Freedom Jan 31 2021 Knox Bayfield Rev Dolson
The Lord be with you … and also with you.
Remember… if you need to access the church building be sure to follow the pandemic protocols with face masks, hand sanitizer. Be sure to put your name and contact information on the Contact Tracing List.
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. This worship service is on our website https://pccweb.ca/knoxbayfieldpc/ and on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTYgIPqvkMsDNal0b1gCiPg
The focus of the Mission Moment … Knowledge Nourishes Babies and Families
When Cristina Flete gave birth to her first baby, she wasn’t aware of how crucial exclusive breastfeeding and developmental activities could be to her child’s long-term health. When her second child was born, Cristina attended a workshop facilitated by Presbyterian World Service & Development’s (PWS&D) local partner in Nicaragua. With other mothers, Cristina learned the importance of breastmilk for a child’s developing brain and how to create materials to stimulate her child’s mind. Additionally, culinary classes empower parents with tools to help with their families’ overall health. With PWS&D support, families are combating malnutrition and chronic illness, giving their babies the best chance for a future of good health.
Kintail has created Easter-In-A-Basket, which will hold 8 mini-lessons, one for each day from Palm Sunday to Easter. These Holy Week activities will be low stress for busy folks, encourage family and community connection, and help you prepare for Easter! Over the course of the week, you will be creating your own Easter basket to help you celebrate Christ’s resurrection! For more information, including pricing and how to register, check out the Easter-In-A-Basket: check out the website https://www.campkintail.ca/easter-in-a-basket/ or call 519-529-7317 or email becca at campkintail.ca
The Knox Bayfield Session will meet February 8th and the Knox Goderich Session will meet February 22nd.
All are welcome to join in the Spiritual Study 2 – 3 pm on Sunday. Join in the conversation on Learning to Walk in the Dark from Barbara Brown Taylor on Zoom! We have several copies of the book $24 at Knox Bayfield Contact Rev Lisa Dolson for Zoom instructions (519) 572 [dash] 8529 revlisa [dot] knoxbayfield [at] icloud [dot] com
Your contributions to the church and its ongoing work are appreciated. Your regular offerings allow the church to continue its good work. The Knox Bayfield Session and Finance committee are diligent in their efforts to minimize expenses and meet financial commitments. Our updated financial reports indicate December income $6,920 and expenses in $5,551 with a year-to-date deficit of $4,471.
We will join together in a virtual Communion in the February 14th worship service. You are encouraged to have the communion elements ready at home. The elements include grape juice or wine and bread. If you are able, you may wish to include a candle, a cross, and of course, your bible. Although we are apart across space and time, we will join together virtually to share the Lord’s supper.
Call to Worship
Come! Let us give thanks to the Lord with whole hearts. Glory be to the One whose wonders are to be remembered. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. The Lord feeds the righteous with truth. Come! Let us give thanks to God.
Call to Confession and Assurance of Pardon
The One who pardons, heals, and strengthens calls us to name our failings and our hopes. Let us confess our sin in the presence of God. Join me in prayer.
Holy and all-powerful God, who commands all spirits, comforts those in distress, and casts out destructive forces, we confess that we feel unable to do your will. We protect what is familiar and reject what is unknown. We admire those with courage but excuse ourselves when we falter from the truth. We forget that you are always with us, and that with you all things are possible. Forgive us, lead us, make us new. We pray all this in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, Mother of us all. Amen.
The God who made you and knows your every thought hears you and forgives you. You are redeemed through Jesus Christ, God’s Son, our Savior, who is Alpha and Omega, all in all.
May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you.
Hymn # 404 O Spirit come, our hearts inspire
Prayer For Illumination
Holy Spirit, your people call out for understanding. Bring to our yearning hearts and minds the truth of your Word; in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Readings:
Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Psalm 111; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28
May God bless our understanding of God’s holy word.
Freedom
It is good to be here at Knox Church in Bayfield on this chilly at the end of January. We continue to be in the midst of the provincial state of emergency with the stay at home order extended to February 9th. We are living in a time of increased awareness of how we impact one another in our families and the extended community. We are discovering how our faith practices can strengthen us and provide comfort. Our scripture readings tell us that people have encountered similar messages through the ages. In the time of Moses, in the time of Christ, and in the centuries to follow. Although the pandemic is unusual, we are not alone in the major upheaval that we are experiencing.
The prophet Moses seemed to anticipate the discomfort and worry that seeps into community when there is significant change. He tells the people, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people”. Moses assures them that God will provide when there is need. God provides the leader and the words spoken. It is the assurance that God will provide … that allows many preachers to prepare the worship message and to step into the pulpit. It is this assurance that allows many to do the necessary work to care for people in health care and in science labs.
We enter into Mark’s gospel following the baptism of Jesus, his forty-day retreat into the wilderness, his announcement that the “kingdom of God is at hand,” and his calling of the disciples. In the gospel of Mark there are eighteen miracles, thirteen have to do with healing, and four of the thirteen are exorcisms. We enter into the synagogue and the exorcism at Capernaum. There a man with an unclean spirit interrupts to challenge Jesus as one who has come to destroy. The healing word Jesus speaks, like the words he has spoken in the synagogue, cause things to happen. This is what people find so astonishing about his words. They are powerful. Yet, it is important to remember that the words we read in scripture are translated from the original language. From an exegetical perspective, Gary W. Charles reminds us that a good translation faithfully takes words from one language into another. This is not an easy task. Even words within the same language are often complex with meaning and nuance. When we consider the ancient words the task becomes that much more challenging. Mark’s gospel makes use of repetition, particularly with the adverb euthys which translates to immediately, at once, or right away. Charles describes this as a drumbeat that emphasizes the moment at hand and moves the listener along in the telling of the story.
In today’s reading, Jesus was at the synagogue to teach with a power that amazes those who listen and hear. This event demonstrates that the demonic will be banished. Not just on that day but in the days to come. The listeners are amazed that the words of Jesus words have the power to make the unclean, clean. It is worth remembering this remarkable ability. Each week we are reminded of this during the assurance of pardon. It gives us the opportunity to reflect on His remarkable ability and the freedom that He provides to each and every one of us.
Mark shares the knowledge that nothing will stand in the way of Jesus. Although the people in the synagogue are awed by the teaching they do not yet grasp that the boundary between heaven and earth has been pierced. We, the readers, are invited to follow Jesus into a whole new world, says New Testament scholar Brian Blount, into “Mark’s world of Jesus walking around possessed by the power of the Spirit of God. In such a world you either go with the man and help him create the holy chaos he’s creating or you find a way to do everything you can to stop him so you can get your people back in line.”
How do we demonstrate our faith during this pandemic? A time when many are concerned about the impact on themselves and their congregations. There is concern about churches being closed. Remember, it is the building that is closed. We are simply worshiping in different ways. We cannot congregate in groups but … we can connect with one another in safer ways. Call a different person every day. Reach out through email or the written letter. Utilize social media to stay connected. The apostle Paul understood the power of connection through the love of Christ. In his letter to the people of Corinth he wrote of a deeper understanding of Christian freedom.
He explains that freedom is grounded in love. Our freedom is grounded in God’s love for us and our love for each other. In our faith we become responsible for one another, which is central to what it means to be “in Christ.” Paul wants his Corinthian friends and all of us to know that being certain of what is right or wrong, appropriate or inappropriate, is not sufficient. Consideration of our relationships are a vital component in decision making.
The situation at Corinth demonstrates the importance of critical thinking. The Corinthians noted that they possessed knowledge and that idols did not exist for them because there was one God. Although Paul agreed there was truth in this, he encouraged them to think critically about the impact on others. Perhaps we can understand this in terms of advertising and other messages in the media. Perhaps we can understand this in terms of mask wearing and stay at home orders. We live in a time where the importance of keeping everyone safe by following certain rules seems to be obvious. Yet, there are those who believe that their wealth and knowledge allows them to bypass the rules. We can look at many examples. One is the couple who flew into a remote community to receive the vaccine that was intended for a vulnerable population. They did not consider the impact of their actions on the community, they only considered their own needs.
Paul’s letter helps us to understand the relationship between individual freedom and responsibility for a community’s overall health. The passage concludes with Paul’s declaration that “if food is a cause for the fellow member’s falling, then I (Paul) will not eat meat at all” Paul insists that the question is not whether one has a deeper knowledge, which “puffs up” or whether they exhibit love which “builds up” He asks the reader to consider how their behavior will affect the faith of others. Paul contrasts knowledge with love (agapē). He compares apparent knowledge with real knowledge from an understanding of God. This knowledge is not related to special privileges restricted to a few, but a love for God that demonstrates concern for others.
Praise be to God.
# 510 Deep in the shadows of the past
The Offering Of Our Life And Labour To The Lord
Quote: Generosity is contagious. Anonymous
Do not let idols grow and multiply in your hands, but give of yourselves, your time, and your possessions out of love for this creation and honor toward what you have been given.
Hymn: # 148 It came upon a midnight clear
Blessing Of Gifts & Prayers Of The People
Hear our prayers, O holy One, for the healing of Earth and all its creatures. We know your mercy is great. We pray for the congregations in turmoil, for the healing of divisions between the followers of Christ Jesus.
God of purpose and promise, we offer our gifts trusting that you can use them to accomplish more than we can ask or imagine. Bless them so we can shine your light into places of need for the sake of Christ, the Light for the World.
We pray for the leaders of nations, for those who have wealth and privilege, for and for those who have power. May they sense your Spirit their life and share their many blessings. We pray for children with no one to hear their cries for food and shelter, safety and nurture. We pray for parents who cannot answer the needs of their children.
We pray for peacemakers and diplomats, for those who give through charities, and for those who use the law to make policies for the greater good. We pray for all who care for those suffering in the pandemic. We pray for the wisdom to fear you rightly, the power to adapt to changes in our own lives that bring us closer to you, for the ability to give thanks for the people who have brought us to this time— our ancestors, teachers, pastors, and the martyrs of every age. Into your hands we commend all those for whom we pray. We ask your blessing on all your people.
Almighty God, you have made us for a holy purpose, to comfort and care for each other. There are many within our church family in need of your special care at this time. We lift up Ron, Sandy, Peggy, Betty Lou, Jane, Bonnie, Jessie, Marlene, Rob, Courtney, and Grace’s daughter Lisa. We lift up all those who prefer to remain un-named as they face immense challenges of health and finances.
O holy One, we pray for clarity, passion, and true fellowship to awake us to your presence. May your face shine upon the church and all this weary world. We pray
in the name of the One born in a manger, who taught his disciples to pray…
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.
# 399 Spirit, spirit of gentleness
Benediction
Go out to a world fully known by God. Where there is fear, remember the authority of Christ Jesus. Where there is need of love, give your love. Where there is pain, bring peace. For you are loved by the One who redeems, and freed to live by the Word of life. Go in peace with the knowledge that God’s power is given to the church, the body of Christ, for the sake of the life of the world. Go in love this day and forevermore. Amen
Postlude Let There Be Peace on Earth
Questions for Reflection
What is the name of the demon, the spirit, the idolatry you carry? If you can think of this answer as many “troubles,” try to find the root cause, a name to give to that which needs to be cast out. The answer may take different forms throughout the week. You may also consider the same question with regard to your family and your community. What is the Holy One casting out today in your presence?
Morning Prayer
In the light of your new day, O God, I rise to greet you always on the path in front of me. Let me follow with integrity where you will lead. Give me courage to know the difference between what is false and what is true. Teach me to love my neighbor as you love me. Amen.
Evening Prayer
Heavenly Father, you are the power above all powers, the healer who knows our every need. You have guided me throughout this day and now give me sleep to renew my tired body and mind. Guard me and keep me in your care. Amen.
Daily Prayer
Almighty God, Light from Light, who commands the universe and all that is made, your Word is the power that makes whole what is broken, the force of good, and the food of peace. Teach us now as you taught in the synagogue. Heal us now so that in all that we say and do, the freedom we have in you may be for others, too; in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Scripture readings next week:
5th Sunday after the Epiphany PWS&D Sunday
Isaiah 40:21-31; Psalm 147:1-11, 20c;
1 Corinthians 9:16-23; Mark 1:29-39
404 O spirit come, our hearts inspire
Lyrics: C Wesley Music: T Tallis
O Spirit, come; our hearts inspire; let us thine influence prove,
source of the old prophetic fire and fount of life and love.
Come, Holy Spirit, for in thee thy prophets wrote and spoke.
Unlock the truth, thyself the key; unseal the sacred book.
Expand thy wings, celestial Dove; brood o’er our nature’s night;
on our disordered spirits move, and let there now be light.
God’s very self we then shall know, if thou within us shine,
and sound with all thy saints below the depths of love divine.
623 Holy, holy, holy Words: traditional Music: F Schubert
Refrain: Holy, holy, holy, God almighty, Lord!
Holy, holy, holy, everywhere adored!
God without beginning, God eternal One
reigns and rules forever all beneath the sun [Refrain]
Power and love and wonder circling round God’s throne
Praise our God most holy, Lord of Life alone [Refrain]
510 Deep in the shadows of the past Lyrics: BA Wren Music: RV Williams
Deep in the shadows of the past, Far out from settled lands,
Some nomads travelled with their God Across the desert sands.
The dawn of hope for humankind was glimpsed by them alone—
A promise calling them ahead, A future yet unknown.
While others bowed to changeless gods, They met a mystery:
God with an uncompleted name, ‘I am what I will be’;
And by their tents, around their fires, In story, song and law,
They praised, remembered, handed on A past that promised more.
From Abraham to Nazareth The promise changed and grew,
While some, remembering the past, Recorded what they knew.
And some, in letters or laments, In prophecy and praise,
Recovered, held, and re-expressed New hope for changing days.
For all the writings that survived, For leaders, long ago,
Who sifted, chose, and then preserved The Bible that we know,
Give thanks, and find its promise yet Our comfort, strength, and call,
The working model for our faith, Alive with hope for all.
#148 It came upon the midnight clear Lyrics: EH Sears Music: RS Willis
It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold:
“To all the earth goodwill and peace, From heaven’s all-gracious King”;
The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come, With peaceful wings unfurled
and still their heavenly music floats o’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains they bend on hovering wing,
And ever o’er its babel sounds the blessed angels sing.
But with the woes of sin and strife, the world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel strain have rolled two thousand years of wrong,
But we, through din of war, hear not the love-song which they bring.
Oh hush the noise, oh still the strife and hear the angels sing.
And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow,
Look now! For glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing.
Oh rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing.
For lo! The days are hastening on, by prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years shall come the time foretold,
When peace shall over all the earth God’s promised splendours fling,
And all the world take up the song, which now the angels sing.
399 Spirit of Gentleness Lyrics & Music: JK Manley
Refrain: Spirit of gentleness, blow through the wilderness, calling and free
Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness
Wind, Wind on the sea.
You moved on the waters; you called to the deep;
then you coaxed up the mountains from the valleys of sleep,
and over the aeons you called to each thing:
then you wake from your slumbers and rise on your wings. [Refrain]
You swept through the desert, you stung with the sand,
and you goaded your people with a law and a land,
and when they were blinded with their idols and lies,
then you spoke through your prophets to open their eyes. [Refrain]
You sang in a stable; you cried from a hill;
then you whispered in silence when the whole world was still,
and down in the city you called once again,
when you blew through your people on the rush of the wind. [Refrain]
You call from tomorrow; you break ancient schemes;
from the bondage of sorrow the captives dream dreams;
our women see visions, our men clear their eyes;
with bold new decisions your people arise. [Refrain]