Home Church 9th Sunday after Pentecost July 25, 2021 Rev. Karen Hollis

Home Church 9th Sunday after Pentecost July 25, 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.

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  - Kathy Galloway, The Iona Community

One:    Your love is as high as the heavens, O God; your faithfulness soars through the skies.

All:      Your righteousness reaches the towering peaks; your justice the depths of the sea.

One:    We shelter beneath your wings; we feast on the food you provide.

All:      We open our eyes to drink in your goodness; for you are the source of all life, and because of your light we see light.

Opening Prayer                     

With eyes open, O God, we praise you for your creation and for all the gifts of this day: for the deer and the raven, the wind in the trees and waves breaking on the shore, for those we love, and for all the ways your voice speaks into the world. We give thanks for this space of blessing, and we pray you would greet us here and nourish us with the sustenance we need this day. In Christ Jesus we pray, Amen.

Hymn: Open My Eyes   -   VU #371

1 Open my eyes, that I may see

glimpses of truth thou hast for me;

place in my hands the wonderful key

that shall unclasp and set me free.

Silently now I wait for thee,

ready, my God, thy will to see.

Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!

2 Open my ears, that I may hear

voices of truth thou sendest clear;

and while the wave-notes fall on my ear,

everything false will disappear.

Silently now I wait for thee,

ready, my God, thy will to see.

Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit divine!

3 Open my mouth, and let me bear

gladly the warm truth everywhere;

open my heart and let me prepare

love with thy children thus to share.

Silently now I wait for thee,

ready, my God, thy will to see.

Open my heart, illumine me, Spirit divine!

Prayer of Confession  -   Kathy Gallaway, Iona Community

One:    We gather in God’s name.

All:      We claim Christ’s promised presence.

One:    Children of God, not out of dread and fear, but believing that God     is faithful to forgive, let us rid ourselves of what we need to carry    no longer.

Silent prayer of confession

One:     Lord, have mercy.

All:      Christ have mercy.

One:    Lord, have mercy.

Assurance of Grace 

One:      With the whole church,

All:        We affirm that we are made in God’s image, befriended by  Christ, empowered by the Spirit.

One:      With people everywhere

All:        We affirm God’s goodness at the heart of humanity, planted more deeply than all that is wrong.

One:      With all creation

All:        We celebrate the miracle and wonder of life, the unfolding purposes of God, forever at work in ourselves and the         world.

Peace of Christ 

Whenever we gather, Christ is present with us. Let us share the peace he brings. Please unmute and join me as north enders and south enders – those in the middle or off-island can choose your affiliation. North enders, we say together:

            North enders:   The Peace of Christ be with you!

            South enders: And also with you!

First Reading: 2 Samuel 11:1-15  -  George Westarp

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him; they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

It happened, late one afternoon, when David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David sent someone to inquire about the woman. It was reported, ‘This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.’ So David sent messengers to fetch her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself after her period.) Then she returned to her house. The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, ‘I am pregnant.’

So David sent word to Joab, ‘Send me Uriah the Hittite.’ And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the people fared, and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, ‘Go down to your house, and wash your feet.’ Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. When they told David, ‘Uriah did not go down to his house’, David said to Uriah, ‘You have just come from a journey. Why did you not go down to your house?’ Uriah said to David, ‘The ark and Israel and Judah remain in booths; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field; shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing.’ Then David said to Uriah, ‘Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.’ So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day. On the next day, David invited him to eat and drink in his presence and made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, ‘Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be struck down and die.’  

Psalm 14  -  Betty Schultze

The foolish have spoken in their heart, and said “there is no God.”

They are corrupt; they do abominable things; 

there is no one who does what is good.

God looks down from heaven upon us all, 

to see if any are wise and seek after God.

But all have gone astray; all alike are corrupted;

there is no one who does good; no, not one.

Have they no knowledge, all those who do evil?

They devour my people like so much bread, 

and do not pray to God.

But see, they will tremble with fear, 

for God is on the side of the righteous.

Do not mock the hope of the poor, for God is their refuge.

O that deliverance for God’s people would come forth from Zion!

When God restores the fortunes of the people, 

then shall Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

Gospel Reading  -  Betty Schultze      

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 6:1-21 

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.  A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’

When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, got into a boat, and started across the lake to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The lake became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land towards which they were going.     

One: This is the Gospel of Christ; 

All:   Praise be to Jesus Christ

Reflection:   Rev Karen -  (see attached)              

Silent Reflection

Affirmation of Faith

You are the new song.

You are the next beat in my heart.

You are the praise and possibility. 

You are the present and the future.

I believe the Light of the World has come this day. 

I see it now in all days. 

Those gone and those to come aflame in love.

Your love wrapped in human form,

Your love learned in justice and in mercy,

Your love risen over death.

I believe love has come on this day.

I believe love has and will always come.                                             

Prayers of the People  -  Paddy Waymark  (attached)

One:  Living God,      

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  -  Minute for Mission                                        

Offering Prayer Let us pray . . .        

We thank and praise you, O God for creating all there is and continuing to create in partnership with us. Through this COVID season we have been set apart from our normal ways, where we can see the world with new eyes, listen for your voice in new places, and try things we've never thought of before. We thank you for partnering with us and inviting us and all communities into new expressions of life. In Christ Jesus, we pray, Amen.

Hymn: We Are One  - VU #402

1 We are one as we come, as we come, joyful to be here,

in the praise on our lips there's a sense that God is near.

We are one as we sing, as we seek, we are found;

and we come needful of God's grace as we meet, together in this place.

2 We are one as we share, as we share brokenness and fear,

in the touch of a hand there's a sense that God is here.

We are one as we care, as we heal, we are healed;

and we share warmth in God's embrace as we pray together in this place.

3 We are one as we feast, as we feast, peace becomes the sign; 

in the bread and the wine there’s a sense of love divine. 

We are one as we come, as we feed we are fed; 

and we feel God’s refreshing grace as we meet at table in this place.

4 We are one as we hear, as we hear, heart and hand unite;

in the word we receive there’s a sense that God is light.

We are one as we leave, as we love, we are loved; and we seek justice in God’s ways as we move together from this place.

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.

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

North:   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!