MORRIS-ROSENFELD ECUMENICAL SHARED MINISTRY

ORDER OF SERVICE FOR SUNDAY, JULY 14, 2024

EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Due to copyright limitations, we are unable to print the words to many of the songs.  However, our musicians have chosen music to fit the scriptures.  We invite you to look up the words in your worship book and ponder them.  If you do not have a worship book, ponder the words of one of your favourite hymns and listen for God’s voice. Those who have the internet may find the songs on YouTube.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Aspire not to have more, but to be more.

~Oscar Romero

Before we worship, we reflect…

Salvadoran priest Oscar Romero was an outspoken critic of the social injustice and violence perpetuated by his country’s military government. For this he was assassinated in 1980, while celebrating mass. Before his death, he said, “If they kill me, I will rise in the Salvadoran people.”[1] Monsignor Romero adhered to liberation theology’s social teaching of God’s preferential option for the poor—that God’s heart is always with the poor and powerless and God’s desire is for their flourishing. Do our hearts and desires match God’s? Do the actions of the congregation give preference to the poor or to the powerful?

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We acknowledge we gather and worship on Treaty 1 Territory, the original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Anishininew, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.

Dear Loving Lord, Creator of all, you created us all in your own image, one image – many colours, one image – many cultures.  You made us come together like a rainbow, separate parts but coming together in one creation.  Help us to see the beauty you have created in each and every one of us.

Dear Loving Lord, we are your creation, hear the cries of your people.  You gave us ears to

hear and eyes to see, open our eyes to what you want us to see, help us always to look to you to see the wisdom of your ways.  In the name of your dear son, Jesus Christ.  Amen.[2]

CALL TO WORSHIP

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it,

for God has founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers.

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?  And who shall stand in God’s holy place?

Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false and do not swear deceitfully.

Such is the company of those who seek God, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

O God, we seek your face!

Let us worship God with gladness.

GATHERING SONG:  Voices United #272  Open Your Ears, O Faithful People

CENTERING PRAYER

O God of our salvation, you send prophets in our midst to correct us when we have gone astray,
to warn us away from the crooked path, and to make clear the consequences of sin.  Too often, we want to stray, we enjoy the crooked path, and we do not care about the consequences.  So we twist the prophet’s words or listen only in part.  O God, grant us the humility to hear in a prophet’s correction the honey tones of your salvation, the harmonies of your steadfast love. Amen.

CANADIAN LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF – Rasha’s story

THROUGH GRIT, Palestinian women are getting the chance to overcome barriers to education and work. “With only one year of training, I was able to achieve what some people take four or five years to do,” says Rasha Neemar, 35, who recently graduated from a professional program.

Rasha graduated high school in 2002 and she soon got married and began to have children. But eventually, her husband’s salary alone could not provide for the family and she needed to find a way to earn an income — a difficult challenge in a setting where employment opportunities for women can be limited and restrictive.

“By that time I had five children. How could I leave five children behind me and continue my studies? I needed to find training that would help me get a job quickly, where I could study and work at the same time.”

Rasha’s cousin told her about technical and vocational education opportunities through the Lutheran World Federation, so she decided to learn more and enroll.

“I did on-the-job training for three months,” Rasha says. “I gained a lot of experience dealing with customers, working on a computer, and many other office management skills.”

After her training was complete, Rasha was offered a position with the same company she trained with. Now her confidence has grown with her opportunity, as she serves as an ambassador for G

RIT, helping other women learn about the opportunities available to them.

“The most important thing is to know what you want and to have the drive and self-confidence to achieve it. As long as I know I have the power within me, I can challenge anything — any difficulty, no matter what it is.”

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

O God, from you come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works. Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments; and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.  Amen.

READINGS AND PSALM

First Reading: Amos 7:7-15

Amos is not the kind of prophet attached to temples or royal courts. Rather, he is an ordinary farmer from Judah (the southern kingdom) called by God to speak to Israel (the northern kingdom). God’s word of judgment through Amos conflicts with the king’s court prophet Amaziah, whom Amos encounters at Bethel.

⁷ This is what  showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. ⁸ And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by; ⁹ the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”

¹⁰ Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. ¹¹ For thus Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.’ ”
¹² And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; ¹³ but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of he kingdom.”

¹⁴ Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, ¹⁵ and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ ”

Psalm 85:8-13

⁸ I will listen to what the Lord God is saying; for you speak peace to your faithful people and to those who

turn their hearts to you.

⁹ Truly, your salvation is very near to those who fear you, that your glory may dwell in our land.

¹⁰ Steadfast love and faithfulness have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
¹¹ Faithfulness shall spring up  from the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
¹² The Lord will indeed grant prosperity, and our land will yield its increase.

¹³ Righteousness shall go before the Lord and shall prepare for God a pathway. 

Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14

In Jesus, all of God’s plans and purposes have been made known as heaven and earth are united in Christ. Through Jesus, we have been chosen as God’s children and have been promised eternal salvation.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴ just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. ⁵ He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight ⁹ he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, ¹⁰ as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. ¹¹ In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, ¹² so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. ¹³ In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴ this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

Gospel: Mark 6:14-29

As Jesus and his disciples begin to attract attention, Mark recalls the story of John the Baptist’s martyrdom. Like John, Jesus and his disciples will also suffer at the hands of those opposed to the gospel of salvation.

¹⁴ King Herod heard of  for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” ¹⁵ But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” ¹⁶ But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”

¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. ¹⁸ For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But he could not, ²⁰ for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. ²¹ But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. ²² When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.” ²³ And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” ²⁴ She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” ²⁵ Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” ²⁶ The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷ Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸ brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

HYMN:  Voices United #660  How Firm A Foundation

SERMON – Rev. Dr. Ali Tote, Bishop-Elect, Saskatchewan Synod

Sisters and brothers, siblings in Christ,

The texts assigned for this Sunday all show us how God reaches out to the lowly and lifts them up to be proclaimers of God’s message to others and partakers with God in God’s reign of peace and grace. In Amos 7:7-15, the prophet Amos who does not see himself worthy of being called a prophet, is called by God from behind his flock precisely for the purpose of delivering God’s word to the people of Israel. In Ephesians 1:3-14, we hear about the ways in which we have been made children of God, having been marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, the unmistakable seal that binds us eternally unto Christ our Lord and our Redeemer. As a result, we are made to be witnesses of the grace of God which has been bestowed upon us. The gospel text of Mark 6:14-29 illustrates the power of the proclamation of the gospel as well as the unfortunate and expected perils that come with proclaiming its prophetic message.

To be honest with you, when we read today’s gospel it is very hard at the end to say “The Gospel of the Lord,” and harder to answer, “Thanks be to God!” It is hard not because it is not the gospel, but because of the tragic and un-gospel way in which the passage ends. Yet, it is the best way to end and frame this pericope. Ended differently would massage and sanitize the depth of the sin of the human heart and rid us of the opportunity to hear the urgency of the call of both John the Baptist, and especially, the urgency and the nature of the ministry of Jesus. It is, sisters and brothers, siblings, into that sin-filled, corrupt world that Jesus breaks in.

It is in the depth of our sin and sinfulness that Jesus relentlessly and urgently comes. It is even as we “make our bed in sheol” that God comes to save us (Psalm 139). The atrocity we witness in the beheading of John the Baptist in the gospel of Mark, as atrocious as it may be, points unfortunately and tragically to the fate what awaits Jesus. John the Baptist is precursor to Jesus in ministry from beginning to end, from birth to death. And yet, for our sake, Jesus enters the world of the atrocity that silences and beheads John. That is the looming gospel hovering over the entire passage! We can now joyfully say, even as we lament and grieve, “The Gospel of the Lord… Thanks be to God!”

The atrocity depicted in the gospel text which happens in retaliation to John the Baptist’s faithful proclamation, serves as a reminder that the task of proclaiming the gospel can lead to and has often led to tragic ends. The story of Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador where our faithful missionary the Rev. Brian Rude has faithfully served for decades, often risking his own life, is a reminder of the dangers of being prophetic in our proclamation of the gospel, and of the perils of speaking truth to power.

John the Baptist is a humble prophet who sees himself as a precursor to Jesus, the one he has come ahead of to prepare the way. John the Baptist goes as far as to see himself unworthy to stoop down and untie the thongs of Jesus’ sandals. His humility and his reverence and adoration of Jesus is contrasted with his defiance of Herod who has acted consistently against the interests of the people and of the vulnerable. Using the power of his position, Herod has been ruthless, merciless, and cruel.

As proclaimers of the gospel in the 21st century, we often keep quiet, cave, and retreat in front of leaders abusing their power. We often remain silent in the face of the vulnerable being marginalized, abused, and their rights and dignity trampled upon. How long did it take for us the church to acknowledge the plight of Indigenous people? And how many of us till today are not even able or willing to acknowledge their plight at the hands of both the government at all levels, and, sadly and hopefully repentantly, at the hands of the church?

How many of us have turned and looked the other way and passed by the vulnerable and the marginalized like the priest and the Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37? How many of us have sought to preserve our comfort to the detriment of the poor and the suffering? How often have we striven to preserve our lives instead of responding to the challenging needs of the neighbour? Comfortable churches make comfortable members who long to remain comfortable.

Perhaps the greatest gift the church can give us is to make us uncomfortable since it is in our discomfort that we are able to meet the marginalized, the downtrodden, the rejected, the vilified, the poor, and all who live in discomfort.

The corrupt nature of power which has rendered the church as powerful as political rulers, has made the church in many instances and over the centuries, oblivious to the suffering and the pain of others. The church in many cases has not walked with the poor, but rather, like Herodias, enjoyed and thrived in the company of the powerful, abandoning the poor and the marginalized in their misery. Instead of joining John the Baptist, Archbishop Romero, Bonhoeffer, and missionaries such as the Rev. Brian rude in their journey with the marginalized and their proclamation of God’s justice and peace for all, we have either walked past injustices and remained silent, or contributed sometimes unknowingly and unintentionally to the deepening of the injustices and the pain of the marginalized and the poor.

In light of this self-examination, we the people of God hear today’s gospel with a sense of deep and abiding guilt. How can we be at times like Herodias? Or how can we be like Herodias’ daughter who is also referred to in the NRSV as Herodias, and who participates cluelessly and contributes in significant ways to the unjust and cruel scheme unfolding? How can we be like Herod’s peers and the ruling class who have stood by and done nothing? How can we be like other proclaimers who were contemporaries of John the Baptist, including his disciples who are nowhere to be seen or even heard? Sounds familiar?

The guilt of such abandonment of the call to proclaim the gospel in challenging times and circumstances and of speaking truth to power is too great to bear and can rather have a paralyzing effect on us. Yet, the gospel which sets us free is abundantly clear in this gospel passage. Yes, the scripture passage depicts the atrocities committed against John the Baptist, but the point of the gospel is the faithful proclamation of the gospel in the absence of which cruelty, chaos and confusion reign. Saint Mark in his gospel portrays John the Baptist as the ultimate precursor whose tragic death as a result of his proclamation, points to the one coming after him who will also face a tragic death, but this time for the redemption of the world.

If on the one hand John’s proclamation of repentance for the forgiveness of sins is upsetting and met with retaliation and death, Jesus’ proclamation of God’s unending grace will be met with greater resistance, retaliation and also death. Yet, it is in Christ’s death that John’s proclamation is ultimately fulfilled. John the Baptist’s proclamation is fully achieved in Jesus’ death and resurrection. The scene that Mark depicts brilliantly, show us the body of John being passed on pseudo-eucharistically from one person to another, from the guard to Herod to his daughter and to her mother, sealing the guilt of the participants in the sin
of the murder and ending of John the Baptist’s life. It is the supper of death! This antagonistically, points to the holy supper in the upper chamber where Jesus institutes the Holy Supper, and passes on the plate and the cup to his disciples who pass them on to one another as they commune in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The transformative power of Jesus’ death and resurrection wipes away our guilt and shame and sets us free to proclaim the gospel. Let’s proclaim it freely and courageously! Let’s not be held back by the comfort we enjoy! Let’s strip ourselves of our privilege and walk with the poor and the marginalized! Let’s speak truth to power! Lovingly! Herod’s brother, Philip, who could not speak against the injustices he faced from the king, found a voice in John the Baptist’s proclamation. Many of the marginalized among us, as we walk with them, we lend our voices to theirs, and together, we proclaim the gospel that sets all free. May the voiceless find their voice in our faithful and courageous proclamation!

May Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless the word in our hearts and in our minds.

Amen!

HYMN:  Voices United #436  Abide With Me

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

One in the communion of saints and in the power of the Holy Spirit, we join our voices in prayer.

You gather your people into the body of Christ. Where your church is wounded, heal it. Where it is right, strengthen it. Where it is divided, reunite it. In your mercy,

hear our prayer.

From before the foundation of the world, you are God. Revive ecosystems destroyed by human greed. Curb our desire to put wealth ahead of the health of all who call this planet home. In your mercy,

hear our prayer.

You establish equity and make justice. Within every nation, tribe, and land, cause laws to be written and customs to be observed that protect the most vulnerable. In your mercy,

hear our prayer.

On the cross your beloved Son endured pain and death. Bring healing to those in need, hope to any in despair, and comfort to the dying.  In your mercy,

hear our prayer.

You send your Spirit into this community of faith. Empower our ministries that serve and build up local communities.  Nurture our partnerships with other community organizations. In your mercy,

hear our prayer.

All peoples praise you, O God. We give you thanks and praise for the lives of our loved ones who now rest in you. In the fullness of time gather us with all your saints in light. In your mercy,

hear our prayer.

Holy God, holy and merciful: into your outstretched arms we commend ourselves and all for whom we pray, trusting in the one who is the way, the truth, and the life, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

SENDING SONG:  Voices United #215  Hope Of The World

BENEDICTION

The blessing of God, who provides for us, feeds us, and journeys with us, be upon you now and forever.

Amen.

 

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© 2011 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike Licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/byncsa/2.5/ca.

[1] Phillip Berryman, The Religious Roots of Rebellion: Christians in Central American Revolutions, Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 1984.

[2] Rev’d Robyn Davis, NATSIAC Life Member, Diocese of Bendigo, https://www.abmission.org/resources/prayers-for-reconciliation/