July 12 – Sixth after Pentecost
Lectionary
Lectionary readings from Vanderbilt Divinity Library online
(http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/BPentecost/bProper10.htm)
David
brings the Ark to Jerusalem.
The
earth is God’s and all that is in it.
Adopted
through Christ and given an inheritance.
The
death of John the Baptist.
Spark
Involve
dancers in acting out the bringing of the Ark into Jerusalem and/or in dancing
the offering to the front (see With Children).
With Children
We’re
on our way to a party! Ask the children to show you how they might react to
such words (e.g., clap hands, jump around).
In
March 1998 Ghana Calvary Methodist Church in Toronto officially joined The
United Church of Canada. The members of Ghana Calvary worship in their own
language and tradition as part of the United Church. Their Sunday worship is
full of joy, hand clapping, and African drumming; everyone knows the songs by
heart. They dance as they put their offering on the communion table. What do
you suppose they offer? (money, eggs, vegetables, fruit, bread, subway tokens,
smiles, photographs, greetings, rings, high fives)
Today
we hear a story about King David and all the people of Israel dancing before
the Lord—with songs, harps, tambourines, castanets, and trumpets. What do you
think it sounded like? David blessed the people and distributed food to
everyone. The Ark of God was coming to stay in the temple in Jerusalem. The
people were one. Dance is a sign of unity and can express excitement, worship,
praise, welcome, and the anticipation of God with us.
Sermon Starter
The
Hebrew scripture is about bringing the Ark of God to Jerusalem; the power of
God is an awesome, fearsome, in-the-body experience.
Mark’s
gospel makes the same point: in the middle of the story of the mission of the
12 disciples, Mark tells of another party, one that features the head of John
the Baptist on a platter. Jesus had called the 12 and sent them out two by two
to preach the gospel. Doing the very awesome work of Jesus, they cast out demons
and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. Then they returned to
tell Jesus all they had done; and suddenly we are told of the death of John the
Baptist.
The
purpose of this grotesque interruption is understood as the story continues. The
transition says those following Jesus had nothing to eat (the political elite
at Herod’s birthday party had eaten it all in drunken feasts) and were like
sheep without a shepherd. That’s what it’s like to have a king like Herod. Then
Mark tells the story of the feeding of the 5,000, a different kind of feast,
for the despised and rejected Jesus is a different kind of king who offers his
own life so that others, touched by God, may choose to be signs of life and
justice to one another and to the world.
How
do we experience a gift from God? What stories of transformed, everyday
relationships do we tell one another? How do we show that we are parts of
Christ’s continuing body on earth? Can we labour with creation to be “delivered
from its bondage to decay into the glorious liberty of all the children of
God”?
Hymns
VU
122 “All glory, laud and
honour”
VU
541 “Praise God from whom all
blessings flow”
MV
40 “Never ending joy”
MV 88 “Over
my head”
VU
559 “Come, O fount of every
blessing”
MV 174 “Soil
of God, you and I”
VU
215 “Hope of the world”
MV 82 “Bathe
me in your light”
VU
560 “O Master, let me walk with
thee”