Innisfail United Church

&

Springbank United Church

4th Sunday after Pentecost

June 28, 2020

Ministers

Rev. Darren Liepold

& Rev. Brian Nicholson

Thank you for joining us today

Wheelchair Accessible Equipped For Hearing Impaired

Lighting of the Candle

Welcome & Announcements

Call to Worship: Our trust is in your mercy. Let our hearts be joyful in your mercy. We will sing to you O God Because you have dealt so lovingly with us, we will praise your name, O God most high. Come let us worship God.

Prayer of Approach Holy one, be with us today as we gather for worship. We bring with us our joys, concerns, our faith and our doubts, our openness and our barriers. Help us to be open to the indwelling of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayer of Confession Holy one listen to us as we pray together. We know that we often cling to worldly things: the love of money, security, position, and reputation. Help us to rely more fully on you. We know that we sometimes look down upon those who are different, the strangers, and the marginalized. Help us to know that all of us have been lifted up by your grace. We know that sometimes we say we believe, but our unwilling to stand up for our beliefs when it really counts. Give us strength to live a faith that is brave and meaningful. Help us God to become a people emboldened of heart to be strengthened to be the people you would have us be. In the name of your Son we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon Know this, that our God is alive and active in our world. God knows our weaknesses and foibles, and smiles on us and gives us the strength to be the people God wishes us to be.

In Christ we are forgiven. Amen.

Song of Praise: VU 327 All Praise to Thee Reproduced with permission under One License #A-716394. All rights reserved 1 All praise to thee, for thou, O King divine, didst yield the glory that of right was thine, that in our troubled hearts thy grace might shine: hallelujah; hallelujah! 2 Thou cam'st to us in lowliness of thought; by thee the outcast and the poor were sought, and by thy death was God's salvation wrought: hallelujah; hallelujah! 3 Let this mind be in us which was in thee, who wast a servant that we might be free, humbling thyself to death on Calvary: hallelujah; hallelujah! 4 Wherefore, by God's eternal purpose, thou art high exalted o'er all creatures now, and given the name to which all knees shall bow: hallelujah; hallelujah! 5 Let every tongue confess with one accord in heaven and earth that Jesus Christ is Lord; and God eternal be by all adored: hallelujah; hallelujah!

Kidz’n God

Song of Praise: MV 33 Jesus Came Bringing Us Hope Reproduced with permission under One License #A-716394. All rights reserved.

Jesus came bringing us hope*, Jesus came bringing us hope* Jesus came bringing us hope*, hallelujah forevermore! *additional verses: “peace”, “love”, “joy”

Scripture reading: Matthew 10 40-42 40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent

me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

Reflection Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.

A bit of a tongue twister, isn’t it? It does, though, make us stand up and be counted. As believers in, and followers of Jesus Christ, when someone says to us, “Come in, Come in and sit down we are not only being welcomed into their home and their presence, but they are welcoming Jesus Christ at that very same moment. Quite something that, isn’t it. Did you ever think of yourself as an emissary of Jesus? Well my friends, you are! Being an emissary we could say is a continuation of our discipleship wherein we are living our gift of representing Christ in the world.

And we could say that according to the Apostle Paul that we are in Christ, and according to the gospel of John that Christ abides in us, and our spiritual union with Christ puts his Life pulsing through our lives. So where we are, so is Christ.

But, looking at this in another way - with these words from Matthew 10 today, Jesus is speaking to us…but he is also speaking to those who are sent to us. When we welcome them, we welcome Christ.

In Matthew 25 we often get caught up in the moments when Jesus is hungry, and thirsty, and naked – and we feed, offer drink, and clothe him. But also, there is this in Matthew 25 (vs 25) – ‘When I was a stranger you invited me in.’

Hospitality is a very basic Christian practice. It is likely we welcome others into our homes, around our tables, and into our lives. It’s a continuation of loving our neighbour. And, because by welcoming them we are also welcoming God in Christ. It is also a continuation of loving God with our hearts, souls, and lives.

Welcoming is one of those things that we ought to go out of our way to do. And not just with the strangers who show up at our door. I agree that sometimes it is easier to offer hospitality to someone we’ve never even met, or someone we just barely know…and at the same time forget those who are close to us… neighbours, friends, family.

I am guilty of this, forgetting those who are close to me. I still overextend myself trying to meet the needs of others, and then neglect to extend myself to my partner and family. I have come home on many occasions so totally drained that I have had nothing to offer them, nothing give to them.

This was not good for them, or me, because they also carry the Divine Image. Taking their love and attention for granted is just as much an affront to hospitality as slamming the front door in the face of a complete stranger.

Our task is to consciously attend to the Christ in everyone. Christ in the stranger. Christ in the enemy. Christ in the friend. Christ in our spouse. Christ in our siblings. Christ in the politician who makes our blood boil. Christ in the one who believes differently than we do. Christ in everyone.

For when we can regard everyone as Christ…then maybe, just maybe…they will see the Christ who is in us, and, the one who challenges us to stand up and be counted.

I have met in my life many ‘emissaries’ of Christ. This story includes a family, all seven of them. Mom & Dad and 5 kids, whom I will refer to as the Hudsons.

The Hudsons attended the same church as I did so I knew them well. I was the same age as the eldest kid and we were great friends having been through cubs/scouts/ and youth group together.

One summer a young man arrived on a Sunday morning to the choral service at 11am. He looked a little bit out of place, not quite knowing when to stand, or sit, or kneel. Mrs. Hudson took him under her wing at that.

He lived at home with his parents who were not interested in his wish to go to church, but he continued to attend and was always at the 11am service. He was searching for something, but didn’t know what it was he was searching for or where to begin to look. As time passed he became a member of the church, joined the choir, and read scripture in the services. He had found a home.

The Hudsons did more than look after him at church. They opened their home to him, included him in their family gatherings and gently encouraged him to finish school, which he did.

The Hudsons were indeed emissaries for Christ in the ways they welcomed, encouraged, challenged, and loved this young person, never questioning his motives. They gave him the time and the privacy he needed to sort things out, to search and to accept. By their actions the Hudsons most surely represented Christ in the world.

Over some years he found what he was searching for… and that was himself. He changed from being a lonely, frightened, apprehensive teenager into a gentle, caring, person who started to recognize the good in himself. Eventually he became a priest.

Its, surprising at times, isn’t it? One day a person walks into a church and is welcomed, welcomed in Christ’s name, and a whole new life begins.

Here is a poem I found, it’s good – and as our final hymn says today…

“All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place”

(chorus from Let us Build a house, More Voices #1) we are many, God's great diversity, yet we are one in Christ.

Different faces, different races, yet we are one in Christ.

Butchers, bakers, website makers, bankers, tailors, teachers, sailors, yet we are one in Christ. Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, single, married, broken, carried, yet we are one in Christ. The happy, the clappy, the barely out of nappies, the ancient, the modern, the famous, the forgotten, yet we are one in Christ. Some hopeful, some hopeless, some cope well, some cope less. Some sure and some doubt, some whisper, some shout, yet we are one in Christ. Those with abundance, those with need,

those who are generous or wrestle with greed, yet we are one in Christ. Elbows, tummies, knees and noses, kidneys, femurs, teeth and toesies. Some unmentionable, some protected, some accepted, some rejected, yet we are one in Christ. A broken body, torn apart, mars God's image, breaks God's heart. And yet our God knows how the end will be, when all God’s kids will sing in harmony, that we are one in Christ.

Sam Hargreaves. We are all there, somewhere, in the list above, and we are all welcome, and we are all one in Christ. And that is good news. And for this may we say thanks be to God. Amen… Amen. Song of Praise: VU 333 Love Divine 1 Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven to earth come down, fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown. Jesus, thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art; visit us with thy salvation, enter every trembling heart. 2 Come, almighty to deliver; let us all thy grace receive; suddenly return, and never, nevermore thy temples leave.

Thee we would be always blessing, serve thee as thy hosts above, pray, and praise thee, without ceasing, glory in thy perfect love. 3 Finish, then, thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be; let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee, changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place, till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.

Prayers for God’s People This morning in our prayers we remember: …God of courageous love, we come today prepared to serve our neighbours, help us to keep a clear mind and firm heart. We pray to hear the promise and calm that lives at the heart of our being. Help us to recognize how that same voice lives in us. When we choose the braver path of love, let us know that we live in you. We pray to turn away from worldly riches and toward inner joy. You, O God, long for a world in which the last shall be first, in which the lowly are called for. We trust in your vision, and long to make it so.

We offer our prayers of thanksgiving to God:

The Lord’s Prayer: Sung – VU 959 Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever.

Song of Praise: MV 1 Let Us Build a House Reproduced with permission under One License #A-716394. All rights reserved.

1 Let us build a house where love can dwell and all can safely live, a place where saints and children tell how hearts learn to forgive. Built of hopes and dreams and visions, rock of faith and vault of grace; here the love of Christ shall end divisions: All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place. 2 Let us build a house where prophets speak and words are strong and true, where all God’s children dare to seek to dream God’s reign anew. Here the cross shall stand as witness, and a symbol of God’s grace; here as one we claim the faith of Jesus: All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place. 3 Let us build a house where love is found in water, wine and wheat; a banquet hall on holy ground, where peace and justice meet. Here the love of God, through Jesus, is revealed in time and space; as we share in Christ the feast that frees us:

All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place. 4 Let us build a house where hands will reach beyond the wood and stone to heal and strengthen, serve and teach, and live the Word they’ve know. Here the outcast and the stranger bear the image of God’s face; let us bring an end to fear and danger: All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place. 5 Let us build a house where all are named, their songs and visions heard and loved and treasured, taught and claimed as words within the Word. Built of tears and cries and laughter, prayers of faith and songs of grace; let this house proclaim from floor to rafter: All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.

Benediction God you speak and the flower blossoms. You speak and the water flows. You speak and the wind blows. Be with us now as we leave from this time of worship. And may we know that the love that you took as you created us, your redeeming love that made us whole at the cross, and your sustaining love of your Spirit that emboldens us every day be with us now and forever. Amen.