The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost --- 3 July 2022 -- Word and Prayer

 

This Sunday -- 3 July 2022 --- our worship service will be carried on YouTube. It is a service of Word and Prayer and the link is below.

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost --- 3 July 2022 -- Word and Prayer

I hope you'll be able to join in our worship.

Pr. John

The Readings for Sunday, 26 June 2022 --- The Third Sunday after Pentecost

 

As was announced before, no service will be celebrated because the pastor is taking a brief holiday. Here are Sunday's readings for your meditation.

The Readings for Sunday, 25 June 2022

1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21

Then the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.

So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” Then Elijah said to him, “Go back again; for what have I done to you?” He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

 

Psalm 16

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”

As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight.

Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;

their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names upon my lips.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.

For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit.

You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy;

in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

 

 Galatians 5:1, 13-25

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. ¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

 

Luke 9:51-62

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village.

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

 

The Texts for the Service of Holy Communion --- 19 June 2022

 Since this Sunday's Service of Holy Communion was not recorded, 

here are the texts of the day:

St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Aylmer, Ontario

 

The Second Sunday after Pentecost

 

The Service of Holy Communion

June 19, 2022

 

St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

448 Talbot Street West

Aylmer, Ontario  N5H 1L1

The Service of Holy Communion

Prelude, Welcome, and Information Confession and Forgiveness (ELW pg. 94)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.    And also with you. Hymn #705  God of Grace and God of Glory Kyrie (ELW pg. 213 – Service of the Word) Hymn of Praise        (ELW pg. 213 – Service of the Word) Opening Prayer Let us pray together O God, you direct our lives by your grace, and your words of justice and mercy reshape the world. Mold us into a people who welcome your word and serve one another, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

First Reading: Isaiah 65:1-9 I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that did not call on my name. I held out my hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and offering incense on bricks; who sit inside tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat swine’s flesh, with broth of abominable things in their vessels; who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day long. See, it is written before me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their laps their iniquities and their ancestors’ iniquities together, says the Lord; because they offered incense on the mountains and reviled me on the hills, I will measure into their laps full payment for their actions. Thus says the Lord: As the wine is found in the cluster, and they say, “Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,” so I will do for my servants’ sake, and not destroy them all. I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah inheritors of my mountains; my chosen shall inherit it, and my servants shall settle there.

Psalm:  Psalm 22: 19-28 But you, O Lord, do not be far away! O my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion! From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me. I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him. From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord. May your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him. For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. Second Reading: Galatians 3:23-29 Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

Gospel Verse: (ELW pg. 142 – “Alleluia!)

Gospel: Luke 8:26-39 Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me”— for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss. Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.

Sermon Hymn #843       Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness

The Apostles’ Creed  (ELW pg. 105)

The Prayers of the Church   Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayer.

Exchange of the peace     (Please exchange the peace without touching.)

Offertory Hymn #691  Accept, O Lord… Presentation of the Offering –       Offertory Prayer: God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever. You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine. Nourish us with these gifts, that we might be for the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. The Great Thanksgiving     The Lord be with you.     And also with you.     Lift up your hearts.    We lift them to the Lord.     Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.             It is right to give our thanks and praise. …we praise your name and join their unending hymn…

 Sanctus  (ELW pg.144)  

       (The Great Thanksgiving follows)

The Lord’s Prayer  (ELW pg. 145)

Let us pray as Jesus taught us:

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, and the power,

  and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Lamb of God: (ELW pg. 146)

“Come to the banquet for now all is ready!”

Distribution of Holy Communion

“The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ

   keep us to everlasting life.”  Amen.

Post-Communion Canticle:

             (ELW pg. 113  Now, Lord)

Prayer after Communion

Let us pray together:

O God, we give you thanks that you have set before us this feast, the body and blood of your Son. By your Spirit strengthen us to serve all in need and to give ourselves away as bread for the hungry, through Jesus Christ our Lord.      Amen.

Benediction and Sending

Almighty God, Father, X  Son, and Holy Spirit,

bless you  now and forever.       Amen.

Hymn #886  Oh, For a Thousand Tongues…

Go in peace. Serve the Lord.   Thanks be to God!

Congregational Greeting

Services for the next few months will be on YouTube and accessible from an email link or our church Facebook page. Services for the months of May and June are as below: June 26             No service – Pastor’s vacation July 3                Service on YouTube, 11:00am July 10              Communion, Saxonia Hall, 11:00am July 17              Service on YouTube, 11:00am July 24             Communion, Church, 11:00am July 31                       <To be Announced>

 

Reminder for Sunday, 19 June 2022

 

Just a reminder that this Sunday's Service of Holy Communion will be held in the Church at 11:00am. The list below shows the schedule for the rest of June and for July.

Services for the next few months will be on YouTube and accessible from an email link or our church Facebook page. Services for the months of June and July are as below:

June 26             No service – Pastor’s vacation

July 3                Service on YouTube, 11:00am

July 10              Communion, Saxonia Hall, 11:00am

July 17              Service on YouTube, 11:00am

July 24             Communion, Church, 11:00am

July 31                       <To be Announced>

The YouTube video of Sunday's Service

 

Good morning!

Thanks to Ian, we have video of Sunday's Service.

Trinity Sunday ---- 12 June 2022

I hope your day goes well.

Pr. John

Trinity Sunday ---- 12 June 2022

 

Good day!

This Sunday (12 June 2022) is Trinity Sunday. Our Service of Holy Communion will be held at 11:00am at the Saxonia Hall. I hope to see many of you there.

Pr. John

Upcoming services:

June 19             Communion, Church, 11:00am

June 26             No service – Pastor’s vacation

July 3                Service on YouTube, 11:00am

July 10              Communion, Saxonia Hall, 11:00am

July 17              Service on YouTube, 11:00am

July 24             Communion, Church, 11:00am

July 31                       <To be Announced>

The Texts for Pentecost Sunday's Service of Word & Prayer

The Sunday of Pentecost

Prelude, Welcome, and Information Hymn #401  Gracious Spirit, Hear our Pleading

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you. Psalm: Psalm 104:24-34, 35b O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great. There go the ships, and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it. These all look to you to give them their food in due season; when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground. May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works— who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord!

The Lord be with you.       And also with you. Let us pray. God our creator, the resurrection of your Son offers life to all the peoples of the earth. By your Holy Spirit, kindle in us the fire of your love, empowering our lives for service and our tongues for praise, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Reading:  Acts 2:1-21

A reading from the book of the Acts of the Apostles

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

The Word of the Lord

Reading:  Romans 8:14-17

A reading from the Letter to the Romans

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Verse: 

Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in us the fire of your love. Alleluia!                               

Gospel Reading:  John 14:8-17 [25-27]

A reading from the Gospel of John

Philip said to (Jesus), “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.

Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

”If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

”I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.]

This is the Gospel of the Lord.   Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon (added at the end of the document)

Hymn #804  Come Down, O Love Divine

Thanks and Offertory

Prayers of the Church:  

Come, Holy Spirit. Trusting in the promise that you will lead and guide us, we offer our prayers for the world, the church, and for all people according to their needs.

[Short pause]

Come, Holy Spirit. Teach us what Jesus taught and kindle your love and life in us daily. Lord, in your mercy,   Hear our prayer.

Come, Holy Spirit. Lead us and in that let us always be children of God. Lord, in your mercy,   Hear our prayer.

Come, Holy Spirit. Be in our homes and families and watch over all those in need, where-ever they may be. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Come, Holy Spirit. Grant peace to the peoples of Ukraine and Russia and wherever there is war and struggle. Inspire leaders with wisdom and a concern for justice and peace. Lord, in your mercy,   Hear our prayer.

Come, Holy Spirit. Grant healing where it is needed. Keep all who work in the medical field or who work for the good of the community in health and strength. Lord, in your mercy,   Hear our prayer.

Come, Holy Spirit. Give peace to the people where-ever violence has taken place and wipe away their tears. Lord, in your mercy,   Hear our prayer.

Come, Holy Spirit. Grant us your grace and hear our unspoken prayers… * … Lord, in your mercy,   Hear our prayer.

{*Rose Gotzmeister, Gail Mauer, Bill Ungar, Deb Kirschner, Diane Corns, Bonnie & Robert McCrae}

Come, Holy Spirit, and make all things new. Relying on that promise, we commend all for whom we pray, through Jesus Christ our Lord.     Amen.

Hymn #396  Spirit of Gentleness

The Lord’s Prayer

Finally let us pray for all things as our Lord would have us ask:

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, and the power,

         and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Closing prayer & Benediction

Mighty God,

You breathe life into our bones, and your Spirit brings truth to the world. Send us this Spirit, transform us by your truth, and give us language to proclaim your Gospel.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hymn #400  God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind

Benediction & Sending

May the Lord bless us and keep us.

May the Lord’s face shine upon us with grace and mercy.

May the Lord look upon us with favor and X give us peace.

Amen.

Go in peace. Walk humbly with God.   Thanks be to God.

 

Services for the next few months will be on YouTube and accessible from an email link or our church Facebook page. Services for the months of May and June are as below: June 12             Communion, Saxonia Hall, 11:00am June 19             Communion, Church, 11:00am June 26             No service – Pastor’s vacation

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.

·        This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, when we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples after Jesus ascended to his Father. The Acts of the Apostles describes the event in rather spectacular terms, especially with the gift of languages.

·        Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will be sent to the disciples with a real mission, one with the focus of “loving one another.”

·        The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, will remind, teach, empower, and motivate. How that might happen today could be the same, and yet there might be other, less spectacularly wild ways.

·        The Spirit of God still works among us to remind us of what Jesus taught and how he is still present to each of us. The Spirit teaches us how to live out our lives as disciples in this present age with all the challenges of our lives today, where-ever and however we might find our lives to be. The Spirit empowers us to live as Jesus would wish and motivates us to do just that.

·        That Spirit also reminds us of the forgiveness of God in Christ when we mess up and fall short of what Jesus would want us to do. That same Spirit motivates us to continue to follow despite troubles and even sins. As Peter said on that Sunday, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

·        Jesus also said he would give us peace. That peace of Jesus is not a worldly peace, like some sort of armed and suspicious peace. It is a special and particular peace, beyond us to create and present even in our most anxious times. In the face of fear, of sickness, and even of death, the peace of Christ remains with us and will remain with us along with his faithful presence.

·        The sending of the Holy Spirit is more than something to sharpen our individual ministries. The presence of the Spirit is both assurance and a treasure chest (if you’ll permit me to use that idea) of all that is needed for discipleship and the ministry given over to us as disciples. What is needed is given to us. I say to “us” because each of us has their own gifts, gifts of the Spirit by which we compliment, empower, and build up each other. We do more as a community than we might do as individuals.

·        There is still more. The words -Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you- are a promise from Jesus. That promise depends on him and not on us. So then, that promise is one that will not be broken by Jesus and will remain as long as HE lives.

the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.

Your Invitation to Sunday's YouTube Service --- Pentecost

 

Here is your invitation to Sunday's Worship Service for Pentecost Sunday on YouTube. It will start at 11:00am on Sunday, 5 June. 

Here is the link: Pentecost Sunday

I hope you'll join me in prayer then.​