Year B - Proper 16 (21 Aug - 27 Aug)

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Year B - Proper 16 (21 Aug - 27 Aug)

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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

- - -

 

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

*

for the church, that all its members declare the message of the gospel with boldness

*

for the church, that all may hear and believe that Jesus is the Christ, the holy one of God

*

for world leaders who are Christians, that they may stand strong in the faith against the efforts of the evil one

*

for Christians in government in Australia, that they may live out their faith

*

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

*

that the influence of the occult may be curbed

*

for people trapped into believing that their own reasoning will get them into heaven

 

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

Built on a rock the Church doth stand* G4

248

Christ is made the sure foundation G6

249

Christ is our cornerstone G6

427

God of pity, God of grace* (3 vv mod) G6

434

Let all the world in every corner sing G7

457

Mighty God, we praise Thy name G6

503

We love the place, O God

899

O Lord, hear my prayer

AT

208

In the presence of your people

282

O Lord, hear my prayer

289

Thank you that you hear me

TIS

105

Let all the world in every corner sing

127

Holy God, we praise your name

432

Christ is made the sure foundation

433

Christ is our cornerstone

741

O Lord, hear my prayer

First reading (b): Joshua 24:1,2a, 14-18

LHS

300

Let me be Thine for ever*

588

O blest the house, whate'er befall* G6

AT

292

Because we bear your name

TIS

686

Lord Jesus, we belong to you

 

Second reading: Ephesians 6:10-20

LHS

137

Triune God, be Thou our stay G9

195

A mighty fortress is our God* G3

205

Soldiers of Christ, arise G5

206

Stand up, stand up for Jesus G6

207

Oft in danger, oft in woe

225

Soldiers of the cross, arise!

352

Fight the good fight with all thy might* G4

798

Eternal Ruler of the ceaseless round G6

AT

100

St Patrick's Prayer

101

As we step

410

Peace be with you

471

You can tell the Lord

TIS

103

A mighty fortress is our God

214

My heart is full of Christ and longs

478

I bind unto myself today

547

Be thou my vision

570

Soldiers of Christ, arise

592

Stand up, stand up for Jesus

594

Fight the good fight with all your might

642

This day God gives me

 

Gospel: John 6:56-69

LHS

175

Thou art the way; to Thee alone* G6

259

Speak, O Lord, Thy servant heareth* (tune 12, G4)

284

O living Bread from heaven* G6

290

O Bread of life from heaven* G3

371

O Jesus, I have promised G5

516

O Splendour of God's glory bright G8

838

I am the Bread of life GS

842

Praise the Lord, rise up rejoicing G3

AT

167

I am the Bread of life

183

Look beyond

270

Eat this bread

442

Alleluia! Where shall we go?

478

This is the body

498

We will take what you offer

TIS

266

Thou art the way: by thee alone

430

Your words to me are life and health

535

I am the Bread of life

595

O Jesus, I have promised

714

Eat this bread

 

'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)