VERSION: 8 May 2002
SUNDAY BETWEEN 21 AND 27 AUG (PROPER 16), YEAR B
In 2003: 11th Sunday after Pentecost, 24 Aug
In 2006: 12th Sunday after Pentecost, 27 Aug
In 2009: 12th Sunday after Pentecost, 23 Aug
In 2012: 13th Sunday after Pentecost, 26 Aug
In 2015: 13th Sunday after Pentecost, 23 Aug
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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.
Jesus said: 'It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless.
The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.'
(John 6:63 NRSV)
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
Almighty and eternal God,
grant that we may grow in faith, hope, and love;
and make us love what you command,
so that we may obtain what you promise;
through your Son,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
OR, modernised traditional
Almighty and eternal God,
help us to grow in faith, hope, and love.
Make us love what you command,
and give to us what you promise.
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 faith to follow Christ. [silence])
Almighty and merciful God,
your Son Jesus Christ
is the way, the truth, and the life.
Help us to follow him
and walk along the way
that leads to eternal life.
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 that we are strengthened for prayer. [silence])
Make us strong, almighty God,
to stand firm in your word
against all spiritual attacks,
so that we are equipped
to keep praying for your people.
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
1 Kings 8:(1,6,10,11)22-30,41-43 Solomon's prayer of dedication of the temple
Psalm 84
Antiphon:
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! (Ps 84:1 NRSV)
OR, 1b
Joshua 24:1,2a,14-18 Joshua affirms: We will serve the Lord
(After verse 2a, 'Joshua said to all the people', continue at verse 14 with 'Revere the Lord . . . ' (NRSV), 'Honour the Lord . . . ' (TEV), or 'Fear the Lord . . . ' (NIV))
Psalm 34:15-22
Antiphon:
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous. (Ps 34:15a NRSV)
SECOND READING
Ephesians 6:10-20 Put on God's armour
ALLELUIA VERSE (John 6:68 NRSV)
Note: Consider using the setting for this verse given in the Service—Alternative Form or the one in Setting One of Sing the Feast.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Lord, to whom can we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL
John 6:56-69 Jesus has the words of eternal life
(Begin: 'Jesus said:')
PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL
This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Thank you, Lord Jesus,
for your words that bring eternal life.
Help us to believe in you.
Amen.
OFFERING PRAYER
Thank you, loving God,
for the gift of eternal life
through your Son Jesus Christ.
Strengthen our faith in him.
Protect us through your love in Christ,
and help us to show that love to others.
Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Call to prayer
The psalmist says, 'When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.' Let us pray in the Spirit to the Lord who hears the prayers of his people.
The regular response, OR
Almighty God,
hear our prayer.
Suggested intercessions
*
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for the church, that all its members declare the message of the gospel with boldness
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*
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for the church, that all may hear and believe that Jesus is the Christ, the holy one of God
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*
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for world leaders who are Christians, that they may stand strong in the faith against the efforts of the evil one
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*
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for Christians in government in Australia, that they may live out their faith
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*
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that people may not be led astray by the deception of sects and religious movements that seek to draw people away from the truth in Christ
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*
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that the influence of the occult may be curbed
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*
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for people trapped into believing that their own reasoning will get them into heaven
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Concluding prayer
Loving heavenly Father, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. Hear our prayers, Lord, and grant them according to your grace and mercy; 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.
OR, the following invitation may be used:
This is the bread that came down from heaven;
the one who eats this bread will live forever.
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.
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,
thank you for the body and blood
of your Son Jesus Christ,
who is the way, the truth, and the life.
Help us to follow him
and walk along the way
that leads to eternal life.
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. Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
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): 1 Kings 8:(1,6,10,11)22-30,41-43
LHS
188
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Built on a rock the Church doth stand* G4
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248
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Christ is made the sure foundation G6
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249
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Christ is our cornerstone G6
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427
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God of pity, God of grace* (3 vv mod) G6
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434
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Let all the world in every corner sing G7
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457
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Mighty God, we praise Thy name G6
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503
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We love the place, O God
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899
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O Lord, hear my prayer
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AT
208
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In the presence of your people
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282
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O Lord, hear my prayer
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289
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Thank you that you hear me
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TIS
105
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Let all the world in every corner sing
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127
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Holy God, we praise your name
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432
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Christ is made the sure foundation
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433
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Christ is our cornerstone
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741
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O Lord, hear my prayer
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First reading (b): Joshua 24:1,2a, 14-18
LHS
300
|
Let me be Thine for ever*
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588
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O blest the house, whate'er befall* G6
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AT
292
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Because we bear your name
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TIS
686
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Lord Jesus, we belong to you
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Second reading: Ephesians 6:10-20
LHS
137
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Triune God, be Thou our stay G9
|
195
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A mighty fortress is our God* G3
|
205
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Soldiers of Christ, arise G5
|
206
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Stand up, stand up for Jesus G6
|
207
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Oft in danger, oft in woe
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225
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Soldiers of the cross, arise!
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352
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Fight the good fight with all thy might* G4
|
798
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Eternal Ruler of the ceaseless round G6
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AT
471
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You can tell the Lord
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TIS
103
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A mighty fortress is our God
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214
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My heart is full of Christ and longs
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478
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I bind unto myself today
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570
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Soldiers of Christ, arise
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592
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Stand up, stand up for Jesus
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594
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Fight the good fight with all your might
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642
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This day God gives me
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Gospel: John 6:56-69
LHS
175
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Thou art the way; to Thee alone* G6
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259
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Speak, O Lord, Thy servant heareth* (tune 12, G4)
|
284
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O living Bread from heaven* G6
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290
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O Bread of life from heaven* G3
|
371
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O Jesus, I have promised G5
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516
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O Splendour of God's glory bright G8
|
838
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I am the Bread of life GS
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842
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Praise the Lord, rise up rejoicing G3
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AT
167
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I am the Bread of life
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442
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Alleluia! Where shall we go?
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498
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We will take what you offer
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TIS
266
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Thou art the way: by thee alone
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430
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Your words to me are life and health
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535
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I am the Bread of life
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595
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O Jesus, I have promised
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'I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE'
The song 'I am the bread of life' is particularly suitable for the gospel. If possible, use the version in Together in Song (no. 535) because it has been put in inclusive language.
'EAT THIS BREAD'
See All Together Everybody no. 270 (TIS 714) for the Taize ostinato response: 'Eat this bread'. This response and the verses to be sung with it may be sung by a small choir during communion, and taught to the congregation over the weeks that John 6 is read.
IONA SONGS
The following songs from the Iona Community are suitable for today:
Volume 1: Heaven shall not wait
Lord, to whom shall we go? page 136 (gospel)
Volume 3: Love from below
Sing and be glad page 96 (reading 1a)
O taste and see page 112 (psalm and gospel)
PSALM 84
For musical settings of Psalm 84, see Music Packages 4, 6 and 9.
TIS 44, How lovely is your dwelling-place, is a paraphrase of Psalm 84:1-7,10-12. Or, the following paraphrase of Psalm 84 by David Sch¸tz may be sung to the tune Wie lieblich ists hienieden, LH 621. If reproducing this version, please put 'Words (c) David Sch¸tz' at the beginning or the end of the psalm.
How lovely is your dwelling,
O Lord of heav'nly hosts!
I long with deepest yearning
to stand inside its courts;
for there with all my being
I sing with joy to God.
The sparrow makes her nest there
and there she lays her young
in safety by your altar,
O Lord, my God and king.
How happy those who live there -
they never cease to sing.
You strengthen those who journey
to Zion, your abode;
your gentle rain refreshes
them on the desert road.
They long to see your face there -
O hear my prayer, O Lord.
We pray for your anointed,
our king, who shields us well.
One day within your temple,
if only at the door,
is worth a thousand elsewhere,
where sin and evil dwell.
You honour us with favour,
you are our sun and shield.
You keep no good thing from those
who joy to do your will.
O Lord of hosts, how happy
are those who trust in you.
PSALM 34:15-22
For musical settings of Psalm 34:15-22, see Music Package 6. See Music from Taize: Volume II for a verse of Psalm 34 to be sung to the ostinato response 'O Christe Domine Jesu'.
The following metrical version of Psalm 34:15-22 by David Sch¸tz may be sung to the tune Llanfair (LH 11, TIS 388) with alleluias, or to the tune Gott sei Dank (LH 221, TIS 450) without alleluias. If reproducing this version, please put 'Words (c) David Sch¸tz' at the beginning or the end of the psalm.
Our Lord keeps his eyes on us,
and his ears will hear our cry.
But he shuns those who do wrong,
and cuts off all thought of them.
He will mend the broken heart;
he will heal the battered soul.
Though the righteous suffer much,
yet he rescues them from all.
He will guard his righteous ones,
not one of their bones will break.
Sin will reap the wage of death;
those who hate the good are doomed.
But he pays the ransom price,
for the lives of all his saints.
All whose refuge is in him
shall not ever be condemned.
NOTES ON THE READINGS
See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Notes on the readings', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.
JOSHUA 24:1,2,14-18: As Joshua's days were coming to an end, he gathered the people of Israel together at Shechem which was the location of the tabernacle worship. They had just entered the promised land under his leadership. His call to renew the covenant which God had made at Mount Sinai was in the light of his experience of their tendency to glibness in their profession of loyalty to the Lord. Joshua reminded them that the Lord stipulates absolute and exclusive loyalty. His demand that they 'choose' whom they will serve was in order to emphasise the overwhelming presence of idol worship among their neighbours. He therefore called on the people to serve only the Lord by a freely worked out and strongly resolved decision.
EPHESIANS 6:10-20: Just as the Israelites were surrounded by temptation from neighbouring nations, so Christians are threatened by powerful and real enemies in Satan's spiritual realm and from the surrounding unbelieving world. The weapons of defence, pictured as the various components of a soldier's armour, all stem from God and his gift of salvation: truth, righteousness, the message of the gospel, faith, salvation, and the word of God. Prayers for personal strength and for the successful outreach of the gospel are also of prime importance.
JOHN 6:56-59: Eating 'me' (v 57) (ie eating and drinking Jesus' 'flesh' and 'blood') denotes a personal union with the one who had come down from the Father and from heaven. Not only the Jews, but also some of the wider group of Jesus' disciples could not believe that, and so drew back from following him. Jesus had foreseen this from the time of his very first miracle. He said that even if some people saw him ascending into heaven they would still not believe. Jesus' question to the disciples, and Peter's solid answer, show how vital trusting faith in Jesus' exclusive teaching of eternal life is to being saved
VISUAL
VISUALS FOR THE READINGS
Pictures or visual symbols could be displayed on banners or the overhead screen during the readings. For instance, reading 1a from 1 Kings could be accompanied by a picture of the temple, and the second reading from Ephesians 6 by a picture of armour, particularly a shield with a cross on it.
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 1 Kings could be read by two readers: narrator and Solomon; reading 1b from Joshua could be read by three readers: narrator, Joshua, one of the people; and the gospel could be read by three readers: narrator (the pastor), Jesus, a disciple.
CHILDREN
CHILDREN AND THE ARMOUR OF FAITH
Children could make or be shown or be given a cardboard shield with a cross on it, and be told its meaning.
'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 note that a new edition of this material is now available for the Revised Common Lectionary.
This week's story is 'David and Goliath'. Material for this story may be found in
Original Edition, Series B, Semester 2 (Pentecost 15)
OR
Revised RCL Edition, Series B, Semester 2 (Proper 16)
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