BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//LaughingBird - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:LaughingBird X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://laughingbird.net X-WR-CALDESC:Events for LaughingBird REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Australia/Melbourne BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20270403T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20271002T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20280401T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20280930T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20290331T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20291006T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20300406T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20301005T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20310405T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20311004T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20320403T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20321002T160000 END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20280820T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20280820T235959 DTSTAMP:20260408T051923 CREATED:20210506T044743Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250914T051326Z UID:10001764-1850342400-1850428799@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 15 - Year C 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 5: 1-7 \n \n\n \n \n \n I’ll sing a story in song\,\na gift of love for my vine-growing friend. \nMy best friend began a vineyard;\nideally situated on a sunny\, fertile hillside.\nHe cleared the rocks\, cultivated the soil\,\nand planted top-grade vines.\nHe built a fully equipped winery\,\ndug a cellar and installed a wine-press.\nHe had every reason to expect top-quality grapes\,\nbut the entire harvest was bitter and useless. \nCome now\, you who live in Jerusalem\,\nand all you people of Judah;\nwho do you think is in the right:\nme or my vineyard? \nDid I fall down on the job somewhere;\nwhat more could I have done for my vineyard?\nWas I wrong to expect good quality grapes?\nWhy did I get nothing but rubbish? \nWell\, I’m sick of that lousy vineyard.\nI’ll tell you what I’ll do to it:\nI will rip down the fences\nand let the animals chew it up;\nI will smash down the gates\nand let the passers-by stomp all over it. \nI will leave it in ruins;\ntrashed and abandoned;\nthe weeds and blackberries will take over.\nI will disconnect the water\nand pray that the rains steer clear. \nAre you people getting the message? \nThe LORD who rules over everything\nis the vine-grower\,\nand you\, the people of Israel and Judah\nare the carefully tended vineyard.\nThe LORD expected a harvest of justice\,\nbut violence broke out instead.\nWhere honesty and integrity should have flourished\,\nthere was nothing but the cries of the victims! \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 80: 1-2\, 8-19 \n \n\n \n \n \n God\, you are the one who watches over your people\nlike a lifeguard supervising a dangerous beach\,\nwatching from a high seat\, like a king enthroned.\nListen to our prayer and clearly flag the boundaries\,\nso that your tribes will no longer get out of their depth. \nUp and at it\, God!\nCome equipped to rescue us. \nRemember how you brought us out of Egypt like a young grapevine\,\nso that you could plant your own vineyard.\nYou cleared the land and prepared the soil;\nyou planted our roots deep and we grew strongly. \nWe grew wide and high\, bigger than the tallest trees\,\neven shading the mountains.\nYour vineyard grew and grew till it filled the land\nfrom the western ocean to the eastern river. \nSo why have you torn down the security fence\,\nso that anyone can tramp through and pinch the fruit?\nWild pigs rampage through doing untold damage;\nferal goats and rabbits eat whatever’s left. \nCome on\, God! You rule over everything. Do something!\nTurn around and look at what’s going on.\nThis vine came from root stock you planted yourself;\ntake charge of its welfare again. \nOthers have hacked and burned it\nto within an inch of its life.\nWipe them out\nwith a single withering stare! \nTake our side again\, your wayward favourite child\,\nthe one you raised by hand to be your own.\nWe will never go off the rails again;\nsave us now and your name will be on our lips forever. \nLORD God\, you rule over everything;\nCome and smile on us again;\nsave us and revive us with your kiss of life. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Hebrews 11:29 - 12:2 \n \n\n \n \n \n It was by exercising faith that the people of Israel were able to walk through the Red Sea as though it were dry land. The slave-drivers from whom they had escaped drowned when they tried to do the same thing. \nIt was the exercise of faith that brought down the fortified walls of Jericho. The people of Israel encircled the city for seven days\, trusting God\, and the walls collapsed. Rahab the prostitute was exercising faith when she harboured the Israelite spies in her Jericho home. Because of her faith\, her life was saved when those around her who had resisted God were killed. \nNeed I go on? There is not enough time to tell the stories of all the great heroes of faith. The stories of Gideon\, Barak\, Samson\, and Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets — all of them well worth telling. Exercising faith\, they did extraordinary things: they defeated world powers; put justice into practice; and won promises of loyalty. They closed the jaws of lions; put out raging fires; and escaped unscathed from savage violence. Although their positions seemed weak and vulnerable\, they were given strength and became formidable warriors who successfully repelled invading armies. The things faith has achieved! Faith-filled women saw their dead loved ones raised back to life. Some faith-filled people even endured torture — refusing to cave in and go free — sustained by their confident expectation of the ultimate freedom that comes with resurrection. We have stories of others who were publicly humiliated and flogged\, or locked up in chains. Others were battered to death with rocks\, or sawn in half\, or hacked to pieces. We know of others who lived as refugees; forced out into harsh isolated environments\, deprived of their basic human rights\, and constantly subjected to persecution and harassment. Dressed in rags\, homeless\, powerless\, and shunned; they had to survive as best they could on the edges of a hostile and callous world — a world that did not deserve them! \nAll these heroes received top marks for their faith\, and yet even they did not see the completion of all God had promised. Why? Because God had even better ideas! God wanted us to be included in the story too\, and so put everything on hold until we could all be made perfect at once. \nSo\, we are by no means running the race alone! The air around us is thick with encouragement — all these heroes who bore witness to the truth before us\, cheering us on. So let’s strip down for the run that lies ahead\, tossing aside everything that would hold us back\, especially the sin that clings on so tenaciously. And then let’s get on with it — run and run and never quit until we’ve crossed the line. We can do it if we just keep our eyes fixed on Jesus\, because he has led the way and become the first to complete this faith marathon. He was so focussed on the goal that he was able to push on through the pain barriers\, enduring the agony and humiliation of the cross. He knew that the celebrations would make it all worth while\, and sure enough\, he now enjoys the number one seat of honour alongside God’s throne. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Luke 12: 49-56 \n \n\n \n \n \n Jesus said\, “Fire! I have come to torch the earth\, and if I had my way it would be well and truly ablaze by now! And I am facing a baptism of fire myself – I will be immersed in the conflict and torment of a world going to hell and back. You can’t imagine the stress I’m bearing until it’s over! Do you think I am here to make everything peaceful and nice on earth? Wrong! I am not here to paper over the cracks\, but to drive a wedge into them\, opening them up for all to see. The hostility can no longer be concealed by family solidarity. The cracks will open up\, dividing households: \nthree against two\,\nand two against three;\nfather against son\,\nand son against father;\nmother against daughter\,\nand daughter against mother;\nmother-in-law against daughter-in-law\,\nand daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” \nSpeaking to the crowds\, Jesus also said\, “When you see dark clouds gathering in the western sky\, you are quick to forecast rain\, and you are spot on. And when you feel the wind blowing in from the desert in the morning\, you say\, ‘It’ll be stinking hot today\,’ and of course\, you are right. So don’t play dumb with me! You are perfectly capable of reading the signs to recognise when the weather is about to change\, so what’s so difficult about reading the signs to make sense of what’s happening in the world right now?” \n©2001 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: 23-29 \n \n\n \n \n \n “What kind of God do you think I am?” says the LORD.\n“A pocket God who lives where you put me\,\nor a God far beyond your grasp?”\n“Can anyone find a secret hiding place\nwhere I won’t be able to see them?”\nsays the LORD.\n“Do I not fill the entire universe\,\nheaven and earth alike?” \n“I know perfectly well what those so-called prophets are saying. They preach lies\, naming me as their authority\, and claiming that I gave them messages in dreams and visions. How long will I have to put up with it? Will they never wake up to themselves\, these snake-oil evangelists whose preaching is all a con-job motivated by their own twisted agendas? They trade their best lines and slimiest techniques with one another as they collude to persuade people to substitute other things for me\, just as their ancestors substituted trendy fertility gods for me.” \n“You prophets with your dreams:\ngo ahead and rabbit on about them.\nBut let the prophet who truly has my word\nbe bold and resolute in announcing my message.\nThe two are like chalk and cheese\,”\nsays the LORD. \n“Don’t you know that my word is like a raging fire?\nsays the LORD\,\n“and like a sledgehammer that smashes rocks to pieces?” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 82 \n \n\n \n \n \n Take action\, God!\nPass sentence on all those who judge and rule the earth. \nCall them to account for their unjust decisions;\nexpose their links to corruption and crime. \nOrder them to hand down justice to the deprived and abused\,\nand to protect the rights of those seeking refuge. \nCommand them to represent the needy and the vulnerable\,\nand to side with them against those who exploit them. \nThese judges and rulers don’t understand or care\, God;\nthey’ve got their heads in the sand\nwhile the world falls apart around them. \nYou\, God\, elevated them to office\,\nand delegated your authority to them;\nbut they have betrayed your trust\nand will die disgraced. \nTake action\, God!\nCome and judge the earth!\nReassert your control over all your nations! \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 though our lives were a wasteland\nyou cherished us and gave us life again. \nWith a love-song\, you sang the earth into existence\,\nand led your people from slavery through the Red Sea.\nYou planted them in a fertile land\nand looked for a harvest of justice and righteousness. \nWhen we returned only bloodshed and torment\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus\,\nto be the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.\nHis preaching kindled a fire\nand divided the living from the dead.\nHe endured the cross\, disregarding its shame\nand was baptised in suffering and death.\nYou raised him to life and seated him at your right hand\,\nand are now strengthening us for the race before us\,\nso that with the faithful witnesses of all generations\nwe may receive your promises and be made perfect. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2001 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 thank you that though our lives were a wasteland\nyou cherished us and gave us life again\,\nsending your child\, Jesus Christ\,\nto be the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. \n©2001 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 thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor though our lives were a wasteland\nyou cherished us and gave us life again. \nWith a love-song\, you sang the earth into existence\,\nand led your people from slavery through the Red Sea.\nYour planted them in a fertile land\nand looked for a harvest of justice and righteousness. \nWhen we returned only bloodshed and torment\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus\,\nto be the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.\nHis preaching kindled a fire\nand divided the living from the dead.\nHe endured the cross\, disregarding its shame\nand was baptised in suffering and death.\nYou raised him to life and seated him at your right hand\,\nand are now strengthening us for the race before us\,\nso that with the faithful witnesses of all generations\nwe may receive your promises and be made perfect. \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©2001 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\, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith\,\nhas endured the cross so that our sins will be forgiven\nand we will be made perfect with the faithful of all ages. \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 now with your eyes on Jesus\,\nthe pioneer and perfecter of our faith.\nLay aside the ways of sin\,\nbring forth a harvest of justice and righteousness\,\nand run with perseverance\nthe race that is set before us. \nAnd may God turn to you and cherish you;\nMay Christ Jesus surround you with the light of his presence;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit give you life and strength. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2001 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\nFaith That Starts FiresA sermon on Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2 and Luke 12:49-56 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSurfing the Edge of ChaosA sermon on Luke 12:49-56 by Anne Wilkinson-Hayes\n\n\n\nThe Price of VictoryA sermon on Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2 & Luke 12: 49-56 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhat If Jesus Is To Blame?A sermon on Luke 12:49-56 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nHard DisciplineA sermon on Isaiah 5:1-7; Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2 & Luke 12: 49-56 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nRuptureA sermon on Luke 12:49-56 by Christine Redwood URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/cp15/2028-08-20/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P15.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20310817T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20310817T235959 DTSTAMP:20260408T051923 CREATED:20210506T044743Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250914T051326Z UID:10002974-1944691200-1944777599@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 15 - Year C 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 5: 1-7 \n \n\n \n \n \n I’ll sing a story in song\,\na gift of love for my vine-growing friend. \nMy best friend began a vineyard;\nideally situated on a sunny\, fertile hillside.\nHe cleared the rocks\, cultivated the soil\,\nand planted top-grade vines.\nHe built a fully equipped winery\,\ndug a cellar and installed a wine-press.\nHe had every reason to expect top-quality grapes\,\nbut the entire harvest was bitter and useless. \nCome now\, you who live in Jerusalem\,\nand all you people of Judah;\nwho do you think is in the right:\nme or my vineyard? \nDid I fall down on the job somewhere;\nwhat more could I have done for my vineyard?\nWas I wrong to expect good quality grapes?\nWhy did I get nothing but rubbish? \nWell\, I’m sick of that lousy vineyard.\nI’ll tell you what I’ll do to it:\nI will rip down the fences\nand let the animals chew it up;\nI will smash down the gates\nand let the passers-by stomp all over it. \nI will leave it in ruins;\ntrashed and abandoned;\nthe weeds and blackberries will take over.\nI will disconnect the water\nand pray that the rains steer clear. \nAre you people getting the message? \nThe LORD who rules over everything\nis the vine-grower\,\nand you\, the people of Israel and Judah\nare the carefully tended vineyard.\nThe LORD expected a harvest of justice\,\nbut violence broke out instead.\nWhere honesty and integrity should have flourished\,\nthere was nothing but the cries of the victims! \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 80: 1-2\, 8-19 \n \n\n \n \n \n God\, you are the one who watches over your people\nlike a lifeguard supervising a dangerous beach\,\nwatching from a high seat\, like a king enthroned.\nListen to our prayer and clearly flag the boundaries\,\nso that your tribes will no longer get out of their depth. \nUp and at it\, God!\nCome equipped to rescue us. \nRemember how you brought us out of Egypt like a young grapevine\,\nso that you could plant your own vineyard.\nYou cleared the land and prepared the soil;\nyou planted our roots deep and we grew strongly. \nWe grew wide and high\, bigger than the tallest trees\,\neven shading the mountains.\nYour vineyard grew and grew till it filled the land\nfrom the western ocean to the eastern river. \nSo why have you torn down the security fence\,\nso that anyone can tramp through and pinch the fruit?\nWild pigs rampage through doing untold damage;\nferal goats and rabbits eat whatever’s left. \nCome on\, God! You rule over everything. Do something!\nTurn around and look at what’s going on.\nThis vine came from root stock you planted yourself;\ntake charge of its welfare again. \nOthers have hacked and burned it\nto within an inch of its life.\nWipe them out\nwith a single withering stare! \nTake our side again\, your wayward favourite child\,\nthe one you raised by hand to be your own.\nWe will never go off the rails again;\nsave us now and your name will be on our lips forever. \nLORD God\, you rule over everything;\nCome and smile on us again;\nsave us and revive us with your kiss of life. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Hebrews 11:29 - 12:2 \n \n\n \n \n \n It was by exercising faith that the people of Israel were able to walk through the Red Sea as though it were dry land. The slave-drivers from whom they had escaped drowned when they tried to do the same thing. \nIt was the exercise of faith that brought down the fortified walls of Jericho. The people of Israel encircled the city for seven days\, trusting God\, and the walls collapsed. Rahab the prostitute was exercising faith when she harboured the Israelite spies in her Jericho home. Because of her faith\, her life was saved when those around her who had resisted God were killed. \nNeed I go on? There is not enough time to tell the stories of all the great heroes of faith. The stories of Gideon\, Barak\, Samson\, and Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets — all of them well worth telling. Exercising faith\, they did extraordinary things: they defeated world powers; put justice into practice; and won promises of loyalty. They closed the jaws of lions; put out raging fires; and escaped unscathed from savage violence. Although their positions seemed weak and vulnerable\, they were given strength and became formidable warriors who successfully repelled invading armies. The things faith has achieved! Faith-filled women saw their dead loved ones raised back to life. Some faith-filled people even endured torture — refusing to cave in and go free — sustained by their confident expectation of the ultimate freedom that comes with resurrection. We have stories of others who were publicly humiliated and flogged\, or locked up in chains. Others were battered to death with rocks\, or sawn in half\, or hacked to pieces. We know of others who lived as refugees; forced out into harsh isolated environments\, deprived of their basic human rights\, and constantly subjected to persecution and harassment. Dressed in rags\, homeless\, powerless\, and shunned; they had to survive as best they could on the edges of a hostile and callous world — a world that did not deserve them! \nAll these heroes received top marks for their faith\, and yet even they did not see the completion of all God had promised. Why? Because God had even better ideas! God wanted us to be included in the story too\, and so put everything on hold until we could all be made perfect at once. \nSo\, we are by no means running the race alone! The air around us is thick with encouragement — all these heroes who bore witness to the truth before us\, cheering us on. So let’s strip down for the run that lies ahead\, tossing aside everything that would hold us back\, especially the sin that clings on so tenaciously. And then let’s get on with it — run and run and never quit until we’ve crossed the line. We can do it if we just keep our eyes fixed on Jesus\, because he has led the way and become the first to complete this faith marathon. He was so focussed on the goal that he was able to push on through the pain barriers\, enduring the agony and humiliation of the cross. He knew that the celebrations would make it all worth while\, and sure enough\, he now enjoys the number one seat of honour alongside God’s throne. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Luke 12: 49-56 \n \n\n \n \n \n Jesus said\, “Fire! I have come to torch the earth\, and if I had my way it would be well and truly ablaze by now! And I am facing a baptism of fire myself – I will be immersed in the conflict and torment of a world going to hell and back. You can’t imagine the stress I’m bearing until it’s over! Do you think I am here to make everything peaceful and nice on earth? Wrong! I am not here to paper over the cracks\, but to drive a wedge into them\, opening them up for all to see. The hostility can no longer be concealed by family solidarity. The cracks will open up\, dividing households: \nthree against two\,\nand two against three;\nfather against son\,\nand son against father;\nmother against daughter\,\nand daughter against mother;\nmother-in-law against daughter-in-law\,\nand daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” \nSpeaking to the crowds\, Jesus also said\, “When you see dark clouds gathering in the western sky\, you are quick to forecast rain\, and you are spot on. And when you feel the wind blowing in from the desert in the morning\, you say\, ‘It’ll be stinking hot today\,’ and of course\, you are right. So don’t play dumb with me! You are perfectly capable of reading the signs to recognise when the weather is about to change\, so what’s so difficult about reading the signs to make sense of what’s happening in the world right now?” \n©2001 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: 23-29 \n \n\n \n \n \n “What kind of God do you think I am?” says the LORD.\n“A pocket God who lives where you put me\,\nor a God far beyond your grasp?”\n“Can anyone find a secret hiding place\nwhere I won’t be able to see them?”\nsays the LORD.\n“Do I not fill the entire universe\,\nheaven and earth alike?” \n“I know perfectly well what those so-called prophets are saying. They preach lies\, naming me as their authority\, and claiming that I gave them messages in dreams and visions. How long will I have to put up with it? Will they never wake up to themselves\, these snake-oil evangelists whose preaching is all a con-job motivated by their own twisted agendas? They trade their best lines and slimiest techniques with one another as they collude to persuade people to substitute other things for me\, just as their ancestors substituted trendy fertility gods for me.” \n“You prophets with your dreams:\ngo ahead and rabbit on about them.\nBut let the prophet who truly has my word\nbe bold and resolute in announcing my message.\nThe two are like chalk and cheese\,”\nsays the LORD. \n“Don’t you know that my word is like a raging fire?\nsays the LORD\,\n“and like a sledgehammer that smashes rocks to pieces?” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 82 \n \n\n \n \n \n Take action\, God!\nPass sentence on all those who judge and rule the earth. \nCall them to account for their unjust decisions;\nexpose their links to corruption and crime. \nOrder them to hand down justice to the deprived and abused\,\nand to protect the rights of those seeking refuge. \nCommand them to represent the needy and the vulnerable\,\nand to side with them against those who exploit them. \nThese judges and rulers don’t understand or care\, God;\nthey’ve got their heads in the sand\nwhile the world falls apart around them. \nYou\, God\, elevated them to office\,\nand delegated your authority to them;\nbut they have betrayed your trust\nand will die disgraced. \nTake action\, God!\nCome and judge the earth!\nReassert your control over all your nations! \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 though our lives were a wasteland\nyou cherished us and gave us life again. \nWith a love-song\, you sang the earth into existence\,\nand led your people from slavery through the Red Sea.\nYou planted them in a fertile land\nand looked for a harvest of justice and righteousness. \nWhen we returned only bloodshed and torment\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus\,\nto be the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.\nHis preaching kindled a fire\nand divided the living from the dead.\nHe endured the cross\, disregarding its shame\nand was baptised in suffering and death.\nYou raised him to life and seated him at your right hand\,\nand are now strengthening us for the race before us\,\nso that with the faithful witnesses of all generations\nwe may receive your promises and be made perfect. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2001 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 thank you that though our lives were a wasteland\nyou cherished us and gave us life again\,\nsending your child\, Jesus Christ\,\nto be the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. \n©2001 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 thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor though our lives were a wasteland\nyou cherished us and gave us life again. \nWith a love-song\, you sang the earth into existence\,\nand led your people from slavery through the Red Sea.\nYour planted them in a fertile land\nand looked for a harvest of justice and righteousness. \nWhen we returned only bloodshed and torment\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus\,\nto be the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.\nHis preaching kindled a fire\nand divided the living from the dead.\nHe endured the cross\, disregarding its shame\nand was baptised in suffering and death.\nYou raised him to life and seated him at your right hand\,\nand are now strengthening us for the race before us\,\nso that with the faithful witnesses of all generations\nwe may receive your promises and be made perfect. \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©2001 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\, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith\,\nhas endured the cross so that our sins will be forgiven\nand we will be made perfect with the faithful of all ages. \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 now with your eyes on Jesus\,\nthe pioneer and perfecter of our faith.\nLay aside the ways of sin\,\nbring forth a harvest of justice and righteousness\,\nand run with perseverance\nthe race that is set before us. \nAnd may God turn to you and cherish you;\nMay Christ Jesus surround you with the light of his presence;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit give you life and strength. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2001 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\nFaith That Starts FiresA sermon on Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2 and Luke 12:49-56 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSurfing the Edge of ChaosA sermon on Luke 12:49-56 by Anne Wilkinson-Hayes\n\n\n\nThe Price of VictoryA sermon on Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2 & Luke 12: 49-56 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhat If Jesus Is To Blame?A sermon on Luke 12:49-56 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nHard DisciplineA sermon on Isaiah 5:1-7; Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2 & Luke 12: 49-56 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nRuptureA sermon on Luke 12:49-56 by Christine Redwood URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/cp15/2031-08-17/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P15.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR