Hybrid Church, September 24, 2023 10:00 AM,“Season of Creation – Let Justice and Peace Flow”

Hybrid Church, September 24, 2023 10:00 AM

“Season of Creation – Let Justice and Peace Flow”

Rev. Deborah van der Goes

Musician: Dorothy Dittrich

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

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey,

you are welcome here!

Welcome & Announcements

Whether you are gathering in person, on zoom or worshipping at home with the bulletin, welcome! We are one community, one in the body of Christ. 

Centering & Stillness                                                                                 

Our Dilemma: “We’ve changed the planet, changed it in large and fundamental ways. Our old familiar globe is suddenly melting, drying, acidifying, flooding, and burning in ways that no human has ever seen.” 

(Bill McKibben, as cited in ACEN’s “Season of Creation” resource)

Our Hope: “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”                                                                           (Amos 5:24)

(invitation to sit in silence)

Introit: River  vs. 3                                                                                              MV #3

Water, let me drink of your healing pow’r

Water, strength and life you give.

Water, as I travel with each hour, 

Water, help my body live.  x2

Lighting of the Christ Candle  

One:  Christ is our Light.

All:    Thanks be to God!

(the Christ Candle is lit)

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

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

All:     And also with you

Opening Words                                 

One:  Blessed be the One who creates all things.
All:    The Holy One’s love is new every morning.

One:  This is the day the Creator has made. 

All:    Let us rejoice and be glad in it.                     

Hymn: Let us with a Gladsome Mind                                       CP #398

Opening Theme Prayer                    

One:  Grant us, Lord, your vision of a renewed earth in which heaven comes to rest; 

All:     and even now, while we too often despair of healing and wholeness,                                                                         

One:  we hold fast to your promise and commit again to hope; 

All:    through Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of Creation, who lives and

          reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. 

Passing of the Peace

One:  Peace with yourself.
          Peace with Creation.
          Peace with one another.
          The peace of Christ be always with you. 

All:    And also with you.

You are invited to turn to those directly around you and share Christ’s peace. Those on zoom, please unmute and share with one another.

The Service of Word

Reader: By the gift of your Spirit, calm and quiet our souls that we may hear your Word today and be lifted up to walk with you. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen

Exodus 16:2-15 (NRSV)                                               Reader: Pat Armstrong

The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’ Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.’ So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, ‘In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?’ And Moses said, ‘When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.’ Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, “Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.” ’ And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked towards the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you 

shall know that I am the Lord your God.” ’In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.

Psalm 105: O Day of God, Draw Nigh (sung as hymn)                     VU #688                                                   

Gospel Reading                                                                                          Reader: the Presider

As is your custom, please stand or sit for the reading of the gospel. 

Reader: God be with you.  
All: And also with you

Reader:           The Good News of Jesus the Christ according to Matthew

All:  Glory to you, Christ Jesus.

Matthew 20:1-16 (NRSV)

‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’

Reader: This is the Gospel of Christ.   

All:                  Praise be to Jesus Christ                                                        4

Reflection:                        “Advocacy for Creation”

Hymn: For the Fruit of all Creation                                           CP #259

Offering (we gather our offerings)

Doxology                                                                                                                             CP #669

Praise God the Source of life and birth,

Praise God the Word, who came to earth.

Praise God the Spirit, holy flame.

All Glory, honour to God’s name.

Offering Prayer         

Bountiful God, we open our hearts to the world, we dedicate ourselves to the discipline to conserve, we awaken our minds and wills to insight and action.  So may we with all your creatures honor and serve you in all things, for you live and reign with Christ. 

All: Amen                                            (adapted DvdG from,“Season of Creation:  A Celebration Guide for Episcopal Parishes 

Prayers of the People                                                           Betty Schultze                                                                                          

One:  Loving God,

All:    Hear Our Prayers

Communion Hymn: O God, Creation’s Secret Force                CP #4

A Statement of Faith            

We believe in God, who creates all things, who embraces all things, who celebrates all things, who is present in every part of the fabric of creation. 

We believe in God as the source of all life, who baptizes this planet with living water. 

We believe in Jesus Christ, the suffering one, the poor one, the malnourished one, the climate refugee, who loves and cares for this world and who suffers with it. 

And we believe in Jesus Christ, the seed of life, who came to reconcile and renew this world and everything in it. 

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of God, who moves with God and who moves among and with us today. 

We believe in everlasting life in God. 

And we believe in the hope that one day God will put an end to death and all destructive forces.

 

We Celebrate at the Table                                   (Celebrate God’s Presence)

One:  God be with you…

All:    and also with you.

One:  Lift up your hearts...

All:    we lift our hearts in prayer.

One:  Let us give thanks to God.

All:    It is good to give God thanks and praise.                                                                                                                   

One:  Praise and thanks are yours, our Creating God. From the dust of the earth you shaped human beings in your own image, and      you filled the earth and seas and skies with a myriad of  wonders. 

All:    Yet we consistently turn your generosity into our scarcity,  your elegance into our meanness, and your simplicity into     our corruption. 

One:  Though we poison and destroy your good Creation, you continue 

          to offer us your abundance. In your mercy, you have redeemed us 

         through your Son, Jesus, transforming death into life. 
All:    Through the Spirit you continue to call us into covenant with you—for the restoration of Creation and the reconciliation of all people. 

One:  And so we give you thanks, rejoicing with all of Creation, as we             join the saints and angels in their unending hymn:

Sanctus                                                                                                                                                MV #203

O holy, holy holy God, O God of time and space.

All earth and sea and sky above bear witness to your grace.

Hosanna in the highest heav’n, creation sings your praise.

And blessed is the One who comes and bears your name always.

One:  In the night that Jesus was betrayed, he took bread, and gave thanks to God.  He broke the bread, gave it to his friends and said:

All:    “Take and eat, for this is my body, given for you. Do this in  remembrance of me.” 

One:  He took the wine, and gave thanks to God, Creator. He gave it to his friends saying:

All:    “This is my blood of the new covenant, shed for you and for 

          all creation for the forgiveness of sins. Every time you drink 

          of the wine, do this in remembrance of me.” 

One:  So we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Memorial Acclamation                                                                                               MV #204

Sing Christ has died and Christ is risen, Christ will come again!

Sing Christ has died and Christ is risen, Christ will come again!

One:  Merciful God, we come to this table seeking reconciliation: with  you, with one another, and with all creation.

All:    Through these mysteries reconcile us to our world and  empower us to restore your Creation and fulfill your will.

One:  Send your life-giving Spirit upon us, and upon this bread and wine. 

          Stir in us the creative and redeem the destructive. 

All:    Heal your stricken world, that the soil, the skies, and the seas 

          may be filled with your life anew. 

One:  Fill every heart with the sure and certain hope that we shall enter 

          into the fullness of your joy, when your whole Creation is justified 

          by faith and sanctified by love, and you are all in all. 

The Prayer of Jesus                                                                                   

One:  Our Father/Mother in heaven

All:    You are also at home in the air, soil, forests and oceans 

One:  Hallowed be your name

All:    By the care we take of your Creation 

One:  Your kin-dom come

All:    All that you see is good

One:  Your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven

All:    Your will to till and care

One:  Give us this day our daily bread

All:    That all may have enough to live life in fullness 

One:  Forgive us our trespasses

All:    Our greed, our exploitation, our lack of concern for other             species and for future generations

One:  As we forgive those who trespass against us

All:    By reconciliation with justice and peace.

One:  Lead us not into temptation

All:    The temptation to equate dominion with exploitation

One:  And deliver us from evil

All:    The evil of destroying your gift of creation

One:  For yours is the kin-dom

All:    Yours, Lord, not ours

One:  The power and the glory 

All:    In the cross and resurrection 

One:  For ever and ever 

All:    You are the beginning and you are the end.  Amen.

One:  So be it.

One:  This is Living Bread, given for all Creation. 

All:    All who eat this bread share in Christ’s Body.

One:  Creator God, you fed us from the beginning. 

All:    Happy are all who are called to the Supper of Creation.                                       

One:  The gifts of God for the people of God. 
All:    The bread of life!

          The cup of blessing!                                                                                                 

We Share in Communion

Post Communion Prayer

Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image and nourishing us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood. Now send us forth a people, forgiven, healed, renewed; that we may proclaim your love to the world and continue in the risen life of Christ our Savior.        Amen. 

Hymn: Touch the Earth Lightly                                                                       VU #307

Thank You

Blessing                                                         

One:  Let us join with the Earth and each other—

All:    To bring new life to the land, to restore the waters, to refresh the air, to protect the animals, to treasure the trees, o gaze at the stars, to cherish the human community, to heal the Earth, to remember the children. 

One:  Be blessed as you put words into action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Unless otherwise noted, the liturgy for today’s service is drawn from “Season of Creation:  A Celebration Guide for Episcopal Parishes (2023),” a resource of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network)