The Fifteenth 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

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Listen through the Magnificat.  It ends at 10:40

PRAYER OF THE DAY        

Gracious God, throughout the ages you transform sickness into health and death into life.  Open us to the power of your presence, and make us a people ready to proclaim your promises to the whole world, through Jesus Christ, our healer and Lord. Amen. 

First Reading

Proverbs 22:1-2,8-9,22-23

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
   and favour is better than silver or gold.
The rich and the poor have this in common:
   the Lord is the maker of them all.
Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
   and the rod of anger will fail.
Those who are generous are blessed,
   for they share their bread with the poor.
Do not rob the poor because they are poor,
   or crush the afflicted at the gate;
for the Lord pleads their cause
   and despoils of life those who despoil them. 

Second Reading                                                                                              James 2:1-17                                                                                                        

My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favouritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Have a seat here, please’, while to the one who is poor you say, ‘Stand there’, or, ‘Sit at my feet’, have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonoured the poor. Is it not

the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you? 

You do well if you really fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For the one who said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’, also said, ‘You shall not murder.’ Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgement will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgement. 

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. 

Gospel Reading                                                                                                Mark 7:24-37                                                                                                                              From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, ‘Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ But she answered him, ‘Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ Then he said to her, ‘For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.’ So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. 

Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.’ 

SERMON

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HYMN OF THE DAY

“Oh, That the Lord Would Guide My Ways”

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Oh, that the Lord would guide my ways

to keep his statutes still!

Oh, that my God would grant me grace

to know and do his will!

Order my footsteps by your word

and make my heart sincere;

let sin have no dominion, Lord,

but keep my conscience clear.

Assist my soul, too apt to stray,

a stricter watch to keep;

and should I e’er forget your way,

restore your wandering sheep.

Make me to walk in your commands,

‘tis a delightful road;

nor let my head or heart or hands

offend against my God.

TODAY IN OUR PRAYERS

Bill, Carol, Curtis, and Christine Buchkowsky, Teri Peterson and baby Maverick Gallant, Wayne Turner, Janet Gregory, Marge McMillan, Kyrie Parimi, John Beaven, Doris Turner, Hilda Anderson, Linda Wolfe, Naomi, Bev Gregory, Dale Robinson, Bryan Matschke, Audrey Hedlin, Liz Sand, Robin Stamm and baby Constantine, Mona Neher, Carl Rausch, Joanne, Bill, and Jocelyn Adams, Oma Ywo, 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, the more than 160 unmarked graves at Kuper (Penelakut) Island 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, Myanmar, Belarus, Tunisia, 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 earthquake, hurricane, and political disasters, all those caught in the path of tropical storm Fred and hurricanes Grace and Ida, those in the Western United States and Canada, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Algeria, and France suffering from heatwave, draught, and wildfires and those in Lytton devastated by wildfire, the people in western Europe, Turkey, China, and Bangladesh at risk from floods, those in the United States, Canada, and throughout the world caught up in racism and injustice and the resulting violence, 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, the more than 160 unmarked graves at Kuper (Penelakut) Island 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

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Begin listening at 10:40, The Prayers

CLOSING HYMN

“Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name”

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Savior, again to your dear name we raise

with one accord our parting hymn of praise;

once more we bless you ere our worship cease,

then, lowly bending, wait your word of peace.

Grant us your peace upon our homeward way;

with you began, with you shall end the day;

guard all the lips from sin, the hearts from shame,

that in this house have called upon your name.

Grant us your peace, Lord, through the coming night;

for us transform its darkness into light.

Keep us from harm and danger till the dawn;

your evening presence promise to your own.

Grant us your peace throughout our earthly life,

our balm in sorrow, and our stay in strife;

then, when your voice shall bid our conflict cease,

call us, O Lord, to your eternal peace. 

DISMISSAL 

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

People: Thanks be to God.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Beginning the first Sunday in September, September 5, King of Glory will hold our regular in-person worship services—following the provincial protocols recommended—on a weekly basis at the regular time 6:30 p.m.  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, September 5, King of Glory in person Worship service, 6:30 p.m.
• Sunday, September 12, King of Glory in person Worship service, 6:30 p.m.

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

2021 Budget:  $49,536       Monthly Budget:  $4,180.50     Weekly Budget:  $964.73

2021income/expenses: $2,380.19

July income/expenses: $627.10

Contributions from July 18 through August 15: $1,645

Thank you to everyone for supporting On Eagle’s Wings and their Summer Bible Camps in the North with monies for supplies for the program.  $1052 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.

CLWR invites you to pray for the people of Haiti, and to consider making a gift as we join leading Canadian aid agencies – through the Humanitarian Coalition – in launching an appeal to raise funds and rush emergency assistance to those affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti. With numbers expected to rise, it is so far reported that more than 1,400 people were killed and over 6,000 injured by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that devastated parts of the country on Saturday. Hundreds are still missing, thousands of families have lost their homes and schools, bridges and other vital infrastructure were destroyed. Rescue efforts are being further hampered by tropical storm Grace, all at a time when the country is already grappling with acute poverty and food insecurity, political unrest and COVID-19.  In response to this disaster, CLWR’s partners on the ground are already responding by helping ensure emergency shelter, sanitation, hygiene and trauma care for those affected. Please pray for those affected and for the partners and community members who are rushing to bring help and comfort. CLWR is accepting donations now on its website at clwr.org/Haiti. Donations can also be made by phoning our office at 1-800-661-2597 (Monday to Thursday, 9:00 – 16:00 CDT) or by mailing a cheque to 600-177 Lombard Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 0W5.

Checklist and Guidelines for Re-opening Worship Services

Disinfect/sanitize worship space and entrance etc before the service

One person preps worship materials [pastor]

Six feet distancing  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