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SUMMARY:The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Acts 1: 1-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Dear Theophilus\,  \nIn my first book\, The Gospel according to Luke\, I wrote an account of all that Jesus did and taught from the time he started until the day he said goodbye and was taken up to heaven. Before he left\, he gathered the apostles\, who he had chosen through the Holy Spirit\, and spelled out his final instructions.  \nFor forty days after his suffering and death\, he repeatedly showed up and proved in many ways that he really was alive again. Face to face with the apostles\, he spoke with them about the culture of God. While he was still meeting and sharing meals with them\, he put them on notice that they were not to leave Jerusalem yet. “Instead\,” he said\, “you must wait here for the gift I told you about - the gift my Father promised. You remember how John baptised with water. Well\, you will be baptised with Holy Spirit in just a few days time.”  \nWhen they were all together for the last time\, the apostles had one burning question: “Lord\, is this the time? Will you regain our freedom now and give us our own king to reign over Israel?”  \nJesus replied\, “Only the Father can decide such things and the timing is none of your business. Just focus on this: the Holy Spirit will flood over you and drench you with power\, giving you the passion and courage to be my witnesses. Then you will be able to tell everyone about me\, in Jerusalem\, all over Judea and Samaria\, and even to the ends of the earth.”  \nThat was it - his last words. Right before their eyes\, he was carried up into the air where he soon disappeared into the clouds. They just stood there stunned\, staring into the sky. Suddenly two men appeared next to them\, dressed in white robes! They said\, “You Galileans! What are you standing here for\, staring into the sky? Jesus has been taken into heaven\, but don’t worry. He’ll be back\, just as surely - and just as mysteriously - as he left.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 47			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We applaud you\, LORD\, as everyone should;\nwe roar your name and sing for joy. \nYou are an awesome God;\nnumber one in the universe;\nthe great ruler of all the earth. \nYou have subdued those who attacked us;\nput hostile nations at our mercy. \nYou picked out the best land for us;\nyou favoured us with a prized inheritance. \nTake your place at the top of the dais\, LORD God\,\nas we sound trumpets and cheer in your honour. \nYou are our God\, and we’ll sing your praises;\nyou are our ruler\, and we’ll sing your praises. \nYou are the God who rules over all the earth;\nwe’ll sing your praises in all our songs. \nYou are the God who rules over the nations;\nthe throne where you sit is one of a kind. \nLeaders gather from every people on earth\nand\, like Abraham’s descendants\,\ngive their allegiance to you\, God.\nThey lay down their weapons\nand honour you as their ultimate superior. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Psalm 93 (alternative psalm)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, you are the great ruler.\nMajesty enfolds you like a royal robe\nand strength radiates from you.  \nYou have fixed the world firmly in its place.\nYour throne is immovable\, LORD;\never was and ever shall be.  \nSurging floods have risen\, O LORD\,\nsurging up with a mighty roar;\nengulfing everything in thunderous sound.  \nYou are more impressive than the surging waters\,\nmore powerful than the crashing waves;\nyou are number one in all the universe\, LORD!  \nWhatever you say is set in stone.\nThe place you live\, O LORD\, is clearly sacred;\nits holiness will outlast time. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 1: 15-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Having heard of your deep trust in the Lord Jesus and your active love for his people\, I could hardly stop thanking God for you. And I’m praying for you too. I ask the glorious God of our Lord Jesus the Messiah to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will fill you with wisdom and insight as you get to know God. That way you’ll get a clear picture of all that God wants you to see: \n\n\n\nthe promised goal of the mission to which you are called;\nthe extravagant generosity of God’s provision for us;\nand the immense capacity of the dynamic power which is put to work in us when we trust God.\n\n\n\nThis dynamic power is the same energy that God put to work in the Messiah when he raised him from death and enthroned him in heaven. Now the Messiah sits at God’s right hand\, reigning over the entire universe\, and there is not a single authority that can overrule him\, now or ever. Every religious hierarchy and military regime; every legal jurisdiction and people-power movement; every economic imperative and moral principle; God has put them all under the feet of the Messiah. God has decreed that all things will answer to him. The church\, then\, is central to what the Messiah is doing\, for it is his body\, already filled with the presence of the one who is filling each and every part of the entire universe. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 24: 44-53			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the last day that Jesus was on earth after his resurrection\, he said to his disciples\, “The things I have said while I was with you amount to this: everything written about me in the law of Moses\, the prophets\, and the psalms is to be fulfilled.” \nAs he spoke they began to see how to read the scriptures with open minds so as to understand what God was saying in them. Jesus said to them: \n“What was written will now be clear to you: that the Messiah is to suffer and then rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that the people of every nation must be told of the Messiah’s call to turn their lives around and receive forgiveness for their toxic ways. You can get started here in Jerusalem. You have witnessed these things first hand\, so you can tell everyone what you have seen and heard. And don’t miss this: I myself am sending you the gift that my Father promised\, so wait here in the city until you have been fitted out with God’s power.” \nJesus then led his disciples out as far as Bethany\, where he lifted up his hands and spoke a blessing over them. Even as he was blessing them\, he parted from them and was carried into heaven. Falling to their knees\, they worshipped him. They returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy and\, after that\, they were always in the temple praising God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho you carried up into heaven\nand seated at your right hand\nso that he might be everywhere present\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise with shouts of joy\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As Jesus Christ instructed his followers\,\nthe forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name\nfrom the holy city to the ends of the earth. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world.\nand in your words and in your lives\nbear witness to the Christ who has ascended\nto be everywhere present. \nAnd as you come to know him\,\nmay God give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation\,\nmay Christ Jesus lift up his hands and bless you\,\nand may the Spirit open to you all the riches of Christ’s inheritance. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Ascension: Christ’s superabundant presenceA sermon on Acts 1. 6-14 & John 17:1-11 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nStretching those WingsA sermon for the Feast of the Ascension by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNot Knowing Where to LookA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLook around you!A sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThe Ascension of the High PriestA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc38/2030-05-30/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/38.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300530T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300530T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200827T044009Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T003404Z
UID:10002820-1906329600-1906415999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Acts 1: 1-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Dear Theophilus\,  \nIn my first book\, The Gospel according to Luke\, I wrote an account of all that Jesus did and taught from the time he started until the day he said goodbye and was taken up to heaven. Before he left\, he gathered the apostles\, who he had chosen through the Holy Spirit\, and spelled out his final instructions.  \nFor forty days after his suffering and death\, he repeatedly showed up and proved in many ways that he really was alive again. Face to face with the apostles\, he spoke with them about the culture of God. While he was still meeting and sharing meals with them\, he put them on notice that they were not to leave Jerusalem yet. “Instead\,” he said\, “you must wait here for the gift I told you about - the gift my Father promised. You remember how John baptised with water. Well\, you will be baptised with Holy Spirit in just a few days time.”  \nWhen they were all together for the last time\, the apostles had one burning question: “Lord\, is this the time? Will you regain our freedom now and give us our own king to reign over Israel?”  \nJesus replied\, “Only the Father can decide such things and the timing is none of your business. Just focus on this: the Holy Spirit will flood over you and drench you with power\, giving you the passion and courage to be my witnesses. Then you will be able to tell everyone about me\, in Jerusalem\, all over Judea and Samaria\, and even to the ends of the earth.”  \nThat was it - his last words. Right before their eyes\, he was carried up into the air where he soon disappeared into the clouds. They just stood there stunned\, staring into the sky. Suddenly two men appeared next to them\, dressed in white robes! They said\, “You Galileans! What are you standing here for\, staring into the sky? Jesus has been taken into heaven\, but don’t worry. He’ll be back\, just as surely - and just as mysteriously - as he left.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 47			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We applaud you\, LORD\, as everyone should;\nwe roar your name and sing for joy. \nYou are an awesome God;\nnumber one in the universe;\nthe great ruler of all the earth. \nYou have subdued those who attacked us;\nput hostile nations at our mercy. \nYou picked out the best land for us;\nyou favoured us with a prized inheritance. \nTake your place at the top of the dais\, LORD God\,\nas we sound trumpets and cheer in your honour. \nYou are our God\, and we’ll sing your praises;\nyou are our ruler\, and we’ll sing your praises. \nYou are the God who rules over all the earth;\nwe’ll sing your praises in all our songs. \nYou are the God who rules over the nations;\nthe throne where you sit is one of a kind. \nLeaders gather from every people on earth\nand\, like Abraham’s descendants\,\ngive their allegiance to you\, God.\nThey lay down their weapons\nand honour you as their ultimate superior. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Psalm 93 (alternative psalm)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, you are the great ruler.\nMajesty enfolds you like a royal robe\nand strength radiates from you.  \nYou have fixed the world firmly in its place.\nYour throne is immovable\, LORD;\never was and ever shall be.  \nSurging floods have risen\, O LORD\,\nsurging up with a mighty roar;\nengulfing everything in thunderous sound.  \nYou are more impressive than the surging waters\,\nmore powerful than the crashing waves;\nyou are number one in all the universe\, LORD!  \nWhatever you say is set in stone.\nThe place you live\, O LORD\, is clearly sacred;\nits holiness will outlast time. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 1: 15-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Having heard of your deep trust in the Lord Jesus and your active love for his people\, I could hardly stop thanking God for you. And I’m praying for you too. I ask the glorious God of our Lord Jesus the Messiah to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will fill you with wisdom and insight as you get to know God. That way you’ll get a clear picture of all that God wants you to see: \n\n\n\nthe promised goal of the mission to which you are called;\nthe extravagant generosity of God’s provision for us;\nand the immense capacity of the dynamic power which is put to work in us when we trust God.\n\n\n\nThis dynamic power is the same energy that God put to work in the Messiah when he raised him from death and enthroned him in heaven. Now the Messiah sits at God’s right hand\, reigning over the entire universe\, and there is not a single authority that can overrule him\, now or ever. Every religious hierarchy and military regime; every legal jurisdiction and people-power movement; every economic imperative and moral principle; God has put them all under the feet of the Messiah. God has decreed that all things will answer to him. The church\, then\, is central to what the Messiah is doing\, for it is his body\, already filled with the presence of the one who is filling each and every part of the entire universe. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 24: 44-53			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the last day that Jesus was on earth after his resurrection\, he said to his disciples\, “The things I have said while I was with you amount to this: everything written about me in the law of Moses\, the prophets\, and the psalms is to be fulfilled.” \nAs he spoke they began to see how to read the scriptures with open minds so as to understand what God was saying in them. Jesus said to them: \n“What was written will now be clear to you: that the Messiah is to suffer and then rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that the people of every nation must be told of the Messiah’s call to turn their lives around and receive forgiveness for their toxic ways. You can get started here in Jerusalem. You have witnessed these things first hand\, so you can tell everyone what you have seen and heard. And don’t miss this: I myself am sending you the gift that my Father promised\, so wait here in the city until you have been fitted out with God’s power.” \nJesus then led his disciples out as far as Bethany\, where he lifted up his hands and spoke a blessing over them. Even as he was blessing them\, he parted from them and was carried into heaven. Falling to their knees\, they worshipped him. They returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy and\, after that\, they were always in the temple praising God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho you carried up into heaven\nand seated at your right hand\nso that he might be everywhere present\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise with shouts of joy\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As Jesus Christ instructed his followers\,\nthe forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name\nfrom the holy city to the ends of the earth. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world.\nand in your words and in your lives\nbear witness to the Christ who has ascended\nto be everywhere present. \nAnd as you come to know him\,\nmay God give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation\,\nmay Christ Jesus lift up his hands and bless you\,\nand may the Spirit open to you all the riches of Christ’s inheritance. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Ascension: Christ’s superabundant presenceA sermon on Acts 1. 6-14 & John 17:1-11 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nStretching those WingsA sermon for the Feast of the Ascension by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNot Knowing Where to LookA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLook around you!A sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThe Ascension of the High PriestA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc38/2030-05-30/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/38.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300530T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300530T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200827T044009Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T003404Z
UID:10002825-1906329600-1906415999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Acts 1: 1-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Dear Theophilus\,  \nIn my first book\, The Gospel according to Luke\, I wrote an account of all that Jesus did and taught from the time he started until the day he said goodbye and was taken up to heaven. Before he left\, he gathered the apostles\, who he had chosen through the Holy Spirit\, and spelled out his final instructions.  \nFor forty days after his suffering and death\, he repeatedly showed up and proved in many ways that he really was alive again. Face to face with the apostles\, he spoke with them about the culture of God. While he was still meeting and sharing meals with them\, he put them on notice that they were not to leave Jerusalem yet. “Instead\,” he said\, “you must wait here for the gift I told you about - the gift my Father promised. You remember how John baptised with water. Well\, you will be baptised with Holy Spirit in just a few days time.”  \nWhen they were all together for the last time\, the apostles had one burning question: “Lord\, is this the time? Will you regain our freedom now and give us our own king to reign over Israel?”  \nJesus replied\, “Only the Father can decide such things and the timing is none of your business. Just focus on this: the Holy Spirit will flood over you and drench you with power\, giving you the passion and courage to be my witnesses. Then you will be able to tell everyone about me\, in Jerusalem\, all over Judea and Samaria\, and even to the ends of the earth.”  \nThat was it - his last words. Right before their eyes\, he was carried up into the air where he soon disappeared into the clouds. They just stood there stunned\, staring into the sky. Suddenly two men appeared next to them\, dressed in white robes! They said\, “You Galileans! What are you standing here for\, staring into the sky? Jesus has been taken into heaven\, but don’t worry. He’ll be back\, just as surely - and just as mysteriously - as he left.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 47			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We applaud you\, LORD\, as everyone should;\nwe roar your name and sing for joy. \nYou are an awesome God;\nnumber one in the universe;\nthe great ruler of all the earth. \nYou have subdued those who attacked us;\nput hostile nations at our mercy. \nYou picked out the best land for us;\nyou favoured us with a prized inheritance. \nTake your place at the top of the dais\, LORD God\,\nas we sound trumpets and cheer in your honour. \nYou are our God\, and we’ll sing your praises;\nyou are our ruler\, and we’ll sing your praises. \nYou are the God who rules over all the earth;\nwe’ll sing your praises in all our songs. \nYou are the God who rules over the nations;\nthe throne where you sit is one of a kind. \nLeaders gather from every people on earth\nand\, like Abraham’s descendants\,\ngive their allegiance to you\, God.\nThey lay down their weapons\nand honour you as their ultimate superior. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Psalm 93 (alternative psalm)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, you are the great ruler.\nMajesty enfolds you like a royal robe\nand strength radiates from you.  \nYou have fixed the world firmly in its place.\nYour throne is immovable\, LORD;\never was and ever shall be.  \nSurging floods have risen\, O LORD\,\nsurging up with a mighty roar;\nengulfing everything in thunderous sound.  \nYou are more impressive than the surging waters\,\nmore powerful than the crashing waves;\nyou are number one in all the universe\, LORD!  \nWhatever you say is set in stone.\nThe place you live\, O LORD\, is clearly sacred;\nits holiness will outlast time. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 1: 15-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Having heard of your deep trust in the Lord Jesus and your active love for his people\, I could hardly stop thanking God for you. And I’m praying for you too. I ask the glorious God of our Lord Jesus the Messiah to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will fill you with wisdom and insight as you get to know God. That way you’ll get a clear picture of all that God wants you to see: \n\n\n\nthe promised goal of the mission to which you are called;\nthe extravagant generosity of God’s provision for us;\nand the immense capacity of the dynamic power which is put to work in us when we trust God.\n\n\n\nThis dynamic power is the same energy that God put to work in the Messiah when he raised him from death and enthroned him in heaven. Now the Messiah sits at God’s right hand\, reigning over the entire universe\, and there is not a single authority that can overrule him\, now or ever. Every religious hierarchy and military regime; every legal jurisdiction and people-power movement; every economic imperative and moral principle; God has put them all under the feet of the Messiah. God has decreed that all things will answer to him. The church\, then\, is central to what the Messiah is doing\, for it is his body\, already filled with the presence of the one who is filling each and every part of the entire universe. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 24: 44-53			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the last day that Jesus was on earth after his resurrection\, he said to his disciples\, “The things I have said while I was with you amount to this: everything written about me in the law of Moses\, the prophets\, and the psalms is to be fulfilled.” \nAs he spoke they began to see how to read the scriptures with open minds so as to understand what God was saying in them. Jesus said to them: \n“What was written will now be clear to you: that the Messiah is to suffer and then rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that the people of every nation must be told of the Messiah’s call to turn their lives around and receive forgiveness for their toxic ways. You can get started here in Jerusalem. You have witnessed these things first hand\, so you can tell everyone what you have seen and heard. And don’t miss this: I myself am sending you the gift that my Father promised\, so wait here in the city until you have been fitted out with God’s power.” \nJesus then led his disciples out as far as Bethany\, where he lifted up his hands and spoke a blessing over them. Even as he was blessing them\, he parted from them and was carried into heaven. Falling to their knees\, they worshipped him. They returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy and\, after that\, they were always in the temple praising God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho you carried up into heaven\nand seated at your right hand\nso that he might be everywhere present\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise with shouts of joy\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As Jesus Christ instructed his followers\,\nthe forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name\nfrom the holy city to the ends of the earth. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world.\nand in your words and in your lives\nbear witness to the Christ who has ascended\nto be everywhere present. \nAnd as you come to know him\,\nmay God give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation\,\nmay Christ Jesus lift up his hands and bless you\,\nand may the Spirit open to you all the riches of Christ’s inheritance. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Ascension: Christ’s superabundant presenceA sermon on Acts 1. 6-14 & John 17:1-11 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nStretching those WingsA sermon for the Feast of the Ascension by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNot Knowing Where to LookA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLook around you!A sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThe Ascension of the High PriestA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc38/2030-05-30/
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DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300531T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300531T000000
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200830T121453Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250818T030936Z
UID:10002965-1906416000-1906416000@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Feast of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Samuel 2: 1-10			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	After the birth of her son\, Samuel\, Hannah prayed the following prayer: \n“Thanks to you\, LORD\, I am full of joy;\nthanks to you\, I can stand strong and proud.\nI can return the insults that were hurled at me\,\nand kick up my heels\, because you have set me free. \nThere is no other god like you\, LORD\,\nno one who can hold a candle to you;\nnot even the ancient rock is as dependable as you. \nI can tell the proud to stop their boasting;\ntell the arrogant to put a sock in it.\nYou\, LORD\, know us inside and out;\nyou see whether or not we live up to our words. \nYou\, LORD\, disarm the powerful\,\nand redistribute their strength to the helpless.\nThose who consumed to excess are now queuing at soup kitchens\,\nbut those who were deprived now feast in splendour.\nInfertile couples are having children\, one after the other\,\nwhile those who flaunted their children\nfind their families falling apart. \nLife is yours to give or to take\, LORD;\nyou can send someone to the land of the dead\,\nand you can bring them back again. \nYou\, LORD\, can make us or break us;\nyou can put us on a pedestal or knock us off.\nYou lift up those who have been trodden into the dirt;\nyou put the poor and outcast back on their feet.\nYou give them a place among the guests of honour\,\na seat with the dignitaries and celebrities.\nYou can do all this because the earth is yours;\nyou set it up and you wrote the rules. \nTo those who are faithful\, you guarantee safe passage;\nthose who are corrupt soon lose sight of any light to steer by\,\nfor no matter how strong people are\,\nthey can’t make it alone. \nYou are the LORD!\nThose who try to obstruct you\nfind that it is like standing in the path of a train\nas you thunder towards your destination.\nYou\, LORD\, have the final word on all that is done on earth.\nYou will give strength and power to your chosen ruler.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 113			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	You are the greatest\, LORD! \nWe\, your servants\, can’t stop singing your praises;\nthe mere mention of your name sets us singing! \nFrom now on and forever\,\nyour name will be held sacred\, LORD. \nFrom east to west\, from dawn to dusk\,\nyour name will inspire songs of praise. \nYou are ranked number one\, LORD\,\nway above even the greatest nations\,\noutshining even the sun and the stars. \nCan anyone compare with you\, LORD?\nIs there anyone else even close to your league?\nNot likely! You are seated so high\nthat you look down even to see the sky! \nYou lift up those who have been trodden into the dirt;\nyou put the poor and outcast back on their feet.\nYou give them a place among the guests of honour\,\na seat with the dignitaries and celebrities. \nYou give the infertile couple a family\nfilling their lives with the laughter of children. \nYou are the greatest\, LORD! \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 12: 9-16b			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	See to it that your love is for real and without pretence. Avoid corruption like the plague. Dig your heels in and don’t be budged from the side of good. Love one another\, and not just in theory but with warmth and friendly affection. If you need something to compete over\, see who can score the most points for treating everyone else like royalty. Don’t let your enthusiasm get slack\, but keep yourselves on the boil and work hard for the Lord. Celebrate in anticipation of all that is to come. When you are being put through the wringer\, tough it out\, and pray all the harder. Do what you can to help out other Christians who are in need\, and work at making strangers feel welcome and at home among you. \nWhen others persecute you\, wish them all the best and pray that God will look after them. Seek the best for them; don’t wish disaster on them. When others are celebrating\, celebrate with them. When others are hurting\, share the pain with them. Stay in tune with one another\, living a shared life based on common commitments. Don’t be full of yourselves\, but hang out with those who the world writes off as nobodies. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 1:39-57			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	When the angel told Mary that both she and her relative Elizabeth were going to have babies\, Mary took the first opportunity to make the trip to visit Elizabeth. Elizabeth lived with her husband Zechariah in a Judean town in the hills. Mary sang out as soon as she arrived at their house\, and when she heard the greeting\, Elizabeth felt the baby jump in her womb. The Holy Spirit welled up in Elizabeth and she cried out with joy\, saying: \n“You have been blessed like no other woman!\nAnd doubly blessed is the child in your womb!\nAnd what about me? Why am I so blessed\,\nthat my Lord’s own mother should knock at my door?\nThe moment your greeting reach my ears\,\nthe baby in my womb began bouncing with glee!\nClearly you are God’s favoured one\,\nbecause you believed what God said to you;\ntrusting God to follow through on every promise. \nMary too was bursting with joy. She said: \n“Let me turn the spotlight on God’s greatness!\nWith all that I am I dance with joy over God\, my saviour!\nGod has smiled upon me\, though I was no one special.\nNow I’ll be remembered forever as the favoured one.\nThe supreme God has done wonderful things for me.\nNo other name is in the same league as God’s. \nIn every generation\, those who treat God with respect\nare rewarded with showers of mercy.\nWith sleeves rolled up\, God has made a show of strength\,\nand sent packing those who were so full of themselves. \nGod has kicked the power mongers out of office\,\nand lifted the downtrodden back to their feet.\nGod has put on a feast for those who were hungry\,\nand slammed the door on the rich without giving them a bite. \nThe Lord’s servant Israel receives a helping hand.\nGod always remembers them with tender care.\nThis is exactly what God promised long ago\,\na vow made to Abraham and Sarah for every generation.” \nMary didn’t return home for about three months\, but stayed until Elizabeth’s baby was born. Elizabeth gave birth to a boy who was given the name John. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc45/2030-05-31/
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DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300602T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300602T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200827T051407Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240610T090304Z
UID:10002131-1906588800-1906675199@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:7th Sunday of Pascha - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Acts 1: 15-17\, 21-26			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	One day\, after Jesus had been taken into heaven\, there was a gathering of about one hundred twenty of his followers. Peter stood up and addressed them\, saying: \n“Friends\, the scripture had to be fulfilled. What the Holy Spirit said through David about Judas has now happened. He was one of us\, taking his place alongside us in this ministry\, but in the end he was the one who showed the lynch mob where to arrest Jesus.\n“So we need a replacement for Judas — someone to stand with us as a primary witness to the resurrection life of Jesus. It should be someone who was in our company for the whole time Jesus was among us\, right through from the day he was baptised by John to the day when he was taken into heaven. \nThere were two nominations: Joseph Barsabbas\, nicknamed Justus\, and Matthias. The group prayed saying\, “Lord\, you know us all\, through and through. Make it clear to us which of these two you are choosing to take on the task of ministry and leadership that Judas turned his back on.” And then\, trusting God\, they tossed a coin. On the fall of the coin\, Matthias was declared to be the twelfth apostle. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 1			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, how good it will be for those\nwho turn a deaf ear to the advocates of greed;\nwho steer clear of corrupt short-cuts;\nand avoid those who sneer at goodness. \nInstead they relish your word\, LORD.\nCalming their minds\,\nthey savour the scriptures day and night. \nYou make them strong and healthy\,\nlike a Redgum tree with its roots deep in a river bank\,\nflowering abundantly every season\,\nand always laden with healthy leaves.\nAll that they do is vibrant with life. \nBut what a different story it is for the wicked;\nthey are about as secure as dry leaves in a cyclone. \nThey will have no defence\nwhen they are brought to justice\,\nand no friends among people of integrity. \nLORD\, you keep a protective eye\non all who walk a straight path of peace and justice\,\nbut nothing will save those who leave that road. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  1 John 5: 9-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	If we are willing to believe what people tell us\, surely we will be even more willing to put our trust in what God tells us\, and we now have God’s own statement concerning his Son. Those who put their trust in the Son of God have taken to heart what God has said. Those who do not believe what God has said about his Son are in effect calling God a liar. In a nutshell\, this is the message that God is asking us to believe: God gives us infinite life\, and this life is received and lived in his Son. Those who accept the Son receive life\, but anyone who rejects the Son of God is rejecting life itself. \n  My reason for writing all this to you is simple: I want to ensure that you who trust in God’s Son will know beyond any doubt that you now have life without limit. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 17: 6-19			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	After the supper\, and after giving his final teaching to his followers\, Jesus prayed to God\, saying: \n“Father\, you have given me some followers from this world\,\nand I have given them the full picture of what you are like.\nThey were yours to begin with\,\nbut you gave them to me\,\nand they have done what you asked of them.\nNow they know for sure that everything I have\nwas given to me directly by you.\nI gave my followers the same message you gave to me.\nThey took it on board and were convinced that I came from you. They believe that it was you who sent me.\nI pray for them. \nMy prayer is not for this hell-bent world\nbut for the followers you gave me\,\nfor they are rightfully yours.\nEverything that is mine is yours\,\nand everything that is yours is mine\,\nand my image lights up in them.  \nI will no longer be seen in the world\,\nbut they will continue on in the world\nwhile I come back to you.\nHoly Father\, protect them\nby writing your name on them\,\ngiving them the same identity you gave me\,\nso that they will be one with each other\,\njust as you and I are one in heart and mind. \nWhile I was with them\, I kept them safe\nby assigning to them the name you gave me.\nI stood guard over them\, and didn’t lose a single one\,\nexcept the one who was lost from the beginning\,\nthe one whose demise showed the Scriptures to be true. \nNow I am on my way to you. \nI say these things while the world is still in earshot\,\nso that those who listen may\, like me\,\nexperience a joy that goes right off the scale.\nI have given them your message\,\nand now this godless world can’t stand them\,\nbecause they won’t play by the world’s rules\,\njust as I never played by the world’s rules. \nI am not asking you to take them out of the world\,\nbut I do ask that you keep them safe from the evil one.\nThey don't take their cues from this world\,\nbecause my dance has a different tune. \nImmerse them in truth to make them a sacred people\,\nfor your word is the truth which makes things holy.\nJust as you sent me into the world on your mission\,\nso now I am sending them into the world.\nI have dedicated myself one hundred percent\, for their sake\,\nso that they in turn may commit themselves totally to the truth.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have put your testimony in our hearts\nso that we might know that our life is in you. \nYou created the earth and the heavens\nand marked out the way of the upright.\nThrough the prophets you called us to accept life\,\nand none are lost to your love and protection\nexcept those who turn to their own ways and reject life. \nYou sent your Son into the world\nand entrusted to him those who accepted your Word.\nHe made you known to us\nand prayed that we might share the identity you gave him\nand so be one with each other in your love.\nThough he was killed by this hell-bent world\,\nyou raised him from the dead\nand through your sanctifying Word of truth\nyou call us to share eternal life in him. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your beloved Son\nto whom entrusted to him those who accepted your Word.\nHe made you known to us\nand prayed that we might share the identity you gave him\nand so be one with each other in your love. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have put your testimony in our hearts\nso that we might know that our life is in you. \nYou created the earth and the heavens\nand marked out the way of the upright.\nThrough the prophets you called us to accept life\,\nand none are lost to your love and protection\nexcept those who turn to their own ways and reject life. \nYou sent your Son into the world\nand entrusted to him those who accepted your Word.\nHe made you known to us\nand prayed that we might share the identity you gave him\nand so be one with each other in your love.\nThough he was killed by this hell-bent world\,\nyou raised him from the dead\nand through your sanctifying Word of truth\nyou call us to share eternal life in him. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God\, who knows everyone’s heart\,\ngives us mercy and life in his Son.\nWhoever accepts the Son of God receives life\nin the name of Jesus Christ. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now. Christ sends you into the world\njust as he himself was sent into the world.\nDelight in the Lord’s teaching\,\ntestify to his resurrection life\,\nand share in the ministry of his people. \nAnd may God protect you from the evil one;\nMay Christ Jesus give you God’s word and make you his own;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit sanctify you in the truth\,\nand fill you with the joy of God. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nFacing the TruthA sermon on 1 John 5: 9-13 & John 17:6-19 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nChurch and WorldA sermon on John 17:6-19 & Acts 1:15-17\,21-26 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Leadership LotteryA sermon on Acts 1:15-17\, 21-26 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLiving up to an inherited nameA sermon on John 17:6-19 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Character and Condition of the RighteousA sermon on Psalm 1 by Deonie Duncan
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/b39/2030-06-02/
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DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300609T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300609T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200830T132120Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T003403Z
UID:10002808-1907193600-1907279999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Day of Pentecost - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  1st Reading: Acts 2: 1-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the Feast Day of Pentecost all the believers were together in one place. Suddenly\, as if out of nowhere\, there was a sound like a raging cyclone - and nothing could be heard above it anywhere in the house. And then the Holy Spirit burst in among them like a bushfire\, with sparks and fireballs leaping out to engulf every one there. With fire in their guts and the Holy Spirit unleashing their tongues\, they began to speak of God in languages they had never learned. \nNow in Jerusalem at that time\, there were faithful Jewish pilgrims from all over the world. The wild noise among the believers quickly drew a crowd. What they heard bewildered them because everyone\, no matter where they were from\, heard their native language being spoken by the believers. Almost unable to believe their ears\, they asked: \n“Don’t all these people come from Galilee? How come we can all hear them speaking our own native languages? Some of us are Parthians\, some Medes\, others Elamites. There are people visiting here from Mesopotamia\, Judea and Cappadocia\, Pontus and Asia\, Phrygia and Pamphylia\, Egypt and the Cyrenene occupied parts of Libya. There are immigrants from Rome\, both ethnic Jews and converts. Some here are even Cretans and Arabs! But these Galileans are speaking all our languages and telling us about the extraordinary things God has done.”  \nThey were all in a spin\, unable to make head nor tail of what was happening. They kept asking one another what was going on and what it could all mean. Others though\, just sneered and said\, “They’ve been on the turps. They’re just a bunch of drunks.”  \nPeter stood up with the other eleven and addressed the crowd as loudly and clearly as he could: \n“Men and women of Jerusalem\, locals and visitors\, listen up and I’ll let you in on what this is all about. If you think that these people are drunk\, you are wrong. Think about it - the pubs aren’t even open this early in the morning. No\, what is happening here was explained long ago in the words of the prophet Joel:  \n“This is what I will do\nwhen time reaches its climax\, God declares:  \nI will pour out my Spirit on everyone. \nYour sons and your daughters\nshall speak as prophets.\nThe young among you will see visions\,\nand the old will dream dreams.  \n  I even have men and women among those\nwhose rights no one cares about\,\nand in those days\nI will pour out my Spirit upon them too;\nand they shall proclaim my justice.  \n  I will perform miraculous signs in the sky above\nand awesome wonders on the earth below\,\nblood\, and fire\, and clouds of smoke.  \n  The sun will go black and the moon blood-red\nbefore the dawning\nof the awesome and glorious day of the Lord.  \n  And everyone who cries out to the Lord\nshall be saved.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR   Ezekiel 37: 1-14 (alternative 1st reading)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The LORD took hold of me and the LORD’s Spirit carried me away and dropped me off in the middle of Death Valley. I took a look around but there was nothing to be seen but bones – old human bones\, baked dry in the sun – thousands and thousands of them. The LORD questioned me saying\, “Ezekiel\, mortal man\, can these bones come back to life?” \nI replied\, “Lord GOD\, only you can answer such a question.” \nThen the LORD told me to preach boldly to the bones\, saying: \n“All you dry bones\, listen to what the LORD is saying to you. Though you are long dead\, I\, the Lord\, will put breath into you again\, and you will live. Muscles\, ligaments\, organs\, veins; all these I will give you\, wrapped in healthy new skin. You will have whole new bodies and I will breathe life into you. Then you will know for sure that I am the LORD.” \nSo I did what the LORD told me and I preached to the bones. Even while I was in full flight\, the noise of rattling bones began to echo through the valley. They were coming together\, linking up\, one bone to another. As I watched\, muscles appeared and grew. Bodies filled out with new flesh\, and fresh skin was wrapped around them. But they were still lifeless. \nThen the LORD told me to call to the winds\, saying: \n“North Wind\, South Wind\, East Wind\, West Wind\, listen to what the LORD is telling you to do. Come from everywhere and blow the breath of life into these corpses\, so that they can live again.” \nAgain I spoke as the LORD had said\, and even as I did\, gusts of wind swirled among the bodies\, resuscitating them before my very eyes. Rising to their feet like a finals’ crowd\, they could have easily filled the biggest stadium. \nThen the LORD explained to me what it all meant: \n“Ezekiel\, mortal man\, my people are just like old dry bones. They are always whingeing that life has become one long drought and they’ve been left for dead with no reason to hope that the future might be any better. So preach boldly\, Ezekiel\, and tell them this: \n“All you people\, listen to what the LORD is promising: I am going to dig up your graves\, and open your coffins. I will bring you back as my people to the promised land. When I do this for you\, my people\, when I restore life to your bodies\, then you will know for sure that I am the LORD. My Spirit will be within you like the breath in your lungs\, and so you shall live. I will once again plant your feet on your own patch of dirt. Then there will no longer be any doubt that I\, the LORD\, have spoken and that what I say goes.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 104: 24-34\, 35b			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	O LORD\, what a wildly fabulous world!\nWorking hand in hand with wisdom\nyou have made\nan earthful of wonderful creatures.  \nJust look at the deep wide sea\,\nswarming with life beyond our imagining\,\nfrom coral to crayfish\, from mussels to marlin. \nShips plough the waves\,\nwhile mythical monsters cavort in the depths. \nLike seagulls at a picnic\,\nevery creature looks to you for food. \nThey gather around in eager expectation\,\nand gorge themselves when you open your hand.  \nIf you turned your back\, they’d be panic stricken;\nif you withdrew your Spirit\nthey would have nothing to breathe\,\ntheir bodies would quickly crumble. \nBut when you breathe your spirit into them\,\nlife sprouts up fresh and fragrant again\nand the earth itself is revived. \nGlorious is all you do\, LORD\,\nmay you be honoured forever.\nMay everything created be a joy to the LORD. \nOne look from the LORD makes even the earth quiver;\none touch and even the mountains erupt. \nWith every breath I will sing to the LORD;\nas long as there is life in me\,\nI will give honour to my God in song. \nEven my unspoken thoughts I offer to the LORD\,\nfor the LORD is a delight to me.  \nMay wickedness be wiped from the earth\,\nmay enemies of life no longer be found. \nO bless the LORD\, everything within me.\nPraise the LORD!  \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  2nd Reading: Romans 8: 22-27			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The time of deliverance is near. After a long pregnancy\, the whole creation is now groaning and shuddering in the final stages of labour. And we are not just witnesses to this birth. We ourselves\, having been impregnated by the Spirit\, are labouring to bring the new life within us to fruition. For then\, with our bodies set free\, our longing to be God’s children will be fulfilled. This joyous expectancy ensures that our deliverance will come. If there was never to be anything more than our present reality\, these longings within us would be in vain. But we are eager to see a promised new reality\, and this hope sustains us. \nThere will be times when our strength fails us and we will feel like just accommodating ourselves to the way things presently are\, but the Spirit will always be there for us. Even when our prayer dries up and words fail us\, the Spirit is there within us\, keeping the communication lines open by turning our deepest achings and yearnings into prayers that pass wordlessly from heart to heart. And God\, being of one mind with the Spirit\, is able to hear the cries of our hearts because the Spirit offers them\, along with the prayers of all God’s people\, in a language that connects with the cries of God’s heart. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR   Acts 2: 1-21 (alternative 2nd reading)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the Feast Day of Pentecost all the believers were together in one place. Suddenly\, as if out of nowhere\, there was a sound like a raging cyclone - and nothing could be heard above it anywhere in the house. And then the Holy Spirit burst in among them like a bushfire\, with sparks and fireballs leaping out to engulf every one there. With fire in their guts and the Holy Spirit unleashing their tongues\, they began to speak of God in languages they had never learned. \nNow in Jerusalem at that time\, there were faithful Jewish pilgrims from all over the world. The wild noise among the believers quickly drew a crowd. What they heard bewildered them because everyone\, no matter where they were from\, heard their native language being spoken by the believers. Almost unable to believe their ears\, they asked: \n“Don’t all these people come from Galilee? How come we can all hear them speaking our own native languages? Some of us are Parthians\, some Medes\, others Elamites. There are people visiting here from Mesopotamia\, Judea and Cappadocia\, Pontus and Asia\, Phrygia and Pamphylia\, Egypt and the Cyrenene occupied parts of Libya. There are immigrants from Rome\, both ethnic Jews and converts. Some here are even Cretans and Arabs! But these Galileans are speaking all our languages and telling us about the extraordinary things God has done.”  \nThey were all in a spin\, unable to make head nor tail of what was happening. They kept asking one another what was going on and what it could all mean. Others though\, just sneered and said\, “They’ve been on the turps. They’re just a bunch of drunks.”  \nPeter stood up with the other eleven and addressed the crowd as loudly and clearly as he could: \n“Men and women of Jerusalem\, locals and visitors\, listen up and I’ll let you in on what this is all about. If you think that these people are drunk\, you are wrong. Think about it - the pubs aren’t even open this early in the morning. No\, what is happening here was explained long ago in the words of the prophet Joel:  \n“This is what I will do\nwhen time reaches its climax\, God declares:  \nI will pour out my Spirit on everyone. \nYour sons and your daughters\nshall speak as prophets.\nThe young among you will see visions\,\nand the old will dream dreams.  \n  I even have men and women among those\nwhose rights no one cares about\,\nand in those days\nI will pour out my Spirit upon them too;\nand they shall proclaim my justice.  \n  I will perform miraculous signs in the sky above\nand awesome wonders on the earth below\,\nblood\, and fire\, and clouds of smoke.  \n  The sun will go black and the moon blood-red\nbefore the dawning\nof the awesome and glorious day of the Lord.  \n  And everyone who cries out to the Lord\nshall be saved.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 15: 26-27; 16: 4b-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the night that he was betrayed\, Jesus said to his disciples\, “I am going to send the Spirit to you from the Father. The Spirit will be your companion\, your advocate and supporter\, and will confirm for you the whole truth about me. You too are to speak up for the truth\, because you have been with me ever since we started.  \n“Up until now I have always been with you\, so there was no need to explain these things\, but now I am going back to the One who sent me. None of you have even asked me where I am going. Instead you are just sitting there getting more and more down in the dumps with each thing I say. All the same\, I’ll say it again: the truth is that you will be better off after I’ve gone. You see\, the Spirit can’t come to be with you until I leave. Once I’m gone though\, I will send the Spirit to you.  \n“The Spirit will come and show everyone just how wrong the world has been in its opinions about sin and righteousness and judgment. As the Spirit will show\, people have the wrong idea about sin because they don’t trust my ways. They have the wrong idea about righteousness because they don’t know that it only comes from the Father. It won’t be any easier to see now that I’m going back to its source. They have the wrong idea about judgment because they think it’s all in the future\, when in reality\, sentence has already been passed on the one who steered this world into its godless ways.  \n  “There is a whole lot more I would love to say to you\, but it would all be too much for you at the moment. The Spirit will come\, full of truth\, and will lead you by the hand into the pathways of truth. The Spirit does not speak independently\, but on my behalf. Through the Spirit\, I will let you know what is going to happen and what it all means. I will be honoured by everything the Spirit says\, because they are my words delivered to you. All that the Father has is mine. So now you understand why I have been saying that the message the Spirit will deliver to you is actually coming from me.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you pour out your Spirit on all flesh\nand amaze us with your deeds of power. \nIn your infinite wisdom\, you created the earth\nand made it pregnant with new life.\nYou raised living creatures from the dust\,\nby the power of your Word\nand breathed into them the breath of your Spirit. \nYour Son\, Jesus\, taught us your truth\nand\, before being given up to death\,\nhe promised to send us the Holy Spirit\nto support us in both strength and weakness\nas we labour with you\nto bring to birth the promised fulfilment\nof our deepest hopes and yearnings.\nIn these last days you have poured out\nthe new wine of the Spirit\,\nintoxicating us with visions and dreams\,\nawakening within us your marvellous gifts\nand firing our tongues with everlasting songs of joy. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for pouring out the new wine of the Spirit\nin these last days\,\nintoxicating us with visions and dreams\,\nawakening within us your marvellous gifts\nand firing our tongues with everlasting songs of joy. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you pour out your Spirit on all flesh\nand amaze us with your deeds of power. \nIn your infinite wisdom\, you created the earth\nand made it pregnant with new life.\nYou raised living creatures from the dust\,\nby the power of your Word\nand breathed into them the breath of your Spirit. \nYour Son\, Jesus\, taught us your truth\nand\, before being given up to death\,\nhe promised to send us the Holy Spirit\nto support us in both strength and weakness\nas we labour with you\nto bring to birth the promised fulfilment\nof our deepest hopes and yearnings.\nIn these last days you have poured out\nthe new wine of the Spirit\,\nintoxicating us with visions and dreams\,\nawakening within us your marvellous gifts\nand firing our tongues with everlasting songs of joy. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The one who has corrupted this world\nhas already been condemned\,\nbut everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord\nwill be saved. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world\,\nand labour to bring forth new life.\nDream dreams\, pursue visions\nand speak of God’s goodness\nin the words of those who would hear. \nAnd may the God who breathed life into creation be your delight.\nMay Christ Jesus give hope to your dreaming\,\nand may the Holy Spirit\, your advocate and supporter\,\nset your hearts ablaze with a passion for peace. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nSetting the Church AblazeA sermon on Ezekiel 37: 1-14 & Acts 2: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhen the New Wine ArrivesA sermon on Acts 2.1-21; Ezekiel 37.1-14 & Psalm 104.24-35b by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nLoosing TonguesA sermon on Acts 2:1-21 & John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nDivinely IntoxicatedA sermon on Acts 2:1-21; Romans 8:22-27 & John 15:26-27; 16:4-15 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPentecost: Gifted and SentA sermon on Acts 2: 1-21 by Gilbert Joyce\n\n\n\nLanguages of ReconciliationA sermon on Acts 2:1-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nMuch Needed Miracles of CommunicationA sermon on Acts 2: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/b40/2030-06-09/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300609T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300609T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200830T132120Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240617T042919Z
UID:10002132-1907193600-1907279999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Day of Pentecost - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  1st Reading: Acts 2: 1-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the Feast Day of Pentecost all the believers were together in one place. Suddenly\, as if out of nowhere\, there was a sound like a raging cyclone - and nothing could be heard above it anywhere in the house. And then the Holy Spirit burst in among them like a bushfire\, with sparks and fireballs leaping out to engulf every one there. With fire in their guts and the Holy Spirit unleashing their tongues\, they began to speak of God in languages they had never learned. \nNow in Jerusalem at that time\, there were faithful Jewish pilgrims from all over the world. The wild noise among the believers quickly drew a crowd. What they heard bewildered them because everyone\, no matter where they were from\, heard their native language being spoken by the believers. Almost unable to believe their ears\, they asked: \n“Don’t all these people come from Galilee? How come we can all hear them speaking our own native languages? Some of us are Parthians\, some Medes\, others Elamites. There are people visiting here from Mesopotamia\, Judea and Cappadocia\, Pontus and Asia\, Phrygia and Pamphylia\, Egypt and the Cyrenene occupied parts of Libya. There are immigrants from Rome\, both ethnic Jews and converts. Some here are even Cretans and Arabs! But these Galileans are speaking all our languages and telling us about the extraordinary things God has done.”  \nThey were all in a spin\, unable to make head nor tail of what was happening. They kept asking one another what was going on and what it could all mean. Others though\, just sneered and said\, “They’ve been on the turps. They’re just a bunch of drunks.”  \nPeter stood up with the other eleven and addressed the crowd as loudly and clearly as he could: \n“Men and women of Jerusalem\, locals and visitors\, listen up and I’ll let you in on what this is all about. If you think that these people are drunk\, you are wrong. Think about it - the pubs aren’t even open this early in the morning. No\, what is happening here was explained long ago in the words of the prophet Joel:  \n“This is what I will do\nwhen time reaches its climax\, God declares:  \nI will pour out my Spirit on everyone. \nYour sons and your daughters\nshall speak as prophets.\nThe young among you will see visions\,\nand the old will dream dreams.  \n  I even have men and women among those\nwhose rights no one cares about\,\nand in those days\nI will pour out my Spirit upon them too;\nand they shall proclaim my justice.  \n  I will perform miraculous signs in the sky above\nand awesome wonders on the earth below\,\nblood\, and fire\, and clouds of smoke.  \n  The sun will go black and the moon blood-red\nbefore the dawning\nof the awesome and glorious day of the Lord.  \n  And everyone who cries out to the Lord\nshall be saved.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR   Ezekiel 37: 1-14 (alternative 1st reading)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The LORD took hold of me and the LORD’s Spirit carried me away and dropped me off in the middle of Death Valley. I took a look around but there was nothing to be seen but bones – old human bones\, baked dry in the sun – thousands and thousands of them. The LORD questioned me saying\, “Ezekiel\, mortal man\, can these bones come back to life?” \nI replied\, “Lord GOD\, only you can answer such a question.” \nThen the LORD told me to preach boldly to the bones\, saying: \n“All you dry bones\, listen to what the LORD is saying to you. Though you are long dead\, I\, the Lord\, will put breath into you again\, and you will live. Muscles\, ligaments\, organs\, veins; all these I will give you\, wrapped in healthy new skin. You will have whole new bodies and I will breathe life into you. Then you will know for sure that I am the LORD.” \nSo I did what the LORD told me and I preached to the bones. Even while I was in full flight\, the noise of rattling bones began to echo through the valley. They were coming together\, linking up\, one bone to another. As I watched\, muscles appeared and grew. Bodies filled out with new flesh\, and fresh skin was wrapped around them. But they were still lifeless. \nThen the LORD told me to call to the winds\, saying: \n“North Wind\, South Wind\, East Wind\, West Wind\, listen to what the LORD is telling you to do. Come from everywhere and blow the breath of life into these corpses\, so that they can live again.” \nAgain I spoke as the LORD had said\, and even as I did\, gusts of wind swirled among the bodies\, resuscitating them before my very eyes. Rising to their feet like a finals’ crowd\, they could have easily filled the biggest stadium. \nThen the LORD explained to me what it all meant: \n“Ezekiel\, mortal man\, my people are just like old dry bones. They are always whingeing that life has become one long drought and they’ve been left for dead with no reason to hope that the future might be any better. So preach boldly\, Ezekiel\, and tell them this: \n“All you people\, listen to what the LORD is promising: I am going to dig up your graves\, and open your coffins. I will bring you back as my people to the promised land. When I do this for you\, my people\, when I restore life to your bodies\, then you will know for sure that I am the LORD. My Spirit will be within you like the breath in your lungs\, and so you shall live. I will once again plant your feet on your own patch of dirt. Then there will no longer be any doubt that I\, the LORD\, have spoken and that what I say goes.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 104: 24-34\, 35b			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	O LORD\, what a wildly fabulous world!\nWorking hand in hand with wisdom\nyou have made\nan earthful of wonderful creatures.  \nJust look at the deep wide sea\,\nswarming with life beyond our imagining\,\nfrom coral to crayfish\, from mussels to marlin. \nShips plough the waves\,\nwhile mythical monsters cavort in the depths. \nLike seagulls at a picnic\,\nevery creature looks to you for food. \nThey gather around in eager expectation\,\nand gorge themselves when you open your hand.  \nIf you turned your back\, they’d be panic stricken;\nif you withdrew your Spirit\nthey would have nothing to breathe\,\ntheir bodies would quickly crumble. \nBut when you breathe your spirit into them\,\nlife sprouts up fresh and fragrant again\nand the earth itself is revived. \nGlorious is all you do\, LORD\,\nmay you be honoured forever.\nMay everything created be a joy to the LORD. \nOne look from the LORD makes even the earth quiver;\none touch and even the mountains erupt. \nWith every breath I will sing to the LORD;\nas long as there is life in me\,\nI will give honour to my God in song. \nEven my unspoken thoughts I offer to the LORD\,\nfor the LORD is a delight to me.  \nMay wickedness be wiped from the earth\,\nmay enemies of life no longer be found. \nO bless the LORD\, everything within me.\nPraise the LORD!  \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  2nd Reading: Romans 8: 22-27			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The time of deliverance is near. After a long pregnancy\, the whole creation is now groaning and shuddering in the final stages of labour. And we are not just witnesses to this birth. We ourselves\, having been impregnated by the Spirit\, are labouring to bring the new life within us to fruition. For then\, with our bodies set free\, our longing to be God’s children will be fulfilled. This joyous expectancy ensures that our deliverance will come. If there was never to be anything more than our present reality\, these longings within us would be in vain. But we are eager to see a promised new reality\, and this hope sustains us. \nThere will be times when our strength fails us and we will feel like just accommodating ourselves to the way things presently are\, but the Spirit will always be there for us. Even when our prayer dries up and words fail us\, the Spirit is there within us\, keeping the communication lines open by turning our deepest achings and yearnings into prayers that pass wordlessly from heart to heart. And God\, being of one mind with the Spirit\, is able to hear the cries of our hearts because the Spirit offers them\, along with the prayers of all God’s people\, in a language that connects with the cries of God’s heart. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR   Acts 2: 1-21 (alternative 2nd reading)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the Feast Day of Pentecost all the believers were together in one place. Suddenly\, as if out of nowhere\, there was a sound like a raging cyclone - and nothing could be heard above it anywhere in the house. And then the Holy Spirit burst in among them like a bushfire\, with sparks and fireballs leaping out to engulf every one there. With fire in their guts and the Holy Spirit unleashing their tongues\, they began to speak of God in languages they had never learned. \nNow in Jerusalem at that time\, there were faithful Jewish pilgrims from all over the world. The wild noise among the believers quickly drew a crowd. What they heard bewildered them because everyone\, no matter where they were from\, heard their native language being spoken by the believers. Almost unable to believe their ears\, they asked: \n“Don’t all these people come from Galilee? How come we can all hear them speaking our own native languages? Some of us are Parthians\, some Medes\, others Elamites. There are people visiting here from Mesopotamia\, Judea and Cappadocia\, Pontus and Asia\, Phrygia and Pamphylia\, Egypt and the Cyrenene occupied parts of Libya. There are immigrants from Rome\, both ethnic Jews and converts. Some here are even Cretans and Arabs! But these Galileans are speaking all our languages and telling us about the extraordinary things God has done.”  \nThey were all in a spin\, unable to make head nor tail of what was happening. They kept asking one another what was going on and what it could all mean. Others though\, just sneered and said\, “They’ve been on the turps. They’re just a bunch of drunks.”  \nPeter stood up with the other eleven and addressed the crowd as loudly and clearly as he could: \n“Men and women of Jerusalem\, locals and visitors\, listen up and I’ll let you in on what this is all about. If you think that these people are drunk\, you are wrong. Think about it - the pubs aren’t even open this early in the morning. No\, what is happening here was explained long ago in the words of the prophet Joel:  \n“This is what I will do\nwhen time reaches its climax\, God declares:  \nI will pour out my Spirit on everyone. \nYour sons and your daughters\nshall speak as prophets.\nThe young among you will see visions\,\nand the old will dream dreams.  \n  I even have men and women among those\nwhose rights no one cares about\,\nand in those days\nI will pour out my Spirit upon them too;\nand they shall proclaim my justice.  \n  I will perform miraculous signs in the sky above\nand awesome wonders on the earth below\,\nblood\, and fire\, and clouds of smoke.  \n  The sun will go black and the moon blood-red\nbefore the dawning\nof the awesome and glorious day of the Lord.  \n  And everyone who cries out to the Lord\nshall be saved.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 15: 26-27; 16: 4b-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the night that he was betrayed\, Jesus said to his disciples\, “I am going to send the Spirit to you from the Father. The Spirit will be your companion\, your advocate and supporter\, and will confirm for you the whole truth about me. You too are to speak up for the truth\, because you have been with me ever since we started.  \n“Up until now I have always been with you\, so there was no need to explain these things\, but now I am going back to the One who sent me. None of you have even asked me where I am going. Instead you are just sitting there getting more and more down in the dumps with each thing I say. All the same\, I’ll say it again: the truth is that you will be better off after I’ve gone. You see\, the Spirit can’t come to be with you until I leave. Once I’m gone though\, I will send the Spirit to you.  \n“The Spirit will come and show everyone just how wrong the world has been in its opinions about sin and righteousness and judgment. As the Spirit will show\, people have the wrong idea about sin because they don’t trust my ways. They have the wrong idea about righteousness because they don’t know that it only comes from the Father. It won’t be any easier to see now that I’m going back to its source. They have the wrong idea about judgment because they think it’s all in the future\, when in reality\, sentence has already been passed on the one who steered this world into its godless ways.  \n  “There is a whole lot more I would love to say to you\, but it would all be too much for you at the moment. The Spirit will come\, full of truth\, and will lead you by the hand into the pathways of truth. The Spirit does not speak independently\, but on my behalf. Through the Spirit\, I will let you know what is going to happen and what it all means. I will be honoured by everything the Spirit says\, because they are my words delivered to you. All that the Father has is mine. So now you understand why I have been saying that the message the Spirit will deliver to you is actually coming from me.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you pour out your Spirit on all flesh\nand amaze us with your deeds of power. \nIn your infinite wisdom\, you created the earth\nand made it pregnant with new life.\nYou raised living creatures from the dust\,\nby the power of your Word\nand breathed into them the breath of your Spirit. \nYour Son\, Jesus\, taught us your truth\nand\, before being given up to death\,\nhe promised to send us the Holy Spirit\nto support us in both strength and weakness\nas we labour with you\nto bring to birth the promised fulfilment\nof our deepest hopes and yearnings.\nIn these last days you have poured out\nthe new wine of the Spirit\,\nintoxicating us with visions and dreams\,\nawakening within us your marvellous gifts\nand firing our tongues with everlasting songs of joy. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for pouring out the new wine of the Spirit\nin these last days\,\nintoxicating us with visions and dreams\,\nawakening within us your marvellous gifts\nand firing our tongues with everlasting songs of joy. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you pour out your Spirit on all flesh\nand amaze us with your deeds of power. \nIn your infinite wisdom\, you created the earth\nand made it pregnant with new life.\nYou raised living creatures from the dust\,\nby the power of your Word\nand breathed into them the breath of your Spirit. \nYour Son\, Jesus\, taught us your truth\nand\, before being given up to death\,\nhe promised to send us the Holy Spirit\nto support us in both strength and weakness\nas we labour with you\nto bring to birth the promised fulfilment\nof our deepest hopes and yearnings.\nIn these last days you have poured out\nthe new wine of the Spirit\,\nintoxicating us with visions and dreams\,\nawakening within us your marvellous gifts\nand firing our tongues with everlasting songs of joy. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The one who has corrupted this world\nhas already been condemned\,\nbut everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord\nwill be saved. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world\,\nand labour to bring forth new life.\nDream dreams\, pursue visions\nand speak of God’s goodness\nin the words of those who would hear. \nAnd may the God who breathed life into creation be your delight.\nMay Christ Jesus give hope to your dreaming\,\nand may the Holy Spirit\, your advocate and supporter\,\nset your hearts ablaze with a passion for peace. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nSetting the Church AblazeA sermon on Ezekiel 37: 1-14 & Acts 2: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhen the New Wine ArrivesA sermon on Acts 2.1-21; Ezekiel 37.1-14 & Psalm 104.24-35b by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nLoosing TonguesA sermon on Acts 2:1-21 & John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nDivinely IntoxicatedA sermon on Acts 2:1-21; Romans 8:22-27 & John 15:26-27; 16:4-15 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPentecost: Gifted and SentA sermon on Acts 2: 1-21 by Gilbert Joyce\n\n\n\nLanguages of ReconciliationA sermon on Acts 2:1-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nMuch Needed Miracles of CommunicationA sermon on Acts 2: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/b40/2030-06-09/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/40.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300616T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300616T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200830T134122Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T003403Z
UID:10002806-1907798400-1907884799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Trinity Sunday - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Isaiah 6: 1-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I had a vision of the Lord during the year that King Uzziah died. The Lord was high above\, sitting on an imposing throne. The Lord’s presence dwarfed everything else so totally that just the cuffs of his robe filled the temple. Awesome fiery creatures\, known as Seraphim\, were there\, serving the Lord. Each Seraph had three pairs of wings. They used one pair to shield their faces\, one to shield their bodies\, and the third for flying. They cried out to one another saying: \n“Holy! Holy! Holy!\nHoly is the LORD who rules over everything.\nThe whole earth is full of God’s glory.” \nThe sound of their voices shook the place to its foundations\, and clouds of smoke billowed through the temple. And I said: \n“This is the end of me.\nI’ll never get out of here alive.\nIf I so much as open my mouth\nthe ugliness inside is exposed for all to see\,\nand the same could be said of everyone I know;\nyet I’ve stumbled into the presence of the Ruler of Heaven.\nHere I am\, naked before the all-consuming\nholiness of the LORD!” \nThen one of the seraphim flew right up to me carrying a pair of tongs in which it held a red hot coal – straight from the fire on the altar. The seraph touched my mouth with the glowing coal and said: \n“Look! This holy fire has touched your lips.\nYour sinfulness is forgiven.\nYour slate is wiped clean.” \nAfter this I heard the voice of the Lord saying \n“Is there someone I can send?\nIs there anyone who will go on our behalf?” \nAnd I said\, “Here am I. Send me if you will!” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 29			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD God\, like your angels in heaven\nwe speak of you in glowing terms\,\nfor your glory and strength deserve rave reviews.\nWe give you a huge rap\, LORD;\nwe put up you name in lights\nand hold a huge ticker tape parade\nbut it still falls short of the worship you deserve. \nYour voice\, LORD\, rings out like thunder;\nresounding over the waters\,\ndrowning out even the waves of the sea.\nYour voice echoes with power;\nit would bring anyone to their knees. \nYour voice\, LORD\, shatters the Ironbark tree\,\nand splinters the Mountain Ash like match sticks.\nYour presence makes Mount Bogong jump like a calf;\nUluru like a rock wallaby. \nYour voice\, LORD\, strikes fire from stone.\nThe sound of your voice convulses the wilderness;\nthe Simpson Desert shudders in labour. \nYour voice\, LORD\, is like a cyclone\,\nhowling through a rainforest\,\nstripping the leaves from the trees. \nWe all gather to worship and cheer with all our might;\nfor you rule forever\, LORD\,\nand neither surging flood\nnor tidal wave can undermine you.\nGive strength to your people\, LORD!\nBless your people with peace! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 8: 12-17			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The truth is\, brothers and sisters\, that we owe nothing to the preoccupations of our former life. We need no longer have our lives dictated by the mindless pursuit of fashionable dreams and selfish desires. After all\, the attraction was fatal. But thanks to God’s Spirit\, we can now be rid of all that — give it a decent burial and get on with our new lives. All those who dance to the Spirit’s tune are God’s beloved children. We were not sold into slavery where we would grovel timidly in the dust\, afraid to put a foot wrong. Rather we were adopted into a family full of love and joy. Like eager children crying\, “Daddy! Mummy!” we come running to God\, and with loving arms\, God’s Spirit gathers us up\, demonstrating clearly to whom we belong. And since we are children of God\, we are actually on the same footing as Christ. With him we will inherit all that has been kept in trust for God’s children. But we have to take the good with the bad\, and we know the price he paid. We need to be willing to cop it on the chin with him now if we want to share the glory with him later. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 3: 1-17			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	There was a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Pharisee party and a leader in the Jewish nation. Late one night he came to speak with Jesus. He said\, “Rabbi\, we recognise that God has sent you as a teacher and that God is with you. How else could you do these things which are so clearly the work of God?” \nJesus answered him\, “Right you are. And let me tell you this: no one will see the full life of God without being born into it from above.” \nNicodemus was taken aback. “How can this be?” he asked\, “A person can only be born once. None of us can go back to the womb and be born again.” \nJesus replied saying: \n“Listen again\, for it is important that you get this. There is only one way into the full life of God\, and it is through a birth of water and Spirit. A baby that emerges from a womb got its body from the bodies of its parents. But a growing person is not just a body\, and the life-force within them emerges from the womb of the Spirit. So don’t be surprised that I said you have to be born from above. You can’t control or predict these things. They are like the wind. You can hear it coming and see what it does\, but what’s driving it or where it is going next is anyone’s guess. God’s Spirit is like the wind\, and so are all those who are born of the Spirit.” \nBut Nicodemus said\, “I’m not with you. How can these things be?” \nJesus replied: \n“How can you set yourself up as one of the teachers of Israel when you are struggling to get your head around the basics? \n“Listen carefully because I’m speaking the truth. We know these things from our own experience\, we’ve seen them with our own eyes\, and yet you fob us off as though we were reporting a rumour we’d heard in the street. If I told you the sky was blue\, you’d blink and take another look\, so what chance is there of you believing anything I have to say about the ways of God? How are you going to check out what I say? None of you have ever gone up and stood face to face with God. The only one who has done that is the New Human\, the one who came from God in the first place. You know the old story from the desert: the one about Moses lifting up the hand-made snake so that the people could look at something that would help them to focus their trust in God. Well\, the New Human is going to be lifted up for much the same reason. Everyone who looks up to him in trust and hope will receive life without limit. \n“God’s love for the world is so overwhelming that even giving up his own son was not too great a cost to ensure that no one need succumb to death. All those who put their trust in him can have boundless life instead. \n“God didn’t put his son’s life on the line merely to bring down the hammer and pass sentence on us. Rather\, God saw the world in desperate trouble and sent the Son on a cosmic rescue mission.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you loved the world so greatly that you gave your Son\,\nso that all who trust him may have eternal life. \nYour powerful voice\, thundering over the waters\,\nspoke into being the new-born creation.\nFrom your holy throne\, surrounded by seraphim\,\nyou called your prophets to carry the message of life\nto those who were enslaved to selfish desires. \nYou sent your Son\, Jesus Christ\, into the world\nand when the enemies of life lifted him up to die\,\nyou raised him from the grave\nand made him the source of life\nfor all who look to him in trust and hope.\nAnd now your Holy Spirit bears witness within us\nthat we are indeed your children\,\nborn from above of water and spirit\,\nand destined to share with Christ\nin his sufferings and his glory. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\nwho you gave in your great love for the world\,\nso that all who trust him\nmay be born from above of water and spirit\,\nand have eternal life\,\nsharing with him in his sufferings and his glory. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you loved the world so greatly that you gave your Son\,\nso that all who trust him may have eternal life. \nYour powerful voice\, thundering over the waters\,\nspoke into being the new-born creation.\nFrom your holy throne\, surrounded by seraphim\,\nyou called your prophets to carry the message of life\nto those who were enslaved to selfish desires. \nYou sent your Son\, Jesus Christ\, into the world\nand when the enemies of life lifted him up to die\,\nyou raised him from the grave\nand made him the source of life\nfor all who look to him in trust and hope.\nAnd now your Holy Spirit bears witness within us\nthat we are indeed your children\,\nborn from above of water and spirit\,\nand destined to share with Christ\nin his sufferings and his glory. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God did not send the Son into the world to condemn us\,\nbut in order that the world might be saved through him.\nThe refining fire of God has touched you. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out and in all of life\, worship the Lord.\nEntrust yourself to the winds of God’s Spirit;\nput to death selfish desires\,\nand offer yourself for God’s mission in the world. \nAnd may God give strength to you and to all;\nMay Christ Jesus bless you with peace;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit\, whispering within your hearts\,\n    give you assurance that you are God’s children. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nYou don’t have to explain it!A sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nTrinity and CommunityA sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nStumbling into the Love Dance of the TrinityA sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nTrying to Pin Down the Experience of GodA sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8 & Romans 8:12-17 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nQuestioning the Integrity of GodA sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17 & John 3:1-17 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nContemplating the TrinityA sermon on the Icon of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nDoes the Trinity add up?A sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nChildren of the Triune GodA sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17 & John 3:1-17 by Nathan Nettleton \n\n\n\nThe Bible\, the Trinity\, and the WarA sermon by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/b41/2030-06-16/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300616T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300616T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200830T134122Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250615T093532Z
UID:10002134-1907798400-1907884799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Trinity Sunday - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Isaiah 6: 1-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I had a vision of the Lord during the year that King Uzziah died. The Lord was high above\, sitting on an imposing throne. The Lord’s presence dwarfed everything else so totally that just the cuffs of his robe filled the temple. Awesome fiery creatures\, known as Seraphim\, were there\, serving the Lord. Each Seraph had three pairs of wings. They used one pair to shield their faces\, one to shield their bodies\, and the third for flying. They cried out to one another saying: \n“Holy! Holy! Holy!\nHoly is the LORD who rules over everything.\nThe whole earth is full of God’s glory.” \nThe sound of their voices shook the place to its foundations\, and clouds of smoke billowed through the temple. And I said: \n“This is the end of me.\nI’ll never get out of here alive.\nIf I so much as open my mouth\nthe ugliness inside is exposed for all to see\,\nand the same could be said of everyone I know;\nyet I’ve stumbled into the presence of the Ruler of Heaven.\nHere I am\, naked before the all-consuming\nholiness of the LORD!” \nThen one of the seraphim flew right up to me carrying a pair of tongs in which it held a red hot coal – straight from the fire on the altar. The seraph touched my mouth with the glowing coal and said: \n“Look! This holy fire has touched your lips.\nYour sinfulness is forgiven.\nYour slate is wiped clean.” \nAfter this I heard the voice of the Lord saying \n“Is there someone I can send?\nIs there anyone who will go on our behalf?” \nAnd I said\, “Here am I. Send me if you will!” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 29			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD God\, like your angels in heaven\nwe speak of you in glowing terms\,\nfor your glory and strength deserve rave reviews.\nWe give you a huge rap\, LORD;\nwe put up you name in lights\nand hold a huge ticker tape parade\nbut it still falls short of the worship you deserve. \nYour voice\, LORD\, rings out like thunder;\nresounding over the waters\,\ndrowning out even the waves of the sea.\nYour voice echoes with power;\nit would bring anyone to their knees. \nYour voice\, LORD\, shatters the Ironbark tree\,\nand splinters the Mountain Ash like match sticks.\nYour presence makes Mount Bogong jump like a calf;\nUluru like a rock wallaby. \nYour voice\, LORD\, strikes fire from stone.\nThe sound of your voice convulses the wilderness;\nthe Simpson Desert shudders in labour. \nYour voice\, LORD\, is like a cyclone\,\nhowling through a rainforest\,\nstripping the leaves from the trees. \nWe all gather to worship and cheer with all our might;\nfor you rule forever\, LORD\,\nand neither surging flood\nnor tidal wave can undermine you.\nGive strength to your people\, LORD!\nBless your people with peace! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 8: 12-17			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The truth is\, brothers and sisters\, that we owe nothing to the preoccupations of our former life. We need no longer have our lives dictated by the mindless pursuit of fashionable dreams and selfish desires. After all\, the attraction was fatal. But thanks to God’s Spirit\, we can now be rid of all that — give it a decent burial and get on with our new lives. All those who dance to the Spirit’s tune are God’s beloved children. We were not sold into slavery where we would grovel timidly in the dust\, afraid to put a foot wrong. Rather we were adopted into a family full of love and joy. Like eager children crying\, “Daddy! Mummy!” we come running to God\, and with loving arms\, God’s Spirit gathers us up\, demonstrating clearly to whom we belong. And since we are children of God\, we are actually on the same footing as Christ. With him we will inherit all that has been kept in trust for God’s children. But we have to take the good with the bad\, and we know the price he paid. We need to be willing to cop it on the chin with him now if we want to share the glory with him later. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 3: 1-17			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	There was a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Pharisee party and a leader in the Jewish nation. Late one night he came to speak with Jesus. He said\, “Rabbi\, we recognise that God has sent you as a teacher and that God is with you. How else could you do these things which are so clearly the work of God?” \nJesus answered him\, “Right you are. And let me tell you this: no one will see the full life of God without being born into it from above.” \nNicodemus was taken aback. “How can this be?” he asked\, “A person can only be born once. None of us can go back to the womb and be born again.” \nJesus replied saying: \n“Listen again\, for it is important that you get this. There is only one way into the full life of God\, and it is through a birth of water and Spirit. A baby that emerges from a womb got its body from the bodies of its parents. But a growing person is not just a body\, and the life-force within them emerges from the womb of the Spirit. So don’t be surprised that I said you have to be born from above. You can’t control or predict these things. They are like the wind. You can hear it coming and see what it does\, but what’s driving it or where it is going next is anyone’s guess. God’s Spirit is like the wind\, and so are all those who are born of the Spirit.” \nBut Nicodemus said\, “I’m not with you. How can these things be?” \nJesus replied: \n“How can you set yourself up as one of the teachers of Israel when you are struggling to get your head around the basics? \n“Listen carefully because I’m speaking the truth. We know these things from our own experience\, we’ve seen them with our own eyes\, and yet you fob us off as though we were reporting a rumour we’d heard in the street. If I told you the sky was blue\, you’d blink and take another look\, so what chance is there of you believing anything I have to say about the ways of God? How are you going to check out what I say? None of you have ever gone up and stood face to face with God. The only one who has done that is the New Human\, the one who came from God in the first place. You know the old story from the desert: the one about Moses lifting up the hand-made snake so that the people could look at something that would help them to focus their trust in God. Well\, the New Human is going to be lifted up for much the same reason. Everyone who looks up to him in trust and hope will receive life without limit. \n“God’s love for the world is so overwhelming that even giving up his own son was not too great a cost to ensure that no one need succumb to death. All those who put their trust in him can have boundless life instead. \n“God didn’t put his son’s life on the line merely to bring down the hammer and pass sentence on us. Rather\, God saw the world in desperate trouble and sent the Son on a cosmic rescue mission.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you loved the world so greatly that you gave your Son\,\nso that all who trust him may have eternal life. \nYour powerful voice\, thundering over the waters\,\nspoke into being the new-born creation.\nFrom your holy throne\, surrounded by seraphim\,\nyou called your prophets to carry the message of life\nto those who were enslaved to selfish desires. \nYou sent your Son\, Jesus Christ\, into the world\nand when the enemies of life lifted him up to die\,\nyou raised him from the grave\nand made him the source of life\nfor all who look to him in trust and hope.\nAnd now your Holy Spirit bears witness within us\nthat we are indeed your children\,\nborn from above of water and spirit\,\nand destined to share with Christ\nin his sufferings and his glory. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\nwho you gave in your great love for the world\,\nso that all who trust him\nmay be born from above of water and spirit\,\nand have eternal life\,\nsharing with him in his sufferings and his glory. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you loved the world so greatly that you gave your Son\,\nso that all who trust him may have eternal life. \nYour powerful voice\, thundering over the waters\,\nspoke into being the new-born creation.\nFrom your holy throne\, surrounded by seraphim\,\nyou called your prophets to carry the message of life\nto those who were enslaved to selfish desires. \nYou sent your Son\, Jesus Christ\, into the world\nand when the enemies of life lifted him up to die\,\nyou raised him from the grave\nand made him the source of life\nfor all who look to him in trust and hope.\nAnd now your Holy Spirit bears witness within us\nthat we are indeed your children\,\nborn from above of water and spirit\,\nand destined to share with Christ\nin his sufferings and his glory. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God did not send the Son into the world to condemn us\,\nbut in order that the world might be saved through him.\nThe refining fire of God has touched you. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out and in all of life\, worship the Lord.\nEntrust yourself to the winds of God’s Spirit;\nput to death selfish desires\,\nand offer yourself for God’s mission in the world. \nAnd may God give strength to you and to all;\nMay Christ Jesus bless you with peace;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit\, whispering within your hearts\,\n    give you assurance that you are God’s children. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nTrinity and CommunityA sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nStumbling into the Love Dance of the TrinityA sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nTrying to Pin Down the Experience of GodA sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8 & Romans 8:12-17 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nQuestioning the Integrity of GodA sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17 & John 3:1-17 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nContemplating the TrinityA sermon on the Icon of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nDoes the Trinity add up?A sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nChildren of the Triune GodA sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17 & John 3:1-17 by Nathan Nettleton \n\n\n\nThe Bible\, the Trinity\, and the WarA sermon by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nIt matters\, but you don’t have to explain it!A sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/b41/2030-06-16/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300623T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300623T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200901T060031Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240721T121405Z
UID:10002138-1908403200-1908489599@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 7 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Samuel 17: (1a\, 4-11\, 19-23)\, 32-49			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The Philistines were ready for war and their troops took up positions for an attack on the Judean town of Socoh. \nThe Philistine army had a champion named Goliath who came from Gath. He was a mountain of a man\, towering over everyone around him. He was kitted out in the latest military gear with heavy bronze armour on his chest and legs and a gleaming helmet on his head. His chest armour alone was heavier than most men could lift. He carried a bronze sword strapped to his back. His spear was too thick for the average man to get his hand around and it had a head like a sharpened shot put. Another soldier walked in front of him carrying a huge shield. \nGoliath strutted out from among the ranks and shouted at the Israelite army: \n“Why should we waste time with a full battle? Let’s put up two men to have it out for us – winner takes all. I’m ready to represent the Philistines. Why don’t you lot in Saul’s army choose yourselves a champion to come down and take me on? If your man can kill me\, then our army will surrender and our people will be your slaves. But if I win\, then you’ll be our slaves. So come on\, let’s see what you Israelites are made of. Send down your best man and we’ll see if he has what it takes to match me!” \nGoliath’s defiant taunting threw Saul and his army into a panic. Scared witless\, they couldn’t do a thing. \nWhile all this was happening in the Elah Valley\, David was back home\, working on his father’s sheep station. Early one morning\, at his father’s request\, he left the sheep in someone else’s care and headed off to deliver some extra rations to his brothers in the army. He reached the army camp just as they were taking up their positions and sounding the battle cry. There was a stand off as the Israelite army and the Philistine army faced each other. David left the rations with the supply officer\, and then ran up to the ranks to find his brothers and see how they were getting on. While he was talking with them\, Goliath stepped forward from among the Philistine army\, and began taunting the Israelites again. When David heard Goliath’s scoffing and saw the fear among the Israelite soldiers\, he went and addressed King Saul\, saying\, “Your majesty\, why are we letting this Philistine make our army look like a bunch of wimps. I’ll go out and deal with him for you!” \nSaul replied\, “You’ve got to be kidding. You’d have Buckley’s. You’re only a kid and he’s a top-gun\, an elite soldier with more scalps to his name than you’ll ever have.” \nBut David held his line: \n“Your majesty\, I work sheep for my father; and whenever a lion or a bear drags off one of those sheep\, I go after it and beat the living daylights out of it until it gives up the sheep. And if it makes the mistake of turning on me\, I grab it by the throat and kill it. I have killed both lions and bears; and this godless Philistine will be a piece of cake. No one defies the army of the living God and gets away with it! The LORD didn’t let the lions or bears get their claws into me. The same LORD is more than a match for this Philistine.” \n“All right\,” said Saul\, “Go and fight him\, and God help you! You’ll need it.” \nSaul offered David his own uniform and armour\, and even his bronze helmet. But when David put on the armour and strapped on Saul’s sword\, he could hardly walk. So he said to Saul\, “I can barely stand up in this stuff because I haven’t trained in it\,” and he took it all off. Instead he headed out carrying nothing but a hiking stick\, a sling shot\, and five smooth stones from the creek bed which he popped into his pockets. Out he marched\, ready to face Goliath! \nGoliath strutted arrogantly towards David\, with the soldier carrying the shield still in front of him.  When he got close enough to get a good look at David\, he laughed out loud because David looked just like any other fresh-faced kid. “What do you think I am? A dog? Do you think I might heel and roll over for you if you wave your little stick around?!” \nAnd he called down curses from his gods on David and threw every insult in the book at him. “Come on then\,” he sneered\, “Let’s have you. I’ll make dog meat out of you. I’ll hang you out for the crows to pick your bones.” \nBut David was undaunted and spoke back: \n“You are so sure of yourself\, trusting as you do in your fancy weapons of war. But I don’t need them\, because my trust is in the LORD who commands the armies of heaven. This is the God you have insulted – the God of the armies of Israel.  You’ve seen your last sunrise\, Mister. With the help of the the LORD\, I’ll knock you down for the count. I’ll cut off your head\, and the only dog meat here will be you. The crows can feast on the carcasses of your Philistine mates. Then the whole world will know that the real God is Israel’s God. Everyone here will see that the LORD doesn’t need weapons to save his people. This battle is all over\, bar the shouting\, because the LORD has got your measure.” \nAt that\, Goliath started towards David. David ran forward to meet him and reaching into his pocket\, he pulled out a stone for his sling shot and let fly. He only needed one shot. It hit Goliath square on the head and cracked his skull. One small stone\, and the giant fell on his face\, as dead as a doornail. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  AND   Psalm 9: 9-20			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	You\, O LORD\, are a safe haven for the oppressed\,\na refuge when times are tough.\nYour name inspires trust\,\nfor you have never let down\nthose who turned to you.  \nWe look to Zion\, your home\, and sing our praises\,\nannouncing to everyone what you have done.\nFor you\, O LORD\, track down those\nwho spill innocent blood\nand keep a record of every victim’s cry.  \nGive me a break\, LORD.\nYou’ve seen how much I’ve been kicked around;\nyou’ve even stepped in yourself\nto pull me out of danger.\nI’ll never stop talking about what a hero you are.\nI’ll shout it on the streets\nand broadcast it on the air\nuntil everyone knows how you saved us. \nThe nations that backed away from you\nhave fallen into their own traps:\nthe steel jaws they so carefully hid\nhave slammed shut on their own legs.\nYou hid nothing from them\, LORD.\nYour requirements were well publicised.\nJudgment has come\, just as you said;\nthe schemes of the wicked backfire on them.\nThis time they are their own victims! \nCallous and ruthless nations\nhave spurned your ways\, LORD\,\nand written their own ticket to hell.  \nBut the deprived will not always be disregarded\,\nand those who dream of a day of plenty\nwill live to see it. \nUp and at it\, LORD! It’s time for action!\nDon’t let these people have their way.\nCall them to account for what they’ve done;\nthem and the nations they lead.\nPut the fear of God into them\, LORD;\nstrip them of their pretensions\nso that everyone can see them\nfor what they really are. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR   1 Samuel 17:57 - 18:5\, 10-16			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	After killing Goliath the Philistine\, David was granted an audience with King Saul. He was still carrying the severed head of the Philistine when he was introduced to the King by Abner\, the commander of the army. Saul asked him\, “Whose people do you come from\, young man?” \nDavid answered\, “I am the son of your servant Jesse\, from Bethlehem.” \nAfter David had finished speaking to Saul\, he met Saul’s son Jonathan. The two were soul mates from the word go\, and Jonathan loved David as much as his own life. From that day on\, Saul gave David a position in the royal household and would not let him return to his family home. Jonathan bound himself to David in a formal alliance\, because he loved him so much. He took off his own royal robe and put it on David\, and handed over to him his own military uniform and weapons. \nSaul sent David out on numerous military campaigns\, and wherever he went\, he was successful. As a result\, Saul gave him command of the whole army. David was becoming so popular with all the people that even Saul’s closest officials approved of his promotion. \nHowever\, David’s popularity started to get under Saul’s skin. One day an evil spirit from God seized him and he lost the plot completely\, raving like a madman in his house. David was there playing some soothing music for the king on his lyre\, as he did each day. Saul had a spear in his hand\, and in his madness he twice threw it\, trying to pin David to the wall\, but David managed to duck clear each time. \nSaul was increasingly afraid of David\, because it was clear that the LORD had given up on Saul and was now backing David. So Saul kicked him out of the house and put him in command of a thousand soldiers on the front line. David led the unit out\, and before long he was back with another great victory under his belt. He had success in everything he took on\, because the LORD was backing him. When Saul saw how successful he had become\, he was quaking in his boots. But all the people of Israel and Judah worshipped the ground David walked on\, because it was him who led them into battle and brought them safe home again. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  AND  Psalm 133			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	What a great thing it is\, LORD\,\nwhen people can get along with one another\,\nand live together in unity and mutual respect. \nIt is even more satisfying than holding the cup aloft\nand dancing in the rain of champagne\non Grand Final day. \nIt is even more desirable than sitting by an open fire\nsharing chocolates and fine wine with a loved one. \nIt is even more beautiful than the monsoon rains\nturning the desert into a sea of wildflowers. \nFor you LORD created us to be one people\,\ncommitted to one another\, honouring one another\,\nsharing the land and its blessings forever. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Corinthians 6: 1-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We are working together\, shoulder to shoulder with God\, and we urge you not to take God’s extravagant generosity for granted. \nIn the scriptures God says\, \n“At exactly the right moment\,\nI heard your call.\nThe day you needed help\,\nI was there to bail you out.” \nWell\, this is it — the exact right moment. This is the day to throw off the shackles and walk free! It won’t be our fault if you don’t take this chance — we’re doing everything in our power not to get in anyone’s way. There’s no point in nit-picking over the details of our work. We have endeavoured to be faithful servants of God and we’re confident that we’ve got the runs on the board. It’s not as though we’ve had it easy either. We have hung in there through hard times\, tough times and horrendous disasters. We’ve been bashed\, lynched and locked up. We’ve worked ourselves into the ground when things needed to be done\, sometimes even going without sleep and food. And through all this we have maintained our integrity — our intentions have been pure and our heads have been clear. We have managed to hold on to our patience\, generosity\, and holiness of spirit. Our love has been genuine\, our speech truthful\, and God has continued to work powerfully through us. We have armed ourselves with nothing but an iron commitment to doing what’s right\, and we’ve grasped the work of justice with both hands. Sometimes we’ve been honoured and sometimes slandered. We have been true to our word and yet denounced as charlatans. We’ve been treated as nobodies even though everyone knows who we are. We’ve been written of as dead\, but here we are\, brimming with life. We’ve been flogged to within an inch of our lives but never quite killed. We’ve almost drowned in tears and yet we are still bubbling with joy. They say we are poor\, and yet many are enriched by us. They say we have nothing to offer\, and yet everything is ours to share. \nMy dear friends in Corinth\, what we say is the honest truth — our hearts are wide open to you. We are not holding back on our affection for you; we are laying ourselves open to you. But you are being so stunted in your response. Your hearts are full\, but you live like misers. I’m speaking to you as I would to my own children\, with all the love and clarity I can muster. Open up your hearts. Live generously and expansively! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Mark 4: 35-41			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	One evening\, after Jesus had spent the day teaching the crowds on the shore of Lake Galilee\, he said to his followers\, “Let’s go. Let’s sail across to the other side.” \nSo they piled into the boat\, just as they were\, and left the crowds behind. They weren’t completely alone though\, because a few other boats came with them. Suddenly a huge storm whipped up\, and the waves were smashing against the boat. It was a desperate situation – they were taking on water fast\, but Jesus was sound asleep with his head on a cushion at the back of the boat. His terrified followers shook him awake\, yelling\, “Teacher\, don’t you care that we are all about to die here?” Jesus got up and began barking orders at the wind and the waves: “Calm down! Let’s have some peace here!” \nRight on cue\, the wind dropped to a whisper and the sea was as smooth as glass. Jesus turned to his astonished followers and said\, “Why are you so gutless? Where’s your faith?” \nNow they were really quaking in their boots! “Who is this man?” they asked one another\, “Even the wind and the sea fall into line at his command!” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Job 38: 1-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	From the midst of a cyclone\, the voice of the LORD answered Job\, saying: \n“Who are you to mouth off against me\nwhen you’ve got no idea what you’re talking about?\nStand up straight like a man\nand see if you can give answers when I ask the questions. \n“Were you there when I laid the foundations of the earth?\nIf you’re so smart\, tell me all about it.\nWho drew up the plans and decided how big it would be?\nWho held the tape measure and marked it out?\nSpeak up – surely you know!\nWhat do the foundations sit on\, and how far down do they go?\nWho turned the first sod? Who laid the cornerstone?\nDo you remember what the morning stars sang at the celebration?\nIt brought everyone in heaven to their feet cheering. \n“Perhaps you remember who closed the floodgates\nto contain the ocean\nwhen it gushed up from the womb of the earth?\nI was there. I clothed it in mist\nand tucked it up in a thick blanket of fog.\nI decided where it should start and finish.\nI closed the gates and built the levy banks.\nI said to the sea\, ‘I’ve drawn a line in the sand that you must not cross.\nYour powerful waves can pound to here\, but no further.’” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 107: 1-3\, 23-32			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Thank you\, LORD! Thank you for being so good.\nYour rock-solid love will never end. \nLORD\, we freely and openly acknowledge\nthat it was you who got us out of trouble;\nyou who put us back on the right track.\nYou gathered us from the four corners of the globe\,\nfrom wherever we had been lost or exiled. \nSome of us went to sea;\nmade our living sailing the ocean\nYour awesome power was clear to see\, LORD\,\nin the restless energy of the deep.\nOne word from you and storms whipped up;\nfurious waves crashed and tore at us.\nHurled to the sky and slammed back down\,\nour courage failed and we feared the worst.\nTossed like a cork; staggering like drunks;\nnothing to do but cling on and pray. \nIn sheer despair\, we cried out to you\, LORD\,\nand in a flash\, you came to our rescue.\nYou calmed the storm\nand the waves fell quiet.\nOverwhelming relief left us speechless\nas you piloted us safely into a sheltered bay. \nSo let us tell you how grateful we are\, LORD.\nThank you for your rock-solid love\nand for the great things you do for everyone.\nLet us talk you up whenever your people gather\,\nand sing your praises when the leaders meet. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you are a safe haven to those in trouble\nand we rejoice in your deliverance. \nOn the day of creation\, you calmed the chaos\nand with a word\, brought forth the earth and its riches.\nYou never forget the cries of the victims of oppression\nor let the hope of the poor perish forever.\nYou have delivered those who trust in you\,\ndefeating their powerful enemies\,\nnot with the sword\, but with the weapons of righteousness. \nYou sent to us your Son\, Jesus the Christ\,\nand in him we have encountered a peacemaker\nwho is undaunted even in the wildest storms.\nThough the waves of death crashed over him\,\nyou raised him up and gave him the power\nto subdue even the tempest of death\,\nand to release from its terrors all who trust in him. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus the Christ\,\nfor though the waves of death crashed over him\,\nyou raised him up and gave him the power\nto subdue even the tempest of death\,\nand to release from its terrors all who trust in him. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you are a safe haven to those in trouble\nand we rejoice in your deliverance. \nOn the day of creation\, you calmed the chaos\nand with a word\, brought forth the earth and its riches.\nYou never forget the cries of the victims of oppression\nor let the hope of the poor perish forever.\nYou have delivered those who trust in you\,\ndefeating their powerful enemies\,\nnot with the sword\, but with the weapons of righteousness. \nYou sent to us your Son\, Jesus the Christ\,\nand in him we have encountered a peacemaker\nwho is undaunted even in the wildest storms.\nThough the waves of death crashed over him\,\nyou raised him up and gave him the power\nto subdue even the tempest of death\,\nand to release from its terrors all who trust in him. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Now is God’s chosen time.\nNow is the day of salvation.\nThe Lord meets you in grace and mercy\,\nlifting you from the gates of death. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out\, trusting in God\, even in the midst of the storms.\nArm yourselves only with the weapons of righteousness\nand stand firm before the enemies of life.\nPut no obstacle in anyone’s way\,\nbut in every way commend yourselves as servants of God. \nAnd may God deliver you from all that would destroy you;\nMay Christ Jesus calm all that would terrorise you;\nand may the Holy Spirit sustain you in patience\, kindness\, truthfulness and genuine love. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nGiving yourself away and looking after yourselfA sermon on 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 & Mark 4:35-41 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nAgainst Overwhelming OddsA sermon on 1 Samuel 17 & Mark 4:35-41 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhen the Ship is Going DownA sermon on 1 Samuel 17 & Mark 4:35-41 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBeyond the Limits!A sermon on Mark 4:35-41 & 1 Samuel 17 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPeace\, be still.A sermon on 1 Samuel 17: 1a \, 4-11\, 19-23\, 32-49 and Mark 4:35-41 by John Fowler
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp07/2030-06-23/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300623T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300623T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200901T060031Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T003403Z
UID:10002802-1908403200-1908489599@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 7 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Samuel 17: (1a\, 4-11\, 19-23)\, 32-49			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The Philistines were ready for war and their troops took up positions for an attack on the Judean town of Socoh. \nThe Philistine army had a champion named Goliath who came from Gath. He was a mountain of a man\, towering over everyone around him. He was kitted out in the latest military gear with heavy bronze armour on his chest and legs and a gleaming helmet on his head. His chest armour alone was heavier than most men could lift. He carried a bronze sword strapped to his back. His spear was too thick for the average man to get his hand around and it had a head like a sharpened shot put. Another soldier walked in front of him carrying a huge shield. \nGoliath strutted out from among the ranks and shouted at the Israelite army: \n“Why should we waste time with a full battle? Let’s put up two men to have it out for us – winner takes all. I’m ready to represent the Philistines. Why don’t you lot in Saul’s army choose yourselves a champion to come down and take me on? If your man can kill me\, then our army will surrender and our people will be your slaves. But if I win\, then you’ll be our slaves. So come on\, let’s see what you Israelites are made of. Send down your best man and we’ll see if he has what it takes to match me!” \nGoliath’s defiant taunting threw Saul and his army into a panic. Scared witless\, they couldn’t do a thing. \nWhile all this was happening in the Elah Valley\, David was back home\, working on his father’s sheep station. Early one morning\, at his father’s request\, he left the sheep in someone else’s care and headed off to deliver some extra rations to his brothers in the army. He reached the army camp just as they were taking up their positions and sounding the battle cry. There was a stand off as the Israelite army and the Philistine army faced each other. David left the rations with the supply officer\, and then ran up to the ranks to find his brothers and see how they were getting on. While he was talking with them\, Goliath stepped forward from among the Philistine army\, and began taunting the Israelites again. When David heard Goliath’s scoffing and saw the fear among the Israelite soldiers\, he went and addressed King Saul\, saying\, “Your majesty\, why are we letting this Philistine make our army look like a bunch of wimps. I’ll go out and deal with him for you!” \nSaul replied\, “You’ve got to be kidding. You’d have Buckley’s. You’re only a kid and he’s a top-gun\, an elite soldier with more scalps to his name than you’ll ever have.” \nBut David held his line: \n“Your majesty\, I work sheep for my father; and whenever a lion or a bear drags off one of those sheep\, I go after it and beat the living daylights out of it until it gives up the sheep. And if it makes the mistake of turning on me\, I grab it by the throat and kill it. I have killed both lions and bears; and this godless Philistine will be a piece of cake. No one defies the army of the living God and gets away with it! The LORD didn’t let the lions or bears get their claws into me. The same LORD is more than a match for this Philistine.” \n“All right\,” said Saul\, “Go and fight him\, and God help you! You’ll need it.” \nSaul offered David his own uniform and armour\, and even his bronze helmet. But when David put on the armour and strapped on Saul’s sword\, he could hardly walk. So he said to Saul\, “I can barely stand up in this stuff because I haven’t trained in it\,” and he took it all off. Instead he headed out carrying nothing but a hiking stick\, a sling shot\, and five smooth stones from the creek bed which he popped into his pockets. Out he marched\, ready to face Goliath! \nGoliath strutted arrogantly towards David\, with the soldier carrying the shield still in front of him.  When he got close enough to get a good look at David\, he laughed out loud because David looked just like any other fresh-faced kid. “What do you think I am? A dog? Do you think I might heel and roll over for you if you wave your little stick around?!” \nAnd he called down curses from his gods on David and threw every insult in the book at him. “Come on then\,” he sneered\, “Let’s have you. I’ll make dog meat out of you. I’ll hang you out for the crows to pick your bones.” \nBut David was undaunted and spoke back: \n“You are so sure of yourself\, trusting as you do in your fancy weapons of war. But I don’t need them\, because my trust is in the LORD who commands the armies of heaven. This is the God you have insulted – the God of the armies of Israel.  You’ve seen your last sunrise\, Mister. With the help of the the LORD\, I’ll knock you down for the count. I’ll cut off your head\, and the only dog meat here will be you. The crows can feast on the carcasses of your Philistine mates. Then the whole world will know that the real God is Israel’s God. Everyone here will see that the LORD doesn’t need weapons to save his people. This battle is all over\, bar the shouting\, because the LORD has got your measure.” \nAt that\, Goliath started towards David. David ran forward to meet him and reaching into his pocket\, he pulled out a stone for his sling shot and let fly. He only needed one shot. It hit Goliath square on the head and cracked his skull. One small stone\, and the giant fell on his face\, as dead as a doornail. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  AND   Psalm 9: 9-20			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	You\, O LORD\, are a safe haven for the oppressed\,\na refuge when times are tough.\nYour name inspires trust\,\nfor you have never let down\nthose who turned to you.  \nWe look to Zion\, your home\, and sing our praises\,\nannouncing to everyone what you have done.\nFor you\, O LORD\, track down those\nwho spill innocent blood\nand keep a record of every victim’s cry.  \nGive me a break\, LORD.\nYou’ve seen how much I’ve been kicked around;\nyou’ve even stepped in yourself\nto pull me out of danger.\nI’ll never stop talking about what a hero you are.\nI’ll shout it on the streets\nand broadcast it on the air\nuntil everyone knows how you saved us. \nThe nations that backed away from you\nhave fallen into their own traps:\nthe steel jaws they so carefully hid\nhave slammed shut on their own legs.\nYou hid nothing from them\, LORD.\nYour requirements were well publicised.\nJudgment has come\, just as you said;\nthe schemes of the wicked backfire on them.\nThis time they are their own victims! \nCallous and ruthless nations\nhave spurned your ways\, LORD\,\nand written their own ticket to hell.  \nBut the deprived will not always be disregarded\,\nand those who dream of a day of plenty\nwill live to see it. \nUp and at it\, LORD! It’s time for action!\nDon’t let these people have their way.\nCall them to account for what they’ve done;\nthem and the nations they lead.\nPut the fear of God into them\, LORD;\nstrip them of their pretensions\nso that everyone can see them\nfor what they really are. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR   1 Samuel 17:57 - 18:5\, 10-16			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	After killing Goliath the Philistine\, David was granted an audience with King Saul. He was still carrying the severed head of the Philistine when he was introduced to the King by Abner\, the commander of the army. Saul asked him\, “Whose people do you come from\, young man?” \nDavid answered\, “I am the son of your servant Jesse\, from Bethlehem.” \nAfter David had finished speaking to Saul\, he met Saul’s son Jonathan. The two were soul mates from the word go\, and Jonathan loved David as much as his own life. From that day on\, Saul gave David a position in the royal household and would not let him return to his family home. Jonathan bound himself to David in a formal alliance\, because he loved him so much. He took off his own royal robe and put it on David\, and handed over to him his own military uniform and weapons. \nSaul sent David out on numerous military campaigns\, and wherever he went\, he was successful. As a result\, Saul gave him command of the whole army. David was becoming so popular with all the people that even Saul’s closest officials approved of his promotion. \nHowever\, David’s popularity started to get under Saul’s skin. One day an evil spirit from God seized him and he lost the plot completely\, raving like a madman in his house. David was there playing some soothing music for the king on his lyre\, as he did each day. Saul had a spear in his hand\, and in his madness he twice threw it\, trying to pin David to the wall\, but David managed to duck clear each time. \nSaul was increasingly afraid of David\, because it was clear that the LORD had given up on Saul and was now backing David. So Saul kicked him out of the house and put him in command of a thousand soldiers on the front line. David led the unit out\, and before long he was back with another great victory under his belt. He had success in everything he took on\, because the LORD was backing him. When Saul saw how successful he had become\, he was quaking in his boots. But all the people of Israel and Judah worshipped the ground David walked on\, because it was him who led them into battle and brought them safe home again. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  AND  Psalm 133			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	What a great thing it is\, LORD\,\nwhen people can get along with one another\,\nand live together in unity and mutual respect. \nIt is even more satisfying than holding the cup aloft\nand dancing in the rain of champagne\non Grand Final day. \nIt is even more desirable than sitting by an open fire\nsharing chocolates and fine wine with a loved one. \nIt is even more beautiful than the monsoon rains\nturning the desert into a sea of wildflowers. \nFor you LORD created us to be one people\,\ncommitted to one another\, honouring one another\,\nsharing the land and its blessings forever. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Corinthians 6: 1-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We are working together\, shoulder to shoulder with God\, and we urge you not to take God’s extravagant generosity for granted. \nIn the scriptures God says\, \n“At exactly the right moment\,\nI heard your call.\nThe day you needed help\,\nI was there to bail you out.” \nWell\, this is it — the exact right moment. This is the day to throw off the shackles and walk free! It won’t be our fault if you don’t take this chance — we’re doing everything in our power not to get in anyone’s way. There’s no point in nit-picking over the details of our work. We have endeavoured to be faithful servants of God and we’re confident that we’ve got the runs on the board. It’s not as though we’ve had it easy either. We have hung in there through hard times\, tough times and horrendous disasters. We’ve been bashed\, lynched and locked up. We’ve worked ourselves into the ground when things needed to be done\, sometimes even going without sleep and food. And through all this we have maintained our integrity — our intentions have been pure and our heads have been clear. We have managed to hold on to our patience\, generosity\, and holiness of spirit. Our love has been genuine\, our speech truthful\, and God has continued to work powerfully through us. We have armed ourselves with nothing but an iron commitment to doing what’s right\, and we’ve grasped the work of justice with both hands. Sometimes we’ve been honoured and sometimes slandered. We have been true to our word and yet denounced as charlatans. We’ve been treated as nobodies even though everyone knows who we are. We’ve been written of as dead\, but here we are\, brimming with life. We’ve been flogged to within an inch of our lives but never quite killed. We’ve almost drowned in tears and yet we are still bubbling with joy. They say we are poor\, and yet many are enriched by us. They say we have nothing to offer\, and yet everything is ours to share. \nMy dear friends in Corinth\, what we say is the honest truth — our hearts are wide open to you. We are not holding back on our affection for you; we are laying ourselves open to you. But you are being so stunted in your response. Your hearts are full\, but you live like misers. I’m speaking to you as I would to my own children\, with all the love and clarity I can muster. Open up your hearts. Live generously and expansively! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Mark 4: 35-41			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	One evening\, after Jesus had spent the day teaching the crowds on the shore of Lake Galilee\, he said to his followers\, “Let’s go. Let’s sail across to the other side.” \nSo they piled into the boat\, just as they were\, and left the crowds behind. They weren’t completely alone though\, because a few other boats came with them. Suddenly a huge storm whipped up\, and the waves were smashing against the boat. It was a desperate situation – they were taking on water fast\, but Jesus was sound asleep with his head on a cushion at the back of the boat. His terrified followers shook him awake\, yelling\, “Teacher\, don’t you care that we are all about to die here?” Jesus got up and began barking orders at the wind and the waves: “Calm down! Let’s have some peace here!” \nRight on cue\, the wind dropped to a whisper and the sea was as smooth as glass. Jesus turned to his astonished followers and said\, “Why are you so gutless? Where’s your faith?” \nNow they were really quaking in their boots! “Who is this man?” they asked one another\, “Even the wind and the sea fall into line at his command!” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Job 38: 1-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	From the midst of a cyclone\, the voice of the LORD answered Job\, saying: \n“Who are you to mouth off against me\nwhen you’ve got no idea what you’re talking about?\nStand up straight like a man\nand see if you can give answers when I ask the questions. \n“Were you there when I laid the foundations of the earth?\nIf you’re so smart\, tell me all about it.\nWho drew up the plans and decided how big it would be?\nWho held the tape measure and marked it out?\nSpeak up – surely you know!\nWhat do the foundations sit on\, and how far down do they go?\nWho turned the first sod? Who laid the cornerstone?\nDo you remember what the morning stars sang at the celebration?\nIt brought everyone in heaven to their feet cheering. \n“Perhaps you remember who closed the floodgates\nto contain the ocean\nwhen it gushed up from the womb of the earth?\nI was there. I clothed it in mist\nand tucked it up in a thick blanket of fog.\nI decided where it should start and finish.\nI closed the gates and built the levy banks.\nI said to the sea\, ‘I’ve drawn a line in the sand that you must not cross.\nYour powerful waves can pound to here\, but no further.’” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 107: 1-3\, 23-32			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Thank you\, LORD! Thank you for being so good.\nYour rock-solid love will never end. \nLORD\, we freely and openly acknowledge\nthat it was you who got us out of trouble;\nyou who put us back on the right track.\nYou gathered us from the four corners of the globe\,\nfrom wherever we had been lost or exiled. \nSome of us went to sea;\nmade our living sailing the ocean\nYour awesome power was clear to see\, LORD\,\nin the restless energy of the deep.\nOne word from you and storms whipped up;\nfurious waves crashed and tore at us.\nHurled to the sky and slammed back down\,\nour courage failed and we feared the worst.\nTossed like a cork; staggering like drunks;\nnothing to do but cling on and pray. \nIn sheer despair\, we cried out to you\, LORD\,\nand in a flash\, you came to our rescue.\nYou calmed the storm\nand the waves fell quiet.\nOverwhelming relief left us speechless\nas you piloted us safely into a sheltered bay. \nSo let us tell you how grateful we are\, LORD.\nThank you for your rock-solid love\nand for the great things you do for everyone.\nLet us talk you up whenever your people gather\,\nand sing your praises when the leaders meet. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you are a safe haven to those in trouble\nand we rejoice in your deliverance. \nOn the day of creation\, you calmed the chaos\nand with a word\, brought forth the earth and its riches.\nYou never forget the cries of the victims of oppression\nor let the hope of the poor perish forever.\nYou have delivered those who trust in you\,\ndefeating their powerful enemies\,\nnot with the sword\, but with the weapons of righteousness. \nYou sent to us your Son\, Jesus the Christ\,\nand in him we have encountered a peacemaker\nwho is undaunted even in the wildest storms.\nThough the waves of death crashed over him\,\nyou raised him up and gave him the power\nto subdue even the tempest of death\,\nand to release from its terrors all who trust in him. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus the Christ\,\nfor though the waves of death crashed over him\,\nyou raised him up and gave him the power\nto subdue even the tempest of death\,\nand to release from its terrors all who trust in him. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you are a safe haven to those in trouble\nand we rejoice in your deliverance. \nOn the day of creation\, you calmed the chaos\nand with a word\, brought forth the earth and its riches.\nYou never forget the cries of the victims of oppression\nor let the hope of the poor perish forever.\nYou have delivered those who trust in you\,\ndefeating their powerful enemies\,\nnot with the sword\, but with the weapons of righteousness. \nYou sent to us your Son\, Jesus the Christ\,\nand in him we have encountered a peacemaker\nwho is undaunted even in the wildest storms.\nThough the waves of death crashed over him\,\nyou raised him up and gave him the power\nto subdue even the tempest of death\,\nand to release from its terrors all who trust in him. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Now is God’s chosen time.\nNow is the day of salvation.\nThe Lord meets you in grace and mercy\,\nlifting you from the gates of death. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out\, trusting in God\, even in the midst of the storms.\nArm yourselves only with the weapons of righteousness\nand stand firm before the enemies of life.\nPut no obstacle in anyone’s way\,\nbut in every way commend yourselves as servants of God. \nAnd may God deliver you from all that would destroy you;\nMay Christ Jesus calm all that would terrorise you;\nand may the Holy Spirit sustain you in patience\, kindness\, truthfulness and genuine love. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nGiving yourself away and looking after yourselfA sermon on 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 & Mark 4:35-41 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nAgainst Overwhelming OddsA sermon on 1 Samuel 17 & Mark 4:35-41 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhen the Ship is Going DownA sermon on 1 Samuel 17 & Mark 4:35-41 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBeyond the Limits!A sermon on Mark 4:35-41 & 1 Samuel 17 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPeace\, be still.A sermon on 1 Samuel 17: 1a \, 4-11\, 19-23\, 32-49 and Mark 4:35-41 by John Fowler
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp07/2030-06-23/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P07.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300630T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300630T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200902T063953Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000535Z
UID:10002800-1909008000-1909094399@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 8 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 1:1\, 17-27			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	David returned from a successful campaign against the Amalekite army\, and during a two day break in Ziklag he received news that King Saul had been killed in battle. David composed a song of lament in memory of Saul and his son Jonathan. He called it “The Song of the Bow” and it was written down in the Book of Jashar. David gave orders to his army musicians to teach the song to everyone in Judah. The words went like this: \nIsrael\, your most decorated soldiers\nlie dead on the hills!\nYour glorious heroes have been cut down!\nDon’t let news of this reach the streets of Gath;\ndon’t breathe a word of it in Ashkelon\,\nor the godless Philistine women\nwill mock us in our misery\,\ngloating and dancing with joy. \nA curse on Mount Gilboa\nwhere our heroes’ blood was spilt:\nmay the sun never shine there\,\nand the rain never fall;\nmay it never see a flower bloom again.\nCursed be the place where Saul bit the dust\,\nwhere his polished armour\nwas smeared with blood. \nOur great heroes never flinched under fire:\nwith bow in hand\,\nJonathan’s aim was deadly;\nwith sword in hand\,\nSaul cut the enemy to pieces. \nSaul and Jonathan\, how easy it was to love them!\nLike father\, like son\, in life and in death;\nthey made eagles look slow\,\nand lions look weak. \nWomen of Israel\, cry your eyes out for Saul!\nIt was him you had to thank\nfor your stunning wardrobes\,\nyour designer gowns\nand your elegant jewellery. \nOur finest men have fallen\,\ncut down in the heat of the battle! \nJonathan lies dead on Mount Gilboa.\nMy heart is broken for you\, my brother Jonathan;\nI loved you more than words can say.\nYour love was my greatest delight\,\nmore precious than the love of women. \nThe heroes who filled us with pride have fallen.\nTheir weapons\, once feared\,\nare tossed on the scrap heap! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 130			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	From the depths of despair\, from rock bottom\,\nI cry to you\, O LORD.\nI beg you to listen!\nPlease tune in and hear what I’m asking! \nIf you put black marks against our names\nfor every failing\,\nLord\, wouldn’t you have to write off everyone? \nBut forgiveness is much more your style\,\nand for this we adore you. \nI wait in eager anticipation for your presence\, LORD.\nEverything inside me yearns for you\nand your promises fill me with hope. \nDeep in my guts there is a hunger for you\, LORD\,\nmore pressing than a woman\nwaiting for the birth of her baby\,\nmore impatient than a child\nwaiting for a birthday;\ncrossing off the days\, one by one. \nO People of Israel\, put your trust in the LORD!\nThe LORD’s love never lets us down\,\nand is always ready to rescue us from danger. \nIt is the Lord who will bail us out\nwhen we are caught in the consequences\nof our own sin. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Corinthians 8: 7-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Everything you people put your hand to turns to gold. You seem to be the best at everything. You have outstanding faith. You’re articulate. You have great knowledge and insight. Your energy and enthusiasm seem boundless. Even in love you seem to outshine everyone else. So then\, we are hoping that you will also come out tops in generosity\, as you contribute to the relief fund for the church in Judea. \nI’m not trying to force you into anything. I’m simply telling you about the generosity of others so that you’ll know where the benchmark is. I will be watching to see how your love measures up. Of course\, if you really want a standard to aspire to\, think about the extravagant offering of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was rich in everything\, but he gave it all up for you. He accepted poverty in order to make you rich. \nSo if you want my advice on this matter\, here it is: it is time to put your money where your mouth is. You talked big last year about how willing you were to help when you first heard about the need. Now it’s time to show that you’re not all hot air. It is time to dig deep and show everyone that you are as generous with your actions as you are with your promises. I’m not concerned about how much actually ends up in the hat when you pass it around. It’s more a question of how what you give compares with what you have. No matter how eager you are\, no one expects you to give what you don’t have. \nPlease don’t think that I am trying to make life a bed of roses for others by putting the squeeze on you. You have got plenty at the moment\, and they’re doing it tough. Next time it might be the other way around. It’s like swings and roundabouts — it all balances out after a while. As the scriptures say\, \n“Those with the most let nothing go to waste\,\nand those with the least will not go without.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Mark 5: 21-43			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus arrived by boat back on the Jewish side of Lake Galilee. A huge crowd gathered to meet him on the beach\, and a man named Jairus – a respected leader of the synagogue – was among them. Jairus fell on his knees at Jesus’s feet and begged him repeatedly\, “My precious little girl is on the verge of death. Come and lay your hands on her and make her well\, so that she will live.” Jesus agreed and went with him. Much of the crowd tagged along\, all jostling and pushing\, trying to be near him. \nHiding in the crowd was a woman suffering from prolonged bleeding. For the previous twelve years her condition had meant that everyone treated her as defiled and contagious. She had spent all her money on doctors and healers who had prescribed everything under the sun. Despite all their remedies and promises\, her problem just kept getting worse. She had heard about Jesus and was sure that he was her last chance. Unnoticed\, she pushed her way through the crowd and managed to touch the edge of his coat. She was thinking to herself\, “Surely even touching this man’s clothes will be enough to make me well.” \nSure enough\, the moment she did it\, she felt the bleeding stop. She could feel a real change in herself and she knew that she was finally free of the illness. Jesus felt something too\, a sudden release of energy from within. He spun around\, looking at the crowd\, and asked\, “Who touched me?” \n“Who hasn’t?!” his followers asked incredulously. “If this crowd get any closer they’ll have to hoist you onto their shoulders\, so there’s not much point in asking who touched you.” \nBut Jesus knew that it was something more than that and kept looking around to see who it was. The woman knew he meant her\, and she knew that she was going to be found out. Shaking with fear\, because she had defiled everyone she had touched\, she fell at his feet and spilled out the whole story. But Jesus lifted her by the hand and said to her\, “Daughter\, you took a risk of faith and it has paid off for you. Welcome back to the world of the healthy! May peace\, health and happiness be yours\, and may your illness be gone for good.” \nAs he was saying this\, some people arrived from Jairus’ home and said\, “It’s too late. Your daughter is dead. It’s no use bothering the teacher now.” \nBut Jesus heard what they were saying\, and said to Jairus\, “Don’t give up. Trust me.” \nHe sent the crowd on their way and wouldn’t let anyone come with them except Peter and the brothers\, James and John. When they arrived at the home of the synagogue leader\, it was in a state of chaos. Everywhere there were people crying\, and you could hardly move for funeral directors\, neighbours\, and people bearing condolences and casseroles. Jesus didn’t mince his words: “That’s enough. The child is not dead. She’s only asleep.” \nBut they rubbished him. They knew she was dead. Unperturbed\, Jesus took charge of the situation and kicked them all outside. Taking only the child’s parents and his three companions\, he went into the room where the child was laid out. He clasped her hand tenderly and said to her\, “Talitha koum!” which is Aramaic for “Little girl\, get up.” That was all it took – she was up and walking around\, as healthy as she had been for the previous twelve years! Of course everyone there was blown away – overcome with joy and amazement. Jesus gave them strict instructions not to breathe a word of this to anybody. Then he said\, “The girl’s probably hungry. Find her something to eat.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Wisdom of Solomon 1: 13-15; 2: 23-24			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God is not the author of death.\nGod created all things so that they might live.\nDeath never brings a smile to God’s face. \nThe natural way of the earth is to generate life.\nThe forces of nature are not destructive or poisonous.\nThe kingdom of death does not govern the planet. \nA life lived in truth and integrity is immune to death\,\nbecause God created us for life without limit;\npermanent and incorruptible\, just like God. \nBut the devil got jealous and screwed it all up.\nHis greed and envy infected the world with death\,\nand for those who side with him\, it will prove fatal. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Lamentations 3: 23-33 (canticle)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Your love and loyalty never die\, LORD.\nYour generous mercy never runs dry.\nThey are created new every morning\nand you are as trustworthy as the solid rock. \nSo I keep telling myself that you are all I need\nand that I can still trust you to come through for me. \nYou are good to those who hang in there for you\, LORD;\nto those whose hearts continue to search for you. \nThe life for which you save us\, LORD\,\nis worth patiently waiting for. \nIt is a good thing to shoulder unfair burdens\nwhile we are still young;\nto put up with solitary confinement\nif that is what the LORD has imposed;\nto eat dust\nwithout giving up hope;\nto turn the other cheek with courage\nand cop the insults that are dished out. \nI can’t believe\nthat the Lord will write us off forever. \nThe Lord might be dishing out grief to us now\nbut not willingly. \nThe Lord’s rock-solid love\nwill pour forth compassion for us\nfor the Lord does not take pleasure\nin causing trouble or pain. \n©2014 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR   Psalm 30			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I’ll be singing your praises\, every chance I get\, LORD\,\nbecause you got me out of deep trouble\nand spared me the gloating of my enemies. \nI pleaded for help\, LORD God\,\nand you stepped in and healed me. \nThey were nearly ready to pronounce me dead\nbut your brought me back\, LORD;\nyou put me back on my feet\nwhen I was about to be carried to the morgue. \nSo I’m singing your praises\,\nand I’m encouraging everyone to do the same;\nto name you with joyful thanks. \nWe manage to get you angry at times\,\nbut it blows over in a moment\nbecause your mercy keeps on keeping on.\nWe may have an evening of bitter tears\,\nbut by morning your mercy has us smiling again. \nI was guilty of taking your goodness for granted;\nI thought I had it made.\nYou had put me on top of the world\nbut I got all too full of myself.\nYou stepped aside – made me stand alone —\nand I turned to jelly! \nI realised how much I needed you\, LORD\,\nand in my panic I begged you for mercy. \n“What good is my blood to you?” I cried.\n“How will it help if I’m in the grave?\nCan a corpse sing your praises?\nWill a gravestone publicise your goodness?\nGive me another chance\, LORD.\nPlease\, LORD\, bail me out one more time.” \nAnd sure enough\, you did\, LORD.\nYou turned my tears to laughter;\nyou set my dragging feet dancing;\nyou dusted me off and dressed me up for a party.\nSo now I’m singing your praises\nfrom the bottom of my heart\,\nand no one can shut me up! \nYou are my God\, LORD\,\nand I’m eternally grateful. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor no matter how deep we sink in sin and despair\,\nyou hear our cry for mercy and lift us to life. \nFrom the depths of chaos you pulled the newborn earth\nand filled it with love and beauty.\nWhen we tore apart the glory of your creation\nand left innocence slain upon our battlefields\,\nyou continued to reach out to the grieving world\nwith a love more wonderful than any other. \nYour surpassing generosity took flesh in Jesus Christ\,\nwho\, though he was rich\,\ngave up everything\nso that we might lack nothing.\nWhen he was killed\, you raised him\,\nand hope dawned over the dark night of grief.\nFrom him radiates the energy that heals us\,\nand at the touch of his hand\nthe outcasts are reconciled\nand the dead awake to fullness of life. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nfor no matter how deep we sink in sin and despair\,\nhe comes to us and at the touch of his hand\nthe outcasts are healed and reconciled\nand the dead awake to fullness of life. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor no matter how deep we sink in sin and despair\,\nyou hear our cry for mercy and lift us to life. \nFrom the depths of chaos you pulled the newborn earth\nand filled it with love and beauty.\nWhen we tore apart the glory of your creation\nand left innocence slain upon our battlefields\,\nyou continued to reach out to the grieving world\nwith a love more wonderful than any other. \nYour surpassing generosity took flesh in Jesus Christ\,\nwho\, though he was rich\,\ngave up everything\nso that we might lack nothing.\nWhen he was killed\, you raised him\,\nand hope dawned over the dark night of grief.\nFrom him radiates the energy that heals us\,\nand at the touch of his hand\nthe outcasts are reconciled\nand the dead awake to fullness of life. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	If the Lord recorded our sins\, no one could survive\,\nbut God’s capacity for forgiveness is awesome.\nThe Lord will bring mercy and grant full pardon.\nIn Jesus Christ we are lifted to life. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out\, among the outcast and the grieving\,\nand speak the word of life and hope.\nDo not fear\, but trust in God’s word.\nWatch for the Lord with eager expectation\,\nand be generous with all God has given you. \nAnd may God respond to your every cry with mercy;\nMay Christ Jesus take you by the hand and lift you to life;\nand may the Holy Spirit build you up in faith\, in speech\,\nin knowledge\, in passion and in love. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Table of GriefA sermon on 2 Samuel 1:1\,17-27 & Psalm 130 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nAre You Worth More Than a Touch?A sermon on Mark 5: 21-43 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nRevulsion and Contagious LoveA sermon on Mark 5: 21-43 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe God of WinterA Winter Solstice sermon on Mark 5:21-43; 2 Samuel 1:17-27 &  Psalm 130 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp08/2030-06-30/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P08.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300630T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300630T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200902T063953Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240728T104733Z
UID:10002139-1909008000-1909094399@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 8 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 1:1\, 17-27			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	David returned from a successful campaign against the Amalekite army\, and during a two day break in Ziklag he received news that King Saul had been killed in battle. David composed a song of lament in memory of Saul and his son Jonathan. He called it “The Song of the Bow” and it was written down in the Book of Jashar. David gave orders to his army musicians to teach the song to everyone in Judah. The words went like this: \nIsrael\, your most decorated soldiers\nlie dead on the hills!\nYour glorious heroes have been cut down!\nDon’t let news of this reach the streets of Gath;\ndon’t breathe a word of it in Ashkelon\,\nor the godless Philistine women\nwill mock us in our misery\,\ngloating and dancing with joy. \nA curse on Mount Gilboa\nwhere our heroes’ blood was spilt:\nmay the sun never shine there\,\nand the rain never fall;\nmay it never see a flower bloom again.\nCursed be the place where Saul bit the dust\,\nwhere his polished armour\nwas smeared with blood. \nOur great heroes never flinched under fire:\nwith bow in hand\,\nJonathan’s aim was deadly;\nwith sword in hand\,\nSaul cut the enemy to pieces. \nSaul and Jonathan\, how easy it was to love them!\nLike father\, like son\, in life and in death;\nthey made eagles look slow\,\nand lions look weak. \nWomen of Israel\, cry your eyes out for Saul!\nIt was him you had to thank\nfor your stunning wardrobes\,\nyour designer gowns\nand your elegant jewellery. \nOur finest men have fallen\,\ncut down in the heat of the battle! \nJonathan lies dead on Mount Gilboa.\nMy heart is broken for you\, my brother Jonathan;\nI loved you more than words can say.\nYour love was my greatest delight\,\nmore precious than the love of women. \nThe heroes who filled us with pride have fallen.\nTheir weapons\, once feared\,\nare tossed on the scrap heap! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 130			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	From the depths of despair\, from rock bottom\,\nI cry to you\, O LORD.\nI beg you to listen!\nPlease tune in and hear what I’m asking! \nIf you put black marks against our names\nfor every failing\,\nLord\, wouldn’t you have to write off everyone? \nBut forgiveness is much more your style\,\nand for this we adore you. \nI wait in eager anticipation for your presence\, LORD.\nEverything inside me yearns for you\nand your promises fill me with hope. \nDeep in my guts there is a hunger for you\, LORD\,\nmore pressing than a woman\nwaiting for the birth of her baby\,\nmore impatient than a child\nwaiting for a birthday;\ncrossing off the days\, one by one. \nO People of Israel\, put your trust in the LORD!\nThe LORD’s love never lets us down\,\nand is always ready to rescue us from danger. \nIt is the Lord who will bail us out\nwhen we are caught in the consequences\nof our own sin. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Corinthians 8: 7-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Everything you people put your hand to turns to gold. You seem to be the best at everything. You have outstanding faith. You’re articulate. You have great knowledge and insight. Your energy and enthusiasm seem boundless. Even in love you seem to outshine everyone else. So then\, we are hoping that you will also come out tops in generosity\, as you contribute to the relief fund for the church in Judea. \nI’m not trying to force you into anything. I’m simply telling you about the generosity of others so that you’ll know where the benchmark is. I will be watching to see how your love measures up. Of course\, if you really want a standard to aspire to\, think about the extravagant offering of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was rich in everything\, but he gave it all up for you. He accepted poverty in order to make you rich. \nSo if you want my advice on this matter\, here it is: it is time to put your money where your mouth is. You talked big last year about how willing you were to help when you first heard about the need. Now it’s time to show that you’re not all hot air. It is time to dig deep and show everyone that you are as generous with your actions as you are with your promises. I’m not concerned about how much actually ends up in the hat when you pass it around. It’s more a question of how what you give compares with what you have. No matter how eager you are\, no one expects you to give what you don’t have. \nPlease don’t think that I am trying to make life a bed of roses for others by putting the squeeze on you. You have got plenty at the moment\, and they’re doing it tough. Next time it might be the other way around. It’s like swings and roundabouts — it all balances out after a while. As the scriptures say\, \n“Those with the most let nothing go to waste\,\nand those with the least will not go without.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Mark 5: 21-43			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus arrived by boat back on the Jewish side of Lake Galilee. A huge crowd gathered to meet him on the beach\, and a man named Jairus – a respected leader of the synagogue – was among them. Jairus fell on his knees at Jesus’s feet and begged him repeatedly\, “My precious little girl is on the verge of death. Come and lay your hands on her and make her well\, so that she will live.” Jesus agreed and went with him. Much of the crowd tagged along\, all jostling and pushing\, trying to be near him. \nHiding in the crowd was a woman suffering from prolonged bleeding. For the previous twelve years her condition had meant that everyone treated her as defiled and contagious. She had spent all her money on doctors and healers who had prescribed everything under the sun. Despite all their remedies and promises\, her problem just kept getting worse. She had heard about Jesus and was sure that he was her last chance. Unnoticed\, she pushed her way through the crowd and managed to touch the edge of his coat. She was thinking to herself\, “Surely even touching this man’s clothes will be enough to make me well.” \nSure enough\, the moment she did it\, she felt the bleeding stop. She could feel a real change in herself and she knew that she was finally free of the illness. Jesus felt something too\, a sudden release of energy from within. He spun around\, looking at the crowd\, and asked\, “Who touched me?” \n“Who hasn’t?!” his followers asked incredulously. “If this crowd get any closer they’ll have to hoist you onto their shoulders\, so there’s not much point in asking who touched you.” \nBut Jesus knew that it was something more than that and kept looking around to see who it was. The woman knew he meant her\, and she knew that she was going to be found out. Shaking with fear\, because she had defiled everyone she had touched\, she fell at his feet and spilled out the whole story. But Jesus lifted her by the hand and said to her\, “Daughter\, you took a risk of faith and it has paid off for you. Welcome back to the world of the healthy! May peace\, health and happiness be yours\, and may your illness be gone for good.” \nAs he was saying this\, some people arrived from Jairus’ home and said\, “It’s too late. Your daughter is dead. It’s no use bothering the teacher now.” \nBut Jesus heard what they were saying\, and said to Jairus\, “Don’t give up. Trust me.” \nHe sent the crowd on their way and wouldn’t let anyone come with them except Peter and the brothers\, James and John. When they arrived at the home of the synagogue leader\, it was in a state of chaos. Everywhere there were people crying\, and you could hardly move for funeral directors\, neighbours\, and people bearing condolences and casseroles. Jesus didn’t mince his words: “That’s enough. The child is not dead. She’s only asleep.” \nBut they rubbished him. They knew she was dead. Unperturbed\, Jesus took charge of the situation and kicked them all outside. Taking only the child’s parents and his three companions\, he went into the room where the child was laid out. He clasped her hand tenderly and said to her\, “Talitha koum!” which is Aramaic for “Little girl\, get up.” That was all it took – she was up and walking around\, as healthy as she had been for the previous twelve years! Of course everyone there was blown away – overcome with joy and amazement. Jesus gave them strict instructions not to breathe a word of this to anybody. Then he said\, “The girl’s probably hungry. Find her something to eat.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Wisdom of Solomon 1: 13-15; 2: 23-24			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God is not the author of death.\nGod created all things so that they might live.\nDeath never brings a smile to God’s face. \nThe natural way of the earth is to generate life.\nThe forces of nature are not destructive or poisonous.\nThe kingdom of death does not govern the planet. \nA life lived in truth and integrity is immune to death\,\nbecause God created us for life without limit;\npermanent and incorruptible\, just like God. \nBut the devil got jealous and screwed it all up.\nHis greed and envy infected the world with death\,\nand for those who side with him\, it will prove fatal. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Lamentations 3: 23-33 (canticle)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Your love and loyalty never die\, LORD.\nYour generous mercy never runs dry.\nThey are created new every morning\nand you are as trustworthy as the solid rock. \nSo I keep telling myself that you are all I need\nand that I can still trust you to come through for me. \nYou are good to those who hang in there for you\, LORD;\nto those whose hearts continue to search for you. \nThe life for which you save us\, LORD\,\nis worth patiently waiting for. \nIt is a good thing to shoulder unfair burdens\nwhile we are still young;\nto put up with solitary confinement\nif that is what the LORD has imposed;\nto eat dust\nwithout giving up hope;\nto turn the other cheek with courage\nand cop the insults that are dished out. \nI can’t believe\nthat the Lord will write us off forever. \nThe Lord might be dishing out grief to us now\nbut not willingly. \nThe Lord’s rock-solid love\nwill pour forth compassion for us\nfor the Lord does not take pleasure\nin causing trouble or pain. \n©2014 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR   Psalm 30			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I’ll be singing your praises\, every chance I get\, LORD\,\nbecause you got me out of deep trouble\nand spared me the gloating of my enemies. \nI pleaded for help\, LORD God\,\nand you stepped in and healed me. \nThey were nearly ready to pronounce me dead\nbut your brought me back\, LORD;\nyou put me back on my feet\nwhen I was about to be carried to the morgue. \nSo I’m singing your praises\,\nand I’m encouraging everyone to do the same;\nto name you with joyful thanks. \nWe manage to get you angry at times\,\nbut it blows over in a moment\nbecause your mercy keeps on keeping on.\nWe may have an evening of bitter tears\,\nbut by morning your mercy has us smiling again. \nI was guilty of taking your goodness for granted;\nI thought I had it made.\nYou had put me on top of the world\nbut I got all too full of myself.\nYou stepped aside – made me stand alone —\nand I turned to jelly! \nI realised how much I needed you\, LORD\,\nand in my panic I begged you for mercy. \n“What good is my blood to you?” I cried.\n“How will it help if I’m in the grave?\nCan a corpse sing your praises?\nWill a gravestone publicise your goodness?\nGive me another chance\, LORD.\nPlease\, LORD\, bail me out one more time.” \nAnd sure enough\, you did\, LORD.\nYou turned my tears to laughter;\nyou set my dragging feet dancing;\nyou dusted me off and dressed me up for a party.\nSo now I’m singing your praises\nfrom the bottom of my heart\,\nand no one can shut me up! \nYou are my God\, LORD\,\nand I’m eternally grateful. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor no matter how deep we sink in sin and despair\,\nyou hear our cry for mercy and lift us to life. \nFrom the depths of chaos you pulled the newborn earth\nand filled it with love and beauty.\nWhen we tore apart the glory of your creation\nand left innocence slain upon our battlefields\,\nyou continued to reach out to the grieving world\nwith a love more wonderful than any other. \nYour surpassing generosity took flesh in Jesus Christ\,\nwho\, though he was rich\,\ngave up everything\nso that we might lack nothing.\nWhen he was killed\, you raised him\,\nand hope dawned over the dark night of grief.\nFrom him radiates the energy that heals us\,\nand at the touch of his hand\nthe outcasts are reconciled\nand the dead awake to fullness of life. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nfor no matter how deep we sink in sin and despair\,\nhe comes to us and at the touch of his hand\nthe outcasts are healed and reconciled\nand the dead awake to fullness of life. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor no matter how deep we sink in sin and despair\,\nyou hear our cry for mercy and lift us to life. \nFrom the depths of chaos you pulled the newborn earth\nand filled it with love and beauty.\nWhen we tore apart the glory of your creation\nand left innocence slain upon our battlefields\,\nyou continued to reach out to the grieving world\nwith a love more wonderful than any other. \nYour surpassing generosity took flesh in Jesus Christ\,\nwho\, though he was rich\,\ngave up everything\nso that we might lack nothing.\nWhen he was killed\, you raised him\,\nand hope dawned over the dark night of grief.\nFrom him radiates the energy that heals us\,\nand at the touch of his hand\nthe outcasts are reconciled\nand the dead awake to fullness of life. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	If the Lord recorded our sins\, no one could survive\,\nbut God’s capacity for forgiveness is awesome.\nThe Lord will bring mercy and grant full pardon.\nIn Jesus Christ we are lifted to life. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out\, among the outcast and the grieving\,\nand speak the word of life and hope.\nDo not fear\, but trust in God’s word.\nWatch for the Lord with eager expectation\,\nand be generous with all God has given you. \nAnd may God respond to your every cry with mercy;\nMay Christ Jesus take you by the hand and lift you to life;\nand may the Holy Spirit build you up in faith\, in speech\,\nin knowledge\, in passion and in love. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Table of GriefA sermon on 2 Samuel 1:1\,17-27 & Psalm 130 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nAre You Worth More Than a Touch?A sermon on Mark 5: 21-43 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nRevulsion and Contagious LoveA sermon on Mark 5: 21-43 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe God of WinterA Winter Solstice sermon on Mark 5:21-43; 2 Samuel 1:17-27 &  Psalm 130 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp08/2030-06-30/
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DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300707T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300707T235959
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LAST-MODIFIED:20240804T110002Z
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SUMMARY:Proper 9 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 5: 1-5\, 9-10			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	After David had been king of Judah for some time\, the leaders of the tribes of Israel came to meet with him at Hebron. They addressed him\, saying:\n“Look\, we are family – your own flesh and blood. For a long time\, even though Saul was officially our king\, it has been you that we all looked up to\, and you that we took our marching orders from. The LORD promised that it was only a matter of time before you would rule Israel and be the caretaker of all God’s people.” \nDuring this meeting at Hebron\, the tribal elders of Israel negotiated a deal with David and signed it in a sacred ceremony\, with the LORD as their witness. As part of the deal they crowned David king of Israel\, pouring sacred olive oil on his head to show that he was the chosen one. \nDavid was thirty years old when he became king\, and his reign lasted forty years. For the first seven and a half years\, while based in Hebron\, he only ruled over Judah. Then for a further thirty-three years he ruled over both Israel and Judah from his new capital in Jerusalem.  The fortified centre of Jerusalem had held out against David\, but he eventually captured it and moved in\, declaring it to be the city of David. He had the city rebuilt around it starting from the landfill area on the east side. \nDavid’s position was becoming stronger all the time\, because the LORD\, the ruler of everything\, was on his side. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 48			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Great is the LORD – worthy of our highest praise —\nand great is the city where God lives.\nThe mountain of God’s presence\nis a spectacular sacred site\,\na source of joy for all the earth.\nOn Mount Zion stands the city of the great Ruler.\nThere in God’s sheltering presence\nwe have been given a place of safety. \nRulers of nations\, despots and tyrants\,\nunited to overthrow God’s dominion\,\nbut one look at God’s sure defence\nand their arrogant plans were blown.\nIn sheer panic\, they took off in all directions.\nThey were as shaken as a woman in labour\,\nor a storm-tossed ship smashed on the reef. \nWe had heard of God’s great city\,\nand now we have seen it with our own eyes\nThe LORD who rules over everything\nwill see that this city stands firm forever. \nO God\, here in your holy Temple\,\nwe meditate on your unfailing love.\nYour reputation\, O God\, spreads throughout the earth\,\nand wherever you are named\,\npeople shout for joy.\nYour rule of justice has the last word everywhere.\nLet Mount Zion celebrate\,\nand every city and town throw a party\nbecause God’s decisions\nbring justice and righteousness. \nCome\, let us walk around the holy mountain.\nLet us examine our God from every angle.\nCount up the towers of safety.\nInspect the sheltering places\nwithin the presence of God.\nPass all this on to your children\nand your children’s children\nso that they too will know that this is our God.\nThis God is our God forever and ever\,\nthe God who will lead us in peace\nfor all time to come.  \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Corinthians 12: 2-10			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	There was a certain person — a Christian person who I know well — who fourteen years ago was swept up into the heights of heaven. I’m not sure whether this was a physical experience or an ecstatic vision. Only God really knows. \nAs I say\, God only knows whether or not it was a whole-body thing\, but this certain person was snatched up into Paradise\, and there he heard things that are too wonderful for words\, things that he dare not repeat to a living soul. Now if you want to hear about such amazing things\, then I’m willing to talk freely about this certain person\, but I don’t want to go blowing my own trumpet. Of course if you want me to talk about weaknesses I could talk about myself all night! \nMind you\, there is no reason to think I’d end up with egg on my face if I did talk big about my own experiences. It would be the whole truth and nothing but the truth\, but don’t get me started! I’d rather let my actions do the talking for me. Let me be judged simply by the value of what I teach and what I do. Any spectacular revelations I may have experienced in the past should not inflate your opinion of me. \nAnd believe me\, God has seen to it that they haven’t given me an over inflated opinion of myself. To balance them out and keep my feet firmly on the ground\, I have been given a special gift — a real thorn in the flesh\, a condition that torments me and causes great anguish in my body. Satan used it to try to derail me\, but it is probably what has kept me on track. Of course I couldn’t see that at first. Three times I put everything else aside and gave all my time and energy to seeking the Lord for healing and deliverance. But the Lord said to me\, “My generous love is enough for you. Your weakness clears the deck and opens you to my strength.” \nSo then\, if it means that Christ’s strength will be all the more active in me\, I will gladly wear my weaknesses like a badge of honour. Indeed\, given the opportunity to talk about them\, you can’t shut me up! So nowadays\, what ever comes my way — failure\, bad-mouthing\, tough times\, harassment\, tragedy —I take it all in my stride and just allow Christ to come to the fore. You see\, it is when I am at my weakest that I find the greatest strength. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Mark 6: 1-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus returned to his Nazareth\, his hometown\, and his closest followers went with him. On the Sabbath he gave a public lecture in the local synagogue. Many of those who attended were surprised and impressed by what he had to say. “Who would have guessed that a local lad would have done so well?” they said. “Where did he pick up such wisdom? And look at the miraculous things he does with just a touch of his hands!” \nBut the next minute they were getting their noses out of joint. “Who does he think he is? Mr Big-shot! He’s just a carpenter – Mary’s boy – no better than any of us. We know his brothers – James\, Justin\, Jude and Simon. His sisters all live here\, and they’re no different from us.” So they ended up resenting him. \nJesus responded to all this\, saying\, “It’s always the way. Prophets are appreciated everywhere except at home among the friends and relations they grew up with.” \nThere was very little he could do there. He laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them\, but that was about it. He couldn’t get over how stubborn and skeptical they were\, so he moved on and did a teaching tour through the neighbouring towns. \nJesus called his chosen twelve together and sent them out in pairs. He commissioned them to deal with any spirit of evil they might encounter. He gave them orders to travel lightly and live simply – no carting luggage around or buying things along the way. He told them\, “If anyone invites you to stay in their home\, do so until it’s time to move on. No shopping around for a better place! And if you arrive somewhere and they refuse to welcome you in or hear what you have to say\, just move on. Turn your backs and walk away. Scratch their names off your map and forget them.” \nSo they hit the road. Everywhere they went they preached with enthusiasm\, calling people to turn their lives around and get back on track. They flushed out numerous demons\, and healed a lot of people of various illnesses\, anointing them with oil and praying that God would make them whole. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ezekiel 2: 1-5			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	A voice spoke to me and said\, “Ezekiel\, young man\, stand up on your feet and listen to what I have to say to you.” \nWhen I heard this\, a spirit moved inside me and stood me up on my feet\, and I heard the voice speaking to me. The voice said to me: \n“Young man\, I am sending you to my people. They are a nation of scabs who turned against me. Just like their ancestors\, they have repeatedly done the wrong thing by me and they are continuing to do so. This latest generation is the most callous and pigheaded yet. I am sending you to them\, and it is your job to announce whatever the Lord GOD has to say to them. Maybe they will listen\, maybe they won’t\, because they are such a defiant mob. Either way\, they will be left in no doubt that there has been a prophet among them.” \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 123			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	It is to you that we look for help\, LORD;\nto you who rules from the throne of heaven! \nWhen people are injured\,\nthey look to the doctors for help;\nwhen they lie in hospital\,\nthey look to the nurses for compassion;\nand in the same way\nwe look to you\, the LORD our God:\nwe depend on your kindness and care. \nTreat us with compassion\, LORD\, treat us with compassion.\nWe’ve endured more than our fair share of contempt. \nWe have had an absolute gutful\nof being put down by the arrogant\nand treated like dirt by those who’ve got it easy. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\n— joy of all the earth —\nfor your grace is sufficient for us\,\nand your strength is always there in our weakness. \nYou created the heavens and the earth and all that live in them\nand gave yourself to us to be our guide forever.\nYou gave your people great leaders\, like David\,\nto shepherd them in peace and righteousness. \nYour son\, Jesus\, came teaching with astounding wisdom\nand bringing freedom and healing at the touch of his hands.\nLike the prophets he was not honoured in his own town\,\nand was crucified by his own nation\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\,\ndisplaying your perfect power in his weakness.\nNow he has entrusted us with his mission\nof casting out evil and proclaiming your steadfast love\nfrom the holy mountain to the ends of the earth. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your son\, Jesus\,\nwhose trusted your perfect power in his weakness on the cross\,\nand who has entrusted us with his mission\nof casting out evil and proclaiming your steadfast love\nfrom the holy mountain to the ends of the earth. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\n— joy of all the earth —\nfor your grace is sufficient for us\,\nand your strength is always there in our weakness. \nYou created the heavens and the earth and all that live in them\nand gave yourself to us to be our guide forever.\nYou gave your people great leaders\, like David\,\nto shepherd them in peace and righteousness. \nYour son\, Jesus\, came teaching with astounding wisdom\nand bringing freedom and healing at the touch of his hands.\nLike the prophets he was not honoured in his own town\,\nand was crucified by his own nation\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\,\ndisplaying your perfect power in his weakness.\nNow he has entrusted us with his mission\nof casting out evil and proclaiming your steadfast love\nfrom the holy mountain to the ends of the earth. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus Christ sent out his apostles to call us all to repentance.\nGod has promised that all who turn to Christ for mercy\nwill receive forgiveness for sin\,\nfor in our weakness\, God’s strength is sufficient. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now\, and wherever people will hear you\,\nproclaim the life-changing love of God.\nDo not fear your weakness\,\nfor when you are weakest\, Christ’s strength is known.\nTravel lightly\, live simply\,\nand honour those who welcome the gospel. \nAnd may God be your protection and safe haven;\nMay the power of Christ Jesus dwell in you;\nand may the Holy Spirit be your guide forever. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nDon’t Count on ApplauseA sermon on Mark 6:1-13 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nShoot the MessengerA sermon on Mark 6:1-13 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\n“Trusting God” for People who Have EverythingA sermon on Mark 6: 1-13\, 14-15\, 21-23 & 2 Corinthians 12: 2-10 by Andrew Woff\n\n\n\nMaking the Covenant – Making the ChurchA sermon on 2 Samuel 5: 1-5\, 9-10 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Stumbling Stone SermonA sermon on Mark 6:1-13 by Samara Pitt\n\n\n\nThorns\, Warts and AllA sermon on 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 & Mark 6:1-13 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhen Churches Picket Each OtherA sermon on 2 Corinthians 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13 & 2 Samuel 5:1-5\, 9-10 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp09/2030-07-07/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P09.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300714T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300714T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200904T015600Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240811T104422Z
UID:10002141-1910217600-1910303999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 10 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 6: 1-5\, 12b-19			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	David called up thirty thousand top soldiers\, the cream of Israel’s army\, and led them up to Baalah in Judah to collect the sacred Ark of God. The Ark bore the name of the LORD who rules over everything\, and the gold cherubim on its top were recognised as God’s throne on earth.  They removed the Ark of God from the house of Abinadab\, secured it on a new cart\, and set off down the hill with it. Abinadab’s two sons\, Ahio and Uzzah\, were at each end\, steering the cart which carried the Ark of God. A crowd of Israelite people accompanied them\, forming a joyful procession\, all singing and dancing in honour of the LORD. David led them with great enthusiasm\, and they were accompanied by all sorts of musical instruments. \nThey parked the Ark of God in the house of Obed-edom for a while after an accident\, but eventually they were ready to set out again and bring it to the city of David. It was a huge celebration. This time the Ark of God was carried on the shoulders of some chosen men. Each time they had taken six paces\, they would stop and David would sacrifice a bullock and a prime-beef yearling. Bare chested and with only a linen cloth round his waist\, David danced with uninhibited joy and great energy to honour the LORD. To the sounds of trumpets and loud cheering\, David and all the people of Israel brought the Ark of the LORD up into Jerusalem. \nAs they came through the city gates\, David’s wife Michelle was watching from a window. She was the daughter of Saul\, and when she saw King David making such a display of himself\, leaping around in his dance\, she was disgusted. \nDavid had set up a special marquee for the sacred Ark of the LORD\, and they carried it in and set it in its place. David led the people in worship\, offering animal sacrifices to the LORD by burning them on an altar. When the offerings were over\, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD who rules over everything. He sent them all on their way with gifts of food. Every man and woman in Israel was given a platter laden with bread\, roast beef\, and fruit cake. So\, with the celebrations over\, everyone headed home. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 24			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The whole planet belongs to you\, LORD —\nthe earth and everything that lies in it\,\ngrows from it\, or walks on it.\nYou raised the land above the seas\,\nand secured its foundations in the depths.  \nWho will be granted a permit\nto climb your sacred mountain\, O God?\nWho may scale the summit to your holy presence?  \nThose who have played a straight bat\,\nacting with integrity\,\nnot selling themselves out to delusions\,\nor playing fast and loose with the truth.  \nYour rich goodness will come their way\, LORD\,\nand you will declare them innocent\nand set them free.  \nThese are the people who take no shortcuts\nin their search for you.\nTheir greatest hunger is to know you\,\nthe God of their ancestors.  \nWe hear the call:\n“Wake up! On your feet!\nOpen the gates and form a guard of honour!\nRoll out the red carpet\nbefore the glorious sovereign.” \nWho is this majestic ruler?\nIt is you\, LORD\, supreme and dynamic\,\nthe conqueror of conflict.  \nWe hear it again:\n“Wake up! On your feet!\nOpen the gates and form a guard of honour!\nRoll out the red carpet\nbefore the glorious sovereign.” \nWho is this majestic ruler?\nIt is you\, the LORD who rules over everything.\nThis majestic ruler is you\, our God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 1: 3-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Blessed be God! All praise and honour be to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! God has gathered up all the spiritual blessings of heaven and given them to us in our union with Christ. This followed on from decisions that God had made even before laying the foundations of the world. Way back then\, God was anticipating our arrival and laying down plans for us. God was getting ready to immerse us in divine love so that we would emerge ready\, willing and able to dedicate our lives totally to God. \nGod set the wheels in motion for us to be adopted as his own children. This was to be done through Jesus Christ\, because God takes great delight in doing such things through him. God wanted his beloved Son to get all the credit for the boundless love that was being lavished on us. Christ paid the ultimate price\, shedding his own blood in his endeavour to reclaim us for God’s family. Given how often we’d turned our backs on God\, he could easily have given up on us\, but he was so extravagant in his love and reckless in his generosity that he just forgave us for everything and put his life on the line to save us. \nGod\, who can see and understand perfectly what we could never comprehend\, has let us in on the mystery of the divine plan. God took great delight in opening this up and giving us a preview in Christ. This is how it will unfold when the time is right: God will unify all things into one perfect communion in Christ\, reconciling everything\, from the depths of the earth to the farthest reaches of heaven. \nIn Christ we are identified as God’s beneficiaries and our future is secured. God’s plans always find a way\, and right from the word go we have been a part of those plans. This was to ensure that we\, being the first people to throw in our lot with Christ\, would be able to live lives that clearly reflected the wonderful goodness of God. It didn’t stop with us though — you’re in on this too! The message of God’s rescue mission reached you\, and once you realized it was fair dinkum and put your trust in Christ\, you became part of him\, just like us. At that moment your future was signed and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Now you know it will be delivered! Everything planned for God’s people will be yours — a life overflowing with the glory and splendour of God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Mark 6: 14-29			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The word was getting around about Jesus\, and soon even King Herod had heard what was being said. Everyone had an opinion. Some people thought he was a reincarnation of John the baptiser and that that explained his miraculous powers. Others were of the view that he was Elijah or one of the other great prophets of the past. Herod was backing the John the baptiser theory. “It’s John for sure\,” he said. “I had his head cut off\, but he’s come back anyway\, and more trouble than ever.” \nIt had been on Herod’s orders that John had been arrested\, chained and put in prison in the first place. He had done this at the insistence of Herodias. She had been the wife of Herod’s brother Philip\, but she had left him and married Herod. She had it in for John because he had been publicly denouncing their relationship as adultery. Although Herodias simmered with murderous rage against John\, she couldn’t touch him because Herod held him in an almost superstitious awe. He was convinced that John was a unique holy man\, and he was afraid of what might happen if he didn’t protect him. Herod took a perverse pleasure in listening to John speak. Everything John said aggravated him\, and yet he kept coming back for more. \nBut it was only a matter of time before Herodias got her chance. On his birthday\, Herod threw a huge birthday party and all the silver-tails and top brass were there – everybody who was anybody in Galilee. Herodias had a very attractive and alluring daughter who came in to the party and danced for the men. Herod and his guests were so mesmerised by her charms that the king said to her\, “Anything you want\, I will give you. Just ask!” He was so entranced by her that he shot his mouth off without thinking. “I swear I will give you whatever you ask\, even half my kingdom.” \nThe girl went out and consulted her mother. “What should I ask for?” \nHerodias had no hesitation. “The head of John the baptiser\,” she said. \nIntoxicated by this thought\, the girl raced back to the king and placed her order. “I want the head of John the baptiser. I want it served up on a platter\, right here\, right now.” \nThat took the wind out of his sails quick smart\, but he could hardly go back on his word in front of all his guests. It was lose face or lose John\, so he caved in and gave the order. The executioner was sent for and John was dragged out of his cell and beheaded. His head was then carried in on a serving platter\, and presented to the girl. She in turn gave it to her mother. \nWhen the gruesome news reached John’s followers\, they came and collected his body so that they could give him a decent burial. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Amos 7: 7-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God gave me a vision. I saw the Lord holding a plumb line against a wall to see whether it was straight. As I looked\, the LORD said to me\, “Amos\, what do you see?” \nI answered\, “A plumb line.” \nThen the LORD said: \n“I am using this plumb line\nto show how crooked my people Israel have become.\nI will not turn a blind eye again.\nThe private shrines of Isaac’s descendant will be flattened.\nIsrael’s so-called sacred sites will be scorched earth.\nI will declare war on the royal family of Jeroboam.” \nAmos was getting into hot water over his preaching. Amaziah\, the priest at the shrine in Bethel\, sent a message to Jeroboam\, the King of Israel\, saying\, “Amos is sowing the seeds of rebellion right in the heart of Israel. All his talk of doom and gloom will paralyse the nation. Have you heard what he is saying about you? \n‘Jereboam will be killed\,\nand the people of Israel\nwill be marched off into exile in a far off land.’” \nAmaziah also tried to send Amos away himself\, saying\, “Hey preacher-man\, get out of town! Buzz off back to Judah where you came from and ply your trade there. Harangue them with your prophesies\, but don’t open your mouth here in Bethel again. This is the royal chapel – the King’s worship place – and we don’t need your kind around here.” \nBut Amos answered back\, “I am no professional preacher; nor was I raised to be a preacher. I was happy making my living droving cattle and cutting timber. But the LORD called me in from the bush and said\, ‘Go and preach to my people Israel.’ \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 85: 8-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We are eager to hear all you have to say\, LORD God\,\nfor your words bring peace and wellbeing\nto those who stick with you\nand leave behind their foolish ways. \nSurely for all who respect you\,\nthe life you saved us for is within reach.\nOur land will be ablaze with your presence. \nWhat a life it will be!\nLove and loyalty will link arms;\njustice and peace will become lovers. \nFaithfulness will sprout and reach for the sky;\nintegrity will beam down on the earth. \nYou will give us every good thing\, LORD\,\nand the land will give bumper crops. \nJustice and integrity will spring up as you approach\,\nlining the road to welcome you among us. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor in Christ you are gathering all things into one communion\nand adopting us as your own beloved children. \nEvery created thing is yours\,\nfor you founded the earth\nand gave life to all who live on it.\nEven before that\, you chose us\nand planned for our inclusion into your life\nof wholeness\, holiness and glorious splendour. \nWith all wisdom and insight\nyou made known to your people the mystery of your will.\nThough tyrants have opposed your truth\,\ncutting down your prophets\,\nand crucifying your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nyou have not left us to death's powers.\nWhen you raised Christ from the dead\,\nyou opened the ancient gates to us\nand sealed us with your promised Holy Spirit\,\nso that we might enter your resurrection life\,\nleaping and dancing\,\nand receive every blessing of heaven. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for Christ\,\nyour crucified and risen Son\,\nin whom and through whom\nyou are gathering all things into one communion\nand adopting us as your own beloved children\,\njust as you planned before the foundation of the world. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor in Christ you are gathering all things into one communion\nand adopting us as your own beloved children. \nEvery created thing is yours\,\nfor you founded the earth\nand gave life to all who live on it.\nEven before that\, you chose us\nand planned for our inclusion into your life\nof wholeness\, holiness and glorious splendour. \nWith all wisdom and insight\nyou made known to your people the mystery of your will.\nThough tyrants have opposed your truth\,\ncutting down your prophets\,\nand crucifying your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nyou have not left us to death's powers.\nWhen you raised Christ from the dead\,\nyou opened the ancient gates to us\nand sealed us with your promised Holy Spirit\,\nso that we might enter your resurrection life\,\nleaping and dancing\,\nand receive every blessing of heaven. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	In Jesus Christ we have redemption\nand the forgiveness of our sins\,\nfor in the richness of his grace\nChrist determined to save us\neven at the cost of his own life-blood. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out\, and live lives that glorify God.\nAct with integrity.\nDo not sell yourself out to delusions\nor give your word deceitfully.\nStand up for the truth and rejoice in the Lord. \nAnd may God give you all the blessings of heaven;\nMay Christ Jesus gather you into his family;\nand may the Holy Spirit deliver you safely\ninto the rich destiny prepared for God’s people. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nGiving GloryA sermon on Ephesians 1:3-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nIsn’t that a bit extreme?A sermon on 2 Samuel 6:1-5\, 14-22 & Mark 6:14-2 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWow!A sermon on Ephesians 1:3-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Liturgy of The DanceA sermon on 2 Samuel 6:15; 12b-19 and Mark 6:14-29 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nOrigin and DestinyA sermon on Ephesians 1:3-14; 2 Samuel 6:1-5\, 12-19 & Mark 6:14-29 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNothing to be embarrassed aboutA sermon on 2 Samuel 6:1-5\, 14-22 and Ephesians 1:3-14 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThe Children of the KingA sermon on Mark 6:14-29 and Ephesians 1:3-14 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nA Caveful of CompassionA sermon on 2 Samuel 6:1-19; Ephesians 1:3-14 & Mark 6:14-29 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Things UnsaidA sermon on 2 Samuel 6:15; 12b-19 and Mark 6:14-29 by Craig Bartlett\n\n\n\nBaying for BloodA sermon on Mark 6:14-29 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp10/2030-07-14/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P10.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300714T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300714T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200904T015600Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200904T015600Z
UID:10002798-1910217600-1910303999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 10 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 6: 1-5\, 12b-19			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	David called up thirty thousand top soldiers\, the cream of Israel’s army\, and led them up to Baalah in Judah to collect the sacred Ark of God. The Ark bore the name of the LORD who rules over everything\, and the gold cherubim on its top were recognised as God’s throne on earth.  They removed the Ark of God from the house of Abinadab\, secured it on a new cart\, and set off down the hill with it. Abinadab’s two sons\, Ahio and Uzzah\, were at each end\, steering the cart which carried the Ark of God. A crowd of Israelite people accompanied them\, forming a joyful procession\, all singing and dancing in honour of the LORD. David led them with great enthusiasm\, and they were accompanied by all sorts of musical instruments. \nThey parked the Ark of God in the house of Obed-edom for a while after an accident\, but eventually they were ready to set out again and bring it to the city of David. It was a huge celebration. This time the Ark of God was carried on the shoulders of some chosen men. Each time they had taken six paces\, they would stop and David would sacrifice a bullock and a prime-beef yearling. Bare chested and with only a linen cloth round his waist\, David danced with uninhibited joy and great energy to honour the LORD. To the sounds of trumpets and loud cheering\, David and all the people of Israel brought the Ark of the LORD up into Jerusalem. \nAs they came through the city gates\, David’s wife Michelle was watching from a window. She was the daughter of Saul\, and when she saw King David making such a display of himself\, leaping around in his dance\, she was disgusted. \nDavid had set up a special marquee for the sacred Ark of the LORD\, and they carried it in and set it in its place. David led the people in worship\, offering animal sacrifices to the LORD by burning them on an altar. When the offerings were over\, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD who rules over everything. He sent them all on their way with gifts of food. Every man and woman in Israel was given a platter laden with bread\, roast beef\, and fruit cake. So\, with the celebrations over\, everyone headed home. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 24			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The whole planet belongs to you\, LORD —\nthe earth and everything that lies in it\,\ngrows from it\, or walks on it.\nYou raised the land above the seas\,\nand secured its foundations in the depths.  \nWho will be granted a permit\nto climb your sacred mountain\, O God?\nWho may scale the summit to your holy presence?  \nThose who have played a straight bat\,\nacting with integrity\,\nnot selling themselves out to delusions\,\nor playing fast and loose with the truth.  \nYour rich goodness will come their way\, LORD\,\nand you will declare them innocent\nand set them free.  \nThese are the people who take no shortcuts\nin their search for you.\nTheir greatest hunger is to know you\,\nthe God of their ancestors.  \nWe hear the call:\n“Wake up! On your feet!\nOpen the gates and form a guard of honour!\nRoll out the red carpet\nbefore the glorious sovereign.” \nWho is this majestic ruler?\nIt is you\, LORD\, supreme and dynamic\,\nthe conqueror of conflict.  \nWe hear it again:\n“Wake up! On your feet!\nOpen the gates and form a guard of honour!\nRoll out the red carpet\nbefore the glorious sovereign.” \nWho is this majestic ruler?\nIt is you\, the LORD who rules over everything.\nThis majestic ruler is you\, our God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 1: 3-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Blessed be God! All praise and honour be to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! God has gathered up all the spiritual blessings of heaven and given them to us in our union with Christ. This followed on from decisions that God had made even before laying the foundations of the world. Way back then\, God was anticipating our arrival and laying down plans for us. God was getting ready to immerse us in divine love so that we would emerge ready\, willing and able to dedicate our lives totally to God. \nGod set the wheels in motion for us to be adopted as his own children. This was to be done through Jesus Christ\, because God takes great delight in doing such things through him. God wanted his beloved Son to get all the credit for the boundless love that was being lavished on us. Christ paid the ultimate price\, shedding his own blood in his endeavour to reclaim us for God’s family. Given how often we’d turned our backs on God\, he could easily have given up on us\, but he was so extravagant in his love and reckless in his generosity that he just forgave us for everything and put his life on the line to save us. \nGod\, who can see and understand perfectly what we could never comprehend\, has let us in on the mystery of the divine plan. God took great delight in opening this up and giving us a preview in Christ. This is how it will unfold when the time is right: God will unify all things into one perfect communion in Christ\, reconciling everything\, from the depths of the earth to the farthest reaches of heaven. \nIn Christ we are identified as God’s beneficiaries and our future is secured. God’s plans always find a way\, and right from the word go we have been a part of those plans. This was to ensure that we\, being the first people to throw in our lot with Christ\, would be able to live lives that clearly reflected the wonderful goodness of God. It didn’t stop with us though — you’re in on this too! The message of God’s rescue mission reached you\, and once you realized it was fair dinkum and put your trust in Christ\, you became part of him\, just like us. At that moment your future was signed and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Now you know it will be delivered! Everything planned for God’s people will be yours — a life overflowing with the glory and splendour of God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Mark 6: 14-29			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The word was getting around about Jesus\, and soon even King Herod had heard what was being said. Everyone had an opinion. Some people thought he was a reincarnation of John the baptiser and that that explained his miraculous powers. Others were of the view that he was Elijah or one of the other great prophets of the past. Herod was backing the John the baptiser theory. “It’s John for sure\,” he said. “I had his head cut off\, but he’s come back anyway\, and more trouble than ever.” \nIt had been on Herod’s orders that John had been arrested\, chained and put in prison in the first place. He had done this at the insistence of Herodias. She had been the wife of Herod’s brother Philip\, but she had left him and married Herod. She had it in for John because he had been publicly denouncing their relationship as adultery. Although Herodias simmered with murderous rage against John\, she couldn’t touch him because Herod held him in an almost superstitious awe. He was convinced that John was a unique holy man\, and he was afraid of what might happen if he didn’t protect him. Herod took a perverse pleasure in listening to John speak. Everything John said aggravated him\, and yet he kept coming back for more. \nBut it was only a matter of time before Herodias got her chance. On his birthday\, Herod threw a huge birthday party and all the silver-tails and top brass were there – everybody who was anybody in Galilee. Herodias had a very attractive and alluring daughter who came in to the party and danced for the men. Herod and his guests were so mesmerised by her charms that the king said to her\, “Anything you want\, I will give you. Just ask!” He was so entranced by her that he shot his mouth off without thinking. “I swear I will give you whatever you ask\, even half my kingdom.” \nThe girl went out and consulted her mother. “What should I ask for?” \nHerodias had no hesitation. “The head of John the baptiser\,” she said. \nIntoxicated by this thought\, the girl raced back to the king and placed her order. “I want the head of John the baptiser. I want it served up on a platter\, right here\, right now.” \nThat took the wind out of his sails quick smart\, but he could hardly go back on his word in front of all his guests. It was lose face or lose John\, so he caved in and gave the order. The executioner was sent for and John was dragged out of his cell and beheaded. His head was then carried in on a serving platter\, and presented to the girl. She in turn gave it to her mother. \nWhen the gruesome news reached John’s followers\, they came and collected his body so that they could give him a decent burial. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Amos 7: 7-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God gave me a vision. I saw the Lord holding a plumb line against a wall to see whether it was straight. As I looked\, the LORD said to me\, “Amos\, what do you see?” \nI answered\, “A plumb line.” \nThen the LORD said: \n“I am using this plumb line\nto show how crooked my people Israel have become.\nI will not turn a blind eye again.\nThe private shrines of Isaac’s descendant will be flattened.\nIsrael’s so-called sacred sites will be scorched earth.\nI will declare war on the royal family of Jeroboam.” \nAmos was getting into hot water over his preaching. Amaziah\, the priest at the shrine in Bethel\, sent a message to Jeroboam\, the King of Israel\, saying\, “Amos is sowing the seeds of rebellion right in the heart of Israel. All his talk of doom and gloom will paralyse the nation. Have you heard what he is saying about you? \n‘Jereboam will be killed\,\nand the people of Israel\nwill be marched off into exile in a far off land.’” \nAmaziah also tried to send Amos away himself\, saying\, “Hey preacher-man\, get out of town! Buzz off back to Judah where you came from and ply your trade there. Harangue them with your prophesies\, but don’t open your mouth here in Bethel again. This is the royal chapel – the King’s worship place – and we don’t need your kind around here.” \nBut Amos answered back\, “I am no professional preacher; nor was I raised to be a preacher. I was happy making my living droving cattle and cutting timber. But the LORD called me in from the bush and said\, ‘Go and preach to my people Israel.’ \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 85: 8-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We are eager to hear all you have to say\, LORD God\,\nfor your words bring peace and wellbeing\nto those who stick with you\nand leave behind their foolish ways. \nSurely for all who respect you\,\nthe life you saved us for is within reach.\nOur land will be ablaze with your presence. \nWhat a life it will be!\nLove and loyalty will link arms;\njustice and peace will become lovers. \nFaithfulness will sprout and reach for the sky;\nintegrity will beam down on the earth. \nYou will give us every good thing\, LORD\,\nand the land will give bumper crops. \nJustice and integrity will spring up as you approach\,\nlining the road to welcome you among us. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor in Christ you are gathering all things into one communion\nand adopting us as your own beloved children. \nEvery created thing is yours\,\nfor you founded the earth\nand gave life to all who live on it.\nEven before that\, you chose us\nand planned for our inclusion into your life\nof wholeness\, holiness and glorious splendour. \nWith all wisdom and insight\nyou made known to your people the mystery of your will.\nThough tyrants have opposed your truth\,\ncutting down your prophets\,\nand crucifying your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nyou have not left us to death's powers.\nWhen you raised Christ from the dead\,\nyou opened the ancient gates to us\nand sealed us with your promised Holy Spirit\,\nso that we might enter your resurrection life\,\nleaping and dancing\,\nand receive every blessing of heaven. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for Christ\,\nyour crucified and risen Son\,\nin whom and through whom\nyou are gathering all things into one communion\nand adopting us as your own beloved children\,\njust as you planned before the foundation of the world. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor in Christ you are gathering all things into one communion\nand adopting us as your own beloved children. \nEvery created thing is yours\,\nfor you founded the earth\nand gave life to all who live on it.\nEven before that\, you chose us\nand planned for our inclusion into your life\nof wholeness\, holiness and glorious splendour. \nWith all wisdom and insight\nyou made known to your people the mystery of your will.\nThough tyrants have opposed your truth\,\ncutting down your prophets\,\nand crucifying your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nyou have not left us to death's powers.\nWhen you raised Christ from the dead\,\nyou opened the ancient gates to us\nand sealed us with your promised Holy Spirit\,\nso that we might enter your resurrection life\,\nleaping and dancing\,\nand receive every blessing of heaven. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	In Jesus Christ we have redemption\nand the forgiveness of our sins\,\nfor in the richness of his grace\nChrist determined to save us\neven at the cost of his own life-blood. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out\, and live lives that glorify God.\nAct with integrity.\nDo not sell yourself out to delusions\nor give your word deceitfully.\nStand up for the truth and rejoice in the Lord. \nAnd may God give you all the blessings of heaven;\nMay Christ Jesus gather you into his family;\nand may the Holy Spirit deliver you safely\ninto the rich destiny prepared for God’s people. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nGiving GloryA sermon on Ephesians 1:3-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nIsn’t that a bit extreme?A sermon on 2 Samuel 6:1-5\, 14-22 & Mark 6:14-2 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWow!A sermon on Ephesians 1:3-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Liturgy of The DanceA sermon on 2 Samuel 6:15; 12b-19 and Mark 6:14-29 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nOrigin and DestinyA sermon on Ephesians 1:3-14; 2 Samuel 6:1-5\, 12-19 & Mark 6:14-29 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNothing to be embarrassed aboutA sermon on 2 Samuel 6:1-5\, 14-22 and Ephesians 1:3-14 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThe Children of the KingA sermon on Mark 6:14-29 and Ephesians 1:3-14 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nA Caveful of CompassionA sermon on 2 Samuel 6:1-19; Ephesians 1:3-14 & Mark 6:14-29 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Things UnsaidA sermon on 2 Samuel 6:15; 12b-19 and Mark 6:14-29 by Craig Bartlett\n\n\n\nBaying for BloodA sermon on Mark 6:14-29 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp10/2030-07-14/2/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300721T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300721T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200904T022220Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240818T055419Z
UID:10002142-1910822400-1910908799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 11 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 7: 1-14a			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	King David made himself at home in his new palace and\, thanks to the LORD\, there was no trouble from Israel’s enemies for some time.  One day the King consulted Nathan the prophet\, and said to him\, “It doesn’t seem right for me to be living it up in a palace built of the finest materials while the sacred Ark of God is still in a tent. It’s as though God was sleeping rough!” \nNathan replied\, “The LORD is with you\, so go ahead and do whatever you think should be done.” \nBut Nathan had spoken too soon. That same night\, the LORD gave him a different message to pass on to King David. This is what it said: \nDavid\, I am the LORD and you are my servant\, so listen to what I have to say to you. What makes you think that you are the one to build my house? I’ve been on the road with nothing more than a tent ever since I led the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. I didn’t need a house then and I don’t need one now. You’re not the first caretaker I’ve appointed for the tribes of Israel\, and you won’t be the last\, so think about it – have I ever gone whingeing to any of them and demanded a fancy house? \nNow listen to me\, and listen good. I am the LORD who rules over everything. I made you what you are today – the leader of my people. If it wasn’t for me you’d still be cleaning up after the sheep. I’ve never let you down\, wherever you’ve gone. Whenever enemies have attacked you\, I’ve dealt with them\, right before your eyes. Thanks to me\, you will be known as one of the most famous people who ever lived. \nI have chosen a place for my people Israel\, a place where they can put down roots\, a place to call their own. They won’t need to be looking over their shoulders all the time\, because there won’t be any more trouble from the barbarians who have plagued them for so long. For the first time since the days when I sent the legendary heroes to bring justice to my people\, Israel will be at peace. \nWhat’s more\, I the LORD give you my word that I will make you the foundation stone of a great house. I will see to it that by the time your number’s up and you’re buried alongside your ancestors\, you will have fathered your own successor.  Yes\, a son of yours will be king. I will back him all the way\, anchoring his kingdom and establishing his dynasty forever.  He is the one to whom I shall give the privilege of building my sacred temple. I will be a father to him\, and he shall be my son. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 89: 20-37			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Long ago\, in a vision\, you spoke to your faithful people\, saying: \n“I have crowned a great hero.\nAmong you\, my people\,\nI found one fit for the throne.\nMy search ended with my servant David.\nPouring holy oil on his head\,\nI have set him apart as the chosen one.\nHe’ll always be able to look to me for strength;\nwhen he needs some muscle\,\nI’ll  be there to back him up. \nThe enemy will not get under his guard\,\nthe wicked will never drag him down.\nI’ll knock flat those who oppose him;\ndespise him and you answer to me!\nMy love for him is unshakable;\nI’ll be faithful to him for ever.\nOn my say so\, he’ll rule supreme and unchallenged.\nI will put everything in his hands\,\nfrom coast to coast with all that lies between them.\nHe will cry out to me\, ‘Oh\, my Father\, my God\,\nyou are the rock I cling to for safety!’ \nI will make him number one in all the world\,\nhe’ll outrank even the superpowers.\nForever and always\, I will be true in my love\,\nand the covenant we’ve made\nwill never be broken. \nI will see that his family name always has an heir\,\nand guarantee his throne to his descendants\nas long as night follows day.\nIf his children turn their backs on my ways\nand step off the paths I’ve marked out;\nif they tear up the instructions I’ve given them\nand go against my clear directives\,\nthey’ll pay for it.\nThey’ll cop the maximum sentence for their crime.\nI’ll make them lie in the bed they’ve made.\nBut even then I won’t take back my love\,\nand the vows I made to David will still ring true. \nThere is no way I would break my promise\nor try to take back what I’d already said.\nI have given my word\, once and for all\,\nand staked my whole reputation on it.\nI will never lie to David. \nHis family tree will be an unbroken line\nand his dynasty as sure as the sun.\nIt shall be as fixed as the orbit of the moon\,\nas dependable as the lights in the night sky. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 2: 11-22			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Always remember where you came from\, or you’ll begin to take what God has done for granted. Don’t ever forget that you were once outsiders\, and were treated as such by those who had always been insiders. Back then you had no contact with Christ and you were foreigners to his people\, Israel. You knew nothing of the rich heritage of promises and mutual responsibility that shaped Israel’s relationship with God. You knew nothing of them and you had no access to their benefits. In the world\, but alienated from God — your situation was hopeless. But Christ Jesus has changed all that. No matter how far away you were\, through his own blood\, sweat and tears\, Christ has brought you right into the centre of things. \nChrist placed his own body in the gap so that now\, through our common link to him\, our two separate groups may unite as one. With his own hands he has torn down the barricades of ignorance\, suspicion and hostility that divided us. We used to relate to God on the basis of the law\, with its detailed regulations and prescriptions\, but Christ has done away with all that. He saw that the law had divided humanity in two\, since not everybody had access to it\, and he wanted to create one united world. This unity would not be in the law\, but in Christ himself\, in his own body. Christ set out to make peace — offering himself to us both equally\, suffering on the cross for us both equally — so that in him we might find one shared basis for reconciliation with God. If that’s not enough to eradicate the hostility between us\, nothing will! \nSo with that agenda in mind\, Christ came preaching peace to both of us — to you foreign outsiders and to us Jewish insiders. Now we are all equal\, because we all have access to God in exactly the same way — through Christ\, in one Spirit. It’s a whole new ball game. You will never be homeless exiles again. You have been granted citizenship in the province of God and you have the same rights of access as any of the saints. \nPerhaps you could think of it this way. God is constructing a wonderful temple using every kind of material that comes to hand\, regardless of its origins. The foundations are the apostles and prophets and all they did and said. Now all of us are being added\, one at a time\, with Christ Jesus himself as the central pillar that holds he whole structure together. With every part inseparably linked to him\, the whole structure grows day by day into a holy temple dedicated to the Lord. So there you are. United in Christ we become a place where God’s Spirit is proud to live. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Mark 6: 30-34\, 53-56			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	After travelling through the villages preaching\, Jesus’s chosen ambassadors returned and met up with him again. They filled him in on everything they had been doing and teaching on the road. Jesus said to them\, “It’s time to put your feet up for a bit. Let’s head off to a deserted beach somewhere and get some well earned rest.” \nThey certainly needed it. With all the coming and going of people wanting this and that\, they hardly even had time to take proper meal breaks. So off they went. They piled into the boat and headed off by themselves for a secluded beach. It was no use though. Several people saw them leaving and managed to figure out where they were headed. Word travelled faster than the boat\, and by the time they pulled ashore a crowd was already gathering from the nearby towns. Walking up the beach among the growing crowd\, Jesus could feel his heart going out to them. They were like a ship without a rudder\, so despite himself\, he went straight back to teaching. \nMuch the same thing happened the next day. They had crossed back over in the boat and pulled ashore at Gennesaret. They had barely secured the boat and climbed onto the jetty when someone recognised Jesus and a buzz went through the town. All over the region people were rushing off to their sick friends or relatives and bringing them to wherever they heard Jesus had gone. There were stretcher crews coming from all directions. The story was beginning to repeat itself everywhere he went. City\, town or outback road station – if the grapevine said that Jesus was there\, there would be people queuing up in no time\, bringing the sick for his attention. Day and night they came\, all reaching out to him for help\, begging for the chance to even just touch the sleeve of his coat. And all who did so were healed. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Jeremiah 23: 1-6			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	This is what the LORD\, the God of Israel\, says: \nThe writing is on the wall for you leaders of my people. You are supposed to be like shepherds\, keeping an eye on my flock and seeing that they are kept united and safe. But you have butchered them and scattered them. You have driven them off and left them defenceless. But I can assure you that I\, the LORD\, have been keeping my eye on you! I will see that you get what you deserve for your crimes against my people. \nI will bring back what’s left of my people; bring them home from the lands where I sent them when they fled as refugees. Back home where they belong\, they will regain their strength and flourish once again. I\, the LORD\, will raise up new leaders for them who can be trusted to care for them like real shepherds. My people will no longer have any reason to fear or despair\, and none of them will be lost. \nYou can be sure that the time is coming when I\, the LORD\,\nwill raise up a true king from the family of David;\none who will rule with wisdom and do the right thing;\nwho will bring justice to the land and set things right. \nAs long as he reigns the land will be secure\nand my people will enjoy peace.\nWhenever his name is mentioned\, people will say\,\n“Ah! The LORD has put everything right!” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	You\, LORD\, are my guide in the wilderness;\nthere is nothing more I could need. \nYou set up camp in places of beauty and shelter;\nyou lead the way on secluded tracks\nbeside creeks of cool clean water.\nI feel my spirit breathing freely again;\nyour reputation puts me at ease;\nI leave the navigating to you\, and follow. \nEven if we hike through a perilous valley\,\nwhere crows keep a menacing watch\,\nfear will still not get the better of me.\nAs long as I stick with you\nI know I’ll make the distance;\nwith a knife and a bit of rope\nyou seem able to tackle any challenge. \nYou cook up a feast for me\,\nas those who wanted to feed on me watch\, frustrated.\nYou pamper me like an honoured guest\nand constantly top up my glass. \nMy life feels charmed\, each and every day.\nLove\, mercy and all good things\nkeep falling into my lap. \nI’m with you for life\, LORD\,\nwhere you go\, I’ll go;\nwhere you live\, I’ll live. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you draw all things together in Christ\nand build us up as a holy temple to your glory. \nYou created the world and made it your dwelling place.\nWhen you led your people out of oppression\nyou travelled with them like a homeless refugee.\nYou made a covenant with your servant\, David\,\nanointing him to shepherd your people\nand promising peace to those who followed your ways. \nYour Son\, Jesus\, came\,\nfilled with compassion for all who were without hope.\nThough he preached peace and healed the sick and broken\,\nhe was ensnared and killed by your enemies.\nYou raised him from the dead\,\nand\, in him\, you prepared a new covenant\n— open to all people\, near and far —\na covenant that breaks down every wall of hostility\,\nand reconciles us to you as one people. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\, who came to us\nshowing compassion and healing our brokenness.\nIn him you break down every wall of hostility\,\ndrawing all things together\nand building us up as a holy temple to your glory. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you draw all things together in Christ\nand build us up as a holy temple to your glory. \nYou created the world and made it your dwelling place.\nWhen you led your people out of oppression\nyou travelled with them like a homeless refugee.\nYou made a covenant with your servant\, David\,\nanointing him to shepherd your people\nand promising peace to those who followed your ways. \nYour Son\, Jesus\, came\,\nfilled with compassion for all who were without hope.\nThough he preached peace and healed the sick and broken\,\nhe was ensnared and killed by your enemies.\nYou raised him from the dead\,\nand\, in him\, you prepared a new covenant\n— open to all people\, near and far —\na covenant that breaks down every wall of hostility\,\nand reconciles us to you as one people. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Though we have abandoned God’s ways\,\nGod’s love and faithfulness will not be withdrawn.\nIn Christ Jesus there is forgiveness and healing.\nAt the cost of his own blood\, he has reconciled us to God. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out\, remembering all God has done for you.\nBreak down the walls of hostility\,\nproclaim peace\,\nhave compassion for all\,\nand don’t forget to take time for yourself also. \nAnd may God be with you wherever you go;\nMay Christ Jesus heal you and replenish you;\nand may the Holy Spirit encircle you and strengthen you. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nOur Future Belongs to GodA sermon on 2 Samuel 7: 1-14a; Ephesians 2: 11-22 & Mark 6: 30-34\, 53-56 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSeeking HealingA sermon on Mark 6: 30-34\, 53-56 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nExiles and asylum seekersA sermon on Ephesians 2:11-22 by Ian Cook\n\n\n\nDemolishing Sacred BuildingsA sermon on 2 Samuel 7:1-14a & Ephesians 2:11-22 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nJesus – Sledge Hammer ChampionA sermon on 2 Samuel 7:1-14a & Ephesians 2:11-22 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSilence and RelationshipsA sermon on Mark 6: 30-34\, 53-56 & Ephesians 2: 11-22  by Jeff Wild\n\n\n\nSalvation in an Age of TribalismA sermon on Ephesians 2:11-22 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp11/2030-07-21/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P11.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300728T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300728T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200907T111624Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240825T124244Z
UID:10002143-1911427200-1911513599@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 12 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 11: 1-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The onset of spring seems to arouse powerful men\, and military campaigns were usually undertaken after the winter ended. One year\, King David sent out the Israelite army under the command of Joab and his officers. They decimated the Ammonite army and marched on their capital city\, Rabbah. \nDavid himself had his feet up in Jerusalem while his troops laid siege to Rabbah. Late one day\, after an afternoon siesta\, David wandered out onto his rooftop balcony. Looking down into the homes of his neighbours\, he spied a woman undressing to take a bath. He couldn’t take his eyes of her beautiful body. His lust got the better of him\, and he sent a servant to check out who she was. The servant reported back\, saying\, “Your Majesty\, her name is Bathsheba\, the daughter of Eliam. She is married to Uriah the Hittite who is presently serving in your army.” \nDavid was unperturbed and hastily arranged for his guards to grab her and bring her to him. She was escorted into the palace and left alone with the King. He had sex with her and then sent her home again. If he wanted to get away with it\, he had picked the wrong time of the month. A few weeks later he received a message from Bathsheba saying\, “I am pregnant with your baby.” \nDavid hatched a scheme to cover his tracks. He contacted Joab and arranged for Uriah the Hittite to be sent as a courier with military reports for the palace. When Uriah arrived\, David made a great show of asking him all about the war and how Joab and the troops were getting on. Then he said to Uriah\, “You’ve earned some leave. Go home\, enjoy a night with your wife\, and I’ll send you back in a day or two.” \nUriah left and David even had the palace kitchen send food and wine around to his house. But Uriah didn’t go home to his wife. He spent the night in the barracks of the palace guard. When David heard about it in the morning he sent for Uriah and said\, “I gave you some leave\, Soldier. You’ve been on a tough assignment. Why didn’t you go home?” \nUriah replied\, “It wouldn’t be fair to my mates. They’re all out there in tents – the whole army\, Joab and the other commanders\, and even the sacred Ark. How could I go home to eat and drink and sleep with my wife when they’re still roughing it? On a stack of bibles I swear to you\, I couldn’t do it.” \nDavid was getting desperate. He said to Uriah\, “I need you to stay here another day and then tomorrow you can take a delivery back to Joab.” \nSo Uriah hung around in Jerusalem as instructed. David invited him to dinner and made sure that his glass was never empty. By the time Uriah left that evening\, he was quite drunk\, but he still didn’t go home to his wife. He slept on a stretcher in the barracks again. \nDavid had only one card left. In the morning he sent Uriah back to the front with a dispatch for Joab. It included a royal order saying\, “Send Uriah to attack the enemy’s strongest defence post. Then\, pull back the rest of the troops so he’ll be stranded and killed.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Heartless\, mindless scum kid themselves\nthat there is no God. \nThey are corrupt and callous.\nThe things they do would make you sick.\nThere is not an ounce of good among them.  \nThe LORD scans the human race\, one at a time\,\nlooking for any who are still wise;\nfor even one who still has a heart for God. \nBut it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack!\nThey’ve all lost the plot.\nEveryone is caught up\nin their own perverse ways.\nEvery last one of them.  \nDon’t they know where all this will get them?\nThey never look to the LORD for anything;\nthey chew up God’s people and spit them out.  \nBut it will soon be their turn to cringe in fear\,\nbecause God sides with those who play straight. \nIf you think you can trample\nthe dreams of the battlers\,\nWatch out! The LORD will be there for them.\nWe can hardly wait to hear the songs of freedom\nas justice marches down from God’s mountain!  \nWhat a day it will be\nwhen the LORD redistributes the wealth\nand God’s people are compensated\nfor their suffering! \nOur ancestors will rise up with joy!\nThe streets will fill with singing and dancing! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 3: 14-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Because of the overwhelming goodness of all God has done for us in Christ\, I fall on my knees in gratitude. I pour out prayers of thanks and praise to the God who conceived us\, to this God in whom every people of every place find their life and their true identity. \nI offer up prayers for you too. God overflows with rich and vibrant life\, and I’m praying that through God’s Spirit this overflow will be channelled into you\, to put new steel into every fibre of your being. I pray that through your trust in Christ\, he may put down roots in your heart\, and that you may put down roots in his love. You can’t have your feet on any firmer ground than that! \nI’m also praying that you and all God’s beloved people might somehow be able to fathom the astonishing extent of the mysteries God has opened to us\, even though they stretch from the depths of the earth to the outer reaches of the galaxy\, from horizon to horizon\, and from here to eternity! And finally I’m praying that you will be intimately acquainted with the love of Christ — a love that goes far beyond anything we can get our heads around. For it is that love that will pump you full of life\, the rich and vibrant life of God. \nSo now\, credit where credit’s due — all glory to God. It is God whose Spirit\, working powerfully within us and through us\, is capable of things beyond our wildest dreaming — things so extraordinary we’d have never even thought to ask for them. So all the accolades belong to God. \nIn the church\, glory to God!\nIn the messiah\, Jesus\, glory to God!\nIn every generation\, glory to God!\nIn every age\, from now to forever\, glory to God!\nAnd so say all of us! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 6: 1-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Shortly before the annual Passover\, a sacred Jewish festival\, Jesus took a trip over to the other side of Lake Galilee. As usual\, a sizable crowd followed him. Indeed\, every time he helped a sick person\, people said it was a sign\, and growing numbers began to follow his every move. After beaching the boat\, Jesus headed up the hill with his closest followers. As they sat down\, they looked back and sure enough\, there was the crowd coming up to join them. Jesus put a question to Philip: “Where can we buy bread to feed all these extra guests?” \nHe actually knew what he was going to do\, but he wanted to see how far he could stretch Philip’s thinking. Philip replied\, “Even if there was a bakery out here\, you’d need to take out a mortgage to pay for a slice each!” \nAnother of the disciples\, Simon Peter’s brother Andrew\, spoke up: “There is a lad over here with five bread rolls and a couple of fish. It’s a drop in the ocean for this mob though.” \nJesus said\, “Get everyone to sit down\,” and they did. The grassy clearing where they sat was quite spacious\, and it needed to be — there were close to five thousand people there. Jesus took the bread rolls\, and after giving thanks to God\, he began handing them out among the people sitting on the grass. He did the same with the fish\, and somehow there was enough to go around. More than enough in fact. When everyone had eaten their fill\, he sent his disciples to gather up the leftovers\, saying\, “Don’t let anything go to waste!” \nHaving started with only five bread rolls\, they gathered up twelve shopping bags full of bits that people couldn’t eat! When it began to dawn on people what he had done\, they started saying\, “It’s a sign! He’s got to be the great prophet who God promised to send into the world.” \nJesus realised that they were getting carried away and that if he wasn’t careful they’d be starting a revolution and proclaiming him king\, whether he liked it or not. Discretion seemed the better plan\, so he slipped off and went bush by himself. \nThat evening his disciples went back down to the lake. Jesus hadn’t come back but darkness had fallen\, so they loaded the boat and pushed off toward Capernaum. A squall blew up and they’d been pushing through rough waters for about an hour when they saw Jesus walking across the waves\, not far from the boat. It scared them half to death\, but Jesus called out to them\, “Look who I am. There’s no need to be afraid!” They pulled themselves together and were keen to bring him on board\, but suddenly the boat ran aground — in the exact place they had been heading for! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Kings 4: 42-44			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	During the famine\, a man arrived from Baal-shalishah\, bringing a sack of food as the required offering to God from the first fruits of his harvest. He gave the offering to Elisha\, as God’s representative. The sack contained twenty loaves of barley bread and some fresh ears of grain. Elisha told his servant to give it to the hungry people outside so that they could eat. But his servant said\, “There’s a hundred people outside. How am I supposed to give this to them without it seeming like a cruel joke?” \nBut Elisha stood his ground\, saying\, “Give it to the people and let them eat. It will be enough for them all and they’ll have some left over. We have the LORD’s word for it.” \nSo the servant handed it out to the people. They all ate and there was some left over\, just as the LORD had promised. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 145: 10-18			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, everyone and everything will thank you\, their creator\,\nand all who are loyal to you will sing your praises. \nAs your people\, we will promote the glory of your reign\,\nand broadcast the news of your power for good. \nWe will tell everyone about the great things you have done\nand about the magnificent splendour of your reign. \nYou will reign forever and ever\, LORD\,\nyour rule is in place for all generations to come. \nEverything you say can be relied on\, LORD\,\nand everything you do is generous and loving. \nWhen people fall\, you put them back on their feet;\nwhen people are crushed\, you stand them tall again. \nEveryone looks to you for what they need\,\nand you meet their needs when the time is right. \nYou open your hands\nand satisfy the desires of every living thing. \nJustice marks everything you do\, LORD\,\nand generous love colours your every deed. \nWhen honest hearts cry out to you\, LORD\,\nyou are right there alongside them. \nYou satisfy the desires of those who respect you;\nyou hear their cries and rescue them from death. \nYou watch out for those who love you\, LORD\,\nand wipe out corruption when it threatens. \nYour praises will be always on our lips\, LORD\,\nand with all who live\,\nwe will single out your name for the highest honour\nforever and ever. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor we are overwhelmed\nby the length and breadth\, height and depth\nof your mysteries\, your glory\, and your love for us in Christ. \nYou brought forth the earth and the heavens\,\nand from tiny fragments you created a rich abundance\nto nurture and strengthen all who look to your hand.\nYou have given yourself generously to your people\,\ndespite their eagerness to crown every new hero\nand corrupt themselves before idols\nof wealth\, sex and power. \nIn your Son\, Jesus\,\nyou have given us the saviour we longed for.\nThough he was crucified by the corrupt\,\nyou raised him to life and he comes to us again\,\nstriding over chaos and death\,\ndispelling our fears with a love beyond comprehension\,\nstrengthening us in our inner beings\,\nand bringing us safely to the land of our destiny. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho comes to us\, striding over chaos and death\,\nfeeding us with your abundance\nand making known to us\nthe length and breadth\, height and depth\nof your mysteries\, your glory\, and your love for us in Christ. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor we are overwhelmed\nby the length and breadth\, height and depth\nof your mysteries\, your glory\, and your love for us in Christ. \nYou brought forth the earth and the heavens\,\nand from tiny fragments you created a rich abundance\nto nurture and strengthen all who look to your hand.\nYou have given yourself generously to your people\,\ndespite their eagerness to crown every new hero\nand corrupt themselves before idols\nof wealth\, sex and power. \nIn your Son\, Jesus\,\nyou have given us the saviour we longed for.\nThough he was crucified by the corrupt\,\nyou raised him to life and he comes to us again\,\nstriding over chaos and death\,\ndispelling our fears with a love beyond comprehension\,\nstrengthening us in our inner beings\,\nand bringing us safely to the land of our destiny. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	With a love that surpasses knowledge\,\nChrist comes to us saying\, “Trust in me. Do not be afraid.”\nThough we have nothing to offer but our broken selves\,\nhe brings forth an abundance of mercy beyond our imagining. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world.\nSeek God\, and the wisdom of God.\nHide yourself from the corruptions of power and adulation.\nEntrust whatever you have to Christ\nfor with him\, there will always be more than enough. \nAnd may God strengthen you in your inner beings.\nMay Christ Jesus dwell in your hearts through faith.\nand may the Holy Spirit plant your roots deeply\nin the abundant richness of God’s love. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nIs Gratitude a Performance Enhancing Drug?A sermon on Ephesians 3:14-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPaul’s PrayerA sermon on on Ephesians 3:14-21 by Alan Marr\n\n\n\nAbundance & CorruptionA sermon on 2 Samuel 11: 1-15 & John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nTaking By ForceA sermon on 2 Samuel 11: 1-15 & John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nConfronting a RapistA sermon on 2 Samuel 11: 1-15 & John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBread That Breaks RulesA sermon on John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nToxic ChosennessA sermon on 2 Samuel 11: 1-15 & John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp12/2030-07-28/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P12.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300728T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300728T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200907T111624Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000535Z
UID:10002796-1911427200-1911513599@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 12 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 11: 1-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The onset of spring seems to arouse powerful men\, and military campaigns were usually undertaken after the winter ended. One year\, King David sent out the Israelite army under the command of Joab and his officers. They decimated the Ammonite army and marched on their capital city\, Rabbah. \nDavid himself had his feet up in Jerusalem while his troops laid siege to Rabbah. Late one day\, after an afternoon siesta\, David wandered out onto his rooftop balcony. Looking down into the homes of his neighbours\, he spied a woman undressing to take a bath. He couldn’t take his eyes of her beautiful body. His lust got the better of him\, and he sent a servant to check out who she was. The servant reported back\, saying\, “Your Majesty\, her name is Bathsheba\, the daughter of Eliam. She is married to Uriah the Hittite who is presently serving in your army.” \nDavid was unperturbed and hastily arranged for his guards to grab her and bring her to him. She was escorted into the palace and left alone with the King. He had sex with her and then sent her home again. If he wanted to get away with it\, he had picked the wrong time of the month. A few weeks later he received a message from Bathsheba saying\, “I am pregnant with your baby.” \nDavid hatched a scheme to cover his tracks. He contacted Joab and arranged for Uriah the Hittite to be sent as a courier with military reports for the palace. When Uriah arrived\, David made a great show of asking him all about the war and how Joab and the troops were getting on. Then he said to Uriah\, “You’ve earned some leave. Go home\, enjoy a night with your wife\, and I’ll send you back in a day or two.” \nUriah left and David even had the palace kitchen send food and wine around to his house. But Uriah didn’t go home to his wife. He spent the night in the barracks of the palace guard. When David heard about it in the morning he sent for Uriah and said\, “I gave you some leave\, Soldier. You’ve been on a tough assignment. Why didn’t you go home?” \nUriah replied\, “It wouldn’t be fair to my mates. They’re all out there in tents – the whole army\, Joab and the other commanders\, and even the sacred Ark. How could I go home to eat and drink and sleep with my wife when they’re still roughing it? On a stack of bibles I swear to you\, I couldn’t do it.” \nDavid was getting desperate. He said to Uriah\, “I need you to stay here another day and then tomorrow you can take a delivery back to Joab.” \nSo Uriah hung around in Jerusalem as instructed. David invited him to dinner and made sure that his glass was never empty. By the time Uriah left that evening\, he was quite drunk\, but he still didn’t go home to his wife. He slept on a stretcher in the barracks again. \nDavid had only one card left. In the morning he sent Uriah back to the front with a dispatch for Joab. It included a royal order saying\, “Send Uriah to attack the enemy’s strongest defence post. Then\, pull back the rest of the troops so he’ll be stranded and killed.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Heartless\, mindless scum kid themselves\nthat there is no God. \nThey are corrupt and callous.\nThe things they do would make you sick.\nThere is not an ounce of good among them.  \nThe LORD scans the human race\, one at a time\,\nlooking for any who are still wise;\nfor even one who still has a heart for God. \nBut it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack!\nThey’ve all lost the plot.\nEveryone is caught up\nin their own perverse ways.\nEvery last one of them.  \nDon’t they know where all this will get them?\nThey never look to the LORD for anything;\nthey chew up God’s people and spit them out.  \nBut it will soon be their turn to cringe in fear\,\nbecause God sides with those who play straight. \nIf you think you can trample\nthe dreams of the battlers\,\nWatch out! The LORD will be there for them.\nWe can hardly wait to hear the songs of freedom\nas justice marches down from God’s mountain!  \nWhat a day it will be\nwhen the LORD redistributes the wealth\nand God’s people are compensated\nfor their suffering! \nOur ancestors will rise up with joy!\nThe streets will fill with singing and dancing! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 3: 14-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Because of the overwhelming goodness of all God has done for us in Christ\, I fall on my knees in gratitude. I pour out prayers of thanks and praise to the God who conceived us\, to this God in whom every people of every place find their life and their true identity. \nI offer up prayers for you too. God overflows with rich and vibrant life\, and I’m praying that through God’s Spirit this overflow will be channelled into you\, to put new steel into every fibre of your being. I pray that through your trust in Christ\, he may put down roots in your heart\, and that you may put down roots in his love. You can’t have your feet on any firmer ground than that! \nI’m also praying that you and all God’s beloved people might somehow be able to fathom the astonishing extent of the mysteries God has opened to us\, even though they stretch from the depths of the earth to the outer reaches of the galaxy\, from horizon to horizon\, and from here to eternity! And finally I’m praying that you will be intimately acquainted with the love of Christ — a love that goes far beyond anything we can get our heads around. For it is that love that will pump you full of life\, the rich and vibrant life of God. \nSo now\, credit where credit’s due — all glory to God. It is God whose Spirit\, working powerfully within us and through us\, is capable of things beyond our wildest dreaming — things so extraordinary we’d have never even thought to ask for them. So all the accolades belong to God. \nIn the church\, glory to God!\nIn the messiah\, Jesus\, glory to God!\nIn every generation\, glory to God!\nIn every age\, from now to forever\, glory to God!\nAnd so say all of us! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 6: 1-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Shortly before the annual Passover\, a sacred Jewish festival\, Jesus took a trip over to the other side of Lake Galilee. As usual\, a sizable crowd followed him. Indeed\, every time he helped a sick person\, people said it was a sign\, and growing numbers began to follow his every move. After beaching the boat\, Jesus headed up the hill with his closest followers. As they sat down\, they looked back and sure enough\, there was the crowd coming up to join them. Jesus put a question to Philip: “Where can we buy bread to feed all these extra guests?” \nHe actually knew what he was going to do\, but he wanted to see how far he could stretch Philip’s thinking. Philip replied\, “Even if there was a bakery out here\, you’d need to take out a mortgage to pay for a slice each!” \nAnother of the disciples\, Simon Peter’s brother Andrew\, spoke up: “There is a lad over here with five bread rolls and a couple of fish. It’s a drop in the ocean for this mob though.” \nJesus said\, “Get everyone to sit down\,” and they did. The grassy clearing where they sat was quite spacious\, and it needed to be — there were close to five thousand people there. Jesus took the bread rolls\, and after giving thanks to God\, he began handing them out among the people sitting on the grass. He did the same with the fish\, and somehow there was enough to go around. More than enough in fact. When everyone had eaten their fill\, he sent his disciples to gather up the leftovers\, saying\, “Don’t let anything go to waste!” \nHaving started with only five bread rolls\, they gathered up twelve shopping bags full of bits that people couldn’t eat! When it began to dawn on people what he had done\, they started saying\, “It’s a sign! He’s got to be the great prophet who God promised to send into the world.” \nJesus realised that they were getting carried away and that if he wasn’t careful they’d be starting a revolution and proclaiming him king\, whether he liked it or not. Discretion seemed the better plan\, so he slipped off and went bush by himself. \nThat evening his disciples went back down to the lake. Jesus hadn’t come back but darkness had fallen\, so they loaded the boat and pushed off toward Capernaum. A squall blew up and they’d been pushing through rough waters for about an hour when they saw Jesus walking across the waves\, not far from the boat. It scared them half to death\, but Jesus called out to them\, “Look who I am. There’s no need to be afraid!” They pulled themselves together and were keen to bring him on board\, but suddenly the boat ran aground — in the exact place they had been heading for! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Kings 4: 42-44			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	During the famine\, a man arrived from Baal-shalishah\, bringing a sack of food as the required offering to God from the first fruits of his harvest. He gave the offering to Elisha\, as God’s representative. The sack contained twenty loaves of barley bread and some fresh ears of grain. Elisha told his servant to give it to the hungry people outside so that they could eat. But his servant said\, “There’s a hundred people outside. How am I supposed to give this to them without it seeming like a cruel joke?” \nBut Elisha stood his ground\, saying\, “Give it to the people and let them eat. It will be enough for them all and they’ll have some left over. We have the LORD’s word for it.” \nSo the servant handed it out to the people. They all ate and there was some left over\, just as the LORD had promised. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 145: 10-18			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, everyone and everything will thank you\, their creator\,\nand all who are loyal to you will sing your praises. \nAs your people\, we will promote the glory of your reign\,\nand broadcast the news of your power for good. \nWe will tell everyone about the great things you have done\nand about the magnificent splendour of your reign. \nYou will reign forever and ever\, LORD\,\nyour rule is in place for all generations to come. \nEverything you say can be relied on\, LORD\,\nand everything you do is generous and loving. \nWhen people fall\, you put them back on their feet;\nwhen people are crushed\, you stand them tall again. \nEveryone looks to you for what they need\,\nand you meet their needs when the time is right. \nYou open your hands\nand satisfy the desires of every living thing. \nJustice marks everything you do\, LORD\,\nand generous love colours your every deed. \nWhen honest hearts cry out to you\, LORD\,\nyou are right there alongside them. \nYou satisfy the desires of those who respect you;\nyou hear their cries and rescue them from death. \nYou watch out for those who love you\, LORD\,\nand wipe out corruption when it threatens. \nYour praises will be always on our lips\, LORD\,\nand with all who live\,\nwe will single out your name for the highest honour\nforever and ever. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor we are overwhelmed\nby the length and breadth\, height and depth\nof your mysteries\, your glory\, and your love for us in Christ. \nYou brought forth the earth and the heavens\,\nand from tiny fragments you created a rich abundance\nto nurture and strengthen all who look to your hand.\nYou have given yourself generously to your people\,\ndespite their eagerness to crown every new hero\nand corrupt themselves before idols\nof wealth\, sex and power. \nIn your Son\, Jesus\,\nyou have given us the saviour we longed for.\nThough he was crucified by the corrupt\,\nyou raised him to life and he comes to us again\,\nstriding over chaos and death\,\ndispelling our fears with a love beyond comprehension\,\nstrengthening us in our inner beings\,\nand bringing us safely to the land of our destiny. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho comes to us\, striding over chaos and death\,\nfeeding us with your abundance\nand making known to us\nthe length and breadth\, height and depth\nof your mysteries\, your glory\, and your love for us in Christ. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor we are overwhelmed\nby the length and breadth\, height and depth\nof your mysteries\, your glory\, and your love for us in Christ. \nYou brought forth the earth and the heavens\,\nand from tiny fragments you created a rich abundance\nto nurture and strengthen all who look to your hand.\nYou have given yourself generously to your people\,\ndespite their eagerness to crown every new hero\nand corrupt themselves before idols\nof wealth\, sex and power. \nIn your Son\, Jesus\,\nyou have given us the saviour we longed for.\nThough he was crucified by the corrupt\,\nyou raised him to life and he comes to us again\,\nstriding over chaos and death\,\ndispelling our fears with a love beyond comprehension\,\nstrengthening us in our inner beings\,\nand bringing us safely to the land of our destiny. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	With a love that surpasses knowledge\,\nChrist comes to us saying\, “Trust in me. Do not be afraid.”\nThough we have nothing to offer but our broken selves\,\nhe brings forth an abundance of mercy beyond our imagining. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world.\nSeek God\, and the wisdom of God.\nHide yourself from the corruptions of power and adulation.\nEntrust whatever you have to Christ\nfor with him\, there will always be more than enough. \nAnd may God strengthen you in your inner beings.\nMay Christ Jesus dwell in your hearts through faith.\nand may the Holy Spirit plant your roots deeply\nin the abundant richness of God’s love. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nIs Gratitude a Performance Enhancing Drug?A sermon on Ephesians 3:14-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPaul’s PrayerA sermon on on Ephesians 3:14-21 by Alan Marr\n\n\n\nAbundance & CorruptionA sermon on 2 Samuel 11: 1-15 & John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nTaking By ForceA sermon on 2 Samuel 11: 1-15 & John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nConfronting a RapistA sermon on 2 Samuel 11: 1-15 & John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBread That Breaks RulesA sermon on John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nToxic ChosennessA sermon on 2 Samuel 11: 1-15 & John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp12/2030-07-28/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300804T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300804T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200907T124624Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000535Z
UID:10002794-1912032000-1912118399@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 13 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:13a			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The news that Uriah had been killed in battle reached his wife\, Bathsheba\, and she went into mourning. When the customary time of mourning was over\, King David arranged for her to move into the palace. She became his wife\, and a son was born to them. But David’s actions had put him off side with the LORD. \nThe LORD sent the prophet Nathan to speak to David. Nathan addressed the King saying: \nConsider this case\, your Majesty. Two men lived on neighbouring properties. One of them was filthy rich. He owned huge mobs of sheep and cattle\, and plenty of land to graze them on. The other man was dirt poor. He rented his land and owned only one small lamb. The lamb was like a pet to him and his children. It even used to eat at their table and sleep on the end of their bed. People used to joke that he treated the lamb like one of his daughters. One day the rich man had a guest from out of town. He was too stingy to butcher any of his own animals to prepare a meal for his guest\, so he sent a servant over the fence to steal the poor man’s lamb. He had the lamb roasted and carved up for the evening meal.”\nDavid was so outraged he nearly exploded! He thumped the table and said\, “I swear by God\, such a cruel and callous crime will not go unpunished. Hanging’s too good for a man like that! I order that he be made to pay compensation at four times the value of what he stole.” \nNathan looked David straight in the eye and said\, “You are the man! You stand condemned by your own words! Now listen to what the LORD\, the God of Israel\, says to you: \nI chose you to be king of Israel. When Saul was trying to kill you\, I rescued you. I gave you his throne and his wives and made you king over both Israel and Judah. If that wasn’t enough\, you should have said so. I would have gladly given you whatever you asked for. So why do you spit in my face now? Why have you rejected what I taught you and committed such a horrible crime? You murdered Uriah the Hittite so you could get your hands on his wife. He was fighting for you against the Ammonites – he shouldn’t have had to guard his back against you! And now the cat’s out of the bag. Your despicable behaviour will sow seeds of violence and betrayal that will tear apart your family generation after generation. Watch your back. Rebellion will come from within your own family and I’ll hand over your wives to the rebel before your very eyes. He’ll have sex with them right out in the open. Your crime was hidden away where no one could see\, but your humiliation will happen in public where everyone can see.”\nDavid cried out to Nathan\, saying\, “I have sinned against the LORD.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 51: 1-12			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	O God\, your love never gives up.\nHave mercy on me now! \nI’m relying on your record of generous mercy:\nplease wipe my slate clean! \nScrub away the filth I’ve been living in;\nScour away the stain of my sin. \nI know only too well what I’ve done;\nmy sins stare me in the face. \nIt is you I’ve double-crossed\, you I’ve betrayed;\nI’ve done things which I knew you despised. \nYou have all the facts and you know what I deserve;\nwhat ever you decide is fair enough.\nI’ve been on the wrong side of you forever.\nI turned my back on you before I was born. \nYou want honesty that comes from deep within\,\nso teach me your wisdom\,\nlet it take root in my heart. \nGet the bleach out and give me the treatment!\nSoak me and wash me\nuntil I’m as white as snow. \nOpen my ears to laughter and music.\nThough you ground me into the dirt\,\nlet me now rise to the sounds of joy. \nTurn a blind eye to my record;\ndisregard my prior convictions. \nRenovate me from the inside\, O God;\nrebuild my heart and rewire my brain;\ninstall in me a new fault-free operating system. \nDon’t cut me off from you now\,\nor withdraw your Holy Spirit from me. \nRekindle in me the joy of being safe in your care\,\nand fill me with an insatiable desire to follow you. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 4: 1-16			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I am still in this detention centre\, locked up for the Lord\, but you are free to live out the life God has called you to. It’s a high calling\, but on bended knee I beg of you — live up to it. Give it everything you’ve got! Don’t let your zeal make you aggressive though. In all your dealings\, stay humble\, gentle\, patient. Even when things get rocky among you\, hang in there with each other. Don’t let your love give up. In the Spirit you are one people\, held together in peace. Put every effort in to making sure that that vision is a lived reality and not just a pious ideal. \nThis unity is evident in everything. The Spirit is one; the body into which we have been incorporated is one; and the quest we are called to is one. We have only one Lord; we share one faith; and we all came into it through the one baptism. We are all children of the one God\, who surrounds everything\, permeates everything\, and embraces everything. \nThat doesn’t mean we’re a bunch of clones though. In his extraordinary generosity\, Christ takes care to give us each the gifts that are just right for us. As the scriptures say\, \n“When he rose to the heights\nhe took confinement itself a prisoner\,\nand handed out gifts to the people.” \nNow\, when you think about it\, it becomes clear that if he ‘rose to the heights’ he must first have come down to the earth — right down into the depths of the earth. He who plumbed the depths and he who rose to the heights are one and the same\, and he fills everything in the universe with his presence. \nIt was he who ‘handed out gifts to the people’. He gifted some to be apostles and some to be prophets; others to be missionaries; and still others to be pastors and teachers. All these gifts are given for the task of equipping everyone in the church for the work of ministry. In this way the church\, as the body of Christ\, can grow strong and healthy. The work continues until we are all truly one — united by the shared experience of knowing and trusting the Son of God. That’s our destiny — full maturity — the realisation of our quest to live up to our role-model\, Jesus Christ. \nSo it’s time immaturity became a thing of the past. We’ve been as gullible as little children\, easy prey to those who offer sugar-coated deceptions. Racketeers and snake-oil merchants are always offering yet another new gimmicky life-change plan for those who fall for one scam after another. It’s time we grew up! It’s time we had the guts to face the truth\, and to speak it with love. That’s what it will take for us to grow to be like Christ\, to be part of Christ. We’ve got to let him call the shots. He is like the brain\, which communicates through the nervous system to keep every organ and muscle functioning harmoniously. Only with every part answering to him will the conditions be right for the body to grow strong and robust\, bulked up in love. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 6: 24-35			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	When the crowd who Jesus had fed realised that he and his disciples were gone\, they piled into the boats and headed across to Capernaum to look for him. \nWhen they tracked him down on the far side of the lake\, they questioned him\, “Rabbi\, when did you arrive here?” \nJesus took them to task\, saying\, “If the truth be known\, you’re not looking for me because you saw signs of God in what I did\, but simply because you got a free meal out of me. You’ll never satisfy your real hunger with a belly full of food\, no matter how much effort you put into it. Put your energy instead into finding the life-giving food that will never stop nourishing you. The New Human will give it to you\, and he has been guaranteed by God the Father.” \nHearing that\, they asked\, “What do we have to do to get in on what God’s doing?” \nJesus replied\, saying\, “This is all God asks: that you stake everything on the One he has sent.” \nBut they began beating around the bush\, saying\, “Show us a sign. What proof can you give us so that we’ll know it is right to commit ourselves to what you say? Show us what you can do. Moses brought down bread from heaven for our ancestors to eat in the desert. It says so in the scriptures.” \nThen Jesus set them straight: “If the truth be known\, Moses wasn’t the one who gave you the bread from heaven. It is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. The bread that God is offering you is the real stuff — bread direct from heaven that gives life to the world.” \n“We’ll take it\, Sir!” they said. “Give us this bread from now on.” \nJesus said to them\, “It’s me. I am the bread of life. Anyone who comes on board with me will never hunger or thirst again. Put your trust in me and you will always be satisfied.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Exodus 16: 2-4\, 9-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Once they were on their own in the outback\, the Israelite people began to lose their nerve and worry about how they were going to survive\, and the whole crowd started whingeing and criticising Moses and Aaron. The people were saying\, “We would have been better off waiting for the LORD to kill us back in Egypt. At least there was always a pot of stew on the boil there\, and as much bread as we could eat. But you two have dragged us out into the scrub so that you can starve us all to death out here.” \nThen the LORD said to Moses\, “I am going to make bread fall from the sky like rain for you. Each day the people are to go out and collect enough for that day only. I am going to test out the people to see whether or not they will do what I tell them. They are not to stockpile it.” \nThen Moses said to Aaron\, “Give this message to the whole Israelite congregation: ‘Draw close to the LORD\, for the LORD has listened to your complaints.’” \nAnd even as Aaron was addressing the gathered people\, they looked out across the desert and witnessed an awesome display of the LORD’s glory in the clouds. \nThe LORD spoke to Moses and said\, “Because I have listened to the people’s problems\, I want you to give them this message: ‘At sundown you will have meat to eat\, and in the morning you will have plenty of bread. Then you will know for sure that I am the LORD your God.” \nThat evening\, an enormous flock of game birds came in and settled all over the camp where the people could pick them off with ease. Then in the morning\, the ground was covered in dew\, and as the dew dried\, it left a layer of fine flaky stuff on the ground. It looked like a light sprinkling of snow on the desert floor. When the people saw it\, they had no idea what it was and began to ask one another\, “What on earth is this stuff?” \nMoses told them\, “This is the bread that the LORD has provided for you to gather up and eat.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 78: 23-29			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, when our ancestors were wandering in the outback\nyou gave orders to the sky\,\nand opened the storerooms of heaven;\nyou rained down manna for them to eat\,\nthe grain of heaven as a gift to them. \nMere human beings ate the bread of angels\,\nfor you sent them all the food they could eat. \nYou set the wind blowing in the sky\,\ngusting from south and east with your power;\nand on the wind you sent more food still;\ngame birds coming in like wind-blown sand\,\nfalling thick on the ground around the camp\,\nmeals-on-wings landing on their doorstep. \nThe people stuffed themselves happily\, LORD\,\nbecause you had given them just what they were craving. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have sent us bread from heaven\nto give life to the whole world. \nYou are above all and through all and in all\,\nand by your word all things were created.\nYou fed your people with manna from heaven\,\nand even when they defied you\,\nif they turned from their callous ways\,\nyou fed them again with your wisdom and truth. \nIn your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nyou have offered yourself to us as the bread of life\nthat we might be nourished and built up\nas one body in the bond of peace.\nThough he was murdered by those he fought to save\,\nyou raised him from the depths of the earth\nto fill the whole universe with his gifts\nand baptise all things into one body\,\nheld together by one spirit\, under one Lord. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nin whom you offer yourself to us as the bread of life\nthat we might be nourished in truth\nand baptised into one body\,\nheld together by one spirit\, under one Lord. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to the one hope;\none Lord\, one faith and one baptism. \nYou are above all and through all and in all\,\nand by your word all things were created.\nYou fed your people with manna from heaven\,\nand even when they defied you\,\nif they turned from their callous ways\,\nyou fed them again with your wisdom and truth. \nYour Son\, Jesus Christ\, came among us\ndoing your works\nand speaking your truth in love\nthat we might be bound together\nas one body in the bond of peace.\nThough he was murdered by those he fought to save\,\nyou raised him from the depths of the earth\nto fill the whole universe with his gifts\nand baptise all things into one body\,\nheld together by one spirit\, under one Lord. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God\, in tender mercy\, does not cast us aside\,\nor withdraw the Holy Spirit from us\,\nbut saves us\, washing away our sin\nand cleansing us from our guilt. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out from here and live lives worthy\nof the one calling which we all share.\nIn humility\, gentleness and patience\,\nspeak only what is true and loving\nand so grow into the unity that is ours in Christ. \nAnd may God the creator reshape your hearts;\nMay Christ Jesus\, the bread of life\, sustain you always;\nand may the Holy Spirit unite you in the bond of peace. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nLove that Body!A sermon on Ephesians 4:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBread and CircusesA sermon on John 6:24-35 & 2 Samuel 11:26 – 12:13a by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGrow UpA sermon on Ephesians 4:1-16 & John 6:24-35 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nConfronting the AlmightyA sermon on 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a\, Ephesians 4:1-16 & John 6:24-35 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nA Question of RepentanceA sermon on 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThank God for Painful People!A sermon on Ephesians 4:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Spirit of Oneness and OneingA sermon on Ephesians 4:1-16 by Karen Quah
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp13/2030-08-04/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P13.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300804T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300804T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200907T124624Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240901T050356Z
UID:10002144-1912032000-1912118399@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 13 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:13a			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The news that Uriah had been killed in battle reached his wife\, Bathsheba\, and she went into mourning. When the customary time of mourning was over\, King David arranged for her to move into the palace. She became his wife\, and a son was born to them. But David’s actions had put him off side with the LORD. \nThe LORD sent the prophet Nathan to speak to David. Nathan addressed the King saying: \nConsider this case\, your Majesty. Two men lived on neighbouring properties. One of them was filthy rich. He owned huge mobs of sheep and cattle\, and plenty of land to graze them on. The other man was dirt poor. He rented his land and owned only one small lamb. The lamb was like a pet to him and his children. It even used to eat at their table and sleep on the end of their bed. People used to joke that he treated the lamb like one of his daughters. One day the rich man had a guest from out of town. He was too stingy to butcher any of his own animals to prepare a meal for his guest\, so he sent a servant over the fence to steal the poor man’s lamb. He had the lamb roasted and carved up for the evening meal.”\nDavid was so outraged he nearly exploded! He thumped the table and said\, “I swear by God\, such a cruel and callous crime will not go unpunished. Hanging’s too good for a man like that! I order that he be made to pay compensation at four times the value of what he stole.” \nNathan looked David straight in the eye and said\, “You are the man! You stand condemned by your own words! Now listen to what the LORD\, the God of Israel\, says to you: \nI chose you to be king of Israel. When Saul was trying to kill you\, I rescued you. I gave you his throne and his wives and made you king over both Israel and Judah. If that wasn’t enough\, you should have said so. I would have gladly given you whatever you asked for. So why do you spit in my face now? Why have you rejected what I taught you and committed such a horrible crime? You murdered Uriah the Hittite so you could get your hands on his wife. He was fighting for you against the Ammonites – he shouldn’t have had to guard his back against you! And now the cat’s out of the bag. Your despicable behaviour will sow seeds of violence and betrayal that will tear apart your family generation after generation. Watch your back. Rebellion will come from within your own family and I’ll hand over your wives to the rebel before your very eyes. He’ll have sex with them right out in the open. Your crime was hidden away where no one could see\, but your humiliation will happen in public where everyone can see.”\nDavid cried out to Nathan\, saying\, “I have sinned against the LORD.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 51: 1-12			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	O God\, your love never gives up.\nHave mercy on me now! \nI’m relying on your record of generous mercy:\nplease wipe my slate clean! \nScrub away the filth I’ve been living in;\nScour away the stain of my sin. \nI know only too well what I’ve done;\nmy sins stare me in the face. \nIt is you I’ve double-crossed\, you I’ve betrayed;\nI’ve done things which I knew you despised. \nYou have all the facts and you know what I deserve;\nwhat ever you decide is fair enough.\nI’ve been on the wrong side of you forever.\nI turned my back on you before I was born. \nYou want honesty that comes from deep within\,\nso teach me your wisdom\,\nlet it take root in my heart. \nGet the bleach out and give me the treatment!\nSoak me and wash me\nuntil I’m as white as snow. \nOpen my ears to laughter and music.\nThough you ground me into the dirt\,\nlet me now rise to the sounds of joy. \nTurn a blind eye to my record;\ndisregard my prior convictions. \nRenovate me from the inside\, O God;\nrebuild my heart and rewire my brain;\ninstall in me a new fault-free operating system. \nDon’t cut me off from you now\,\nor withdraw your Holy Spirit from me. \nRekindle in me the joy of being safe in your care\,\nand fill me with an insatiable desire to follow you. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 4: 1-16			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I am still in this detention centre\, locked up for the Lord\, but you are free to live out the life God has called you to. It’s a high calling\, but on bended knee I beg of you — live up to it. Give it everything you’ve got! Don’t let your zeal make you aggressive though. In all your dealings\, stay humble\, gentle\, patient. Even when things get rocky among you\, hang in there with each other. Don’t let your love give up. In the Spirit you are one people\, held together in peace. Put every effort in to making sure that that vision is a lived reality and not just a pious ideal. \nThis unity is evident in everything. The Spirit is one; the body into which we have been incorporated is one; and the quest we are called to is one. We have only one Lord; we share one faith; and we all came into it through the one baptism. We are all children of the one God\, who surrounds everything\, permeates everything\, and embraces everything. \nThat doesn’t mean we’re a bunch of clones though. In his extraordinary generosity\, Christ takes care to give us each the gifts that are just right for us. As the scriptures say\, \n“When he rose to the heights\nhe took confinement itself a prisoner\,\nand handed out gifts to the people.” \nNow\, when you think about it\, it becomes clear that if he ‘rose to the heights’ he must first have come down to the earth — right down into the depths of the earth. He who plumbed the depths and he who rose to the heights are one and the same\, and he fills everything in the universe with his presence. \nIt was he who ‘handed out gifts to the people’. He gifted some to be apostles and some to be prophets; others to be missionaries; and still others to be pastors and teachers. All these gifts are given for the task of equipping everyone in the church for the work of ministry. In this way the church\, as the body of Christ\, can grow strong and healthy. The work continues until we are all truly one — united by the shared experience of knowing and trusting the Son of God. That’s our destiny — full maturity — the realisation of our quest to live up to our role-model\, Jesus Christ. \nSo it’s time immaturity became a thing of the past. We’ve been as gullible as little children\, easy prey to those who offer sugar-coated deceptions. Racketeers and snake-oil merchants are always offering yet another new gimmicky life-change plan for those who fall for one scam after another. It’s time we grew up! It’s time we had the guts to face the truth\, and to speak it with love. That’s what it will take for us to grow to be like Christ\, to be part of Christ. We’ve got to let him call the shots. He is like the brain\, which communicates through the nervous system to keep every organ and muscle functioning harmoniously. Only with every part answering to him will the conditions be right for the body to grow strong and robust\, bulked up in love. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 6: 24-35			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	When the crowd who Jesus had fed realised that he and his disciples were gone\, they piled into the boats and headed across to Capernaum to look for him. \nWhen they tracked him down on the far side of the lake\, they questioned him\, “Rabbi\, when did you arrive here?” \nJesus took them to task\, saying\, “If the truth be known\, you’re not looking for me because you saw signs of God in what I did\, but simply because you got a free meal out of me. You’ll never satisfy your real hunger with a belly full of food\, no matter how much effort you put into it. Put your energy instead into finding the life-giving food that will never stop nourishing you. The New Human will give it to you\, and he has been guaranteed by God the Father.” \nHearing that\, they asked\, “What do we have to do to get in on what God’s doing?” \nJesus replied\, saying\, “This is all God asks: that you stake everything on the One he has sent.” \nBut they began beating around the bush\, saying\, “Show us a sign. What proof can you give us so that we’ll know it is right to commit ourselves to what you say? Show us what you can do. Moses brought down bread from heaven for our ancestors to eat in the desert. It says so in the scriptures.” \nThen Jesus set them straight: “If the truth be known\, Moses wasn’t the one who gave you the bread from heaven. It is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. The bread that God is offering you is the real stuff — bread direct from heaven that gives life to the world.” \n“We’ll take it\, Sir!” they said. “Give us this bread from now on.” \nJesus said to them\, “It’s me. I am the bread of life. Anyone who comes on board with me will never hunger or thirst again. Put your trust in me and you will always be satisfied.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Exodus 16: 2-4\, 9-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Once they were on their own in the outback\, the Israelite people began to lose their nerve and worry about how they were going to survive\, and the whole crowd started whingeing and criticising Moses and Aaron. The people were saying\, “We would have been better off waiting for the LORD to kill us back in Egypt. At least there was always a pot of stew on the boil there\, and as much bread as we could eat. But you two have dragged us out into the scrub so that you can starve us all to death out here.” \nThen the LORD said to Moses\, “I am going to make bread fall from the sky like rain for you. Each day the people are to go out and collect enough for that day only. I am going to test out the people to see whether or not they will do what I tell them. They are not to stockpile it.” \nThen Moses said to Aaron\, “Give this message to the whole Israelite congregation: ‘Draw close to the LORD\, for the LORD has listened to your complaints.’” \nAnd even as Aaron was addressing the gathered people\, they looked out across the desert and witnessed an awesome display of the LORD’s glory in the clouds. \nThe LORD spoke to Moses and said\, “Because I have listened to the people’s problems\, I want you to give them this message: ‘At sundown you will have meat to eat\, and in the morning you will have plenty of bread. Then you will know for sure that I am the LORD your God.” \nThat evening\, an enormous flock of game birds came in and settled all over the camp where the people could pick them off with ease. Then in the morning\, the ground was covered in dew\, and as the dew dried\, it left a layer of fine flaky stuff on the ground. It looked like a light sprinkling of snow on the desert floor. When the people saw it\, they had no idea what it was and began to ask one another\, “What on earth is this stuff?” \nMoses told them\, “This is the bread that the LORD has provided for you to gather up and eat.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 78: 23-29			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, when our ancestors were wandering in the outback\nyou gave orders to the sky\,\nand opened the storerooms of heaven;\nyou rained down manna for them to eat\,\nthe grain of heaven as a gift to them. \nMere human beings ate the bread of angels\,\nfor you sent them all the food they could eat. \nYou set the wind blowing in the sky\,\ngusting from south and east with your power;\nand on the wind you sent more food still;\ngame birds coming in like wind-blown sand\,\nfalling thick on the ground around the camp\,\nmeals-on-wings landing on their doorstep. \nThe people stuffed themselves happily\, LORD\,\nbecause you had given them just what they were craving. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have sent us bread from heaven\nto give life to the whole world. \nYou are above all and through all and in all\,\nand by your word all things were created.\nYou fed your people with manna from heaven\,\nand even when they defied you\,\nif they turned from their callous ways\,\nyou fed them again with your wisdom and truth. \nIn your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nyou have offered yourself to us as the bread of life\nthat we might be nourished and built up\nas one body in the bond of peace.\nThough he was murdered by those he fought to save\,\nyou raised him from the depths of the earth\nto fill the whole universe with his gifts\nand baptise all things into one body\,\nheld together by one spirit\, under one Lord. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nin whom you offer yourself to us as the bread of life\nthat we might be nourished in truth\nand baptised into one body\,\nheld together by one spirit\, under one Lord. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to the one hope;\none Lord\, one faith and one baptism. \nYou are above all and through all and in all\,\nand by your word all things were created.\nYou fed your people with manna from heaven\,\nand even when they defied you\,\nif they turned from their callous ways\,\nyou fed them again with your wisdom and truth. \nYour Son\, Jesus Christ\, came among us\ndoing your works\nand speaking your truth in love\nthat we might be bound together\nas one body in the bond of peace.\nThough he was murdered by those he fought to save\,\nyou raised him from the depths of the earth\nto fill the whole universe with his gifts\nand baptise all things into one body\,\nheld together by one spirit\, under one Lord. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God\, in tender mercy\, does not cast us aside\,\nor withdraw the Holy Spirit from us\,\nbut saves us\, washing away our sin\nand cleansing us from our guilt. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out from here and live lives worthy\nof the one calling which we all share.\nIn humility\, gentleness and patience\,\nspeak only what is true and loving\nand so grow into the unity that is ours in Christ. \nAnd may God the creator reshape your hearts;\nMay Christ Jesus\, the bread of life\, sustain you always;\nand may the Holy Spirit unite you in the bond of peace. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nLove that Body!A sermon on Ephesians 4:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBread and CircusesA sermon on John 6:24-35 & 2 Samuel 11:26 – 12:13a by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGrow UpA sermon on Ephesians 4:1-16 & John 6:24-35 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nConfronting the AlmightyA sermon on 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a\, Ephesians 4:1-16 & John 6:24-35 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nA Question of RepentanceA sermon on 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThank God for Painful People!A sermon on Ephesians 4:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Spirit of Oneness and OneingA sermon on Ephesians 4:1-16 by Karen Quah
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp13/2030-08-04/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P13.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300811T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300811T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200908T024151Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000535Z
UID:10002792-1912636800-1912723199@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 14 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 18: 5-9\, 15\, 31-33			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	King David’s army\, led by Joab and his officers\, was preparing for battle against the Israelites who had rebelled with Absalom. David briefed them before they marched out\, saying\, “Absalom is still my son\, so for my sake\, capture him unharmed.” He gave these orders to the commanders\, and all the troops heard what he said about Absalom. \nWith that\, they headed out against the Israelite army. The battle was fought in the Ephraim forest and it spread out on several fronts. David’s men defeated the Israelite army that day\, but it was a horrible bloodbath. Twenty thousand men died in the carnage and the dangerous forest terrain claimed as many victims again. \nAbsalom ran into a patrol of David’s men\, led by Joab. He was pushing through a narrow track on his mule alone. As he passed under a great oak tree\, Absalom’s thick hair got caught in the low branches and dragged him off the back of the mule which continued on its way. Absalom was left hanging in mid air\, unable to get up or down. The patrol found him hanging there and they killed him. Joab thrust the first spear in and then ten of his men surrounded him and finished Absalom off. \nAn Ethiopian runner was sent to David to report on the outcome of the battle. He said to David\, “Your Majesty\, I bring you good news! The LORD has set things right for you today\, making you safe from those who rebelled against you.” \nThe king said to the messenger\, “What about Absalom? Is he okay?” \nThe Ethiopian answered\, “May all your enemies and anyone who wishes you harm\, my king\, meet the same fate that Absalom has met today.” \nThe king was distraught. He disappeared into the nearest room\, overcome with grief. Through his tears he cried out over and over\, “O my son Absalom! My son\, my son\, Absalom! If only I could have died instead of you! O Absalom\, my son\, my son!” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 130			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	From the depths of despair\, from rock bottom\,\nI cry to you\, O LORD.\nI beg you to listen!\nPlease tune in and hear what I’m asking! \nIf you put black marks against our names\nfor every failing\,\nLord\, wouldn’t you have to write off everyone? \nBut forgiveness is much more your style\,\nand for this we adore you. \nI wait in eager anticipation for your presence\, LORD.\nEverything inside me yearns for you\nand your promises fill me with hope. \nDeep in my guts there is a hunger for you\, LORD\,\nmore pressing than a woman\nwaiting for the birth of her baby\,\nmore impatient than a child\nwaiting for a birthday;\ncrossing off the days\, one by one. \nO People of Israel\, put your trust in the LORD!\nThe LORD’s love never lets us down\,\nand is always ready to rescue us from danger. \nIt is the Lord who will bail us out\nwhen we are caught in the consequences\nof our own sin. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Recognising that we are all parts of the one body\, let’s give up all pretence. It’s time to come out from behind our masks and get fair dinkum with one another. No doubt there are times when it’s right to get angry\, but make sure your response is right too. Justifiable anger doesn’t justify vengefulness\, bitterness or any other sin. And when you’re angry\, deal with the issues as soon as you can. Dragging it out just gives the devil a chance to get his foot in the door. \nThose who’ve been stealing to make ends meet need to change their ways. It’s time they applied their skills to some honest trade and hopefully before long they will have enough to give something to others in need. \nAnd all of you\, watch your mouths. Don’t allow any venom or malice to pass your lips. Instead let every word be constructive and generous. Talk up what is good. That way what you have to say will be welcomed as a gift. \nYou are now identified as God’s people — the signs of the Holy Spirit mark you out as those destined for life when the day of freedom finally comes. So don’t go causing any grief to the Holy Spirit or making God ashamed to be associated with you. There are some things you should quit completely — resentment\, vindictiveness\, mudslinging\, and any underhanded or malicious behaviour. Try living up to these labels instead — big-hearted\, compassionate\, tolerant. Try to be as generous in forgiving each other as God was with you. Children learn by imitating the parents they love. Take a tip from them and model yourself on what you’ve seen of God in Christ. Or in other words\, live a life of love — love that doesn’t stop at anything. Christ’s love for us cost him everything\, and there is no more pleasing gift anyone can give to God than a love that is willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of others. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 6: 35\, 41-51			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus said to them\, “I am the bread of life. Anyone who comes on board with me will never hunger or thirst again. Put your trust in me and you will always be satisfied.” \nBecause of this\, people began to grumble about him. They objected to him claiming to be the bread that came from heaven. They muttered to one another saying\, “What does he take us for? We know who he is - Jesus\, Joe’s lad. Is he forgetting that we know his mum and dad? How does he expect us to take him seriously when he says\, ‘I have come from heaven’?” \nJesus answered them: \n“Don’t go getting all worked up over me. The One who sent me is responsible for drawing people to me — otherwise no one would come. I’ll always be there for those who do come - each and every one of them. Even on the last day\, I’ll be there\, raising them to new life. One of the prophets put it this way\, ‘Every last one of them will learn directly from God.’ So everyone who really tunes in to God and takes in what they hear will recognise who I am\, and come to learn from me. Everyone wants to learn from an eyewitness and the only person who has seen God is the one who came from God. No one else has. Let me set you straight on this: whoever has faith has life — life without limit. \nI am the bread of life. Sure\, your ancestors ate manna in the desert\, but they still died. Now it’s different. Now the real bread has come from heaven and you can eat it and be protected from death forever. I am the bread — living bread — straight from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live life without end and without limit. The bread that I’m offering is my own flesh\, and I give it for the life of the world.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Kings 19: 4-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Fearing for his life\, Elijah went off-road and pushed on alone into the scrub. After a day of that\, he was in utter despair. He collapsed under the only tree for miles that offered any shade and spilled his guts\, saying\, “I can’t take any more\, LORD. Just kill me now! I’m as good as dead anyway.” \nExhausted\, he fell asleep where he lay. Suddenly someone tapped him on the shoulder\, saying\, “Get up and eat.” \nElijah looked around and there\, just near his head\, was a cake of damper bread and a full water bottle. He ate and drank and then went back to sleep. The messenger of the LORD came to him again\, tapping him on the shoulder and saying\, “Get up and eat\, or you’ll never survive the journey ahead.” \nSo Elijah got up and ate and drank his fill. That meal gave him the strength to push on for forty days and nights until he reached Mount Sinai – God’s own mountain. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 34: 1-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I will speak up in your favour\, every chance I get\, LORD.\nEvery time I open my mouth\, I’ll sing your praises. \nEverything I’m proud of is your doing\, LORD;\nthe news of your goodness puts a smile on the face of the helpless. \nI’ll put the spotlight on you\, LORD;\nand gather a crowd to spread the word. \nWhen I pounded on your door\, LORD\, you opened up;\nyou calmed my fears and put my mind at rest. \nThose who look to you light up with joy;\ntheir faces never grow dark with shame. \nWhen I had nothing\, I cried out\, LORD\, and you answered;\nyou got me out of some serious trouble. \nYou station your angels to watch over those who trust you;\nthey watch us\, guard us\, and get us safely through. \nMay everyone taste for themselves how good you are\, LORD;\nmay everyone find shelter in you and be happy. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have sent us the bread of heaven. \nYou created the heavens and the earth\,\nand all your creatures draw their life from you.\nEven when we have rebelled against you\,\nyou have never left us hanging in fear\nor crying from the depths.\nIn love and mercy you hear our yearning prayers\nand mark us out for the day of redemption. \nYou sent to us your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nthe bread of life for our deepest hunger\,\nand you drew us to him that we might learn from him.\nWhen the world turned against him\,\nhe gave himself up\, in the fullness of love\,\na fragrant offering and sacrifice to you\nfor the life of the whole world\,\nso that we and all who trust him\nmight feed on him and have life without limit. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nwho gave himself up as a fragrant offering\nfor the life of the whole world\,\nso that we and all who trust him\nmight feed on him\, the bread of life\,\nand have life without limit. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor yu have drawn us to yourself in Christ\,\nand will raise us to life on teh last day. \nYou created the heavens and the earth\,\nand all your creatures draw their life from you.\nEven when we have rebelled against you\,\nyou have never left us hanging in fear\nor crying from the depths.\nIn love and mercy you hear our yearning prayers\nand mark us out for the day of redemption. \nYou sent to us your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nthe bread of life for our deepest hunger\,\nand you drew us to him that we might learn from him.\nWhen the world turned against him\,\nhe gave himself up\, in the fullness of love\,\na fragrant offering and sacrifice to you\nfor the life of the whole world\,\nso that we and all who trust him\nmight have life without limit. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	If the Lord recorded our sins\, no one could survive\,\nbut God’s capacity for forgiveness is extraordinary.\nThe Lord will bring mercy and grant full pardon. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out and imitate God\, living in love.\nPut your hope in God’s Word\nand let your own words be truthful and constructive.\nMay sin rouse your anger\,\nbut never let anger cause you to sin.\nDon’t allow any room for evil. \nAnd may God always hear your voice.\nMay Christ Jesus raise you to new life;\nand may the Holy Spirit nourish you for the life of love. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nTaking off our MasksA sermon on Ephesians 4:25-52 by Sylvia Sandeman\n\n\n\nThe Bread You Feed OnA sermon on John 6:35\, 41-51 & Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Way of the CrossA sermon on 2 Samuel 18: 5-9\, 15\, 31-33 and John 6: 35\, 41-51 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nCovid\, Canceling\, and a Culture of KindnessA sermon on Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPutting our lives where our mouths areA sermon on Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp14/2030-08-11/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P14.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300811T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300811T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200908T024151Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240908T101019Z
UID:10002145-1912636800-1912723199@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 14 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 18: 5-9\, 15\, 31-33			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	King David’s army\, led by Joab and his officers\, was preparing for battle against the Israelites who had rebelled with Absalom. David briefed them before they marched out\, saying\, “Absalom is still my son\, so for my sake\, capture him unharmed.” He gave these orders to the commanders\, and all the troops heard what he said about Absalom. \nWith that\, they headed out against the Israelite army. The battle was fought in the Ephraim forest and it spread out on several fronts. David’s men defeated the Israelite army that day\, but it was a horrible bloodbath. Twenty thousand men died in the carnage and the dangerous forest terrain claimed as many victims again. \nAbsalom ran into a patrol of David’s men\, led by Joab. He was pushing through a narrow track on his mule alone. As he passed under a great oak tree\, Absalom’s thick hair got caught in the low branches and dragged him off the back of the mule which continued on its way. Absalom was left hanging in mid air\, unable to get up or down. The patrol found him hanging there and they killed him. Joab thrust the first spear in and then ten of his men surrounded him and finished Absalom off. \nAn Ethiopian runner was sent to David to report on the outcome of the battle. He said to David\, “Your Majesty\, I bring you good news! The LORD has set things right for you today\, making you safe from those who rebelled against you.” \nThe king said to the messenger\, “What about Absalom? Is he okay?” \nThe Ethiopian answered\, “May all your enemies and anyone who wishes you harm\, my king\, meet the same fate that Absalom has met today.” \nThe king was distraught. He disappeared into the nearest room\, overcome with grief. Through his tears he cried out over and over\, “O my son Absalom! My son\, my son\, Absalom! If only I could have died instead of you! O Absalom\, my son\, my son!” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 130			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	From the depths of despair\, from rock bottom\,\nI cry to you\, O LORD.\nI beg you to listen!\nPlease tune in and hear what I’m asking! \nIf you put black marks against our names\nfor every failing\,\nLord\, wouldn’t you have to write off everyone? \nBut forgiveness is much more your style\,\nand for this we adore you. \nI wait in eager anticipation for your presence\, LORD.\nEverything inside me yearns for you\nand your promises fill me with hope. \nDeep in my guts there is a hunger for you\, LORD\,\nmore pressing than a woman\nwaiting for the birth of her baby\,\nmore impatient than a child\nwaiting for a birthday;\ncrossing off the days\, one by one. \nO People of Israel\, put your trust in the LORD!\nThe LORD’s love never lets us down\,\nand is always ready to rescue us from danger. \nIt is the Lord who will bail us out\nwhen we are caught in the consequences\nof our own sin. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Recognising that we are all parts of the one body\, let’s give up all pretence. It’s time to come out from behind our masks and get fair dinkum with one another. No doubt there are times when it’s right to get angry\, but make sure your response is right too. Justifiable anger doesn’t justify vengefulness\, bitterness or any other sin. And when you’re angry\, deal with the issues as soon as you can. Dragging it out just gives the devil a chance to get his foot in the door. \nThose who’ve been stealing to make ends meet need to change their ways. It’s time they applied their skills to some honest trade and hopefully before long they will have enough to give something to others in need. \nAnd all of you\, watch your mouths. Don’t allow any venom or malice to pass your lips. Instead let every word be constructive and generous. Talk up what is good. That way what you have to say will be welcomed as a gift. \nYou are now identified as God’s people — the signs of the Holy Spirit mark you out as those destined for life when the day of freedom finally comes. So don’t go causing any grief to the Holy Spirit or making God ashamed to be associated with you. There are some things you should quit completely — resentment\, vindictiveness\, mudslinging\, and any underhanded or malicious behaviour. Try living up to these labels instead — big-hearted\, compassionate\, tolerant. Try to be as generous in forgiving each other as God was with you. Children learn by imitating the parents they love. Take a tip from them and model yourself on what you’ve seen of God in Christ. Or in other words\, live a life of love — love that doesn’t stop at anything. Christ’s love for us cost him everything\, and there is no more pleasing gift anyone can give to God than a love that is willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of others. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 6: 35\, 41-51			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus said to them\, “I am the bread of life. Anyone who comes on board with me will never hunger or thirst again. Put your trust in me and you will always be satisfied.” \nBecause of this\, people began to grumble about him. They objected to him claiming to be the bread that came from heaven. They muttered to one another saying\, “What does he take us for? We know who he is - Jesus\, Joe’s lad. Is he forgetting that we know his mum and dad? How does he expect us to take him seriously when he says\, ‘I have come from heaven’?” \nJesus answered them: \n“Don’t go getting all worked up over me. The One who sent me is responsible for drawing people to me — otherwise no one would come. I’ll always be there for those who do come - each and every one of them. Even on the last day\, I’ll be there\, raising them to new life. One of the prophets put it this way\, ‘Every last one of them will learn directly from God.’ So everyone who really tunes in to God and takes in what they hear will recognise who I am\, and come to learn from me. Everyone wants to learn from an eyewitness and the only person who has seen God is the one who came from God. No one else has. Let me set you straight on this: whoever has faith has life — life without limit. \nI am the bread of life. Sure\, your ancestors ate manna in the desert\, but they still died. Now it’s different. Now the real bread has come from heaven and you can eat it and be protected from death forever. I am the bread — living bread — straight from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live life without end and without limit. The bread that I’m offering is my own flesh\, and I give it for the life of the world.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Kings 19: 4-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Fearing for his life\, Elijah went off-road and pushed on alone into the scrub. After a day of that\, he was in utter despair. He collapsed under the only tree for miles that offered any shade and spilled his guts\, saying\, “I can’t take any more\, LORD. Just kill me now! I’m as good as dead anyway.” \nExhausted\, he fell asleep where he lay. Suddenly someone tapped him on the shoulder\, saying\, “Get up and eat.” \nElijah looked around and there\, just near his head\, was a cake of damper bread and a full water bottle. He ate and drank and then went back to sleep. The messenger of the LORD came to him again\, tapping him on the shoulder and saying\, “Get up and eat\, or you’ll never survive the journey ahead.” \nSo Elijah got up and ate and drank his fill. That meal gave him the strength to push on for forty days and nights until he reached Mount Sinai – God’s own mountain. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 34: 1-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I will speak up in your favour\, every chance I get\, LORD.\nEvery time I open my mouth\, I’ll sing your praises. \nEverything I’m proud of is your doing\, LORD;\nthe news of your goodness puts a smile on the face of the helpless. \nI’ll put the spotlight on you\, LORD;\nand gather a crowd to spread the word. \nWhen I pounded on your door\, LORD\, you opened up;\nyou calmed my fears and put my mind at rest. \nThose who look to you light up with joy;\ntheir faces never grow dark with shame. \nWhen I had nothing\, I cried out\, LORD\, and you answered;\nyou got me out of some serious trouble. \nYou station your angels to watch over those who trust you;\nthey watch us\, guard us\, and get us safely through. \nMay everyone taste for themselves how good you are\, LORD;\nmay everyone find shelter in you and be happy. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have sent us the bread of heaven. \nYou created the heavens and the earth\,\nand all your creatures draw their life from you.\nEven when we have rebelled against you\,\nyou have never left us hanging in fear\nor crying from the depths.\nIn love and mercy you hear our yearning prayers\nand mark us out for the day of redemption. \nYou sent to us your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nthe bread of life for our deepest hunger\,\nand you drew us to him that we might learn from him.\nWhen the world turned against him\,\nhe gave himself up\, in the fullness of love\,\na fragrant offering and sacrifice to you\nfor the life of the whole world\,\nso that we and all who trust him\nmight feed on him and have life without limit. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nwho gave himself up as a fragrant offering\nfor the life of the whole world\,\nso that we and all who trust him\nmight feed on him\, the bread of life\,\nand have life without limit. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor yu have drawn us to yourself in Christ\,\nand will raise us to life on teh last day. \nYou created the heavens and the earth\,\nand all your creatures draw their life from you.\nEven when we have rebelled against you\,\nyou have never left us hanging in fear\nor crying from the depths.\nIn love and mercy you hear our yearning prayers\nand mark us out for the day of redemption. \nYou sent to us your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nthe bread of life for our deepest hunger\,\nand you drew us to him that we might learn from him.\nWhen the world turned against him\,\nhe gave himself up\, in the fullness of love\,\na fragrant offering and sacrifice to you\nfor the life of the whole world\,\nso that we and all who trust him\nmight have life without limit. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	If the Lord recorded our sins\, no one could survive\,\nbut God’s capacity for forgiveness is extraordinary.\nThe Lord will bring mercy and grant full pardon. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out and imitate God\, living in love.\nPut your hope in God’s Word\nand let your own words be truthful and constructive.\nMay sin rouse your anger\,\nbut never let anger cause you to sin.\nDon’t allow any room for evil. \nAnd may God always hear your voice.\nMay Christ Jesus raise you to new life;\nand may the Holy Spirit nourish you for the life of love. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nTaking off our MasksA sermon on Ephesians 4:25-52 by Sylvia Sandeman\n\n\n\nThe Bread You Feed OnA sermon on John 6:35\, 41-51 & Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Way of the CrossA sermon on 2 Samuel 18: 5-9\, 15\, 31-33 and John 6: 35\, 41-51 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nCovid\, Canceling\, and a Culture of KindnessA sermon on Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPutting our lives where our mouths areA sermon on Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp14/2030-08-11/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P14.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300818T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300818T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200908T030341Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000534Z
UID:10002790-1913241600-1913327999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 15 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Kings 2: 10-12; 3: 3-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	King David died and was buried in Jerusalem. He had ruled over Israel for forty years; seven years from Hebron\, and then thirty-three from Jerusalem. David’s son Solomon inherited the throne\, and he had a firm grip on the kingdom. \nSolomon honoured the LORD and lived as his father David had taught him. In addition he offered sacrifices and burned incense at some of the sacred sites in the hills. The most important of these sacred sites was at Gibeon and Solomon offered more than a thousand sacrifices on the altar there. \nOne night\, while he was staying over in Gibeon\, the LORD God appeared to Solomon in a dream. God said to him\, “Solomon\, what would you most like me to give you?” \nSolomon answered God\, saying: \nYou always loved my father\, your servant David. Your love was solid and unshakable\, because he was good and honest and did what was right by you. As a sign of your love and loyalty to him\, you gave him a son to inherit his kingdom. So here I am\, LORD God. I am your servant\, and you have made me king in place of my father\, even though I’m little more than a boy and have no idea how to conduct myself properly. I am your servant and you have given me the job of ruling your chosen people\, even though they are a great nation and there are more of them than anyone can count. So then\, what I would most like you to give me is a sharp mind to rule justly and to be able to pick the difference between right and wrong every time. Without such a gift\, no one could ever hope to rule your people. \nThe Lord was most impressed with Solomon’s request\, and said to him: \nYou could have selfishly asked me to give you a long life\, or to make you the richest man on earth\, or to wipe out your enemies. But instead you have asked me for the wisdom to make the right decisions for my people. You have chosen well and I will give you exactly what you have asked for. You will have more wisdom and insight than anyone else who has ever lived or ever will. And to top it all off\, I will also give you what you could have asked for\, but didn’t. All your life you will be extraordinarily rich\, and you will be greatly honoured by everyone. No other king will be able to hold a candle to you. And if you do things my way and play by the rules I have given you\, much as your father did\, then I will give you a long and healthy life. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 111			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Wow! More power to you\, LORD!\nWe can’t thank you enough.\nWith all who stand for justice\nour hearts burst with gratitude. \nThe things you do are fantastic\, LORD\,\nand those who see and understand\nnever tire of exploring them. \nYour works are magnificent\, majestic\,\nand their integrity will never be eroded. \nYou have a reputation for doing amazing things\,\nand all of them generous and merciful. \nYou nourish those who honour you\nand you are always true to your word. \nYou have left your people in no doubt\nabout your power;\nyou have given them the whole world on a plate. \nEverything you put your hands to\nis faithful\, fair and trustworthy\,\nas is everything you say. \nWhat you say goes\, now and forever\,\nand no one can afford to ignore it. \nYou rescue your people and bring them home safe\,\nfor you have committed yourself to them\nfor all time. \nThe mere mention of your holy name\nmakes us go weak all over! \nWisdom is born when your awesome presence\nknocks us to our knees\nand those who never lose sight of that\nhave got their heads on straight. \nAwestruck\, we give you honour and respect for ever. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 5: 15-20			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	When it comes to the way you live\, watch your step! Don’t go acting without thinking. Use your heads and live wisely. Make the most of your time\, because these days\, evil never stops trying to seduce us. So don’t be naive and stupid. See to it that you get the will of the Lord clear in your heads. And if you’re going to go getting yourselves “under the influence”\, make sure its the influence of the Spirit and not of the wine! It will still get you singing! Sing together often — psalms\, hymns and spiritual songs — offer them as a toe-tapping gift to the Lord\, and when you’re not together\, do the same thing in your hearts. As children filled with gratitude and wonder\, give thanks to God — all the time and for everything. Mention the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when you do\, as a reminder of where our gratitude comes from. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 6: 51-58			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus said\, “I am the living bread — straight from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live life without end and without limit. The bread that I’m offering is my own flesh\, and I give it for the life of the world.” \nThis got the people all worked up and they began arguing among themselves\, saying\, “What is this bloke talking about? He can’t serve a meal of his own flesh\, can he?” \nHearing this\, Jesus said to them: \nLet me set you straight on this. Unless you swallow the New Human — consume him flesh and blood — you’ll be lifeless. Those who do consume me are nourished by my flesh and blood and have life without limit. I’ll be there for them on the last day\, raising them to new life. You see\, my flesh and blood are the real stuff — true food and drink. What you eat and drink becomes a part of you\, but when you consume my flesh and blood\, not only will I become a part of you\, but you’ll find yourself in me\, becoming a part of me. The God who conceived me is the source of my life and has sent me\, serving me up to you. In much the same way\, I will be the source of life for whoever digests me. Do you see then? This is the real bread which has come from heaven. It’s not like what your ancestors ate in the desert. They still died. This is different. Those who eat this bread will live life without end and without limit. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Proverbs 9: 1-6			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Wisdom has established herself in the neighbourhood;\nher house has seven rooms\, a place for everyone. \nShe has laid her table for a great house-warming feast;\nthe meat is roasted\, the wine is poured\,\nher servant-girls are ready to wait on the guests. \nOn the busiest corner in town she makes her invitation\,\n“Is life a riddle to you? Then come with me!\nDo the concerns of each day\nleave you scratching your head?\nCome over to my place and we’ll chew the fat.\nShare my bread and wine and things will fall into place.\nThe time has come to turn the corner\,\nto grow up\, to embrace life.\nThink before you act\nand walk with understanding.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 34: 9-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	May the people you have chosen treat you with respect\, LORD;\nfor those who do never want for anything. \nEven fearsome sharks go hungry sometimes\,\nbut people who entrust themselves to you never miss out. \nWhen the children gather\, I’ll teach them to trust you\, LORD;\nthis is the message I’ll pass on to them: \n“Do you hunger for life;\ndo you want to know the secret of a long and happy life?\nDon’t vilify anyone with what you say\,\nand let every word that passes your lips be the honest truth.\nGive evil a wide berth\, and embrace goodness instead.\nSeek peace\, and work hard to maintain it.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nin the company of those who live with integrity\,\nfor you have given yourself to us as flesh and blood\nand become the bread that nourishes us for eternal life. \nYour righteousness was established before time began\nand all you have created reflects your honour and majesty.\nYou made a covenant with your people\nand gave yourself generously to all\nwho seek your wisdom and walk in your ways. \nIn your great and steadfast love\,\nyou have come to redeem your people\,\noffering us life in your Son\, Jesus.\nThough his blood was poured out\nand his flesh sent to the grave\,\nyou raised him up to new life\,\nand now he offers himself to us\nas the bread of heaven\,\nso that all who eat and drink of him\nmight live forever as one with him. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho you raised to new life\,\nand who now offers himself to us\nas the bread of heaven\,\nso that all who eat and drink of him\nmight live forever as one with him. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nin the company of those who live with integrity\,\nat all times and for everything\nin the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. \nYour righteousness was established before time began\nand all you have created reflects your honour and majesty.\nYou made a covenant with your people\nand gave yourself generously to all\nwho seek your wisdom and walk in your ways. \nIn your great and steadfast love\,\nyou have come to redeem your people\,\noffering us life in your Son\, Jesus.\nThough his blood was poured out\nand his flesh sent to the grave\,\nyou raised him up to new life\,\nand now he offers himself to us\nas the bread of heaven\,\nso that all who eat and drink of him\nmight live forever as one with him. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The Lord is gracious and merciful\nand comes to us to redeem us.\nChrist Jesus offers himself to us\, forgiving our sins\nand promising to raise us to life on the last day. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out\, nourished by the bread of heaven\,\nand take care to walk in the ways of wisdom.\nDiscern carefully between right and wrong.\nUnderstand what the will of the Lord is.\nFeed on Christ and be filled with the Spirit. \nAnd may God give you a wise and discerning mind;\nMay Christ Jesus fill you with life in all its fullness;\nand may the Holy Spirit overflow in you\nin songs of joy and praise forever. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nOn Political WisdomA sermon on 1 Kings 2: 10-12; 3: 3-14 & Psalm 111 by Mark Brett\n\n\n\nThe Violence of CommunionA sermon on John 6:51-58 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBreadA sermon on John 6:51-58 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nCannibalism and CommunionA sermon on John 6:51-58 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Wounded BodyA sermon on John 6: 51-58 and Matthew 5: 3-10 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nDrunk and Disorderly for JesusA sermon on Ephesians 5:15-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nFilled with the SpiritA sermon on Ephesians 5:18 by Joel Sierra\n\n\n\nSinging our Way into LifeA sermon on Ephesians 5:15-20 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp15/2030-08-18/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P15.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300818T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300818T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200908T030341Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240915T100843Z
UID:10002146-1913241600-1913327999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 15 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Kings 2: 10-12; 3: 3-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	King David died and was buried in Jerusalem. He had ruled over Israel for forty years; seven years from Hebron\, and then thirty-three from Jerusalem. David’s son Solomon inherited the throne\, and he had a firm grip on the kingdom. \nSolomon honoured the LORD and lived as his father David had taught him. In addition he offered sacrifices and burned incense at some of the sacred sites in the hills. The most important of these sacred sites was at Gibeon and Solomon offered more than a thousand sacrifices on the altar there. \nOne night\, while he was staying over in Gibeon\, the LORD God appeared to Solomon in a dream. God said to him\, “Solomon\, what would you most like me to give you?” \nSolomon answered God\, saying: \nYou always loved my father\, your servant David. Your love was solid and unshakable\, because he was good and honest and did what was right by you. As a sign of your love and loyalty to him\, you gave him a son to inherit his kingdom. So here I am\, LORD God. I am your servant\, and you have made me king in place of my father\, even though I’m little more than a boy and have no idea how to conduct myself properly. I am your servant and you have given me the job of ruling your chosen people\, even though they are a great nation and there are more of them than anyone can count. So then\, what I would most like you to give me is a sharp mind to rule justly and to be able to pick the difference between right and wrong every time. Without such a gift\, no one could ever hope to rule your people. \nThe Lord was most impressed with Solomon’s request\, and said to him: \nYou could have selfishly asked me to give you a long life\, or to make you the richest man on earth\, or to wipe out your enemies. But instead you have asked me for the wisdom to make the right decisions for my people. You have chosen well and I will give you exactly what you have asked for. You will have more wisdom and insight than anyone else who has ever lived or ever will. And to top it all off\, I will also give you what you could have asked for\, but didn’t. All your life you will be extraordinarily rich\, and you will be greatly honoured by everyone. No other king will be able to hold a candle to you. And if you do things my way and play by the rules I have given you\, much as your father did\, then I will give you a long and healthy life. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 111			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Wow! More power to you\, LORD!\nWe can’t thank you enough.\nWith all who stand for justice\nour hearts burst with gratitude. \nThe things you do are fantastic\, LORD\,\nand those who see and understand\nnever tire of exploring them. \nYour works are magnificent\, majestic\,\nand their integrity will never be eroded. \nYou have a reputation for doing amazing things\,\nand all of them generous and merciful. \nYou nourish those who honour you\nand you are always true to your word. \nYou have left your people in no doubt\nabout your power;\nyou have given them the whole world on a plate. \nEverything you put your hands to\nis faithful\, fair and trustworthy\,\nas is everything you say. \nWhat you say goes\, now and forever\,\nand no one can afford to ignore it. \nYou rescue your people and bring them home safe\,\nfor you have committed yourself to them\nfor all time. \nThe mere mention of your holy name\nmakes us go weak all over! \nWisdom is born when your awesome presence\nknocks us to our knees\nand those who never lose sight of that\nhave got their heads on straight. \nAwestruck\, we give you honour and respect for ever. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 5: 15-20			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	When it comes to the way you live\, watch your step! Don’t go acting without thinking. Use your heads and live wisely. Make the most of your time\, because these days\, evil never stops trying to seduce us. So don’t be naive and stupid. See to it that you get the will of the Lord clear in your heads. And if you’re going to go getting yourselves “under the influence”\, make sure its the influence of the Spirit and not of the wine! It will still get you singing! Sing together often — psalms\, hymns and spiritual songs — offer them as a toe-tapping gift to the Lord\, and when you’re not together\, do the same thing in your hearts. As children filled with gratitude and wonder\, give thanks to God — all the time and for everything. Mention the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when you do\, as a reminder of where our gratitude comes from. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 6: 51-58			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus said\, “I am the living bread — straight from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live life without end and without limit. The bread that I’m offering is my own flesh\, and I give it for the life of the world.” \nThis got the people all worked up and they began arguing among themselves\, saying\, “What is this bloke talking about? He can’t serve a meal of his own flesh\, can he?” \nHearing this\, Jesus said to them: \nLet me set you straight on this. Unless you swallow the New Human — consume him flesh and blood — you’ll be lifeless. Those who do consume me are nourished by my flesh and blood and have life without limit. I’ll be there for them on the last day\, raising them to new life. You see\, my flesh and blood are the real stuff — true food and drink. What you eat and drink becomes a part of you\, but when you consume my flesh and blood\, not only will I become a part of you\, but you’ll find yourself in me\, becoming a part of me. The God who conceived me is the source of my life and has sent me\, serving me up to you. In much the same way\, I will be the source of life for whoever digests me. Do you see then? This is the real bread which has come from heaven. It’s not like what your ancestors ate in the desert. They still died. This is different. Those who eat this bread will live life without end and without limit. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Proverbs 9: 1-6			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Wisdom has established herself in the neighbourhood;\nher house has seven rooms\, a place for everyone. \nShe has laid her table for a great house-warming feast;\nthe meat is roasted\, the wine is poured\,\nher servant-girls are ready to wait on the guests. \nOn the busiest corner in town she makes her invitation\,\n“Is life a riddle to you? Then come with me!\nDo the concerns of each day\nleave you scratching your head?\nCome over to my place and we’ll chew the fat.\nShare my bread and wine and things will fall into place.\nThe time has come to turn the corner\,\nto grow up\, to embrace life.\nThink before you act\nand walk with understanding.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 34: 9-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	May the people you have chosen treat you with respect\, LORD;\nfor those who do never want for anything. \nEven fearsome sharks go hungry sometimes\,\nbut people who entrust themselves to you never miss out. \nWhen the children gather\, I’ll teach them to trust you\, LORD;\nthis is the message I’ll pass on to them: \n“Do you hunger for life;\ndo you want to know the secret of a long and happy life?\nDon’t vilify anyone with what you say\,\nand let every word that passes your lips be the honest truth.\nGive evil a wide berth\, and embrace goodness instead.\nSeek peace\, and work hard to maintain it.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nin the company of those who live with integrity\,\nfor you have given yourself to us as flesh and blood\nand become the bread that nourishes us for eternal life. \nYour righteousness was established before time began\nand all you have created reflects your honour and majesty.\nYou made a covenant with your people\nand gave yourself generously to all\nwho seek your wisdom and walk in your ways. \nIn your great and steadfast love\,\nyou have come to redeem your people\,\noffering us life in your Son\, Jesus.\nThough his blood was poured out\nand his flesh sent to the grave\,\nyou raised him up to new life\,\nand now he offers himself to us\nas the bread of heaven\,\nso that all who eat and drink of him\nmight live forever as one with him. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho you raised to new life\,\nand who now offers himself to us\nas the bread of heaven\,\nso that all who eat and drink of him\nmight live forever as one with him. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nin the company of those who live with integrity\,\nat all times and for everything\nin the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. \nYour righteousness was established before time began\nand all you have created reflects your honour and majesty.\nYou made a covenant with your people\nand gave yourself generously to all\nwho seek your wisdom and walk in your ways. \nIn your great and steadfast love\,\nyou have come to redeem your people\,\noffering us life in your Son\, Jesus.\nThough his blood was poured out\nand his flesh sent to the grave\,\nyou raised him up to new life\,\nand now he offers himself to us\nas the bread of heaven\,\nso that all who eat and drink of him\nmight live forever as one with him. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The Lord is gracious and merciful\nand comes to us to redeem us.\nChrist Jesus offers himself to us\, forgiving our sins\nand promising to raise us to life on the last day. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out\, nourished by the bread of heaven\,\nand take care to walk in the ways of wisdom.\nDiscern carefully between right and wrong.\nUnderstand what the will of the Lord is.\nFeed on Christ and be filled with the Spirit. \nAnd may God give you a wise and discerning mind;\nMay Christ Jesus fill you with life in all its fullness;\nand may the Holy Spirit overflow in you\nin songs of joy and praise forever. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nOn Political WisdomA sermon on 1 Kings 2: 10-12; 3: 3-14 & Psalm 111 by Mark Brett\n\n\n\nThe Violence of CommunionA sermon on John 6:51-58 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBreadA sermon on John 6:51-58 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nCannibalism and CommunionA sermon on John 6:51-58 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Wounded BodyA sermon on John 6: 51-58 and Matthew 5: 3-10 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nDrunk and Disorderly for JesusA sermon on Ephesians 5:15-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nFilled with the SpiritA sermon on Ephesians 5:18 by Joel Sierra\n\n\n\nSinging our Way into LifeA sermon on Ephesians 5:15-20 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp15/2030-08-18/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P15.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300825T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300825T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200908T033145Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240922T095505Z
UID:10002147-1913846400-1913932799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 16 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Kings 8: (1\,6\,10-11)\, 22-30\, 41-43			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The sacred Ark of the Covenant had been kept on Mount Zion in the City of David. When King Solomon was ready to move it into the newly completed Temple\, he called all the elders and tribal leaders of Israel to come to Jerusalem for the occasion. The priests carried the sacred Ark into the Temple and placed it in the most holy place\, beneath the wings of the cherubim in the inner sanctuary. No sooner had they placed it there than a dazzling cloud filled the Temple. The awesome presence of God was so overpowering that no one could bear to stay inside. Even the priests had to make a hasty exit. \nOutside\, Solomon stood in front of the altar of the LORD and\, with his hands raised high\, he led the gathered people in prayer. He prayed: \n“O LORD\, God of Israel\, you are one of a kind! No other god in the universe is like you. Your love is rock-solid and you never forget the alliance you have made with those who follow you whole-heartedly. You made an alliance with my father David\, and today you have proven true to your word. Everything you promised him you have now put in place. \nO LORD\, God of Israel\, you promised my father that his descendants would occupy the throne of Israel forever\, so long as they stuck to your ways and kept nothing hidden from you. May this be true\, O God\, for my father David was your servant. May you always back up your promise to him. \nBut\, how could you possibly live on earth\, O LORD my God? You could hold the entire universe in your hand\, so how can we expect this little temple I’ve built to have enough room for you! But today I ask you to listen to my prayer\, for I am your servant. Hear me and answer me\, O God. This place bears your name because you have chosen it as the place for people to worship you. So keep your eye on it\, O LORD\, twenty four hours a day. Whenever I turn towards this place to pray\, lend me your ear. I am your servant\, and these people belong to you\, so any time one of us faces this Temple and prays\, hear us from your heavenly home and forgive any offence we have caused. \nAnd don’t stop with just us – foreigners will no doubt hear about you too. Attracted by your reputation and by news of the awesome things you do\, they will come from all sorts of far flung places to live among your people and offer their prayers within sight of this Temple. When they do\, listen to them from your heavenly home and answer their prayers. That way everyone on earth will hear of you and give you the same respect that your people Israel do. They will know that this Temple which I have built carries your authority. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 84			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The place where you live is just exquisite\,\nO LORD\, ruler of all!\nWith everything inside me\, I long to be there;\nI go all weak at the very thought of it.\nI want to be there\, body and soul\,\nsinging my heart out for you\, O God of life. \nEven the birds find a home in your house;\nthere are nests in every nook and cranny\nwhere pigeons and sparrows raise their young.\nBird song and incense rise together\nto honour you\, Sovereign God\, ruler of all.\nHow privileged are those who live in your house;\njoyous songs of praise are forever on their lips. \nThose who have tapped into your strength\nhave got it made.\nThe highway to heaven begins within them;\na direct route to your holy presence. \nThey are like people who can find water in the desert;\nthey drink from life giving springs\nthat no drought can ever dry up.\nThey go from strength to strength\,\nand will see you face to face on your holy mountain. \nO LORD\, ruler of everything\, hear my cry.\nTune in to my prayer\, O God of our ancestors. \nYour presence is our protection\, O God;\nsmile upon us\, your chosen ones. \nA day spent in your presence\nbeats a thousand nights in a five star resort.\nI’d rather scrub floors in your house\, O God\,\nthan rub shoulders with the rich and famous\nbeneath the flashing lights of greed and corruption. \nO LORD our God\, you are the sun that shines on us\nand the shield that keeps us safe.\nYou shower us with generosity and honour\,\nand deny nothing to people of integrity. \nO LORD\, ruler of all\,\neveryone who trusts in you has got it made! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 6: 10-20			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	If I could say one last thing to you\, it would be this: toughen yourselves up by drawing strength from God. Equip yourself with everything God offers\, because you’ll need it to detect and survive the guerrilla tactics the Devil will use against you. What we’re up against here is not simply human opposition. This is a life-and-death struggle against the corrupt spiritual forces and cosmic powers of evil that are responsible for the destructive chaos which is presently threatening to engulf the world. So arm yourselves with everything God gives you so that you’ll be ready and able to hold your ground when all hell breaks loose. \nIt’s time to stand up and be counted. Kit yourselves out in truth\, righteousness\, peace\, faith and salvation\, and you’ll be ready for anything. Truth is like a belt on which everything else hangs. Justice and righteousness protect your heart like a bullet-proof vest. Your passion for spreading peace will get you through the hard miles like a sturdy pair of boots. Faith is like a riot shield that protects you from the fire bombs and anything else the evil one throws at you. God’s salvation is like a good helmet — even if you do get knocked down\, it will keep your head in one piece! And finally\, when it is time to go on the attack\, there is one indispensable weapon — the word of God — the same weapon the Spirit used to bring us to our knees. \nAnd speaking of being on your knees\, none of this armoury will be any use at all unless you are putting some serious time into prayer. Pray long and hard with the Spirit as your partner and mentor. Keep your eyes and ears open and keep plugging away in prayer for all your comrades in this holy quest. Remember me in your prayers too. I might be an ambassador bearing God’s message\, but my opportunities are rather limited here in the detention centre! So for the opportunities I do get to speak\, pray that I’ll know exactly what to say and that I’ll have the guts to come out with the whole thing\, the whole wondrous mystery of the good news in Christ. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 6: 56-69			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	While teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum\, Jesus said: \n“Whatever you eat and drink becomes a part of you\, but when you consume my flesh and blood\, not only will I become a part of you\, but you’ll find yourself in me\, becoming a part of me. The God who conceived me is the source of my life and has sent me\, serving me up to you. In much the same way\, I will be the source of life for whoever digests me. Do you see then? This is the real bread which has come from heaven. It’s not like what your ancestors ate in the desert. They still died. This is different. Those who eat this bread will live life without end and without limit.” \nWhen the people who had been following Jesus heard him say these things\, many of them began to say\, “Who can stomach what this man teaches? It is too tough by far.” \nJesus got wind of their complaints and said to them: \n“Are you ready to throw in the towel over this? How would you react if you saw the New Human entering heaven? After all\, that’s where he came from. Real life comes only from the Spirit. Without it you’re nothing. Everything I’ve said to you is life-giving and backed up by the Spirit. But for some of you\, that will make no difference — you’ve already put the shutters up.” \nJesus could tell\, right from the start\, that some wouldn’t have a bar of him once they knew what he was on about. He also knew who would betray him. He spelt it out to them\, saying\, “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: like a Father taking his children where they could not go alone\, God is drawing people to me. Otherwise\, no one would come.” \nThis was the last straw for many of those who had followed him. They cleared off and wouldn’t have anything further to do with him. That prompted Jesus to put the question to the twelve: “What about you? You’re free to join them if you want to give up on me too.” \nSimon Peter answered for them: “Lord\, who else could we turn to? Your words have opened our eyes to life without limit. You have won our trust and we are convinced that you are God’s Holy One.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Joshua 24: 1-2a\, 14-18			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel together at Shechem. He called a meeting of their leaders — the tribal elders\, the clan chiefs\, the judges\, and the civil officials — and they gathered under the authority of God. Joshua addressed them\, saying: \n“The LORD\, the God of Israel\, wants you to hear this. Treat the LORD with due respect\, and be absolutely fair dinkum and rock-solid in your commitment to doing all that the LORD asks of you. Have nothing more to do with any of the other objects of devotion that your ancestors worked for back in those days\, or when they were in Egypt. Put yourselves wholly at the service of the LORD. But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD\, then you can make up your own minds what you are going to devote yourselves to: the ignorant ways of your ancestors back there in the dark ages; or the trivialities of the culture around you here. But I have made up my mind for myself and for my family; we will devote ourselves to the LORD.” \nWhen Joshua finished his speech\, the leaders replied\, saying: \n“There is no way we would turn our backs on the LORD and devote ourselves to other gods. It was the LORD who broke us free from slavery and did such spectacular things before our very eyes in the land where we had been oppressed. As we travelled\, the LORD looked after us every step of the way and kept us safe from hostile nations. It was the LORD who made room for us by driving out the nations who were occupying this land. Therefore we will serve the LORD\, for the LORD is our God.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 34: 15-22			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	O LORD\, you keep a protective eye on those who play a straight bat;\nyou’re never out of earshot if they need you. \nYou grit your teeth and stand against evil though\,\nand you erase from history those who spread it. \nWhen good honest people need help\, you’re there for them\, LORD;\nyou get them out of whatever trouble they’re in. \nYou are especially close to the broken-hearted;\nwhen hope is crushed\, you come to the rescue. \nYour people endure as much suffering as anyone else\, LORD\,\nbut you ensure that they make it through. \nLike a vigilant bodyguard\,\nyou see that not a bone is broken. \nEvil is lethal to those who drink their fill of it;\nthose who despise the straight and narrow will stumble to destruction. \nBut you\, LORD\, are always ready to bail out those who serve your cause;\nno one who runs to you for safety will be handed over to death. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you are the giver of honour and grace\nand we are eager for your presence with us. \nThe heavens and the earth cannot contain you\nfor you have created them and hold them in your hand.\nAnd yet you dwell among your people\nand allow even the birds of the air\nto nest in your courts and honour you with their song. \nYou have sent your Holy One\, Jesus Christ\,\nto speak to us your word of Spirit and life.\nThough the forces of evil and death consumed him\,\nhe rose from the grave\nproclaiming your gospel of peace.\nNow he nourishes us with his body and blood\nand arms us with truth\, righteousness and salvation\nthat we might stand firm against the corrupt spiritual powers\nthat would tear down all who seek you with integrity. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Holy One\, Jesus\,\nwho nourishes us with his body and blood\nand arms us with truth\, righteousness and salvation\nthat we might stand firm against the corrupt spiritual powers\nthat would tear down all who seek you with integrity. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you are the giver of honour and grace\nand we are eager for your presence with us. \nThe heavens and the earth cannot contain you\nfor you have created them and hold them in your hand.\nAnd yet you dwell among your people\nand allow even the birds of the air\nto nest in your courts and honour you with their song. \nYou have sent your Holy One\, Jesus Christ\,\nto speak to us your word of Spirit and life.\nThough the forces of evil and death consumed him\,\nhe rose from the grave\nproclaiming your gospel of peace.\nNow he nourishes us for eternal life\nand arms us with truth\, righteousness and salvation\nthat we might stand firm against the corrupt spiritual powers\nthat would tear down all who seek you with integrity. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The Lord is steadfast in love\nand hears the prayers of all who come seeking mercy.\nGod reaches out to us in Jesus Christ\nforgiving our sins\nand nourishing us for life without limit. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out\, and make known the mystery of the gospel.\nKeep alert and pray at all times.\nDraw strength from God’s power\nand so stand firm against all that would corrupt you. \nAnd may God arm you with truth and righteousness;\nMay Christ Jesus give you words of Spirit and life;\nand may the Holy Spirit draw you near to God’s presence\nand bless you with honour and grace. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nToo Much to StomachA sermon on John 6:56-69 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhen all hell breaks looseA sermon on Ephesians 6:10-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNot Against Enemies of Blood and FleshA sermon on Ephesians 6:10-20 & John 6:56-69 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNo tenemos lucha contra sangre y carneA sermon on Ephesians 6:10-20 & John 6:56-69 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\n‘The words I have spoken are spirit and life’A sermon on Ephesians 6:10-20 & John 6:56-69 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nBiting off more than you can chewA sermon on John 6:56-69 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWith or Without a TempleA sermon on 1 Kings 8:1\,6\,10-11\, 22-30\,41-43 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp16/2030-08-25/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300825T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300825T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200908T033145Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000534Z
UID:10002788-1913846400-1913932799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 16 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Kings 8: (1\,6\,10-11)\, 22-30\, 41-43			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The sacred Ark of the Covenant had been kept on Mount Zion in the City of David. When King Solomon was ready to move it into the newly completed Temple\, he called all the elders and tribal leaders of Israel to come to Jerusalem for the occasion. The priests carried the sacred Ark into the Temple and placed it in the most holy place\, beneath the wings of the cherubim in the inner sanctuary. No sooner had they placed it there than a dazzling cloud filled the Temple. The awesome presence of God was so overpowering that no one could bear to stay inside. Even the priests had to make a hasty exit. \nOutside\, Solomon stood in front of the altar of the LORD and\, with his hands raised high\, he led the gathered people in prayer. He prayed: \n“O LORD\, God of Israel\, you are one of a kind! No other god in the universe is like you. Your love is rock-solid and you never forget the alliance you have made with those who follow you whole-heartedly. You made an alliance with my father David\, and today you have proven true to your word. Everything you promised him you have now put in place. \nO LORD\, God of Israel\, you promised my father that his descendants would occupy the throne of Israel forever\, so long as they stuck to your ways and kept nothing hidden from you. May this be true\, O God\, for my father David was your servant. May you always back up your promise to him. \nBut\, how could you possibly live on earth\, O LORD my God? You could hold the entire universe in your hand\, so how can we expect this little temple I’ve built to have enough room for you! But today I ask you to listen to my prayer\, for I am your servant. Hear me and answer me\, O God. This place bears your name because you have chosen it as the place for people to worship you. So keep your eye on it\, O LORD\, twenty four hours a day. Whenever I turn towards this place to pray\, lend me your ear. I am your servant\, and these people belong to you\, so any time one of us faces this Temple and prays\, hear us from your heavenly home and forgive any offence we have caused. \nAnd don’t stop with just us – foreigners will no doubt hear about you too. Attracted by your reputation and by news of the awesome things you do\, they will come from all sorts of far flung places to live among your people and offer their prayers within sight of this Temple. When they do\, listen to them from your heavenly home and answer their prayers. That way everyone on earth will hear of you and give you the same respect that your people Israel do. They will know that this Temple which I have built carries your authority. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 84			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The place where you live is just exquisite\,\nO LORD\, ruler of all!\nWith everything inside me\, I long to be there;\nI go all weak at the very thought of it.\nI want to be there\, body and soul\,\nsinging my heart out for you\, O God of life. \nEven the birds find a home in your house;\nthere are nests in every nook and cranny\nwhere pigeons and sparrows raise their young.\nBird song and incense rise together\nto honour you\, Sovereign God\, ruler of all.\nHow privileged are those who live in your house;\njoyous songs of praise are forever on their lips. \nThose who have tapped into your strength\nhave got it made.\nThe highway to heaven begins within them;\na direct route to your holy presence. \nThey are like people who can find water in the desert;\nthey drink from life giving springs\nthat no drought can ever dry up.\nThey go from strength to strength\,\nand will see you face to face on your holy mountain. \nO LORD\, ruler of everything\, hear my cry.\nTune in to my prayer\, O God of our ancestors. \nYour presence is our protection\, O God;\nsmile upon us\, your chosen ones. \nA day spent in your presence\nbeats a thousand nights in a five star resort.\nI’d rather scrub floors in your house\, O God\,\nthan rub shoulders with the rich and famous\nbeneath the flashing lights of greed and corruption. \nO LORD our God\, you are the sun that shines on us\nand the shield that keeps us safe.\nYou shower us with generosity and honour\,\nand deny nothing to people of integrity. \nO LORD\, ruler of all\,\neveryone who trusts in you has got it made! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 6: 10-20			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	If I could say one last thing to you\, it would be this: toughen yourselves up by drawing strength from God. Equip yourself with everything God offers\, because you’ll need it to detect and survive the guerrilla tactics the Devil will use against you. What we’re up against here is not simply human opposition. This is a life-and-death struggle against the corrupt spiritual forces and cosmic powers of evil that are responsible for the destructive chaos which is presently threatening to engulf the world. So arm yourselves with everything God gives you so that you’ll be ready and able to hold your ground when all hell breaks loose. \nIt’s time to stand up and be counted. Kit yourselves out in truth\, righteousness\, peace\, faith and salvation\, and you’ll be ready for anything. Truth is like a belt on which everything else hangs. Justice and righteousness protect your heart like a bullet-proof vest. Your passion for spreading peace will get you through the hard miles like a sturdy pair of boots. Faith is like a riot shield that protects you from the fire bombs and anything else the evil one throws at you. God’s salvation is like a good helmet — even if you do get knocked down\, it will keep your head in one piece! And finally\, when it is time to go on the attack\, there is one indispensable weapon — the word of God — the same weapon the Spirit used to bring us to our knees. \nAnd speaking of being on your knees\, none of this armoury will be any use at all unless you are putting some serious time into prayer. Pray long and hard with the Spirit as your partner and mentor. Keep your eyes and ears open and keep plugging away in prayer for all your comrades in this holy quest. Remember me in your prayers too. I might be an ambassador bearing God’s message\, but my opportunities are rather limited here in the detention centre! So for the opportunities I do get to speak\, pray that I’ll know exactly what to say and that I’ll have the guts to come out with the whole thing\, the whole wondrous mystery of the good news in Christ. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 6: 56-69			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	While teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum\, Jesus said: \n“Whatever you eat and drink becomes a part of you\, but when you consume my flesh and blood\, not only will I become a part of you\, but you’ll find yourself in me\, becoming a part of me. The God who conceived me is the source of my life and has sent me\, serving me up to you. In much the same way\, I will be the source of life for whoever digests me. Do you see then? This is the real bread which has come from heaven. It’s not like what your ancestors ate in the desert. They still died. This is different. Those who eat this bread will live life without end and without limit.” \nWhen the people who had been following Jesus heard him say these things\, many of them began to say\, “Who can stomach what this man teaches? It is too tough by far.” \nJesus got wind of their complaints and said to them: \n“Are you ready to throw in the towel over this? How would you react if you saw the New Human entering heaven? After all\, that’s where he came from. Real life comes only from the Spirit. Without it you’re nothing. Everything I’ve said to you is life-giving and backed up by the Spirit. But for some of you\, that will make no difference — you’ve already put the shutters up.” \nJesus could tell\, right from the start\, that some wouldn’t have a bar of him once they knew what he was on about. He also knew who would betray him. He spelt it out to them\, saying\, “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: like a Father taking his children where they could not go alone\, God is drawing people to me. Otherwise\, no one would come.” \nThis was the last straw for many of those who had followed him. They cleared off and wouldn’t have anything further to do with him. That prompted Jesus to put the question to the twelve: “What about you? You’re free to join them if you want to give up on me too.” \nSimon Peter answered for them: “Lord\, who else could we turn to? Your words have opened our eyes to life without limit. You have won our trust and we are convinced that you are God’s Holy One.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Joshua 24: 1-2a\, 14-18			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel together at Shechem. He called a meeting of their leaders — the tribal elders\, the clan chiefs\, the judges\, and the civil officials — and they gathered under the authority of God. Joshua addressed them\, saying: \n“The LORD\, the God of Israel\, wants you to hear this. Treat the LORD with due respect\, and be absolutely fair dinkum and rock-solid in your commitment to doing all that the LORD asks of you. Have nothing more to do with any of the other objects of devotion that your ancestors worked for back in those days\, or when they were in Egypt. Put yourselves wholly at the service of the LORD. But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD\, then you can make up your own minds what you are going to devote yourselves to: the ignorant ways of your ancestors back there in the dark ages; or the trivialities of the culture around you here. But I have made up my mind for myself and for my family; we will devote ourselves to the LORD.” \nWhen Joshua finished his speech\, the leaders replied\, saying: \n“There is no way we would turn our backs on the LORD and devote ourselves to other gods. It was the LORD who broke us free from slavery and did such spectacular things before our very eyes in the land where we had been oppressed. As we travelled\, the LORD looked after us every step of the way and kept us safe from hostile nations. It was the LORD who made room for us by driving out the nations who were occupying this land. Therefore we will serve the LORD\, for the LORD is our God.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 34: 15-22			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	O LORD\, you keep a protective eye on those who play a straight bat;\nyou’re never out of earshot if they need you. \nYou grit your teeth and stand against evil though\,\nand you erase from history those who spread it. \nWhen good honest people need help\, you’re there for them\, LORD;\nyou get them out of whatever trouble they’re in. \nYou are especially close to the broken-hearted;\nwhen hope is crushed\, you come to the rescue. \nYour people endure as much suffering as anyone else\, LORD\,\nbut you ensure that they make it through. \nLike a vigilant bodyguard\,\nyou see that not a bone is broken. \nEvil is lethal to those who drink their fill of it;\nthose who despise the straight and narrow will stumble to destruction. \nBut you\, LORD\, are always ready to bail out those who serve your cause;\nno one who runs to you for safety will be handed over to death. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you are the giver of honour and grace\nand we are eager for your presence with us. \nThe heavens and the earth cannot contain you\nfor you have created them and hold them in your hand.\nAnd yet you dwell among your people\nand allow even the birds of the air\nto nest in your courts and honour you with their song. \nYou have sent your Holy One\, Jesus Christ\,\nto speak to us your word of Spirit and life.\nThough the forces of evil and death consumed him\,\nhe rose from the grave\nproclaiming your gospel of peace.\nNow he nourishes us with his body and blood\nand arms us with truth\, righteousness and salvation\nthat we might stand firm against the corrupt spiritual powers\nthat would tear down all who seek you with integrity. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Holy One\, Jesus\,\nwho nourishes us with his body and blood\nand arms us with truth\, righteousness and salvation\nthat we might stand firm against the corrupt spiritual powers\nthat would tear down all who seek you with integrity. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you are the giver of honour and grace\nand we are eager for your presence with us. \nThe heavens and the earth cannot contain you\nfor you have created them and hold them in your hand.\nAnd yet you dwell among your people\nand allow even the birds of the air\nto nest in your courts and honour you with their song. \nYou have sent your Holy One\, Jesus Christ\,\nto speak to us your word of Spirit and life.\nThough the forces of evil and death consumed him\,\nhe rose from the grave\nproclaiming your gospel of peace.\nNow he nourishes us for eternal life\nand arms us with truth\, righteousness and salvation\nthat we might stand firm against the corrupt spiritual powers\nthat would tear down all who seek you with integrity. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The Lord is steadfast in love\nand hears the prayers of all who come seeking mercy.\nGod reaches out to us in Jesus Christ\nforgiving our sins\nand nourishing us for life without limit. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out\, and make known the mystery of the gospel.\nKeep alert and pray at all times.\nDraw strength from God’s power\nand so stand firm against all that would corrupt you. \nAnd may God arm you with truth and righteousness;\nMay Christ Jesus give you words of Spirit and life;\nand may the Holy Spirit draw you near to God’s presence\nand bless you with honour and grace. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nToo Much to StomachA sermon on John 6:56-69 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhen all hell breaks looseA sermon on Ephesians 6:10-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNot Against Enemies of Blood and FleshA sermon on Ephesians 6:10-20 & John 6:56-69 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNo tenemos lucha contra sangre y carneA sermon on Ephesians 6:10-20 & John 6:56-69 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\n‘The words I have spoken are spirit and life’A sermon on Ephesians 6:10-20 & John 6:56-69 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nBiting off more than you can chewA sermon on John 6:56-69 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWith or Without a TempleA sermon on 1 Kings 8:1\,6\,10-11\, 22-30\,41-43 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp16/2030-08-25/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P16.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300901T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300901T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200909T035235Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000534Z
UID:10002786-1914451200-1914537599@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 17 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Song of Solomon 2: 8-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I await the voice of my lover!\nI see him coming\, running through the alpine bush\,\nleaping rocks and logs\,\nas surefooted as a wallaby\,\nmuscles rippling like a mountain thoroughbred. \nLook\, now he arrives\, there by the garden wall\,\nhis eyes scanning the windows\,\nsearching the balcony\,\neager to catch a sight of me. \nMy lover calls out for me alone\, saying: \n“Come now\, my darling\, my lovely one\,\ncome away with me. \nThe outdoors will welcome us\,\nfor the cold wet winter has released its grip.\nWildflowers explode with colour\nand the air is filled with song;\nBellbird calls ring through the bush\nlike the summons to a wedding.\nBerries and grapes ripen with promise\nand every flower adds it fragrance\nto the wafting breeze. \nSo come\, my darling\, my lovely one\,\ncome away with me.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 45: 1-2\, 6-9			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	My heart overflows with words of delight;\n    a song of love bursts forth for the king;\n    my voice as charmed as the poet’s pen. \nYou\, my king\, are a man of unsurpassed beauty.\n    Every word that passes your lips is generous and inspiring.\n    God’s richest blessings are yours forever. \nYour throne is God-given\, and will never be shaken.\n    Your royal power is wielded for justice.\nYou have a passion for integrity\n    and a loathing for corruption.\nTherefore God has chosen you above all others\,\n    crowned you with joy like no other has known. \nRich and exotic fragrances cascade from your royal robes\,\n    and your palace is alive with music and dancing.\nThe daughters of kings wait on you\, hand and foot;\n    and on your arm is your chosen bride in a gown of liquid gold. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  James 1: 17-27			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Genuine no-strings-attached generosity is found only in God\, and everything that is really worth having comes as a gift from the God who lights up our darkness. There is nothing two-faced about God — nothing fickle or shifty\, nothing hidden in the shadows. We were conceived by God’s own love and desire and\, with the Word of Truth as midwife\, God gave birth to us and held us up for all to see\, just as besotted parents always show off their precious newborn children. \nMy beloved friends\, let me spell out some crucial wisdom: listening is your number one priority when you interact with others. Listen long and hard before you do anything else. There will be time to speak later\, and if there is to be anger\, see that it comes last of all when you’re sure you’ve got everything perfectly clear. Anger\, by itself\, never gives birth to the sort of active integrity God desires. \nThink of yourselves as a garden in need of attention. Clear away the putrid garbage and all those noxious weeds that choke off any desirable thing that tries to get established. Pull them out roots and all. Then\, like well prepared soil\, welcome what God plants in you. Let the seed of God’s Word send down roots deep inside you\, saving you from ruin and restoring you to rich fruitfulness. \nWhen the Word is sown in you\, don’t let anything stop it bearing fruit in your actions. Don’t let it go in one ear and out the other while kidding yourself that you’ve heard it. Hearing the word and then failing to act on it is about as ridiculous as taking a good look at yourself in the mirror and then still walking out the front door with gravy on your chin! If\, on the other hand\, you carefully look into the ways of God — the laws of freedom — and consistently put them into practice instead of just filing them away for later reference\, then you will find God backing you up at every turn\, making everything you do fruitful and satisfying. \nThere are those who think of themselves as being the epitome of true religion\, and yet they can’t even control their own tongues. They are deluding themselves and their religion is not worth a zack. The religion that really shows us to be God’s children — the religion that is free of any fault or hypocrisy — is this: care for those who no one else cares for\, and don’t allow yourself to be corrupted by the callous ways of the world. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Mark 7: 1-8\, 14-15\, 21-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	A group of religious lawyers and members of the devoutly religious Pharisee party had come from Jerusalem and were keeping a close eye on Jesus and his followers. They noticed that some of them were eating their meals without first washing their hands in the customary way. The Pharisees\, like most Jewish people\, observed strict purification rituals before eating. There were numerous rules spelling out the required ways of washing\, not only for people’s hands\, but for the food and the cooking utensils as well. Careful observance of these traditions was believed to protect people from defilement\, and the religious types wouldn’t have dreamed of taking any shortcuts. So\, when they saw what was going on\, they spoke to Jesus and demanded an explanation. “Why do your followers spit in the face of our ancestors by flouting the rules they passed down to us? Look they are eating with defiled hands!” \nJesus said to them\, “Isaiah hit the nail on the head when he spoke about you. He saw right through your hypocrisy when he wrote this: \n‘These people mouth all the right words\,\nbut their hearts aren’t in it.\nTheir worship is just one big sham.\nThey invent rules to suit themselves\nand then teach them as the word of God.’ \n“At the end of the day\, you lot are more concerned about your own rules and traditions than you are about what God really wants of people.” \nHaving said that\, Jesus turned and spoke to the crowd again\, saying\, “Listen up\, and try to get this clear in your own minds. The things that really pollute people are not the things that they put into their mouths\, but the muck that spews out from within them. \n“If you are looking for the cause of evil\, look inside yourselves. Evil intentions are conceived in the human heart\, every one of them: lechery\, disregard for people’s rights\, murder\, sexual betrayal\, unbridled greed\, callousness\, deceit\, promiscuity\, jealousy\, vilification\, conceit\, senselessness. All these things bubble up from inside people. They don’t get in from the outside. And these are the things that really pollute your lives.” \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Deuteronomy 4: 1-2\, 6-9			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Moses addressed the people\, saying: \n"Listen up\, people of Israel. I am laying down the law on how you are to live. Get these things clear in your heads and put them into practice. That way you will have life and be able to make yourselves at home in the land that is being given to you by the LORD\, the God of your ancestors. The directions I am spelling out to you are from God\, and you must not go adding new rules of your own\, or cutting out bits that don’t suit you. Follow everything the LORD your God is asking of you\, just as I have told you. Follow these instructions consistently and you will become known for your wisdom and good judgement. Other nations will hear of the standards you live by and say\, “What a great nation: you can back their judgement every time.” Our God is always there for us when we cry out for help. Can any other nation boast of that? And these directions that God has given us today cover everything we could possibly need to know. Does any other nation have anything as good as that? \n"But take care and keep a close eye on yourselves. Don’t forget the things you have seen God do. Don’t forget them as long as you live. Pass on the stories to your children and to your children’s children." \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, who is welcome at your table?\nWho can stay in the place you call your own? \nYou have given us the answer\, LORD.\nIt is those who walk with integrity\nand do the right thing;\nthose who speak the honest truth\nand do not use their words to wound;\nthose who do not exploit their friends\nor put down their neighbours.\nIt is those who hate corruption\nand look up to those who honour you\, LORD;\nthose who give their word\nand stand by it even if it costs them;\nthose who lend freely\, without seeking a profit\,\nand cannot be bribed into shafting the innocent. \nYou honour such people\, LORD\,\nand anchor them on unshakable ground. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor there is nothing deceitful or shadowy in you\nand every good and perfect gift comes from your hand. \nYour throne endures forever and ever\,\nand in your passion and desire\nyou conceived the entire universe.\nYou gave birth to us through the word of truth\,\nand gave us first place among your creatures. \nThrough your servant Moses your holy law was given\,\nand through your Son\, Jesus\,\nit was cleansed of all that obscured its truth.\nThough he was opposed and killed\nby those who honoured you in word but denied you in deed\,\nyou raised him from the grave\,\nbringing all the world back to life.\nNow he seeks us out like an ardent lover\nto restore in us a passion for righteousness\nthat brings forth purity and truth\nin both word and in action. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for every good and perfect gift\nthat comes from your hand\,\nand especially for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho seeks us out like an ardent lover\nto restore in us a passion for righteousness\nthat brings forth purity and truth\nin both word and in action. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor there is nothing deceitful or shadowy in you\nand every good and perfect gift comes from your hand. \nYour throne endures forever and ever\,\nand in your passion and desire\nyou conceived the entire universe.\nYou gave birth to us through the word of truth\,\nand gave us first place among your creatures. \nThrough your servant Moses your holy law was given\,\nand through your Son\, Jesus\,\nit was cleansed of all that obscured its truth.\nThough he was opposed and killed\nby those who honoured you in word but denied you in deed\,\nyou raised him from the grave\,\nbringing all the world back to life.\nNow he seeks us out like an ardent lover\nto restore in us a passion for righteousness\nthat brings forth purity and truth\nin both word and in action. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus Christ has delivered us by the Word of Truth\,\nsetting us free from the judgment of the law\nand planting his word within us\,\nto save us from all that would pollute us. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out\, and be doers of the Word.\nCleanse your hearts of all pollution\,\nbe quick to listen and learn\,\nwelcome the Word that God implants in you\,\nand bring it to birth in acts of righteousness and compassion. \nAnd may God pour grace upon you and bless you forever;\nMay Christ Jesus reveal to you the truth of God’s ways;\nand may the Holy Spirit fill your life with passion and love. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nWhen The Bible Makes You BlushA sermon on the Song of Songs by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nModern Sex and Ancient Purity LawsA sermon on Mark 7:1-8\, 14-15\, 21-23 & Song of Solomon 2:8-13 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nDisgusting!?!A sermon on Mark 7: 1-8\, 14-15\, 21-23 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nYou Are Not DefiledA sermon on Mark 7: 1-8\, 14-15\, 21-23 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nHot Sex & HypocrisyA sermon on Song of Songs; Mark 7: 1-8\, 14-15\, 21-23; & James 1:17-27 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLove and GrubbinessA sermon on Mark 7:1-8\, 14-15\, 21-23 & Song of Songs 2:8-13 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp17/2030-09-01/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P17.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300901T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300901T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200909T035235Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240929T105136Z
UID:10002148-1914451200-1914537599@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 17 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Song of Solomon 2: 8-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I await the voice of my lover!\nI see him coming\, running through the alpine bush\,\nleaping rocks and logs\,\nas surefooted as a wallaby\,\nmuscles rippling like a mountain thoroughbred. \nLook\, now he arrives\, there by the garden wall\,\nhis eyes scanning the windows\,\nsearching the balcony\,\neager to catch a sight of me. \nMy lover calls out for me alone\, saying: \n“Come now\, my darling\, my lovely one\,\ncome away with me. \nThe outdoors will welcome us\,\nfor the cold wet winter has released its grip.\nWildflowers explode with colour\nand the air is filled with song;\nBellbird calls ring through the bush\nlike the summons to a wedding.\nBerries and grapes ripen with promise\nand every flower adds it fragrance\nto the wafting breeze. \nSo come\, my darling\, my lovely one\,\ncome away with me.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 45: 1-2\, 6-9			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	My heart overflows with words of delight;\n    a song of love bursts forth for the king;\n    my voice as charmed as the poet’s pen. \nYou\, my king\, are a man of unsurpassed beauty.\n    Every word that passes your lips is generous and inspiring.\n    God’s richest blessings are yours forever. \nYour throne is God-given\, and will never be shaken.\n    Your royal power is wielded for justice.\nYou have a passion for integrity\n    and a loathing for corruption.\nTherefore God has chosen you above all others\,\n    crowned you with joy like no other has known. \nRich and exotic fragrances cascade from your royal robes\,\n    and your palace is alive with music and dancing.\nThe daughters of kings wait on you\, hand and foot;\n    and on your arm is your chosen bride in a gown of liquid gold. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  James 1: 17-27			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Genuine no-strings-attached generosity is found only in God\, and everything that is really worth having comes as a gift from the God who lights up our darkness. There is nothing two-faced about God — nothing fickle or shifty\, nothing hidden in the shadows. We were conceived by God’s own love and desire and\, with the Word of Truth as midwife\, God gave birth to us and held us up for all to see\, just as besotted parents always show off their precious newborn children. \nMy beloved friends\, let me spell out some crucial wisdom: listening is your number one priority when you interact with others. Listen long and hard before you do anything else. There will be time to speak later\, and if there is to be anger\, see that it comes last of all when you’re sure you’ve got everything perfectly clear. Anger\, by itself\, never gives birth to the sort of active integrity God desires. \nThink of yourselves as a garden in need of attention. Clear away the putrid garbage and all those noxious weeds that choke off any desirable thing that tries to get established. Pull them out roots and all. Then\, like well prepared soil\, welcome what God plants in you. Let the seed of God’s Word send down roots deep inside you\, saving you from ruin and restoring you to rich fruitfulness. \nWhen the Word is sown in you\, don’t let anything stop it bearing fruit in your actions. Don’t let it go in one ear and out the other while kidding yourself that you’ve heard it. Hearing the word and then failing to act on it is about as ridiculous as taking a good look at yourself in the mirror and then still walking out the front door with gravy on your chin! If\, on the other hand\, you carefully look into the ways of God — the laws of freedom — and consistently put them into practice instead of just filing them away for later reference\, then you will find God backing you up at every turn\, making everything you do fruitful and satisfying. \nThere are those who think of themselves as being the epitome of true religion\, and yet they can’t even control their own tongues. They are deluding themselves and their religion is not worth a zack. The religion that really shows us to be God’s children — the religion that is free of any fault or hypocrisy — is this: care for those who no one else cares for\, and don’t allow yourself to be corrupted by the callous ways of the world. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Mark 7: 1-8\, 14-15\, 21-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	A group of religious lawyers and members of the devoutly religious Pharisee party had come from Jerusalem and were keeping a close eye on Jesus and his followers. They noticed that some of them were eating their meals without first washing their hands in the customary way. The Pharisees\, like most Jewish people\, observed strict purification rituals before eating. There were numerous rules spelling out the required ways of washing\, not only for people’s hands\, but for the food and the cooking utensils as well. Careful observance of these traditions was believed to protect people from defilement\, and the religious types wouldn’t have dreamed of taking any shortcuts. So\, when they saw what was going on\, they spoke to Jesus and demanded an explanation. “Why do your followers spit in the face of our ancestors by flouting the rules they passed down to us? Look they are eating with defiled hands!” \nJesus said to them\, “Isaiah hit the nail on the head when he spoke about you. He saw right through your hypocrisy when he wrote this: \n‘These people mouth all the right words\,\nbut their hearts aren’t in it.\nTheir worship is just one big sham.\nThey invent rules to suit themselves\nand then teach them as the word of God.’ \n“At the end of the day\, you lot are more concerned about your own rules and traditions than you are about what God really wants of people.” \nHaving said that\, Jesus turned and spoke to the crowd again\, saying\, “Listen up\, and try to get this clear in your own minds. The things that really pollute people are not the things that they put into their mouths\, but the muck that spews out from within them. \n“If you are looking for the cause of evil\, look inside yourselves. Evil intentions are conceived in the human heart\, every one of them: lechery\, disregard for people’s rights\, murder\, sexual betrayal\, unbridled greed\, callousness\, deceit\, promiscuity\, jealousy\, vilification\, conceit\, senselessness. All these things bubble up from inside people. They don’t get in from the outside. And these are the things that really pollute your lives.” \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Deuteronomy 4: 1-2\, 6-9			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Moses addressed the people\, saying: \n"Listen up\, people of Israel. I am laying down the law on how you are to live. Get these things clear in your heads and put them into practice. That way you will have life and be able to make yourselves at home in the land that is being given to you by the LORD\, the God of your ancestors. The directions I am spelling out to you are from God\, and you must not go adding new rules of your own\, or cutting out bits that don’t suit you. Follow everything the LORD your God is asking of you\, just as I have told you. Follow these instructions consistently and you will become known for your wisdom and good judgement. Other nations will hear of the standards you live by and say\, “What a great nation: you can back their judgement every time.” Our God is always there for us when we cry out for help. Can any other nation boast of that? And these directions that God has given us today cover everything we could possibly need to know. Does any other nation have anything as good as that? \n"But take care and keep a close eye on yourselves. Don’t forget the things you have seen God do. Don’t forget them as long as you live. Pass on the stories to your children and to your children’s children." \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, who is welcome at your table?\nWho can stay in the place you call your own? \nYou have given us the answer\, LORD.\nIt is those who walk with integrity\nand do the right thing;\nthose who speak the honest truth\nand do not use their words to wound;\nthose who do not exploit their friends\nor put down their neighbours.\nIt is those who hate corruption\nand look up to those who honour you\, LORD;\nthose who give their word\nand stand by it even if it costs them;\nthose who lend freely\, without seeking a profit\,\nand cannot be bribed into shafting the innocent. \nYou honour such people\, LORD\,\nand anchor them on unshakable ground. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor there is nothing deceitful or shadowy in you\nand every good and perfect gift comes from your hand. \nYour throne endures forever and ever\,\nand in your passion and desire\nyou conceived the entire universe.\nYou gave birth to us through the word of truth\,\nand gave us first place among your creatures. \nThrough your servant Moses your holy law was given\,\nand through your Son\, Jesus\,\nit was cleansed of all that obscured its truth.\nThough he was opposed and killed\nby those who honoured you in word but denied you in deed\,\nyou raised him from the grave\,\nbringing all the world back to life.\nNow he seeks us out like an ardent lover\nto restore in us a passion for righteousness\nthat brings forth purity and truth\nin both word and in action. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for every good and perfect gift\nthat comes from your hand\,\nand especially for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho seeks us out like an ardent lover\nto restore in us a passion for righteousness\nthat brings forth purity and truth\nin both word and in action. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor there is nothing deceitful or shadowy in you\nand every good and perfect gift comes from your hand. \nYour throne endures forever and ever\,\nand in your passion and desire\nyou conceived the entire universe.\nYou gave birth to us through the word of truth\,\nand gave us first place among your creatures. \nThrough your servant Moses your holy law was given\,\nand through your Son\, Jesus\,\nit was cleansed of all that obscured its truth.\nThough he was opposed and killed\nby those who honoured you in word but denied you in deed\,\nyou raised him from the grave\,\nbringing all the world back to life.\nNow he seeks us out like an ardent lover\nto restore in us a passion for righteousness\nthat brings forth purity and truth\nin both word and in action. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus Christ has delivered us by the Word of Truth\,\nsetting us free from the judgment of the law\nand planting his word within us\,\nto save us from all that would pollute us. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out\, and be doers of the Word.\nCleanse your hearts of all pollution\,\nbe quick to listen and learn\,\nwelcome the Word that God implants in you\,\nand bring it to birth in acts of righteousness and compassion. \nAnd may God pour grace upon you and bless you forever;\nMay Christ Jesus reveal to you the truth of God’s ways;\nand may the Holy Spirit fill your life with passion and love. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nWhen The Bible Makes You BlushA sermon on the Song of Songs by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nModern Sex and Ancient Purity LawsA sermon on Mark 7:1-8\, 14-15\, 21-23 & Song of Solomon 2:8-13 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nDisgusting!?!A sermon on Mark 7: 1-8\, 14-15\, 21-23 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nYou Are Not DefiledA sermon on Mark 7: 1-8\, 14-15\, 21-23 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nHot Sex & HypocrisyA sermon on Song of Songs; Mark 7: 1-8\, 14-15\, 21-23; & James 1:17-27 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLove and GrubbinessA sermon on Mark 7:1-8\, 14-15\, 21-23 & Song of Songs 2:8-13 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp17/2030-09-01/
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DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20300908T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T052338
CREATED:20200909T041706Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241007T003547Z
UID:10002149-1915056000-1915142399@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 18 - Year B
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Proverbs 22: 1-2\, 8-9\, 22-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Given the choice between a good reputation\nand triple-A credit rating\,\ntake the good reputation.\nRespect will earn you what money can’t buy. \nGod created everybody equal;\nand at the end of the day\,\nthe rich and the poor both answer to the same God. \nAnyone who invests in injustice\nwill reap dividends of disaster\,\nand angrily throwing their weight around\nwon’t get them out of trouble. \nIf you really want to maximise your returns\,\nopen your hands\, open your table\,\nshare what you have with those in need. \nDon’t rip off the poor just because they’re easy targets\,\nand don’t use the law to take advantage of them\njust because you can afford better lawyers.\nIf you do\, you’ll find God rising to their defence\,\nand if you’ve stomped them into the mud\,\nthe LORD will stomp you into the mud. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 125			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Those who put their trust in you\, O LORD\,\nare like Mount Dandenong:\nsolid\, calm and dependable. \nLike the mountain watching over the city\,\nso you\, LORD\, watch over you people\,\noffering protection\, now and forever. \nWhere people are committed to playing straight\,\nyou will not let injustice dominate.\nIf it did\, even trustworthy people\nmight let evil through their guard. \nO LORD\, may good things come\nto those who have stayed true\,\nto those who have integrity\nand goodness in their hearts. \nBut as for those who have embraced the ways of corruption\,\nbe it on their own heads if they are swept away\nwhen you bring evil to its final end. \nMay all your people enjoy peace\, O LORD. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  James 2: 1-10\, (11-13)\, 14-17			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Sisters and brothers\, if you really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ\, how come you still play favourites? If people walk into one of your meetings and you make a fuss of the ones dressed up to the nines and looking a million dollars\, ushering them to the best seats in the house\, while at the same time turning up your nose at those dressed like battlers\, down on their luck\, telling them to stand out in the foyer\, aren’t you practising apartheid\, segregating God’s children? You’re as crooked as a judge who bases your sentence on the length of your skirt! \nGet this straight in your minds\, dear friends. God has turned the world’s opinion polls upside down. Those who have been deprived of what the world values have a huge head-start in the faith stakes. Their names are at the top of the list of those who God has chosen to inherit the riches of the kingdom. All who love God have an equal share in God’s promises\, but you’re insulting some of them by means-testing your welcome. And just think about it — it’s the fat-cats who cut your wages and increase your hours\, isn’t it? It’s the silvertails who use their fancy lawyers to bleed you dry. Aren’t they the ones who even make a mockery of Christ by invoking his name to baptise their positions of privilege? \nIt is quite simple to do the right thing — just fulfil the basic law of God’s realm\, as spelt out in the scriptures: “Love everyone else as you love yourself.” But if you show favouritism to the young and beautiful or the wealthy and powerful\, then you are violating that law and you stand convicted by it. It will show you for what you are — a sinner. You see\, you can’t pick and choose when it comes to the law of God. You can’t claim exemption from one law on the grounds that you’ve kept the rest. You can’t pretend that because you’ve never had an affair you should be regarded as a model of virtue and excused one little murder. God ruled out both sexual betrayal and murder\, and either one puts you outside the law of love. See to it that everything you say and do is consistent with the law of love which sets us free\, for your living of it sets the tone for how you’ll be judged by it. If you’ve been harsh and intolerant in your judgment of others\, you can be sure of copping the same yourself. Mercy and generosity however will outbid judgment every time. \nBrothers and sisters\, what’s the good of claiming to be a person of faith if you never put love into action? Do you think a head full of theoretical faith is enough to save you? You’ve got to be kidding. Think about this: if someone you know has barely got a stitch to wear or a scrap to eat\, and you walk past saying\, “Praise the Lord\, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and fail to offer even a coat or a sandwich\, what good is that? You’ve been worse than useless. Faith that doesn’t express itself in compassionate action is obviously dead — rotting\, putrid and no use to anyone. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Mark 7: 24-37			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus moved on to the district around the city of Tyre\, and stayed in a house where he didn’t think anyone would be able to find him. He stuck out like a sore thumb though\, and the word got around in no time. He’d barely had time to take the weight off his feet when there was a woman bowing and scraping before him\, begging for help. She wasn’t even Jewish\, but came from the part of Syria known as Phoenicia. She had a daughter who was deeply disturbed by some demonic force\, and she begged Jesus to set her free from it. But Jesus said to her\, “First things first. You can’t snatch food out of the children’s mouths and throw it to the dogs.” \nBut she didn’t give up. “Sir\, even dogs know to sit under the table when the children are eating because there is always plenty of scraps for them.” \nJesus was won over. “You’re absolutely right! Your words have carried the day. Go home. The demons are gone. Your daughter is free.” \nSo she hurried home and sure enough\, her daughter was relaxing on the bed and the demonic torment was completely gone. \nJesus moved on again\, leaving the district of Tyre and heading back towards Lake Galilee via Sidon. As he passed through the district of the Ten Towns\, some people begged him to stop and lay a healing hand on a man who was stone deaf and had such a severe speech impediment that he could hardly make himself understood. Jesus took the man aside\, away from the eyes of the crowd. In the customary way\, Jesus put his fingers in the man’s ears and then spat on his finger and touched the man’s tongue as he prayed for him. Looking heavenward\, Jesus gave a deep groan and said\, “Effatha!” which is the Aramaic word for “Open up.” \nAnd it happened\, just like that. The man’s ears began to hear perfectly and his speech became steady and clear. \nJesus gave them strict instructions to keep this to themselves\, but he was wasting his breath. The more he tried to hush it up\, the more energetic the grapevine got! Everyone was just so blown away by the things he did\, that they told anyone who would listen. “You should see the things he can do – wonderful things. He even restores hearing to the deaf and the power of speech to the dumb!” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Isaiah 35: 4-7a			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Encourage those who are fearing the worst;\ntell them not to give in to their fears but to hang in there.\nAssure them that God is at hand;\ncoming to pay back oppressors what they deserve;\ncoming to rescue you\, to set you free! \nWhat a day that will be!\nEyes long blind will open to colour and light!\nEars long deaf will hear music and laughter!\nLegs long paralysed will dance like brolgas!\nTongues long tied will sing like lyrebirds! \nFor reviving rains will fall on dry dusty land\,\nand rivers will flow in the desert.\nHard-baked salt pans will become inland lakes\,\nand cool water will gush up between scorching rocks. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 146			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	You are the best\, LORD!\nWith all my heart I sing your praises.\nI will never stop talking you up;\nI won’t stop spruiking your goodness till the day I die. \nThere is no one but you that we can depend on\, LORD;\nnot experts\, not leaders\, no one.\nNo human being can give what we most need;\nno matter what their plans and schemes promise\,\nthe minute they’re gone\, their promises die with them. \nBut we hit the jackpot when we look to you for help\, LORD;\nwhen we put all our hopes in you – the God of our ancestors.\nYou are the one who made earth and sky\,\nwho poured out the seas and filled them with life.\nYou are true to your word no matter what;\nwhen people are ground into the dirt\, you bring about justice;\nwhen people are left to starve\, you come with food. \nYou\, LORD\, set the prisoners free.\nYou\, LORD\, open the eyes of those who can’t see.\nYou\, LORD\, put the downtrodden back on their feet. \nYou\, LORD\, love those who do the right thing.\nYou\, LORD\, keep a caring eye on the asylum seekers.\nYou stick up for those who have no one else to stick up for them\,\nbut you make the schemes of the corrupt backfire on them. \nTake charge forever\, LORD\,\nrule from your sacred Mountain for all time.\nYou’re the best\, LORD. We’re with you all the way! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you embrace your people now and forever\nand promise the Kingdom to all who love you. \nThe universe came into existence at your command\nand rich and poor alike have you as their maker.\nThrough Moses you taught your people\nto provide for the welfare of those in need\,\nand through the prophets you thundered against our injustice\nand called for repentance in word and deed. \nIn your son\, Jesus Christ\,\nyour love and healing mercy\nreached beyond the bounds of our prejudice\nand demonstrated your compassion\nfor all who are needy\, afflicted or vulnerable.\nThough he was killed by those who sow injustice\,\nyou raised him to new life\nthat he might sow in us the seeds of faith\,\nfilling our communities with love and justice\nand bringing forth a rich harvest of good works. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your son\, Jesus Christ\,\nthrough whom your love and healing mercy\nreached beyond the bounds of our prejudice\,\nand who is now sowing in us the seeds of faith\,\nthat we might bring forth a rich harvest of good works. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you embrace your people now and forever\nand promise the Kingdom to all who love you. \nThe universe came into existence at your command\nand rich and poor alike have you as their maker.\nThrough Moses you taught your people\nto provide for the welfare of those in need\,\nand through the prophets you thundered against our injustice\nand called for repentance in word and deed. \nIn your son\, Jesus Christ\,\nyour love and healing mercy\nreached beyond the bounds of our prejudice\nand demonstrated your compassion\nfor all who are needy\, afflicted or vulnerable.\nThough he was killed by those who sow injustice\,\nyou raised him to new life\nthat he might sow in us the seeds of faith\,\nfilling our communities with love and justice\nand bringing forth a rich harvest of good works. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	When we fail to keep even one point of God’s law\,\nwe become accountable for all of it\,\nbut God’s mercy triumphs over judgment\,\nsetting us free and giving us a faith that is active for good. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now\, and invest your lives in the works of faith.\nMake a name for yourselves for generosity and compassion.\nFulfil God’s holy law\nby putting love into action as eagerly for others\nas you would for yourselves. \nAnd may God be your defender and provider;\nMay Christ Jesus dispel all that disturbs or disables you;\nand may the Holy Spirit make you rich in faith\nand loving and merciful in action. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nWas Jesus a racist?A sermon on Mark 7:24-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nA Prayer-shaped Investment StrategyA sermon on Proverbs 22 & James 2 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBe OpenA sermon on Mark 7:24-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPoverty\, borders\, and the Meaning of FaithA sermon on James 2:1-17 & Mark 7:24-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nComing Out From Under the TableA sermon on Mark 7:24-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nA Contagion To Open Up ToA sermon on Mark 7:24-37 by Doug Morrison-Cleary\n\n\n\nPlaying FavouritesA sermon on James 2:1-17 & Mark 7:24-37 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp18/2030-09-08/
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