Persuasion and Choice

Welcome to your online Sunday worship from St. George’s, Georgetown for Sunday, June 6, 2021.

If you haven’t joined in our Thursday morning online gathering, it is a wonderful time of fellowship. We reflect on current events, share stories, and end with a short time of prayer. Look for the link in the Wednesday email!

Family Ministry

This week our family ministry resources focus on our reading from Mark’s Gospel, chapter 3, verses 20 to 35. Jesus is facing questions about his authority and about family. In our weekly Sunday email, there are links to helpful family pages that help explain the reading and a fun comic page about the lesson that can be coloured.

Please sign up for our weekly emails to get those links to these great resources to use together with your family.  

Opening Music

TFor our opening song this week, I have chosen the hymn, “O God of Every Nation.” It has a seriously somber tune, but very powerful lyrics.

Reading

Then he went home; and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.

“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”1

Prayers and Message

Here is this Sunday’s prayers and message (NOTE: I do apologize for the growing audio crackle that begins half way through, I did not realize that one audio cable was not fully connected.): 

Prayers of the People

We pray for all medical staff, all essential frontline workers and their families, for those living and working at Long Term Care and seniors residences, and for those that are helping to distribute the vaccine: that God will be their strength and support.

We pray for those unfairly discriminated against in our society, praying especially for justice and reconcilation for our continent’s indigenous people.

We pray for all who are facing trials and difficulties and for those who are sick. Show them your kindness, mercy, and healing.

Come, Holy Spirit, creator, and renew the face of the earth. We pray to you, Come, Holy Spirit, come. 

(To find the list of those we are praying for in our parish please sign up for our Parish email. To add a name to our prayers please contact me.)

Closing Music

For a hymn on the traditional sFor a hymn on the traditional side to close your morning worship with I suggest “God of Grace and God of Glory.”

This week, I am recommending “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)” for our more contemporary music closing song.

I wish you all a blessed and safe Sunday and week.

Thank you for your continued support of the ministry and mission of St. George’s. I do look forward to us being able to gather together again in-person when we are able.

Be Well and God Bless.

Peace,

The Rev’d Canon Rob Park

  1. Scripture quotation is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.