Reconciliation Sept 6 2020 Knox Bayfield Rev Dolson
Section 1
Greetings to my church family and friends. May the grace of God be with you.
Announcements
Session met last week to discuss the work of the church. Plans are in progress for re-opening the church. More details will be announced as they unfold.
Mission Moment – World Literacy Day
In Afghanistan, cultural norms dictate that men often play a more central role in public life, while women and girls have more significant roles in the home. Because of this, many girls do not have equal access to education. Presbyterian World Service & Development (PWS&D), with the support of local partners, has been working to provide girls with access to high quality education. Through summer camps, girls are informed about human rights, gender, sex, and leadership and democracy. Sadaf and Nargi participated in this summer camp, where they were inspired and excited about the great things they could achieve in the future. For the two girls, access to fair and equal education is vital for their goals and dreams; it is also essential to allow their communities to flourish. PWS&D supports equal education
This worship service is on our website https://pccweb.ca/knoxbayfieldpc/ and on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTYgIPqvkMsDNal0b1gCiPg
We are thankful to Jean Walker, organist, for her efforts in performing the hymns for the YouTube video. Remember to go to the end of the printed material for the lyrics to the hymns.
Over the next couple of months I will be taking holidays. I will be away during the weeks of: Sept 7-13, Sept 28-Oct 4, and Oct 19-25. Rev. Theresa McDonald-Lee has graciously agreed to provide pastoral care for both Knox Bayfield and Knox Goderich. You are encouraged to explore other worship services online and TV during my absence. Remember the Knox Bayfield YouTube videos are available anytime.
Income and Expense Update
The following chart illustrates the July income $5,566 and expenses $4,266. The year-to-date deficit is $4,400. You are encouraged to share your questions and concerns with your elder.
Section 2
CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 149
Praise the Lord! Sing God’s praise in the assembly of the faithful,
for God takes pleasure in the people. Let the faithful sing for joy.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON Romans 13, Matthew 18
Laying aside the works of darkness, we live in the light of Christ. Gathered in Christ’s name, surely he is among us, full of grace and truth.
# 692 Where charity and love prevail
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Holy Spirit, as your word is read and preached, pass among your people who gather around your word, physically apart and yet together in fellowship. Awaken our hearts and minds to your Word, O God. Open our minds to increase understanding, open our hearts to bind us together in your love. May your Holy Spirit guide us to do all that you command for love’s sake. We pray all this in the in the name of Christ. Amen.
READINGS:
Exodus 12:1–14, Psalm 149, Romans 13:8–14, Matthew 18:15–20
Did you know the bible is free online! https://www.biblegateway.com/?
Romans 13:8-14
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Matthew 18:15–20
“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
# 717 We cannot own the sunlit sky
MESSAGE
I was reflecting on how the scripture readings fit within this context of our time and place, here in the 21st century. A time when people are in conflict over the impact of the pandemic, race and gender relations, and family disharmony. Demonstrations and marches take place for human rights and there is a backlash against those who seek fair treatment. In Canada there has is a significant increase in people reaching out to the police, women’s shelters and other social services because of a rise in domestic violence. Conflict is evident in the news reports every day. We can turn toward the issues to understand or turn away and stay in the dark.
I am intrigued by the perceptions that people develop. Opinions are sometimes formed without much information. Engaging in deeper discussion allows us to discover where misconceptions may be. One example involves my children, all adults now and better informed. When they were younger they were under the impression that my siblings were much better at housekeeping than their mother. Every time we would visit, their homes were immaculate and festive. So, they believed the home was always in such good shape. They did not see the scurrying ahead of the family gathering. They did not experience the parents struggling to get the kids to help out. They did not hear the squabbles that would erupt as the family gathering drew closer. Their child viewpoint allowed them to see just a snippet of the whole event. It also allowed them to grow into the understanding that dust bunnies and cobwebs are known to occur in other homes.
I wonder if this might be part of the struggle for people who are not part of a faith community. There are many times when people have expressed the idea that everyone always gets along at church. That conflict and disagreement is not present. Perhaps this is part of the dilemma. The anticipation is that Christians are to be Christ-like, without sin, without conflict. As I write this, I recognize that many within faith communities hold people to the same unrealistic standard. It is important to recognize that we do make mistakes, we do behave badly, we do harm one another. It is in this acknowledgement that we are able to seek healing and reconciliation.
Each week the assurance of pardon recognizes our very human ability to step away from the ways of Christ, to turn away from God, to sin and to carry the burden of that sin. The assurance of pardon reminds us of God’s loving forgiveness and unending grace offered to each of us. We are reminded of the need to seek healing within ourselves and with one another.
The passage from Matthew helps us to understand how to deal with conflict within the church. The intent is to listen and talk through whatever issues have divided or offended. The purpose is to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. To pause and reflect on how the commandment to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves might help us with disagreement and division?
This passage comes in the middle of Jesus teaching about relational life in the church. Believers are to be diligent in their care for one another. forgiving one another seventy times seven if necessary. Which leads to the question, what to do when a sibling in Christ acts against you?
One way to understand is to consider the apostle Paul’s imagery of the body of Christ. Each part of the body is of great value, one is not better than the other. The church is not group that is led by the powerful, or determined by the majority; it is a fellowship of believers who have united with Jesus Christ leading. In this fellowship of believers there will be conflict, differing opinions, different visions. In the midst of the differing opinions and conflict, in the midst of the harm that will occur, we are to remember that all of the commandments can be summed up by Paul in his letter to the Romans ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.’
Conflict within the church, within our families, within our communities and the nations is not new. It was present in the time of Christ and will continue to be present. Jesus speaks of one sinning against the other. Is this sin related to the commandments or does it also include self-serving behaviours that rupture the unity in fellowship. These ruptures disrupt the community and often result in deep hurt within individuals. People may leave the church in anger and carry the scar from the disruption. Divisive actions impede the work of the church and causes harm within the community.
Jesus commands that we never to give up, never stop reaching out in love. We yearn for grace to restore what has been broken. Too often relationships end when the difficulties occur. The wounds are deep when people are abandoned in a time of need. Yet, we are told to ‘bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven’. The church is intended to prayerfully seek the will of God, to forgive and to heal. This sounds wonderful, yet in our culture where the focus is on independence and self-reliance. We are reminded that within the church we understand the inter-dependence of community. We hold onto the value of rejoicing and suffering with one another.
Ubuntu is a South African (Zulu) philosophy that recognizes the practical aspects of inter-connection. Nelson Mandela describes Ubuntu as, “I am because we are”, and, “a person is a person through other persons”. Ubuntu recognizes the power of shared humanity within community and the interconnected nature of creation. The apostle Paul understood the church as a place of mutual interdependence, where each member is incomplete without the other, where the suffering of one is the suffering of all, and where the honor of one leads to the rejoicing of all. When conflict arises, the conflict impacts the whole community.
Many of you will likely be able to recall deeply painful moments in your faith community. In part the conflict may have felt more painful if you expected that it should not occur. Yet, Jesus seems to assume there will be conflict among his followers. So, we are assured that such conflict is expected. It is in our efforts to resolve the issues that we will find healing. We are called to resolve the issues through reconciliation of the issues.
Jesus teaches that we are to reconcile with the offending person, one on one. To reach out and speak the truth in love. If we are unable to resolve the issue, we are to ask others to join us in the effort. It is important to note that such efforts are intended to seek understanding, healing, and reconciliation. It is not intended to control or manipulate. It is in this process that the whole discussion can be explored and healing is possible. This is not possible if the offender is embarrassed, humiliated, or shamed
It is when the offender refuses to participate in the healing and reconciliation that they are treated like an outsider. It is in their actions of violating mutual respect and responsibility that they lose their place in the community. This passage from Matthew has been referred to as the Rule of Christ as it defines the concept of intervention when there is dis-unity within the community. The goal is to seek to forgive the offender, to offer care in a spirit of humility. The focus here is for the offended to seek reconciliation with the offender.
As you hear this, you may think of certain situations happening worldwide. Your thoughts may go to the efforts of healing and reconciliation with the Aboriginal communities. Where for years they have been reaching out, seeking healing and reconciliation and it is time to really step up and recognize our responsibilities in joining the conversations. In seeking to better understand how the harm has occurred and how it can be redressed. WE can think of the many demonstrations going on where people are seeking to be recognized as human. As valid within the culture and society. You can see how rights have been damaged and they are seeking to have recognition for the healing and reconciliation. Old systems must be changed to allow for new systems to be effective for all. There is an effort to reach out to the one who has stumbled. This is not to burden the offended but to offer a path for healing.
During this challenging time of health and economic instability we are called to deepen our connections with one another. Perhaps in reaching out to better understand others, we actually begin to better understand how God is present among us.
# 650 He leadeth me
THE OFFERING OF OUR LIFE AND LABOUR TO THE LORD
QUOTE: Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. Melody Beattie (1948 – ), author
Your donations to the church are greatly appreciated. Let us give as God has so abundantly given to us. We will now receive the offering. Do good and share what you have, for such gifts are from God and are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:16
BLESSING OF GIFTS *
We give thanks to you, O God, You have blessed us with all that is necessary to do your good work. May the sharing of these gifts be a source of healing for this world in need. We pray this in the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
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.
Merciful and loving God, you know our needs before we name them in prayer. You hear our prayers knowing that we truly need your love. May you hear these prayers for your people. We give you thanks for walking among us in Jesus the Christ. We give you thanks, loving God, for being our strength when life becomes difficult and overwhelming.
We are thankful for your call to be a missional church, to reach out into your world with the gifts and resources you have provided. We pray for all people, that they will hear you and respond to your gift of faith. We pray your call will guide them to fruitful lives in your service.
We pray for all leaders. May they recognize their responsibility to lead with compassion and wisdom. O holy One, your people are in need of healing during this time of the COVID pandemic. Guide leaders to protect their people, to care for those who have been affected by this insidious virus, to implement protection for the safety of all. Communities and nations are at risk of illness and death. Economies struggle to recover and individuals struggle to support their families.
We pray for those who feel ill-equipped or hesitant for the tasks you set before them. May your Spirit guide, encourage and empower them in what to say and do.
We pray for those who are ill, for those who suffer chronic conditions that cause pain physically, spiritually, or psychologically. May they experience healing and freedom.
We pray for the wisdom to recognize what is good, especially when the letter of the law is in opposition to a spirit of love and grace. We pray for all people of faith, that we will understand the heart of our faith and reject rules and structures that are against your will.
O holy and wondrous 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 Jan’s sister, Peggy, as she slowly heals. We lift up Betty Lou and Jane as they prepare for surgery. We lift up Bonnie as she enjoys the peace of remission. We lift up Jessie as she deals with chronic pain. We lift up her daughter, Marlene, as she heals. We lift up Rob, son of Jane and Jim. We lift up Gayle’s granddaughter Courtney. We lift up all those who prefer to remain un-named. Loving God, hear our prayers.
We rejoice, loving God, at all the extraordinary things that you are doing in the world and in our lives. May we recognize your beautiful and amazing works, for you are merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Amen.
O Holy One, although we are apart and cannot lift our voices together in one room, we continue to join in spirit to speak the words 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.
# 324 Great is thy faithfulness
BENEDICTION
God’s commandments encourage daily faithfulness. Love God, love your neighbor, love yourself … to fulfill all that God intends. May the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit sustain you until all things in heaven and on earth are reconciled.
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
The passage from Matthew is concerned with church discipline in a time of conflict. The focus is not on punishment or blame, but on listening and talking through what has divided or offended. In this way forgiveness and reconciliation is possible.
Has there been a time in your congregation’s life or in your own life when conflict or an offense caused breaks in relationship? How might this reading from Matthew have helped that situation? How does the commandment to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves inform our handling of disagreement and division?
Section 3
Morning Prayer
O God of this and every morning, as I begin this day, call my name; as I step into this day, guide my feet; as I live this day, care for those I love; as I learn this day, teach me your ways. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Household Prayer: Evening
Evening Prayer
God of stars and planets, the setting sun ends this day for us as it rises on a new day for others. For us and for them, be light in every darkness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Daily Prayer
From the beginning until now, loving God, there are times when we have turned away from you. Yet you will not abandon us. You call out for us to turn to you. Even when we fall away from brothers and sisters, our siblings in the church, you remain with us. Help us to love as you love— wholeheartedly— until we are reconciled to you and to our neighbor. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.
Hymns:
692 Where charity and love prevail
717 We cannot own the sunlit sky
650 He leadeth me
324 Great is thy faithfulness
692 Where charity and love prevail
1. Where charity and love prevail, there God is ever found
Brought here together by Christ’s love, by love are we thus bound.
2. With grateful joy and holy fear God’s charity we learn
Let us with heart and mind and soul now love God in return.
3. Forgive we now each other’s faults as we our faults confess;
And let us love each other well in Christian holiness.
4. Let strife among us be unknown, let all contention cease;
Be God’s the glory that we seek, be ours God’s holy peace.
5. Let us recall that in our midst dwells God’s begotten Son;
As members of his body joined, we are in Christ made one.
6. No race or creed can love exclude, if honored be God’s name;
Our family embraces all whose Father is the same.
#717 We cannot own the sunlit sky
1. We cannot own the sunlit sky, the moon, the wildflowers growing
For we are part of all that is within life’s river flowing
With open hands receive and share the gifts of God’s creation
That all may have abundant life in every earthly nation
2. When bodies shiver in the night, and, weary, wait for morning,
When children have no bread but tears, and war horns sound their warning
God calls humanity to wake, to join in common labour
That all may have abundant life in oneness with their neighbour
3. God calls humanity to join as partners in creating
A future free from want of fear, life’s goodness celebrating
That new world beckons from afar, invites our shared endeavour
That all may have abundant life and peace endure forever
#650 He Leadeth Me
1. He leadeth me: oh blessed thought! Oh words with heavenly comfort fraught! Whate’er I do, where’er I be still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
Refrain: He leadeth me! He leadeth me! By his own hand he leadeth me!
A faithful follower I would be, for ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
2. Sometimes ‘mid scenes of deepest gloom, sometimes where Eden’s flowers bloom, by waters still, o’er troubled sea, still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me!
Refrain
3. Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine, nor ever murmur nor repine,
content, whatever lot I see since ‘tis my God that leadeth me!
Refrain
4. And when my task on earth is done, when by thy grace the victory’s won,
e’en death’s cold wave I will not flee, since God through Jordan leadeth me.
#324 Great is Thy Faithfulness
1. Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father
there is no shadow of turning with thee
thou changest not; thy compassions they fail not
as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be
Refrain: Great is thy faithfulness, Great is thy faithfulness
morning by morning new mercies I see
all I have needed thy hand hath provided
great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me
2. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest
sun, moon and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in eloquent witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Refrain
3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Refrain