As we gather, we celebrate with Thanksgiving
that we share these lands with
the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People. 
We continue to commit ourselves
to the work of reconciliation and relationship-building,
and in a spirit of reparation
with our First Nations neighbours.

 

Call to Worship:

 I am the good shepherd, says the Lord:
I know my own &
my own know me.

John. 10. 14

O Come. Let Us Worship. 

Gathering

Alleluia! Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

May his grace and peace be with you.
May he fill our hearts with joy!

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 Christ our Lord. Amen.

Collect for Today 

 O God of peace,
 who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ,
 that great shepherd of the sheep,
 by the blood of the eternal covenant,
 make us perfect in every good work to do your will,
 and work in us that which is well-pleasing in your sight;
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Proclamation of the Gospel:

John 10. 22-30

May the words of my lips and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable to You, O Lord.  Amen. 

“ Listening & Learning ”

I’m fond of the humanity of Jesus.
This line from the gospel: I have told you, and you do not believe.

You sense Jesus’ impatience with the people…with the community.

And you can hear that sort of those voices in the background that with words like: How often do I have to tell you this? 

This Sunday is often referred to as, I mentioned earlier, The Good Shepherd Sunday.

Certainly, there are plenty of references to the image of shepherd.

Just as the shepherd called his flock and they follow annual him, so Jesus, a shepherd calls us, and we are to follow.

This highlights one of the classic images of a shepherd. You will not see a shepherd chasing his flock, or her flock. The shepherd is always leading.

I could have added a third word to my title—listening. Learning, leading, and listening.

We, that is Trish and I, along with the clergy of the diocese, have just spent a few days this week at the annual clergy conference.

Our conference speaker was Bishop Jeff Lee, retired bishop of diocese of Chicago and his very talented musician, Dent Davidson.

They were a breath of fresh air in our midst!

Not because they necessarily produced a lot of new ideas, but they presented and affirmed that everyday life of the ordained and the laity, and they did it in a very fresh and dynamic manner.

We were introduced to some very new, uplifting music, for the everyday person in the pew, and the clergy.

And, as Bishop Jeff would say, Music for all the ministry of the Church—not sort of sorting it out into little categories of ordained, or bishops, or deacons, or lay people, or whatever.

Ministry is all inclusive—for all Christians to share!

We heard words like this:
Question? What does liturgy mean? What do we do in “liturgy”?
How do we do it? 
And what is its mode of operating? And how does it collect the community?
Also, why does liturgy matter?

And then, something that was very interesting—two comments about Sacraments—and you might have to take this one away and wrestle with it for a little while—Sacraments don’t make “true.”

Sacraments make “Real.”

We were reminded of the essentials at the Altar.

We were reminded that Jesus does not need a “stand-in.” Jesus is already present.

Sort of trying to draw that mask across us as clergy to acknowledge and learn that we are not Jesus, standing at the Altar.

Jesus is already there!

With full respect to our Treasurer, Jeff describe some celebrations of the Eucharist as if they were designed by an accountant!

Warning!

That you may be introduced to some new music from the following sites: 'Music That Makes Community', and I’m sure that Jeanette will be searching out that website, and possibly, quite possibly—hopefully—will be introducing us to some new chants or types of music.

In their sharing on good liturgy, they suggested the following: we were reminded that the visiting which happens in the gathering time is natural and good.

After all, we are about to celebrate one of the greatest family dinner gatherings that happens in the world every week! At least weekly, some parishes, more often.

We were also reminded that for the liturgy leaders, for worship leaders, we need to worry ahead of time. In other words, we need to practice the ritual.

We need to practice what we are going to do.

Ritual does not just “happen.” It takes deliberate attention.

We were also reminded that clergy need to abandon control.

We also, and something I’ve always been a big fan of, not sure I’ve always managed it, but we were also reminded that good liturgy cultivates mystery.

In other words, good liturgy creates that “aha” moment.

One significant takeaway for myself was that the power of worship, is worship.

I’m sure you are thinking, Thanks, Archdeacon Evans, for all this information, but what does it have to do with “listening, learning, and leading”?

Well, consider the Sheperd and the sheep image: those great metaphors for Christ.
The Shepherd, and sheep. The laity or the people. 

The Hebrew people remembered the pattern of their nomadic life of herding sheep and goats.

And so, for Jesus to use this imagery would have been something that they would have fully understood.

Sheep were like the communal life of the people. The sheep were essential to life. The people in the parish are essential to the life of the parish. Not me. The people are essential. 

But also, in their everyday life, the sheep provided food; they provided clothing; they provided essential in offerings to God.

Shepherds were inclusive. Male or female.

Christianity has depicted Christ as this barefooted white person, wearing white robes, and being Divine.

The white Alb worn by the priest is not to serve as being there to be the Christ.

The white robe that we wear in liturgy is to remind us and to be representative of the baptismal gown—the white gown of our baptism—to remind us that our ministry is a baptismal ministry.

The robe is not to signify clerical status, but baptismal identity.

When we consider those words from the gospel, then, “Listen to me.” We are being called into action.

I believe the image of the shepherd and the sheep, are two great metaphors for each of us.
At different times, we have all been shepherd. 
And we have all been sheep.

The challenge for us this week may be to reflect on the times when we have been shepherds, and the times when we have been sheep.

Think about some of those old games that we played as children, like ‘Simon Says’ or “follow the leader” or ‘trusting your friend when they were leading you blind-folded.’

Jesus is simply saying to us today, “Make. Believe.”

Not “make believe.” But “Make. Believe.”

In Listening, Learning, and Leading, we are to be the fulfillment of the two metaphors for our Christian life of “shepherd and sheep.”

Our work is to play the role of the One who welcomes, the One who feeds.

We are to comfort the hearers.

And we is the royal ‘we,’ not just the priest or deacon, or the musician or the choir, but it’s the whole people of God.
And so, we learn today that in John’s Gospel, that we are hearers and followers, and shepherds.
Easter is a great time to for each of us to focus on what our shepherd-ministries are, or what they will be or what they can be.

Each month, we circulate a coffee-roster. That is shepherd ministry.

We read the Scriptures—we have volunteers. Shepherd ministry.

Peeling potatoes for a Christmas meal is shepherd ministry.

Not sure that we think of some of these things in that manner, but in reality, we are playing the role of shepherd—the role of setting that example, the role of being the one ahead, the One bringing the Good News to this world. 

Baking Christmas cakes can be shepherd ministry, particularly in this parish.

The point is: We are all shepherds, while at the same time, we are all sheep.

So, each time we share in ministry, we are making believers.

So back to that phrase: make belief.

That’s our role. That’s what happens when we listen, and when we learn and when we lead.

Amen. 

Let Us Pray

God of resurrection and new life, we come before you in
prayer for the Church, the world, and all who are in need.

You guide your people to the waters of life. Make your
church a nourishing place for all who are thirsty for hope
and healing. Renew us in the waters of baptism, and send
us forth as signs of your love.
Hear us, O God,
Your mercy is great.

You tend to the earth, sustaining life in all places. Revive 
fragile ecosystems and restore species in danger of extinction.
Teach us new ways of living in balance and harmony with our
non-human neighbours.
Hear us, O God,
Your mercy is great.

You lead all peoples along right pathways.
Grant wisdom and compassion to judges, lawyers, mediators, and legal advocates.
Dismantle systems of mass incarceration, 
empower processes of restorative justice, and
encourage all who strive for healing in our communities.
Hear us, O God,
Your mercy is great.

This is Mother’s Day, bless mothers, grandmothers, and all
who offer mothering care.
Come close to those whose relationships with their families are difficult, and console all who grieve the loss of mother figures or the loss of children. Grieve for all those who are part and parcel of the Red Dress and
the need for reconciliation.
Hear us, O God,
Your mercy is great.

You wipe every tear from every eye. Tend to all who struggle
with anxiety or depression, loneliness, or despair. Enfold all
who are in any need in your shepherding care.
In our parish we continue to pray for John, Sheila, and Geoff, and naming those on our hearts, silently or aloud.
Hear us, O God,
Your mercy is great.

You are the source of everlasting life.
In deep gratitude for all your saints, we rejoice in the joy and hope of the resurrection made known to us in Jesus, your beloved child.
Hear us, O God,
Your mercy is great.

We commend these and all our prayers to you, O God, trusting that you are always with us; in the name of 
Jesus Christ, our risen Saviour.  Amen.

We pray:
Our Father,
who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven. 
Give us today our daily bread. 
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us.
And lead us  not into temptation,
but deliver us fom evil.  
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power and the glory,
forever and ever.  Amen.

 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord;

And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with you, and remain with you, always. Amen.

Almighty God:
On this ‘good shepherd Sunday’ we give thanks that Your Son watches over our community.
We give thanks that we have been redeemed on the cross because of His life,
And so may we confidently live in that knowledge of eternal life.  Amen.