Announcements:
• Copies of the May/June edition of the “Today” devotional have arrived. Please email me if you want me to send you a copy or you can go to their webpage https://today.reframemedia.com/ to read the devotional on line.
• The May edition of City Light News can be found at https://www.alberta.lightmagazine.ca/
Question: What is one thing that you worry about or are anxious about today?
Call to Worship (Psalm 105:1-6)
“O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wonderful works.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered,
O offspring of his servant Abraham,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones.”
Let us glorify and enjoy God together!
Prayers of Adoration and Confession
Giver of life,
for sunshine and showers, we give you thanks;
for food and drink, we give you praise;
for clothing and shelter, we give our gratitude.
Gather our worries and our burdens this day,
and shelter us from fear and despair.
Help us rest assured in your arms,
knowing that your loving care is enough to sustain us
and to accomplish your plans through us.
God of abundant love,
sprinkle the tears we have sown with your mercy and hope,
that we may reap a harvest of joy;
replace our selfish dreams of wealth and prestige,
with gratitude for what we have,
that we may find contentment in life.
Turn our dreams to you, O Lord,
and remind us of the abundance you offer,
for you have done great things for us,
turning our tears into shouts of joy.
Through Christ, remind us gracious God
of your love which has accomplished great things for us.
We thank you for undeserved gift of forgiveness that makes us whole.
We thank you for your gift of peace that is beyond our understanding,
but nonetheless experienced when we turn to you for help.
Help us to be generous with all your gifts of grace to us.
With thanks, we pray through Christ. Amen
Hymn: “Great is thy faithfulness” Words: Thomas Chisholm. Music: FAITHFULNESS. Public Domain
Prayer for Understanding
Almighty God, in you are the hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Open our eyes that we may see the wonders of your Word; and give us grace that we may clearly understand and freely choose the way of your wisdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN
Scripture Readings
Habakkuk 3:17-19 Encouragement for God’s people to rejoice and trust God in the midst of trouble.
Philippians 4:4-7 Paul’s encouragement to an anxious church.
Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus teaches us God’s alternative to worry.
Sermon: “Worried Blues”
Bob Dylan wrote in his 1961 song “Worried Blues”
I got those worried blues,
And I got those worried blues,
I got those worried blues,
I got those worried blues,
Lord, I’m a-going where I never been before.
We live in a time when where we have never been before and are experiencing worries that we have had before too. I suspect we all feel burdened by the fact that we are having to shift through an abundance of messages about how to deal physically, socially, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually with the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s exhausting separating wisdom from foolishness, the practical from the impractical, truths from lies, and evaluating the motivations of those offering us advice and guidance during these confusing and anxious times of ours.
Mental health experts are reminding us that we need to recognize that it is normal for us to feel increased anxiety during these times. And the question is: How do we deal with the worry and anxiety that is so much a part of how we live these days?
It is interesting to me that the coping practices listed in federal, provincial, and state governmental websites are ones that the church has used to help its people with worry throughout the centuries. God have given us clear guidance from Scripture. God has given us good hearts and minds to make wise choices with the help of the Holy Spirit. God’s guidance is never meant to add to our frustration or anxiety, but its goal is to lift and share the burdens we carry. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30 (NRSV). . .
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
The Apostle Paul addresses the issue to worry and anxiety in his letter to the Philippians. When Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, he wrote from his prison cell in Rome, some 7400 km or 4,600 miles from friends in Philippi. Physical and imposed distancing made his rely on the sending of messengers with his letter to encourage congregations he had connections with.
The first thing Paul encourages the Philippians and us to do is to “Rejoice,” which he repeats to emphasize the importance of doing so. Whenever I am worrying about whatever it is at the time, be it the future, or state of the world, or a friend or loved one who I wish I could help out but can’t, I am become so focused on the problem, that I don’t see the other good things that God is doing in my life and in the lives of the world. Rejoicing is an act of focusing on God, which moves us off of the issue(s) that are weighing us down. Worry and anxiety are horrible cycles to be caught in and the act of rejoicing or reflecting on what is good in our lives moves our focus to God. You will see this approach also reflected in the help suggested by our Mental Health folks along with everything Paul says. In our secular world, the term “mindfulness” has in many ways, replaced what we would call prayer and meditation.
One of the things I have doing recently is practicing the Prayer of Examen at the end of my day before going to sleep. This prayer acts as a daily review of our day, which can help us rejoice in what God is doing in the midst of all that causes us to worry. In its simplest form we prayerfully ask two questions like those listed below. These come from a book “50 Ways to Pray: Practices from many traditions and times” pp 57-61 written by Teresa Blythe, and published by Abingdon Press.
In what moment did I feel the most gratitude today?
In what moment did I feel the least gratitude today?
What was the high point of my day?
What was the low point of my day?
When did I feel most alive and energized?
When did I feel least alive and lethargic?
When did I feel closest to God?
When did I feel far away from God?
Paul moves on from inspiring us to rejoice in what God is doing to encouraging us to “Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.” (v. 5) The best way to understand this is to see that Paul is encouraging us to give each other a break during times that cause anxiety and worry. We are all stressed in one way or another and we all need someone to stand beside us and support us rather than judge us. This is one way that we identify ourselves as being followers of Christ when we go out of our way to help and support others. God makes himself known that he is in our neighborhoods through are gentle, gracious and caring actions and words of his people.
Not that we are focused on rejoicing and visibly supporting each other, Paul encourages us not to worry about anything and suggests God’s positive alternative to it.
First, Paul encourages us to turn everything that we are worried about over to God through prayer. This tells me that there is nothing beyond the scope of what we can share with God. We do so with thanksgiving because that acknowledges that God is active in the situation before we ask and we grateful for those for who we concerned about. Coming to God in prayer also acknowledges our spiritual poverty of not being able to resolve what we are worried about. We need God’s help, so we turn humbly to God with thanksgiving.
Next, Paul encourages us to turn our concerns and worries into prayer asking for God to supply what is need as the term implies suppli-cations. Part of this is reflecting upon what is the source of our worry or causing us to worry, so we can shape our prayers around what is needed in that situation. If we are stressed about the future, then what we need is the assurance that God is control. If we are stressed that a friend or loved one is hurting, then what we need from God is God’s guidance to know the right way to help our friend.
From our supplications we shape and form our requests to God. Our requests ask God how we would like to God to act. I would also add that in making our requests to God, we also make ourselves available to God to be part of the answer to what we ask. We may very well be the means by which God answers what we pray for. If for example, we pray for the safety of our emergency front line workers and their personal lives to be mentally and physically healthy so they can help others, then we must also yield ourselves to God to follow the wise guidelines set out by our provinces and states to make our communities safe.
The act of rejoicing, giving each other a break, and prayer helps us to focus on God and what God is doing and shapes our response to worries in a positive way. Jesus, when he dealt with worry in Matthew 6:25-34, encourages us trust God, focus on God’s kingdom priorities and ways of being faithful first rather than our worries. And Jesus wisely says to let today’s worries be enough for today. We still plan for our futures, but we live trusting God moment by moment.
Overcoming worry is an active process where we can change how we deal with what concerns us. And Paul reminds that the benefits of following God’s alternative to worrying is the peace of mind, body, and soul that God offers us in Christ. It is a calm and a contentment in midst of the storm. We experience a peace or calm that is beyond what we can fully understand logically and emotionally. It just a state of being where we know God is with us.
And Paul assures us that God guards our emotions and our thoughts like a soldier at his or her post, to keep us from being overwhelmed and overcome by worry. God is concerned for our well-being, what we feel, what we think, and what we focus our attention on. It is not easy to be sure to move from being weighed down by worry to being less worried, but God has given thankfully has given us a way forward.
I leave you with a prayer that my grandparents prayed faithfully each day in their lives. They had a plaque with the shorter version of this prayer in their kitchen where did their daily devotions. It now hangs in my kitchen. This prayer is commonly called the “Serenity Prayer” written by Reinhold Niebuhr, an American Theologian of the last century and one that is used as part of Twelve Step programs around the world. I trust it be of help to you as it is for me and for others.
The Short Version
God, grant me the Serenity
To accept the things I cannot change.
Courage to change the things I can,
And Wisdom to know the difference
Amen.
The Long Version
God, grant me the Serenity
To accept the things I cannot change…
Courage to change the things I can,
And Wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will.
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen.
Here is the link from our friends at the Government of Canada website that may be helpful for you or for you to share with someone you know.
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/mental-health.html
Hymn: “What a friend we have in Jesus” Words: Joseph Scriven Music: WHAT A FRIEND
New Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SCorW9r_Is
Traditional Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCV5t8wRBI8
Sharing our Concerns and Thanksgivings
Please feel free to pass on your prayer requests to me through email. You can reach me at stpaulsbanff@telus.net I lift you all in prayer each day and would like to know how to pray for you and what concerns you.
Prayers of the People
Our Gracious God,
we turn to you for you are the source of our life, our provision, and our hope.
We give you thanks for the times in which we are living,
for the things are learning and relearning, we name them now . . .
for the people in our lives, who we stayed connected to and those we have reconnected to, we name them now. . .
for the values, habits, ideas, traditions that we have gained and regained appreciation for that name to you now . . .
for the deepening of our trust and appreciation of who you are and how you have supported us in these times . . .
We lay before your gracious throne, our worries and concerns. We confess how tired we are of living in a state fear and anxiety, of using methods that do not bring relief or peace.
We thank for your care and grace in these times of anxiety, doubt and grief;
for healing in times of illness, confusion, and distress;
for rejuvenating strength and vision in times of renewal;
We give you thanks and pray for our various communities, praying for the welfare, peace, safety, and prosperity as our communities open lesson restrictions.
We pray for wisdom and a sense of responsibility of all to look after one another as each other’s keeper as you have taught us.
We thank you and pray for all who offer assistance, support, encouragement for those suffering mentally and emotionally during this pandemic.
We thank you and pray for all who work for the common good, we pray for those who we are especially mindful of this day . . .
We thank you and pray for all who are going back to work, for their safety, take away their worries; for employers who are seeking to make their businesses safe with new procedures for public safety, grant them wisdom to make their businesses safe for all. . .
We give thanks to you for all faith communities, service agencies, and organizations seeking to continue their mission and outreach to those who are least in their communities . . .
We thank you and pray for congregations considering how to gather safely for worship once again, we pray for wisdom and for a sense of when is the right time to do so . . .
We give you thanks and pray for those who offer support, care, and encouragement for those out of work, those who are homeless, and those who have fallen through the cracks . . .
We lay before you our concerns for specific situations and people asking that you respond and to help us to respond with you in ways that bring peace, resolution, and hope. . . .
We ask these things in the name of the Risen Lord who taught us to pray…
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.
Offering of our Time, Talent, Treasure to God
In this Easter Season, we celebrate the living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ that God has given to us. The gifts we offer to God of our time, talent and treasure reflect God’s goodness to us flowing into us and outward to those around us. The sharing of God’s gifts to us witness to the hope we have in Christ Jesus, our Risen Lord.
There are many ways and places to give, so give generously and wisely. Donations for St. Paul’s can be sent by mail to: St. Paul’s, Box 1264, Banff, AB T1L 1B3.
If you are wanting to make an e-transfer, then please contact the church (stpaulsbanff@telus.net) for instructions as to how to do this.
Hymn: “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace” Words and Music: Public Domain
Words/ Music: Sebastian Temple based on prayer of Francis of Assisi
Pastoral Charge and Blessing (Numbers 6:24–26 TNIV).
We go into this week that God is giving us,
not crippled by worry or anxiety
but strengthened and enabled by God
to be agents of peace and healing in the world.
The Peace of Christ be with you all.
And now may the LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.
I leave you with this version of this hymn written by James Montgomery that may not be known to you, but one I thought fit in well with Sunday’s theme.
Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire Words: James Montgomery. Music: Richard Redhead
Sung by Allyse Smith Taylor
Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
uttered or unexpressed,
the motion of a hidden fire,
that trembles in the breast.
Prayer is the simplest form of speech
that infant lips can try,
prayer the sublimest strains
that reach the Majesty on high.
Prayer is the contrite sinners’ voice,
returning to the way,
while angels in their songs rejoice,
and cry, “Behold, they pray. ”
Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath,
the Christian’s native air;
our watchword at the gates of death,
we enter heaven with prayer.
O thou, by whom we come to God,
the Life, the Truth, the Way,
the path of prayer thyself hast trod:
Lord, teach us how to pray.