12th in Ordinary Time (June 24)

12^TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

June 24

• 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 and Psalm 9:9-20 or 1 Samuel 17:57-18:5, 18:10-16 and Psalm 133  •  Job 38:1-11 and Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32  •  2 Corinthians 6:1-13  • Mark 4:35-41

 

CALL TO WORSHIP   

O Lord, the poor can run to you because you are a fortress in times of trouble.

Everyone who honors your name can trust you, because you are faithful to all who depend on you.

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart, and tell about the wonders you have worked.

God Most High, I will rejoice; I will celebrate and sing because of you.

          (from Psalm 9)

OPENING PRAYER   

Almighty God, we gather here as people who have come to trust your goodness and your power. You gave David power over Goliath; and you give us power to face any situation. We draw upon your strength to live as brave and compassionate people. You teach us not to be afraid. As we worship this morning, may your presence be felt and celebrated. For we pray in the name of Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

CALL TO CONFESSION

We never come here confessing perfection or self-righteousness. We know our need of God. And we know that God is forgiving.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION    

Merciful God, we confess that our faith is weak. We want to trust you fully, but we do not always have strong faith. Sometimes life gets us down. We face situations that seem overwhelming, and we are tempted to give up or run away. Help us, O God, to look to you, and to place our lives in your strong hands. Forgive our fragile faith. We ask this in the name of Jesus your Son, who calms the storms and lifts the fallen. Amen.

          (third sentence alludes to Goliath story; last sentence refers to the gospel reading)

SILENT CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF GRACE   

The sinfulness of humanity is like an undefeatable giant. But God’s slingshot of mercy has dealt the mortal blow to sin and death. The weakness of the cross is stronger than the power of evil.

Friends, believe the good news of the Gospel.

In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!  Amen.

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

Holy Spirit, enlighten our minds to understand the Scriptures today. May the story of David and Goliath become our story. Amen.

SERMON IDEAS

(1) What ‘giant’ are you facing right now? (2) As David could not use Saul’s armor, we too must be ourselves and not try to be someone else. (3) David had a sling shot he knew how to use. We also have resource available to us, e.g., friends, church, counselors, imagination, scripture, prayer, government agencies, etc. (4) David moved toward the giant. Are we running away from some problem? What first step could you take toward solving your problem? (5) David trusted God. The battle was the Lord’s. We have to balance two things: our trust in God, and taking responsibility for ourselves. David took responsibility, but he also trusted God. Are you out of balance?

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11th Sunday of Ordinary Time - June 17

11^th SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME 

(June 17)

• 1 Samuel 15:34 - 16:13 and Psalm 20  •  Ezekiel 17:22-24 and Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15  • 
• 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, (11-13), 14-17  •  Mark 4:26-34

CALL TO WORSHIP   

The Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

We who are part of the Jesus Movement do not base our lives on what is visible, but on the invisible reality at the heart of everything. We walk by faith, not by sight.

(quote of 1 Sam. 16.7 and reference to 2 Cor. 5.7)

OPENING PRAYER   

Eternal Light, you have shown forth in the life of Jesus so that we may not be in the dark. As we have gathered here to sing songs of faith, to hear the stories of our tradition, and to express our gratitude for all the blessings of life, shine on us once again. Make bright the path of happiness. Show us how to walk with integrity. Strengthen our faith in the goodness of life. We pray these things in the name of Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

(theme of ‘light’ alludes to references in readings to ‘appearances, seeing’)

CALL TO CONFESSION

God not only hears our words, but knows our hearts. Let us confess our sins with honesty and boldness.

(reference to 1 Sam. 16.7)

PRAYER OF CONFESSION    

O Jesus, we acknowledge that we have failed at being human. We have tried to be more than human, which is pride. We have failed to be human enough, which is sloth. But you, O Jesus, were perfectly human. May we accept our vocation to be fully human as a joyous adventure lived by grace. Help us to be fully alive. Amen.

SILENT CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF GRACE   

Since being united to Christ in baptism and faith, our old way of seeing things has passed away. Now we see everything in a new light.

(referencing 2 Cor. 5.17)

Friends, believe the good news of the Gospel.

In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!  Amen.

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

O God, clear our minds of preconceived ideas so that we may hear what you want us to hear from the sacred texts today. Amen.

SERMON IDEAS

Barbara Brown Taylor, in her book Leaving Church, writes about the difference in believing and beholding. (see pp. 109-111) Second Corinthians 5.17 contains that little word ‘see’ (or ‘behold’). Beholding is not normal ‘sight’ (v.7), but the seeing of ‘faith’ (v. 7). 1^st Samuel 16.7 refers to God’s way of seeing the heart, not outward appearances. The new creation has to be ‘seen’ or ‘beheld’ by faith. Where and how do we ‘see’ this new creation?

In the book 1Q84 – the cab driver tells the woman she will look at everything differently; but there is only one reality (toward the beginning of the book).

See Mary Oliver’s poem ‘When Death Comes.’ Notice the lines: ‘And therefore I look upon everything  /  as a brotherhood and a sisterhood…’ And, ‘When it’s all over I want to say: all my life  /  I was a bride married to amazement.’

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Emily and Me

I've been reading Emily Dickinson's poetry the last few weeks. I also finished a biographical novel about her. I'm now reading a book about the faith of Dickinson. Ever since high school I have liked her brief, staccato verses. I didn't realize then how sophisticated and complicated they are.

I feel an affinity with Emily in some ways. We are both obsessed with death. I think about death a lot. She writes about it frequently. We both like cemeteries. In my pastoral career I have stood in cemeteries so many times with the feeling of peace. 

Emily lived and wrote at a time of transition. Traditional authorities were losing ground. Our nation went through the Civil War while she wrote rhymes. Her language drew from the King James Bible, but her thought was resonating with the new Transcendentalist Movement. Emerson was a great influence. Right now this country is seeing the 'coming out' of atheists. Traditional religion is losing ground. My personal transition has been from fundamentalism to liberalism; and from the Christian Tradition to a broader Wisdom Tradition (still seen through the lens of the Christian faith).

Both Emily and I struggle with faith and prayer. We both have a Jacobean faith--we wrestle with God or Reality or whatever. She found the divine in nature. I have more and more experienced God in the ordinary, everyday things. The 19th century Romanticism appeals to me. The very Pulse of life keeps me believing in some kind of purpose in our existence. The power of metaphor functions for me as an open door to something more. 

Emily's brevity appeals to me. Like those brief stories of Jesus. Like bursts of energy; like lightning that illumines the darkness. I'm an introvert. I don't say much. Brevity is honesty. Let your yes be yes and your no be no.

Emily's poetry has a sad tone about it. And my life has an under tone of sadness. Thank God I also experience joy. It's always a struggle. When I read Emily's poems I feel her desire to believe. But she has to be true to herself. She has integrity. And that's what matters.

 

10th Ordinary, June 10

10^TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

• 1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15)  •  Psalm 138  •  2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1  •  Mark 3.20-35

CALL TO WORSHIP   

I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart.

I give thanks for your steadfast love and your faithfulness.

The Lord will fulfill the divine purpose for us.

Your love, O Lord, endures forever.

(From Psalm 138)

OPENING PRAYER  

O God, we can count on you, for you always keep your promises. You never renege or break your vows. Our human leaders let us down; they are fallible. But your infallible love reaches out to us in our fragility and supports us in times of need. Great is your glory. We praise you. Amen.

(ideas from Ps. 138)

CALL TO CONFESSION

Jesus cast out demons by the power of the Holy Spirit. The HOLY Spirit cleans up the unholy. As we confess our sins, let us allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse us of all wrongdoing.

(drawing from Mark 3)

PRAYER OF CONFESSION   

Holy Parent, we want to be like everyone else. We do not want to stand out or be looked upon as odd. Our desire is to fit in. Yet we know that you call us at times to be peculiar. We confess our uneasiness with our peculiar calling. Forgive us for seeking conformity. Help us to be bold—and to rub people the wrong way if necessary. Strengthen us to be counter-cultural. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(ideas from 1 Sam. 8)

SILENT CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF GRACE   

All of us are sinners. But we are forgivable sinners. We give thanks for the grace of God.

          (allusion to the ‘unforgivable sin’)

Friends, believe the good news of the Gospel.

In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!  Amen.

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

If our minds were like houses, we might ask the Holy Spirit to come in and clean house to make room to welcome the Word of God. So we pray, ‘Come, Holy Spirit, make space in our minds for your Word in the reading of Scripture. Amen.’

(alluding to Mark 3)

SERMON IDEAS

There may be an unforgivable sin. But there are no unforgivable people.

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Jesus broadens the concept of ‘family’ by ignoring his biological family and embracing all who do the will of God.