St. John the Baptist Anglican Church - Duncan | Anglican Church in Duncan, BC

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Pentecost 11

Guest Speaker

Sunday, August 8, 2021

Scripture

Playlist

Scriptures for Pentecost 11:

2 Samuel 18.5-9, 15, 31-33

Psalm 130

Ephesians 4.25-5.2

John 6.35, 41-51

As we gather, we recognize that we live, work and play in the traditional lands of the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People. We continue to commit ourselves to the work of reconciliation and relationship-building with our First Nations neighbours.

Welcome.

I am the living bread which came down from heaven, says the Lord; anyone who eats this bread will live for ever. John 6.51

O come let us worship.

Opening Hymn:

This is the Day

Copyright Protected. Unable to post lyrics.

Gathering:

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

And also, with you.

Almighty God,

to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden.

Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Collect of the Day:

Almighty God,

You sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your Church.

Open our hearts to the riches of your grace, that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love, joy, and peace;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The Proclamation of the Word

1st Reading:

2 Samuel 18.5-9, 15, 31-33

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 130

Out of the depths have I called you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice; * let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.

If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss, * O Lord, who could stand?

For there is forgiveness with you; * therefore you shall be feared.

I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; * in his word is my hope.

My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, * more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, wait for the Lord, * for with the Lord there is mercy;

With him there is plenteous redemption, * and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins

Rescue us, O God for whom we wait, from the depths of depression and despair.

May we trust in your mercy, know the fullness of your redemption, and share in the glory of your kingdom; through our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

2nd Reading:

Ephesians 4.25-5.2

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel Processional:

The Love of Jesus Calls Us

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The Lord be with you.

The Good News of Jesus according to

John 6.35, 41-51

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of Christ,

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Sermon :

The Venerable Brian Evans

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be ever acceptable to you, O Lord. Amen.

Where are we from—We are all in this together

We are an immigrant people, or at the very least, the product of people who immigrated to Canada at one time or another.

When I watch people fleeing from their homeland, I am affected by two visual images.

One, just what they are carrying on their back, or in the grip of their hands, and who is walking alongside. Two, looking back at what they left behind.

A few years ago, Flo and I visited Pier 21 in Halifax.

Pier 21 was an ocean liner terminal, and immigration shed from 1928 to 1971 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Nearly one million immigrants came to Canada through Pier 21, and it is the last surviving seaport immigration facility in Canada.

The facility is often compared to the landmark American immigration gateway, Ellis Island.

The former immigration facility is now occupied by the Canadian Museum of Immigration, the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, as well as various retail and studio tenants.

When you visit there, and observe the pictures and the artifacts, you realize just how little people were able to bring with them.

I think most of what they left behind.

Today, on the front of our bulletin, we have a “Welcome” sign.

Then, on the reverse, we have 2 pictures.

The top picture is an image of two people greeting one another. It is obvious that the colour of their skin is different.

The bottom picture is of an “Immigration Trunk’.

Actually, it was the trunk my Grandmother Fairbairn packed when she was able to come to Canada from Scotland. [A small description: it is made of very rough lumber, today we might think it may have been made out of pallets. The hinges, and all metal parts, were cold-smithed by my Grandfather, who had left two years earlier.]

In the picture, you may have also observed a lady’s purse. The oral history handed down to myself is: this was the purse my grandmother carried crossing the Atlantic.

In addition, I share with you this SAMPLER created by grandmother, when she was 12 years old. For many years, this was rolled in tissue paper and safely stored in the trunk. Thanks to whoever discovered moth balls as protection of natural fabrics from moths, it remains intact.

When I look at that trunk, knowing that grandma had in tow with her 5 children, I think of what she left behind.

These past number of years, once again, the world is once more living in the midst of immigration--immigration, created, most often, by war, and greed for power and authority over others.

There are many examples. One which has been in the forefront, is the young Belarus athlete who defected to Poland, and just what she had given up.

Recently, in our own country this summer, we have been attached to our news broadcasts, listening to the story of people having to leave home in a moment’s notice. (In one way, it came close to us here at St. John’s when Tina’s parents arrived from Ashcroft. I think of all they had left behind. Thankfully, they were able to go back.)

Not to dwell on what was left behind: some may be thinking, possibly rightly so, I may have dwelled on it at length.

We think of the artifacts people were able to bring. I think of the unknown story behind my grandmother’s handbag. What is so significant about that handbag, that 100+ years on, it is still in the family?

Of course, people, when they had time to pack, brought pictures along with a few other family heirlooms.

One missing part for myself, is a picture of my grandmother who I never met. There were pictures at one time, but they are no longer to be found.

This week, as I walked the streets of Chemainus with approximately 1500 others, I reflected on the many losses by many cultures.

Of particular note at this time, we are mindful of walking with the earliest people of this valley. Here in Duncan, it is with people of the Cowichan Nation.

As we walked the streets, I also became very aware of what else people bring with them, when they have to flee their homeland – their faith. I am sure, all faiths and spiritual practices were represented in the Walk for the Children who never returned home.

For our Judeo-Christian faith, we are reminded today—and have been reminded now for a few weeks—the place of Jesus in our faith journey—the meaning of Jesus.

In the gospel of John today, we have 4 references to what the real meaning of Jesus is.

He references in speaking of his being bread for our soul.

v.35 – Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life.”

v.41 – “I am the bread that came down from heaven”

v.48 – Once more, “I am the bread of life.”

v.51 – “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.”

This scene is about mixed cultures coming together.

It is about what does it mean to be with Jesus, and to follow Jesus—to discover Jesus is “the Bread of Life.”

Which brings us to this idea, or ideal, of all being in this game of life together.

The New International Study Bible gives (what they term as) ‘The Blueprint’, to introduce the reader to each book of the Bible.

This is what the editors have written about Ephesians:

‘In this letter, Paul explains the wonderful things that we have received through Christ, and refers to the church as a body, a temple, a bride, and a soldier.

These all illustrate unity of purpose, and show how each individual member is a part that must work together with all the other parts.

In our own lives, we should work to eradicate all backbiting, gossip, criticism, jealousy, anger, and bitterness, because these are barriers to unity (in the church)’.

This is what we are hearing in our Epistle for today:

- Put away your former way of life.

- Clothe yourself in the likeness of God.

- Do not harbour anger.

- Actively care for the poor.

- Speak to others in a way which emphasizes their goodness.

- Build community.

- Express generosity in forgiveness.

We end our reading today with these words: Eph.51-52. ‘Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us: a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

And, in our Psalm: “O Israel, hope in the LORD!. For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.”

As Luke gives witness in The Acts of the Apostles in Chapter 1.14, “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”

Also in, Acts 2:1,42,46: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place…

Acts 4:24-31: And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is.

Acts 6:4: But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

When I added to my original title for today, "We Are All in This Together", is what I believe (for at least a short period of time) I felt I was witnessing, on Monday morning in Chemainus.

Those are powerful moments—powerful moments which when, I believe, we take on the priesthood of Jesus given to us in his sacrifice of love—when we know, we are from the Font of our Baptism.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

The Apostles Creed:

Let us confess the faith of our baptism, as we say:

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

Creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit

and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Prayers of the People

Let us pray to pursue the way of love, that the church and world will more perfectly image Christ. Our response today is: Jesus, Living Bread, renew us.

When discouragement plagues human life, and death seems more appealing, may we not settle down in despair. We intercede with Christ and ask: