13 th Sunday after Pentecost~~ August 21-22, 2021
August 22, 2021
My dearest Hope Family:
This is simply a note to ask your prayers and to ask you to keep safe.
~~~First, I ask your prayers for our brothers and sisters in Haiti and Afghanistan. In Haiti, after a devastating earthquake and then a hurricane, there is so much damage and loss of resources in addition to loss of life, property and health and well-being. If you wish to make a contribution to Haiti, you can go to our Synod website at FBSynod.com and you will find a blue button on the right top side of the website to contribute to our companion synod. Pr. Livenson ha been in contact with our Synod Bishop and leaders and has let them know the needs of the people there. Several churches were badly impacted and many lost their homes and all their belongings. Your assistance and your prayers are much needed and much appreciated.
~~~ In Afghanistan, we have watched the devastating takeover of the Taliban of that country-a country we have worked with and for over 20 years. Of particular concern are the many people who have assisted American personnel there as well as women and girls who suffer under the Taliban extremism. Please hold our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan in your prayers for peace and safety and our Troops who are working feverishly to protect and transport the many who are fleeing to find refuge elsewhere.
As for keeping safe–Covid has caused our hospitals to be filled to capacity and there are many who are getting sick in spite of vaccination due to the Delta variant. Senior residences are closed to visitors. Sarasota School District has now mandated masks for all staff and students because of the alarming increase in infection rate. My two oldest grandkids are quarantined at home for the coming week since they have been exposed by classmates in both the elementary and middle schools. They cannot be tested until Tuesday and won’t have results until next weekend, thus missing an entire week of school in the first month. They are certainly not alone but this is an example of what a difficult time it is for us all. I am sharing this because this impacts every one of us. When you are out and about, please be safe and protect yourself and those around you. You are all so very precious in God’s eyes and I pray all of us will take extra precautions to remain healthy.
Please pray, too, for those in the path of the storms–There is so much happening right now in so many people’s lives-the best we can do is be patient and kind and loving to and with each other and place it all in God’s loving, caring hands.
Please pray for me as I pray for you! In love, ~~ Pr. Jen Schaefer+
Please be advised–due to a rise of Covid infection in our community and country, masks will be required for everyone entering our building beginning Monday, August 2nd until further notice. Thanks for complying with this directive! Be safe!
13th Sunday after Pentecost~~ August 21-22, 2021. The Prayer of the Day Holy God, your word feeds your people with life that is eternal. Direct our choices and preserve us in your truth, that, renouncing what is false and evil, we may live in you, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Gospel : John 6:56-69 The “hard saying” that offends Jesus’ disciples is his claim that his followers must eat his flesh and drink his blood. The followers who return to their old lives know something about how odd this sounds. Simon Peter, on the other hand, knows something about the scarcity of living, gracious words. He asks the most important question: “To whom shall we go?” [Jesus said,] 56“Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” 59He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
60When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” 61But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? 62Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”
66Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” 68Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
60When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” 61But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? 62Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”
66Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” 68Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
HOMILY : Holy Communion is a strange thing-especially to those who don’t understand or believe. We use linens and special words and we generally aren’t hit by the strangeness of it because we are used to it. But on occasion-I still vividly remember years ago an incident where I repeated Jesus’ familiar words, “This is my body broken for you. This is my blood shed for you,” a small girl suddenly said in a loud voice, “Ew, yuk!” The congregation looked horrified, as if someone had splattered blood all over the altar–which, in effect, is something like what the little girl had done with her exclamation. ~~~John’s Gospel is the only one of the four gospels that does not include an account of the Last Supper, but the sixth chapter of John is soaked with Eucharistic imagery. Jesus first speaks of himself as “the bread of life” that has “come down from heaven” and invites his hearers to partake of this bread–that is, to believe in him. But then, in the 56th verse Jesus says, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me and I in them.” According to John, Jews then ask the obvious question: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Perhaps they responded in that way to give Jesus a chance to explain himself. Surely Jesus meant to say something else. After all, to eat someone’s flesh only appears in the Hebrew Bible as a metaphor for great hostility. And the drinking of blood was considered an abomination forbidden by God’s law. You don’t have to be a good Jew to want to avert your eyes from such an image and cover your ears at such language. It does sound like cannibalism. Please, Jesus, would you mind if we talked about something else? Ew-yuk.
~~~So what’s going on here? Well, for one, the imagery employed by Jesus in this passage forces a kind of “in-your-face” confrontation with the incarnation-God literally in the flesh.. Gone are abstract terms. To encounter Jesus is to encounter the flesh and blood of him. The images he uses are meant to get our attention in that way. In Hebrew the expression “flesh and blood” means the whole person. It is something like our expression “body and soul.” If I say, “I love you body and soul,” it means, “I love your entire being with my entire being.” In Hebrew, “flesh and blood” means something like that–the whole person. To receive the whole Jesus entails receiving his flesh and blood. ~~~The New Testament uses many different images to express the intimate relationship between Jesus and those who believe in him, and John gives us many of the most familiar expressions of this relationship: Jesus is the shepherd and we are the sheep. He is the vine and we are the branches. He abides in God and we abide in him. In this passage, however, language is pressed to its limits to express the intimate participation of one life in another. For those who receive Jesus, his life clings to their bones and courses through their veins. He can no more be taken from a believer’s life than last Tuesday’s breakfast can be plucked from one’s body. It is the ultimate communion–the coming together, the union of the Savior and the saved. ~~~Many attempts have been made to explain this mystery. The early church simply affirmed that the risen Christ was with them at their celebrations of the Lord’s Supper, but during the Middle Ages detailed attempts were made to explain how and when Christ was present in the sacrament. It was in this period that theories such as transubstantiation were created. Transubstantiation is the belief that somehow the very substance of the bread and wine is transformed into the substance of the flesh and blood of Christ, even though the outward appearance of the bread and wine remain unchanged. The medieval church began to affirm that when the priest lifts the host and says, “Hoc est corpus meum “ (that is, “This is my body”), the bread is miraculously transformed into the physical presence of Christ. ~~~Protestant reformers, while affirming Christ’s presence at the church’s celebrations of the sacrament, were disturbed by such interpretations. To them that sounded like a form of sacred magic. Today we say we believe in the real presence of Christ at the Lord’s Table. And there seems to be wide consensus in both Protestant and Roman Catholic circles that the manner and means of Christ’s presence cannot be captured by any simple explanation. Christ’s presence is real in this sacrament, but the manner and means of that presence may remain mysteries to us forever. John Calvin, after a long dissertation on the sacrament, summarized his understanding of Christ’s presence in the Lord’s Supper by saying, “I would rather experience it than understand it.” ~~~How is Christ present in this meal? We cannot fully know. Such close love is always a mystery. But his presence is real even if we can’t explain it. What we can do is seek the mysterious blessings of the table — receive the gifts offered by our God. For all who receive the presence of Christ, John’s affirmation is good news, indeed: In Christ, you are what you eat. Thanks be to God! Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
~~~Rooted in Christ and sustained by the Spirit, we offer our prayers for the church, the world, and all of creation. A brief silence.
~~~God of courage, bless all leaders of your church. Make them ready to proclaim the gospel of peace and strengthen them to preach your loving word. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
~~~God of creation, bless fields and orchards. Protect the land from drought and bring life-giving rain to support growth. Instruct your people in wise treatment of the world you have provided for all your creatures. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
~~~God of community, bless all who seek justice between nations and peoples. Give guidance to bridge-builders, heal divisions, and inspire cooperation in times of crisis, disaster, and war. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
~~~God of compassion, bless all who are in any need. Accompany all who are lonely and feeling abandoned and remind them of your abiding presence. Accompany all who are persecuted and exploited and open us to their cries. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
~~~God of change, bless our transitions. Guide all who are embarking on new stages in life such as a new job, new school, or new community (especially). Sustain enduring friendships and kindle new relationships and interests. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
~~~God of comfort, bless all who mourn the deaths of their beloved ones. We give you thanks for the saints who have gone before us (especially). Renew our confidence in your promise of resurrection and life in the world to come. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
~~~We lift these and all our prayers to you, O God, confident in the promise of your saving love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
~~~Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
The blessing of the living God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, surround and sustain us, keep us from harm, and fill us with courage. Amen.
Let us go out into the world in peace, sharing the Good News of Jesus and his love, as together we are led by the Spirit to serve God and share Christ’s love with all! Thanks be to God!
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: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9; James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Word in Season Devotionals are available on the narthex table.
LAY SERVANTS FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Altar Guild: Candy Ogden Week of August 15 th 2021
Usher: Karl Kaukis Total Attendance 44
Counters: M. Outerbridge & B. Musgraves Total Offering $605
Altar Flowers donated in honor of Tom & Phyllis Agness’ 54 th Wedding Anniv. Congratulations!
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:
Cindy & Danielle for healing and hope
Donna for healing
William & Jeannie for healing and peace
Jan for healing
Vanessa for healing
Richard Massey and Rick for healing
Bill for healing
Doreen Parkinson for healing
John for healing
Herb Sixbury for healing
Monica for healing and God’s presence
Cyndi and Fred for healing
Doris Puerner for healing
Helen for healing after surgery
Dawn Seibert for healing
Carol for healing, hope, and God’s will.
Laura Everill, daughter of Phyllis and Tom Agness, for healing.
John Greene, Millie’s husband, for strength and healing & healing for all their family
Cheryl Burke who is in need of healing
Larry and Barbara Brady, as they focus on healing.
Pastor Pat for healing
Pastor Marilyn for healing
Pat for comfort
Gini for healing
NEW AT HOPE
UNDIES & SCHOOL SUPPLIES Between now and Sunday Sept. 12, Gods Work Our Hands Sunday, lets collect underwear and school supplies for our local students. Our collection will be blessed the weekend of Sept. 11 and 12 and then shared with or community. Help us as we make a difference in Jesus’ name.
KINDNESS KORNER Following along with Book Club suggestions, this week’s act of kindness will be to let someone else ahead of you in line or safely into your lane while driving.
HOPE LOVE PANTRY is looking for a volunteer to restock the pantry on Thursday mornings during office hours which are 9:00 AM to Noon. If you can assist, please contact Linda Kraigenow.
Laura Everill, daughter of Phyllis and Tom Agness is healing after surgery and could use prayers and good wishes from our Hope family. Her address is Laura Everill, Room 601, Ashton Creek, 4111 Park Place Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46845. Her email address is leverill@comcast.net.
SAVE THE DATE – Hope Lutheran Bazaar scheduled for December 4, 2021.If you know of any vendors that would like to rent space, please contact Fran Kostrowsky.
HOPE LOVE PANTRY – The pantry could use tuna, crackers, pastas, tomato sauce, peanut butter, shampoo, boxed milk (dollar tree has best price), juices and canned fruits. Thank you for your continued support and donations. This is our opportunity to serve God and share Christ’s love with all.
2021 HOPE LUTHERAN COUNCIL MEMBERS
Pr Jennifer Schaefer 813.391.2027 hopeluthern1@comcast.net
Pres Jill Mead 941.350.5209 jillmead3059@gmail.com
V P Linda Kraigenow 941.623.9188 lindak41549@gmail.com
Secy Roberta Balint 941.830.2381 roberta.in.paradise@gmail.com
Treas Karl Kaukis 405.334.1511 karl@kaukis.com
Fin Secy Lorraine Maass 540.419.5961 yar0227@ymail.com
Pr. Cheryll A-K 405.762.0564 cheryll.kaukis@gmail.com
Candy Ogden 217.899.7086 roncandyogden92@gmail.com
Donna Turner 941.276.4696 jag01@embarqmail.com
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