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.
