The Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
February 23rd, 2025

Call to Worship
The Lord be with you.
and also with you.

+In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Opening Sentences
from the Northumbria Community

One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek God in God’s temple.

Who is it that you seek?
We seek the Lord our God.

Do you seek God with all your heart?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Do you seek God with all your soul?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Do you seek God with all your mind?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Do you seek God with all your strength?
Amen. Christ, have mercy.

The Processional
Restless Weaver (O.I. Cricket Harrison)

Restless Weaver, ever spinning threads of justice and shalom;
Dreaming patterns of creation where all creatures find a home;
Gathering up life’s varied fibers—every texture, every hue:
Grant us your creative vision, with us weave your world anew.

Where earth’s fragile web is raveling, help us mend each broken strand.
Bless our urgent, bold endeavors cleansing water, air, and land.
Through the Spirit’s inspiration, offering health where once was pain
Strengthen us to be the stewards of your world knit whole again.

Restless Weaver, still conceiving new life now and yet to be—
Binding all your vast creation in one living tapestry:
You have called us to be weavers. Let your love guide all we do.
With your Reign of Peace our pattern, we will weave your world anew.

Song of Praise
Psalm 126 (Our Mouths They Were Filled) (arr. BiFrost Arts)

Our mouths they were filled
Filled with laughter
Our tongues they were loosed
Loosed with joy

Restore us, O Lord
Restore us, O Lord

Although we are weeping
Lord, help us keep sowing
The seeds of your Kingdom
For the day you will reap them

Your sheaves we will carry
Lord, please do not tarry
All those who sow weeping
Will go out with songs of joy

The nations will say,
"He has done great things!"
The nations will sing
Songs of joy

Restore us, O Lord
Restore us, O Lord


The Collect of the Day from A Prayer Book for Australia (1995)
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

God of mercy, keep before us the love you have revealed in your Son, who prayed even for his enemies. In our words and actions help us to follow his example, so that we may transform hatred into love and selfishness into generosity; through Jesus Christ, our great reward. Amen.

The First Lesson Genesis 45:3-11, 15

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me; do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there, since there are five more years of famine to come, so that you and your household and all that you have will not come to poverty.’

This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40
Do not fret because of the *wicked;
do not be envious of *wrongdoers,
for they will soon fade like the *grass
and wither like the green *herb.

Trust in the Lord and do *good;
live in the land, and enjoy se*curity.
Take delight in the *Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your *heart.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will *act.
He will make your vindication shine like the *light
and the justice of your cause like the *noonday.
Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for *him;

do not fret over those who prosper in their *way,
over those who carry out evil de*vices.
Refrain from anger and forsake *wrath.
Do not fret——it leads only to *evil.

For the wicked shall be cut *off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the *land.
Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no *more;
though you look diligently for their *place,
they will not be *there.

But the meek shall inherit the *land
and delight themselves in abundant *prosperity.
The salvation of the righteous is from the *Lord;
he is their refuge in the time of *trouble.
The Lord helps them and rescues *them;
he rescues them from the *wicked
and saves them because they take refuge in *him.

Glory Be to the Father, and to the *Son,
and to the Holy *Spirit.
As it was in the be*ginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world without end. A*men.

The Second Lesson 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50

But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen and to each kind of seed its own body.

So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the physical and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven. As one of dust, so are those who are of the dust, and as one of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the one of dust, we will also bear the image of the one of heaven.

What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The Gospel Acclamation         
Lift Every Voice and Sing (James Weldon Johnson)

Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise, high as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea

The Gospel Reading         Luke 6:27-38

+ This is the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Luke.
Glory to you, Lord Christ.


“But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who asks of you, and if anyone takes away what is yours, do not ask for it back again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive payment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap, for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Gospel Acclamation         
Lift Every Voice and Sing (James Weldon Johnson)

Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise, high as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea

Homily

A Creed from the United Church of Canada

We are not alone,
    we live in God’s world.

 We believe in God:
    who has created and is creating,
    who has come in Jesus,
       the Word made flesh,
       to reconcile and make new,
    who works in us and others
       by the Spirit.

We trust in God. 

We are called to be the Church:
    to celebrate God’s presence,
    to live with respect in Creation,
    to love and serve others,
    to seek justice and resist evil,
    to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
       our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death,
    God is with us.
We are not alone.

    Thanks be to God.

The Prayers of the People
from the St. Francis Mission

With all our heart and with all our mind and with all our strength, let us pray to the living God:
Lord, hear our prayer.

For this good earth, this holy creation, and for the wisdom and will to cherish, understand, reverence, rightly use, and conserve it, we pray to the living God:
Lord, hear our prayer.

For all in danger, hunger, or sorrow, for the aged and infirm, the widowed and orphaned, the sick and suffering in body or mind, for prisoners and refugees, the poor and oppressed, the unemployed and destitute, the bereaved and alone, the war-torn and wounded, and for all who care for them, we pray to the living God:
Lord, hear our prayer.

For all who hold positions of trust in the worlds of religion, education, government, business, community, culture, and family, that they may promote the well-being of all creation, we pray to the living God:
Lord, hear our prayer.

For any who have caused us pain, for those we struggle to understand and strain to love, for all who do not love us or who consider themselves our enemies, that they may be truly blessed and that we may be fully reconciled, we pray to the living God:
Lord, hear our prayer.

Please add your own prayers, silently or aloud.

All these things, we pray to the living God:
Lord, hear our prayer.

Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, we have hurt others, and we have been hurt. We have presumed upon others, and we have been presumed upon. We have taken others for granted, and we have been taken for granted. We have dishonored others, and we have been dishonored. As we receive your forgiveness for our wrongs, we extend forgiveness to others who have wronged us. Have mercy upon us all. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon
Be reminded my friends: as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. So, let us heed his admonitions that we need not be afraid and that he has not come to condemn the world but to redeem it! Amen.

The Peace
The peace of God be with you all.
And also with you.

Announcements

Song of Preparation
Be Still My Soul (Katharina von Schlegel)

Be still my soul the Lord is on thy side
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God to order and provide
In every change He faithful will remain
Be still my soul thy best, thy heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end

Be still my soul when dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears
Then shalt thou better know his love his heart
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears
Be still my soul the waves and winds shall know
His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below

Be still my soul
Be still

Be still my soul the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord
When disappointment grief and fear are gone
Sorrow forgot love's purest joys restored
Be still my soul when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last

Presentation Hymn
Doxología

A Dios, el Padre celestial,
al Hijo nuestro Redentor,
al eterno Consolador,
unidos todos alabad.
Amén.

About Communion
On the night Jesus washed his disciples feet and promised to overcome the troubles of this world, he gave his friends a meal to remember their belonging to him and to one another. Friends of Jesus have continued to celebrate this communion meal since that night, and this table is open to all who desire the belonging and peace of Christ.

Gluten free wafers and grape juice are available if you have those health needs. An usher will invite you to approach the kneelers to receive the meal. If for any reason you’re not prepared to join us, you’re welcome to remain in your seat. If coming to the front is physically difficult for you, please let an usher know and the elements will be brought to you. If you’d like to come up and simply receive a blessing, you can put your arms across your chest and a prayer of peace will be prayed over you.

The Great Thanksgiving
from St. Francis Mission (adapted)

The Living God is with us!
And with all creation!

Lift up your hearts!
We lift them to the Living God.

Let us give thanks to the Creator of all.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

For this reason, we join with all creation to proclaim your glory:
Holy, Holy, Holy One, God of power, God of love.
Earth, sea, and sky are full of your glory.
With joy we praise you! With joy we praise you! Amen!

On the night before he showed us the full extent of his love, Jesus took a loaf of bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to his friends, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

As supper was ending, he took a cup of wine. Again, he gave thanks and gave it to his friends, saying, “Drink from this, all of you, for this is my blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink this cup, remember me.”

Now, gathered as one people around this table of joyful reconciliation and fellowship, united in your spirit, we receive these gifts, and we gratefully offer you our lives as a living sacrifice. As Christ stretched out his arms upon the cross to welcome the whole world into your gracious embrace, we rejoice to enter that embrace and with you, extend it to all.

Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to the living God be honor, glory, and praise, forever and ever. Amen.

As Christ teaches us, so we pray:

The Lord’s Prayer
You are welcome to pray in any language. 

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 sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. 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.

Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo, santificado sea tu Nombre, venga tu reino, hágase tu voluntad, en la tierra como en el cielo. Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día. Perdona nuestras ofensas, como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden. No nos dejes caer en tentación y líbranos del mal. Porque tuyo es el reino, tuyo es el poder, y tuya es la gloria, ahora y por siempre. Amén.

The Breaking of the Bread
The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ. 
We being many are one body, for we all share in one bread.

The Invitation
The gifts of God for the people of God. 
Jesus Christ is holy, Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Communion Music
The Risen Christ (Nigel Weaver)

The risen Christ, who walks on wounded feet
from garden tomb through darkened city street,
unlocks the door of grief, despair, and fear,
and speaks a word of peace to all who hear.

The risen Christ, who stands with wounded side,
breathes out his Spirit on them to abide
whose faith still wavers, who dare not believe;
new grace, new strength, new purpose they receive.

The risen Christ, who breaks with wounded hand
the bread for those who fail to understand,
reveals himself, despite their lingering tears,
enflames their hearts, then quickly disappears.

May we, Christ's body, walk and serve and stand
with those oppressed in this and every land,
till all are blessed and can a blessing be,
restored in Christ to true humanity.

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms (Anthony Showalter)

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
leaning on the everlasting arms;
what a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning,
safe and secure from all alarms;
leaning, leaning,
leaning on the everlasting arms.

O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
leaning on the everlasting arms;
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
leaning on the everlasting arms.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
leaning on the everlasting arms.

Prayer after Communion the Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console, to be understood, as to understand. to be loved, as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, and it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

The Blessing

The Recessional         
How Can I Keep from Singing (Robert Lowry, Pete Seeger)

My life flows on in endless song above earth’s lamentation.
I hear the real though far-off hymn that hails a new creation.
Through all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing.
It sounds an echo in my soul. How can I keep from singing!

What though the tempest ‘round me roars, I know the truth, it liveth.
What though the darkness ‘round me close, songs in the night it giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I’m clinging.
Since love prevails in heav’n and earth, how can I keep from singing!

How can I keep from singing!

When tyrants tremble as they hear the bells of freedom ringing,
When friends rejoice both far and near, how can I keep from singing!
To prison cell and dungeon vile our thoughts to them are winging;
When friends by shame are undefiled, how can I keep from singing!
How can I keep from singing!

The Dismissal
Now let us go forth, living in the light and love of Christ.
Thanks be to God.