Home Church 16th Sunday after Pentecost September 12, 2021, Guest Presider: Trevor Malkinson

Home Church 16th Sunday after Pentecost September 12, 2021, Guest Presider: Trevor Malkinson

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.

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

One:  Living Water…

All:    Come and fill us!

One:  Endless light…

All:    Brighten our days!

One:  Loving God…

All:    Teach us your ways!

One:  Bless us in our time together.

All:    Help us to listen.

          Help us to teach.

          Help us to love.

          In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Opening Prayer -  Bruce Sanguin, If Darwin Prayed

Read the prayer slowly…       

Most Holy One,
Order within Chaos,
Chaos within Order,
Freedom within Destiny,
Life within Death,
Death within Life,
you are the air we breathe,
the green of trees,
the shape of ferns,
the color of flowers,
the humming of city streets,
the sound of silence,
the laughter of children,
the weeping of the forlorn,
the longing for peace,
the dream of justice,
the tear of joy as the arms of our hearts fling open
to the beauty of it all
and our voices utter
a simple thank-you
that changes everything.
Unsolicited praise rises.
Amen.                                    

Hymn: Morning Has Broken    -  VU# 409

1 Morning has broken
Like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken
Like the first bird.
Praise for the singing!
Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing
Fresh from the Word!

 

2 Sweet the rain’s new fall
Sunlit from Heaven,
Like the first dewfall
On the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness
Of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness
Where his feet pass.

 

3 Mine is the sunlight,
Mine is the morning,
Born of the one light
Eden saw play.
Praise with elation,
Praise every morning,
God’s re-creation
Of the new day!

Prayer of Confession            

How difficult it has been, O Creator, for us to be humble and caring. We so easily forget your teachings of the just and right relationships that we are to have with each other, as brothers and sisters, in this land. We so easily forget that our responsibility carries from generation to generation for all those who are hurt and oppressed and denied their place in the circle of life-those who still need our support, who need justice and peace. How difficult it is for us to remain humble as we walk the road of life. May we find peace so that we might share peace that is genuine and real, and help others to know peace within. Spirit of life, help us to walk the road of integrity back to the circle of life, where we will be truly joined by all our brothers and sisters. 

 

Silent Prayer of Confession

Assurance of Grace

Be assured, people of God, 
when we fail, God does not;
when we avoid, God seeks us out;
when we forget, God calls us back;
when we disengage, God builds relationship.
God forgives you, God loves you, 
and God calls you to new life, again and again. Amen.

Peace of Christ 

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, a peace the world can not give.”

One:    The Peace of Christ be with you!

All:      And also with you!

First Reading: Proverbs 1:20-33  -  Reader: Tim Leadem

Wisdom cries out in the street;

   in the squares she raises her voice.

At the busiest corner she cries out;

   at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

‘How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?

How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing

   and fools hate knowledge?

Give heed to my reproof;

I will pour out my thoughts to you;

   I will make my words known to you.

Because I have called and you refused,

   have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,

and because you have ignored all my counsel

   and would have none of my reproof,

I also will laugh at your calamity;

   I will mock when panic strikes you,

when panic strikes you like a storm,

   and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

   when distress and anguish come upon you.

Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;

   they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.

Because they hated knowledge

   and did not choose the fear of the Lord,

would have none of my counsel,

   and despised all my reproof,

therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way

   and be sated with their own devices.

For waywardness kills the simple,

   and the complacency of fools destroys them;

but those who listen to me will be secure

   and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.’

Psalm 19  -  Reader: Tim Leadem

The heavens are telling the glory of God;

   and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

Day to day pours forth speech,

   and night to night declares knowledge.

There is no speech, nor are there words;

   their voice is not heard;

yet their voice goes out through all the earth,

   and their words to the end of the world.

In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,

which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,

   and like a strong man runs its course with joy.

Its rising is from the end of the heavens,

   and its circuit to the end of them;

   and nothing is hidden from its heat.

The law of the Lord is perfect,

   reviving the soul;

the decrees of the Lord are sure,

   making wise the simple;

the precepts of the Lord are right,

   rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the Lord is clear,

   enlightening the eyes;

the fear of the Lord is pure,

   enduring for ever;

the ordinances of the Lord are true

   and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,

   even much fine gold;

sweeter also than honey,

   and drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is your servant warned;

   in keeping them there is great reward.

But who can detect their errors?

   Clear me from hidden faults.

Keep back your servant also from the insolent;

   do not let them have dominion over me.

Then I shall be blameless,

   and innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

   be acceptable to you,

   O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

 

Gospel Reading  - Rev Trevor                                    

One:  God be with you.            

All:    And also with you

One:  The Good News of Jesus Christ according to Mark

All:    Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Mark 8:27-38 - Reader: Rev Trevor

Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’

One: This is the Gospel of Christ; 

All:   Praise be to Jesus Christ

Reflection:    Losing Your Life to Gain It

Silent Reflection

A New Creed: 

Let us affirm our faith . . . 

We are not alone,

    we live in God’s world.

 We believe in God:

    who has created and is creating,

    who has come in Jesus,

       the Word made flesh,

       to reconcile and make new,

    who works in us and others

       by the Spirit.

We trust in God. 

We are called to be the Church:

    to celebrate God’s presence,

    to live with respect in Creation,

    to love and serve others,

    to seek justice and resist evil,

    to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,

       our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death,

    God is with us.

We are not alone.

    Thanks be to God.

Prayers of the People  -  Susan Brockley                                      

One:    God, our Rock and our Redeemer

All:      Hear Our Prayer

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 Prayer                                                                     

Let us pray . . . 
Holy and gracious God, we thank you for these generous gifts, and we ask that you guide us through the Holy Spirit to use them wisely,  in ways that bring about a little more of the Kingdom of God. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

 

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.

 

Hymn: Be Thou My Vision   -   VU #642 

1 Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;

naught be all else to me, save that thou art.

Thou my best thought, by day or by night,

waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

 

2 Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word;

I ever with thee, and thou with me, Lord.

Born of thy love, thy child may I be, 

thou in me dwelling and I one with thee.

 

3 Be thou my buckler, my sword for the fight.

Be thou my dignity, thou my delight,

thou my soul’s shelter, thou my high tow’r.

Raise thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.

 

4 Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise;

thou mine inheritance, now and always.

Thou and thou only, first in my heart,

Ruler of heaven, my treasure thou art.

 

5 "True Light of heaven, when vict’ry is won

may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!

Heart of my heart, whatever befall,

still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

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.

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

A-M:      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!