This is the lesson and sermon from Sunday, July 26th, 2009.
July 2009 Archives
THE EPISTLE LESSON Ephesians 3:14-21
THE GOSPEL LESSON John 6:1-21
SERMON "The Bread that Gives Us Life"
Worship Notes
In our worship this week we begin our first exploration of Jesus' intentional use of bread as a meaningful expression of blessedness and healing. The lectionary includes in the next five weeks Jesus' words and actions surrounding bread. Today's scripture is John's account of the feeding of five thousand. This miracle is the only one narrated in some form or another in all four gospels.
Our Call to Worship is taken from the Ephesians reading for the day highlighting our need to be "filled with the fullness of God." The opening hymn I Come With Joy contains the words "As Christ breaks bread and bids us share, Each proud division ends." The image of bread appears as well in different elements of our liturgy from the Declaration of Forgiveness to the Prayer for Illumination. Our Affirmation of Faith is taken from the Directory of Worship for the Presbyterian Church USA. While this document is not confessional in nature, it does express our beliefs about elements of our spiritual life together.
This is the lesson and sermon from Sunday, July 19th, 2009, delivered by Ed Daub.
SERMON "What Is Your Only Comfort In Life and In Death"
Guest Minister: Ed Daub
Worship Notes
This morning we will worship according to Morning Liturgy D, in the Wee Worship Book, in its fourth incarnation by the Wild Goose Worship Group of the Iona Community, with regard to which the following is stated:
In the Western Highlands and Islands of Scotland, prayer in the ancient Celtic tradition was on the verge of disappearing when Alexander Carmichael gathered prayers, songs and sayings from country folk and published them in CARMINA GADELICA (SONGS OF THE GAELS) at the end of the 19th century.
This liturgy uses material from that collection of fragments. What is of special interest is that few, if any, of these prayers came from ministers or priests. They were shared in families through the centuries by people who lived often without the benefit of clergy, yet believed deeply and prayed reverently.
This is the lesson and sermon from Sunday, July 12th, 2009, delivered by Kathleen Cook Owens.
Galatians 5:13-14
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Exodus 3: 1-12
THE EPISTLE LESSON Galatians 5:13-14
SERMON "The Freedom to Serve"
Worship Notes
This morning we will hear from some of the youth who participated in the recent youth mission trip to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. For our scripture lessons today we will hear the central text for the youth mission trip, Galatians 5:13-14 and one of the other texts used for study on the trip, the call of Moses from Exodus 3. Both of these texts focus on what it means to be a servant for God. The service that God asks us to do is service not only to God, but to one another, for we are called to love one another as we love ourselves. On our mission trip we talked about what it means to be called by God into service for others and the freedom that God gives us to make the choice to serve.
Today we are also continuing our celebration of Thanksgiving in July. This is an extra week of food collection this month because of the increased need for food during the summer months when kids do not get meals at school. Regular food donations are one way that this congregation continues to serve our local community out of the love and freedom that God gives to each of us.
We give thanks today for all of the many ways that God enables us to serve others and the freedom we have to choose to serve in whatever way we can. You are invited to reflect during worship today on where it is that you may be called to put your gifts into God's service.
