17th Sunday after Pentecost
SEASON OF CREATION
September 19, 2021
SERVICES IN CHURCH HAVE RESUMED
THE GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE
We give thanks to our Creator for the earth we share with all creatures, and we acknowledge that we are here on the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Wendat. We also recognize the enduring presence of all First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, and we seek to live respectfully with them and with the earth. We pray for healing between our cultures and healing from settler arrogance. We believe that Black Lives Matter and that Every Child Matters. We know that love is love, and we welcome everybody who desires to join us in worship. You are a beloved creation of God, and you are most welcome in this place.
Opening Hymn (CP #573): O Day of Peace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXOwOlr9a-I
O day of peace that dimly shines through all our hopes and prayers and dreams,
guide us to justice, truth, and love, delivered from our selfish schemes.
May swords of hate fall from our hands, our hearts from envy find release,
till by God's grace our waring world shall see Christ's promised reign of peace.
Then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb, nor shall the fierce devour the small;
as beasts and cattle calmly graze, a little child did shall lead them all.
Then enemies shall learn to love, all creatures find their true accord;
the hope of peace shall be fulfilled, for all the earth shall know the Lord
Celebrant: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Almighty God,
All: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gloria: ‘Glory to God’ (Taizé)
The Collect
Celebrant: Let us pray.
Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth, and ourselves in your image. Teach us to discern your hand in all your works and to serve you with reverence and thanksgiving; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
First Reading
Reader: A reading from the letter of James
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
[James 3:13-4:3, 7-8(a)]
Reader: The word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 1: Plainsong (tone I 2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk9r-axo0-Q&t=7s
1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, * nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
2 Their delight is in the law of the Lord, * and they meditate on his law day and night.
3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; * everything they do shall prosper.
4 It is not so with the wicked; * they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgement comes, * nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, * but the way of the wicked is doomed.
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL
Gospel Acclamation: ‘Hallelujah’ (Zimbabwe)
As you are able, please stand.
Gospeler: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Gospeler: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
People: Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”
[Mark 9:30-37]
Gospeler: This is the Gospel of Christ.
People: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Homily The Rev. Alison Hari-Singh
May only the truth be spoken and only the truth heard. In the name of God: eternal Source, incarnate Word, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
As we continue to journey through this intentional celebration of the Season of Creation, in today’s Gospel reading, we encounter Jesus travelling through the region of Galilee. Eventually he finds himself at a house in Capernaum which is on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee. While they had been travelling, Jesus had observed his disciples arguing amongst themselves. So, he asks them, “what were you all fighting about back on the road?” Clearly, no one wants to answer him. Why? Because they had been arguing over the trivial matter of who among them was the greatest. In one of Jesus’ rare moments of patience he says this to them: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a child in his arms among them and he said to the disciples, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”
A couple months ago, I watched a documentary on Greta Thunburg called “I Am Greta.” In this film we see home video footage of Greta when she was just a little girl – when she first heard about the climate crisis. The footage then follows how she, at the age of 15, sat outside the Swedish Parliament right before the 2018 elections holding up a sign that read “School Strike for Climate.” Greta, as we now know, has a dogged tenacity and when a government was elected that did not prioritize the environment, she decided to hold her strike every Friday. Nobody knew at the time that this subversive act – that is, a child refusing to go to school because of her grave concern about global warming – would become the start of a global movement.
One of the most difficult parts of the film was the documenting of her journey by sea from Plymouth in the UK to NYC to attend the UN Climate Summit being held in the US in 2019. Due to the effect of flying on carbon emissions, Greta and her father decided to travel to the summit by sailboat. With the waves crashing against the vessel, we see how the 17-year-old really feels about giving this monumental speech and she breaks down in frustration at the weight being placed upon her and other young people. Adults are looking to the younger generation for hope, she laments, while maintaining systems and laws that continue to negatively affect climate. This moment in the film provides the fuel for her speech: “I want you to act as if your house is on fire.” And let’s be real here – Greta was not wrong – our house is literally on fire. This year alone, Lytton BC, Athens, California, Siberia (one of the coldest places on the planet), and the gulf of Mexico (yes, a body of water) all have been on fire. And how did governmental bodies respond to her pleas? They heard her and sympathized, but they continued with the status quo.
Many would say Greta Thunberg is the poster child of the climate crisis. In 2019 Time magazine named her ‘Person of the Year.’ But there are other young people who I want to draw your attention to; young people who are affecting the imaginations of those in power:
In 2019, when Licypriya Kangujam was just 6 years old, she began advocating for the climate outside the Indian parliament, demanding education in schools concerning the climate emergency and tougher air pollution laws.
Kenyan teenager Lesein Mutunkei’s mission is to reforest his homeland. As someone whose been to Kenya, I’ve seen first-hand how the mountains have been devastated by deforestation. This is vital work.
Ella and Caitlin McEwan are sisters from the UK who after learning about the effects plastics are having on the world’s oceans, petitioned the fast food industry, namely Burger King and McDonalds, to stop putting plastic toys in their kid’s meals. Burger King heard these girls and put an immediate moratorium on plastic toys, saving about 320 tonnes of plastic each year.
And there are many other young climate activists who are changing the world: Mari Copeny is a Black teen fighting for clean water in Flint, MI. Autumn Peltier is a young Indigenous woman activist who is advocating for access to clean drinking water and the rights of all Indigenous peoples who live closest to the land. Autumn is keenly aware that “we can’t eat money or drink oil.” Xiuhtezcatl (pronounced Shoe-Tez-Caht) Martinez, Lilly Platt, Leah Namugerwa, Xiye (pronounced She-ye) Bastida, the list goes on and on of young people all over the world who are stepping into the gap that adults have left behind.
What exactly are these young people doing? I contend that they are bringing shalom. I’m sure many of you have heard the word shalom before and know that it is the Hebrew word for “peace.” For most of us, peace is the absence of war or conflict. But in the Hebrew sense shalom actually means wholeness or completeness. I recently heard a really good analogy for shalom: shalom is like a broken-down stone wall that has been restored so well and so completely that there are no gaps or missing bricks. The fully restored wall is “at shalom” and those who fixed the wall have “brought shalom.” Shalom is an integrated vision of ‘the good life’ that combines faith, justice, and peacebuilding. By advocating for the end to plastic pollution, a drastic reduction in carbon emission, the end to fossil fuel use, reforestation, clean water, etc., these young people are bringing shalom to people and the planet. They are working to restore wholeness to that which is broken and are leaving something better in its place.
Such shalom, such ‘peace’ is at the heart of the Christian gospel. We live in a fractured world, where relationships between people, the natural world, and God are deeply dysfunctional. In Christ, God comes to bring ‘peace.’ This is not just spiritual peace, but the restoration of broken relationships in every dimension: with God, ourselves, our neighbours, and creation itself. Genuine peace takes what is broken and brings wholeness and restoration. And those who are wise, James tells us, are peace-loving; they are restorers, reconcilers, and peacemakers. Just like the kids we have just heard about.
How can we be like these children and bring shalom to this island, the city of Toronto and this nation? For when we welcome children, their ideas, their passion and, yes, their leadership, we welcome the Prince of Peace himself. Amen.
Silence is kept.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Whenever we join together, we should give thanks. So let us join our hearts and minds together and think of all creation and the Creator’s gifts.
As we celebrate this Season of Creation, let us think of our Mother, the Earth, upon whom we walk and who supports us and nurtures life in all its forms. We pray we can learn to walk on Earth with more respect.
Let us think of the whole human family whose livelihood and well-being depends on the well-being of the Earth. We give thanks for those that provide food for us: particularly farmers, those who tend livestock, and field labourers. We lift up the men, women and children all over the world who are displaced from the land and their homes due to recurring climate catastrophes.
Let us think of the relationships that sustain life in this beloved community. We pray for ourselves and each other, and for those that we do not know, but who you know, God.
We continue to pray for those whose lives have been changed by Covid; for those who face anxiety and stress working in “essential” jobs with greater exposure to infection. We pray for all who are suffering from Covid burnout.
We continue to give thanks for the opening up of our life together. We pray for responsible government at the municipal, provincial and federal levels in managing the ongoing pandemic.
We pray for teachers, students, and school administrators as they begin a new school year. In the face of Covid, we pray for the health and safety of our children, many of whom cannot yet be vaccinated.
We pray for all the candidates running in the upcoming federal election. We pray for the safety of all the federal leaders as they travel across the nation.
As we approach the end of summer, we pray for all visitors to Toronto Island – that the time they spend here will sustain them and cultivate a deeper regard and care for the earth.
We remember those we know who are sick in body, mind, or spirit, especially Donna, Michael, Penny, Enid, Freda, Anne & family, Charlotte, Rose, Gail, Bob, Douglas, Michelle, and Stephen.
We pray for those who are close to death or who have passed through death, remembering Wally, Ron, Joey, Mick, Paulette, Bev, Fred, Cathy, June, Barbara, Craig, Les, Maxine, Peter, Rose, Marian, Angela, Julio, Theresa, and Mary.
In the Anglican Communion cycle of prayer, we pray for the Province of The Church of the Province of Uganda. In our Diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for the Religious Communities of the Diocese of Toronto (SSJD & OHC).
Silently or aloud, take a few moments to hold before God all who you are carrying in love and care...
Creator God, look upon those gathered here together and send us where you would have us go, so that we may embody the ministry of justice for your world through our acts and being. Walk with us so that we may face the winds of change and walk the good road. Protect and renew our common home. Enlighten us. Sustain us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession and Reconciliation
Celebrant: Dear friends in Christ, God is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy; God welcomes sinners and invites them to this table. Let us confess our sins, confident in God’s forgiveness.
Silence is kept.
Celebrant: Most merciful God,
People: We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.
Celebrant: Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth, and ourselves in your image. Teach us to discern your hand in all your works and to serve you with reverence and thanksgiving; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Peace
As you are able, please stand.
Celebrant: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People: And also with you.
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Celebrant: It is right to give you thanks and praise, O Lord, our God, sustainer of the universe, you are worthy of glory and praise.
People: Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant: At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home; by your will they were created and have their being.
People: Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant: From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill; you made us the stewards of creation.
People: Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant: But we turn against you and betray your trust; and we turn against one another. Again and again you call us to return. Through the prophets and sages you reveal your righteous law. In the fullness of time you sent your Son, born of a woman, to be our Saviour. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. By his death he opened to us the way of freedom and peace.
People: Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant: Therefore we praise you, joining with the heavenly chorus, with prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and with those in every generation who have looked to you in hope, to proclaim with them your glory, in their unending hymn:
Sanctus (CP #735): ‘Holy, Holy, Holy Lord’ (Schubert)
Celebrant: Blessed are you, Lord our God, for sending us Jesus, the Christ, who on the night he was handed over to suffering and death, took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, gave it to his friends, and said, “Take this, and eat it: this is my body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper, he took the cup of wine; he gave you thanks, and said, “Drink this, all of you: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
People: Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant: Gracious God, we recall the death of your Son Jesus Christ, we proclaim his resurrection and ascension, and we look with expectation for his coming as Lord of all the nations. We who have been redeemed by him and made a new people by water and the Spirit, now bring you these gifts. Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon this offering of your Church, that we who eat and drink at this holy table may share the divine life of Christ our Lord.
People: Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant: Pour out your Spirit upon the whole earth and make it your new creation. Gather your Church together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom, where peace and justice are revealed, that we, with all your people, of every language, race, and nation, may share the banquet you have promised; through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, all honour and glory are yours, creator of all.
People: Glory to you for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Celebrant: As Jesus has taught us, let us pray:
All: 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 for ever. Amen.
Celebrant: We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
All: We, being many, are one body, for we all share in the one bread.
Celebrant: The gifts of God for the People of God.
People: Thanks be to God.
Agnus Dei (CP #747): ‘Jesus, Lamb of God’ (Schubert)
Communion Music: O pastor animarum – "Antiphon for the Redeemer,” Hildegard von Bingen (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taanHO13WXE)
O pastor animarum O shepherd of souls
et o prima vox O primal voice
per quam omnes creati sumus, by which we all were created,
nunc tibi, tibi placeat now let it be
ut digneris your good pleasure
nos liberare de miseriis to set us free from our miseries
et languoribus nostris. and our diseases.
Come up to the altar following the lead of those ahead of you. If you would like a blessing, as well as, or in place of the wafer, indicate this to the priest.
The Silence [approximately 2 minutes]
Prayer after Communion
As you are able, please stand.
Celebrant: Ruler of the universe, all creation yearns for its fulfilment in your Son. May we who have shared in holy things grow into maturity in him. This we ask in the name of the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
All: Glory to God, whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Blessing
Celebrant: And now go out into the world, be light-bearers, uplift the down-trodden, preserve creation, and be committed to bringing hope to the hopeless; in the name of God: eternal Source, incarnate Word, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Closing Hymn (CP #502): You Are Salt for the Earth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwo9aI3bhLw
You are salt for the earth, O people:
Salt for the Kingdom of God!
Share the flavour of life, O people:
Life in the Kingdom of God!
Refrain: Bring forth the Kingdom of mercy,
Bring forth the Kingdom of peace;
Bring forth the Kingdom of justice,
Bring forth the City of God!
You are a light on the hill, O people:
Light for the City of God!
Shine so holy and bright, O people:
Shine for the Kingdom of God! Refrain
You are a seed of the Word, O people:
Bring forth the Kingdom of God!
Seeds of mercy and seeds of justice,
Grow in the Kingdom of God! Refrain
We are a blest and a pilgrim people:
Bound for the Kingdom of God!
Love our journey and love our homeland:
Love is the Kingdom of God! Refrain
Leader: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Changes to Church van pick up/drop off: Please take the 10:00 am ferry to Centre Island. The church van will meet you at the Centre Island dock at 10:15 am and get you to church in time for 10:30 am! Walkers have time to walk to the church if they wish. The church van will pick Islanders up at Ward's Circle at 9:45 am.
If you need a ride please call Joyce at 416-203-0987.
Ferry schedule (begins September 15, 2021)
Save the date: In celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi we will have a Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, October 3, 2021 at 11 am. Please note, this service will not be held at the church, but on the back porch and tent of the Ward’s Island Association (WIA).
We will be pausing our commitment to hearing the TRCC’s “Calls to Action” for the next number of weeks as we journey through the Season of Creation. We will return to this important work of listening in October.
Amber Stage Guidelines (Diocese of Toronto)
Click on the link above to see the Diocesan Guidelines for safe worship in Church under Stage 2 Covid protocols.
There are several ways you can support St. Andrew’s:
Dear Friends in Christ,
Love your neighbour as yourself.
Over the past 18 months, we have seen tremendous examples of loving one’s neighbour. Our frontline workers have placed themselves in harm’s way from the first day of this pandemic to keep their neighbours safe. In this Diocese, our outreach ministries have found new ways to keep serving the most vulnerable members of our communities. Separated by lockdowns and physical distancing, friends and neighbours have called, Zoomed and Facetimed to check on each other, reaching out across the street and around the world.
Love your neighbour. In reflecting on these words with the Galatians, Paul writes, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” To the Corinthians he writes, “Let all that you do be done in love.”
There is one crucial way we can love our neighbours, and that is to vaccinate ourselves against COVID-19. For the good of our whole community, we can choose to protect those who can’t be vaccinated and those for whom this virus poses the greatest risk. We can protect those same front-line workers from a health care system overwhelmed by new cases.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are committed to loving our neighbours in word and deed, by our witness, and in the very structures that guide us as a Diocese. To that end, we are introducing a policy that requires clergy, diocesan employees and volunteers, and parish employees and volunteers to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. The full policy will include more details about how we will implement this; we will make it available when it is finalized.
After much discussion, the bishops and diocesan leadership have decided not to require proof of vaccination to attend worship in an Anglican church in this Diocese. I’ve heard that some of you aren’t comfortable returning to in-person worship alongside potentially unvaccinated people, and I know this may disappoint you. We believe we can preserve the health and safety of our communities without denying access to worship, prayer and sacrament. We want our churches to be places where everyone can experience the breadth and length and depth and height of God’s love, and we hesitate to bar our doors based on proof of vaccination.
We continue to strongly recommend vaccination for all who are able. Parishes will continue with screening questions, contact tracing and vaccine education, along with rigorous hygiene practices, masking and physical distancing. In the strongest terms possible, I dissuade anyone from knowingly putting others at risk. Before you decide to attend worship, consider how your decisions may affect the person sitting in the next pew.
We know that many parishes are continuing to provide online worship options even as they re-open their doors. If you don’t yet feel safe coming to church in person, please know that you are a full and valued participant in our corporate worship if you choose to attend online, even if it is not your first preference.
I also want to mention singing. I know that many of us long to hear voices lifted together in song, and to sing our praises to God alongside friend and neighbour. I hear a yearning across the Diocese to reclaim this deep and holy expression of our faith. I must ask again for your patience. Until we know how the fourth wave of infections will materialize, with the Delta variant and students returning to school, we aren’t prepared to make a change to our guidelines. This will be an ongoing conversation over the next month, and I commit to saying more on the subject in the week after Thanksgiving.
As we’ve seen time and again in the past 18 months, things can and will change. We will continue to follow all public health guidelines. We will tell you about any changes to our guidelines and policies as they’re needed, and we will keep sending Q&A bulletins to answer your ongoing questions.
We don’t make these decisions lightly, but we make them in the hope that our churches will continue to be places where we can join together safely to worship a God who calls us to love every neighbour, in every place, following the model set before us in Jesus Christ.
Yours in Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Andrew Asbil
Bishop of Toronto
We give thanks to our Creator for the earth we share with all creatures, and we acknowledge that we are here on the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Wendat. We also recognize the enduring presence of all First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, and we seek to live respectfully with them and with the earth. We pray for healing between our cultures and healing from settler arrogance. We believe that Black Lives Matter and that Every Child Matters. We know that love is love, and we welcome everybody who desires to join us in worship. You are a beloved creation of God, and you are most welcome in this place.
Opening Hymn (CP #573): O Day of Peace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXOwOlr9a-I
O day of peace that dimly shines through all our hopes and prayers and dreams,
guide us to justice, truth, and love, delivered from our selfish schemes.
May swords of hate fall from our hands, our hearts from envy find release,
till by God's grace our waring world shall see Christ's promised reign of peace.
Then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb, nor shall the fierce devour the small;
as beasts and cattle calmly graze, a little child did shall lead them all.
Then enemies shall learn to love, all creatures find their true accord;
the hope of peace shall be fulfilled, for all the earth shall know the Lord
Celebrant: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Almighty God,
All: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gloria: ‘Glory to God’ (Taizé)
The Collect
Celebrant: Let us pray.
Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth, and ourselves in your image. Teach us to discern your hand in all your works and to serve you with reverence and thanksgiving; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
First Reading
Reader: A reading from the letter of James
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
[James 3:13-4:3, 7-8(a)]
Reader: The word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 1: Plainsong (tone I 2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk9r-axo0-Q&t=7s
1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, * nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
2 Their delight is in the law of the Lord, * and they meditate on his law day and night.
3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; * everything they do shall prosper.
4 It is not so with the wicked; * they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgement comes, * nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, * but the way of the wicked is doomed.
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL
Gospel Acclamation: ‘Hallelujah’ (Zimbabwe)
As you are able, please stand.
Gospeler: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Gospeler: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
People: Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”
[Mark 9:30-37]
Gospeler: This is the Gospel of Christ.
People: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Homily The Rev. Alison Hari-Singh
May only the truth be spoken and only the truth heard. In the name of God: eternal Source, incarnate Word, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
As we continue to journey through this intentional celebration of the Season of Creation, in today’s Gospel reading, we encounter Jesus travelling through the region of Galilee. Eventually he finds himself at a house in Capernaum which is on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee. While they had been travelling, Jesus had observed his disciples arguing amongst themselves. So, he asks them, “what were you all fighting about back on the road?” Clearly, no one wants to answer him. Why? Because they had been arguing over the trivial matter of who among them was the greatest. In one of Jesus’ rare moments of patience he says this to them: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a child in his arms among them and he said to the disciples, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”
A couple months ago, I watched a documentary on Greta Thunburg called “I Am Greta.” In this film we see home video footage of Greta when she was just a little girl – when she first heard about the climate crisis. The footage then follows how she, at the age of 15, sat outside the Swedish Parliament right before the 2018 elections holding up a sign that read “School Strike for Climate.” Greta, as we now know, has a dogged tenacity and when a government was elected that did not prioritize the environment, she decided to hold her strike every Friday. Nobody knew at the time that this subversive act – that is, a child refusing to go to school because of her grave concern about global warming – would become the start of a global movement.
One of the most difficult parts of the film was the documenting of her journey by sea from Plymouth in the UK to NYC to attend the UN Climate Summit being held in the US in 2019. Due to the effect of flying on carbon emissions, Greta and her father decided to travel to the summit by sailboat. With the waves crashing against the vessel, we see how the 17-year-old really feels about giving this monumental speech and she breaks down in frustration at the weight being placed upon her and other young people. Adults are looking to the younger generation for hope, she laments, while maintaining systems and laws that continue to negatively affect climate. This moment in the film provides the fuel for her speech: “I want you to act as if your house is on fire.” And let’s be real here – Greta was not wrong – our house is literally on fire. This year alone, Lytton BC, Athens, California, Siberia (one of the coldest places on the planet), and the gulf of Mexico (yes, a body of water) all have been on fire. And how did governmental bodies respond to her pleas? They heard her and sympathized, but they continued with the status quo.
Many would say Greta Thunberg is the poster child of the climate crisis. In 2019 Time magazine named her ‘Person of the Year.’ But there are other young people who I want to draw your attention to; young people who are affecting the imaginations of those in power:
In 2019, when Licypriya Kangujam was just 6 years old, she began advocating for the climate outside the Indian parliament, demanding education in schools concerning the climate emergency and tougher air pollution laws.
Kenyan teenager Lesein Mutunkei’s mission is to reforest his homeland. As someone whose been to Kenya, I’ve seen first-hand how the mountains have been devastated by deforestation. This is vital work.
Ella and Caitlin McEwan are sisters from the UK who after learning about the effects plastics are having on the world’s oceans, petitioned the fast food industry, namely Burger King and McDonalds, to stop putting plastic toys in their kid’s meals. Burger King heard these girls and put an immediate moratorium on plastic toys, saving about 320 tonnes of plastic each year.
And there are many other young climate activists who are changing the world: Mari Copeny is a Black teen fighting for clean water in Flint, MI. Autumn Peltier is a young Indigenous woman activist who is advocating for access to clean drinking water and the rights of all Indigenous peoples who live closest to the land. Autumn is keenly aware that “we can’t eat money or drink oil.” Xiuhtezcatl (pronounced Shoe-Tez-Caht) Martinez, Lilly Platt, Leah Namugerwa, Xiye (pronounced She-ye) Bastida, the list goes on and on of young people all over the world who are stepping into the gap that adults have left behind.
What exactly are these young people doing? I contend that they are bringing shalom. I’m sure many of you have heard the word shalom before and know that it is the Hebrew word for “peace.” For most of us, peace is the absence of war or conflict. But in the Hebrew sense shalom actually means wholeness or completeness. I recently heard a really good analogy for shalom: shalom is like a broken-down stone wall that has been restored so well and so completely that there are no gaps or missing bricks. The fully restored wall is “at shalom” and those who fixed the wall have “brought shalom.” Shalom is an integrated vision of ‘the good life’ that combines faith, justice, and peacebuilding. By advocating for the end to plastic pollution, a drastic reduction in carbon emission, the end to fossil fuel use, reforestation, clean water, etc., these young people are bringing shalom to people and the planet. They are working to restore wholeness to that which is broken and are leaving something better in its place.
Such shalom, such ‘peace’ is at the heart of the Christian gospel. We live in a fractured world, where relationships between people, the natural world, and God are deeply dysfunctional. In Christ, God comes to bring ‘peace.’ This is not just spiritual peace, but the restoration of broken relationships in every dimension: with God, ourselves, our neighbours, and creation itself. Genuine peace takes what is broken and brings wholeness and restoration. And those who are wise, James tells us, are peace-loving; they are restorers, reconcilers, and peacemakers. Just like the kids we have just heard about.
How can we be like these children and bring shalom to this island, the city of Toronto and this nation? For when we welcome children, their ideas, their passion and, yes, their leadership, we welcome the Prince of Peace himself. Amen.
Silence is kept.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Whenever we join together, we should give thanks. So let us join our hearts and minds together and think of all creation and the Creator’s gifts.
As we celebrate this Season of Creation, let us think of our Mother, the Earth, upon whom we walk and who supports us and nurtures life in all its forms. We pray we can learn to walk on Earth with more respect.
Let us think of the whole human family whose livelihood and well-being depends on the well-being of the Earth. We give thanks for those that provide food for us: particularly farmers, those who tend livestock, and field labourers. We lift up the men, women and children all over the world who are displaced from the land and their homes due to recurring climate catastrophes.
Let us think of the relationships that sustain life in this beloved community. We pray for ourselves and each other, and for those that we do not know, but who you know, God.
We continue to pray for those whose lives have been changed by Covid; for those who face anxiety and stress working in “essential” jobs with greater exposure to infection. We pray for all who are suffering from Covid burnout.
We continue to give thanks for the opening up of our life together. We pray for responsible government at the municipal, provincial and federal levels in managing the ongoing pandemic.
We pray for teachers, students, and school administrators as they begin a new school year. In the face of Covid, we pray for the health and safety of our children, many of whom cannot yet be vaccinated.
We pray for all the candidates running in the upcoming federal election. We pray for the safety of all the federal leaders as they travel across the nation.
As we approach the end of summer, we pray for all visitors to Toronto Island – that the time they spend here will sustain them and cultivate a deeper regard and care for the earth.
We remember those we know who are sick in body, mind, or spirit, especially Donna, Michael, Penny, Enid, Freda, Anne & family, Charlotte, Rose, Gail, Bob, Douglas, Michelle, and Stephen.
We pray for those who are close to death or who have passed through death, remembering Wally, Ron, Joey, Mick, Paulette, Bev, Fred, Cathy, June, Barbara, Craig, Les, Maxine, Peter, Rose, Marian, Angela, Julio, Theresa, and Mary.
In the Anglican Communion cycle of prayer, we pray for the Province of The Church of the Province of Uganda. In our Diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for the Religious Communities of the Diocese of Toronto (SSJD & OHC).
Silently or aloud, take a few moments to hold before God all who you are carrying in love and care...
Creator God, look upon those gathered here together and send us where you would have us go, so that we may embody the ministry of justice for your world through our acts and being. Walk with us so that we may face the winds of change and walk the good road. Protect and renew our common home. Enlighten us. Sustain us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession and Reconciliation
Celebrant: Dear friends in Christ, God is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy; God welcomes sinners and invites them to this table. Let us confess our sins, confident in God’s forgiveness.
Silence is kept.
Celebrant: Most merciful God,
People: We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.
Celebrant: Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth, and ourselves in your image. Teach us to discern your hand in all your works and to serve you with reverence and thanksgiving; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Peace
As you are able, please stand.
Celebrant: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People: And also with you.
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Celebrant: It is right to give you thanks and praise, O Lord, our God, sustainer of the universe, you are worthy of glory and praise.
People: Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant: At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home; by your will they were created and have their being.
People: Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant: From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill; you made us the stewards of creation.
People: Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant: But we turn against you and betray your trust; and we turn against one another. Again and again you call us to return. Through the prophets and sages you reveal your righteous law. In the fullness of time you sent your Son, born of a woman, to be our Saviour. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. By his death he opened to us the way of freedom and peace.
People: Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant: Therefore we praise you, joining with the heavenly chorus, with prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and with those in every generation who have looked to you in hope, to proclaim with them your glory, in their unending hymn:
Sanctus (CP #735): ‘Holy, Holy, Holy Lord’ (Schubert)
Celebrant: Blessed are you, Lord our God, for sending us Jesus, the Christ, who on the night he was handed over to suffering and death, took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, gave it to his friends, and said, “Take this, and eat it: this is my body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper, he took the cup of wine; he gave you thanks, and said, “Drink this, all of you: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
People: Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant: Gracious God, we recall the death of your Son Jesus Christ, we proclaim his resurrection and ascension, and we look with expectation for his coming as Lord of all the nations. We who have been redeemed by him and made a new people by water and the Spirit, now bring you these gifts. Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon this offering of your Church, that we who eat and drink at this holy table may share the divine life of Christ our Lord.
People: Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant: Pour out your Spirit upon the whole earth and make it your new creation. Gather your Church together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom, where peace and justice are revealed, that we, with all your people, of every language, race, and nation, may share the banquet you have promised; through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, all honour and glory are yours, creator of all.
People: Glory to you for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Celebrant: As Jesus has taught us, let us pray:
All: 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 for ever. Amen.
Celebrant: We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
All: We, being many, are one body, for we all share in the one bread.
Celebrant: The gifts of God for the People of God.
People: Thanks be to God.
Agnus Dei (CP #747): ‘Jesus, Lamb of God’ (Schubert)
Communion Music: O pastor animarum – "Antiphon for the Redeemer,” Hildegard von Bingen (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taanHO13WXE)
O pastor animarum O shepherd of souls
et o prima vox O primal voice
per quam omnes creati sumus, by which we all were created,
nunc tibi, tibi placeat now let it be
ut digneris your good pleasure
nos liberare de miseriis to set us free from our miseries
et languoribus nostris. and our diseases.
Come up to the altar following the lead of those ahead of you. If you would like a blessing, as well as, or in place of the wafer, indicate this to the priest.
The Silence [approximately 2 minutes]
Prayer after Communion
As you are able, please stand.
Celebrant: Ruler of the universe, all creation yearns for its fulfilment in your Son. May we who have shared in holy things grow into maturity in him. This we ask in the name of the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
All: Glory to God, whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Blessing
Celebrant: And now go out into the world, be light-bearers, uplift the down-trodden, preserve creation, and be committed to bringing hope to the hopeless; in the name of God: eternal Source, incarnate Word, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Closing Hymn (CP #502): You Are Salt for the Earth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwo9aI3bhLw
You are salt for the earth, O people:
Salt for the Kingdom of God!
Share the flavour of life, O people:
Life in the Kingdom of God!
Refrain: Bring forth the Kingdom of mercy,
Bring forth the Kingdom of peace;
Bring forth the Kingdom of justice,
Bring forth the City of God!
You are a light on the hill, O people:
Light for the City of God!
Shine so holy and bright, O people:
Shine for the Kingdom of God! Refrain
You are a seed of the Word, O people:
Bring forth the Kingdom of God!
Seeds of mercy and seeds of justice,
Grow in the Kingdom of God! Refrain
We are a blest and a pilgrim people:
Bound for the Kingdom of God!
Love our journey and love our homeland:
Love is the Kingdom of God! Refrain
Leader: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Changes to Church van pick up/drop off: Please take the 10:00 am ferry to Centre Island. The church van will meet you at the Centre Island dock at 10:15 am and get you to church in time for 10:30 am! Walkers have time to walk to the church if they wish. The church van will pick Islanders up at Ward's Circle at 9:45 am.
If you need a ride please call Joyce at 416-203-0987.
Ferry schedule (begins September 15, 2021)
Save the date: In celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi we will have a Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, October 3, 2021 at 11 am. Please note, this service will not be held at the church, but on the back porch and tent of the Ward’s Island Association (WIA).
We will be pausing our commitment to hearing the TRCC’s “Calls to Action” for the next number of weeks as we journey through the Season of Creation. We will return to this important work of listening in October.
Amber Stage Guidelines (Diocese of Toronto)
Click on the link above to see the Diocesan Guidelines for safe worship in Church under Stage 2 Covid protocols.
- Masks must be worn
- Screening at the door
- Sign in for contact tracing
- Keep safe distance – in pews and during Eucharist
- No congregational singing – a cantor will sing
- Use hand sanitizer before and after taking the Eucharist
There are several ways you can support St. Andrew’s:
- The Collection Plate
- E-Transfer – email: standrewbookings@gmail.com
- PAR - Pre-Authorized Remittance. You direct your bank to deposit your donation into the church account on the 20th of each month. To apply contact Joyce Rogers at standrewbookings@gmail.com
- Canada Helps – Visit the church website www.standrewbythelake.com, go to the Home Page and click on the Donate button
Dear Friends in Christ,
Love your neighbour as yourself.
Over the past 18 months, we have seen tremendous examples of loving one’s neighbour. Our frontline workers have placed themselves in harm’s way from the first day of this pandemic to keep their neighbours safe. In this Diocese, our outreach ministries have found new ways to keep serving the most vulnerable members of our communities. Separated by lockdowns and physical distancing, friends and neighbours have called, Zoomed and Facetimed to check on each other, reaching out across the street and around the world.
Love your neighbour. In reflecting on these words with the Galatians, Paul writes, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” To the Corinthians he writes, “Let all that you do be done in love.”
There is one crucial way we can love our neighbours, and that is to vaccinate ourselves against COVID-19. For the good of our whole community, we can choose to protect those who can’t be vaccinated and those for whom this virus poses the greatest risk. We can protect those same front-line workers from a health care system overwhelmed by new cases.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are committed to loving our neighbours in word and deed, by our witness, and in the very structures that guide us as a Diocese. To that end, we are introducing a policy that requires clergy, diocesan employees and volunteers, and parish employees and volunteers to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. The full policy will include more details about how we will implement this; we will make it available when it is finalized.
After much discussion, the bishops and diocesan leadership have decided not to require proof of vaccination to attend worship in an Anglican church in this Diocese. I’ve heard that some of you aren’t comfortable returning to in-person worship alongside potentially unvaccinated people, and I know this may disappoint you. We believe we can preserve the health and safety of our communities without denying access to worship, prayer and sacrament. We want our churches to be places where everyone can experience the breadth and length and depth and height of God’s love, and we hesitate to bar our doors based on proof of vaccination.
We continue to strongly recommend vaccination for all who are able. Parishes will continue with screening questions, contact tracing and vaccine education, along with rigorous hygiene practices, masking and physical distancing. In the strongest terms possible, I dissuade anyone from knowingly putting others at risk. Before you decide to attend worship, consider how your decisions may affect the person sitting in the next pew.
We know that many parishes are continuing to provide online worship options even as they re-open their doors. If you don’t yet feel safe coming to church in person, please know that you are a full and valued participant in our corporate worship if you choose to attend online, even if it is not your first preference.
I also want to mention singing. I know that many of us long to hear voices lifted together in song, and to sing our praises to God alongside friend and neighbour. I hear a yearning across the Diocese to reclaim this deep and holy expression of our faith. I must ask again for your patience. Until we know how the fourth wave of infections will materialize, with the Delta variant and students returning to school, we aren’t prepared to make a change to our guidelines. This will be an ongoing conversation over the next month, and I commit to saying more on the subject in the week after Thanksgiving.
As we’ve seen time and again in the past 18 months, things can and will change. We will continue to follow all public health guidelines. We will tell you about any changes to our guidelines and policies as they’re needed, and we will keep sending Q&A bulletins to answer your ongoing questions.
We don’t make these decisions lightly, but we make them in the hope that our churches will continue to be places where we can join together safely to worship a God who calls us to love every neighbour, in every place, following the model set before us in Jesus Christ.
Yours in Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Andrew Asbil
Bishop of Toronto