Gathering for the Bread of Life

Welcome to your online Sunday worship from St. George’s, Georgetown for Sunday, August 1, 2021.

I am back from my time off in July. I am feeling somewhat refreshed after having the opportunity to have some down time and now that I and all my immediate family has been vaccinated, I was able to have some in-person visits. I also was able to attend a memorial service for my Uncle, Ian Park, who died of cancer in January. We have all been through much over the last year and a half, and it will take time to put our lives back into something resembling order. I am grateful to have had some down time to begin that process for myself.

We continue to worship online, but while I was off the diocese has announced that churches can now begin to open, when they are ready and each parish’s revised opening plan is re-approved. This is great news, and I look forward to offering in-person worship when we are ready. We are targeting the first or second Sunday in September. St. George’s will be taking every precaution and will be doing our best to lower the risk of the spread of this virus, but ultimately getting everyone who is able to be vaccinated is our best defence. If you have any concerns or questions, please call or email me. 

Thank you to The Rev’d Aaron Orear of St Alban’s in Glen Williams for covering pastoral emergencies while I was away.

Family Ministry

Our family ministry resources this week focus on our reading from John’s Gospel, chapter 6, verses 24-35. 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

This Sunday, for all hymn lovers, I suggest “Jesus, Thou Joy of loving hearts.”

The Gospel Reading (John 6:24-35)

So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”1

Online Worship

Here is your Sunday prayers and message:

This is the link to the Book of Alternative Services.

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.  Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

We pray for all those unfairly discriminated against in our society, praying especially for justice and reconciliation for our continent’s indigenous people.  Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

We pray for all who are facing trials and difficulties and for those who are sick. Show them your kindness, mercy, and healing.  Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

(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 traditional hymn to close with this week, I would recommend “Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer.” The words are a bit different than our hymn book version, but it has some awesome brass accompaniment. 

And my recommendation for this week’s closing contemporary song is “How Deep The Father’s Love For Us.” 

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.

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.