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August 30, 2020 is Pentecost 13A/Proper 17A/Ordinary 23A

Exodus 3:1-15 - CALLED: Moses and the burning bush.
OR

Jeremiah 15:15-21 - Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.

Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c - Israel came to Egypt, but they came to hate them. God’s servant Moses was sent…

OR

Psalm 26:1-8 - I do not sit with the worthless, nor do I consort with hypocrites; I hate the company of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked.

Romans 12:9-21 - Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Matthew 16:21-28 - “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”

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September 6, 2020 is Pentecost 14A/Proper 18A/Ordinary 24A

Exodus 12:1-14 -SET FREE: The commandment to observe Passover.
OR
Ezekiel 33:7-11 - So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live.

Psalm 149 - Sing to The Lord a new song… Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
OR

Psalm 119:33-40 - Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Turn my heart to your decrees, and not to selfish gain.

Romans 13:8-14 - Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The Ten Commandments… are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Matthew 18:15-20 - If another member of the church sins against you… How to manage conflict.

Prayer of the Day
O Lord God, enliven and preserve your church with your perpetual mercy. Without your help, we mortals will fail; remove far from us everything that is harmful, and lead us toward all that gives life and salvation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia. In Christ God was reconciling the world | to himself, entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. Alleluia. (2 Cor. 5:19)

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August 23, 2020 is Pentecost 12A/Proper 16A/Ordinary 22A

Exodus 1:8 - 2:10 - The Israelites increase in Egypt, so the Pharaoh oppresses them, murdering Hebrew boys. Moses is hidden in a basket and floated down Nile. Pharaoh’s daughter finds Moses. Moses’ mother ends up being his nursemaid.

OR
Isaiah 51:1-6 - I will bring near my deliverance swiftly, my salvation has gone out and my arms will rule the peoples; the coastlands wait for me, and for my arm they hope.

Psalm 124 - If God had not been on our side, the raging waters would have overwhelmed us. Our deliverer is the creator of heaven and earth.

OR
Psalm 138 - All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord, for they have heard the words of your mouth. They shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord.

For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he perceives from far away.

Romans 12:1-8 - Present your bodies as a living sacrifice. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Matthew 16:13-20 - Jesus: “Who do people say that I am?” Simon Peter: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.”

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August 16, 2020 is Pentecost 11A/Proper 15A/Ordinary 21A

Genesis 45:1-15 – Joseph reveals himself to his brothers after weeping bitterly. The brothers return to their father with gifts from Joseph.

OR

Isaiah 56:1, 6-8
- And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord… these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer… for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

Psalm 133 – How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity.

OR

Psalm 67
- The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us. May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.

Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
- For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.

Matthew 15:[10-20] 21-28
- What defiles a person… The faith of the Canaanite woman.

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August 9, 2020 is Pentecost 10A/Proper 14A/Ordinary 20A

1 Kings 19:9-18 – (complimentary series) …and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’
OR

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 (semi-continuous readings in Genesis until September) – 17-year-old Joseph is loved by his father the most, and hated by his brothers, who sell him into slavery. 

Psalm 85:8-13 (complimentary series) – Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.

OR

Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b (semi-continuous) – Give thanks to the Lord, offspring of Abraham, children of Jacob, who caused famine in Egypt, and sent ahead his servant Joseph, who saved them, and became a lord in Pharaoh’s house.

Romans 10:5-15 The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Matthew 14:22-33Jesus walks on water. Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught [Peter], saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

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August 2, 2020 is Pentecost 9A/Proper 13A/Ordinary 19A

Genesis 32:22-31 – Jacob wrestles with God/the angel, in our ongoing walk through Genesis.

OR

Isaiah 55:1-5 - Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money,
come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Psalm 17:1-7, 15 – An interesting juxtaposition with Jacob’s dream in the Genesis reading: if you visit me by night, if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress… As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.

OR
Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21 (16) - The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.

Romans 9:1-5 - They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Matthew 14:13-21 - Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

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July 26, 2020 is Pentecost 8A/Proper 12A/Ordinary 18A

1 Kings 3:5-12 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David… Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?

OR

Genesis 29:15-28 The semi-continuous (summary just before June 14) Old Testament readings continue our walk through in Genesis, culminating on September 13 with (spoiler alert) Joseph forgiving his brothers in Genesis 50. In this Sunday’s passage, the tables turn on Jacob, who works seven years to marry Rachel, but Laban sneaks in Leah instead, so Jacob has to work another seven years for Rachel.

Psalm 119:129-136 Keep my steps steady according to your promise, and never let iniquity have dominion over me. Redeem me from human oppression, that I may keep your precepts. Make your face shine upon your servant and teach me your statutes.

OR

Psalm 105:1-11, 45b Remember the covenant that God made with Abraham, the promise to Isaac, confirmed to Jacob, to Israel, an everlasting covenant: “To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance.”

Romans 8:26-39 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

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July 19, 2020 is Pentecost 7A/Proper 11A/Ordinary 17A

Genesis 28:10-19a OR Wisdom of Solomon 12:13, 16-19 OR Isaiah 44:6-8

Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24 OR Psalm 86:11-17

Romans 8:12-25

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

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July 12, 2020 is Pentecost 6A/Proper 10A/Ordinary 16A

Genesis 25:19-34 – Jacob and Esau, the twins are born, two nations contending. Esau sells his birthright to Jacob.
OR
Isaiah 55:10-13 – For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven… so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty…

Psalm 119:105-112 – Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path.
OR
Psalm 65:(1-8), 9-13 – You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it.

Romans 8:1-11 – There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 – THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER. Listen! A sower went out to sow… and some seed fell on the path, some on rocky ground, some among thorns and some on good soil.

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Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 OR Zechariah 9:9-12

Psalm 45:10-17 OR Song of Solomon 2:8-13 OR Psalm 145:8-14

Romans 7:15-25a

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30