Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, June 23, 2024)

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

This Sunday’s Gospel reading is Mark’s account of Jesus’ calming of the storm. This Sunday’s message considers an important way that it applies to Christians and would-be Christians.

With the exception of “Lord, Have Mercy,” “Glory to God,” and ““Give Thanks to the Lord,” all music selections for this Sunday come from Common Praise (1998) or its supplement, Sing a New Creation (2022).

It is recommended that after reading or hearing each lesson to take time to reflect on what you read or heard during the period of silence which follows each lesson. It is also recommended that you do the same thing after reading or hearing the message.

GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME

The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.

Eternal God, source of all blessing,
help us to worship you
with all our heart and mind and strength;
for you alone are God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Laura Story and Jesse Reeves’ “Indescribable.”

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation’s revealing Your majesty
From the colours of Fall to the fragrance of Spring
Every creature unique and the song that it sings, all exclaiming:

Indescribable, uncontainable
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name
You are amazing, God
All-powerful, untameable
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing, God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go?
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow?
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light?
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night?
None can fathom

Indescribable, uncontainable
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name
You are amazing, God
All-powerful, untameable
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing, God

You are amazing, God

Indescribable, uncontainable
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name
You are amazing, God
All-powerful, untameable
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing, God

Indescribable, uncontainable
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name
You are amazing, God
Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing, God
You are amazing, God

Let us confess our sins to God our Father

Silence

Almighty and merciful God
we have sinned against you,
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with all our heart.
We have not loved others as our Saviour Christ loves us.
We are truly sorry.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may delight in your will
and walk in your ways;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear “Lord, Have Mercy” (Kyrie) from Marty Haugen’s Mass of Creation.

Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy,
Lord, have mercy.

God of all creation, earth and sea and sky,
God of all eternity: hear us, hear us.

Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy,
(Kyrie, eleison, Christe, eleison,
Lord, have mercy.
Kyrie, eleison, Kyrie, Christe.)

[Instrumental interlude]

Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy,
(Kyrie, eleison, Christe, eleison,
Lord, have mercy.
Kyrie, eleison, Kyrie, Christe.)

God of our salvation, God of grace and peace,
God of wisdom and of love: hear us, hear us.

Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy,
(Kyrie, eleison, Christe, eleison,
Lord, have mercy.
Kyrie, eleison, Kyrie, Christe.)

Open this link in a new tab to hear “Glory to God” from Marty Haugen’s Mass of Creation.

Glory to God in the highest,
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.

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

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.

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

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. Amen.

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

Let us pray

Silence

O God, the protector of all who trust in you,
without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy:
Increase and multiply upon us your mercy;
that with you as our ruler and guide,
we may so pass through things temporal
that we finally lose not the things eternal:
Grant this, heavenly Father,
for Jesus Christ’s sake, our Lord. Amen.

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

A reading from the Book of Job, Chapter 38, Verses 1–11.

Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:

“Who is this that questions my wisdom
with such ignorant words?
Brace yourself like a man,
because I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell me, if you know so much.
Who determined its dimensions
and stretched out the surveying line?
What supports its foundations,
and who laid its cornerstone
as the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
“Who kept the sea inside its boundaries
as it burst from the womb,
and as I clothed it with clouds
and wrapped it in thick darkness?
For I locked it behind barred gates,
limiting its shores.
I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come.
Here your proud waves must stop!’

Silence

Open this link in a new tab to hear Marius C. Villaroman’s setting of “Give Thanks to the Lord” (Psalm 107).

Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.

They who sailed the sea in ships,
trading on the deep waters,
These saw the works of the LORD
and his wonders in the abyss.

Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.

His command raised up a storm wind
which tossed its waves on high.
They mounted up to heaven; they sank to the depths;
their hearts melted away in their plight.

Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.

They cried to the LORD in their distress;
from their straits he rescued them,
He hushed the storm to a gentle breeze,
and the billows of the sea were stilled.

Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.

They rejoiced that they were calmed,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his kindness
and his wondrous deeds to the children of men.

Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.

A reading from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 6, Verses 1–13.

As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says,

“At just the right time, I heard you.
On the day of salvation, I helped you.”

Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you. There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us. I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!

Silence

Open this link in a new tab to hear Carl P. Daw Jr.’s “Surely It Is God Wo Saves Me” (Ecce Deus).

1 Surely it is God who saves me;
I shall trust and have no fear.
For the Lord defends and shields me
and his saving help is near.
So rejoice as you draw water
from salvation's healing spring;
in the day of your deliverance
thank the Lord, his mercies sing.

2 Make God's deeds known to the peoples:
tell out his exalted Name.
Praise the Lord, who has done great things;
all his works God's might proclaim.
Zion, lift your voice in singing;
for with you has come to dwell,
in your very midst the great and
Holy One of Israel.

A reading from the Gospel according to Mark, Chapter 4, Verses 35–41.

As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

Silence

Who Is This Man?

Judging from their reaction to Jesus’s calming of the storm, the disciples had not yet fully grasped who Jesus was. They realized that he was someone special, someone out of the ordinary, but they had ot completely made up their minds about him. This is why they asked each other, “Who is this man? Even the winds and waves obey him!” It is a question that we as Christians and would be Christians at some point in our lives must ask ourselves. “Who is this man? Who is Jesus?” “Who do we personally believe that he is?”

As Jesus pointed to the attention of the disciples and others, the Scriptures testified to whom he was. Today’s Old Testament lesson, psalm portion, and canticle all provide clues to Jesus’ identity, as does his name, a variation of Joshuah, “God saves.”

Does it make a difference who Jesus is? We live in a world where numerous voices clamor for our attention. 

To which voices do we listen, and which voices do we ignore? 

Do we treat Jesus’ voice as one voice among the many voices? 

How does this square with whom the Gospels claim Jesus to be and report Jesus himself to have claimed? 

If Jesus is whom the Gospels claim and Jesus is reported to have claimed, then he has a claim to our attention that none of these other voices can make. As loudly as they clamor for our attention, his voice, and his voice alone, is the one that has a right to our attention. Something to think about.

We may never find ourselves in a small, open fishing boat with Jesus in the midst of a storm. But the time will come when we must answer the question, “Who is this man?” What will be your answer?

Silence

Open this link in a new tab to hear Rusty Edward’s “Praise the One Wo Breaks the Darkness.”

1 Praise the One who break the darkness
with a liberating light.
Praise the One who frees the prisoners
turning blindness into sight.
Praise the One who preached the Gospel
healing every dread disease.
Calming storms and feeding thousands
with the very bread of peace.

2 Praise the One who blessed the children
with a strong yet gentle word.
Praise the One who drove out demons
with a piercing two-edged sword.
Praise the one who brings cool water
to the desert's burning sand.
From this well comes living water
quenching thirst in every land.

3 Praise the one true love incarnate:
Christ who suffered in our place.
Jesus died and rose for many
that we may know God by grace.
Let us sing for joy and gladness
seeing what our God has done.
Praise the one redeeming glory,
praise the One who makes us one.

Let us confess our faith as we say

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER

In peace we pray to you, Lord God.

Silence

For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbours,
and for all those who are alone.

For this community, our country, and the world;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.

For the just and proper use of your creation;
For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.

For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and needy.

For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
For all who proclaim the gospel, and all who seek the truth.

For N. our bishop, and for all elders, deacons, and licesed local pastors;
For all who serve God in the Church.

For our own needs and those of others

Silence

Those present may add their own petitions.

Hear us, Lord.
For your mercy is great.

We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life.

Silence

Those present may add their own thanksgivings

We will exalt you, O God our king;
And praise your name for ever and ever.

We pray for those who have died in the peace of Christ,
and for those whose faith is known to you alone,
that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom.

Silence

Those present may add their own petitions

Lord, let your loving kindness be upon them;
Who put their trust in you.

Gracious God,
you have heard the prayers of your faithful people;
you know our needs before we ask,
and our ignorance in asking.
Grant our requests as may be best for us.
This we ask in the name of your Son
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Saviour taught us,

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, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Katherine K. Davis’ “Let All Things Now Living.”

1 Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving
To God the creator triumphantly raise.
Who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us,
Who still guides us on to the end of our days.
His banners are o'er us, His light goes before us,
A pillar of fire shining forth in the night.
Till shadows have vanished and darkness is banished
As forward we travel from light into light.

2 His law he enforces, the stars in their courses
And sun in its orbit obediently shine;
The hills and the mountains, the rivers and fountains,
The deeps of the ocean proclaim him divine.
We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing;
With glad adoration a song let us raise
Till all things now living unite in thanksgiving:
"To God in the highest, Hosanna and praise!" Amen.

THE SENDING OUT OF GOD’S PEOPLE

Holy and everliving God,
by your power we are created
and by your love we are redeemed;
guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,
that we may give ourselves to your service,
and live each day in love to one another and to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

May the Lord bless us and keep us,
May the Lord make his face to shine on us and be gracious to us,
May the Lord look on us with kindness and give us peace. Amen.

The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
And also with you.

Those present may exchange a gesture of peace with these or similar words:
Peace be with you.