Readings and Prayers for Sunday, June 21, 2020
The Ringing of the Bell
The Summons, by John Bell
Opening Sentences
Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen.
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your Holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Song of Praise (powerpoint image)
The God of Love is with us!
The Spirit of Love is in us!
Blessed are you in the heights and depths, O God.
Let the wind and all that stirs life into motion praise you.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
God of power, you uphold us in times of persecution and strengthen us to meet the trials of faithful witness. As you delivered us from death through our baptism in Christ and the victory of his resurrection, send us forth to proclaim that glorious redemption, so that the world may claim the freedom of forgiveness and new life in you. Amen.
A Reading from the Prophet Jeremiah, Chapter 20, verses 7-13.
O Lord, you have enticed me,
and I was enticed;
you have overpowered me,
and you have prevailed.
I have become a laughingstock all day long;
everyone mocks me.
For whenever I speak, I must cry out,
I must shout, “Violence and destruction!”
For the word of the Lord has become for me
a reproach and derision all day long.
If I say, “I will not mention him,
or speak any more in his name,”
then within me there is something like a burning fire
shut up in my bones;
I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot.
For I hear many whispering:
“Terror is all around!
Denounce him! Let us denounce him!”
All my close friends
are watching for me to stumble.
“Perhaps he can be enticed,
and we can prevail against him,
and take our revenge on him.”
But the Lord is with me like a dread warrior;
therefore my persecutors will stumble,
and they will not prevail.
They will be greatly shamed,
for they will not succeed.
Their eternal dishonor
will never be forgotten.
O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous,
you see the heart and the mind;
let me see your retribution upon them,
for to you I have committed my cause.
Sing to the Lord;
praise the Lord!
For he has delivered the life of the needy
from the hands of evildoers.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 69: 8-20 Salvum me fac
8 Surely, for your sake have I suffered reproach, *
and shame has covered my face.
9 I have become a stranger to my own kindred, *
an alien to my mother’s children.
10 Zeal for your house has eaten me up; *
the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.
11 I humbled myself with fasting, *
but that was turned to my reproach.
12 I put on sack-cloth also, *
and became a byword among them.
13 Those who sit at the gate murmur against me, *
and the drunkards make songs about me.
14 But as for me, this is my prayer to you, *
at the time you have set, O Lord:
15 “In your great mercy, O God, *
answer me with your unfailing help.
16 Save me from the mire; do not let me sink; *
let me be rescued from those who hate me
and out of the deep waters.
17 Let not the torrent of waters wash over me,
neither let the deep swallow me up; *
do not let the Pit shut its mouth upon me.
18 Answer me, O Lord, for your love is kind; *
in your great compassion, turn to me.’
19 “Hide not your face from your servant; *
be swift and answer me, for I am in distress.
20 Draw near to me and redeem me; *
because of my enemies deliver me.
A Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Romans, Chapter 6, Verses 1b-11
Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn: I have decided to follow Jesus
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew, Chapter 10:24-39
Jesus said to the twelve disciples, “A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!
“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
“Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Sermon and Discussion
Affirmation
We are not alone; we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to love with respect in creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us.
We are not alone. Thanks be to God.
The Confession
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name.
Amen.
The Peace
Announcements
Reopening, Vestry calls, questions
Anniversary Prayer
O God, you have so consecrated the covenant of marriage that in it is represented the spiritual unity between Christ and his Church: Continue to send your blessing upon these your servants, that they may so love, honor, and cherish each other in faithfulness and patience, in wisdom and true godliness, that their home may be a haven of blessing and peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Fathers’ Day photos
“A Father’s Day Prayer”
For fathers everywhere,
who have given us life and love,
that we may show them respect and love.
Holy God, hear this prayer for our fathers.
For fathers who have lost a child through death,
that their faith may give them hope,
and their family and friends support and console them
Holy God, hear this prayer for our fathers who mourn.
For men, though without children of their own,
have acted as fathers and have nurtured and cared for us.
Holy God, hear this prayer for our father figures.
For step-fathers who have assumed that role with love and joy,
who have loved the children of another as their own,
and created a new family.
Holy God, hear this prayer for step-fathers.
For adoptive fathers, who have claimed the orphan
and loved the once unwanted as a precious gift from God.
Holy God, hear this prayer for adoptive fathers.
For fathers who have been unable to be a source of strength,
who have not responded to the needs of their children,
and have not sustained their families.
Holy God, have mercy on absentee fathers.
For fathers who struggle with temptation, violence, or addiction.
For those who do harm, and for those whom they have harmed.
Holy God, have mercy on fathers that struggle.
For new fathers, full of hope.
For long-time fathers, full of wisdom.
For all the fathers yet to be, and fathers soon to be.
Holy God, hear our prayers for the fathers of your Church.
For those who have shaped our lives
Without claim to family or kinship.
For those who have taught us, guided us
Shaped us and molded us into servants of Christ our Lord.
Holy God, hear our prayer for the fathers of our faith.
For our fathers who have died,
That they may have a place in your eternal kingdom.
Holy God, hear this prayer for the fathers we continue to love but see no longer.
God our father, in your wisdom and love you made all things.
Bless all fathers, and strengthen them to be examples of your love.
Let the example of their faith and love shine forth.
Grant that we, their sons and daughters,
may give thanks for all our fathers have done for us,
and honor them always with a spirit of profound respect.
And grant that we may offer compassion and forgiveness for the ways in which they have sometimes failed us.
Grant this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
— adapted by Robb McCoy from the United Methodist Book of Worship, page 441.
The Prayers of the People
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Merciful God, we give you thanks for the Church, and for our church, St Peter’s. Guide us as we plan to once more meet in person. May we turn to you for help, for protection, and for guidance. Empower us to continue our mission to the community and to the world by living lives of service.
Lord, our nation is so divided and in such turmoil over so many things. We pray for all leaders, especially for our President, that they may turn their hearts to you, work for your justice, and strive to bring us together in unity for the peace and welfare of all.
Lord, hear our prayers and answer our fears with love. Give us the faith to go where others dare not to proclaim the vastness of your love. As we do what we can to work for justice and peace, give us courage, vision, and strength. Remind us and help us to respect the dignity of every human being.
Creator of the universe, we give you thanks for the earth, and for the life it brings forth and sustains. Help us to remember that we are intertwined with your whole creation, and may we care for it and protect it as your precious gift of love.
Almighty God, we pray those who serve in the armed forces of our nation, that they may work for justice and peace and defend us in danger, especially those on our prayer list, Cheyenne, Cliff, Alexis, Scott, Steven, Michael, George and Greg; that in war you would inspire them to serve our country well; in peace hold them ready and alert. In their lives may they bring honor to our country’s name. Bring them safely home when their work is done.
Compassionate God, we pray for those who are sick , those who are recovering, and for those who are in any need, especially John, son of Laura Carey; and Mark, brother of Barbara Wisdom, and for all on our prayer list. Bless them with your healing grace, and give them strength, and bless their families with your comfort.
Lord Jesus, you had no place to lay your head on this earth. We pray for all refugees, immigrants, and those who are homeless and seek a home. We pray as well for those in Africa and the Middle East who are suffering from the locust swarms that are destroying their crops.
Merciful God, as we wait for deliverance from COVID, and do what we can to prevent its spread, we pray for your Spirit and your love, that you would grant us the strength and grace to overcome this adversity. We pray for those who are lonely due to their ongoing isolation. We ask for the healing of all who are sick. Give strength to all doctors, nurses and health care workers. We pray for those who have died, and may their families find the peace of your presence with them in their grief.
Almighty and eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and on earth: Mercifully accept our prayers, and strengthen us to do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Blessing
Now may the Lord bless you, guide you, hold you, guard you, and make you bold to live a life of trust and deep joy. And may God’s peace rest upon you, now and always. Amen.
Sometimes by step
Go and grow in peace, to Love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.