Gather
The Ringing of the Bell
Hymn – Praise my soul, the King of Heaven
Opening Sentences
This is the day the Lord has made:
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Let us pray.
Holy Lord, giver of all wisdom: Set for us this day the banquet of your word.
Invite us to feast on the genius and beauty all around us.
Then turn us in humility toward the poor, the oppressed and the weak; we ask this in the name of Jesus, who is Wisdom for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lessons
A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah 56:1,6-8
Thus says the Lord:
Maintain justice, and do what is right,
for soon my salvation will come,
and my deliverance be revealed.
And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,
and to be his servants,
all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it,
and hold fast my covenant–
these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.
Thus says the Lord God,
who gathers the outcasts of Israel,
I will gather others to them
besides those already gathered.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 67 Deus misereatur
1 May God be merciful to us and bless us, *
show us the light of his countenance and come to us.
2 Let your ways be known upon earth, *
your saving health among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, *
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide all the nations upon earth.
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
6 The earth has brought forth her increase; *
may God, our own God, give us his blessing.
7 May God give us his blessing, *
and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.
A Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Hymn –There’s a wideness in God’s mercy (Calvin Hampton)
A Reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28
[Jesus called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”]Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Sermon and discussion
The Affirmation
We believe in God, the creator of all life and beauty,
who blesses our journey.
We believe in Jesus Christ,
Who lived as a friend and savior to all he met as he traveled,
and who ate and laughed, wept and celebrated with them in
love.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
who rides on the gentle breeze,
who strengthens our bonds, and
who offers hope eternal.
We believe in the church,
which stands open to all travelers,
and bears witness to the everlasting love of God.
The Confession
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Most merciful God,
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 neighbors 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.
Almighty God, have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you.
Announcements
Evening Prayer at St Peter’s tonight, 7pm
Shred it Thank you to Andrea and everyone who contributed Profit of $735
Birthdays—Boyd Wisdom, Jennifer Collins, Nancy Wick
Happy Anniversary– Barbara and Boyd Wisdom
The Tree Fund
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer, prayed together.
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.
When the Canaanite woman pressed Jesus to heal her daughter, Jesus heard and answered. With expectant faith, let us bring before God our earnest petitions for ourselves and the world.
For our world, in need of healing, and in search of a savior, yet far from Jesus, we call out to you, Lord.
Grant O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and in peace. We pray for the work of the Sacred Ground group at St Peter’s. We call out to you Lord. Grant us forgiveness and compassion.
For the church around the world, at times narrowed by institutional concerns and blind to differing manifestations of faith in you, and yet meant to be your house of prayer for all nations, we call out to you, Lord. Grant us vision.
For your good earth, as it brings forth the harvest, that we may treasure its gifts, and care for it generously as your beloved creation. Grant us praise and thanksgiving.
For the leaders of nations, communities, and households who are faced with terrible choices and whose decisions affect the lives of many, for your guidance we call out to you, Lord. Grant us wisdom.
For the election in November, guide us in the election of all officials and representatives; that by faithful administration and wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our nation be enabled to fulfill your purposes, we call out to you, Lord. Grant us the gift of discernment.
For those who serve in the armed forces of this nation, especially those on our prayer list, Cheyenne, Cliff, Alexis, Scott, Steven, Michael, George, and Greg, that they may serve faithfully and return home when their work is done, safe in mind, body and spirit. Grant us your kingdom and your peace on this earth as it is in heaven.
For those who are troubled by demons of mind and body, for those who must watch others suffer, for those who are suffering from any illness or adversity, especially Nancy and Bill Wick, Susan Onderdonk, and Lamar and Morgan Key, and for the people of Beirut, Lebanon, we call out to you, Lord. Grant us patience and healing.
For those whose faith in you calls them beyond the limits of society and the constraints of culture, we call out to you, Lord. Grant us understanding and endurance.
For those who have died, especially Sylvia Goss, family of Sylvia Sellers, that you will redeem them and gather them into your merciful presence. Grant us a place in your heavenly realm.
For those whose faith is known to you alone, for those of us present here, and for the intentions and desires that we hold deep in our hearts, we call out to you, Lord. Grant us mercy.
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
The Blessing
May the blessing of the rain be on you—
The soft sweet rain.
May it fall upon your spirit
So that all the little flowers may spring up,
And shed their sweetness on the air.
May the blessing of the great rains be on you,
May they beat upon your spirit
And wash it fair and clean,
And leave there many a shining pool
Where the blue of heaven shines,
And sometimes a star.
And the blessing of God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always. Amen.
Hymn – Leaning on the everlasting arms
Go and grow in peace to love and serve the Lord.