Anglican Church of Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, all prayers come from the Book of Alternative Services (BAS) and the hymns from the Book of Common Praise (BCP). Other hymns and prayers have been sourced to give appropriate credit.

**NRSV translation used for the readings, unless otherwise stated.

**This is for personal use at home as the church is unable to gather in our houses of worship but together we can worship in our own homes.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray.

Holy One, you planted us by living water, that we might be rooted in righteousness. You call us to be holy as you are holy. Assured of your love, help us to cast aside all fear, that we may love our neighbours as ourselves. Amen. (Revised Common Lectionary Prayers)

Opening Hymn – When I Needed a Neighbour

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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

Collect for Purity

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The Gloria

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Collect of the Day

Let us pray.

Lord God our redeemer, who heard the cry of your people and sent your servant Moses to lead them out of slavery, free us from the tyranny of sin and death, and by the leading of your spirit bring us to our promised land; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Children's Message

(This blog does not endorse Samaritan's Purse. Video used simply for the cuteness factor.)

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The Readings

A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. The Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord’s command. He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigor had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.

Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be the God.

Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17

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A reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians 2:1-8

You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gradual Hymn – Spirit Song

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The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. 22:34-46

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: “What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying,

‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at my right hand,

    until I put your enemies under your feet”’?

If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?” No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

The Gospel of Christ.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Sermon

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable and pleasing in your sight O Lord, for you are our rock and our redeemer. Amen.

Yet again, Jesus is being asked a question that is meant to trap him, a question with apparently no good answer. He is asked which of the 613 commandments of law is the most important.

Scholars of the Torah have debated how they would rank the laws according to relative importance. This is what Jesus was being asked to do, as a way of testing his position.

Jesus draws upon his knowledge of the Torah, the Law and wisdom of Israel, to answer the question, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18: to love God and to love the neighbour.

The first is a commandment so heavy in Jewish tradition that it is recited at evening and morning prayer each day: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

These words are the heart of a thanksgiving for creation, revelation, and redemption.

How could Jesus NOT make “Love your God” the greatest commandment.

The second, Jesus tells us, are the hooks on which the rest of the laws are hung.

Jesus gives two answers that are intimately connected: love God with all you've got inside and love your neighbor, outside of you, as yourself.

The commandments to love God and neighbour are the basis of both Christian ethic and Christian response to God.

Jesus didn’t come up with these laws, they already existed in the Torah, but what he did was unite them as opposite sides of a single coin: they are complimentary, they are interdependent, and they are the key to each other.

Christian teaching is built on this principle as we see in John: “Those who do not love a brother or sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.”

It is a traditional answer to a traditional question. It is the historic wisdom of the faith that one cannot place anything more important above the commands to love God and neighbor. It is truth that is already known, but we choose to keep it on the mental shelf of our lives rather than put it into action through our lives.

The idea seems simple: “Love God, love neighbor.” The difficulties arise in the execution. Everyone who has made a serious, lifelong effort to live out these simple precepts has struggled with one or both of them. Who is God, and who is my neighbor? What does it mean to love them? Wrestling with these questions is at the heart of discipleship.

Jesus shares the two commandments to encourage us to move from our armchair awareness to a personal practice of loving God, by loving others they might not otherwise love. If one loves God with a great and sure intensity, that intensity should not lighten up by the time it reaches others.

But our love for God is tested by the reality of the demands of our neighbour.

Consider our baptismal covenant that says: “Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbour as yourself?”

Or in our confession: “We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.”

We make a commitment to God in the first, and in the second, these are words we say each week as a commitment to each other.

Are they just empty promises, said by rote because that’s what we’ve always done and what we’re meant to say as part of the program?

When was the last time you said these words and really meant them?

What good are our creeds if those beliefs don't make any difference in the way we live, in the ways we act? It is not enough to believe something; we must live it as well.

When Sunday turns to Monday, we need to consider who our neighbour is and not just forget about the words we spoke. I am not talking about your physically next door neighbour. I am talking about everyone, and how our neighbours are not being treated with the decency that is owed to every human being.

Take, for example, the dispute over fishing rights in southwestern Nova Scotia that escalated this past week into violence, destruction, and eventually an angry mob attack on Indigenous-used fishing pounds. Several hundred lobster traps have either been destroyed or seized by non-Indigenous commercial fishermen in the past month, and two Mi’kmaw fishing boats were alleged to have been set on fire by the same group.

Or how about the death of Joyce Echaquan, a 37-year-old Indigenous woman who died on September 28 in a hospital in Joliette, Quebec. Before her death, she recorded a Facebook Live video that showed her screaming in distress and healthcare workers abusing her.

In Nigeria, at least 56 people have died during two weeks of widespread demonstrations against police violence, including 38 this past Tuesday.

A transgender man in Vancouver was refused his food from a delivery service, and transphobic slurs thrown at him, because the gender marker on his ID still said female.

People are choosing not to wear masks while in public because they just don’t want to.

We are not loving our neighbours and God cries each time one of God’s creations are hurt or killed, which means we are also not loving God.

We need to do better as a whole.

Every human being on this planet deserves to live without fear of their lives – whether from lack of food, lack of healthcare, violence due to the color of their skin, harassment because of who they love or who they are, or any other inhumane act that one human is doing against another.

As Christians, we need to be the example.

We need to show others that when we say “love your neighbor as yourself”, it is not just empty words.

We need to take action when we see injustice by stepping up, writing letters, or being otherwise vocal about the treatment of our fellow children of God.

Love God and Love your neighbour.

That’s all Jesus is asking us to do.

Amen.

Affirmation of Faith

The Prayers of the People

(From Intercessions for the Christian People)

Pondering the two great commandments of the law, let us pray together, saying: O Lord of love, hear our prayer.

That the church throughout the world may love you with all its heart and soul and mind, and may exemplify your love in all its life, I Lord of love,

Hear our prayer.

That our country, in all its foreign and domestic policies, may care for aliens and immigrants, the indigent and the oppressed, all victims of economic exploitation, and all poorer and smaller nations, O Lord of love,

Hear our prayer.

That the leaders of the churches, with insight and fidelity, may practice love and compassion for all in need, for all who live in misery, and for all outcasts of society, O Lord of love,

Hear our prayer.

That our community may live in the faith and joy of the Holy Spirit, O Lord of love,

Hear our prayer.

That the wealth of our land may enable us to live in just stewardship of the earth’s goods, in care for our natural resources, and in compassion for the needy, o Lord of love,

Hear our prayer.

Please take time to offer your own intercessions or to pray in silence.

O God, you care for the widow and the orphan, and you hear the cry of the poor, Listen also to our cry; change our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh with which to love you in truth and for your sake to show compassion on all your creatures. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Confession and Absolution

Dear friends in Christ,

God is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy; God welcomes sinners and invites them to the table. Let us confess our sins, confident in God’s forgiveness.

(Silence)

Song of Confession - words and music by Gord Johnson, used with permission from st benedict's table

Almighty God, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Offertory Hymn – Walk With You

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Prayer over the Gifts

**Although not physically at our church buildings to share our offering together I would encourage you to set your offering of money aside so that it can be dropped off or placed in the church once services resume, to mail your offering to the church, or to make donations online. Please remember ministry is still taking place.

Let us pray.

God of constant love, you have guided your people in all times and ages. May we who offer you our praise today always be ready to follow where you lead; we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And now, as our Saviour Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray,

Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

Save us from the time of trial,

And deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

The power, and the glory,

For ever and ever. Amen.

Doxology

Glory to God,

Whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.

Blessing

The blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be upon you now and always. Amen.

Closing Hymn – Great is Thy Faithfulness

           Listen Here

Dismissal

Go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.

Thanks be to God.

A Review of the Book "God and the Pandemic" by N. T. Wright

 

Title: God and the Pandemic
Author: N. T. Wright
Publisher: Zondervan
Year: 2020
76 pages

Is this pandemic the end of the world that has been predicted in the Bible? Some people certainly lean that way. We are locked away because of something invisible that kills us in ways we barely understand. People are getting restless and making rash decision which is only worsening the effect of the virus. With deaths in the hundreds of thousands worldwide and no apparent way to stop it, what are we supposed to think about this coronavirus crisis?

This short, easy-to-read book by N T Wright is a theological reflection that discusses the Christian response to the pandemic, where we can find God in the pandemic, what we can learn about ourselves during this time, and where we go from here. The book was published early in the pandemic but the thoughts found within the book are still applicable.

Wright makes reference to the fact that churches used to be the ones on the front-line of an emergency, proving care and shelter, and being the example of how we should treat each other during times of trial:

"The Spirit was given so that individual believers, and still more the believers when joined together for corporate worship, would take up their responsibilities as God's eyes and ears, his hands and feet, to do what needed to be done in the world." (p. 33)

Are we still that type of church today?

Chapter 5 is the most important chapter of this book: "Where Do We Go From Here?"

My favorite piece is when he compares what we are experiencing today with how the Church's mission began - with tears, locked doors, and doubt. (p. 59).

Tears = Mary Magdalene weeping in the garden outside the tomb

Locked Doors = the disciples locked away in the upper room out of fear from those who had chased down Jesus

Doubt = Thomas, who needed to touch and see Jesus for himself in order to believe

Throughout the pandemic there have been many tears (death, fear, uncertainty), locked doors (lockdowns in place for our protection), and doubt (what is this virus, is there hope, when will it end).

As per Wright on page 60, "If the earliest disciples found Jesus coming to meet them in their tears, fears, and doubt, perhaps we can too."

There is so much more that I could quote from this book but I would rather you go out and read it for yourself. I have never finished a book in a single day. This one is the exception.

If you are questioning where God is in this pandemic, then this is a book for you.

God or Caesar? It’s a Trap!

Twentieth Sunday of Pentecost

**Please note this service is based on the format of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, all prayers come from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW). Hymns and other prayers have been sourced to give appropriate credit.

**NRSV translation used for the readings, unless otherwise stated.

**This is for personal use at home as the church is unable to gather in our houses of worship but together we can worship in our own homes.

Introduction to the Day

In today’s gospel reading, when the Pharisees try to trap Jesus, he tells them to give the emperor what belongs to him and to God what belongs to God. To gather for worship reminds us that our ultimate allegiance is to God rather than to any earthly authority. Created in the image of God, we offer our entire selves in the service of God and for the sake of the world.

Confession and Forgiveness

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,

who forgives all our sin,

whose mercy endures forever.

Amen.

Collect for Purity

        Listen Here

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Most merciful God,

we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.

Amen.

Song of Confession - words and music by Gord Johnson, used with permission from st benedict's table

         

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the God, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Gathering Song – Be Thou My Vision (ELW #793)

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Greeting

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

Canticle of Praise

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Prayer of the Day

Let us pray.

Sovereign God, raise your throne in our hearts. Created by you, let us live in your image; created for you, let us act for your glory; redeemed by you, let us give you what is yours, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

A reading from the Book of Exodus                                                                                33:12-23

Moses successfully interceded with God to accompany Israel to the Promised Land after their sin with the golden calf. In response to a request to display the divine glory, God recites a sentence that appears frequently in the Hebrew Scriptures: “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious.” Moses is not allowed to see God’s face, but only God’s back.

    Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have said to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And he said to him, “If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.”

    The Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Show me your glory, I pray.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, ‘The Lord’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.” And the Lord continued, “See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”

 

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 99

        Listen Here

A reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians                                            1:1-10

Most likely this letter is the first written by Paul. Paul gives pastoral encouragement and reassurances to new Christians living in an antagonistic environment. Their commitment of faith, love, and hope makes them a model for other new Christian communities.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace.

We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

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The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew                                                22:15-22

Glory to you, O Lord.

After Jesus begins teaching in the temple, religious leaders try to trap him with questions. First they ask if God’s people should pay taxes to an earthly tyrant like Caesar.

    Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

The gospel of Christ.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

          Listen Here

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable and pleasing in your sight O Lord, for you are our rock and our redeemer. Amen.

“It’s a trap!” This famous line from the third Star Wars movie could be the catch phrase of any Gospel reading that has Jesus being questioned by anyone in authority, or who thinks they have authority.

Today’s Gospel reading is no different. This Sunday’s text finds the Pharisees and Herodians setting a trap for Jesus, hoping he will answer their questions improperly and either lose favor with the public, or get in trouble with the Roman authorities.

We are at the point in Matthew’s story about Jesus where things are getting pretty tense. Jesus has entered Jerusalem and been greeted by adoring crowds. Riding this wave of popular acclaim, he immediately enters the Temple and overthrows the tables of the money-changers, challenging both the political and religious powers that be. Confronted by the religious leaders regarding the authority behind his actions, Jesus tells several provocative, even threatening parables calling into question their own authority and, indeed, standing before God.

Jesus is surrounded by an alliance of religious and political leaders who are trying to trap him with his own words. It's nothing new for Jesus; Pharisees have been testing him throughout his ministry. But now, after Jesus has entered Jerusalem to the acclamation of the crowds as King and Messiah, the stakes have been raised. He's no longer just a local nuisance; he's a threat to the religious and political order.

The two groups involved in today’s story are the Herodians and the Pharisees. Herodians derived their power from the Roman occupiers, while the Pharisees aligned more closely with the occupied and oppressed commoners. They declare a temporary truce in order to work together to trap this upstart rabbi. No one would have expected the Pharisees and the Herodians to come together on the issue of taxation!

The Pharisees want to arrest Jesus, but are afraid of his popular support. So the disciples of the Pharisees and supporters of the Herodian dynasty try a new gambit, one that is sure to either undermine Jesus' popularity with the crowds or make it clear that he is a traitor to Rome. Either outcome will help them accomplish their goal.

“Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

The tax that they are referring was the “poll tax”, a tax that was payable directly to Caesar. This tax was one denarius - about one day’s wage.

Of all the taxes of the day, this “poll tax” was most problematic for the Jews. Of all the taxes that people were being charged, the “poll tax” was uniquely required in Roman currency – with coins that bore the image of Caesar.

As one commentator put it “The coin was particularly objectionable to the pious Jews because it bore the ‘graven image’ of Caesar, and an inscription describing him as ‘son of a god’”. So in effect contravening the first two of the Ten Commandments.1

In contrast, for everyday commerce, special copper coins were used, without these features.

Back to our story.

After asking if any of his questioners has a coin of the Empire – the only coin that could be used to pay the tax in question – they quickly procure one. Jesus asks whose image is on it, and they answer “The Emperor’s.”

There’s more going on here than meets the eye, as along with that image is an engraved confession of Caesar’s divinity, which means that any Jew holding the coin is breaking the first two of the commandments. All of which leads to Jesus’ closing line, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

And with this one sentence, Jesus does not simply evade their trap or confound their plans, but issues a challenge to his hearers that reverberates through the ages into our sanctuaries.

The trap set by the Pharisees and Herodians is twofold: they not only hope to get him in trouble with the Roman authorities, but also get him in trouble with the people.

As I mentioned before, for many religious people, possessing and using Caesar’s coin was blasphemy against God's law, particularly the commandments against graven images and idolatry. As well, for those with nationalistic aspirations, the tax was a constant reminder that they were a subject people.

So if Jesus stated that paying taxes to the emperor was lawful, many in the supportive crowds likely would desert him. On the other hand, the members of Herod's royal family and other leaders had come to terms with the Roman rulers and supported the tax. If Jesus declared it was not lawful, the authorities would arrest him as a traitor and political rebel.

There was no safe response. "Just answer the question, Jesus, yes or no." His opponents are sure that whatever he answers, the problem of Jesus is about to be solved.

All attempts to discredit Jesus as a religious leader have failed, so now the leaders attempt to ensnare Jesus and cause him to commit an offense against the Roman government. Whether he sides with the religious or the government, either way he loses. But not so fast: it is Jesus we’re talking about here.

Have you ever tried to ensnare Jesus, knowingly or otherwise? We probably commit the act of divine entrapment more than we realize: “Jesus, if you love me, do this for me.” We teach our kids to pray that God’s will be done. But sometimes we may want to add on, “…and may Your will be my will.”

But we’re also taught that when we keep God the main thing, our hearts are turned toward God and thus we live in harmony with God’s will.

By calling attention to the different obligations we have, Jesus is reminding us of the differences that exist for us as citizens of the state and citizens of heaven. Jesus carefully suggests that we owe the state exactly what is demanded of us, in this case, the coin with Caesar’s head on it.

By contrasting that with his exhortation to give unto God what is God’s, Jesus is exposing the irony of the Pharisees’ and Herodians' religious activities; they are more concerned with their own power than they are with honoring God.

The question I bring to you today is how do we deal with this text in a contemporary world where, for some of us, our duties to God and country might seem to be at odds with one another?

How do we, as Christians, learn to interact with the governing authorities and yet maintain our identity and honour our callings as Christians? For some, this may be easy. Their government and their conscience may line up pretty closely. Others may find this more and more difficult as government continues to be at odds with their conscience.

Given our current global political climate, there are many churches and Christians who have taken an active role in calling and working for justice in our world. Congregations need to examine their callings as citizens and decide how they are called to be working towards God’s justice and good news in society.

While it might be difficult to realize, we have people of good conscience on both sides of the same issue. The key is to find a way to proclaim the good news of God’s love for us while also calling people to think about what God’s good news and justice might look like in the world.

Essential to this endeavor is being open to listening for that call while realizing that others might hear it differently than we do. The question is: can we trust that God is at work even in those who believe differently than we do? I hope that we can give unto God what is God’s.

The Hebrew text has been following Exodus for the last few weeks. But how about we substitute today’s Exodus reading for Genesis 1:26 “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

We were made in the image and likeness of God, and because we bear God’s likeness we are to act like God. Not mind you, like gods, those who lord their authority over others for self-gain, but rather like God – the One who creates and sustains and nurtures and redeems and saves…no matter what the cost. We are called to serve as God’s agents, God’s partners, and God’s co-workers, exercising dominion over creation not as an act of power but rather as an act of stewardship and extending to the abundant life God wishes for all.

Despite the fact that Jesus’ opponents carry a coin with a graven image and confession of Caesar’s divinity, Jesus accuses them of neither blasphemy nor disloyalty. Rather, he calls them hypocrites, those who have quite literally taken to wearing another, and false, likeness. So perhaps the charge against those trying to entrap or discount Jesus then or now is best understood as amnesia, for they have forgotten who they are, in whose likeness they were made.

Jesus says “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

A friend of mine made a lengthy post on Facebook the other day that ended with this: “We should pay our full share of taxes. We should participate in the workings of our governments. But we are also to demonstrate a different way of being. The message we have for our world is that Jesus shows us the way of Love.”

Christians of good faith can disagree on the best way to live into and further God’s kingdom on earth. When we name the issues of the day, we also recognize the complexity of those issues, we hold up the values we see Jesus live, we make space for the variety of voices and contributions of our people, we look for God’s work beyond our community and the places we normally expect God to be, and we call each other back to God’s word and promise and charge that we are made in God’s own image and likeness and are therefore called to live in a way that others may detect the family resemblance.

Jesus not only models the life of giving everything to God, he makes it possible for us to do the same.

By the dwelling of the Spirit within us, we have the power to live as Jesus did, to walk in God's way. Like Jesus, we can trust in God's love and care and give freely to God ourselves, our time, and our possessions for use in the world that God loves and cares for.

No one claims that this life is easy. It requires difficult, thoughtful, and sometimes painful decisions and choices. But we, made in God's image, even as we dutifully give to Caesar what is Caesar's, are called into a life that thankfully first gives to God what is God's. Amen.

[1]France, RT. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007.

Hymn of the Day – Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us With Your Love (ELW #708)

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Creed

Prayers of Intercession

With confidence in God’s grace and mercy, let us pray for the church, the world, and all those in need.

Silence

Gracious God, you call us by name and invite us to share your good news. Send your Holy Spirit among preachers, missionaries, and evangelists. We give thanks for the witness of your servant Luke, the evangelist, whom the church commemorates today. Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

God of praise, the heavens and all creation declare your salvation. From the rising of the sun to its setting, may the whole universe show forth your goodness. Raise up devoted stewards of all that you have made. Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

God of all, may your word of justice sound forth in every place. Restore divided nations and communities with reconciling truth. Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

God of light, we pray for those living with pain, illness, isolation, grief, anger, or doubt. Join their voices in a new song, assuring them that you call them each by name. Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

God of truth, you show no partiality. May your spirit guide the work of justices, magistrates, court officials, and all vocations of the law, that your promise of restoration may be known. Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

Living God, as you raised Jesus from the dead, so raise up those who have died in you. We give thanks for their witness, confident of your rescuing welcome for all. Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

Listen as we call on you, O God, and enfold in your loving arms all for whom we pray, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Peace

The peace of Christ be with you always.

And also with you.

Offertory Hymn – Come Just As You Are

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Prayer over the Gifts

**Although not physically at our church buildings to share our offering together I would encourage you to set your offering of money aside so that it can be dropped off or placed in the church once services resume, to mail your offering to the church, or to make donations online. Please remember ministry is still taking place.

Let us pray.

Holy God, gracious and merciful, you bring forth food from the earth and nourish your whole creation. Turn our hearts toward those who hunger in any way, that all may know your care; and prepare us now to feast on the bread of life, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,

that we should at all times and in all places

give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God,

through our Savior Jesus Christ;

who on this day overcame death and the grave,

and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life.

And so, with all the choirs of angels,

with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven,

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Listen Here

You are indeed holy, almighty and merciful God.

You are most holy,

and great is the majesty of your glory.

You so loved the world that you gave your only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not perish

but have eternal life.

We give you thanks for his coming into the world

to fulfill for us your holy will

and to accomplish all things for our salvation.

In the night in which he was betrayed,

our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;

broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,

and gave it for all to drink, saying:

This cup is the new covenant in my blood,

shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup,

we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Remembering, therefore, his salutary command,

his life-giving passion and death, his glorious resurrection and ascension,

and the promise of his coming again,

we give thanks to you, O Lord God Almighty,

not as we ought but as we are able;

we ask you mercifully to accept our praise and thanksgiving

and with your Word and Holy Spirit to bless us, your servants,

and these your own gifts of bread and wine,

so that we and all who share in the body and blood of Christ

may be filled with heavenly blessing and grace,

and, receiving the forgiveness of sin,

may be formed to live as your holy people

and be given our inheritance with all your saints.

To you, God, Son, and Holy Spirit,

be all honor and glory in your holy church, now and forever.

Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those

who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,

forever and ever. Amen.

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.

We, being many, are one body, for we all share in the one bread.

This is the table of Christ. It is made ready for those who love him, and for those who want to love him more. Come, whether you have much faith or little, have tried to follow, or are afraid that you have failed. Come. Because it is Christ's will that those who want to meet him, might meet him here. These are the gifts of God for the people of God.

Thanks be the God.

The body of Christ, given for you.

Amen.

The blood of Christ, shed for you.

Amen.

Prayer After Communion

Let us pray.

Gracious God, in this meal you have drawn us to your heart, and nourished us at your table with food and drink, the body and blood of Christ. Now send us forth to be your people in the world, and to proclaim your truth this day and evermore, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

Blessing

Almighty God, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.

Amen.

Sending Song – Alle, Alle, Alleluia

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Dismissal

Go forth to love and serve the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Neither Here Nor There: Thanksgiving and the Pandemic

Thanksgiving Sunday

**Please note this service is based on the format of the Anglican Church of Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, all prayers come from the Book of Alternative Services (BAS) and the hymns from the Book of Common Praise (BCP). Other hymns and prayers have been sourced to give appropriate credit.

**NRSV translation used for the readings, unless otherwise stated.

**This is for personal use at home as the church is unable to gather in our houses of worship but together we can worship in our own homes.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray.

At harvest time we join the psalmist in offering thanksgiving to God: “You crown the year with your goodness, and your paths overflow with plenty.” We are grateful for the abundance of the good things of God’s creation. Paul reminds us that our thanksgiving overflows into generosity. As the body of Christ in the world, we give ourselves away as bread for the hungry. Amen.

Opening Hymn – Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God (BCP #458)

            Listen Here

Gathering of the Community (based on Psalm 65)

Come, gather together people of God.

We come to sing and shout God’s praise.

The gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy!

The river of God is full of water.

The pastures of the wilderness overflow with richness.

The hills and the valleys are full of God’s blessing.

Together they shout and sing for joy.

Together we shout and sing for joy!

We will not forget the Lord our God and the earth that nourishes us.

We will remember and give thanks.

Prayer of Approach

Loving God, Creator of all things, we come to you this morning with thankful hearts for all your gifts to us and to your people everywhere. We think about the amazing beauty of the world you have made and this powerful yet fragile land we call our home. As we worship together, remind us of the sacredness of all creation and of our responsibility to respect the ways of the earth and the connections between all things. Amen.

The Gloria

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Collect of the Day

Creator of the fruitful earth, you made us stewards of all things. Give us grateful hearts for all your goodness, and steadfast wills to use your bounty well, that the whole human family, today and in generations to come, may with us give thanks for the riches of your creation. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.

The Readings

A reading from the book of Deuteronomy                                                           8:7-18

            For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with flowing streams, with springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron and from whose hills you may mine copper. You shall eat your fill and bless the Lord your God for the good land that he has given you.

Take care that you do not forget the Lord your God, by failing to keep his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes, which I am commanding you today. When you have eaten your fill and have built fine houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied, then do not exalt yourself, forgetting the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, an arid wasteland with poisonous snakes and scorpions. He made water flow for you from flint rock, and fed you in the wilderness with manna that your ancestors did not know, to humble you and to test you, and in the end to do you good. Do not say to yourself, “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, as he is doing today.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be the God.

Psalm 65

Praise is due to you,

    O God, in Zion;

and to you shall vows be performed,

    O you who answer prayer!

To you all flesh shall come.

When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,

    you forgive our transgressions.

Happy are those whom you choose and bring near

    to live in your courts.

We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,

    your holy temple.

By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,

    O God of our salvation;

you are the hope of all the ends of the earth

    and of the farthest seas.

By your strength you established the mountains;

    you are girded with might.

You silence the roaring of the seas,

    the roaring of their waves,

    the tumult of the peoples.

Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs;

you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

You visit the earth and water it,

    you greatly enrich it;

the river of God is full of water;

    you provide the people with grain,

    for so you have prepared it.

You water its furrows abundantly,

    settling its ridges,

softening it with showers,

    and blessing its growth.

You crown the year with your bounty;

    your wagon tracks overflow with richness.

The pastures of the wilderness overflow,

    the hills gird themselves with joy,

the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,

    the valleys deck themselves with grain,

    they shout and sing together for joy.

Lord God, joy marks your presence; beauty, abundance, and peace are the tokens of your work in all creation. Work also in our lives, that by these signs we may see the splendour of your love and praise you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A reading from the second of Paul to the Corinthians                                     9:6-15

            The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written,

“He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others, while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be the God.

Gradual Hymn – God of the Sparrow (BCP #414)

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The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke             17:11-19

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

            On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”

The Gospel of Christ.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Sermon

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2020 has put us into liminal space. A period where we are neither here nor there, but somewhere in between. Our lives are no longer “normal” nor do we know what “normal” will be at the end of this pandemic.

The word “liminal” comes from the Latin word limen, which means “threshold.”[1] When we are on the limen, we aren’t in THIS room, and we aren’t in THAT room, but rather we are in transition.

The uncertain nature of being on the limen can produce much anxiety and stress.

We’re moving somewhere else, but we’re not there yet. Maybe we can’t wait to get there. Maybe we’re dreading it.

Here, in the 17th chapter of Luke, Jesus takes his disciples to a place that is in-between. They aren’t in the land of the Samaritans. And they aren’t home either.

The liminal story of “the healing of the ten lepers” is a story which explores the concepts of the mercy, gratitude, healing, and faith. Ten people, beloved of God, are in distress and anguish looking for a miracle. Danger abounds – they may sicken Jesus and his cohorts. They may remain sick and ostracized forever. But, the situation is also one where incredible potential resides. There is the hope of healing, and the promise of gratitude.

On the threshold, they may find nothing. Or they can be touched by God.

One man, at least, decided to be thankful in his liminal space.

This weekend is Thanksgiving Sunday. A time where families get together for big meals, reconnections, good times, and giving thanks.

How do we, today, sitting here, remain thankful living in such a liminal time?

With the pandemic heading into an upswing and parts of the province moving into a code Orange, many are choosing not to gather with their parents and grandparents in hopes that keeping separate will keep everyone safe.

I even got a note from the school asking families to limit exposure to others this weekend in order to not bring anything into the school come Tuesday morning.

It is going to be a very different thanksgiving weekend. Just like every other part of our lives over the last 6 or so months, we are going to have to adapt and change our ways.

It is going to be hard.

Hard to be away from your family.

Hard to show our love of others by being separated from the people whom you love.

It is hard to be thankful during this pandemic.

But there are indeed things we can be thankful for…

We can be thankful that God is with us through every step of our grief and our struggles as we adjust our lives almost on a daily basis to all the changes.

A few weeks ago, we heard Jesus say that where 2 or 3 are gather, I am there.

Jesus does not need buildings for his work to go forward.[2]

God is with us whether we gather in small groups or large.

God is on the front line of this pandemic.

No matter where we are, when we gather in Jesus’ name, God is among us.

Even in this liminal time.

And for that, we can be extremely thankful.

Amen.

[1] Beaumont, Susan. How to Lead When You Don’t Know Where You’re Going. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2019.

[2] Wright, NT. God and the Pandemic. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Reflective, 2020.

Affirmation of Faith

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Litany of Confession (based on words by Chief Seattle, 1855)

Creator God, we confess that we do not always remember you.

We forget that all we have and are comes from you.

We forget that the earth is our mother – we are made from the earth.  Whatever befalls the earth befalls the children of the earth. We are part of the earth, and the earth is part of us.

We forget that the rivers are our brothers; they quench our thirst.

We forget that the perfumed flowers are our sisters.

We forget that the air is precious, for all of us share the same breath.

The wind gives our children the breath of life.

We forget that the earth does not belong to us; we belong to the earth.  We forget that all things are connected, like the blood that unites one family.

We forget that you are the same God whose compassion is equal for all.

We forget that we did not weave the web of life; we are merely a strand in it.  Forgive us O Creator, and help us to remember that whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.

Forgive us O Sustainer, and accept our thanks for your gift of life.

Assurance of Pardon

The good news is that God loves and forgives us and forever invites us to return to the ways of wholeness. We can be new people; we can live with respect for the earth and all its creatures. As forgiven people we join together with grateful hearts and sing praise to God.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise God all creatures high and low 

Alleluia, Alleluia

Praise God above ye heavenly hosts Creator, Christ and Holy Ghost.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

The Prayers of the People

We thank you, God, for the beauty of nature, for food to eat and for clothes to wear.

Thank you, God of creation.

We thank you for the world and all it holds. We ask that all that is good in it remain and that we lessen the pollution of our earth.

Hear us, Lord of the world.

We thank you for all the people in our community. We ask that you help us to be kind and understanding to others.

Hear us, gentle Lamb of God.

We thank you that young and old have a place in the church. We ask that you help us to continue to show our faith.

Hear us, living Saviour.

We thank you for those who are willing to take leadership. We ask that they be reasonable in their decisions and work for the good of everybody.

Hear us, God of justice.

We thank you for the young and young at heart. We ask that you help them to understand life and find their way.

Hear us, God of now and forever.

We thank you for organizations that aid those in need. We ask for help to recognize what we can do to help and to use what we have to do it.

Hear us, God of hope.

We give thanks for you, God of faithfulness.

May we live what we pray. Amen.

Passing the Peace

In recognition of the new beginning which God has freely given us, let us reach out in love to those around us and share with each other the peace of Christ saying “Peace be with you”

Offertory Hymn – The Lord Has Done Great Things

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Prayer over the Gifts

**Although not physically at our church buildings to share our offering together I would encourage you to set your offering of money aside so that it can be dropped off or placed in the church once services resume, to mail your offering to the church, or to make donations online. Please remember ministry is still taking place.

Let us pray.

Source of all life, the heaven and earth are yours, yet you have given us dominion over all things.  Receive the symbols of our labour and love which we offer you this day, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Eucharistic Prayer

The Lord is here.

His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give thanks and praise.

Almighty God, good Father to us all, your face is turned towards your world. In love you gave us Jesus your Son to rescue us from sin and death. Your Word goes out to call us home to the city where angels sing your praise. We join with them in heaven's song:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven 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.

Father of all, we give you thanks for every gift that comes from heaven. To the darkness Jesus came as your light. With signs of faith and words of hope he touched untouchables with love and washed the guilty clean. This is his story.

This is our song: Hosanna in the highest.

The crowds came out to see your Son, yet at the end they turned on him. On the night he was betrayed he came to table with his friends to celebrate the freedom of your people. This is his story.

This is our song: Hosanna in the highest.

Jesus blessed you, Father, for the food; he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and said:   

This is my body, given for you all.

Jesus then gave thanks for the wine; he took the cup, gave it and said: This is my blood, shed for you all for the forgiveness of sins.

Do this in remembrance of me. This is our story.

This is our song: Hosanna in the highest.          

Therefore, Father, with this bread and this cup we celebrate the cross on which he died to set us free. Defying death he rose again and is alive with you to plead for us and all the world. This is our story.

This is our song: Hosanna in the highest.      

Send your Spirit on us now that by these gifts we may feed on Christ with opened eyes and hearts on fire. May we and all who share this food offer ourselves to live for you and be welcomed at your feast in heaven where all creation worships you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit:      

Blessing and honour and glory and power be yours for ever and ever. Amen.

Copyright © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2006All of the official Common Worship publications are being published by Church House Publishing.

We gather our prayers together into the prayer which Jesus taught us, using a version from the New Zealand Prayer Book.

Eternal Spirit,

Life-giver, Pain-bearer, Love-maker, Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven:

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!

The way of your justice is followed by the peoples of the world!

Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!

Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us.

In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.

In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.

From trials too great to endure, spare us.

From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen.

Creator of all, you gave us golden fields of wheat, whose many grains we have gathered and made into this one bread.

So may your church be gathered from the ends of the earth into your kingdom.

Prayer after Communion

Let us pray.

God of our hope, in this Eucharist we find the source of all your blessings. Nourished in these holy mysteries may we, with our lives, give you continual thanks and praise. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The Doxology

Glory to God

Whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, forever and ever.  Amen

Benediction

We go forth from this place with grateful hearts to join with the Earth and with each other in the healing and renewal of this hurting world.

May the grace of Christ attend us, the love of God surround us, and the Holy Spirit keep us. Amen.

Closing Hymn – Now Thank We All Our God (BCP #399)

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Dismissal

Go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.

Thanks be to God.