The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

JESUS, LIVING BREAD, RENEWING OUR HUNGRY WORLD

Pentecost begins with a rush–the rushing, life-giving wind of God’s Spirit. We also remember that Sunday is  a day of rest. Rest is not meant to emphasize relaxation as much as it does renewal. The Church year season of Pentecost recognizes that God’s Spirit breathes into us life-giving re-creation. The readings for these months of Summer worship focus on who we are in Christ, what is the nature of faith, what is  the living out of this faith, what the life of following Jesus is all  about.  The Bread of Life, like the manna in the wilderness, and like the bread on the Lord’s table, declares how near and involved our God actually is in our daily lives.  Through Christ’s word and Spirit we have refreshment and renewal.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

WE REMEMBER OUR BAPTISMS, CONFESS OUR FAITHLESSNESS, 

AND HEAR GOD’S FAITHFUL PROMISE OF FORGIVENESS

Pastor:  Blessed be the holy Trinity:

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

who forgives all our sin,

whose mercy endures forever.

People:  Amen. 

Pastor: God of all mercy and consolation,

come to the aid of your people,

turning us from sin

to live for you alone.

Give us the power of your Holy Spirit

that, attentive to your Word,

we may confess our sins,

receive your forgiveness,

bear with one another in love,

maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,

and grow into the fullness of your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord. 

People: Amen. 

Pastor: Let us confess our sin in the

presence of God and of one another.  Reconciling God,                                                                                    People: you seek peace and unity among us,                                                           but too often we choose walls of isolation.                                     You seek to be one with your creation,                                             but we turn away your loving Spirit.                                                  In your forgiving love,                                                                         break down the barriers we create,                                                    that we might see more clearly your love for us,                                         be reconciled with our neighbour,                                                      and trust more deeply your promise of eternal life.  Amen.

Pastor: We who once were far off

have been brought near to God

through the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,

and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

May our all-loving God through the Holy Spirit

grant you grace to forgive one another

as God in Christ has forgiven you.  

People: Amen.

HOLDEN EVENING PRAYER

[click on the link below]

Listen through the Magnificat.  It ends at 10:40

PRAYER OF THE DAY        

O God, from you come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works.  Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments; and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. 

First Reading

2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19

David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim. They carried the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart with the ark of God; and Ahio went in front of the ark. David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 

It was told King David, ‘The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.’ So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing; and when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 

As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. 

They brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt-offerings and offerings of well-being before the Lord. When David had finished offering the burnt-offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts, and distributed food among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people went back to their homes. 

Second Reading                                                                                              Ephesians 1:3-14                                                                                                        

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory. 

Gospel Reading                                                                                         Mark 6:14-29                                                                                                                           King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, ‘John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’ 

For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’ Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb. 

SERMON

[click on the link below]

HYMN OF THE DAY

“Let Streams of Living Justice Flow”

[click on the link below]

Let streams of living justice flow down upon the earth. 

Give freedom’s light to captives; let all the poor have worth. 

The hungry’s hands are pleading; the workers claim their rights, 

The mourners long for laughter, the blinded seek for sight. 

Make liberty a beacon, strike down the iron power. 

Abolish ancient vengeance. Proclaim your people’s hour. 

For healing of the nations, for peace that will not end. 

For love that makes us lovers, God grant us grace to mend. 

Weave our varied gifts together: knit our lives as they are spun. 

On your loom of time enroll us till the thread of life is run. 

O great Weaver of our fabric, bind church and world in one. 

Dye our texture with your radiance, light our colours with your sun. 

Your city’s built to music: we are the stones you seek. 

Your harmony is language. We are the words you speak. 

Our faith we find in service, our hope in other’s dreams. 

Our love in hand of neighbour. Our homeland brightly gleams. 

Inscribe our hearts with justice, your way – the path untried: 

Your truth – the heart of stranger, your life – the Crucified.

TODAY IN OUR PRAYERS

Bill, Carol, Curtis, and Christine Buchkowsky, Teri Peterson and baby Maverick Gallant, Wayne Turner, Janet Gregory, Jody Giesbrecht, Marge McMillan, Kyrie Parimi, John Beaven, Doris Turner, Hilda Anderson, Linda Wolfe, Naomi, Joan Schock, Bev Gregory, Dale Robinson, Bryan Matschke, Ursula Coakwell, Evelyn Robson, Audrey Hedlin, Liz Sand, Robin Stamm and baby Constantine, Mona Neher, Pat Sarich, Carl Rausch, Joanne, Bill, and Jocelyn Adams, Oma Bar, the family of Lyle Sand, the family of Marguerite Sanders (Don Sander’s sister), the family of Norm Gregory, the family of Sophie Kobrynsky (Paul Slusar’s sister), the family of Mary Anderson (Evelyn Robson’s mother), the family of Steve Slusar (Paul Slusar’s brother), the family of Joel Zimmerman.

We remember the missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada, the 215 children buried at the Kamloops residential school, the 751 unmarked graves on Cowessess First Nation, the 182 unmarked graves at the Cranbrook residential school, and all those who have suffered the trauma of residential schools, the people of Syria, Iraq, Iran, Ukraine, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Venezuela, Somalia, Libya, Hong Kong, the Palestinians and Israelis, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Belarus, the Rohingya Muslim refugees and the ethnic Karen of Myanmar, all at the Mexico/United States border seeking refuge, the people of Haiti suffering from natural and political disasters, the people in the path of tropical storm Elsa, those in the Western United States and Canada suffering from heatwave, draught, and wildfires and those in Lytton devastated by wildfire, the families and victims of the condo collapse in Florida, those in the United States, Canada, and throughout the world caught up in racism and injustice and the resulting violence and especially the Muslim family in London ON, and those throughout the world, in Canada, in our province, and in our community still threatened by the coronavirus.

Petitioner:  God of hope, we remember the 215 children buried at the Kamloops residential school, the 751 unmarked graves on Cowessess First Nation, the 182 unmarked graves at the Cranbrook residential school, and all First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people who desire peace, wholeness, dignity, and justice but experience conflict, abuse, injustice, loss, and grief.  Send your Creator Spirit of comfort and hope in the midst of fear, anxiety, and sorrow.  Be with all who feel despised and vulnerable and live daily with harm and injustice.  Help us to face the truth with repentance and work for reconciliation with grace.  Come, Holy Spirit… Hear us, O God of life…

HOLDEN EVENING PRAYER

[click on the link below]

Begin listening at 10:40, The Prayers

CLOSING HYMN

“God of Grace and God of Glory”

[click on the link below]

God of grace and God of glory, 

on thy people pour thy power; 

crown the ancient church’s story; 

bring its bud to glorious flower. 

Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, 

for the facing of this hour, 

for the facing of this hour. 

Lo! the hosts of evil round us, 

scorn thy Christ, assail his ways! 

From the fears that long have bound us, 

free our hearts to love and praise. 

Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, 

for the living of these days, 

for the living of these days. 

Cure thy children’s warring madness, 

bend our pride to thy control; 

shame our wanton, selfish gladness, 

rich in things and poor in soul. 

Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, 

lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal, 

lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal. 

Save us from weak resignation 

to the evils we deplore; 

let the search for thy salvation 

be our glory evermore. 

Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, 

serving thee whom we adore, 

serving thee whom we adore.

DISMISSAL

Pastor: Go in peace, renewed with Christ’s Spirit to love and to serve.

People: Thanks be to God.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Because COVID cases as well as the distribution of vaccinations continues throughout Saskatoon and the province, King of Glory’s Church Council at its June meeting unanimously passed a motion that we hold in-person worship services—following the provincial protocols recommended—on the first and third Sundays in July and August at our regular time 6:30 p.m.  On other Sundays the services will be on-line and posted on our website.  Of course, should there be any significant changes with regard to the pandemic situation the Church Council will revisit the issue.

COMING UP AT KOG   

Sunday, July 11, King of Glory online Worship service.

Sunday, July 18 , King of Glory in person Worship service, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 21, Church Council meeting via Zoom, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 25, King of Glory online Worship service.

Sunday, August 1 , King of Glory in person Worship service, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, August 8, King of Glory online Worship service.

Sunday, August 15, King of Glory in person Worship service, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday,August 15, King of Glory Annual General Meeting after the service.

Sunday, August 22, King of Glory online Worship service.

Sunday, August 29, King of Glory online Worship service.

May, June, and Year-to-Date Budget and Contribution Report for KOG

2020 Budget:  $49,536       Monthly Budget:  $4,180.50     Weekly Budget:  $964.73

2021income/expenses: -$1358.67

May income/expenses: -$809.48

Contributions from June 20 through July 4: $1365

Offerings.  

Even though we are not meeting together we still have expenses and need your offerings so that we can pay them.  Church Council has decided that best way to receive your offerings is that you mail a cheque (Please no cash for mail security reasons) to the church and we can process them from there.

Send your contributions to:  King of Glory Lutheran Church

    3318 Merritt Street

    Saskatoon, SK  S7M 3P6

Thank you for your generosity.

King of Glory is once again supporting On Eagle’s Wings and their Summer Bible Camps in the North with monies for supplies for the program. A collection basket for free will offerings to buy supplies will be on the back table. We will gather all monies during the in person worship services on July 4 and 18 and August 1 and 15. So far $490 has been contributed.  Thank you for your generosity.

The website  for all seven ELCIC congregations in Saskatoon is now up and the address is https://saskatoonelcic.com/   It will be used now mainly for sharing information during the pandemic and posting services from the various churches.

Co-Treasurer position for King of Glory 

King of Glory is looking for a co-treasurer primarily responsible for documenting and filling out the forms for the province, the Canada Revenue Agency and the ELCiC.  They will work with Pat Sarich whose primary responsibility is oversight of the budget and the bookkeeping with respect of receipts and expenditures.  Please contact Pastor Michael about this position.

Checklist and Guidelines for Re-opening Worship Services

[For July 11]

Disinfect/sanitize worship space and entrance etc before the service

One person preps worship materials and conducts seating [pastor]

Pre-screening and Registration of attendees (if tracing is necessary)

Seating chart with six feet distancing (if tracing is necessary) recommended

No sharing of pencils, pens, etc.

No serving of food or beverages

Try not to use the washrooms

Open doors and windows if possible

Use/wear face masks, but you may sing quietly recommended

Hand sanitizer available

No physical contact (e.g. sharing of the peace, no passing of offering plate)

Communion procedure: distribution in a way that maintains physical distancing

Disinfect/sanitize worship space and entrance etc after the service