Opening Prayer

We are hungry, Lord!

We come to church today with different types of hunger for You. Some of us sit down at the table eagerly, because we are hungry. Some of us have come because we know we should eat, even though we don’t feel like it.

Some of us are ravenous. And some of us have lost our appetite, and we don’t even know why.

And yet you have drawn us to Your welcoming table, one and all, Your arms open to embrace us just as we are.

As we settle in this day, fill us with Your presence
so that when we leave today, we can leave saying,
“That is exactly what I needed!”

Children’s Time

Feeding over 5000 people

Confession & Words of Assurance

God of compassion,

You have given us a world of beauty, and we have spoilt it. A world to feed us, and so many go hungry.
A world of riches, and we are unwilling to share.
A world to care for, and we think only of ourselves.

Forgive us, gracious God, for those times Your heart is saddened by our selfishness; for those times we have no thought for others, no cares but ours.

Enable us to see this world anew as a gift from You, to be shared and nurtured, and those who live upon it to be loved and cared for. Amen

Every time we confess with an open heart and an honest word, our sins are already forgiven. We can confess our shortcomings regularly, but we must then take up the task of that forgiveness and try again to do things Christ’s way.

Scripture

Jesus feeds the five thousand

Matthew 14¹³ After Jesus heard about John, he crossed Lake Galilee to go to some place where he could be alone. But the crowds found out and followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw the large crowd. He felt sorry for them and healed everyone who was sick.

¹⁵ That evening the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This place is like a desert, and it is already late. Let the crowds leave, so they can go to the villages and buy some food.”

¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They don’t have to leave. Why don’t you give them something to eat?”

¹⁷ But they said, “We have only five small loaves of bread and two fish.” ¹⁸ Jesus asked his disciples to bring the food to him, ¹⁹ and he told the crowd to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven and blessed the food. Then he broke the bread and handed it to his disciples, and they gave it to the people.

²⁰ After everyone had eaten all they wanted, Jesus’ disciples picked up twelve large baskets of leftovers.

²¹ There were about five thousand men who ate, not counting the women and children.

Sermon

Performed by Margaret Whisselle

Prayers of the People

(Please add your prayers aloud and in the comment in section below)

God of compassion, we thank You for the gifts You have given us and the loving way You care for us. Even when we are at lost ends, You are there providing Your love and feeding our souls.

We pray for our exhausted world. It is hard to live at a time when the old ways are still recent memories but new ways now change how we see those we love and how we live our lives. We pray for families who are struggling with distance and death. Even as we watch the number of Covid-19 sufferers rise, we are aware that others are still getting sick and dying from disease and accident. Help us share your love with all those we hold in our hearts even when we can’t hold them in our arms.

We pray for the caregivers both medical and close family. Help strengthen them to last the course, whether the problem be as simple as a cold or as challenging as cancer. Help them know our support is not only in prayer but also through messages and phone calls.

We pray for students and teachers, many scared of what is to come in the new school year. Show those making decisions how important it is to care for the least of these, as Jesus taught us to care for each other. Help find ways to keep everyone safe in this time of uncertainty. And help us support parents to know that whatever they decide for their own children, You are always there, loving and caring for them and helping them discern the next steps in their journey.

Gathering all of these prayers along with those we have deep in our hearts, we pray the prayer that tradition has taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Benediction & Commission

As you leave this time of worship

Go now into the world, strengthened by the gifts 
with which Christ has fed you. Be generous to others, for Christ has given extravagantly.

Live by God’s word, avoiding lies and violence.
Walk in God’s paths and never stray.

And may God’s wonderful love be with you everywhere;
May Christ Jesus feed you with his body and word;
And may the Holy Spirit confirm the truth in you
……..and fill you with God’s presence always.

We go in peace to love and serve the Lord, Amen.