Breathe July 26 2020 Rev Dolson Knox Bayfield
Section 1
Greetings to my church family and friends. May the grace of God be with you.
Mission Moment – Keeping Communities Hygienic
Presbyterian World Service & Development (PWS&D) helps ensure that countries affected by natural disasters have access to proper sanitation. In South Sudan, continuous rainfall that caused massive floods washed away homes and food supplies of hundreds of thousands of people. Waterways and latrines were also destroyed. Without proper sanitation, the chance of contracting deadly diseases like cholera and typhoid are much higher. With PWS&D’s support, 9,000 men and women are accessing clean water and adequate sanitation. Hygiene kits are distributed to families, along with training on improved hygiene practices. Ensuring cleanliness and sanitation is vital to keep communities as healthy as possible while allowing them to continue to thrive. PWS&D promotes sanitation programs for a healthy community
The good folks at Camp Kintail have been creative in their offerings this summer. Check out the details on their website: https://www.campkintail.ca/
Do you have a favourite Psalm? Consider sharing it in the Kintail Psalter: https://www.campkintail.ca/get-involved/psalter/ Directly access their summer online camp programs: https://www.campkintail.ca/summer-programs/kintail-at-home/
Drop in and discover a virtual prayer community during our Thursday Coffee & Prayer on Zoom at 11:30 am. “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20
Time to get cracking! The call has gone out for your recipes for our new Knox Bayfield Cookbook. Include personal notes about the recipes, such as tips for serving, when you enjoy the dish, or how you discovered the recipe. Your comments will provide a delightful tidbit for the readers. Be sure your recipes are complete with ingredients and directions. Deb is asking for up to ten recipes from each of you. Send your recipes by email to: deb dot cosford13 at gmail dot com or Canada Post: PO Box 1594, Clinton ON N0M 1L0. A church cookbook offers years of experience and great cooking.
You may notice a change to the email addresses, the dot is noted as a word. The change has been made to avoid email spam.
Do you have food to share? Take your food donations to the outside bin at Trinity St James Church. Are you dealing with food insecurity? Reach out to the Bayfield Area Food Bank if you are struggling to put food on your table. Make a confidential call to: 519 955-7444 (area manager) Help is available!
The sermon is on our website https://pccweb.ca/knoxbayfieldpc/ and on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=knox+bayfield
There are three parts to this service. This first section includes announcements; the second section contains the worship service; and, the third section includes daily prayers and hymns. Jean Walker will perform the hymns on the organ for the YouTube video. Remember to go to the end of the printed material for the lyrics to the hymns.
Did you know the bible is free online! https://www.biblegateway.com/
Section 2
CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 119:132, 133
Blessed be God whose word gives hope and shapes our dreams, whose love has conquered death. Blessed be God who orders our way and guides our steps, who leads us into life.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON Psalm 105:8, Romans 8:31–39
Sisters and brothers, God never forgets God’s promises; God’s covenant endures in each new generation. We are free to speak the truth about our lives because God’s faithfulness embraces us as we examine our hearts. What then are we to say about these things?
If God is for us, who is against us? Sisters and brothers, siblings in Christ, nothing we have done, nothing we will ever do, is enough to separate us from the love of God made known in Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
# 290 Immortal, invisible, God only wise
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Ps. 119:130
Enlightening God, the unfolding of your Word gives light and provides wisdom to all who seek your truth. Open our minds and hearts by the presence of your Holy Spirit. May the mystery of your heavenly realm be made evident here on earth. Amen.
READINGS: Genesis 29:15–28, Psalm 105:1–11, 45b
Romans 8:26–39, Matthew 13:31–33, 44–52
Matthew 13:31–33, 44–52
Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Have you understood all this?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
May God bless our understanding of this, God’s holy word. The word of God.
# 671 I heard the voice of Jesus say
MESSAGE Breathe
I’m curious. Do you have a daily routine that you follow?
Your routines may vary among you but your day likely starts with getting out of bed, washing up and eating. You may have familiar greetings to other people you encounter, whether at home or when you go out. Your day may start with ‘good morning’.
When we have routines, we often go about our day without giving much thought to the little things. Those little things may be different for many of you. Feeding pets, walking the dog, checking in with others … all of these may or may not be part of your day. Some of you will start with a morning prayer. A conversation with God about gratitude, frustrations, laments, and maybe some questions. Again, this may be such a routine part of your life that you do not give it much thought.
The teachings from Jesus remind us that God is present in everything and every moment of our lives. Jesus speaks of bread and wine, seeds and plants, yeast and bread, plowing fields, fishing and finding pearls, coins, and people. While his followers try to place him within the realm of kings and military rulers, he insists on drawing the image of God’s creation in simpler terms. Jesus tells of real women and men as they go about their daily lives. He describes how the everyday embodies the divine. He encourages the listener to have ‘eyes to see’ and ‘ears to hear’. In other words, we are being nudged to wake up and see and hear and pay attention. He encourages us to see the beauty of the mustard seed and all that it provides within the story of creation.
Matthew tells of the proclamation that heaven has come near when Jesus returned from the wilderness. Jesus brings our attention to this reality of the divine in our presence …when he heals the ill, gathers the outcast, includes women and people at all levels of society. In the parables today, the insignificant mustard seed and yeast provide bountiful resources.
For most of us, mustard is found on the grocery story shelf, bread comes in plastic bags, and pearls are readily available for a price.
You have likely heard of the dramatic growth of the tiny mustard seed. It can grow into a fifteen-foot tree big enough to provide shade and habitat for birds in a hot Middle Eastern climate.
Jesus speaks of things that are small or hidden. There are tiny seeds, the treasure hidden in a field; the large pearl hidden with ordinary pearls; the net full of fish where the good hides among the less desirable.
It seems there are a variety of wonders around us. Wonders that are hidden in plain sight. Wonders that may be unpredictable in their very nature and in their unfolding.
Jesus catches our attention when he describes, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed”
More often than not, we want to draw boundaries around our understanding of the divine, of heaven. We listen to the variety of descriptions and settle on what feels comfortable for us and then we push away the uncomfortable. In our congregations, we yearn to find comfort in the familiar.
We have familiar hymns, creeds, rituals, and traditions. We have boundaries—nice neat rows of carefully tended practices. And yet…
The Spirit of God moves among us, within us, and through us. Just when we develop comfortable patterns and ways of being, there is a whisper and a nudge. Something catches our eye and our attention. We discover that boundaries are being pushed, ways of being are examined, and comfort zones expand. It is as though we have discovered just how shallow our breathing has become.
So, let’s pause for a moment and take notice of our breath. Do you find your breathing is catching and releasing before your lungs are filled? Do you have a deeper capacity for breath? Perhaps the ability to hold your breath before exhaling. Give it a try if you are able. Draw in your breath slowly. Hold … and release slowly. Now again. Inhale ….. hold… release. You can continue this as you listen.
Perhaps you felt your body shift and expand as the breath filled your lungs. Perhaps… you noticed how good it feels to breathe and to be aware of your breath.
Perhaps.. this is like the Spirit moving us. When we become aware of our larger capacity… our capacity to take in more of our being, to take in more of our awareness of God’s creation…we become more aware of the needs … of our needs, of the needs of others. Perhaps we become aware of how our comfort in shallow breathing was not really comfortable at all.
This regular, repetitive act of breathing would seem to be just ordinary … yet we discover it is so much more. Just as the mustard seed is much more than the tiny seed,
Humanity seems to be in the midst of a significant change. Change that is being brought about by a tiny little virus and change that is being brought about by our increased awareness of the needs within creation. The need for respect of one another and respect for God’s creation. This increased awareness can be opened up when we are attentive. When we allow ourselves to hear and to see.
With this final group of parables, Matthew punctuates the message that God’s creation embraces the marginalized, the unclean, and the left out …Those who do so discover the true and expansive family that surrounds Jesus. Those who have ears to hear listen and understand.
Praise be to God
#332 O Lord my God! How great thou art
THE OFFERING OF OUR LIFE AND LABOUR TO THE LORD
QUOTE: That’s what I consider true generosity: You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing. Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1946), writer, intellectual, activist
Your donations to the church are greatly appreciated. The expenses for our faith community continue even though we are not gathering in the church building, the work of the church continues in so many ways. Thank you for your ongoing support! The apostle Paul promises that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. We trust that God will bring forth good from that which we offer today. It is our privilege to participate in the unfolding of God’s grace in the world. Let us give with grateful and expectant hearts.
BLESSING OF GIFTS *
Holy One, receive these offerings as you receive our lives. Gather our false starts and uncertain efforts, our generosity and our reluctance. Enliven us with your breath and make your purposes known, that our lives might show forth your glory, for we pray in the name of Jesus and by the power of your Spirit. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Psalm 105:2, Romans 8:26, Matthew 13:31–33, 44–52
You are encouraged to share your concerns and celebrations with the congregation. Your requests will be shared in the prayers of the people and kept in my daily prayers and the prayers of our congregation. Let us pray for all people and all of God’s creation.
Holy God, Jesus invites us into the life he shares with you, and so we keep coming—because we want to live. Receive us now in our frailty, our complacency, our desire.
We pray for your church all over the world. May we be the seed and yeast where life has grown barren and heavy. May the life and love we discover with you bind us to each other and to the world you love. Merciful God, we pray for wisdom and courage beyond our imagining.
We pray for friends and strangers in the grip of addiction. Make us able companions for each other, and bless us with hope that bears fruit. We pray for economies that are unsettled. May we, who know the ease of privilege, bear our responsibilities with open hearts and open hands.
We pray for all who stand at the thresholds of life: for your children who are soon to be born and your children who are soon to go home to be with you. We give thanks for our ability to receive and to give love as we marvel at the sturdy friendships and persistent memories that sustain us when the way is hard. May each be a reminder of your love and your provision.
We thank you for the gift of song—for notes that speak when words fail. Give strength to leaders who call forth the best from us and invite us to breathe together. Holy One, keep calling us into the world—your world—as seed and yeast and treasure. Equip each of us for the challenges we will face until we learn to worship in the most unlikely places.
Almighty God, there are many within our church family in need of your care at this time. We lift up Ron, Sandy and their family as Ron continues his treatment. We lift up Mark for your ongoing care. We lift up Brenda, Mark and family as they mourn the deaths of Evelyn and George. We lift up Grace as she mourns the death of her mother, Annie. We lift up Jan’s sister, Peggy, as she slowly heals from extensive heart surgery. We lift up Betty Lou as she deals with health concerns. We lift up her daughter, Bonnie, as she enjoys the peace of remission. We lift up Jessie as she deals with chronic back pain. We lift up Jessie’s daughter, Marlene, as she continues to heal. We lift up Susanne and family as they mourn the death of Susan. We lift up Gayle’s granddaughter Courtney and great granddaughter Kyla. We lift up Rob, son of Jane and Jim. We lift up Bonnie as she heals. We lift up Ron S. as his foot heals.
O Holy One, although we are apart and cannot lift our voices together, we speak the words aloud that Christ taught his disciples, Our Father who art in heaven, hallow’ed 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
#258 Thine be the glory
BENEDICTION Matthew 13:31–33, 44–52, Romans 8:26–28
Go—as seed and yeast, willing to lose your life in the larger purposes of God.
Go—as fisherfolk and treasure seekers, pouring out your days in search of hidden grace.
May God, who searches the heart …
May Jesus, whose love overcomes all division …
May the Spirit, who helps us in our weakness …
… continue to lead you into the fullness of life that you may serve with abandon and joy.
CLOSING CHORUS
May the Lord, mighty God bless and keep you forever, Grant you peace, perfect peace, faith in every endeavor Lift your eyes and see His face, and His grace forever, May the Lord, mighty God bless and keep you forever.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
Are there dilemmas or relationships in which you feel separated from the love of God? Can you imagine that God might be at work there, bringing life in unexpected ways? What would change if you were to claim the promise that nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord?
Section 3
Morning Prayer
God of ferment, God of life, as I recall the night’s unsettled dreams and as I look to the demands of the day, be with me in the desires of my heart, in the anger of the excluded, in all I might dismiss. May I find you everywhere, until your holy love lightens and softens my every impulse. I pray in the name of Jesus, whose surprising call continues. Amen.
Evening Prayer
Joy of my heart, thank you for this day’s unexpected turns: for provision when I was stymied and thwarted. Thank you God for laughter born of grace. As I rest in your mercy open my heart to your unruly love and the neighbors you have put in my path. Amen.
Daily Prayer
Holy God, we try to fix and fasten you, but you will not be stayed. You are love in motion: always breathing us into being, calling us to serve, sustaining us in the wilderness. Come to us as the morning breaks. Soften what has grown dry and brittle in our hearts until we worship with abandon, for we pray in the name of the Son you sent and through the Spirit that gives us life. Amen.
290 Immortal, invisible, God only wise
671 I heard the voice of Jesus say
332 O Lord my God! How great thou art
258 Thine be the glory
290 Immortal, invisible, God only wise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZA94ncis0g Author: Walter C. Smith (1867)
1. Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.
2. Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.
3. Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all praise we would render; O help us to see
’tis only the splendor of light hideth thee!
671 I heard the voice of Jesus say
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mXMQqiLW9c Author: Horatius Bonar (1846)
1. I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto me and rest;
lay down, O weary one, lay down your head upon my breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad;
I found in him a resting place, and he has made me glad.
2. I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold, I freely give
the living water; thirsty one, stoop down and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in him.
3. I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s Light;
look unto me, your morn shall rise, and all your days be bright.”
I looked to Jesus and I found in him my Star, my Sun;
and in that light of life I’ll walk, ’til trav’ling days are done.
332 O Lord my God! How great thou art
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BL06fxHPVo Songwriter: Stuart Keene Hine
1. Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
Refrain: Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
2. And when I think of God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin
Refrain
3. When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And lead me home, what joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow with humble adoration
And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art
Refrain
258 Thine be the glory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPH7-dNrwb8 Songwriter: G F Handel
1. Thine be the glory, Risen, conqu’ring Son;
Endless is the victory, Thou o’er death hast won;
Angels in bright raiment Rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave clothes Where Thy body lay.
Refrain: Thine be the glory, Risen conquering Son,
Endless is the victory, Thou o’er death hast won.
2. Lo! Jesus meets us, Risen from the tomb;
Lovingly He greets us, Scatters fear and gloom;
Let the church with gladness, Hymns of triumph sing;
For her Lord now liveth, Death hath lost its sting.
Refrain
3. No more we doubt Thee, Glorious Prince of life;
Life is naught without Thee; Aid us in our strife;
Make us more than conquerors, Through Thy deathless love:
Bring us safe through Jordan To Thy home above.
Refrain