The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

 Gathered In To Be Called Out

Pentecost begins with a rush–the rushing, life-giving wind of God’s Spirit. Now the latter part of the season of Pentecost centers on the lush green of growth and glorious yellow of harvest. We are constantly reminded that God has inexorably linked the experience of grace to the life and work of human beings.  It is ordinary for the community of faith to be about the work of God’s reign.  It is extraordinary that this labor bears the very power of the cross and resurrection.  This part of the Pentecost season pushes us to see our work as sacramental, an incarnational expression of Christ’s own life, death, and resurrection.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

We remember our baptisms, confess our faithlessness, 

and hear God’s faithful promise of forgiveness

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

Pastor: Before God, our rock, our refuge, and our dwelling place,

let us confess our sin.

Silence for reflection and self-examination.

Most Holy and Most Merciful God,

People: you know our failings better than we do.

Some of our sins we know —

the thoughts and words and deeds

against our sisters and brothers.

We are more ready to be forgiven than to forgive others.

Turn us again toward you and toward others.

Guide us again to the water of life,

and renew in us the grace of baptism,

that we may live for you and die in you,

for the sake and in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

Pastor: You are all children of God.

In the mercy of almighty God,

Jesus Christ was given to die for you,

and through Christ God forgives you all your sin.

With all the faithful in heaven and on earth,

rejoice and be glad,

your sins are forgiven!

People: Amen.

GATHERING

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S CALL WITH PRAISE AND PRAYER,
AND PREPARE TO HEAR GOD’S WORD OF LIFE

GREETING

Pastor: The grace given to us in Christ Jesus,                                                                          the rich presence of the Holy Spirit living in us,                                                      and the power of God who calls us with a holy calling be with you all.

People: And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY        

Generous God, your Son gave his life that we might come to peace with you.  Give us a share of your Spirit, and in all we do empower us to bear the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.   Amen.

First Reading

Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22

So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. On the second day, as they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, ‘What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.’ Then Queen Esther answered, ‘If I have won your favour, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me—that is my petition—and the lives of my people—that is my request. For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have held my peace; but no enemy can compensate for this damage to the king.’ Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, ‘Who is he, and where is he, who has presumed to do this?’ Esther said, ‘A foe and enemy, this wicked Haman!’ Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen. Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, ‘Look, the very gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, stands at Haman’s house, fifty cubits high.’ And the king said, ‘Hang him on that.’ So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the anger of the king abated. 

Mordecai recorded these things, and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, enjoining them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same month, year by year, as the days on which the Jews gained relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and presents to the poor. 

Second Reading                                                                                              James 5:13-20                                                                                                        

Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest. 

My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. 

Gospel Reading                                                                                                Mark 9:38-50                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward. 

‘If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell., And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. 

‘For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.’ 

SERMON

[click on the link below]

HYMN OF THE DAY

“Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life”

NICENE CREED  (recited on festival Sundays)

Pastor: Let us confess our faith in the words of the Nicene Creed.

All: We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven;

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary 

and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

    in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

    and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son.

who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.

who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

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 Mary Anderson (Evelyn Robson’s mother), the family of Joel Zimmerman.

We remember the missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada, the children  and people buried in unmarked graves at residential schools and First Nation lands, 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, Ida, and Nicholas, the residents of La Palma threatened by volcanic eruption, those in the Western United States and Canada devastated by drought and wildfires especially those in Lytton B.C., 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.

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE OF FAITH

 [The congregational response after each petition is:“CAUSE YOUR FRUITS OF LOVE TO ABOUND.”]

Pastor:  With confidence in God’s saving grace, let us pray to the Lord of the Harvest for the Church, the world, and the needs of all people everywhere, saying, “God, in your goodness,” and responding, “Cause your fruits of love to abound.”

Petitioner:  Loving God, through the water of our baptism, the fire of your Spirit, and the salt of your Word, cleanse us, refine us, and season us.   Give us your Spirit to be a servant church that continues to follow where your cross leads, loving you above all, and loving our neighbours as ourselves.   God, in your goodness…

Petitioner:   Faithful God, transform our community into a place of welcome for those who feel shunned, marginalized, or abandoned.  Make us glad to receive those you send us and ready to receive their gifts. Send us forth to persist joyfully with greetings of grace and peace on our lips and to invite all whom you love to hear your word of forgiveness and to praise your boundless love.  God, in your goodness…

Petitioner:  Sustaining God, we pray for the land that is home to all your creatures, and for those who care for it:  farmers, ranchers, gardeners, foresters, ecologists, and all who help preserve the life of your creation.  Uphold farmers and field workers who harvest as nights grow longer and days get colder.  Use their labour to deliver sustenance to humans and animals. God, in your goodness…  

Pastor:   God of healing, we pray for those who live in fear, loneliness, or depression, for those who face constant pain or even death, for those broken by illness, and grief.  We remember especially before you ….  May the gift of your compassion and healing presence be with them always.  God, in your goodness…

Petitioner:  Christ of mission, we pray for your Spirit and the gifts of understanding and wisdom as we count our days together in this community.  Help us live well with one another, to care for those in need, to value the gifts of all people, to be a blessing to one another, choosing to live in faith and hope, knowing that all things are possible with you. Give us the faith and boldness to hear your word of forgiveness and to praise your boundless love.God, in your goodness…

Petitioner:  Good and gracious God, bring justice and peace to nations and communities torn by violence, and for all who live in constant fear and danger.  Lead the newly elected public servants and government officials to work on behalf all people, especially those who are refugees.  Send advocates to halls of justice and guide legislation that breaks the bonds of injustice. God, in your goodness…  

Petitioner:  God of hope, when we are empty, fill us.  When we are weak in faith, strengthen us.  When we are cold in love, warm us, that with fervor we may love our neighbours and serve them for the sake of the Gospel.  God, in your goodness …

Pastor:  Empowering God, your gracious Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.  Keep us in the faith, call, gather, and enlighten us with your Word, search our hearts and renew our lives to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our living Lord.

People:  Amen.

THE GREETING AND SHARING OF PEACE

Pastor: The peace of Christ be with you always.

People: And also with you.

(The congregation greets one another with a gesture of peace, using these or similar words:
“Christ’s peace be with you.”)

THE OFFERING

(We worship God with the offering of our selves, our time, our talents, and our possessions.)

OFFERTORY PRAYER

Pastor:: Let us pray.
God of harvest,

People: to your table we bring wine and bread,

and gifts from the labor of our hands.

Receive the offering of our lives,

and feed us with your living bread from heaven,

that our lives may proclaim your care for all creation,

and that we may serve others in your name;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Pastor: Let us pray with confidence in the words our Saviour gave us:

People: Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

  on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those

  who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and forever. Amen.

BENEDICTION

Pastor: Almighty God, 

who makes all things new in Jesus Christ,

uphold you by the Spirit in times of trial, 

and give you peace, now, and always.

People: Amen.

CLOSING HYMN

“The Spirit Sends Us Forth To Serve”

DISMISSAL 

Pastor: Go in peace.

Welcome others as Christ has welcomed you

People: Thanks be to God.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

TODAY AT KOG 

THIS WEEK AT KOG

COMING UP AT KOG

• – Sunday, October 3 will be the commemoration of St. Francis and blessing of pets and animals.  
• – Sunday October 10, KOG has an online worship service

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.

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

Weekly contributions for September:  September 5: $1,070  September 12: $570

September 19: $320

Sunday, October 3 will be the commemoration of St. Francis.  This has been a traditional time to bless pets and animals.  Francis had a spirit of gladness and gratitude for all of God’s creation.  This will be the focus of our worship this Sunday.  Bring your pets, pictures of your pets, stuffed animals, or even pictures of animals to visually remind us of the blessings of creation and to bless God, the Giver, and all creatures great and small, wild or tame.

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.

St. David’s Trinity United Church

CURBSIDE FALL TURKEY SUPPER 

Saturday, October 2nd,pick-up between 3:30- 5:00 p.m. at the church.

Absolutely NO TICKETS will be sold AFTER September 22nd.

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 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

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