5 September 2021 Knox Bayfield Rev Dolson
The Lord be with you … and also with you.
Welcome to worship at Knox Presbyterian Bayfield on the Sunday September 5th of the long weekend.
Announcements
Mission Moment … Hearing God’s Call
Joshua Su, a lay missionary at the Taiwanese Robert Campbell Presbyterian Church in Montreal, Quebec, saw a need on Montreal’s south shore for Christian community and worship among Mandarin-speaking people. With the support of the congregation and Cyclical PCC, Joshua was able to start a network of small groups that meet in homes for fellowship, discussion, and prayer. One of the goals of this new and growing worshipping community is to equip leaders to work alongside Joshua as they start new intergenerational discipleship groups. Following in the Apostle Paul’s footsteps, leaders within this ministry are hearing God’s call to share the gospel in the world.
We are thankful to Jean Walker, organist, for her efforts in performing the hymns.
Knox Bayfield will open for in-person worship on Sunday, September 12th. We will follow familiar Ontario Step-3 COVID protocols. The COVID-19 screening questions will be posted, masks will be worn, and physical distance of 2 metres (6.5 feet) will be kept. You are encouraged to sit with your social/family group, however, we will refrain from singing. You may hum along with the hymns, of course. The worship service will be approximately 30 minutes. We anticipate respectful co-operation. I am looking forward to your smiling ‘eyes’ in the sanctuary.
Bulletin bloopers: The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
Have you noticed an interesting or amusing church sign or bulletin blooper? Share with the congregation by adding to our collection. Send in or call Rev Lisa (contact information at bottom of page)
Retirement Party for Rev John Henderson on September 19th at Camp Kintail. John has retired as Clerk of Huron Perth Presbytery. You are invited to join in the celebration of John and Dorothy’s ministry in Huron Perth. $20 for the meal will be payable at the door. Please no gifts- your attendance is the gift (a donation to Kintail would be welcome). Register by contacting the camp at 519-529-7317 or admin@campkintail.ca
I am excited about the spiritual studies this fall. We will discuss books by gathering on Zoom and in-person! Join us as we explore the books and this new way of meeting.
Tuesday at 2 pm
- Black Water: Family, Legacy, and Blood Memory David A Robertson. [September 28 – October 25]
- The women of the bible speak; the wisdom of 16 women and their lessons for today, Shannon Bream. Tuesday at 2 pm [November]
Sunday at 9:30 am
- The Difficult Words of Jesus: A Beginner’s Guide to His Most Perplexing Teachings, Amy Jill Levine. Sunday at 9:30 am [October & November]
The people of Knox Bayfield acknowledge that our community worships, lives, plays, and works on the traditional lands of the Anishinabewaki, Attiwonderonk (Neutral), and Mississauga peoples within Treaty 29, of 1827.
Hymn # 730 O for a world where everyone
Call to Worship
Come to the feast of God’s holy word. May your eyes and ears be opened so that we may all be fed and filled with hope.
Hymn# 374 O for a 1000 tongues
Assurance of Pardon
Mark 7:37
Almighty God, we are grateful for your compassion. We confess our efforts to fulfill our desires and avoidance of discomfort. We turn away from the unfamiliar and the difficult teachings that are offered in our daily lives. In seeking your grace, we ask you to renew us in body, mind, and spirit that, with your help, we will learn to walk in the way you intend for us. We pray this in the name of Christ, Amen.
Just as Jesus made the deaf to hear and the mute to speak, our merciful God lifts our burdens from us, forgives the errors of our past, and turns us toward new life.
Know that you are forgiven and able to walk in peace.
May the peace of Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you.
Prayer For Illumination
Holy God, whose Spirit comes to us in moments of strength and weakness, we pray that we might hear your Word in fullness and in truth, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Readings
Isaiah 35:4-7a; Psalm 146; James 2:1-17; Mark 7:24-37
May God bless our understanding of this, God’s holy word. The Word of the Lord.
Hymn # 642 O Master, let me walk with thee
There is a story called the ‘Tale of the Sands’.[1] It is from the mystical tradition of Sufism. This story tells of a stream, gushing from the mountains until it reached a desert. After facing many barriers on its long journey the stream was confident that it would be able to cross the sands. The stream dashed itself on the sand but it was stuck. Then it heard a voice that whispered, “The wind crosses the desert.…”
The stream thought, “The wind can fly. Of course it can cross the desert.”
The voice continued, “You’ll disappear if you continue pushing yourself on the sands. Allow the wind to carry you.”
“Carry me?” thought the stream. “How can the wind carry me?”
The voice of the sands insisted, “The wind performs this function all the time. It lifts the water up, carries it across the desert, and then drops it down on the other side.”
“How can this be?” thought the stream.
“It is simply so. If you don’t let the wind carry you, you will be absorbed by the sands until there is not a single drop of you left. Why else is this known as the desert?”
The stream responded, “But if I listen to you, I don’t know what will happen. There is no guarantee that what you are telling me is true.”
“True,” said the voice. “The problem stems from your lack of awareness of your essential nature. If you knew that, you would happily rise up into the arms of the wind. So, you have a choice. You can take a leap of faith that I tell the truth. Or, you can carry on as you are.”
As the stream heard this, memories began to surface of being held in the arms of the wind. And so, the stream, stopped thrashing and became still. It waited for the wind to lift it into the sky and carry it to safety. The stream turned into vapour and was carried miles across the desert. When it reached a mountain range, it turned to rain, fell to the ground and found its way back to the ocean. The stream acknowledged its true nature as the sands witnessed this daily transformation.
What is the connection between the ancient mystical story and the words of the ancient prophets?
Isaiah’s prophecy was shared with people in exile and captivity. Many believed that God abandoned them. They were in the midst of despair. They longed to see the future with hope, to hear good news, to be healed. They long for liberation! They yearn for their homeland. And they yearned to trust Isaiah’s prophecy but could they trust what he was saying?
Transformation and liberation become evident as God shapes and re-shapes us. Our true essence becomes evident as we open our eyes and listen. The ancient stories help us to understand the transforming power of God’s mercy, love, and grace. The prophet Isaiah declared that Israel’s God “will come and save you.” He was speaking to a people who had experienced tremendous loss when many could no longer hear God’s voice. Isaiah used dramatic language to open the people’s eyes and their ears to the promise that God had not abandoned them. There are different ways of losing sight, hearing, and voice, and of being so weighed down that it seems impossible to stand straight and strong. It is in these moments that God is at work through the efforts of many to reveal joy in life and to strengthen communities.
The epistle from James speaks of the temptations that divide communities. James points to the problem of indulging in favoritism. Favouritism is an unwillingness to give to those who are not favoured. During the Middle Ages, wealthy Christians helped the poor and the beggars. Then a significant increase in need happened which created a shift that defined who was deserving. Only the those who suddenly lost their income, those who were new to poverty, received help. Many cities banned begging which made the less fortunate less visible. During the Reformation, while many religions fought over correct doctrines of faith, they also exploited world markets. Exploited others for luxury goods such as sugar and spices, opened international banks that favoured the wealthy, established unequal treaties, took land by force and enslaved those who were deemed less worthy. In James epistle, the reader is reminded of the importance of good works, of living into their faith in their daily lives. He reminds the reader of the importance of helping the less fortunate.
There are echoes of Isaiah’s prophetic voice when Jesus healed the disturbed daughter of a Gentile woman and the deaf man with a speech impediment. The Gospels illustrate opening the eyes of the blind – literally and mystically.[2] The mighty acts point to the healing of individuals and communities.
Jesus travelled from the city of Genneraset to the Gentile region of Tyre, about 55 km. In terms we can understand it is about the same distance from Goderich to Grand Bend, straight down Highway 21. Google maps tells me that it will take about 45 minutes to drive and about 10 hours to walk. The driving part seems about right, but walking? I imagine it would take me a lot longer than 10 hours to walk from my house to Goderich and that is on a paved road. It is helpful to remember this aspect of the biblical journes. Jesus and his disciples walked long distances. We can imagine they were tired from the long journey. Mark tells the reader that Jesus did not want anyone to know where he was and word had spread that Jesus was in town
The Syrian-Phoenician woman found a way to be next to Jesus. This woman was desperate to save her daughter. She approached as a Gentile, as a woman talking to a male stranger, without her husband or other male relative. She was breaking down the cultural expectations as she sought healing for her daughter. Jesus initially dismissed her when she approached him. Yet this woman’s faith recognized the vision of God’s mission to the Gentiles. Jesus then encouraged her bravery and the wisdom of her words. He applauded her outspokenness.
What was Jesus was thinking? Could it be that Jesus was contradicting his message of inclusivity? He refers to her as a dog, a derogatory phrase. Some interpreters suggest that Jesus was testing her faith. Or, perhaps this is the human side of Jesus, speaking from exhaustion. It is certainly an effective way to get our attention. She demonstrated that God’s love and healing power are not restricted by human expectations.
Jesus continued his journey, travelling to another Gentile region of the Decapolis. He encountered many who suffered from physical challenges, such as blindness, deafness, and illness. When Jesus healed people, he not only corrected their physical problems, he helped them to see beyond their physical challenges. The deaf man’s inability to hear and speak impaired his ability to communicate. Jesus responded to his request by putting his fingers in the man’s ears, spit, and touched the man’s tongue, and said “Ephphatha!” which in Aramaic means, “Be opened!” Suddenly this man was able to communicate with those around him. Whether it was a demon-possessed girl, a man with leprosy, a bleeding woman, or a deaf man, they were able to become a part of their community.
In the first-century, the poor, the infirm, the orphaned, the mentally ill, the alien, and many women lived with very low status. Today, many people continue to live at the margins of society. There is a persistent prejudice against people who struggle with addiction, poverty, and lack of housing. Too often the disheveled are shunned. Children spend empty, abused lives shuttled from one foster home to the next, forgotten and unloved. Prisoners, refugees, and the disadvantaged are seen as less deserving. Too many in our world are dis-advantaged. Cultural practices often teach people that they are not good enough, they do not belong, they should be happy with crumbs. The persistent theme in Mark’s gospel notes that the healed did not approach Jesus alone. They were helped by others. The young girl is freed of demon possession because her mother pleads on her behalf. The deaf man is brought to Jesus by friends who beg for his healing. In these stories it is not the faith of the disabled persons that brings about their healing but the active faith of their companions. In part, their stories encourage us to work on behalf of others and actively seek the well-being of those in need.
Isaiah speaks of waters in the wilderness and streams in the desert. This imagery illustrates the deep need for clean, fresh, and reliable sources of water as essential to life. The imagery of water points to the living water of the Holy Spirit. Jesus gathers us all to the table and claims us as God’s children — from every tribe and nation. We may seek crumbs from the table but Jesus gives more … more than enough. He has set an abundant, life-giving feast for everyone. The gospels demonstrate that all are worthy of being embraced and valued within God’s creation.
Praise be to God.
Hymn # 696 In suffering love
The Offering Of Our Life And Labour To The Lord
Quote: If you haven’t got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble. Bob Hope (1903- 2003), American comedian
The Book of Proverbs declares that those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor. We do not bring bread today, but we offer a portion of God’s gifts to us. May our gifts and our labour, whether paid or volunteered, meet the needs of those who often go without.
Blessing Of Gifts & Prayers Of The People
Join me in prayer:
Creator of beauty and surprising complexity, we long for the wisdom to cherish this earth. Give us the vision to see what you have made— vast expanses of prairie, forests dark and thick, oceans full of wondrous creatures, and the heavens bigger than our imaginations. Show us how to keep your gifts as good stewards.
Receive our thanks, O God, for your gifts of life, financial resources, and time. May our offerings, small as they may be, be put to work for those in need and as a demonstration of Christ’s teachings in this world. We pray that we will learn to live with gratitude for all we have received.
Holy liberator, you know the devastation caused when we turn our friends and neighbors into enemies. Free our lands from tricksters, people who lie for personal gain, and those who spread hate. Give courage and rest to those who are weary of the struggles for justice so that new life and strength will infuse their tired bones. Help us to discover how we can aid those who seek justice.
O holy One, we seek the fulfillment of your promises. May there be waters in the desert, healing in the time of death, protection from fear, and salvation for those who are alone in their struggle.
Almighty one, you heard the cry of the Syrophoenician woman and you answered her distress with the living Word. Gracious healer, you visit us when we are in pain and worry. You spread your hands on our wounds. You speak to demons. You bring peace and freedom. We pray your Spirit will linger in your churches and synagogues, mosques and ashrams, monastic cells and places of prayer in every land for the well-being of all people of faith.
Merciful God, there are many within our church family in need of your special care. We lift up Sandy and family; Judith; Earl & Ruth; Nicole; Rudy and Grace; Cesare and Lynn; Bonnie; Rob; Courtney and Kyla; David, Sharron and William J Kelly; Jordan, Sarah and Hazel. We lift up all those who prefer to remain un-named as they face immense challenges of health and finances. We wait for you, Lord, in your word we hope.
O holy One, we desire to hear your voice of love, to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and to see you clearly. By your Spirit who breathes within us, strengthen our faith, use our gifts, and work in our lives to bear witness to Christ. Nourishing God, to you we commit our prayers through Christ, the bread of life, 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.
Hymn # 730 O for a world where everyone
Benediction
Isa. 35:4
Be strong and do not fear! Trust in God’s blessings of answered prayer
and healing. Listen to the wisdom around you. Walk in peace within God’s creation. May the God who made you, loves you, and lives with you, bring you to a faith and a courage that knows no bounds.
Postlude #623 Holy, holy, holy
Questions for Reflection
Try to recall the first time in your life when you did not retreat in the face of opposition. How is your experience like that of the Syrophoenician woman putting her case to Jesus? Where in your life today is that same courage calling you to speak out? What could you do this week to take steps in that direction?
Morning Prayer
Holy God, I thank you for another day, whether it brings the sort of happiness for which I always hope or the challenges I sometimes fear. Each day in your presence allows me to notice the marvels of creation that surround me. Help me to see them today and to move gracefully from one hour to the next, in the name of your holy and miraculous ways. Amen.
Evening Prayer
Giver of all good things, you have been at my side, beneath, above, and within me all day long, and I thank you for your presence. I thank you as I grow weary for you have given me a place to lay my head. Watch over all who sleep this night, especially those who have no shelter. Guard them and keep all your people in safety, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Daily Prayer
God of love, you show your people how to be truly rich in faith, through the gifts you give when least hoped for or expected. Come to your people today with words of both judgment and mercy, that we may be fed from the bread of life. We pray this in your holy triune name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, Mother of us all. Amen.
Scripture readings next week
Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 116:1-9; James 3:1-12; Mark 8:27-38
730 O for a World
O for a world where everyone respects each others ways, where love is lived and all is done with justice and with praise.
O for a world where goods are shared and misery relieved, where truth is spoken, children spared, equality achieved.
We welcome one world family and struggle with each choice that opens us to unity and gives our vision voice.
The poor and rich, the weak are strong, the foolish ones are wise. Tell all who mourn: outcasts belong, who perishes will rise.
O for a world preparing for God’s glorious reign of peace, where time and tears will be no more, and all but love will cease.
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
374 Oh for a 1000 tongues
Oh for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of God’s grace.
Jesus, the name that charms our fears, And bids our sorrows cease—
‘tis music in the sinner’s ears, ‘tis life and health and peace.
He speaks, and listening to his voice New life the dead receive;
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice; The humble poor believe.
Hear him, you deaf; you voiceless ones, Your tongues again employ;
You blind, behold your Saviour comes, And leap, you lame, for joy.
My gracious Master and my God, Assist me to proclaim,
And spread through all the earth abroad The honours of thy name.
642 O Master, let me walk with thee
O Master, let me walk with thee in lowly paths of service free;
tell me thy secret; help me bear the strain of toil, the fret of care.
Help me the slow of heart to move by some clear winning word of love;
teach me the wayward feet to stay, and guide them in the homeward way.
Teach me thy patience; still with thee in closer, dearer company,
in work that keeps faith sweet and strong, in trust that triumphs over wrong,
in hope that sends a shining ray far down the future’s broadening way,
in peace that only thou canst give, with thee, O Master, let me live.
696 In suffering love
In suffering love the thread of life Is woven through our care,
For God is with us: not alone Our pain and toil we bear.
There is a rock, a place secure Within the storm’s cold blast;
Concealed within the suffering night God’s covenant stands fast.
In love’s deep womb our fears are held; There God’s rich tears are sown
And bring to birth, in hope new-born, The strength to journey on.
Lord, to our hearts your joy commit, Into our hands your pain,
So send us out to touch the world With blessings in your name.
In suffering love our God comes now, Hope’s vision born in gloom;
With tears and laughter shared and blessed The desert yet will bloom.
[1] https://rssb.org/2014-03-08.html adapted from P. Hemenway, The Little Book of Eastern Wisdom
[2] John 9:14; Luke 24:31; Acts 9:17