Year B - Proper 11 (17 July - 23 July)

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VERSION: 8 May 2002

SUNDAY BETWEEN 17 AND 23 JULY (PROPER 11), YEAR B

In 2003: 6th Sunday after Pentecost, 20 July

In 2006: 7th Sunday after Pentecost, 23 July

In 2009: 7th Sunday after Pentecost, 19 July

In 2012: 8th Sunday after Pentecost, 22 July

In 2015: 8th Sunday after Pentecost, 19 July

- - -

Note: For explanations and suggestions on the various resources provided, see the documents 'General notes and resources' and 'Time after Pentecost' in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

LITURGY

SENTENCE

See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder for suggestions on using a Sentence.

You who once were far off

have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

He is our peace;

in his flesh he has broken down the dividing wall.

(Eph 2:13,14 NRSV alt)

OR

Christ came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off

and peace to those who were near;

for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. (Eph 2:17,18 NRSV)

OR

Jesus saw the great crowd; and he had compassion for them,

because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

(Mark 6:34 NRSV alt)

OR, use one of the general Sentences in the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

PRAYER OF THE DAY (COLLECT)

Traditional

Grant us, Lord,

the spirit to think and do always what is right,

so that we,

who cannot do anything that is good without you,

may by you be enabled to live according to your will;

through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, modernised raditional

Guide us, Lord,

to think and do always what is right.

Enable us, who cannot exist without you,

to live according to your will.

We ask this through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, alternative

(Let us pray for the spread of the gospel. [silence])

Almighty and merciful God,

you have made your loving purpose known to us

through the good news of your salvation in Christ.

Make us faithful witnesses to the truth,

so that those who hear may believe

and be united with all the saints in glory.

We ask this through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, new

(Let us pray for guidance. [silence])

Loving God,

we thank you

that you lead us like a good shepherd,

caring for your sheep.

Let us hear your voice,

and guide us in safety

along your right path.

We ask this through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

FIRST READING AND PSALM

Note: There are two sets of first readings (with accompanying Psalms) given for the Sundays after Pentecost: (a) a new semi-continuous set, and (b) a set related thematically to the gospels (as in the earlier form of the lectionary). It is intended that either one of these two sets be used throughout and that they not be mixed.

1a

2 Samuel 7:1-14a God's promise to David

(If using NRSV or NIV, put 'King David' in verse 1 instead of 'the king')

Psalm 89:20-37

Antiphon:

I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever. (Ps 89:1a NRSV)

OR, 1b

Jeremiah 23:1-6 The Lord will gather his people

Psalm 23

Antiphon:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not (be in) want.

(Ps 23:1a NIV (or NRSV))

SECOND READING

Ephesians 2:11-22 We are all one in Christ

ALLELUIA VERSE (John 10:27)

Alleluia, alleluia.

(Jesus said:) 'My sheep hear my voice.

I know them, and they follow me.'

Alleluia.

GOSPEL

Mark 6:30-34,53-56 Jesus has compassion on the crowd

PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Lord Jesus, thank you for having mercy

and feeding and healing us.

Help us to trust in you, and make us well.

Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER

Thank you, Lord God,

that you have called us into the flock of Jesus.

Make us like our good Shepherd,

so that we have compassion on people,

helping them in their needs

and leading them to Jesus.

Use us and our possessions

in your service.

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Call to prayer

Our God cares for his people and sends shepherds to feed, protect, guide, and nurture them. Our good Shepherd Jesus Christ knows each of us by name. Let us pray to our Father who is always with us.

The regular response, OR:

O God of peace,

hear our prayer.

Suggested intercessions

Concluding prayer

Merciful God, as your Son heard the cries of the people for him to heal them, hear our prayers according to your grace so that your glory may be known throughout the world. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

PREFACE

It is indeed right and good,

Lord God, holy Father,

that we should at all times and in all places

give thanks to you,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

(On this day)*

he overcame death by his resurrection

and opened up for us

the way to eternal life with you.

And so, with angels and archangels,

and with all the company of heaven,

we adore and praise your glorious name:

* The words 'on this day' are used only on Sundays.

COMMUNION INVITATION

For a choice of communion invitations, see the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Communion invitation', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

See the service order for a standard post-communion prayer. Alternatively, use the third prayer of the day (as listed above) at this point. It may be modified as follows.

Almighty and merciful God,

you have made your loving presence known to us

in the sacrament of holy communion.

Make us faithful witnesses to the truth,

so that those who hear may believe

and be united with all the saints in glory.

We ask this through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

DISMISSAL

Go in peace as fellow members of God's family.

Thanks be to God. OR In the name of Christ. Amen.

HYMNS AND SONGS

FOR THE READINGS

Please note:        * =        Modernised version available

      G3, G4 . . . =        Guitar chords available in the Music Package 3, 4 . . .

      GS =        Guitar chords in the Supplement to LH

First reading (a): 2 Samuel 7:1-14a

LHS

AT

TIS

First reading (b): Jeremiah 23:1-6

LHS

AT

TIS

Second reading: Ephesians 2:11-22

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel: Mark 6:30-34,53-56

LHS

AT

TIS

PSALM 89:20-37

For musical settings of Psalm 89:20-37, see Music Package 6. There is also a version of Psalm 89 at ATA 152 by Karen Barrie.

The following paraphrase of Psalm 89:20-37 by David Sch¸tz may be sung to the tune Yorkshire, LH 625 / Stockport, TIS 306. If reproducing this version, please put 'Words (c) David Sch¸tz' at the beginning or the end of the psalm.

'I've chosen David - he will be your king -

and with my holy oil anointed him.

My hand will give him help in all his ways,

my arm will give him strength through all his days.

He shall not be defeated by his foes,

for I will strike down those who hate his reign.

'My faithfulness and love will be with him,

and he will be exalted in my name.

He'll rule the land from river to the sea.

"You are my Father, God", he'll cry to me!'

I will appoint him as my firstborn son;

to reign supreme among the kings of earth.

I'll always keep him in my steadfast love,

my covenant with him will always stand.

I will make sure his dynasty will last,

his throne will last as long as heaven endures.

I will not break my covenant with him,

or change one word my lips have sworn to him.

But if his children do not keep my law

and do not walk the path of righteousness,

then I will punish them for what they've done,

and chastise them according to their sin.

Still I will not remove my steadfast love,

or break my promise made in faithfulness.

Once and for all, upon my holiness,

I swear to David that I will not lie.

His dynasty forever shall endure,

his throne will shine before me like the sun.

It shall remain forever like the moon,

a lasting witness in the skies above.

PSALM 23

For musical settings of Psalm 23, see Music Packages 2, 3, 5, 6 and 8. Music from Taize: Volume II has a version of Psalm 23 that may be sung to the ostinato response 'O Christe Domine Jesu', on pages 42 and 43.

The following metrical versions of the psalm may be used:

The Lord's my shepherd (LHS 387*, TIS 10)

OR

The King of love my shepherd is (LHS 391*, TIS 145)

* Modernised version available

OR

My shepherd is the Lord (TIS 11)

OR

Geoff Strelan's song Psalm 23 in Praise for All Seasons no 62

OR

The Iona collection Psalms of Patience, Protest and Praise contains a metrical version of Psalm 23 that could be used on this day (page 12)

Note that the Iona Community is willing to allow a church or worship assembly to reproduce the words only of a song from these publications on a service sheet or overhead transperency that is to be used once only on a non-commercial basis, provided that the title of the song and the name of the copyright holder is clearly shown.

OR

David Sch¸tz's version sung to the tune 'Shalom, my friends' ATA 195.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,

Shalom, shalom.

He makes me lie down in green pasture land,

Shalom, shalom.

He leads me beside the slow-running streams,

Shalom, shalom.

My soul he restores; he leads me aright,

Shalom, shalom.

And though I should walk through death's valley dark,

Shalom, shalom,

there's nothing I fear, for you, Lord, are near,

Shalom, shalom.

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me,

Shalom, shalom.

You set me a place before all my foes,

Shalom, shalom.

My head you anoint, my cup overflows,

Shalom, shalom.

To me you always are loving and good,

Shalom, shalom,

My dwelling shall be the house of the Lord,

Shalom, shalom,

for all of my life, for all of my days,

Shalom, shalom.

NOTES ON THE READINGS

See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Notes on the readings', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

JEREMIAH 23:1-6: The term 'shepherds' here refers to the kings of Israel and the rulers. There had been a record of unbelieving and unrighteous leadership which had resulted in the people being 'scattered', 'driven away', 'not being attended to'. There could also be a reference here to a particular weak king, Zedekiah, whose name means 'The Lord is my righteousness'. Jeremiah prophesies that the Messiah whom God would one day send to restore and regather his people will be called 'the Lord is our righteousness'. Jesus Christ in his priestly and kingly roles has established his kingdom in which his own righteousness becomes ours through the shedding of his blood to cleanse from sin.

EPHESIANS 2:11-22: St Paul is writing to non-Jewish Christians who had become converts from paganism. There were some Jewish people, however, within the community of faith, which made for dissension because of cultural barriers. Paul here shows that in Christ there is only unity - not division. Jewish people had previously been kept from peace with God through their inability to keep their own Mosaic law. The previously Gentile members had been kept out through not having the covenant blessings given to the nation or Israel. Christ brought both groups into peace and unity with God through his reconciling and substitutionary death on the cross. Previous strangers and foreigners are now part of the spiritual building together with the former people of God. There is no separation between Christians, only unity in Christ - one holy and growing temple or house for God's dwelling.

MARK 6:30-34,53-56: While Jesus and the disciples were in genuine need of seclusion both for respite and for personal training, yet the invasive needs of the crowds evoked a response of compassion to answer those needs. The miracles of Jesus are treated by the gospel accounts as an attestation to the genuineness of his Messiahship. St Mark shows here, however, that Jesus saw the most important need as teaching. We need to recognise that his compassion today can never be divorced from the teaching which his church carries out in his name.

VISUAL

VISUALS FOR THE READINGS

Pictures or visual symbols could be displayed on banners or the overhead screen during the readings.

DRAMA

'MEGA DRAMA'

See a drama for the day in Mega Drama resources (Openbook Publishers), originally included in these worship resources when they were released on disks.

DRAMATISING THE READINGS

The readings can be read by more than one person to make the dramatic meaning of the text clearer. For instance, reading 1a from 2 Samuel could be read by four readers: narrator, King David, Nathan, and the Lord; and the gospel could be read by two readers: narrator (the pastor), and Jesus.

CHILDREN

'COME AND SEE JESUS'

The Come and See Jesus curriculum published by Openbook Publishers has a wealth of material and ideas that may be adapted for use in worship. Please notethat a new edition of this material is now available for the Revised Common Lectionary.

This week's story is 'The exiles return to Jerusalem'. Material for this story may be found in

Original Edition, Series B, Semester 2 (Pentecost 9)

OR

Revised RCL Edition, Series B, Semester 2 (Proper 11)