Roman Catholic Women Priests: Kathryn Shea, ARCWP, Sally Brochu, ARCWP and Pastor Phil Garrison, St. Andrew UCC co-preside at liturgy
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| Pastor Phil Garrison and Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP |
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| Kathryn Shea, ARCWP, Sally Brochu, ARCWP, Phil Garrison, Pastor St. Andrew UCC |
We gave thanks for Pastor Phil Garrison, who welcomed us to St. Andrew UCC in 2009 and offered us a sacred space that we now call our spiritual home in Sarasota among God's faithful people where love in action is a daily experience of living Gospel inclusion, hospitality and justice. Pastor Phil and Patricia are leaving St. Andrew UCC for a new assignment in Michigan.
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| Sally Brochu leads MMOJ Community blessing of Pastor Phil and Patricia |
We are deeply grateful for their spiritual leadership and pastoral support of our Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community. At. St. Andrew UCC, we have been given wings to fly and flourish! Deep appreciation to Pastor Phil and St. Andrew UCC for their witness to Gospel equality!
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| MMOJ Community prays Eucharistic Prayer around Banquet Table where all are always welcome |
Today, we also gathered to inter the ashes of our dear Sister, Carol Ann Breyer, who died in September 2014 in St. Andrew Memorial Garden. St. Andrew UCC Leadership Council have recently approved the burial of ashes of our community members in this sacred and blessed garden. Carol Ann is the first member of our community to be buried here.
Pastor Phil co-presided with Lee Breyer, Carol Ann's beloved husband at our prayerful tribute and goodbye to our beloved Sister, Carol Ann. The community shared their fond memories and expressed deep appreciation for her passionate witness to justice and equality in our church and world.
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org, www.marymotherofjesus.org
See homily starter by Kathryn Shea, ARCWP priest and co-presider below
Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time – August 1, 2015
Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community
Shared
Homily - Kathryn Shea, ARCWP
While reflecting on today’s Readings, several themes or
thoughts came to me. The first, being
the importance of bread. The word
“bread” is mentioned 360 times in the Bible; 280 in the Old Testament and 80 in
the New Testament. In the Old Testament,
as we see in our reading from Exodus today, the people were worried about not
having enough food to eat and worried Moses led them to starve in the
wilderness. So God made bread rain down
upon them so they could be fed. In our
Gospel Reading, the people followed Jesus wondering when he arrived in
Capernaum. Jesus responds to them (and
he’s sort of a feisty Jesus here), confronting them, challenging them, saying,
they really weren’t there looking for signs that Jesus was the Messiah, but
wondering when they were going to get their next meal. He tells them they should not be working for
“perishable food,” that food will not last long. They should be looking for life-giving food
that lasts for all eternity. This is the
food he can give them as the Chosen One sent by Abba God. In John 4, Verse 31,
the disciples are urging Jesus to eat, but Jesus told them, “I have food to eat
that you know nothing about.” We say in
The Prayer of Jesus, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Are we praying for physical bread, spiritual
bread, or both? So “bread” has both a
literal meaning and a symbolic meaning in the Bible.
So the second sort of message here is that we need not be
focused of the material things of this Earth, they are all temporary and we
cannot take them with us. In the second
Reading we are told “we must stop living in the kind of life the world
lives.” “You must put aside your old
self, which is being corrupted by the following illusory desires.” Just
look at the world around us. We are
being consumed by materialism and for many they can never have a big enough
house, a new enough car, enough money in the back. Or as we watched in horror and disgust this
week, we need one more animal trophy head to mount on our wall, the head of a
magnificent and majestic lion; a creature of God. All of this materialism, while millions go
hungry.
And the third theme is a lack of Faith and a belief in
the Chosen One. There was a lack of
Faith by the people of Israel that God would provide food for their physical
survival. In the Gospel Reading, the
people lacked faith. They asked for a
sign so they could believe in Him. They
asked what they must do to perform the works of God. The answer is pretty simple: “to believe in
the One whom God has sent.” They again
ask for more bread, and Jesus again says “I Am the Bread of life”, spiritual
survival.
So in this crazy world we live in, how do we stay
“spiritually full?” How often do we turn
to Jesus only when we need something?
And how often do we come to Jesus just to be in relationship with him so
that our soul can be fed? What keeps us
anchored in knowing that the overwhelming love of Jesus rises like the bread
and bakes within us so that we may never be hungry or thirsty?
And finally, our dear Seth could not be here with us today,
and we all know he is the perpetual co-presider. And you all know if he was here, he would be
taking the microphone about now. I read
him the Readings and my homily starter and asked him what he thought and if
there was anything he wanted to add. Of
course he did. His words: “What the HECK? Why do people have a hard time believing and
KNOWING Jesus? I don’t get it. It’s so easy!” AMEN!
Mary Mother of Jesus
Inclusive Catholic Community
Eighteenth Sunday of
Ordinary Time – August 1, 2015
Co-Presiders: Kathryn
Shea, ARCWP, Sally Brochu, ARCWP & Pastor Phil Garrison
Music Minister: Mindy Lou Simmons
Our theme today is – “No one who comes
to me will ever be hungry, No one who believes in me will ever be thirsty. “
GATHERING SONG AND GREETING: “All Are
Welcome” #414, verses 1,2,3,5
Presider:
In the name of God, our Creator, of Christ, our liberator, and of the
Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier.
ALL:
Amen.
Presider:
My sisters and brothers, God is with you! ALL: And also with you.
PENITENTIAL RITE
Presider:
Creator God to whom all hearts are open, no desires unknown, and from whom
no secrets can be hidden, cleanse our hearts by the inspiration of Holy Wisdom.
ALL:
We take your Word into our minds and hearts. Open them to new
understanding.
Presider:
We ask for the grace to continually acknowledge our need to grow in
goodness and caring for ourselves, for others and for our earth.
ALL: We accept your love and understanding of the
frailty of our human nature.
Presider:
And we join with you, Jesus the Christ, believing the strength and
insight of the Holy Spirit will lead us to deeper dedication to justice,
equality and peace in our world. ALL:
Amen.
(All raise hands extended in prayer)
Presider: God,
the Father and Mother of Mercy,
ALL:
through his living, dying and rising, Jesus has revealed that nothing
can separate us from the infinite love of God, May God give us pardon and
peace, and may we forgive each other our failures to care for one another and
our earth in the name of God our Creator, and of Jesus, our brother, and of the
Holy Spirit, our wisdom. Amen.
Presider: Glory to God in the highest,
ALL:
and peace to God’s people on earth.
God, our Creator, Liberator and Sanctifier, we worship you, we give you
thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Jesus, Child of God, Healer God, Teacher God, you free us to live in
your love. You make us strong; you show
us your mercy and love. You are one with
the Creator, you hear our prayer. You
are the Holy One. You are united with
us. You are our faithful friend. We are one with you, Jesus the Christ, with
the Holy Spirit. We are created in God’s
image giving Glory to God our Creator.
Amen.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading
Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15
Responsorial Psalm 78
(Sung) .
Second Reading
Ephesians 4:17, 20-24
Gospel Acclamation:
ALLELUIA! (sung)
Gospel Reading:
A reading from the Gospel according to John 6:24-35
SHARED HOMILY
Profession of Faith:
ALL: I believe in God, the creator of heaven and
earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, child
of God, born of Mary, human like us. I
believe Jesus came to teach us God’s love, to heal our minds, our bodies, our
spirit, to bring hope and a new vision, to show us how to live in the fullness
of grace. I believe that Jesus
threatened the establishment. Jesus
called for God’s people to focus on the kin-dom within. I believe because of the message that Jesus
proclaimed, Jesus was condemned to die.
Jesus was put to death through crucifixion, buried in a borrowed
tomb. I believe that the women, faithful
to Jesus, went to the tomb to anoint his body.
I believe that the body of Jesus was gone, and Jesus overcame death
through the resurrection. I believe in
the Holy Spirit, eternally living in our hearts, present in our world, in our
universe. I believe the holy Catholic
Church is the people of God gathered in worship and song. I believe that all God’s children will one
day be with God experiencing life everlasting.
Amen.
GENERAL INTERCESSIONS
Presider:
We are people of faith. We
believe in the power of prayer. We
believe that we send blessings to those who are struggling and who need to
experience hope; to those who are grieving and need to be comforted in their
loss, to those who are facing medical challenges that they be granted hope and
healing. We bring the needs of people throughout our world to our gracious God.
After each intercession, the response
is: Loving
God, hear our prayer.
For what else
shall we pray?
Presider: Healing God, you faithfully listen to
our prayers. Strengthen us as we strive to respond to the needs of your people.
We make this prayer in the name of Jesus, the Christ, Amen.
Offertory Procession: “One Bread, One
Body” #348
PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
– (Please join us
around the altar)
Presider:
Blessed are you, gracious God of all creation, through your goodness we
have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life.
ALL:
Blessed be God forever.
Presider: Blessed are you, gracious God of all
creation, through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine
and work of human hands. It will become
our spiritual drink. ALL:
Blessed be God forever.
Presider:
Pray my friends that as we celebrate this breaking of bread and blessing
of wine we accept more fully the mission as People of God by actively living
our response to God’s call.
ALL:
May our gracious God accept these gifts for the praise and glory of
God’s name, for our good, and for the good of all the People of God.
Presider:
God is always with you. ALL:
And also with you.
Presider:
Together, we lift up our hearts. ALL:
To God and one another we lift them.
Presider:
Together, we give thanks to our gracious God. ALL: Indeed it is right to constantly give thanks
and praise.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Voice 1:
Gracious God, source and sustenance of life, redeeming presence to the
pain and brokenness of our world, Holy Spirit who enlivens all that exists, we
beseech your healing power upon us and all for whom we pray today. We join together with our community, with all
creation everywhere, with all those who have gone before us and live in the
eternal now as we sing:
ALL:
We are holy, holy, holy X3, we are whole.
You are holy, holy, holy X3, you are
whole.
I am holy, holy, holy X3, I am
whole.
We are holy, holy, holy X3, we are
whole.
By Karen Drucker
Voice 2:
We ask you to enliven anew in our hearts the empowering grace of your
abundant Spirit, who infuses us these gifts of bread and wine with the transforming
energy of life, to nourish and sustain us in all times and especially in times
of need.
(Please all extend hands as we recite
the consecration together.)
ALL:
Before he was given up to death, a death he freely accepted, Jesus took
bread and gave you thanks. He broke the
bread and gave it to his disciples and said:
take this, all of you, and eat it; this is my body which will be given
up for you.
ALL: When supper was ended, Jesus took the
cup. Again he gave You thanks and
praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said, take this all of you, and
drink it; this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting
covenant. It will be shed for you and
for all. Do this in memory of me.
Presider:
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
ALL:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Voice 3:
(Please place your hand on the
shoulder of the person to your right)
As we gather
around this Eucharistic table, we recall God’s blessing and love from ages
past, and we celebrate anew the gift we share among us at this Eucharistic
feast. May the Spirit of life and wholeness, who transforms the gifts we
present, transform us too, that we may be refreshed in our inner being and be
empowered to bring mercy, love and healing to those whose lives we touch.
Voice 4:
Remember gracious God, your Church throughout the world; make us open to
receive all believers. We join with all God’s people, with our community, with
Bridget Mary our Bishop, and with Francis our Pope.
Voice 5: So grant, that in union with all
peoples, living and dead, we may strive to create a world where suffering and
pain are diminished, where justice and peace are restored, and where all people
can live in health and wholeness, united in acclaiming the God of Life, whose
abundance is offered to each and to all, ‘til the Kin-dom arrives in the
fullness of time.
ALL:
Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, all glory and honor is Yours, gracious God, forever and ever. Amen
(sung).
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
Presider: Let
us join hands and raise our voices as we say the Prayer Jesus taught us:
ALL: (Spoken) Our Father and Mother…….
Presider:
Deliver us, God, from every evil and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us holy in your sight and
protect us from all anxiety and fear. We
watch and wait; we search and find all the signs that You are continually with
us.
ALL:
Amen.
THE SIGN OF PEACE
Presider: Jesus, You said to your disciples, “My peace I
leave you. My peace I give you.” Look on the faith of all and grant us the
peace and unity of your kin-dom where you live forever and ever. ALL: Amen.
Presider:
May the peace
of our gracious God be always with you. ALL: And
also with you. Let us offer each other a
sign of peace as Mindy plays: “Peace Is Flowing like a River”
LITANY FOR THE BREAKING
OF BREAD
Presider: Loving
God,
ALL:
You call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice. We will live
justly.
Presider: Loving
God,
ALL:
You call us to be your presence in the world. We will love tenderly.
Presider: Loving God,
ALL:
You call us to speak truth to power. We will walk with integrity in your
presence.
Presiders:
This is Jesus, who liberates, heals and transforms our world. All are invited to partake of this sacred
banquet of love. ALL: We are the Body of
Christ.
Communion: Instrumental
Communion Song: “Bread Blessed and
Broken” #329, verses 1&3
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Presider:
May wonder and thanksgiving fill us, may compassion fully fill our
beings, that you may heal the numbness that continues because of our
society’s injustices. May you know that
you are loved and may we continue to be the face of God to each other. Amen.
Prayers of Gratitude/Thanksgiving?
Announcements?
CONCLUDING RITE
Presider:
May God be with you. ALL:
And also with you.
Presider:
Let us call upon our gracious God as we share blessings with each
other. We bless one another and pledge
to live the Gospel of Christ. ALL:
Amen.
BLESSING
(Everyone please extend
your hands in mutual blessing.)
ALL:
May our gracious God, bless us all gathered here, in the name of God our
Creator, in the name of Jesus our Liberator, in the name of the Holy Spirit,
our Sanctifier as we care and minister to one another in love, for we are the face
of God to the world. Amen.
DISMISSAL
Presider:
Go in the peace of Christ. Let
our service continue! ALL:
Thanks be to God.
CONCLUDING HYMN: “Go Make a
Difference” # 504 verses 1,2,3
