MORRIS-ROSENFELD ECUMENICAL SHARED MINISTRY
ORDER OF SERVICE FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2024
SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
CREATION TIME 1
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
Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.
~Henri Nouwen
Before we worship, we reflect…
Today’s readings ask us to reflect on what healing and wholeness are. Is sight wholeness for every blind person? Is hearing the desire of every deaf person? For some, the answer is no. Isaiah’s images of water in the desert can help us parse the nuances of this issue. In places marred by drought, water breaking forth is wholeness and shalom; streams of water in the desert’s rainy season allow for life the whole year long. And yet, deserts are vital ecosystems teeming with life, and we ought not make deserts into marshes; part of the wholeness of creation is a diversity of creation. Likewise, part of shalom in the human community is a diversity of ability. Creation models a good human life.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & PRAYER
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.
O God, Great Spirit and Creator, make us stewards – of one another’s dignity, of one another’s safety, of one another’s lands, of one another’s right to a cultural identity: … as unique peoples, … as gifts to the human family, … as your beloved children.
Give us one heart and one mind to walk forward together along this path in the love and strength of your Spirit, In truth, reconciliation and peace. We make this prayer in the power of your Most Holy Name. Amen.[1]
CALL TO WORSHIP
We come with joy to this celebration of God’s love!
Open our hearts, Lord, to receive your love.
We come with hope to this witness to God’s power!
Challenge and encourage our spirits to serve you, Lord.
We come with a willingness to proclaim God’s presence to all.
We thank God for this invitation to worship, witness and serve. Amen.[2]
GATHERING SONG: Voices United # 326 O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing
CENTERING PRAYER
Gracious God, throughout the ages you transform sickness into health and death into life. Open us to the power of your presence, and make us a people ready to proclaim your promises to the whole world, through Jesus Christ, our healer and Lord. Amen.
MISSION AND SERVICE: It Starts with Education
Through your generous support of Mission and Service, our partners are nurturing seeds of wisdom and faith in communities across the globe. By supporting educational initiatives, individuals are empowered to explore their spirituality, deepen their knowledge, and build a better future for themselves and their communities.
Imagine a classroom of kindergarteners in a refugee camp where children eagerly gather to learn about the world and their place in it. Picture a young adult discovering the profound teachings of their faith for the first time, safely supported by their peers. Consider a group of parents and guardians gathered in a workshop, sharing their hopes and dreams for their communities, guided by mentors who inspire them to lead with compassion and justice. Imagine people learning and restoring lost languages to preserve precious history and culture.
These moments of growth are at our heart, and they are made possible by your compassion and generosity. As we look to the future, the impact of educational initiatives through Mission and Service partners becomes even clearer. Every lesson learned, every skill acquired, and every relationship built contributes to a larger tapestry of hope and resilience.
Whether it’s a child in a rural classroom or an adult in a leadership program, the education provided through Mission and Service partners is a beacon, guiding individuals toward a path of faith, understanding, and service. Together, we are sowing the seeds of a more compassionate world. Thank you.
CHILDREN’S CHAT
In today’s gospel Jesus makes a mistake. But in doing so—and in recognizing it when the Syrophoenician woman calls him out—he changes the entire course of his ministry. We don’t talk about this much, but we should. Feelings of shame are so common, and so is digging in harder rather than admitting “I’m wrong.” But even Jesus messed up sometimes! Messing up is just another way we can be like Jesus, but only when we’re willing to own our mistakes and our missteps, learn from them, and consider new ways forward. Thank you, Jesus!
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Calm us now, O Lord, into a quietness that heals and listens. Open wounded hearts to the balm of your Word. Speak to us in clear tones so that we might feel our spirits leap for joy and skip with hope as your resurrection witnesses. Amen.
READINGS AND PSALM
First Reading: Isaiah 35:4-7a
These verses are a word of hope to the exiles in Babylon. Isaiah 34 portrays God’s vengeance on Edom, Israel’s age-old enemy, which makes the path from Babylon to Zion safe for the exiles’ return. The desert itself will flow with water to give drink to the returning exiles.
4Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.”
5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7athe burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water.
Psalm 146
1Hallelujah! Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3Put not your trust in rulers, in mortals in whom there is no help.
4When they breathe their last, they return to earth, and in that day their thoughts perish.
5Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help, whose hope is in the Lord their God;
6who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; who keeps promises forever;
7who gives justice to those who are oppressed, and food to those who hunger. The Lord sets the captive free.
8The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
9The Lord cares for the stranger; the Lord sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way of the wicked.
10The Lord shall reign forever, your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Hallelujah!
Second Reading: James 2:1-10 [11-13] 14-17
Faithful Christians do not show partiality to the rich and powerful of the world, especially at the expense of the poor and weak. Likewise, faith does not pay mere lip service to God’s will. Instead, a living Christian faith expresses itself in acts of compassion and mercy for those in need.
1My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” 4have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
8You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 9But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11For the one who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
Gospel: Mark 7:24-37
In Mark’s gospel, encounters with women usually signify turning points in Jesus’ ministry. Here, a conversation with a Syrophoenician woman marks the beginning of his mission to the Gentiles.
24 set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice,25but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 26Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 28But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” 30So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
31Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. 34Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
HYMN: Something Good Is Going To Happen To You
SERMON
True story:
The woman entered the sanctuary and sat 2/3 of the way up on the left side, right next to the aisle. She was unkempt, smelled of alcohol and looked out of place. Her hair was wiry and stuck out at all angles under her hat.
There was a couple who sat across the aisle from this woman. The husband turned to his wife and was heard to remark, “And you thought your hair was bad!”
People were aghast, to say the least, yet no one approached the woman nor spoke to her. Too polite, I guess, or maybe they didn’t want to catch something.
The service began. The unknown woman stayed seated. It appeared she was not familiar with a worship service. At times, she seemed bored. Then, the unthinkable happened – she interrupted the sermon! You could have heard a pin drop, used a knife to cut a slice of tension from the air and handed out nitro glycerine pills so the hearts of the church members would resume beating after the shock!
The pastor took everything in stride. He came down from the pulpit, sat in the pew ahead of the unknown woman, turned to face her, and proceeded to have a conversation. After their conversation, as the pastor was heading back up the aisle, the woman stood up and announced, “I have something I want to say.” The pastor invited her up to the front of the sanctuary, sat down in the front pew, and nodded at her to proceed.
What was pastor thinking?! This was insane! What could this woman possibly say that was worth anything?!
This woman, it turns out, had been a prostitute. Jesus had come into her life, and her life had been changed for the better. True, she was still poor, yet she had learned from Jesus that she was loved, was valued by God and that her salvation was secure in the love and acceptance from her Lord. She wanted everyone in the church to know that Jesus loved them too. After thanking the pastor for allowing her to share her story, she proceeded to exit the building. Before reaching the door, the pastor called out, “Friend, what is your name?” Her reply, “Mary Magdalene.”
The unknown woman was my aunt, Ruth Zinck, in disguise. The pastor, her husband, my uncle, Rev. Frederick Zinck. The church was St. Mathew’s Lutheran in Kitchener, ON, and for the stunned congregation, the sermon was only beginning!
The writer of James’ letter makes it very clear that faith without works, is dead. To that end, many years ago there was a bumper sticker that read: “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Good question, yet James wants to go deeper than just doing stuff to “prove” you are a follower of Christ. Once again, we are back to the motivation of the heart.
At the time this letter was written, James’ audience was very much focused on social class. Sadly, humanity has changed little in 2000+ years. Power is deferred to the wealthy, and at times, wisdom. How one attained their wealth, ethically or through the abuse of power, seems not to matter. Whether one is actually wise, or just bullies people, may not be challenged. To afford a person of wealth such power and deference is showing that one is not placing Christ first and foremost in one’s life. To ignore the needs of the widow, orphan, oppressed and poor is to not place Christ first and foremost in one’s life, for Jesus makes it clear that God is always on the side of the poor and oppressed.
Professor Craig Koester, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, clarifies the direction of James:
People may want to reduce faith to a series of statements that people profess to believe, but for James, faith is what is operative in a person’s life. People act on the basis of what they believe to be true. So if people say one thing but do something else, James would say their actual faith is the faith that underlies their actions. People must believe in something if they are to act at all. The question is whether the faith that actually shapes their lives is faith in Jesus Christ or something else.[3]
Take the situation with my aunt in the sanctuary at St. Matthew’s. No one approached her. The congregation stared at her, yet none approached her. The man’s comment about her hair said more about him than the “unknown woman”. Her appearance was noted, an assumption made about her worth and possibly her intelligence. This total avoidance of a neighbour in Christ, a child of God, all happened in the House of The Lord by people who professed their faith in Christ! Oh, yes, James has a lot to say to those of us in the pew!
Do I always manage to live as Christ desires me to live? No. I struggle with the knowledge of my privileged life, learned prejudices and biases. I catch myself making assumptions instead of looking at facts or getting to know someone. Through my blunderings, ignorance and sometimes spiritual blindness, I have caused not just offence, but harm. I have made sincere apologies and where possible, amends. I have come to dislike the term “politically correct”, when the reality is that choosing to change one’s words and phrases so that they are inclusive and kind is an act of respect toward my neighbour in Christ. Which is also the point James is trying to get through to those who gather in the name of Christ.
The good news in this section of John’s letter is that “mercy triumphs over judgment.” What that means is the living out of loving our neighbour as ourself. Do you desire a roof over your head, clothes on your back, food on your table, a bed in which to sleep, hot and cold running water, indoor plumbing, laundry facilities on the premises, a vehicle? Then, in the sincerity of the new commandment from Christ, we truly desire the same for our neighbour no matter where they live, their social or economic status, age, ability, orientation, identity, gender, skin colour, religion or sins of the past. There is no room for excuses, blaming, ego or political correctness when James is looking into our very hearts. James wants to know whom it is we serve. As people who profess their faith in Christ, I believe that is a valid question.
True story:
The pastor was Leo J. Ebinger. The congregation was St. John Lutheran Church in Ottawa, ON. The evening Lenten service was in progress. An older man, inebriated, entered the sanctuary and proceeded to sit down next to the pastor’s wife, Gertrude. As pastor Ebinger preached, the man punctuated the sermon with exclamations of “He’s right, you know!” The ushers went to the man and apparently tried to convince him to move to the back pew, which was empty, or possibly asked him to leave. Memories are vague these many years later. What is very clear is that pastor Ebinger stopped preaching, addressed the ushers and said, “Leave the man be.” I’m not sure how Gertrude felt about her pew neighbour, however, she focused on her husband’s sermon, which he finished without further commentary from the visitor. The service concluded, and the man left with the other members.
Apparently, even an inebriated stranger can recognize the good news of Jesus Christ and celebrate it.
Amen to that.
HYMN OF THE MONTH: Voices United #253 Sing Your Joy
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Drawn together in the power of the Holy Spirit, we pray with confidence for the church, God’s good creation, and all who are in need.
Awaken in our communities of faith a spirit of radical hospitality. Encourage our churches to celebrate and embrace people of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. Deepen our commitment to ecumenical and interreligious partnerships. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Bring forth water to nourish plants and animals in places suffering from drought. Renew our commitments to protect rivers, lakes, and streams, and make us good stewards of water in our homes and communities. Preserve wetland habitats and the creatures that make their homes there. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Inspire leaders of cities, nations, and tribes to lead with wisdom and humility. Bring peace among peoples in conflict and strengthen global commitments to nonviolent solutions. Guide all who seek refuge from war to a safe haven. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Comfort all who live with chronic illness. Surround them in your tender embrace and sustain all who provide ongoing care and support. Bring hope and healing to people struggling with addiction and nourish the spirits of all who are in recovery. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Nurture in all people the gift of your creating Spirit. Inspire artists and musicians, woodworkers and quilters, poets and dancers. Revive those whose artistic wells have run dry and enliven all who doubt their creative talents. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We give you thanks for all who have died and now find their rest in you. May their faithful witness guide us in our daily life with you. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We entrust these and all our prayers to you, holy God, in the name of your beloved child, Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
SENDING SONG: Voices United #328 Jesu, Joy Of Our Desiring
BENEDICTION
The love of God be the passion in your heart.
The joy of God your strength when times are hard.
The presence of God a peace that overflows.
The Word of God the seed that you might sow. 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]chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://vancouvercwl.ca/cms/wp-content/uploads/Novena_Prayers-for-Healing-and-Reconciliation.pdf
[2] https://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/2749/worship-connection-may-9-2021
[3] https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-23-2/commentary-on-james-21-10-11-13-14-17-2