Music as We Prepare for Worship
Lighting of the Christ Candle
Invitation of Worship
We gather this morning as a community of faith – part of the family of God.
Hear now the words of St. Paul about love:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not arrogant. Love does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. . .love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
We gather to celebrate love in community – seeking to reflect this love in our family of faith. We gather to encounter God known to us as Kind Creator, Compassionate Friend, Ever-present Spirit, that we might be empowered and enabled to live out God’s love for all the world. Let us worship God.
Opening Hymn VU#556 “Would You Bless Our Homes & Families”
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Would you bless our homes and families, Source of life who calls us here; in our world of stress and tension teach us love that conquers fear. Help us learn to love each other with a love that constant stays; teach us when we face our troubles, love’s expressed in many ways.
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When our way is undemanding, let us use the time that’s ours to delight in simple pleasures, sharing joys in gentle hours. When our way is anxious walking and a heavy path we plod, teach us trust in one another, and in you, our gracious God.
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From the homes in which we’re nurtured, with the love that shapes us there, teach us God to claim as family everyone whose life we share. And through all that life may offer, may we in your love remain; may the love we share in families be alive to praise your name.
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Let us reach beyond the boundaries of our daily thought and care till the family you have chosen spills its love out everywhere. Help us learn to love each other with a love that constant stays; teach us when we face our troubles love’s expressed in many ways.
Prayer
We give thanks this day, Gracious God, for the heritage bequeathed to us in this community of faith.
We give thanks for faithful parents, grandparents, in this family – some related to us by blood – many others related in Spirit who shared their faith as Ministers, teachers, Elders, and stewards of all your gifts.
Help us this morning to be aware of their presence with us as we worship. Remind us, Holy One, of Jesus’ promise to be present “where two or three are gathered”.
By the Presence of the Spirit form us anew to be a community – a family – that embodies your love. In Jesus’ name we prayer this. Amen.
Bible Reading: Genesis 37.1-4, 12-28
The Book of Genesis, first book in the Jewish Torah, and in our Bible, contains many ancient stories about the origins of the faith community of the Hebrew people.
These stories were told and retold around the fire at night for many hundreds of years. It was only in the sixth century before the common era that they were written down. The Rabbis wisely knew that the Jews, captive in the strange land of Babylon, far from home, needed to learn these stories so that they would know who they were as God’s chosen people.
Today’s reading is from the thirty-seventh chapter of Genesis – the story of Jacob, his son Joseph, and Joseph’s brothers. As you hear these verses, listen for the word of God:
37.1 Jacob settles in the land where his father Isaac had lived as a stranger, the land of Canaan. 2 This is the history of the family of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a lad with the sons Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought an ill report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.
12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And Joseph replied, “Here I am.” 14 So his father said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers, and with the flock, and bring me word again.” So, Joseph went from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields; and the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” 16 “I am seeking my brothers,” Joseph replied, “Tell me, I pray you, where they are pasturing the flock.” 17 And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them his brothers and found them at Dothan. 18 They saw him afar off, and before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild beast has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” 21 But when Reuben heard it, he delivered Joseph out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; cast him in the pit there in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him, – that he might restore him out of their hand to restore him to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; 24 and they took him and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty, there was no water in it.
25 Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers heeded him. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by; and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver; and they took Joseph to Egypt.
All in the Family
We remember the characters, don’t we? Archie and Edith. Michael, who Archie called “Meathead” and Gloria – the characters portrayed in “All in the Family”.
On Saturday evenings in the mid-70’s, 60% of televisions in North America were tuned to this CBS situation comedy about an American family – the family of a loading dock worker in New York City by the name of Archie Bunker.
Archie was outrageous in his attitudes – freely expressed – racist, sexist, homophobic, pretty much any form of bigotry known to man came out of his mouth. Maybe you recall 
the episode where he opined that “putting the toilet seat down” was, “women’s work”.
Yes. Family. Of course, our own family was nothing like that was it!? Our family – where we grew up and were nurtured was perfect. There was never any controversy. Everyone always got along. Everyone was always considerate of one another. Our own families were more like “Father Knows Best” or “Leave it to Beaver”. Isn’t that right?
Mind you – the families of our neighbours and friends perhaps not so much.
Some of them were like the family I experienced in Napanee who had a sign on their door – “Welcome Friends! Family, by appointment.”
Or perhaps like the families and community portrayed in the movie “Fiddler on the Roof”. You may recall at the beginning of that film – Taviar, the father figure, introduces the characters and talks about how, in the past, there had been conflict among them. There was the one time where Simon sold Joshua a mule and told him it was a horse. But that was long-since settled, all was forgiven and now everyone gets along.” Taviar then says to someone standing nearby: “It was a horse.” Immediately there were cries: “It was a mule!” – “It was a horse!” – as voices rose and tempers flared.
Our own families weren’t like that – no, no, – in our families – especially our Christian families – everyone got along.
Our families were like the families in the Bible, right? Perfect examples of the love of God for one another. Maybe we weren’t quite like the “Holy Family” – you know, Mary & Joseph and the baby Jesus – displayed on Christmas cards and in sculpture and paintings. But we were pretty close to that ideal, right?
Really? Or was our family a variation of the family of the comedian Henny Youngman – “Take my family – please!” Or was our family more like the family of the Smothers Brothers – with the perennial argument between Dick and Tommy – “Mom always loved you best.”
What about the families in the Bible? Couldn’t – shouldn’t – we model our own relationships of those families?
Take the family of the patriarch Jacob as an example. The story we read this morning depicted the perfection of that family.
Joseph – a tattle tale, a spy, a braggart, arrogant, hopelessly naive, a foolish dreamer who tormented his brothers with his dreams. . ..
The Brothers – jealous, resentful, angry, scheming, murderous, unscrupulous, dishonest, conniving, cruel. . .
Quite a family! Yet this was the family that God chose to be a blessing to all the families of earth!
What about in the New Testament – no conflict in those families, right?
Remember James & John in their scheming, aided by their mother, to be number one and two in the Kingdom of God?
Remember Martha complaining to Jesus that her sister Mary was lazing around while she worked her fingers to the bone?
Truth be told – a good portion of our New Testament would never have been written had it not been for St. Paul’s need to correct the behaviour of the church families at Corinth or Rome or Philippi or Galatia.
Jesus didn’t search the countryside until he found the perfect people to be his disciples. He called ordinary men and women – invited them to be part of his community of compassion – and helped them to be their best selves.
There is good news for us here this morning. God does not call perfect people. God doesn’t wait until people have been perfected and all of their flaws and foibles corrected before calling them. God calls us just as we are.
I remember a number of years ago when I was experiencing some difficulties in my own family relationships that a friend sent me a cartoon that helped me to gain perspective. This was back in the day when there was a lot of talk about “Dysfunctional Families”.
The cartoon depicted a great auditorium – like the Roy Thompson Hall or Massey Hall or the Sony Centre in Toronto. Gathered in this space that would easily seat 5,000 – were tiny groups of a few people spread out. . .across the stage was a huge banner that proclaimed: “Welcome Children of Normal Families”.
We are called by God into a Family of Faith – a Family that is far from perfect. It is a family where there are divisions – where there is controversy – where the flaws and foibles of the members are clearly on display. God’s call to us comes to us just as we are – while enabling and empowering us to become our best selves.
God is able to use us – even as flawed as we may be – just as God was able to use Joseph and his brothers in their brokenness to accomplish great things.
I love the words of Leonard Cohen’s song “Anthem” –
“Forget your perfect offering – there is a crack in everything – that’s how the light gets in.”
Just as we are, we respond to God’s gracious invitation assured that God will help us and transform us into the people that God had from the beginning in mind – not perfect – but useful none-the-less. Thanks be to God! Amen.
Gifts, tithes and Offerings
Each week as we gather for worship – when we are able to do so – we offer our gifts, tithes and offerings to God in response to all that we have received.
Thank you for your generosity.
Prayers of Thanksgiving & Concern
Gracious and Loving God – giver of all good gifts – you continually pour your benefits upon us. Age after age the living wait upon you and find that your faithfulness is unfailing – your care endures forever.
We praise you that the mystery of life is a mystery of infinite goodness. We praise you for:
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The order and constancy of nature – the planets in our solar system, our solar system at the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy, among billions of galaxies;
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The beauty and bounty of the earth, – Zinnias, Hibiscus, and Rudbekia in our gardens; Queen Anne’s Lace and Corn Flowers at the roadside; ripening grain and bright yellow canola;
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Day and night, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest – fresh beans, tomatoes and corn from garden or farm, new potatoes in dill butter.
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The varied gifts of loveliness that every season brings.
For all of this we give thanks. We are profoundly grateful for the comfort and joy of life – for our homes, for our friends, and for all the love, sympathy, and goodwill of all people.
We offer prayers especially today for the people of Lebanon, devastated by the explosion. Give strength and courage to those who work to alleviate suffering – to treat the injured, to comfort families bereaved.
We pray too today for our congregations at South Bay and Picton United Churches as they seek a renewal of pastoral leadership. May your will be done in guiding the Search Committee and inspiring applicants.
All this we pray in Jesus’ name as we pray together the Lord’s Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer
Parting Hymn: VU#508 “Just As I Am”
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Just as I am without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidd’st me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
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Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; sight, riches, healing of the mind, yea, all I need, in thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
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Just as I am, thy love unknown has broken every barrier down; now to be thine, yea, thine along, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
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Just as I am, thy love unknown has broken every barrier down; now to be thine, yea, thin alone, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
