As we gather, we recognize that we live, work, pray, and play
in the traditional, unceded lands
of the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People. 
We continue to commit ourselves
to the work of reconciliation and relationship-building
with our First Nations neighbours.     

Call to Worship:

The Lord has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor   
and release to the captives.

Luke 4.18

O Come. Let Us Worship. 

Gathering

Almighty God,
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. 

Collect for Today

Almighty God, 
your Son Jesus Christ has taught us that what we do for the least of your children we do also for him. Give us the will to serve others as he was the servant of all, who gave up his life and died for us, but lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen. 

The Proclamation of the Gospel:

Mark 6.1-13

Sermon:  The Ven.  Brian Evans

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be ever acceptable to you, O Lord.  Amen.

       “ From the Font to the Mission Field"         

Have you ever thought about the location of the Font in most churches? At the rear, or The First Place, as you enter into the church-- you will discover – in most churches-- the Baptismal Font…..

Have you ever thought about its location?

I often have thought about the locationi--in different situations, different places, different churches I have been in; Some that are off to the side; others---they’re located where our Font is, here at St. John’s. Some are up at the front of the church, up by the chancel. 

But, as I was thinking about the Lessons today, and Jesus sending the disciples out, and I thought…it’s sort of in my unconventional  (you might say) thinking about the location of the Font, and for which I have no theological reference point.

But I thought about this when preparing for today.

Thinking of the significance of our baptism as Christians—about our first step in Christianity, and then thinking about, ‘what is our second step?’

Well, with reference to the location today--our second is only a few feet away ---

It is what is located outside the doors of the church – the Mission Field.

Today’s gospel is Jesus preparing the disciples for that mission field. They are being called to go out into the big, strange world. the unknown--

 A world which is no larger or smaller, then, than it is today-- no larger or smaller than the world outside the doors of our Parish church.

Particularly, if you have just been baptized or commissioned for ministry and told—"now go, make disciples…” as we read at the conclusion of Matthew’s Gospel.          

Then, Jesus gives them a few brief instructions. They are very basic. It is a Formula of 3.

In other words, to quote the gospel today:

6.7  He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
6. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts;
6.9  but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.

Jesus sends the disciples out with 3 basic rules for the road-- we could lump them together and in modern-day language say:'Don’t carry a lot of baggage with you…don’t be like those people trying to stuff those overhead compartments in the international airplanes that are flying back and forth across the world.'

He says, 'Take nothing with you but a walking stick, no money, no carry-on baggage and only wear sandals, and no extra shirt.'      

Or as one person put it, with 3 Basic Rules;--Avoid excess; Use your time wisely; and Respond to each new challenge.

Charles R. Leary, an Episcopal priest wrote this paraphrase of the gospel lesson today:

He said, “I can imagine Jesus may have uttered to them in addition to the words preserved by Mark.
He means, I don’t want you to be loaded down with anything that you don’t need. 

I want you to be completely free so you can meet and greet people and tell your story without any hindrance. 

I don’t want you to carry anything that might block your being welcomed by the people. 

Remember, you are not visiting the kings of Rome, Egypt, Persia, or Greece -- no grand and majestic appearances in today’s world, you’re not appearing on the Donahue or Sally show. 

You are going to visit people like yourselves, the ordinary people down the street.
So, make yourselves as credible to them as possible.”

I am reminded of a young man, 20 years old, leaving to take up the position of administrator of a municipality with 1000 citizens, along with a smaller one with about 200 more. The fear of failure loomed large. The man’s mentor gave two pieces of advice. One. Go; a simple two-letter word.

The second—three words— “Do your best.” If you do your best, you will never be a failure.

The third piece of advice--well, it was not advice at all. It was, basically from my parents, “Take only what you need.”

All that was needed was fitted into a 1963 Pontiac Acadian with a mattress tied strapped to the roof!

There are two basic lessons from the commissioning of the disciples who were sent out in twos:  

• To do as much good as possible for the people you will meet on the mission.

• Second, remember this is a learning experience.

  All in life is a learning experience.

Back to the 3 essentials of mission:

1. Take only what is needed then, no excess.

   When we moved, each time, we believed or attempted to convince ourselves we would only take with us what was essential. Or so we thought.
   In organizations like church, there are a variety of opinions of what is essential and what is not. As a parish we have begun that process over the past year. We still have more to do.        

Three of the “greats” in Christianity -- from St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint Francis, and Tolstoy -- have all lived with a theology of believing Christians are 'over-built' in the terms of the money spent on buildings.

Tolstoy would say he was happy after he disposed of all the ‘abundance’ he had collected. He wrote that ‘he was happy to be alive, happy to have the joy of knowing that when he was hungry there was always food; happy to know that he could sleep, and have a place to sleep, when tired; and he  had water to drink.
Most important to have friends to embrace him when lonely.

2. Be Mission Ready by managing our time.

   Be ready to do today what is required. Procrastination is a bad habit.God has given us “Time.” We need to use it wisely.

3. Be accepting of hospitality.

   To do mission is to be ready to stay with a community and minister to them. 

Some of the great missionaries of the world have done just that, with that 3-fold formula.
Be among the people and love them with the same afforded grace they have shown to you.
AND
well, if they are not ready to hear the Word, then leave, shaking the dust off your sandals on the way out.         

This is a statement we often have difficulty with, and we have often pondered, what is its meaning.

I believe—today, I would interpret the meaning being that Jesus is saying to us, ’Do not carry a grudge, bitterness, or resentment with you about that place. We can’t live in the past; we can only live in the future.'

The teachings of Jesus are so profound. 

Think of it for a moment. Jesus does not send us out alone.

In the gospel it says Jesus sent the disciples out two by two.

In this time and place, this may not be part of our church tradition. Certainly, there are church traditions in which that is part of their way of doing mission-work.

But also, for us to realize that although we may not be sent out two by two, we have a greater gift –we have a gift that goes with us into the mission field—it is called:
'This Community". 
It is called the community--that supports us, prays for us, and walks with us.

Travelling together we then can do far more than we could ask or imagine.

Familiar words for us as Anglicans, as they are part of The Doxology.

(One of our contemporary hymns that we treasure was written Gordon Light, who talks about, and has set to music and words, that Doxology.)

It is one of the delightful hymns we sing often.

And so, when we leave the Font—seriously—to head out to the Mission Field, I know—we will be amazed by our doing, more than we can ask, or imagine.

Thanks be to God!

Let Us Pray

One in the communion of saints and in the power of the Holy Spirit, we join our voices in prayer.

Glorious God,
you bend down to wash the feet of your disciples.
May your servant church arise to teach, pray, heal, and act. Grant your faithful people power in weakness, and strength in grace. 
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Living God,
your fingers trace the heavens and mold the earth. May your rains fall upon drought-parched soils. Grant relief and healing to regions devastated by fire and flood, that every life may be sustained in well-being. 
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Merciful God, you speak, and nations listen. May all who govern your people respond to the cries of those lacking food and shelter; those fleeing violence and oppression; those seeking freedom and community.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer. 

Gracious God,
your touch brings wholeness to all who are troubled. Anoint all who suffer and grant them renewal.
We especially lift up to you: Gail; Sue; John; Sheila; Blake; Christian; and those on our hearts, naming them aloud, or in the silence of our hearts. 
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Eternal God,
you gather us into your house from many places. We give you great thanks for all our departed loved ones. May they continue to inspire us, until we rest with them, forever in Your Peace.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer. 

Holy God,
into your embrace, we commend ourselves and all for whom we pray, trusting in the One who is the way, the truth, and the life, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.  Amen.

As our Saviour taught us:
Our Father,
who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven. 
Give us today our daily bread. 
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us.
And lead us  not into temptation,
but deliver us fom evil.  
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power and the glory,
forever and ever.  Amen.

The Blessing: 

The peace of God,
which passes all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and
love of God, and of his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with you, and remain with you, always.  Amen.

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.

May we enjoy living in the mission field this week. Amen.