narrative lectionary – Page 28

Seeds: Narrative Lectionary Resource 9/16

Resource: By Pastor Katy Stenta, solo pastor of a bigger on the inside Church New Covenant Presbyterian in Albany, NY

Scripture

Additional Scripture: Matthew 5-7, Psalm 115

Meditative Thought And the Lord said Go Go into the world and tell the good news, for what is news if you keep it to yourself?

Call to Worship:

This is the day that the Lord has made

Let us rejoice

This is the church that the Lord has made

Let us rejoice

Bless and be a blessing, this is the covenant that the Lord has made

Let us rejoice and be glad in it

Call to Worship

Lord we like it here.

Go into the world

We are happy with the Church

Make more disciples and include all nations, sexualities and genders

What can we do to make certain they are Christian?

Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit

Call to Worship

Bles the Lord, all the people

Praise God’s Holy Name

Blessings are given to us by God

And they never run out, so let us be blessed and be a blessing to all

Prayer of Confession: Holy One, we confess that we do not count our blessings, instead we hoard them, thinking they run out or are like pie. Remind us that blessings are not pie, they are like seeds or a cup overflowing or a banquet for all people. Give us the vision of how your blessings work we pray, and forgive us when we stumble or forget. In your Holy Name we pray. Amen

Prayer of Confession: God most high, forgive our sins we pray. Reclaim us as your baptized children, remind us of your love and mercy. You were the God of Abraham and Sarah, you blessed them and promised to always be their God. Be our God, teach us to be your people we pray in the name or your son. Amen

Prayer of Confession: Heavenly God, we confess that we do not know how to bless one another. On our worst days we give gossip and judgement to one another. On our best days we share food and money with one another. But blessings are harder. Teach us how to bless one another. Reveal to us your blessings in the rainbow, the taste of the bread and the cup and the splashing of the baptismal waters, so we might begin to bless one another again, we pray together in the name of Christ. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Go forth, proclaiming the blessings of Jesus Christ, practice forgiveness as you are forgiven in Jesus Christ.

Assurance of Pardon: God’s mercy is from everlasting to everlasting, infinite grace for each and and every one of us. Let us proclaim the truth to one another: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven

Assurance of Pardon: Amazing Grace, how sweet the song, that saves wretch like me. Know the truth, once you were lost to love, but now you are found in the grace of Jesus Christ, know that you are completely forgiven in the name of Jesus.

Eucharist Prayer: Source of all blessings, you breathed life into earth and then formed an everlasting covenant with Noah to nurture us with rainbows, and with Abraham and Sarah to spread your blessing throughout the universe of stars. You then blessed us with Jesus Christ, your only son who insisted on blessing the young and old, the poor and the rich, the sick and the well. Jesus’ continuous blessings overflowed even into the last meal that he has with his disciples, where he took bread, blessed it, broke and said “This is my body broken for you do this in remembrance of me” and then he shared that blessing in the bread to feed all present. Then in the same way, Jesus took the cup and in the same way blessed it and said “this is the blood of my new covenant, poured out for each of you. Whenever you eat this bread and your drink this cup, you proclaim my death until I return.” Bless this bread and cup with your most Holy Spirit, we pray, so we might be nourished to continued your work of blessings as we go forth, we pray. Amen.

Prayer Dedication/Ending Prayer Bless be the one who binds us together, reminding us to love one another through sharing our blessing. Send us forth as true disciples of hope and sharing we pray. Amen

Food for Thought

Agnus 1

Comic: https://www.agnusday.org/comics/16/genesis-121-4

comic: https://www.agnusday.org/comics/625/matthew-28-16-20-2014

Holy Ghost

Comic: http://adventuresoftheholyghost.tumblr.com/page/2

John Calvin “All the blessings we enjoy are Divine deposits, committed to our trust on this condition, that they should be dispensed for the benefit of our neighbors.”

Mr. Rogers “The real issue in life is not how many blessings we have, but what we do with our blessings. Some people have many blessings and hoard them. Some have few and give everything away.”

The following reflection on the Beatitudes comes from Elias Chacour, a Palestinian Christian, in “We Belong to the Land” (pp 143 – 144).

Knowing Aramaic, the language of Jesus, has greatly enriched my understanding of Jesus’ teachings. Because the Bible as we know it is a translation of a translation, we sometimes get a wrong impression. For
example, we are used to hearing the Beatitudes expressed passively:
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
“Blessed” is the translation of the word MAKARIOI, used in the Greek New Testament. However, when I look further back to Jesus’ Aramaic, I find that the original word was ASHRAY, from the verb YASHAR. ASHRAY does not have this passive quality to it at all. Instead, it means “to set yourself on the right way for the right goal; to turn around, repent; to become straight or righteous.”
How could I go to a persecuted young man in a Palestinian refugee camp, for instance, and say, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted,” or “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven?” That man would revile me, say neither I nor my God understood his plight, and he would be right.
When I understand Jesus’ words in the Aramaic, I translate like this:
Get up, go ahead, do something, move, you who are hungry and thirsty for justice,
for you shall be satisfied.
Get up, go ahead, do something, move, you peacemakers,
for you shall be called children of God.
To me this reflects Jesus’ words and teachings much more accurately. I can hear him saying, “Get your hands dirty to build a human society for human beings; otherwise, others will torture and murder the poor, the voiceless, and the powerless.” Christianity is not passive but active, energetic, alive, going beyond despair.
One day two bats fell into a pot of milk. The pessimistic bat said, “What can I do? Will I struggle and sink, and die so very tired? I will not die tired.” He sank and drowned immediately. The optimistic bat said, “I will strive to the end, and at least they will say I tried everything.” She struggled and struggled, trying to fly, until she fainted. Later she awakened and found herself resting safely on a big roll of butter. This is not giving in to despair, but going beyond despair.
“Get up, go ahead, do something, move,” Jesus said to his disciples.

Music:

Taize: Bless the Lord My Soul

Bless Be The Tie that Binds

Lord I Wanna Be a Christian In My Heart

Amazing Grace

As For Me and My House, we will serve the Lord

Bless Be the Tie that Binds

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine

Lord Dismiss Us with Your Blessing

Great Is They Faithfulness

The God of Abraham Promise

God of the Ages, Whose Almighty Hand

Craft Ideas: God’s promises as knots with rainbow beads in a bracelet, Decorate tissue boxes and remind people to “Bless and be a Blessing,” Crayon draw a lot of white stars on black paper, Draw white stars on white paper and then watercolor paint over it for it to “appear,” Start a gratefulness chain writing down so you can “Count your blessings” together

Seeds: A Resource for Narrative Lectionary Sept 9, Genesis 5:4-22, 8:6-12; 9:8-17 and Matthew 8:24-27

Narrative Lectionary

September 9, 2019

Genesis 5:4-22, 8:6-12; 9:8-17 and Matthew 8:24-27

Resources by Rev. Dr. Barbara Hedges-Goettl

Audio/Video/Print takes on Noah

https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2014/04/a-boatload-of-songs-about-noahs-ark/

Animated Christmas Video of school choral piece Old Man Now Built a Boat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSQwfp0QRxk

Robert Shaw Chorale version of Old Man Noah Built a Boat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kQp5PBEsLg

Bill Cosby’s take on the Noah story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bputeFGXEjA

Frederick Buechner’s take on Noah

http://www.frederickbuechner.com/quote-of-the-day/2016/5/17/noah

Intro to the Fall NL https://revgalblogpals.org/2014/09/02/narrative-lectionary-leanings-the-promise-in-the-sky-edition/

Themes

The ark=teva in Hebrew, meaning nature, biosphere, wildlife. All of nature in a single vessel. Different word from ark ov covenant-aron, but might have in common specially built container for something precious. Suggested that Moses’ little boat as a baby was a kind of miniature ark. See https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between- the-Ark-of-the-Covenant-and-Noahs-Ark

Renewal of baptism (see Flood Prayer resources below)*

These next 3 themes are from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2224

Human stewardship of animals and their welfare (Gen 6:19-21-keeping each animal according to its kind/species safe, incl. taking the food they’ll need

Fresh start but bringing along something from what came before*God keeping covenant with humans and animals and the earth even when they do not keep covenant in return

Liturgical Resources

Hymns from Hymnary.org

The title is the final set of words after the /

Genesis

https://hymnary.org/text/it_rained_on_the_earth_forty_days_forty Also titled “You Are Our God, We Are Your People”

https://hymnary.org/text/lord_of_all_being_throned_afar v. 3

https://hymnary.org/text/as_a_fire_is_meant_for_burning v.3

https://hymnary.org/text/when_in_the_cloud_with_colors_fair

https://hymnary.org/text/my_god_the_covenant_of_thy_love

Matthew

https://hymnary.org/text/our_god_our_help_in_ages_past_watts (verse 3)

https://hymnary.org/text/jesus_lover_of_my_soul_let_me_to_thy_bos

(Jesus, Lover of my Soul, let me to thy bosom fly)

https://hymnary.org/text/i_was_sinking_deep_in_sin_far_from_the

(I was sinking deep in sin far from the peaceful shore)

https://hymnary.org/text/eternal_father_strong_to_save_whose_arm

https://hymnary.org/text/praise_the_one_who_breaks_the_darkness#authority_media_flexscores

Hymns from the PCUSA 1993 hymnal

The notation .2 means that verse 2 is most pertinent to the scripture passage; 2+3 means verses 2 and 3 are most pertinent

Genesis 9.8-17

134.2 Creating God, Your Fingers Trace

191 God Is Our Refuge and Our Strength

192.1+2 God, Our Help and Constant Refuge

193.2+3 Psalm 46

209.3 My Song Forever Shall Record

214.4 O Come and Sing Unto the Lord

271.1 Many and Great, O God, Are Thy Things

276 Great Is Thy Faithfulness

283.1 God Marked a Line and Told the Sea

293 This Is My Father’s World

294 Wherever I May Wander

554 Let All Things Now Living

Genesis 9.13

384.3 O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go

Genesis 9.13

384.3 O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go

Matthew 8.23-27

184.3 How Blest Are Those

191 God Is Our Refuge and Our Strength

192 God, Our Help and Constant Refuge

193 Psalm 46

201.2 Praise Is Your Right, O God, in Zion

209.3 My Song Forever Shall Record

214.4 O Come and Sing Unto the Lord

271.1 Many and Great, O God, Are Thy Things

286 Give to the Winds Thy Fears

303.1 Jesus, Lover of My Soul

365.2 Jesus, Priceless Treasure

373 Lonely the Boat

388.3 O Jesus, I Have Promised

389.3 O Jesus, I Have Promised

560.2 We Plow the Fields and Scatter

562.2 Eternal Father, Strong to Save

Matthew 8.26a

86.4 When We Are Tempted to Deny Your Son

189.4 As Deer Long for the Streams

286 Give to the Winds Thy Fears

326.3 Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart

348.3 Christian Women, Christian Men

390.6 O Savior, in This Quiet Place

399.3 We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight

462.3 Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies

463.3 Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies

464.1 Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

522.3+4 Lord, When I Came Into This Life

Hymns from the new Glory to God PCUSA hymnal (2013)

Genesis 9:7-17

315 In the Midst of New Dimensions

Genesis 9:12-16

738 O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee

Genesis 9:12-17

22 God of the Sparrow

Genesis 9:13-15

39 Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Genesis 9:13-17

250 In the Bulb There Is a Flower

Renewal of Baptism

Luther’s “Flood Prayer”

Lutheran version (Lutheran service book): Almighty and eternal God, according to Your strict judgment You condemned the unbelieving world through the flood, yet according to Your great mercy You preserved believing Noah and his family, eight souls in all. You drowned heart-hearted Pharaoh and all his host in the Red Sea, yet led Your people Israel through the water on dry ground, prefiguring this washing of Your Holy Baptism. Through the Baptism in the Jordan of Your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, You sanctified and instituted all waters to be a blessed flood, and a lavish washing away of sin. We pray that You would behold N. according to Your boundless mercy and bless him with true faith by the Holy Spirit that through this saving flood all sin in him which has been inherited from Adam and which he himself has committed since would be drowned and die. Grant that he be kept safe and secure in the holy ark of the Christian Church, being separated from the multitude of unbelievers and serving Your name at all times with a fervent spirit and a joyful hope, so that, with all believers in Your promise, he would be declared worthy of eternal life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Anglican version (Book of Common Prayer):

Almighty and everlasting God, who of thy great mercy didst save Noah and his family in the ark from perishing by water; and also didst safely lead the children of Israel thy people through the Red Sea, figuring thereby thy holy Baptism; and by the Baptism of thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, in the river Jordan didst sanctify Water to the mystical washing away of sin: We beseech thee, for thine infinite mercies, that thou wilt mercifully look upon this Child, wash him and sanctify him with the Holy Ghost; that he, being delivered from thy wrath, may be received into the ark of Christ’s Church; and being stedfast in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in charity, may so pass through the waves of this troublesome world, that finally he may come to the land of everlasting life, there to reign with thee world without end; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

1993 Book of Common Worship (PC-USA) version:

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

We give you thanks, Eternal God,

for you nourish and sustain all living things

by the gift of water.

In the beginning of time,

your Spirit moved over the watery chaos,

calling forth order and life.

In the time of Noah,

you destroyed evil by the waters of the flood,

giving righteousness a new beginning.

You led Israel out of slavery,

through the waters of the sea,

into the freedom of the promised land.

In the waters of Jordan

Jesus was baptized by John

and anointed with your Spirit.

By the baptism of his own death and resurrection,

Christ set us free from sin and death,

and opened the way to eternal life.

We thank you, O God, for the water of baptism.

In it we are buried with Christ in his death.

From it we are raised to share in his resurrection,

Through it we are reborn by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The minister may touch the water.

Send your Spirit to move over this water

that it may be a fountain of deliverance and rebirth.

Wash away the sin of all who are cleansed by it.

Raise them to new life,

and graft them to the body of Christ.

Pour out your Holy Spirit upon them,

that they may have power to do your will,

and continue forever in the risen life of Christ.

To you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God,

be all praise, honor, and glory,

now and forever. [411]

Amen.

Directives for a baptismal prayer with similar content:

The minister may give thanks over the water in his or her own words:

a. praising God for God’s faithfulness in the covenant;

b. thankfully remembering God’s reconciling acts such as:

the cleansing and rebirth in the flood in the time of Noah;

the exodus through the waters of the sea;

Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan;

the baptism of Jesus’ death and his resurrection.

c. invoking the Holy Spirit

to attend and empower the baptism;

to make the water a water of redemption and rebirth;

to equip the church for faithfulness.

The prayer concludes with an ascription of praise to the triune God.

Book of Common Worship offering prayer (covenant)

Let us pray.

Faithful God,

you placed the rainbow in the skies

as the sign of your covenant with all living things.

May we who are saved through water and the Spirit,

worthily offer to you our sacrifice of thanksgiving.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. [256]

Amen.

Other water/flood-related scriptures:

Psalm 29, 42, 69

Song of Solomon 8:6–7

Psalm 29 (Book of Common Worship)

PSALM 29 Tone 3; PH 180; PS 26

1 Ascribe to the LORD, you gods, *

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory that is due the holy name; *

worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. R

3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters;

the God of glory thunders; *

the LORD is upon the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice; *

the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor. R

5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedar trees; *

the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon;

6 the LORD makes Lebanon skip like a calf, *

and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox. R

7 The voice of the LORD splits the flames of fire;

the voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;

the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

8 The voice of the LORD makes the oak trees writhe *

and strips the forests bare.

9 And in the temple of the LORD *

all are crying, “Glory!” R

10 The LORD sits enthroned above the flood; *

the LORD sits enthroned as Sovereign forevermore.

[Unison]

11 The LORD shall give strength to the chosen people; *

the LORD shall give the people the blessing of peace. R

God of mystery and power,

open our eyes to the fire of your love,

and open our ears to the thunder of your justice,

that we may receive your gifts of blessing and peace,

to the glory of your name;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSALM 42 Tone 8; PH 189, 190; PS 37

1 As the deer longs for the water-brooks, *

so longs my soul for you, O God.

2 My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God; *

when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?

3 My tears have been my food day and night, *

while all day long they say to me,

“Where now is your God?” R

4 I pour out my soul when I think on these things: *

how I went with the multitude and led them into the house of God,

with the voice of praise and thanksgiving, *

among those who keep holy-day.

5 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *

and why are you so disquieted within me? R

Put your trust in God; *

for I will yet give thanks to the One

who is the help of my countenance, 6 and my God.

My soul is heavy within me; *

therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,

and from the peak of Mizar among the heights of Hermon.

7 One deep calls to another in the noise of your cataracts; *

all your rapids and floods have gone over me.

8 The LORD grants loving-kindness in the daytime; *

in the night season the song of the LORD is with me,

a prayer to the God of my life. R

9 I will say to the God of my strength,

“Why have you forgotten me? *

and why do I go so heavily while the enemy oppresses me?“

10 While my bones are being broken, *

my enemies mock me to my face;

all day long they mock me *

and say to me, “Where now is your God?” R

11 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *

and why are you so disquieted within me?

[Unison]

Put your trust in God; *

for I will yet give thanks to the One

who is the help of my countenance, and my God. R

Gracious God,

in the night of distress we forget the days of sun and joy.

When we do not know your presence,

preserve us from the deep torrent of despair.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSALM 69 Tone 8

1 Save me, O God, *

for the waters have risen up to my neck.

2 I am sinking in deep mire, *

and there is no firm ground for my feet.

I have come into deep waters, *

and the torrent washes over me. R

3 I have grown weary with my crying;

my throat is inflamed; *

my eyes have failed from looking for my God.

Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head;

my lying foes who would destroy me are mighty. *

Must I then give back what I never stole?

5 O God, you know my foolishness, *

and my faults are not hidden from you.

6 Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me,

Lord GOD of hosts; *

let not those who seek you be disgraced because of me,

O God of Israel. R

7 Surely, for your sake have I suffered reproach, *

and shame has covered my face.

8 I have become a stranger to my own kindred, *

an alien to my mother’s children.

9 Zeal for your house has eaten me up; *

the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.

10 I humbled myself with fasting, *

but that was turned to my reproach. R

11 I put on sack-cloth also, *

and became a byword among them.

12 Those who sit at the gate murmur against me, *

and the drunkards make songs about me. R

13 But as for me, this is my prayer to you, *

at the time you have set, O LORD:

“In your great mercy, O God, *

answer me with your unfailing help.

14 Save me from the mire; do not let me sink; *

let me be rescued from those who hate me

and out of the deep waters.

15 Let not the torrent of waters wash over me,

neither let the deep swallow me up; *

do not let the pit shut its mouth upon me. R

16 Answer me, O LORD, for your love is kind; *

in your great compassion, turn to me.

17 Hide not your face from your servant; *

be swift and answer me, for I am in distress.

18 Draw near to me and redeem me; *

because of my enemies deliver me. R

19 You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor; *

my adversaries are all in your sight.”

20 Reproach has broken my heart, and it cannot be healed; *

I looked for sympathy, but there was none,

for comforters, but I could find no one.

21 They gave me gall to eat, *

and when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink. R

22 Let the table before them be a trap *

and their sacred feasts a snare.

23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, *

and give them continual trembling in their inner parts.

24 Pour out your indignation upon them, *

and let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.

25 Let their camp be desolate, *

and let there be none to dwell in their tents.

26 For they persecute the one whom you have stricken *

and add to the pain of those whom you have pierced.

27 Lay to their charge guilt upon guilt, *

and let them not receive your vindication.

28 Let them be wiped out of the book of the living *

and not be written among the righteous. R

29 As for me, I am afflicted and in pain; *

your help, O God, will lift me up on high.

30 I will praise the name of God in song; *

I will proclaim the greatness of the LORD with thanksgiving.

31 This will please the Lord more than an offering of oxen, *

more than bullocks with horns and hoofs.

32 The afflicted shall see and be glad; *

you who seek God, your heart shall live.

33 For the Lord listens to the needy *

and does not despise those who are in prison. R

34 Let the heavens and the earth give praise, *

the seas and all that moves in them;

35 for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; *

they shall live there and have it in possession.

36 The servants of the LORD will inherit it, *

and those who love the name of God will dwell therein. R

Blessed are you, God of hope;

you restore the fallen

and rebuild the broken walls.

Teach us the song of thanksgiving,

for you are the strength of your people;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [

Call to Worship from Psalm 29:3-4, 10-11

One: The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
Many: the God of glory thunders,

One: the Lord, over mighty waters.
Many: The voice of the Lord is powerful;
One: The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
Many: the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
ALL: May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!

Collect (from Genesis 9)

O Saving God, who made a covenant with Noah and his descendants and with every living creature surviving on the ark; when clouds cover the earth, remember and keep your covenant with all living things, so that the waters will never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.

In the name of the Creator, who makes and keeps covenant with the people of God; the Spirit, who sweeps over creative waters; and the Son, who calms the seas, Amen.

Prayers of the People (from Psalm 42:7-8)

All: Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts;
all your waves and your billows have gone over me.

O God, we are billowed and buffeted by waves of evil and violence. Silent or specific prayers.

All: I pray to you, O God of my life. By day command your steadfast love. By night your song is with me.

Floods of illness and grief threaten to drown us.

Silent or specific prayers.