**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.
Opening Prayer
Gracious God, your love unites heaven and earth in a new festival of
gladness. Lift our spirits to learn the way of joy that leads us to your
banquet hall, where all is golden with praise. We ask this through Jesus Christ
the Lord. Amen.
Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
who forgives all our sin,
whose mercy endures forever.
Amen.
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from
whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration
of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your
holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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.
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 Creator, and of the ☩
Redeemer, and of the Sanctifier.
Amen.
Gathering Song – God is Here (ELW #526)
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 – Glory to God (page #213)
Prayer of the Day
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
O God our strength, without you we are weak and wayward creatures.
Protect us from all dangers that attack us from the outside, and cleanse us
from all evil that arises from within ourselves, that we may be preserved
through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
Readings
A reading from the Song of Solomon 2.8-13
The voice of my beloved!
Look, he comes,
leaping upon the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
My beloved is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Look, there he stands
behind our wall,
gazing in at the windows,
looking through the lattice.
My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away;
for now the winter is past,
the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 45.1-2, 7-10
My heart overflows with a goodly theme;
I
address my verses to the king;
my
tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
You are the most
handsome of men;
grace is poured upon your lips;
therefore God has blessed you forever.
you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with
the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
your
robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces
stringed instruments make you glad;
daughters of kings are among your ladies of
honor;
at your right hand stands the queen in gold
of Ophir.
Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your
ear;
forget your people and your father’s house,
A reading from the Letter of James 1.17-27
Every generous act of giving, with
every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with
whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own
purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind
of first fruits of his creatures.
You must understand this, my beloved:
let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger
does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all
sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the
implanted word that has the power to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not
merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and
not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they
look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like.
But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere,
being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their
doing.
If any think they are religious, and do
not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care
for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the
world.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Children’s Message
(from Sermons 4 Kids)
People today are very concerned about
having clean hands. Many people carry packages of wipes or hand sanitizer.
Keeping your hands clean is good, right?
The Bible tells about some Pharisees
who came to Jesus. They liked to be bossy about the rules. "We’ve noticed
that some of your disciples are eating without washing their hands," they
told Jesus. "Why don't they follow our tradition of washing their hands
before they eat?"
"You bunch of phonies!" Jesus
responded. "Isaiah must have been talking about you when he said, 'These
people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.' "
Then Jesus called the people to gather
around. "All of you listen. It's not what goes into your body that makes
you unclean, it is the bad words that come out of your mouth. Out of your
hearts come evil thoughts, greed, cheating, and envy. This is what makes you
unclean."
The Pharisees were more worried about
having clean hands than they were about having a clean heart.
Are we any different? We work hard to
keep our hands clean, but do we guard our hearts against evil thoughts? What
kinds of books do we read? What kinds of TV shows and movies do we watch? What
kind of language comes out of our mouth?
Clean hands or a clean heart, which is
more important?
God, forgive us for our unclean thoughts.
Create in us clean hearts to honor You. In Jesus' name, amen.
Gospel Acclamation – Alleluia (page #216)
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark 7.1-8, 14-15,
21-23
Glory to you, O Lord.
Now when the Pharisees and some of the
scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some
of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them.
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash
their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat
anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other
traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.)
So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live
according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” He said
to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their
hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching
human precepts as doctrines.’
You abandon the commandment of God and
hold to human tradition.” Then he called the crowd again and said to them,
“Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person
that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.”
For it is from within, from the human
heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery,
avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All
these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O
Christ.
Sermon
May only truth be spoken and only truth received. Amen.
The
readings for this week share in their reflections on God’s gift of wisdom. In
the next several weeks we will be reading the epistle of James and hearing
about wisdom as that “perfect gift of God.”
This
morning, there are two wisdom lessons that James is trying to get across to his
audience, and to us:
- Thoughts and prayers aren’t always enough.
- Actions speak louder than words.
Both of these statements should make you pause and think about your faith, about what it means to you to be a Christian.
I would consider
myself to be a
good Christian.
I believe in God, Jesus, and the
Holy Spirit.
I
read and listen to the Word of God.
I
pray.
Most everyone here could probably say the same thing.
But
mostly, we call ourselves Christian because we tune in each Sunday to hear the
Word, to hear the Gospel proclaimed.
We
cross the threshold of the building (although virtually at the moment) to hear
the word and to pray for ourselves, our local community, and our global
community. We pat ourselves on the back, congratulating ourselves for another
job well-done, and we go home.
But there are people who
rarely attend church services and yet could be considered more Christian than
many. These are the people who go out into
the world to be with and help the poor, the invalid, the sick, the unwanted,
and the dying.
For too many,
Christianity has become all talk, talk, talk.
Don’t do this, don’t do
that.
Be this, be that.
The
church, as a whole, appears to have become political and complacent.
If you really want to
show your true faith in God and in Jesus, then you need to get out there and
help the widowed and the orphaned, the poor and the sick.
A friend
of mine said a short while ago, “I believe so deeply in the power of prayer.
And
it would be really amazing if the church would do more than pray. I think we
are all aware now that when it comes to justice, "thoughts and
prayers" is good but not enough.”
Jesus made company with
the poor, the sick, and the unwanted. He spent most of his time with the lowest of the
people and he loved them all, gathering where the people were, spreading the
word about the Kingdom of God, and the wisdom of God, and the grace of God.
Christianity began as a
group of people who wanted to share Jesus’ message and lessons with everyone
around them.
In
today’s reading, James implies a kind of deep forgetfulness that leaves the
religious self unable to function fully. He implies that we have forgotten what
it truly means to be Christian.
To hear
the Word and not to do the Word is to forget what you look like - to
forget the image of God within you - to forget that the Word is within you
waiting to come forth in abundant love, mercy and grace.
So
this is what James tells us: that we are to be quick to “hear,” because not
hearing enough leads us, apparently inevitably, to speech that is angry and
unproductive.
But
hearing alone is not sufficient. We must also “do,” because failing to act is
evidence of a fundamental failure to function as God’s first fruits in the
world.
In
1:22-24, he speaks about a lack of correspondence between hearing and doing,
between who one is and what one does.
He
asks us to picture ourselves standing in front of a mirror. We are to pause
there as James asks, “Do you see who you are?”
You
are someone who has been blessed by God’s gifts, someone who has been brought
to new life through God’s word – a person who is a first fruit, set aside as
someone who belongs to God.
And
with that gift, with the gift of God’s grace and wisdom, we are meant to get
out there and do as Jesus did. We declare our faith to be alive and strong by
loving our neighbours, caring for the sick, and making friends with the poor.
When
our words and actions are in harmony, it is our neighbors who benefit. For when
we know who we are, the gifted children of God’s creation, our hearing and
doing come together and conform in care and service for those most in need of
our love.
Perhaps,
if we as Christians were to follow James’s precepts, we would do a lot less
talking and a lot more listening.
We
would measure our faith by our personal relationships, both in our habits of
speech and our relationships with others in the community.
Our
primary expression of our religion would be in outreach to the poor and
neglected.
By
such attitudes and actions, James tells us, we fulfill the divine purpose and
become first fruits of all God’s creatures.
Again,
to hear the Word and not to do the Word is to forget the image of God within
you, to forget that the Word is within you waiting to come forth in abundant
love, mercy and grace.
To
see the world in those eyes means we can no longer be blind or deaf to the
“orphans and widows in their distress”.
As a congregation, we
need to show the world what true Christian faith is all about. Entering a
building doesn’t make you a Christian. Spreading the love of Jesus to others –
that’s what being a Christian is all about.
So go out into the
neighbourhood and declare your faith in Jesus by showing love for your
neighbour every day, not just on Sunday.
Go forth into the world
to LOVE and show faith in Jesus.
It’s not about our butts
in the pews. It’s about our feet on the street!
Hymn of the Day – Create in Me a Clean Heart
Creed
Let us confess the faith of our baptism, as we
say the Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in
God, the Father almighty,
creator of
heaven and earth.
I believe in
Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was
conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the
virgin Mary,
suffered under
Pontius Pilate,
was crucified,
died, and was buried;
he descended
to the dead.
On the third
day he rose again;
he ascended
into heaven,
he is seated
at the right hand of the Father,
and he will
come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in
the Holy Spirit,
the holy
catholic church,
the communion
of saints,
the
forgiveness of sins,
the
resurrection of the body,
and the life
everlasting. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
Made children and heirs of God’s promise, we pray for the church, the
world, and all in need.
Silence
We pray for the church, that it is a safe haven for all who seek your
presence. Fill it with pastors, deacons, and leaders who echo your expansive
and generous welcome.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for the whole of creation, that plants and animals have the
habitat and resources to thrive and flourish. Inspire us to protect threatened
habitats and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for individuals in positions of authority. Raise up wise and
discerning leaders in federal, state, and local governments and guide them to
seek the benefit of every person.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are in need. Support and encourage those who are
unemployed, underemployed, or experiencing poverty.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for this congregation, especially those beginning a new school
year. Empower teachers and school administrators. Guide students in their
learning and development. Accompany parents, foster parents, and caregivers who
provide encouragement and love.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Please
take time to offer your own intercessions or to pray in silence.
We give thanks for the faithful departed who showed us how to honor God
with our heart. Inspire us by their example and renew our faith, trusting that
we will be united with them in glory.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Receive these prayers, O God, and those in our hearts known only to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Peace
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Hymn
of Thanksgiving – Blessed Assurance (ELW #638)
**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.
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 Savior 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 in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our
daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time
of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the
power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
Blessing
May the blessing of the Holy and Undivided
Trinity be with yo, in the Name of Love, ☩ the Glory of Love, and the Power of
Love.
Amen.
Sending Song – Day by Day
Dismissal
Go in peace. Christ is with you.
Thanks be to God.
