Home Church 9th Sunday after Pentecost August 2, 2020 Rev. Karen Hollis

Home Church 9th Sunday after Pentecost August 2, 2020 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.

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    

Opening Prayer  Read the prayer slowly.                                            

Most wonderful God, in you there is always more blessings than we

can imagine; even today your ways blossom with possibilities; with you we discover a greater capacity within us for compassion and service. As we gather together, we pray for that spirit that opens your kin-dom and multiplies generosity; we pray that through our worship we would learn your ways. We pray through Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Hymn: I Heard the Voice of Jesus                                           VU #626

1 I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto me and rest;
lay down, O weary one, lay down
your head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
weary and worn and sad;
I found in him a resting place,
and he has made me glad.

2 I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold, I freely give
the living water; thirsty one,
stoop down and drink, and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in him.

3 I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's Light;
look unto me, your morn shall rise,
and all your days be bright."
I looked to Jesus and I found
in him my Star, my Sun;
and in that light of life I'll walk,
'til trav'ling days are done.

Prayer of Confession          

We are all not as friends think we are, we are not even what we imagine ourselves to be. We are complex. Even when we wish to act out of love sometimes we are motivated by something that is not nourishing to others or ourselves. Sometimes we are hurtful, fall short of our own ideal, react too quickly, allow anger or confusion to lead us. We don’t mean to turn from you, O God, and yet sometimes we do. We don’t enjoy being separated from you, and sometimes we look around and you seem so far away. We pray for your mercy and healing.

Silent Prayer of Confession

Assurance of Grace

God’s love is like the loaves and fishes. It is abundant and celebrated and shared; it is offered as a blessing, broken and shared for all. So come, feast on God’s love, eat your fill and be healed.

Peace of Christ Christ is with us and in the space between us. 

Let us share the peace he brings!

              The Peace of Christ be with you!

              And also with you!

First Reading: Psalm 17:1-7, 15 (translated by Lynn Baumann)      Lisa Griffith

Listen for the word of God to you this morning . . .

O God, as judge of everything and all, hear my plea of innocence,

this cry, this prayer; it does not come to you from lips that lie.

You be the judge and let what vindication there is to be, come from your presence O you whose eyes discern the right and wrong.

You visit me at night in search of truth, you assess the heart, so test me for impurities.

My mouth speaks no offence as others do, for I follow only what falls from your own lips.

I walk in truth and beauty on your smooth path, I walk before you and all your ways are mine, O God.

I call to you and hear the answer of your voice, for your ear is ever near my lips to hear my words.

You show me the wonder of your love, and grasp me in your strong hands to hide me safe.

But I, when I awaken, shall see your face my God, I shall gaze upon your image and be satisfied.

Gospel Reading                                                                       Lisa Griffith

One:      God be with you.       

All:        And also with you

One:      The Good News of Jesus Christ according to Matthew

All:        Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 14:13-21

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick.

When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves."
Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."
They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish."
And he said, "Bring them here to me."
Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

One: This is the Gospel of Christ;

All:   Praise be to Jesus Christ

Reflection:   Loaves & Fishes Rev Karen Hollis (sermon attached)             

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  Paddy Waymark (see attached)                                                                                 

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:

I’ve been participating in the Neighbours Helping Neighbours program at PHC – there is someone near my house who can’t get out to get veggies from the many road-side stands around the island, so I’ve been helping with that . . . but what it has illuminated for me is this kind of kin-dom economy that exists where we have an awareness of the needs and resources available. I’ve actually only needed to go to the produce stand once because there are so many people around this time of year who are sharing produce. Sometimes they are trying desperately to get rid of it before it bolts or spoils. We see this in the food recovery program, as well: the value is around getting the resources to the places that need them or can use them, not on keeping everything for ourselves. This season reminds us that there is much more to harvest than we can deal with ourselves . . . zucchini anyone? . . . so we honour the harvest, the abundance, and the resources by sharing them.

Let us pray . . . God of abundance and bounty, Source of all good things: we give thanks for the economy of your kin-dom, of giving and sharing what we have for the sake of the whole, that nothing may be wasted. May our gifts be as loaves and fishes for those who find themselves in poverty,  hunger, or longing to taste your goodness. 
May our acts of giving bring about change: change in our lives, change in the lives we touch, change in the systems that harm.
Through Jesus the Christ, who gave so much to save.  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: Servant Song v. 1-3    VU #595

We are pilgrims on a journey.
fellow travelers on the road;

We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.

Sister, let me be your servant.
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.

I will hold the Christ-light for you
In the night-time of your fear.
I will hold my hand out to you;
Speak the peace you long to hear.

Blessing

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.

First name A-M:

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

First name N-Z:

              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!

 

Hymn: Servant Song v. 4-6  VU #595

I will weep when you are weeping.
When you laugh, I'll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we've seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven,
We shall find such harmony
Born of all we've known together
Of Christ's love and agony.

Brother, let me be your servant.
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.