Home Church 11th Sunday after Pentecost, August 8, 2021 Rev. Karen Hollis

Home Church 11th Sunday after Pentecost August 8, 2021 Rev. Karen Hollis

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

Preparing the Space Around Us

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here! Welcome if you are gathering on zoom or if you are worshipping at home with the bulletin. We are one community and all part of the body of Christ. I invite you to prepare the space around you so that for the next hour you can be fully in this worship experience, not to keep out the realities of the world, rather to focus us in the midst of it all on God. If you need to go and get something or shift something around you, feel free. We’re continuing this week with Jesus’ teaching in the gospel of John on the Bread of Life . . . we’re invited to consider some provocative statements by Jesus about his identity as Living Bread.

Preparing the Space within Us

Let us prepare now the space within us for a time of worship. I invite you to sit quietly, perhaps with feet on the floor, taking a couple of deep breaths and bring yourself into this moment. Open yourself to the presence of God who is with us and within us . . . as you intentionally open yourself to God, open yourself also to what you need from this time of worship.                           

Greeting                                                         
One:    The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, 

            and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All:      And also with you     

Call to Worship  -    Bruce Prewer

One:    Feed us now, Child of God, as you fed your first disciples. 

All:      Feed us with that soul-food which nurtures enough love within us to outstrip the fears and enmity that ties the world up in knots. 

One:    Feed us with that spiritual bread which strengthens our hands for serving your needy world.

All:      Feed us, so that we may be fulfilled with some of that joy which the universe cannot contain. 

Opening Prayer -  BAS

Loving God, you sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your church. Open our hearts in this time of worship to the riches of your grace and the nourishment of your life in us. In Christ Jesus, Amen.

Hymn: As the Deer                                                                    

1 As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after you, 

you alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship you

REFRAIN

You alone are my strength, my shield, to you alone may my spirit yield; you alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship you!

2 I want you more than gold or silver, only you can satisfy, 

you alone are the real joy giver and the apple of my eye. 

REFRAIN

3 You’re my friend and you are my brother, even through you are a king, 

I love you more than any other, so much more than anything! 

REFRAIN

Prayer of Confession  -  Walter Brueggemann

We call out your name in as many ways as we can. 

We fix your role towards us in the ways we need. 

We approach you from the particular angle of our life.

We do all that, not because you need to be identified, 

but because of our deep need, our deep wound, 

our deep hope.

And then, we are astonished that while our names for you serve     for a moment, 

you break beyond them in your freedom, 

you show yourself yet fresh beyond our grasp.

We are – by your freedom and your hiddenness – 

made sure yet again that you are God . . . 

beyond us . . . for us, but beyond us, 

not at our beck and call, 

but always in your own way.

            Receive us, O God, meet us where we are, 

And guide us in your renewing ways.

Silent prayer of confession

Assurance of Grace 

God does not abandon us in our brokenness and challenges, rather God remains with us and when we turn again toward God, God is already there, embracing us with love and grace. Thanks be to God!

Peace of Christ 

Whenever we gather, Christ is present with us. Let us share the peace he brings. Please unmute and let us share the peace of Christ with one another. 

            N-Z: The Peace of Christ be with you!

            A-M: And also with you!

First Reading: 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33  -   Paddy Waymark

The king gave orders to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.’ And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom. So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. The men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword. Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. And ten young men, Joab’s armour-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him, and killed him. Then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, ‘Good tidings for my lord the king! For the Lord has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the power of all who rose up against you.’ The king said to the Cushite, ‘Is it well with the young man Absalom?’ The Cushite answered, ‘May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like that young man.’

Psalm 34:1-8   -   Owen McCooey

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.

Gospel Reading   -  Owen McCooey

One:    God be with you.          

All:      And also with you.

One:    The Good News of Jesus Christ according to John;

All:      Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 6:35, 41-51 Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ They were saying, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Do not complain among yourselves. No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.” Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’

One: This is the Gospel of Christ; 

All:   Praise be to Jesus Christ

Reflection:    Rev Karen Hollis  (attached)              

Silent Reflection

New Zealand Creed 

Let us affirm our faith . . . 

You, O God, are supreme and holy.

You create our world and give us life.

Your purpose overarches everything we do.

You have always been with us.

You are God.

You, O God, are infinitely generous,

good beyond all measure.

You came to us before we came to you.

You have revealed and proved

your love for us in Jesus Christ,

who lived and died and rose again.

You are with us now.

You are God.

You, O God, are Holy Spirit.

You empower us to be your gospel in the world.

You reconcile and heal; you overcome death.

You are our God. We worship you.

Prayers of the People  -   Susan Brockley    ( attached)

 One: Living Bread,   

All:      Hear Our Prayer

Lord’s Prayer   -  Ecumenical Version

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 for ever. Amen.

Offering  -  Sue Boulton                         

Offering Prayer 

You make your love known in community, O God, whether many are gathered or few, whether it is often or once in a while, you speak when we gather in your name . . . you use every resource to show us your love. We're grateful that you call us to gather, whenever and however we can. Thank you for finding a way for us, O God . . . thank you for leading us forward. In Christ Jesus we pray, Amen.

Hymn: Eat This Bread and Never Hunger -  VU #471

[Refrain:]

Eat this bread and never hunger,

drink this cup and never thirst;

Christ invites us to the table

where the last become the first.

1 Asking for a cup of water,

Jesus touched forbidden ground;

and the woman, with a question,

told the world what she had found. [Refrain]

2 Walking down a desert highway,

Jesus healed a man born blind;

soon the man became a witness

to the truth we seek and find. [Refrain]

3 Weeping for his friend at graveside,

Jesus felt the pain of death;

yet he knew God's power to waken:

living water, living breath. [Refrain]

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  - Iona Community

If you are with another person, you’re invited to bless each other, taking every other line.

One:      The Creator’s blessing be yours on your road, on your journey,    guiding you, cherishing you.

Male:     The Son’s blessing be yours, wine and water, bread and stories,  feeding you, challenging you.

Female:The Spirit’s blessing be yours, wind and fire, joy and wisdom,       comforting you, disturbing you.

All:        The Angel’s blessing be yours, on your house, on your          living, guarding you, encouraging you. Let us walk         together, a community on a journey, sustained in God’s               blessing. Amen!

One:      Let us go now in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All:        Thanks be to God! Alleluia!