Good Morning,
Welcome to your online worship from St. Mark’s for Sunday August 6, 2023.
I have returned after two weeks of vacation and along with me our online worship returns!
I am grateful to the Rev’d Canon Dr. Darcey Lazerte for leading and preaching at our in-person Sunday worship while I was away.
On a fun note, I included a fun little blooper at the end of the video this week. I hope it gives you an extra smile this week.
Today’s Opening Sentence
“We do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” – Matthew 4.4
Today’s Reading – Matthew 14:13-21
Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. 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. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.1
Your Online Message and Prayers
Click on the above image to view our online worship on YouTube.
Reflection questions for the week:
- I think it is easy to dismiss the brokenness of our world as too big to fix or change and too often we are told that “it is just the way it is.” What large world problems might you put into that category?
- Selfish motivations can be hard to address or counter in ourselves and others. What examples have you experienced in your life of those sorts of motivations, and how have you been able to address them?
- Growing in our faith and putting it into practice in our life is no easy task. What events in your life have underlined that challenge in your life? How did you get through it?
- Sometimes the world’s problems seem so big, we can’t imagine how they would ever be put right. We need the reminder that God doesn’t expect us to make them all by ourselves or all at once. Can you imagine breaking down those big problems into into smaller pieces and smaller actions that you could accomplish today?
This week music is provided by Ryan Van Dijk, our Music Director, and the choir. Thank you to them all for their ministry of music!
A continued reminder that if you are at all uncomfortable being in-person for worship, or if you are not feeling well, please join us here online.
Thank you again for joining with your parish family in our online worship today.
Find out how you can support our ministry and good work in the community here.
God Bless you and have a blessed week. Be well!
Peace,
The Rev’d Canon Rob Park
- Scripture quotation is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.