Hybrid Church 7th Sunday after Pentecost July 24, 2022 Rev. Karen Hollis Musician: Dorothy Dittrich

Christ Church Gabriola

A Collaborative Anglican – United Church

Open to All              

Hybrid Church

7th Sunday after Pentecost

July 24, 2022

Rev. Karen Hollis

Musician: Dorothy Dittrich

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

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey,

you are welcome here!

Welcome! 

If you are gathering in person, on zoom or worshipping at home with the bulletin, welcome! We are one community, one in the body of Christ. 

Welcome & Announcements

Centering & Stillness

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                                                                                                  enfleshed

One:  For Beloved Community near and far,

All:    For the invitation to love and to be loved,

One:  For abundant opportunities to begin again,

All:    For spiritual practices that ground us,

One:  For play that enlivens us,

All:    For Wisdom that invites us to expansive living

One:  we give thanks to the Holy One for these sustaining gifts.

All:    Let us worship God, our Provider and Friend.

Opening Prayer                                                                                                       enfleshed

Holy One, even when the days are heavy, make us persistent in pursuit of all that is good and just. When it feels as if our prayers go unheard and we cannot find you to our left or to our right, let not our hearts grow weary. Though we may be pressed by fatigue, fear, or despair, give us the endurance to remain faithful. Make us

relentless pursuers of your Kin-dom, settling for nothing less than what you have promised us. Through Christ, our Companion, we pray. Amen.

Hymn: Come and Find the Quiet Centre                                  VU #374

1 Come and find the quiet centre

in the crowded life we lead,

find the room for hope to enter,

find the frame where we are freed:

clear the chaos and the clutter,

clear our eyes, that we can see

all the things that really matter,

be at peace, and simply be.

2 Silence is a friend who claims us,

cools the heat and slows the pace,

God it is who speaks and names us,

knows our being, face to face,

making space within our thinking,

lifting shades to show the sun,

raising courage when we're shrinking,

finding scope for faith begun.

3 In the Spirit let us travel,

open to each other's pain,

let our loves and fears unravel,

celebrate the space we gain:

there's a place for deepest dreaming,

there's a time for heart to care,

in the Spirit's lively scheming

there is always room to spare!

Prayer of Confession:                                                                        

Henri Nowen said, “It is in the confession of our brokenness that the real strength of new and everlasting life can be affirmed and made visible.” Let us bring our brokenness before God.

We pray you would meet us today in our places of vulnerability, the places shut tight within us, the places we don’t dare show even to you, the life experience we wish we could do over. We pray for your mercy, O God… especially because it’s so difficult to forgive ourselves.

silent prayer of confession

Assurance of Grace

May you receive the healing that is offered to you today. May you find sustenance in the unfailing love of God. May God’s grace teach us how to love all parts of ourselves. Thanks be to God. 

Passing of the Peace

Those on zoom, I invite you to unmute. Each week we remember the way Jesus was with people and his teaching about reconciliation and right relationship. Let us affirm this teaching today by sharing his peace with one another.

One:    The peace of Christ be with you! 

All:      And also with you!

You are invited to turn to those directly around you and share Christ’s peace. Those on zoom, please unmute and share with one another.

Reader: By the gift of your Spirit, calm and quiet our souls that we may hear your Word today and be lifted up to walk with you. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen

First Reading: Genesis 18:20-32 (NRSV)                                        Reader: Lisa Griffith

Then the Lord said, 

‘How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.’ 

So the men turned from there, and went towards Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Then Abraham came near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?’ And the Lord said, ‘If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.’ Abraham answered, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?’ And he said, ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.’ Again he spoke to him, ‘Suppose forty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of forty I will not do it.’ Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.’ He answered, ‘I will not do it, if I find thirty there.’ He said, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.’ Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.’

Psalm 138 (Voices United)                                                                                          Reader: Lisa Griffith

I will praise you, O God, with all my heart;

before the gods I will sing your praises.

       I bow down toward your holy temple

       and praise your name for your love and faithfulness,

for you have so exalted your name

and your word above everything.

       On the day that I called, you answered me,

       and put  new strength in my soul.    R

All earth’s rulers shall praise you,

When they hear the words of your mouth.

       They shall sing of your ways, O god,

       sing that your glory is great.

For though you are high, you care for the lowly.

       As for the proud, you humble them from afar.    R

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me;

       you stretch out your hand against my enemies’ rage;

       your powerful hand delivers me.

You will fulfil your purpose for me.

       Your love, O God, is eternal.

       Do not leave unfinished the work of your hands.    R

Gospel Reading                                                                                      Reader: David Soy

As is your custom, please stand or sit for the reading of the gospel. 

Reader: God be with you.       

All:      And also with you

Reader:           The Good News of Jesus Christ according to Luke

All:          Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 11:1-13 (NRSV) He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial." And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' And he answers from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. "So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

      

Reader: This is the Gospel of Christ.   

All:          Praise be to Jesus Christ       

Reflection          

Silent Reflection

Hymn: Bring Many Names  v.1,4,5,6                                                                         VU #268

1 Bring many names, beautiful and good,

celebrate, in parable and story,

holiness in glory, living, loving God:

Hail and Hosanna! Bring many names!

4 Old, aching God, grey with endless care,

calmly piercing evil's new disguises,

glad of good surprises, wiser than despair:

Hail and Hosanna, old, aching God!

5 Young, growing God, eager, on the move,

saying no to falsehood and unkindness,

crying out for justice, giving all you have:

Hail and Hosanna, young, growing God!

6 Great, living God, never fully known,

joyful darkness far beyond our seeing,

closer yet than breathing, everlasting home:

Hail and Hosanna, great, living God!

Apostle’s Creed 

Let us affirm our faith . . . 

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 the People                                                                                    Mona Smart             

One:  God of healing and compassion,

All:    Hear Our Prayers   

Lord’s Prayer (sung)                                                                                                VU #959 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.

A Word from PWRDF                                                                                                         Julie Foster

Lay Assistant please come forward

Doxology (organ)                                                                                                                CP #669

Praise God the Source of life and birth,

Praise God the Word, who cam to earth.

Praise God the Spirit, holy flame.

All Glory, honour to God’s name.

Offering Prayer                                                                                                  enfleshed

God, you are the Bread of Life and the Living Water that quenches our spirits. In gratitude for all the ways you sustain us, we offer our gifts. Bless them and this community, that we too might be a source of nourishment and a place of rest for all who are weary in body or spirit. Let your will be done among us, O God. Amen. 

Invitation to Communion

This table of bread and wine is now to be made ready. It is the table of company with Jesus; it is the table of sharing with the poor of the world, with whom Jesus identified himself; it is the table of communion with the earth, in which Christ became incarnate; it is the table of radical welcome in the name of our God. Come to this table, whether you are online or in person; it is Christ who invites us to meet him here.

The Great Thanksgiving                                                                        enfleshed

The Holy One be with you

And also with you

Open your hearts to the One who is Love

We open our hearts to you, O God

Let us give thanks to God, who gathers us together

To the One who welcomes us to the table, we give thanks and praise

 

God, your invitation to come and feast in your presence is but a taste of the love you extend to us every day. By your very nature, you are always seeking us out – searching for ways to connect us and connect with us. You meet us in the most ordinary of places and you make them sacred. By your grace, we come to recognize the holiness that dwells in the world around us, in our neighbors, in our own internal depths.

Therefore we join our voices with your people on earth and all the company of the heavens, singing praise to you,

Sanctus (a cappella)                                                                   MV #203

O Holy, holy, holy God, O God of time and space.

All earth and sea and sky above bear witness to your grace.

Hosanna in the highest heav’n, creation sings your praise.

And blessed is the One who comes and bears your name always!

Blessed are you and blessed is your eternal table. You welcome all who thirst for justice and hunger to grow in love. You ask us to extend this same welcome to all our neighbors, but God, since our beginning, we have struggled.

And so in your love for us, you took on flesh in Jesus. Through his life, you pointed to your presence on the margins. You revealed the sacredness in all life. You showed us how to live together, even among forces of destruction.

Believing it could transform the world, Jesus proclaimed the Good News. He called for the captives to be set free. He spoke of the lowly being lifted up. He talked of redistributing wealth and eradicating the causes of poverty. His commitment to practicing love knew no bounds – not even the bounds of death.

On the night of his arrest, Jesus shared a meal with his companions.

He took bread, blessed it, broke it, gave it to his disciples and said:

“This is my body which is given for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.”

After the meal, he took the cup, blessed it, and shared it saying:

“This cup that is poured out is the new covenant.”

In remembrance of all you have done to save us,

we proclaim the mystery of our faith:

Christ was birthed among us.                     

Christ was killed among us.

Christ rises again among us. 

Pour out your Spirit on these gifts, O God. Make these ordinary elements into the Sacred gift of your presence with us once again. May they awaken us anew to your everlasting invitation into a life of resurrection. Aliven us in our pursuit of a world where all needs are met, power is balanced, and the worth of every creature and creation is celebrated.

Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, 

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

all glory is yours, 

Almighty God now and forever, 

Amen

Breaking the Bread

One:  “I am the bread of life,” Jesus says. “Whoever comes to me will never be hungry; whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

All:    Taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are they who trust in him!

One: These are the gifts of God for the people of God.

All:    Thanks be to God.

One:  Let us all who are gathered here receive Christ in our hearts. Those gathered in the sanctuary are also invited to receive a wafer.

Those on the socially distanced side of the sanctuary, please remain seated to be served in the pew. Those on the non-socially distanced side, please keep to your right as you process up behind the communion table to receive and continue around, back to your seat.

Communion Hymn: I Come with Joy v.2, 3, 4, 5                             VU #477

2 I come with Christians far and near

to find, as all are fed,

the new community of love

in Christ's communion bread,

in Christ's communion bread.

3 As Christ breaks bread, and bids us share,

each proud division ends.

The love that made us, makes us one,

and strangers now are friends,

and strangers now are friends.

4 The Spirit of the risen Christ,

unseen, but ever near,

is in such friendship better known,

alive among us here,

alive among us here.

5 Together met, together bound

by all that God has done,

we'll go with joy, to give the world

the love that makes us one,

the love that makes us one.

Prayer After Communion                                                                    enfleshed

God, by the bread of heaven and the cup of life, you make us one body. Bind us together by your spirit that we might live into your hopes for us, a community centred in Christ and rich in compassion, commitment, courage, and care. May it be so.

Hymn: Deep in Our Hearts v. 1-3                                                    MV #154

1 Deep in our hearts there is a common vision;

Deep in our hearts there is a common song;

Deep in our hearts there is a common story,

Telling Creation that we are one.  

2 Deep in our hearts there is a common purpose;

Deep in our hearts there is a common goal;

Deep in our hearts there is a sacred message,

Justice and peace in harmony. 

3 Deep in our hearts there is a common longing;

Deep in our hearts there is a common theme;

Deep in our hearts there is a common current,

Flowing to freedom like a stream. 

Thank You

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!

 

 

Postlude

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cover Photo: Andrei Rublev's Icon Of The Holy Trinity, 1411 CE