Worship for Sunday, August 2, 2020

The 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday, August 2, 2020

To view videos on this site, just click on 
the attached blue-colored link!

To give your offering online  to St. John's, please click  http://www.stjohnspearlcity.org/giving

OUR WORSHIP FOR TODAY

THE OPENING SENTENCE

The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.       

OPENING HYMN: "All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly" (Video Link):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppZ1_UOJ4Qg  

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Glorious God, your generosity waters the world with goodness, and you cover creation with abundance. Awaken in us a hunger for the food that satisfies both body and spirit, and with this food fill all the starving world; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.  Amen.

FIRST READING: Isaiah 55:1-5

Ho, everyone who thirsts,

   come to the waters;

and you that have no money,

   come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

   without money and without price.

Why do you spend your money

for that which is not bread,

   and your labor

for that which does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to me,

and eat what is good,

   and delight yourselves in rich food.

Incline your ear, and come to me;

   listen, so that you may live.

I will make with you

an everlasting covenant,

   my steadfast, sure love for David.

See, I made him a witness to the peoples,

   a leader and commander for the peoples.

See, you shall call nations

that you do not know,

   and nations that do not know you

shall run to you,

because of the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel,

   for he has glorified you.

PSALM: Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21

  The Lord is gracious

and full of compassion,

  slow to anger and abounding

in steadfast love.

 Lord, you are good to all,

  and your compassion

is over all your works.

 The Lord upholds all those

who fall

  and lifts up those

who are bowed down.

 The eyes of all wait upon you,

O Lord,

  and you give them their food

in due season.

 You open wide your hand

  and satisfy the desire

of every living thing.

 You are righteous in all your ways

  and loving in all your works.

 You are near to all

who call upon you,

  to all who call upon you faithfully.

 You fulfill the desire

of those who fear you;

  you hear their cry and save them.

 You watch over all those who love you,

  but all the wicked you shall destroy.

 My mouth shall speak

the praise of the Lord;

  let all flesh bless God’s holy name

forever and ever.

SECOND READING: Romans 9:1-5

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 14:13-21

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ Jesus said to them, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’ They replied, ‘We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.’ And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’ Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

CHILDREN'S MESSAGE (Video Link):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mIOHfu3-RA

HOMILY FOR THE DAY (Video Link):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxNxQYGmy2c

THE APOSTLES' CREED

I believe in God,

the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ,

God’s only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived

by the Holy Spirit,

born of the virgin Mary,

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,

he is seated at the right hand

of the Father,

and he will come 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 OF INTERCESSION

Confident of your care and helped by the Holy Spirit, we pray for the church, the world, and all who are in need.

A brief silence.

You take resources that appear to be meager, bless them, and there is enough. May your church trust that what you bless and ask us to share with the world is abundantly sufficient. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Your bountiful creation offers sustenance and life for all creatures. Protect this abundance for the well-being of all. Reverse the damage we have caused your creation. Replenish ground water supplies, provide needed rains in places of drought, and protect forests from wildfires. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

You offer yourself to all the nations and peoples of the earth, inviting everyone to abundant life. Bring the prophetic vision to fullness, that all nations will run to you and that nations who do not know you will find their joy in you. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Hear the anguish of tender hearts who cry to you in suffering and satisfy their deepest needs. Bring wholeness and healing to those who suffer in body, heart, soul, and mind. (You may lift up the names of those for whom you would like to pray here.)  Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

You offer freely the fullness of salvation. Give our congregation (name) such a welcoming heart, that our words and actions may extend your free and abundant hospitality to all whom we encounter. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

You gather your saints as one, united in the body of Jesus. Bring us with all your saints to the heavenly banquet. We remember with love and thanksgiving the saints we have known. (You may lift up the names of those who have died in Christ here.)  Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Receive these prayers, O God, and those too deep for words; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

THE LORD'S PRAYER

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,

and the power, and the glory,
               forever and ever. Amen.

CONCLUDING PRAYER  

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

      Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them:

      Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. 

             Amen

CLOSING PETITION FOR BLESSING

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. _{Romans 15:13}   
Amen 

CLOSING HYMN: "Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness" (Video Link): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67UAKYOVsdI