Third Sunday After Pentecost June 20-21, 2020
Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ at Hope Lutheran Church, This past Friday was the celebration of Juneteenth. Many of us are unfamiliar with this holiday. It actually goes back to when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, and the “peculiar institution” of slavery met a formal end in the states controlled by the Confederacy. For many African Americans, life remained the same, however. Slaves in border states were not freed, and for all practical purposes, neither were those in the Confederate states until the Union army entered. More shockingly, some enslaved African Americans had no idea that President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation. In Texas, one of the last states where slavery endured, more than two-and-a-half years passed before slaves received their freedom. Juneteenth marks the date of June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to demand that the slaves there be set free. So– Juneteenth is a day of freedom and celebration in our country! We also celebrate this weekend the gift of fathers and those who provide fatherly care and protection in our world. While not all of us have been blessed with human fathers who always provided the care we need, representing frailty of our common humanity, we do celebrate the men God has placed in our lives to guide us, love us, protect us, and direct us in the most godly of ways. The good men in our lives are God’s gifts to us and we celebrate them and give God thanks for them! Lots to celebrate-lots for which we give thanks!! The days may feel still filled with chaos and disorder. We may be experiencing very un-ordinary things during this Ordinary time of the church. But in spite of what the world throws at us, there is ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS something for which we can give thanks! It’s a choice-together, let’s choose thanksgiving, gratitude, and positivity as we know God is in charge and God is leading us and guiding us through God’s Spirit to serve God and share Christ’s love with all!!! Blessed Father’s Day to all you men out there! We celebrate you and are grateful for you!! Pr. Jen+
Third Sunday After Pentecost June 20-21, 2020
PRAYER OF THE DAY Let us pray Teach us, good Lord God, to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward, except that of knowing that we do your will, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
READING Matthew 10:24-39 Jesus warns his disciples that their ministry in his name will meet with opposition. However, he assures them that they need not fear for the truth will come to light. Life is found in Christ.
A reading from Matthew: [Jesus said to the twelve:] 24 “A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25 it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! 26 “So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. 34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
HOMILY A business manager went on holiday to an island in Greece. One day, while he was on the beach, he was called on his cellphone by his secretary, wanting some help. He gave her some instructions and told her to call him back when she had finished. As he was pacing up and down waiting for a return phone call, he came across a fisherman, dozing in the shade of his fishing boat, that had been pulled up on the beach. As the manager passed, the fisherman woke up and the manager decided to talk to him.
~~~“The weather is great and there’s lots of fish. So how come you are sitting about here – when you could be out there – catching more fish?” Quietly, the fisherman replied: “Because I caught enough this morning” “But just imagine” the manager replied “if you went out twice a day, you could bring home twice as much fish. And do you know what could happen?” Puzzled, the fisherman shook his head.
~~~“Well” the manager continued – waxing lyrical to his theme “you could buy yourself a motorboat. And then, after say a couple of years you could buy a second one. Then perhaps after three years you could have a cutter or two. And just think, one day you might be able to buy a freezing plant. Then you could go on to get your own helicopter to help you trace shoals of fish for your fishing fleet. You could then buy your own truck to ship the fish to the capital thereby cutting out the middle man” “And then what” the fisherman replied.
~~~“And then “ the manager concluded triumphantly “ you wouldn’t have to worry. You could then sit down calmly on the beach, dozing in the sun and looking at the beautiful ocean.” “Well, my friend” the fisherman replied “what do you think I am doing now!”
~~~We all worry at some time or other, often about money or illness or the future. Jesus, in our Gospel, sent his disciples out to preach the Good News that the Kingdom of God is near (Mt. 10:7). He recognized that this would result in conflict. There would be those who would accept their word and there would be those who would not accept their word. And Jesus realized that when the disciples ran into inevitable opposition, they would be afraid. He realized that they would worry. And so Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not fear….Do not be afraid…” (Mt. 10:31), because God is interested in the smallest details of your life and won’t let you down. Jesus reminds us that God says to each of us “You are mine.”
~~~~In Jesus’ day, there was a real danger of being killed for preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God. 1st Century Palestine was seething with unrest – under the yoke of Roman rule. And anyone, who threatened the delicate status quo, ran a serious risk of being put to death. And as we all know – Jesus himself was crucified for his radical message. He knew the risks but out of love for us,he accepted the risks because through his cross we are promised eternal life-and for Jesus, the God who says “you are min”, that was what mattered. You matter. I matter. We all matter to Jesus.
~~~Christ called his disciples to preach the Gospel with boldness and not to be afraid. And to rely on God for their protection. And he calls us too – to serve God by preaching the Gospel and rely on God for our security.
~~~In the US it is unlikely we will face death for being a follower of Christ. We might not have to fear for our lives, but we can be tempted to be fearful about other things. Failure. Some of us worry that we will fail, and that worry can keep us from taking the necessary risks in order to succeed in the first place. Our families Some of us worry about our families – how our children will fare in the future. Worries for our parents, our spouses, or our siblings, or kids and grandkids-we all have them. Fear of rejection Others fear rejection to the point where they will not risk loving others just in case they get hurt in the process. We can all succumb to worrying about something. Someone once said: “Worry is like a rocking chair, it uses up your energy without getting you anywhere”
~~~Dr. Charles Mayo of the famous Mayo Clinic said this about worry: ”There is a growing mountain of evidence that worry is the chief contributor to depression, nervous breakdowns, high blood pressure, heart attacks and early death. Stress kills. I’ve never known a man die from hard work but I have known a lot who have died from worry.” Worry over things big and small-things we can cannot control-worry can drown us.
~~~So what is the solution to worry? Jesus told us not to be afraid. Why? Because our heavenly Father cares for us. Jesus says to us come to me, and I will give you rest. Jesus reminds us that God says to us “You are mine.” In our Gospel reading, Jesus said that God knows us and watches over us, to the point of being able to count the number of hairs on our head. That’s the interest that God has in each one of us!! We can bring our problems to him. We are invited to talk to God as if he is our most trusted, dearest friend. The challenge for us is to ask; “Who is in control in my life?” Is it God or do we have to rely on our own efforts? Will we choose to follow God’s way, or our way?? If the Lord really is No. 1 in our life, then we try to resist our natural tendencies to be afraid, to worry, to allow the stresses of life to overwhelm us. We can do this by drawing aside from the situation and bringing it to God in prayer.
~~~Prayer is our way of saying. “Heavenly Father, I know you love me and I know you want to guide me in the situation. I need help.” Jesus didn’t worry – instead he used to regularly draw aside to pray – to spend time with his Father. We – as his disciples – would do well to follow his example and learn from him as he invites us to bring our fears to our loving Heavenly Father who says to us, “You are mine.” Amen.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Called into unity with one another and the whole creation, let us pray for our shared world. A brief silence.
Expansive God, you bring diverse voices together to form your church. Open our hearts and unstop our ears to learn from one another, that differences might not overshadow our baptismal unity. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Providing God, your creation shows us that life comes from death. Renew the places where our land, air, and waterways have been ill for too Direct the work of all who care for birds and their habitats. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Protecting God, sustain and keep safe all who work to defend others across the world Revive and strengthen organizations dedicated to caring for refugees and migrants while their homelands struggle for peace. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Loving God, you promise to be with all who are persecuted for your sake. Guide all who speak your word of justice and console any who are tormented or targeted for being who they are. Bring your healing presence with all those in need, especially…Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Compassionate God, you are with us and we are never alone. Bless all fathers and father figures who strive to love and nurture as you do. Comfort all who long to be fathers and all for whom this day is difficult. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Reigning God, you bless us with guides and caretakers in the faith. As we give thanks for those who have died, increase our care for one another until we walk with them in newness of life. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great. Receive these prayers, O God, and those too deep for words; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
OUR FATHER…
BLESSING Almighty God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit be with us now and always. Amen.
DISMISSAL We go in peace. Christ is with us as together we are led by your Spirit to serve you and share your love with all people. Thanks be to God!!!
Hope Lutheran Church-Gulf Cove
14200 Hopewell Ave, Port Charlotte, FL 33981
Church phone: 941-697-2345
Email: hopeluthern@comcast.net
Pr. Jen Schaefer-cell-813-391-2027
Pr. Jen’s email: hopeluthern1@comcast.net
HOPE HAPPENINGS
We welcome all who worship with us today. Please complete one of the visitor cards at our guest table. If you would like to make Hope your church home, please speak to Pastor Jen.
Everyone is welcome at Hope Lutheran Church.
Next Week’s Readings: Jeremiah 28:5-9; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42
The July thru September Word in Season Devotionals are available on the narthex table.
Attendance last week Income Information
Saturday FY 2020 Actual thru May $63,355.79
Sunday 8:30 FY 2020 Budget thru May $67,344.23
Sunday 10:00 FY 2019 Actual thru May $66,091.73
LAY SERVANTS
Altar Guild – Barb & Larry Brady Ushers
Alan Beicht & Larry Brady Counters
Barb & Larry Brady Altar Flowers are in memory of Elaine Dougan’s father.
PRAYER LIST Please call the church office or email Pr. Jen with any prayer requests you may have so they may be shared with the congregation.
Please continue to hold in prayer:
Laura Everill, daughter of Phyllis and Tom Agness, residing in a healthcare facility
Walter Crowley, husband of Kathryn and father of Ginger Toomire recovering from pneumonia
Pr Cheryll, Karl & Nick Kaukis who mourn the death of Chris, beloved son & brother
Peter Schwenke, uncle of Lorraine Maass in need of healing
Paul, Sue Spisak’s brother in law in hospice care
Joyce, sister in law of Elaine Dougan, recovering from brain cancer surgery
Arthur St. Amand and Joanne, in need of God’s healing touch
John Greene, Millie’s husband, recovering from surgery
Fred Schaible, Eileen’s husband and Pr. Jen’s dad, in hospice care
Al D’Agostino, brother in law of Alan Beicht who is diagnosed with cancer
Suzette, Katie McClay’s friend who is recovering after colon cancer surgery,
Norm Balint, Roberta’s husband, who is recovering heart procedures
Lindsay, Cyndi Carley’s daughter who is in need of healing
Florence, Bob Kostrowsky’s aunt who is hospitalized in New Jersey
Lois, Lorraine Maass’ friend, in need of God’s healing presence
Kaye Miller, friend of Elaine Dougan, needing God’s comfort and healing
Pat Hinton and family, as they mourn the deaths of her cousin Bob Hummel and brother Ed Brauch
Those who are in need or ill in any way, those who are lonely, those who are frightened, those who grieve, those caring for those who are ill, those who are victimized by racism
NEW TASK FORCE AT HOPE! Council President, Larry Brady, is heading up a task force with a few members of Hope to explore some intentional ministry possibilities in this community. Due to the generosity of our members, especially in response to the extra gifts given due to Pr.Tom and Marlene Barbret’s powerful witness regarding stimulus checks, we are looking for ways to share the love of Christ in our community through this blessing. If you are interested in serving on this Task Force, please contact either Larry Brady or Pr. Jen for details. We are doing God’s work with our hands as we are led by the Spirit to serve God and share Christ’s love with all. How blessed we are!!!!
HYMN REQUESTS If there are any particular hymns that you would like to hear at worship, please submit the names to Pastor Jen at hopeluthern1@comcast.net. If our licensing agreement permits, look forward to hearing them soon.
HOPES AND DREAMS FOR HOPE If you have a suggestion for a Hope or Dream for Hope Lutheran Church, Pastor Jen and your council would love to hear it. Please feel free to place any Hope or Dream in the mailbox in the hallway leading to the Fellowship Hall. All requests will be kept confidential and you will receive a timely response.
NEW SMALL GROUP GET TOGETHERS AT HOPE
HOPE’S LUNCH BUNCH ON HOLD UNTIL NEW PHASE OF HEALTH ESTABLISHED LOCALLY. STAY TUNED!!!!!
BIBLES AND BAGELS (or muffins or individually wrapped goodies) Please join us Mondays from 10:00 – 11:00 AM for Bible Study and sharing in the Fellowship Hall. Physical Distancing and sharing in Scripture and discussion are blessings we can share together!! All are welcome!!
PSALMS IN CONVERSATION AND OTHER THINGS is a beginning – to connect with and pray with and for each other and the larger community. If you are willing to begin this conversation with Pastor Cheryll, contact her at cheryll.kaukis@gmail.com
JUG FOR DONATIONS FOR PUBLICITY Look for the new “Loose Change Jug” in the narthex. The new jug was built by Vinny (Bob Kostrowsky’s friend) and your donations will continue to help defer the cost of publicity for Hope Lutheran Church. Thank you for being generous!
KIWANIS SHOES FOR KIDS PROJECT The Kiwanis Shoes for Kids project will continue through July 26th. Please bring all new tennis shoes to church and place in the bin in the narthex. If you prefer, we will purchase tennis shoes for you if you make a donation to Hope Lutheran. Thank you!
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