Sunday, October 20, 2019

Proper Prayers for Pentecost 20 (RCL Proper 30C, 27 October 2019)

Proper Prayers for RCL Proper 30C

RCL Complementary Series

Jeremiah 14.7-10, 19-22 or Sirach 35.12-17; Psalm 84.1-7 (BAS 84.1-6);

2 Timothy 4.6-8, 16-18; Luke 18.9-14

RCL Semi-continuous Series

Joel 2.23-32; Psalm 65; 2 Timothy 4.6-8, 16-18; Luke 18.9-14

Collect of the Day

Lord God our redeemer, who heard the cry of your people and sent your servant Moses to lead them out of slavery, free us from the tyranny of sin and death, and by the leading of your Spirit bring us to our promised land; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. [1]

Holy God, our righteous judge, daily your mercy surprises us with everlasting forgiveness. Strengthen our hope in you, and grant that all the peoples of the earth may find their glory in you, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [2]

O God of salvation, we come to you in joy, for you have heard the prayers of the poor and raised up the lowly. Pour out your Spirit on young and old alike, so that our dreams and visions may bring justice and peace to the world. Amen. [3]

God beyond our knowing, we make you into an idol to serve our own needs. Humble our arrogance by the strangeness of your coming and the wonder of your mercy; through Jesus Christ, the friend of Pharisees and tax collectors. Amen. [3]

O God, who alone can probe the depths of the heart, you hear the prayer of the humble and justify the repentant sinner. As we stand before you, grant us the gift of humility, that/so that we may see our own sins clearly and refrain from judging our neighbour. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. [4]

O God, the strength of those who humbly confess their sin and place their hope in your, save us from vain displays of righteousness, and give us grace to keep faith with the true humility of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. [6]

Prayer over the Gifts

God of constant love, you have guided your people at all times and ages. May we who offer you our praise today always be ready to follow where you lead; we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [1]

Holy God, gracious and merciful, you bring forth food from the earth and nourish your whole creation. Turn our hearts toward those who hunger in any way, so that all may know your care; and prepare us now to feast on the bread of life, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [3]

God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever. You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine. Nourish us with these gifts, so that we might for the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [3]

Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts: our selves, our time and our possessions. Use us, and what we have gathered, in feeding the world with your love, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [3]

God of mercy and grace, the eyes of all wait upon you, and you open your hand in blessing. Fill us with good things at your table, so that we may come to the help of all in need, through Jesus Christ, our redeemer and Lord. Amen. [3]

Merciful God, as grains of wheat scattered upon the hills were gathered together to become one bread, so let your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom, for yours is the glory through Jesus Christ, now and for ever. Amen. [3]

Preface

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Saviour Jesus Christ; who on this day overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn. [2a]

Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; you are the source of light and life for all your creation, you made us in your own image, and call us to new life in Jesus Christ our Saviour. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices to proclaim the glory of your name. [1]

Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; we give you thanks and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, who on this first day of the week overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. In our unending joy we echo on earth the song of the angels in heaven as we raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name. [1]

Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; by water and the Holy Spirit you have made us a holy people in Jesus Christ our Lord; you renew that mystery in bread and wine and nourish us, to show forth your glory in all the world. Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the holy people who have served you in every age, we raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name. [1]

Prayer after Communion

God our guide, you have fed us with bread from heaven as you fed the people of Israel. May we who have been inwardly nourished be ready to follow you all our days; we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [1]

We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of this gift of life. In your mercy, strengthen us through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [3]

O God, we give you thanks that you have set before us this feast, the body and blood of your Son. By your Spirit strengthen us to serve all in need and to give ourselves away as bread for the hungry, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [3]

God of abundance, with this bread of life and cup of salvation you have united us with Christ, making us one with all your people. Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit, so that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue forever in the risen life of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. [3]

Gracious God, in this meal you have drawn us to your heart, and nourished us at your table with food and drink, the body and blood of Christ. Now send us forth to be your people in the world, and to proclaim your truth this day and evermore, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [3]

O God, our life, our strength, our food, we give you thanks for sustaining us with the body and blood of your Son. By your Holy Spirit, enliven us to be his body in the world, so that more and more we will give you praise and serve your earth and its many peoples, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [3]

Notes

[1] The Book of Alternative Services 1985

[2] Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006

[2a] Evangelical Lutheran Worship: Leaders Desk Edition 2006

[3] Alternative Collects for Years A, B & C of the RCL and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion 2019

[4] Opening Prayers: Collects in Contemporary Language 1997

[5] Prayers for an Inclusive Church 2009

[6] Revised Common Lectionary Prayers 2002

N.B. Text in italics are possible alternatives suggested by the Ven. Richard Geoffrey Leggett, Ph.D.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

We Are All Wandering Arameans: Reflections on Deuteronomy 26.1-11

We Are All Wandering Arameans

Reflections on Deuteronomy 26.1-11

RCL Thanksgiving C

13 October 2019

Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral

New Westminster BC

Click here to listen to the Sermon as preached at the 10.00 Eucharist.

Deuteronomy 26.1-11

^26.1 When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, ² you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. ³ You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, “Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” ⁴ When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, ⁵ you shall make this response before the Lord your God: “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. ⁶ When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, ⁷ we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. ⁸ The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; ⁹ and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁰ So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.” You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. ¹¹ Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.

I cannot remember when my father’s passion for genealogy first began, but I can say that it was a passion that consumed much of his time after he retired. Because of his working background in computer graphics, he was able to create complex digital family trees with thorough cataloguing references. His library grew with numerous books on the early history of New York State and our family ties to England and Wales. He was an active participant in several on-line chat groups and corresponded with people all over the world. He even engaged in an energetic on-line debate with another researcher about the origin of our family surname.

What he learned about our family has coloured how I understand where and whence I came from, what this may mean for me in the present and how it guides me into the future. I have learned that I am a descendant of forebears who came to North America almost four hundred years ago as political refugees and economic migrants. I have learned that my kin owned slaves in New York before the state finally abolished slavery in 1827 and that my kin fought to end slavery as a general serving with Sherman on his campaigns in the American South during the Civil War.

As much as I would like to remember my family’s history only in a heroic light, I’ve had to confront the shadow side. When Paula and I lived in South Bend, she worked in mortgage banking where she once helped a black family whose surname was ‘Leggett’. Since many freed slaves took the surnames of their former owners, it’s quite possible she might the descendants of one of my family’s former slaves known only to history as ‘You Boy’.

Family stories take on the form of a confession of faith. They not only describe who we are, but they tell something about what we believe about ourselves and what we hold valuable.

In today’s first reading from Deuteronomy we hear a family story being told, one that describes identity and the consequences of that identity. Even as the Israelites over the first-fruits of the bounty they have received from God’s hands, they recite their family history to set that offering in context. Whether they are wealthy or poor, whether they are influential or ignored, every Israelite is reminded that they are descendants of slaves who were freed not by their own hands but by the mighty works of God. Regardless of how much land they own, how well the crops have flourished, how high one may have risen in society, it is all the result of God’s free and incomprehensible promise to pay attention to these descendants of a small, nomadic tribe.

When they offer their first-fruits and remember their origins, they must also do something especially unusual in a society that placed the ownership of land as the chief definer of social status. The Israelites are to share their bounty with the Levites, the one tribe among the Israelites who received no allotment of land when the tribes settled in Canaan. The Israelites are to share their bounty with the aliens resident in their land, a reminder that the Israelites themselves were once aliens in the land of Egypt and subject to oppression and discrimination. The offering of first-fruits, this ancient thanksgiving ritual, is in aid of creating a community of justice, steadfast love and humility rather than self-interest, expediency and pride.

Our stories are more than tales told around the table to entertain and impress. We tell these stories because they remind us of who we have been, how we have come to this point in our history and what we hope for the future.

Underpinning all these stories is the realization that we have only come this far by the grace of God. God’s grace is the breath that sustains all that is, seen and unseen. God’s grace stirs every human being to unselfish acts of bravery and generosity even when we endure oppression, violence and any form of suffering. God’s grace stirs those who have much and enjoy privileges denied to others to work to ensure and to restore the dignity of human being and to share generously from the bounty entrusted to their stewardship. God’s grace stirs us to remember that all of us are or have been ‘wandering Arameans’ whose stories remind us of our solidarity with anyone who is bereft of status and an alien in our midst.

It is right and a good and joyful thing to celebrate feasts such as this Thanksgiving. Tell the stories of family and friends. Remember how God’s graciousness has accompanied our journeys, whether as individuals or families or circles of friends. And then, let us open the doors of our hearts, our souls, our minds and our bodies, so that “ . . . with the Levites and the aliens who reside among [us, celebrate] with all the bounty that the Lord [our] God has given to [us] and to [our] house.” [Deuteronomy 26.11]

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Proper Prayers for Thanksgiving Sunday (13 October 2019)

The following proper prayers, with the exception of the prayer from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, are based on the readings from the RCL and BAS lectionaries.

Proper Prayers for Thanksgiving Sunday C

RCL & BAS

Deuteronomy 26.1-11; Psalm 100; Philippians 4.4-9; John 6.25-35

ELW

Deuteronomy 26.1-11; Psalm 65; 2 Corinthians 9.6-15; Matthew 13.24-30 [36-43]

Collect of the Day

Creator of the fruitful earth, you made us stewards of all things. Give us grateful hearts for all your goodness, and steadfast wills to use your bounty well, that/so that the whole human family, today and in generations to come, may with us give thanks for the riches of your creation. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen. [1]

O Lord, maker of all things, you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living creature. We praise you for crowning the fields with your blessings and enabling us once more to gather in the fruits of the earth. Teach us to use your gifts carefully, that/so that our land may continue to yield its increase, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [2]

Creator God, you made the goodness of the land, the riches of the sea, and the rhythm of the seasons. As we thank you for the harvest, may we cherish and respect this planet and its peoples; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [3]

God, whose word is engrained in all we eat and drink: free us from the greed that destroys the roots of life; teach us to eat the living bread in whom all hungers are satisfied by the life that gives of itself and is never sapped, Jesus Christ, the living Word. Amen. [3]

Generous God, you brought us into the abundance of our inheritance. Grant us the faith to be people blossoming with honour and truth, so that we may produce bountifully the first-fruits of justice and compassion, which are pleasing in your sight; through Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen. [6]

Prayer over the Gifts

Source of all life, the heaven and earth are yours, yet you have given us dominion over/stewardship of all things. Receive the symbols of our labour and love which we offer you this day, n the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [1]

Preface

Prayer after Communion

God our hope, in this eucharist we find the source of all your blessings. Nourished in these holy mysteries may we, with our lives, give you continual thanks and praise. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [1]

Notes

[1] The Book of Alternative Services 1985

[2] Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006

[2a] Evangelical Lutheran Worship: Leaders Desk Edition 2006

[3] Alternative Collects for Years A, B & C of the RCL and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion 2019

[4] Opening Prayers: Collects in Contemporary Language 1997

[5] Prayers for an Inclusive Church 2009

[6] Revised Common Lectionary Prayers 2002

N.B. Text in italics are possible alternatives suggested by the Ven. Richard Geoffrey Leggett, Ph.D.

Proper Prayers for Pentecost 18 (RCL Proper 28C on 13 October 2019)

These prayers are for use on Sunday, 13 October 2019, if the congregation is not keeping Thanksgiving Sunday on this day.

Proper Prayers for RCL Proper 28C

RCL Complementary Series

2 Kings 5.1-3, 7-15c; Psalm 111; 2 Timothy 2.8-15; Luke 17.11-19

RCL Semi-continuous Series

Jeremiah 29.1, 4-7; Psalm 66.1-12; 2 Timothy 2.8-15; Luke 17.11-19

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, in our baptism you adopted us for your own. Quicken, we pray, your Spirit within us, that/so thatwe, being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. [1]

Almighty and most merciful God, your bountiful goodness fills all creation. Keep us safe from all that may hurt us, that/so that, whole and well in body and spirit, we may with grateful hearts accomplish all that you would have us do, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [2]

O God of hosts, in your love your people find healing. Grant that the pains of our journey may not obscure the presence of Christ among us, so that we may always give thanks for your healing power as we travel on the way. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [3]

God of the known and unknown, open us to those we would exclude and despise; heal and liberate us when we are outcast, so that we may learn to praise your name with hearts that are whole; through Jesus Christ, the Rejected One. Amen. [3]

O God, our life, our health, our salvation, look with mercy on your people. Stir up in us a saving faith, that/so that believing, we may be healed, and being healed, we may worthily give you thanks. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. [4]

Wholeness of the sick and Home of the exile, give us grace to seek the well-being of those among whom we live, so that all people may come to know the healing of your love and new voices join to give you thanks in Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. [6]

Prayer over the Gifts

God of constant love, in this eucharist you renew the covenant made once with us in baptism. As you are faithful in all things may we, in our offering, be faithful to our calling. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [1]

Preface

Prayer after Communion

Faithful God, in baptism and eucharist we are made one with you. May we who have shared in holy things always bear witness to your covenant, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [1]

Notes

[1] The Book of Alternative Services 1985

[2] Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006

[2a] Evangelical Lutheran Worship: Leaders Desk Edition 2006

[3] Alternative Collects for Years A, B & C of the RCL and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion 2019

[4] Opening Prayers: Collects in Contemporary Language 1997

[5] Prayers for an Inclusive Church 2009

[6] Revised Common Lectionary Prayers 2002

N.B. Text in italics are possible alternatives suggested by the Ven. Richard Geoffrey Leggett, Ph.D.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Proper Prayers for Pentecost 17 (RCL Proper 27C, 6 October 2019)

Proper Prayers for RCL Proper 27C

RCL Complementary Series

Habakkuk 1.1-4; 2.1-4; Psalm 37.1-9; 2 Timothy 1.1-14; Luke 17.5-10

RCL Semi-continuous Series

Lamentations 1.1-6; Lamentations 3.19-26 or Psalm 137; 2 Timothy 1.1-14; Luke 17.5-10

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, you have built your Church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. Join us together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that/so that we may become a holy temple, acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. [1]

Benevolent, merciful God: When we are empty, fill us. When we are weak in faith, strengthen us. When we are cold in love, warm us, that/so that with fervour we may love our neighbours and serve them for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [2]

Lord, help us to know ourselves and call us to answer and serve; through Jesus Christ, the Master of the Table. Amen. [3]

God, you weep with those who are oppressed, with those who are uprooted from their homeland and with those who are without shelter or security. Grant that your faithful love may reach out through us, so that your healing mercy may rise like the dawn. We ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen. [3]

God, the rock of our salvation, whose gifts can never fail, deepen the faith you have already bestowed and let its power be seen in your servants. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. [4]

God the refuge of wanderers and exiles, the mother and father of the homeless, you weep with those who are uprooted from their homeland, and you suffer with those who exist without shelter and security. Grant that your faithful love may reach out, and that your healing mercy rise like the dawn on all who are oppressed. We ask this through Jesus, your Son, who knew hardship and died outside the city wall. Amen. [6]

God of all the ages, you have revealed your grace in our Saviour, Jesus Christ. As we wait patiently on your mercies, strengthen us to live in your justice, that/so that with open hearts we may hear and accomplish your will, through Christ, who lights the way to life everlasting. Amen. [6]

Prayer over the Gifts

God of truth, receive all we offer you this day. Make us worthy servants, strong to follow in the pattern of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. [1]

Preface

Prayer after Communion

Almighty God, may we who have been strengthened by this eucharist remain in your steadfast love, and show in our lies the saving mystery that we celebrate. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen. [1]

Notes

[1] The Book of Alternative Services 1985

[2] Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006

[2a] Evangelical Lutheran Worship: Leaders Desk Edition 2006

[3] Alternative Collects for Years A, B & C of the RCL and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion 2019

[4] Opening Prayers: Collects in Contemporary Language 1997

[5] Prayers for an Inclusive Church 2009

[6] Revised Common Lectionary Prayers 2002

N.B. Text in italics are possible alternatives suggested by the Ven. Richard Geoffrey Leggett, Ph.D.