The flowers in the Sanctuary today are to the Glory of God and in loving memory of our Father, Jack Davies, given by Dan and Sue Davies.
*Bake Garage Rummage Sale Thank you!
*109th Anniversary Sunday. Sunday October 6.
*Trivia Night –Saturday October 12 7:00 – 10:00 pm Tickets at alvegoroottheatre.com. Fundraiser theatre lights for the hall.
*Harvest Thanksgiving. Sun. October 13. Decorating Wed. 10 a.m. How about give thanks by donating to our food cupboard.
*Our food cupboard. Butch 519-615-9106.
*Penny Social. Friday October 18 at 6:30 for 7:30 All ages fun!
*All Saints Nov. 3. New list of names by Barb at church .
*Remembrance at our Cenotaph. Mon. November 11 10:30
*Craft Club. Third Saturday at 10 a.m. All welcome.
*Cookie Tin Assembly. Sat. Dec. 7. Donations of Cookies before 10 a.m. please. Fresh not Frozen / non gooey, non mint squares/cookies needed. Tickets available soon. 5 for $20 or $5 each.
*Mint smoothies Sandra $3
*Meat and Veggie Pies. 5$ for a great meal
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*Christmas Star Bazaar. Saturday November 16. 9:30 to 12:30 Donations of new items needed. Baking. Grocery Draw. Grocery donations for draw. Price our own baking please.
*There are three ways to support our church. Volunteering at events. Generosity. Prayer. Our church is a team
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Eternal One, whose thoughts and ways are not ours,
you alone are God, awesome, holy, and most high.
School us in the ways of faith and wisdom,
that we, like Job,
may learn to truly see and hear,
and in humility find blessing. Amen.
Reading Mark 10:13-16
Teaching on Children
10:13People were bringing children to him in order that he might touch them, and the disciples spoke sternly to them.
10:14But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.
10:15Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.”
10:16And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.
Sermon
Mark 10:13-16
One day Jesus was in Judea,
\ when a great crowd came to hear him preach.
The children came also in great numbers.
The disciples,
perhaps caught up in their own self-importance,
saw them as a nuisance and an annoyance
and ordered them away.
Their position doubtless was:
This is serious business;
we don’t have time for this;
don’t bother Jesus.
It is hard to imagine the disciples taking such a position.
It strikes us today as rather uncaring and cold.
However,
churches in their own subtle way,
are often not child friendly.,
The disciples thought
they were doing the right thing.
Yet, Jesus took a very different position.
Let the little children to come to me,
for to such belongs the Kingdom of God.
Unless you become as one of these,
you cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Strange words.
What did Jesus mean by them?
===
Well, as always,
there have been some who have taken the words literally,
because they believe that everything in the Bible
must be taken literally.
You may be interested to know a little historical footnote.
In the 13th century,
in what is today Switzerland,
there was a popular movement that said
that Jesus words
(you must become
as a child to enter
the Kingdom of God)
must be taken literally.
Tens of thousands of people quit the farms
quit the mills
Then started playing as children,
for they reasoned that there eternal salvation
was at stake if they did not.
Finally the government came in
forcing people back to work.
That actually happened.
Well, if we can mutually agree
that Jesus’ words in this case
are not to be taken literally,
that they require interpretation,
then what is the interpretation? (290)
I
First, children have no prejudices.
They don’t care or see differences.
very young children have an openness to all.
Jesus must have had that in mind
when he said: unless you become as a child,
you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
No prejudice.
II
Second,
Children have about them a sense of wonder and awe.
A minister shares:
I had a man come into my office several years ago.
He had it all—
talent, looks, personality.
One could be almost jealous of him.
As he sat down, however,
It was clear that he was deeply troubled.
He began by saying:
Do you know what my problem is.
I have lost the child within me.
I am doing financially well.
I am businesslike, I am calculating,
and I am also miserable.
I don’t trust anyone any more.”
Somewhere along the line
many of us lose the child within us.
Karl Barth, one of the world’s preeminent theologians,
has said:
“God’s world can be experienced only in wonder.
The Christian should be struck by wonder
about his own being.
We ought to have a sense of wonder
about the world,
about one another,
about all of Creation.”
Like a book entitled:
Children’s Letters to God.
It is a marvelous collection of actual children’s prayers.
Listen to this sampling:
Dear God: Where do people come from. I hope you can explain it better than my daddy.” Helen
Dear God. I never did think that orange went very well with purple until I saw your sunset last night. That was cool. Eugene
Dear God: Could you please send me a burning bush in my back yard. My dad never can get the fire started. Sherry
Dear God. I am sending you a dollar to give to a kid who is a lot poorer than me. Chris
Maybe Jesus is suggesting to us
that we need to recapture our childlike imagination.
III
Third
God used children to help usher in the Kingdom.
You will recall that on Palm Sunday,
as Jesus made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem,
there were shouts of Hosanna, Son of David.
This enraged the Pharisees.
But when we read on we find out
that the ones yelling this out
are the children.
Also,
Jesus came to us in the form of a child.
It seems,
innocence can usher in the kingdom.
=====
Fourth,
God created us to play
to enjoy the life he created!
God requires us to have fun.
The Bible tells us so.
Jesus says:
Let the children come to me.
Unless you can receive the kingdom
like these kids,
you will never be able to enter it.”
==
God wanted us to get our joy back,
so he decided to come to us in Jesus Christ.
One of the things God said to us in Jesus was,
“I came that you may have life,
and have it abundantly”
In Jesus
God was showing us his joyful personality
so that we would get our joy back.
At first, the world really did not know how to respond to this.
We see an example of this
when Jesus spoke to the Pharisees,
the supposed experts of the Jewish Law.
They thought they knew everything
there was to know about God.
Jesus came along and said,
“You just don’t get it.
I come eating, drinking, and having a good time
you accuse me of being a glutton, drunkard,
a friend to sinners and tax collectors.”
Someone once said that basically Jesus
was accused of being a lover of parties!
They thought Jesus was playing too hard.
They thought they knew everything about God.
They thought God was not into
fun, games, and play,
but they were wrong.
They just could not see that
Jesus was trying to get us to enjoy life again.
===
So we have homework to do.
We have to
Go out
let ourselves be loved.
Go dance.
Turn on your favorite song and sing along.
Go watch your favorite comedy
laugh your way to joy!
Norman Cousins was a great doctor
who found that there was healing power in laughter.
Today’s reading encourages us
Learn to play like a child again.
Hymn: Holy God We Praise Thy Name
Holy God, we praise Thy name;
Lord of all, we bow before Thee!
All on earth Thy scepter claim,
All in Heaven above adore Thee;
Infinite Thy vast domain,
Everlasting is Thy reign.
Hark! the loud celestial hymn
Angel choirs above are raising,
Cherubim and seraphim,
In unceasing chorus praising;
Fill the heavens with sweet accord:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord.
Lo! the apostolic train
Join the sacred name to hallow;
Prophets swell the loud refrain,
And the white robed martyrs follow;
And from morn to set of sun,
Through the Church the song goes on.
Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit, Three we name Thee;
While in essence only One,
Undivided God we claim Thee;
And adoring bend the knee,
While we own the mystery.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers:
Lord God, friend of those in need,
your Son Jesus has untied our burdens
and healed our spirits.
We lift up the prayers of our hearts for those still burdened,
those seeking healing,
those in need within the church and the world.
Prayers: Debbie R. (Mary Liz)Jamie;Jackie M (Gloria); Paul; Suzanne; Peter (Ron and Jan);Kenny; Jim T.; Norma A,;Dave F.; Peter T.; Dan B.;. (Garfield & Diane Mike J.; Scott H.; Lisa (Keeling), Roger & Maxine M.; Wendy;Eric P,; Beverley P.;,Sarah-Jane P.; Linda H.; Jacquie and Cam .; Janice & Darrin R; .(Suzie D.)
Hear our prayers
that we may love you with our whole being
and willingly share the concerns of our neighbors. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Glory to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer based on Scripture:
Sovereign God,
you make us for each other,
to live in loving community
as friends, sons and daughters,
sisters and brothers, wives and husband,
partners and companions.
Teach us to choose love
that is committed and devoted;
teach us like little children
to wonder and to trust,
that our loving may reflect the image of Christ. Amen.
Blessing from the Book of Common Prayer:
The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.
Our Parting Blessing Song:
May God’s blessing surround you each day
As you trust Him and walk in His way
May His presence within guard and keep you from sin,
