Tuesday, September 29

September 29th is noted in the Anglican lectionary as celebrating St. Michael and All Angels. I thought I would change things up a bit and list ten things you may or may not know about St. Michael and the topic of angels. Here goes…

1. Michael is an archangel in Christian, Jewish and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans and Lutherans refer to him as “Saint Michael the Archangel” or simply “Saint Michael.” Orthodox Christians call him Archangel Michael.
2. Michael is the only one the Bible calls an archangel. The Greek word for “archangel” (archággelos) means “chief angel” or “chief messenger.” The word “archangel” isn’t used to describe him in the Old Testament, but another angel calls him one of the chief princes in Daniel 10:13.
3. In the fifth century (CE) a basilica near Rome was dedicated in honour of Saint Michael the Archangel on 30 September, beginning with celebrations on the eve of that day.
4. Within Protestantism, the Anglican and Methodist traditions recognize four angels as archangels: Michael, Raphael, Gabriel and Uriel.
5. Michael is seen as the military commander of God’s army of angels. In Revelation (12:1-9), John tells of a great war in heaven where Michael and his angels battle the dragon (Satan) and his angels. The devil and his forces are too weak to remain in heaven, however, and so they are all thrown down to earth.
6. There are three main types of angels, with angelic choirs within each larger type: first sphere, second sphere, and third sphere. Seraphim and cherubim are in the first sphere (highest rank) and are direct servants to God. Archangels and angels are in the third sphere and help humans in the role of guides, messengers and protectors.
7. Michael the Archangel is portrayed in art (e.g., by Italian 16th century painter Raphael) with a fiery sword or a spear in his hands, casting out the devil. Paintings of this archangel sometimes hold scales in his other hand to symbolize his participation in the coming Judgment or for his foresight in the field of work that God entrusted to him.
8. Rabbinical tradition holds that Michael was closely involved in some of the most crucial events in early history of the Hebrew people. It is believed that he announced to Sarah she would bear a son, stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac, and was the angel who wrestled and blessed Jacob.
9. Michaelmas (Michael Mass) refers to the Christian feast of St. Michael the Archangel celebrated in the Western churches on September 29. It is one of four English “quarter days” in a year (Lady Day (25th March), Midsummer (24th June), Michaelmas (29th September) and Christmas (25th December)). These days are spaced three months apart, on religious festivals, usually close to the solstices or equinoxes. They were the four dates on which servants were hired, rents due or leases begun. It used to be said that harvest had to be completed by Michaelmas, almost like the marking of the end of the productive season and the beginning of the new cycle of farming. It was the time at which new servants were hired or land was exchanged and debts were paid. This is how it came to be for Michaelmas to be the time for electing magistrates and also the beginning of legal and university terms.
10. Folklore from the British Isles suggests that Michaelmas day is the last day that blackberries can be picked. It is said that when St Michael expelled Lucifer, the devil, from heaven, he fell from the skies and landed in a prickly blackberry bush. Satan cursed the fruit, scorched them with his fiery breath, stamped and spat on the fruit, so that they would be unfit for eating. As it is considered ill-advised to eat them after 11 October (Old Michaelmas Day according to the Julian Calendar), a Michaelmas pie is made from the last of the season.

Prayer

Everlasting God, you have ordained and constituted in a wonderful order the ministries of angels and mortals: Mercifully grant that, as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your appointment they may help and defend us here on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

from Collect for Michaelmas (BCP, 1979)

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Announcements
Re-Opening for In-Person Worship: What to Expect
Welcoming the Rev. Jennifer Schick

Welcome
Greeting
Celebrant:  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
People: And also with you.

Celebrant: Almighty God,
People: 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.

Glory to God
Celebrant: Glory to God in the highest,
People: and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Kyrie Eleison
Celebrant: Lord, have mercy.
People: Christ, have mercy.
Celebrant: Lord, have mercy

Collect for the Day
Celebrant:  Let us pray.
People: Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth, and ourselves in your image. Teach us to discern your hand in all your works and to serve you with reverence and thanksgiving; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Hymn: Praise the Lord with the Sound of Trumpet #309
(for personal viewing: Andrea LeBlanc)

Praise the Lord with the sound of trumpet,
Praise the Lord with the harp and lute,
Praise the Lord with the gentle sounding flute.
Praise the Lord in the field and forest,
Praise the Lord in the city square,
Praise the Lord anytime and anywhere.

Praise the Lord in the wind and sunshine,
Praise the Lord in the dark of night.
Praise the Lord in the rain or snow
Or in the morning light.
Praise the Lord in the deepest valley,
Praise the Lord on the highest hill,
Praise the Lord; never let your voice be still.

Praise the Lord with the crashing cymbal,
Praise the Lord with the pipe and string,
Praise the Lord with the joyful songs you sing.
Praise the Lord on a weekday morning,
Praise the Lord on a Sunday noon,
Praise the Lord by the light of sun or moon.

Praise the Lord in the time of sorrow,
Praise the Lord in the time of joy
Praise the Lord every moment;
Nothing let your praise destroy.
Praise the Lord in the peace and quiet,
Praise the Lord in your work or play,
Praise the Lord everywhere in every way.

The Word

A Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Philippians (Chapter 2: 1-13)
If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God.

Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16
Hear my teaching, O my people; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable; I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.
That which we have heard and known, and what our forefathers have told us,
we will not hide from their children. We will recount to generations to come
the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, and the wonderful works he has done.
He worked marvels in the sight of their forefathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
He split open the sea and let them pass through; he made the waters stand up like walls.
He led them with a cloud by day, and all the night through with a glow of fire.
He split the hard rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as from the great deep.
He brought streams out of the cliff, and the waters gushed out like rivers.

Hymn: Jesus, the Joy of Loving Hearts (v. 1, 3 & 5) #70
(for personal viewing: Mennonite Hour Men’s Choir) 

Jesus, the joy of loving hearts,
true source of life, our lives sustain;
from the best bliss that earth imparts,
we turn unfilled to you again.

We taste of you, the living bread,
and long to feast upon you still.
We drink from you, the fountainhead,
our thirsty souls from you we fill.

Jesus, forever with us stay:
make all our moments calm and bright;
chase the dark night of sin away;
spread through the world your holy light.

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ

Reader: The Lord be with you
People: And also with you.
Reader: The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew
People: Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ

When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.”  (Matthew 21:23-32)

Reader: The Gospel of Christ
People: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Stewardship Moment
Thank you for your continued faithfulness in stewardship.  Continue to drop off or mail your offertory envelopes to the church. If you haven’t yet, please consider becoming a pre-authorized giver or making a habit of donating online at the end of each Sunday service.

Sermon
Lord, we thank you for the gift of your Word and as we think on these things, open our hearts and our minds to hear you. Amen.

The password for all to my Diocesan work accounts is a Bible book name plus chapter number plus verse number. Obviously I’m not going to tell you what it is, but it’s a verse that means a lot to me. I mention this, because today’s epistle reading contains a verse that I briefly considered using as my computer log-in: Philippians 2: 3-5. The problem is I can never type “Philippians” correctly on the first attempt, so this would have been a truly frustrating password. But I do have this verse printed out and pinned to my cubicle wall:

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.”

Don’t you feel as if any workplace, any community, any collaborative effort would be better off by following this simple directive? And yet I know a lot of people for whom this advice would be counterintuitive or maybe even embarrassing. In some ears, it sounds weak, what the secular world might consider a “door-mat personality.” Of course, a lot of this depends on your definition of and attention to the specific terms Paul uses. “Selfish ambition” (often translated as “rivalry” or “strife” in other versions) is different from healthy ambition. Selfish ambition is the trait of someone who doesn’t care whom they hurt on their way to achieving their objectives. And let us not confuse “pride” and “conceit.” It is actually okay to be proud of ourselves and of our accomplishments (indeed, God is proud of us), but conceit or arrogance is that puffed-up quality of believing yourself to be better than others. There’s a difference between self-importance and self-respect. And likewise we may rankle at Paul’s call to “in humility regard others as better than ourselves.” But having humility or humbleness doesn’t mean feeling lowly or small. Servant is not the same as slave. Voluntary self-sacrifice is not masochism. True humility is measured, not by an absence of self-esteem, but by an awareness of the source of your strengths and a demonstrable concern for the needs of others.

If the world sees this advice from Paul as pathetic, then the world is using the wrong yardstick.  Recall how last week Gary spoke of the different lens through which we view Christ’s teaching. Don’t get caught using a secular lens. See yourself and others through God’s eyes and we all measure equally. The world is always looking for ways to distort our perspective or skew our benchmarks. Many of the factors by which we can truly measure a successful life–such as happiness, contentment, compassion, or having a positive influence on the world– are very hard to quantify. As a result, we get confused and we substitute wealth for a quantifiable goal or we pretend that success is based on a system of hierarchy, power and authority over others. I get confused that way all the time when I see people at my stage of life with bigger careers on larger stages, or more family vacations, or better patio furniture. Really I can be quite petty and envious … if and when I use the world’s yardstick to measure success.

Wealth and influence as ends in themselves do not represent success on God’s terms. When we are competitive or arrogant or self-interested, we draw attention to ourselves, and it becomes harder for people to see the presence of Christ in our lives. When we focus on our own power and stature, it becomes harder for us to see the presence of Christ in our lives. And when we do what’s right but only because we’re paying lip service to the rules of civic behavior or because we want to be seen to be doing good, then we are not be fully answering God’s commission to us to go out and work for him in the vineyard of his Kingdom.

After all, Paul’s message to the Philippians isn’t just about playing nice in the social sandbox. He is calling believers to honour God and live out their faith. And achievement of that kind is measure and modelled for us, not in terms of social norms, but rather on a cosmic scale. Paul says, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” In other words, be Christ-like.

Now, let’s put aside Paul’s letter for now and look at the Gospel reading. The last time I preached, it was the Gospel in which Jesus asked the disciples “who do you say I am?” At the time, I imagined about the disciples thinking maybe this was a trick question. Well, here we have Jesus again with yet another challenging question, this time to the chief priests and the elders who are questioning Jesus’ own authority.

He asks these chief priests and the elders – people of power and influence –  “Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?”

As Matthew explains, this is a question with a lose-lose answer. If they say that they believe that John the Baptist was ordained by heaven, then Jesus will call them out for not believing and following John’s teachings. If they say that John the Baptist’s ministry was not divinely guided, then they will be on the wrong side of popular opinion. “So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’” That’s the best answer the chief priests and elders can come up with. A collective verbal shrug. In a stroke, Jesus has defused their challenge to his authority by forcing them into a position of powerlessness.

And still Jesus presses his point. He tells the parable of the two sons who are asked by their father to work in the vineyard. Which is the better son: the child who first says ‘No,’ but changes his mind and goes to the vineyard, or the one who says ‘Yes, I’ll go’ but doesn’t show up? It may seem obvious to us, but consider that at the time such an act of filial defiance – “I will not” — would have been unsettling. Furthermore, this parable is being presented to religious leaders who were deeply concerned about the possibility of disruption to the existing power structures. The son who flat out says no and defies his father brings real shame and embarrassment on himself and his family, and his blatant subordination threatens the social fabric. Saying yes to established power generally would be viewed as the correct course of action, but what if you say yes and still defy that authority. Jesus wants his listeners to make a choice between the sons just as he wanted them to make a choice about John the Baptist, but I expect for the religious leaders, this was equally difficult to weigh. Both sons are sinful; both are flouting societal conventions.

Of course, we see immediately that it is the first son who is the better son, because he changed his mind. Like the prodigal son, the first son opens himself to the possibility of being forgiven and redeemed. Many of us can probably see ourselves in the parable, knowing there have been times in our lives when we behaved that same way, saying no but eventually turning to what is right. And remembering what we learned last Sunday from Gary about the later labourers’ wages, we can easily imagine the other son – the one who answered, ‘I go, sir’; but didn’t — would also have the same redemption and forgiveness available to him if and when he did show up, whether it was later in the day, next week, or months down the line when he was out of money and friends. Many of us may have been that kind of child of God.

The important thing is not which son was less defiant or more compliant, but rather which one changed his mind—a thing that Jesus points out that so-called sinners and outsiders had done, whereas the chief priests had not. I don’t know what the original Greek is here, but I feel as if instead of “he changed his mind,” the expression should be “he had a change of heart.” To repent or regret a decision is not necessarily an intellectual exercise. He has a change of heart in that he changed what he cared about, what was important to him … in this case, his father’s work and not his own intentions.

So, how do we respond to Jesus when we are called to care about things in a certain way — will we at first look to our own desires, but then change our mind? Will we only pretend to obey God’s teachings, but go ahead and do what best serves our own interest, ambition or vanity? Are we the first son or the second son? Maybe in our lives, we’ve been both.

In the end, once we figure out where we see ourselves in a parable, we then look to see where God is in the scenario. A Rev. Michael Marsh, an Episcopal priest in the States, posted a sermon on this Gospel several years ago in which he wrote: “Every day God authorizes us to enter and sends us into his vineyard, to act in this world with his authority and on his behalf through the gifts he has bestowed upon each one of us.” So, yes, God is the parent and the vineyard owner. But Marsh also very perceptively says this: “God is not the boss of us. God is our author.”

And here we can return back to the epistle reading for the day and the last verse in this part of Paul’s message to the Philippians: “for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” This is how we are authored or authorized by God. God is at work in us, in you, in me, in this parish. Our authority, like Christ’s, comes not from worldly power or self-importance or an ambition to hold ourselves above others. Our authority, as Paul tells the Christian of Philippi, must be underpinned with honest intentions, humility, and empathy. This is how we are most effective as disciples of Christ. This is how as Christians we have influence, not just over the character of our workplace or community, but on the character of the world, and on the character of those seeking to understand how or why to have a relationship with God. Marsh captures this nicely:

“Think about the people who hold authority for you. They are not concerned about themselves. They do not dominate or control you. They inspire you. They call forth from you faith, hope, and trust. They expand your world, open new possibilities, and bring forth life and gifts in yourself that you never knew were there. They cause you to re-evaluate your life, change your mind, and live differently.”

Be Christ-like in your influence. Be Christ-like in the way you come alongside people and receive their story. Be Christ-like when you challenge the secular lens of a world that sees inequities and injustices and allows them to stand. “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” It’s a little long for a computer password, but as way of living, it is definitely strong.

Amen.

The Nicene Creed
Celebrant: Let us confess our faith, as we say,
All: We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father.
With the Father and the Son
he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic
and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayers of the People
Leader: Lord, in your mercy
Response: Hear our prayer.

Confession and Absolution
Celebrant: Dear friends in Christ, God is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy; he welcomes sinners and invites them to his table. Let us confess our sins, confident in God’s forgiveness.

Silence is kept.

Celebrant: Most merciful God,
All: we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.

Celebrant: Almighty God have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Peace
Celebrant: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People: And also with you.

Eucharistic Prayer #3
Celebrant: The Lord be with you
All: And also with you.
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them to the Lord
Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Celebrant: Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; we give you thanks and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, who for our sins was lifted high upon the cross, that he might draw the whole world to himself. By his suffering and death, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who put their trust in him. Therefore with all the host of heaven who gather around your throne and the Lamb, we raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name.

All: Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might
Heaven and earth are full of your glory,
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of
the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Celebrant: We give thanks to you, Lord our God, for the goodness and love you have made known to us in creation; in calling Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Saviour and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, a death he freely accepted, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “ Take, eat: this is my body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.” Therefore, Father, according to his command,

All: we remember his death, we proclaim his resurrection, we await his coming in glory;

Celebrant: and we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine. We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts, that they may be the sacrament of the body of Christ and his blood of the new covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we, made acceptable in him, may be sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

In the fullness of time, reconcile all things in Christ, and make them new, and bring us to that city of light where you dwell with all your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation; by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours, almighty Father, now and for ever.  Amen

The Lord’s Prayer
Celebrant: And now, as our Saviour Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
All:  Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread
Celebrant: We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
All: We, being many, are one body, for we all share in the one bread.

Celebrant: The gifts of God for the People of God.
All: Thanks be to God.

The Communion
All: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. (2x)
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Prayer after Communion
Father in heaven, strengthen the unity of your Church, so that we who have been fed with holy things may fulfil your will in the world. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Doxology
Celebrant: Glory to God,
All: whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Blessing
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 amongst you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Hymn: God, My Hope on You Is Founded (v. 1, 4 & 5)  #529
(for personal viewing: Orchestral Music for Worship)

God, my hope on You is founded;
you my faith and trust renew.
through all change and chance you guide me,
only good and only true.
God unknown, you alone
call my heart to be your own.

God’s great goodness lasts forever,
deepest wisdom, passing thought:
splendour, light, and life attending,
beauty springing out of naught.
Evermore from God’s store
newborn worlds rise and adore.

Still from earth to God eternal
sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
for the gift of Christ the Son.
Christ, you call one and all:
those who follow shall not fall.

The Dismissal
Leader: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

_____________________________________

Those Assisting with Today’s Worship

Celebrant: The Rev. Geoff Lloyd
Preacher: Arleane Ralph
Organist: Adriaan Bakker
Cantors: Barb Tutton (live);  Amanda Marsh (recorded)
Prayers of the People: Marilyn Csihas
Reader & Psalmist: Greg Carter
Bell Ringer: Julia Goss
Chancel Guild: Chancel Guild Members
In-Church Videographer: Jeff Schrader
Digital Vergers: Tim Ralph

A donation has been made today to the Christmas Hamper Fund
by Catherine and Ted Bartlett in thanksgiving for the life of Lil Janacek.

____________________________________

All Saints acknowledges being on the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island,
the Iroquoian-speaking Wendat, and the 1923 Williams Treaties First Nations.

September 24, 2020

On Tuesday next week, September 29, 2020 we celebrate the feast day of St. Michael and All Angels – an important day in the Church’s calendar. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are the three named biblical angels, depicted as the beloved messengers of God. Michael, which means “who is like God”, is described as the protector of Israel and leader of the armies of God and is perhaps best known as the slayer of the dragon in the Book of Revelation to John. He is thus regarded as the protector of Christians from the devil, particularly those at the hour of death. Gabriel, which means “the strength of God”, is the one, according to the Gospel of Luke, who is sent by God to Mary to announce the birth of Christ. Raphael, which means “the healing of God”, is depicted in the Book of Tobit as the one who restores sight to Tobit’s eyes. A basilica near Rome was dedicated in the fifth century in honour of Michael on September 30, beginning with celebrations on the eve of that day and September 29 is now kept in honour of Michael and All Angels throughout the western Church.

The feast day of St. Michael and All Angels has a special place in my heart as it was the day on which I was ordained deacon and then priest a year later in Rochester Cathedral in the UK. This year is the 25th Anniversary of my ordination into the Diaconate and, as my birthday is the day before September 28th we shall be celebrating in the Lloyd household at some stage next week! I hope that by this time next year COVID19 will have been sorted and we can have a jolly good knees-up at All Saints’ to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of my priestly ordination!

Prayer for the Day

Our prayer today is the one used by The Bishop at the Ordination of a Deacon. Whilst it is reserved in the Church as a prayer for that ceremony, I think it is one we can all pray for ourselves.

“Almighty Father, give to us, your servants grace and power to fulfil our ministry. Make us faithful to serve, ready to teach, and constant to advance your Gospel; and grant that always having the full assurance of faith, abounding in hope, and being rooted and grounded in love, we may continue strong and steadfast in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and your Holy Spirit, belong glory and honour, worship and praise, now and forever. Amen.”

Tuesday, September 22

In the last few days, we have all either read or seen via television or the web the news of the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Ms. Ginsberg fought for gender equality, women’s interests, civil rights and liberties.

One of her famous quotes was “To make life a little better for people less fortunate than you, that’s what I think a meaningful life is. One lives not just for oneself but for one’s community.”

Reading these articles made me think about social justice. Every Sunday, in the Prayers of the People we give thanks for the work that parishes do in their respective communities. While the term “social justice” is not found in the bible, the concept along with examples does. Jesus’s ministry is the biggest example. Throughout the gospels we read of how Jesus ministered to the sick, the poor, the foreigners and the outcasts.

Tim Dearborn writes in Reflections on Advocacy and Justice: “For Christians, the pursuit of social justice for the poor and oppressed is the decisive mark of being people who submit to the will and way of God.”

The above quote comes from a World Vision article from 2012 that I read. This article made many points that are as pertinent today as they were eight years ago. Some of these points are:

• As Christians, the building blocks of social justice lie in human dignity, human flourishing, and the sacredness of life.
• Every time we use our voice and influence to get in the way of injustice – whether it’s human trafficking, economic exploitation, human rights abuses or infants dying needlessly from disease and malnutrition – we provide a foretaste of God’s kingdom to come.
• Social justice is not an extracurricular or optional part of our faith but an imperative.
• Justice is, first and foremost, a relational term – people living in right relationship with God, one another and the natural creation.

In a devotion I read the other day it said that justice meant losing the “just us” mentality. As the World Vision article pointed out, if we are in a right relationship with God, others and creation, social justice should be a natural result from this relationship.

We all have our own thoughts on what social justice means. We all have our own charities that we support. I think it is wonderful that we have different thoughts and charities as this way we can accomplish many things. Micah 6:8 is a good benchmark to use to ensure that we are indeed on the right path to social justice:

The Lord God has told us what is right and what he demands: “See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.”
(Contemporary English Version)

Prayer:

God, help us to serve you faithfully today, bringing justice in your world-
At home – in our communities – and beyond. Amen

(Prayer taken from “Today” devotional of September 19, 2020)