God of our ancestors, today we gather to our hearts all those who have influenced our lives with their love and goodness. Although they have passed on to the other side of this life, their lives continue to affect who we are and what we do. Like the sound of a bell resounding in the welcoming air, so has the goodness of these holy ones resonated in our lives. Thank you for these ancestors and the bond we have with them.

One way to employ this Prayer Bowl in lifting up our prayer is similar to the practice of monks in the Far East who use bowls for begging. Prayerfully elevating this empty bowl embodies our complete dependence upon God’s loving generosity. We are taking this begging bowl this morning and looking at it in two ways: as a Blessing Bowl, and as an Offering Bowl.

Blessings. What are they? How do they come? What do they do for us? To bless is not so much to ‘make sacred’ but to acknowledge the sacredness that is already there. On Saturday we Christians remember how we have been blessed by persons who have been a part of our lives and played important roles is shaping and forming us into who we have become. So for the first part of today’s service we will focus on the cup as a very specific blessing cup.

Opening Song     'I Thank My God' ~ Frank Anderson (Eagle's Wings - CD)

Reader     1 Revelation 7:9-14        Triumph of the Elect.

After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.

They cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb."

All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshipped God, and exclaimed: "Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honour, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen."

Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, "Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?" I said to him, "My lord, you are the one who knows." He said to me, "These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
 

Response         Blessing Psalm

‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing

in the heavenly places.’

With grateful heart let me sing psalms and hymns

and spiritual songs to my God,

for within me is dwelling the word of Christ.

May I know its richness in depth.

You blessed us in the bread you broke

and in the wine you poured.

Transform me God into blessing.

God, you give me every blessing in abundance.

There is always enough of everything.

Take all reluctance out of my life.

Make me cheerful in giving.

Let me never exchange the truth for a lie

by worshipping and serving created things;

but strengthen my faithfulness to you, my creator,

who is blessed forever. Amen.

Leader     Reflection and Exercise

Sit quietly. Ask for divine guidance as you ponder saints who have drawn you to deeper faith, to a closer union with God. These might be people you have known personally, through scripture, history; spiritual and theological authors and writers, poets, singers, artists - anyone who has inspired you and stirred your desire to be faithful to the Christ-like goodness within you.

As persons and names come to your mind, take the small pieces of paper and write a name on each one. As you do so, place thee names in the container. As each one goes in, whisper "thank you N.___" for the gift of that person’s goodness. More people may come to your mind later on; if so, continue to add these names to the container.

Thank you, Heart of all Goodness, for each of these holy ones who have been a part of my life in some way. Thank you for their witness and inspiration. Thank you for how their life encourages me to live my own in a better way. I renew my dedication to you and pray that their qualities of goodness will continue to grow and mature in me. May your love shine through me so that one day I, too, may be counted among the white-robed ones who stand before your throne.

A second way to elevate our prayer bowl is with the prayerful desire to offer up to God the fruits of our labours and life of our day. This is an offering of love filled thanksgiving for all the gifts we have been given by God.

Gospel         Luke 13:22-30

Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.

Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few people be saved?" He answered them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.' He will say to you in reply, 'I do not know where you are from.' And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.' Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.

Depart from me, all you evildoers!' ...   For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."

Response         Ps 145

R/ The Lord is faithful in all his words.

Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord,

and let your faithful ones bless you.

Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom

and speak of your might. R/

Making known to men your might

and the glorious splendour of your Kingdom.

Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,

and your dominion endures through all generations. R/

The Lord is faithful in all his words

and holy in all his works.

The Lord lifts up all who are falling

and raises up all who are bowed down. R/

Song         'Father, I Put My Life In Your Hands' ~ John Michael Talbot (Songs for Worship, Volumes I & II - CD)

Giving thanks, we receive the bread, blessed, broken, shared.

We take and eat the body of the Lord given up for us and for all.

 

We take the cup while giving thanks, the cup shed for us and for many.

The blood of Jesus we take and drink. We do so in memory of him.

 

I thank you, Jesus, for giving us the food that endures for eternal life.

Jesus, bread of life, I hunger for you.

 

                Quench my thirst too as I reach out in faith.

                Our ancestors ate manna in the wilderness and died,

                but we who eat of the bread from heaven will not die.

 

Jesus, you are the living bread. You give your flesh for the life of the world.

Because I eat this bread I will live forever - the bread of life freely given.

 

                But if I eat and if I drink, I have eternal life and on the last day

                I will know resurrection, for you will raise me up.

 

Your flesh is true food and your blood is true drink.

Abide in me, Jesus. May I abide in you.

 

                In coming to you, I will never be hungry.

                By believing in you, I will never thirst.

 

You will not drive away anyone who comes.

You will lose nothing of all God has given you.

            Amen.