Home Church 2nd Sunday after Epiphany Theological Banquet: Ecclesial January 17, 2021 Rev. Karen Hollis

Home Church 2nd Sunday after Epiphany Theological Banquet: Ecclesial January 17, 2021 Rev. Karen Hollis

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

Preparing the Space Around Us

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!

Welcome if you are gathering on zoom or if you are worshipping at home with the bulletin. We are one community and all part of the body of Christ. I invite you to prepare the space around you so that for the next hour you can be fully in this worship experience, not to keep out the realities of the world, rather to focus us in the midst of it all on God. If you need to go and get something or shift something around you, feel free. Today we are learning about the first of Janet Gear’s theological streams: Ecclesial. You will hear this theology through the words of the liturgy, the scriptures, songs and sermon. This is the theology that says God is present in our worship and drawing us together as the body of Christ.

Preparing the Space within Us

Let us prepare now the space within us for a time of worship. I invite you to sit quietly, perhaps with feet on the floor, taking a couple of deep breaths and bring yourself into this moment. Open yourself to the presence of God who is with us and within us . . . as you intentionally open yourself to God, open yourself also to what you need from this time of worship.

Greeting
One:    The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,

            and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All:      And also with you    

Call to Worship:     MV #1

One:    Welcome to this space, whoever you are.

All:      In this space love is found, prophets speak, and those gathered sing songs of praise.

One:    Welcome to this place where grace abounds.

All:      In this house the love of Jesus is revealed in fellowship and service. We are One in Christ, in God’s beloved community.

Opening Prayer  

Read the prayer slowly.

We celebrate your presence, O God. You bring us together in fellowship, you make yourself known in the stranger, you guide us in our learning, you lead us to draw on the wisdom of our ancestors in faith and to be your church in the world. In this gathering of your church, we give thanks for your life in our own lives, drawn together in community, for it is in you that we live and move and have our being. Amen

Hymn: Servant Song  v. 1, 2  U #595

1 We are pilgrims on a journey,

fellow travellers on the road;

we are here to help each other

walk the mile and bear the load.

2 Sister, let me be your servant,

let me be as Christ to you;

pray that I may have the grace

to let you be my servant too. 

Prayer of Confession

Receive us, O God in our concern about the future of the church. We come before you, acknowledging the temptation to worry more about membership numbers than our relationship with you. We come to you, acknowledge that our worry can cause us to focus so much on our congregational life that it pulls our attention from the world around us. Receive us in our fear, O God, and help us to broaden our vision.

Assurance of Grace

Friends, do not fear, for we are in God's hands and our God is faithful; every day and in every season God leads us in the ways of renewal.

Peace of Christ

Christ is present with us here in the beloved community,

let us share the peace Christ brings!

              The Peace of Christ be with you!

              And also with you!

First Reading: Acts 2:43-47   (NRSV)    Angela Nutter

Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Gospel Reading                                                          

One:      God be with you.       

All:        And also with you

One:      The Good News of Jesus Christ according to John

All:        Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 1:43-51    Betty Schultze

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

              One: This is the Gospel of Christ;

  All:   Praise be to Jesus Christ

Reflection:  The Beloved Community  

Silent Reflection

Apostle’s Creed

Let us affirm our faith . . .

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.                                 

Prayers of the People       Betty Schultze                                      

One:    Loving God

All:      Hear Our Prayer

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours

now and for ever. Amen.

Offering                                                                     

Let us pray . . .

Bless us, O God, as we draw on the bonds of love to keep this beloved community connected in this time of distancing. Bless us in our living and our serving; bless the work of our hearts and hands; bless the outpouring of love in this place and send us as one body to be Christ in places of need. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.                                                      (Praise to God from the Ecclesial stream)

Song: Renewed in the Spirit    Tom Hunter

Renewed in the spirit and gathered to be

God’s people, a multitude or two or three

A presence that’s promised, our gathering blessed

we pray we will grow in love and faithfulness

Renewed in the spirit, inspired to be

Christ’s body that takes its own breathing from thee

We pray that the love of the cross and the tomb

will come set the table for all to have room

Renewed in the spirit, united to be

a covenant people, committed and free

we pray for the justice that comes from your hand

with healing for families, the cities and land.

Renewed in the spirit and set out to be

God’s servants of mercy for humanity

we pray we’ll be open to give and receive

with faith turned to action for what we believe

Renewed in the spirit and guided to be

a church with the courage to listen and see

how love leads to changes and change to shalom

renewed in the spirit, the spirit our home.

Blessing   Iona Community

If you are with another person, you’re invited to bless each other,

taking every other line.

One:      The Creator’s blessing be yours on your road, on your journey,    guiding you, cherishing you.

N-Z:       The Son’s blessing be yours, wine and water, bread and stories, feeding you, challenging you.

A-M:      The Spirit’s blessing be yours, wind and fire, joy and wisdom,       comforting you, disturbing you.

All:        The Angel’s blessing be yours, on your house, on your living, guarding you, encouraging you. Let us walk together, a community on a journey, sustained in God’s blessing. Amen!

One:      Let us go now in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All:        Thanks be to God! Alleluia!