4 Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFusion Pentecost 1 2020 Copyright © Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2019

Pentecost 1 2020 Planning

Date

Liturgical date

Title

Lections (The focus in the age-level materials is in bold.)

Emphasis for

worship, learning, and serving

Personal reflectionYou might consider sending weekly e-mails to people on your e-mail list throughout Pentecost 1, posting each week to your congregation’s social networking site, or adding to your bulletin.

June 7, 2020June 14, 2020

June 21, 2020June 28, 2020

July 5, 2020July 12, 2020

Trinity Sunday2nd Sunday after Pentecost11th Sunday in O

rdinary

Time

Proper 6 (11)

3rd Sunday after Pentecost12th Sunday in O

rdinary

Time

Proper 7 (12)

4th Sunday after Pentecost13th Sunday in O

rdinary

Time

Proper 8 (13)

5th Sunday after Pentecost14th Sunday in O

rdinary

Time

Proper 9 (14)

6th Sunday after Pentecost15th Sunday in O

rdinary

Time

Proper 10 (15)

The Mountains Are Calling

SacrificesSolidarity

Choosing a Braver FaithA Love that M

akes

Neighbours

Love that Disrupts

Genesis 1:1—

2:4a Psalm

82 Corinthians 13:11–13M

atthew 28:16–20

Genesis 18:1–15, (21:1–7)Psalm

116:1–2, 12–19Rom

ans 5:1–8M

atthew 9:35—

10:8, (9–23)

Genesis 21:8–21

Psalm 86:1–10, 16–17

Romans 6:1b–11

Matthew

10:24–39

Genesis 22:1–14

Psalm 13

Romans 6:12–23

Matthew

10:40–42

Genesis 24:34–38,

42–49, 58–67

Psalm 45:10–17 or

Song of Solom

on 2:8–13Rom

ans 7:15–25aM

atthew 11:16–19, 25–30

Genesis 25:19–34

Psalm 119:105–112

Romans 8:1–11

Matthew

13:1–9, 18–23

On this Trinity Sunday, we are rem

inded of Gods’ word, presence, activity, and redeem

ing love in Cre-ation.

In Jesus’ call to the disciples to join in his healing m

inistry, we hear a call to us, individually and as the church, to the urgent work of car-rying God’s love and care into the world.

Jesus teaches disciples then and now that when we m

ake God’s love of justice fully present in the world, we enter uncom

fortable spaces that disrupt relationships to power and disrupt relationships – even with those closest to us. W

e can be assured of God’s presence and care.

This week, many voices from Abra-

ham to the psalmist, to Jesus to

Paul, urge that we cling to a deeper, braver faith in God that insists on love and com

passion both given and received.

This week, we gather around sto-ries of courageous transform

ing love, with the story of Rebekah and her exam

ple of hospitality and her choice to leave the com

fort of hom

e and family and journey with

trust into a future unknown at the centre.

In the texts this week, we encounter a God who enters the world and dis-rupts it. In a story of where an elder child will serve his younger siblings, and in a challenge from Jesus that those who value the ways of wealth will be left wanting, we experience a world turned upside down.

Genesis 1:1—2:4a tells a story of

Creation and Trinity’s presence at the beginning of the world. The world is interconnected, and we are part of it – part of God’s expression of love and creativity.Spend intentional tim

e enjoying Creation.

Jesus’ call to follow includes a big job description: Tell and show the good news of God’s love, bring heal-ing, and do not be afraid. W

ow! How m

ight we live out this call today?Consider sending one another off with a blessing, “(Nam

e) go live for God.”

Jesus’ teaching disrupts our peace, but we are rem

inded to not be afraid. God is ever-present, all-knowing, and all-revealing. Reflect on what fears you have. Each day, spend tim

e sharing your fears with God. Then, listen (and look) for exam

ples of how God is with you.

Welcom

e. Jesus calls disciples to welcom

e all. We are all agents in

giving and receiving welcome. God

welcomes us and we, in turn, wel-

come one another, especially those

who are considered the least and the lost. Spend tim

e this week volunteering at a church m

inistry or a local char-ity that welcom

es people in need.

Rebekah and Isaac meet and fall

in love. Abraham’s servant goes in

search of Isaac’s bride, and Rebekah chooses to leave her fam

ily and go to m

eet Isaac. This union in the Hebrew Scriptures is an im

portant story in our stories of faith. Send a special handwritten m

es-sage or e-m

ail to at least three people you love telling them that you love them

.

We can all identify with fam

ily tension and differences. Jacob and Esau have been battling from the beginning, even in the wom

b. Their com

petition continues as they grow older and Jacob tricks Esau into giving away his birthright. Think about the differences or dis-agreem

ents that exist among your

siblings or your extended family.

Reflect on how these have affected your fam

ily dynamics and inter-

actions. What can they teach you

about the relationships you have with m

embers of your congrega-

tion, friends, co-workers?

At a G

lance – Pentecost 1 2020At a G

lance – Pentecost 1 2020 is also available in the Planning folder. The personal reflection is also provided separately as a text file in the Planning folder.

Copyright © Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2019 Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFusion Pentecost 1 2020 5

Pentecost 1 2020

Dat

e

Litu

rgica

l dat

e

Title

Lect

ions

(Th

e foc

us i

n th

e ag

e-lev

el ma

terial

s is in

bold

.)

Emph

asis

for

wors

hip,

le

arni

ng,

and

serv

ing

Pers

onal

re

flect

ion

You m

ight co

nside

r send

ing we

ekly

e-mail

s to pe

ople o

n you

r e-m

ail

list th

rough

out P

entec

ost 1,

posti

ng

each

week

to yo

ur con

grega

tion’s

soc

ial ne

twork

ing sit

e, or a

dding

to

your

bulle

tin.

7th

Sund

ay a

fter

Pent

ecos

t16

th S

unda

y in

Ord

inar

y Ti

me

Prop

er 1

1 (1

6)

8th

Sund

ay a

fter

Pent

ecos

t17

th S

unda

y in

Ord

inar

y Ti

me

Prop

er 1

2 (1

7)

10th

Sun

day

afte

r

Pent

ecos

t19

th S

unda

y in

Ord

inar

y Ti

me

Prop

er 1

4 (1

9)

11th

Sun

day

afte

r

Pent

ecos

t20

th S

unda

y in

Ord

inar

y Ti

me

Prop

er 1

5 (2

0)

13th

Sun

day

afte

r

Pent

ecos

t22

nd S

unda

y in

Ord

inar

y Ti

me

Prop

er 1

7 (2

2)

Pres

ence

Subv

ersiv

e Si

lenc

eD

ream

ing

Big

Subv

ersiv

e Fo

rgiv

enes

sH

oly

and

Hum

ble

Cu

riosit

y

Gen

esis

28:

10–1

9a

Psal

m 1

39:1

–12,

23–

24Ro

man

s 8:12

–25

Mat

thew

13:

24–3

0,

36

–43

Gen

esis

29:

15–2

8 Ps

alm

105

:1–1

1, 4

5b o

r

Psal

m 1

28Ro

man

s 8:2

6–39

Mat

thew

13:

31–3

3,

44–5

2

Gen

esis

32:

22–3

1 Ps

alm

17:

1–7,

15Ro

man

s 9:1

–5M

atth

ew 1

4:13

–21

Gen

esis

45:

1–15

Ps

alm

133

Rom

ans 1

1:1–2

a, 2

9–32

Mat

thew

15:

(10–

20),

21

–28

Exod

us 3

:1–1

5Ps

alm

105

:1–6

, 23–

26,

45

cRo

man

s 12:

9–21

Mat

thew

16:

21–2

8

Jaco

b’s d

ivine

enc

ount

er re

as-

sure

s tha

t God

is e

ver-p

rese

nt,

all-k

nowi

ng, a

nd a

ll-re

veali

ng

– a

pres

ence

felt

thro

ugh a

ll of

this

week

’s rea

dings

.

Subv

ersiv

e sil

ence

of t

wo si

s-te

rs, R

ache

l and

Leah

, ena

bles

both

to pl

ay th

eir pa

rt in

God’s

un

foldi

ng s

tory

of

freed

om,

liber

ation

, and

cove

nant

.

We m

eet J

osep

h, th

e dre

amer,

an

d th

e ro

le he

plac

es in

the

unfo

lding

pr

omise

of

lib-

erat

ion f

or a

ll pe

ople,

and

th

roug

h the

othe

r rea

dings

are

rem

inded

that

we t

oo ar

e par

t of

a lar

ger n

arra

tive

of Go

d’s

grac

e for

all C

reat

ion.

A sto

ry o

f fo

rgive

ness

and

rede

mpt

ion a

fter

a lif

etim

e of

betra

yal,

aban

donm

ent,

restr

iction

, and

isola

tion

offer

s an

oppo

rtunit

y for

us to

explo

re

how

forg

ivene

ss an

d ch

arity

ca

n se

t us

fre

e fro

m all

tha

t se

para

tes.

With

Mos

es, w

e ste

p on

Holy

Gr

ound

and

list

en a

s Go

d ca

lls M

oses

to b

e an

age

nt o

f Go

d’s li

bera

ting

justic

e, an

d, th

roug

h th

e wor

ds o

f Jes

us in

th

e go

spel

read

ing, c

onsid

er th

e po

wer

of let

ting

go i

n or

der t

o exp

erien

ce lif

e.

Fleein

g fro

m his

bro

ther

Esau

, Ja

cob

enco

unte

rs Go

d in

a dr

eam

. His

inter

actio

n with

God

in th

e dre

am br

ings J

acob

clos

er to

God

. He r

enam

es th

e plac

e of

the d

ream

Beth

el, w

hich m

eans

ho

use

of Go

d, to

show

its s

ig-nifi

canc

e. St

ep in

side y

our c

hurch

or a

dif-

feren

t ch

urch

or

visit

anot

her

sacre

d sp

ace

to p

ray

or s

pend

so

me t

ime m

edita

ting o

n God

’s pr

esen

ce in

your

life.

Jaco

b re

turn

s to

his m

othe

r’s

hom

eland

in se

arch

of a

new

ho

me,

falls

in lov

e with

Rach

el,

and

is tri

cked

into

mar

rying

Le

ah,

Rach

el’s

older

siste

r. Ja

cob

even

tuall

y m

arrie

s Ra

chel.

Eve

n am

idst

trick

ery

and

dece

ption

, God

’s pr

omise

to

Abr

aham

for a

fam

ily w

ith

man

y chil

dren

will

be fu

lfille

d in

Jaco

b and

his d

esce

ndan

ts.W

rite

in yo

ur jo

urna

l abo

ut

the

place

s th

at h

ave

been

“h

ome”

to

you.

Wha

t m

ade

thes

e pla

ces

hom

e fo

r yo

u?

How

have

you m

ade a

hom

e for

ot

hers

on a

journ

ey?

Jaco

b wr

estle

s wi

th G

od. W

e all

str

uggle

wi

th

perso

nal

dilem

mas

– a

nd s

omet

imes

we

stru

ggle

to se

e God

dur

ing

thes

e tim

es. T

hese

tim

es m

ight

take

a p

hysic

al to

ll –

muc

h lik

e the

spor

t of w

restl

ing. B

ut

Jaco

b doe

s not

give

up.

Refle

ct o

n th

e iss

ues

with

wh

ich yo

u ar

e wre

stling

. Wha

t tro

ublin

g re

lation

ship

or d

eci-

sion

is gn

awing

at y

ou? S

pend

at

leas

t 15

minu

tes

each

day

pr

aying

abou

t this

stru

ggle.

Jose

ph c

omes

fac

e to

fac

e wi

th t

he b

roth

ers

who

sold

him i

nto

slave

ry. R

eady

to

reco

ncile

with

them

, Jos

eph

expla

ins

God’s

pr

esen

ce

thro

ugho

ut h

is lif

e. Jo

seph

ca

n he

lp his

fam

ily d

uring

a

famine

.M

ake

a do

natio

n of

time,

mon

ey, o

r foo

d to

an o

rgan

i-za

tion

that

help

s the

hun

gry.

Make

a m

eal

for

som

eone

wh

o m

ight

be

strug

gling

em

otion

ally

and

or fi

nan-

cially

.

As

Mose

s go

es

abou

t his

ev

eryd

ay li

fe, fa

r awa

y fro

m lif

e in

the

palac

e, Go

d se

nds

a m

essa

ge th

roug

h th

e m

ost

ordin

ary

of th

ings

– a

bush

. Go

d ca

lls M

oses

to g

o ba

ck to

Eg

ypt a

nd fr

ee t

he Is

raeli

tes

from

slave

ry.

Cons

ider

wh

at

seem

ingly

ordin

ary t

hings

God

migh

t be

using

in y

our o

wn li

fe to

call

you t

o be a

part

of Go

d’s w

ork

of lib

erat

ion.

At a

Gla

nce

– Pe

ntec

ost 1

201

9Planning

At a

Gla

nce

– Pe

ntec

ost 1

201

9 is

also

ava

ilabl

e in

the

Plan

ning

fold

er.

The

Pers

onal

refle

ctio

n is

als

o pr

ovid

ed s

epar

atel

y as

a te

xt fi

le in

the

Plan

ning

fold

er.

July

19,

202

0Ju

ly 2

6, 2

020

Aug

2, 2

020

Aug

16, 2

020

Aug

30, 2

020

Aug

9, 2

020

Aug

23, 2

020

9th

Sund

ay a

fter

Pent

ecos

t18

th S

unda

y in

Ord

inar

y Ti

me

Prop

er 1

3 (1

8)

12th

Sun

day

afte

r

Pent

ecos

t21

st S

unda

y in

Ord

inar

y Ti

me

Prop

er 1

6 (2

1)

Face

to F

ace

Cunn

ing,

Com

pass

ion,

and

Cour

age

Gen

esis

37:

1–4,

12–2

8 Ps

alm

105

:1–6

, 16–

22,

45

bRo

man

s 10:

5–15

Mat

thew

14:

22–3

3

Exod

us 1

:8—

2:10

Psal

m 1

24Ro

man

s 12:

1–8

Mat

thew

16:

13–2

0

We

hear

a sto

ry o

f a fl

eeing

Ja

cob

com

ing f

ace

to f

ace

with

God

, and

cons

ider w

hat i

t m

eans

for u

s to s

ee ea

ch ot

her,

ourse

lves,

and

our

God

“face

to

face

.”

A sto

ry of

cunn

ing m

idwive

s, a

cour

ageo

us m

othe

r, a

vigila

nt

siste

r, an

d a

com

passi

onat

e pr

inces

s cha

lleng

es u

s to

con-

sider

what

it m

eans

to b

e cun

-nin

g in t

he se

rvice

of G

od’s

jus-

tice

and

liber

ation

, and

whe

re

we a

re ca

lled

to b

e vig

ilant

in

com

passi

on an

d cou

rage

.

Filled

with

ange

r and

jealo

usy,

Jose

ph’s

brot

hers

plot t

o ge

t rid

of

Jose

ph.

The

brot

hers

don’t

und

ersta

nd h

im o

r his

“d

ream

s.”

Misu

nder

stand

ing

can f

eed f

eelin

gs of

ange

r and

jea

lousy

. Re

ach

out

in so

me

way

to

a pe

rson

who

stirs

a fe

eling

of

ange

r and

jealo

usy

in yo

u –

invite

them

to jo

in yo

u fo

r lun

ch o

r co

ffee,

write

the

m a

note

or e

-mail

, or s

et a

side

time t

o pr

ay a

bout

wha

t mis-

unde

rstan

dings

migh

t be f

uel-

ling y

our f

eelin

gs.

Cunn

ing,

com

passi

onat

e, co

urag

eous

wom

en c

ome

to

the d

efenc

e of t

he m

ost v

ul-ne

rable

and t

ake a

ction

. Ce

lebr

ate

the

child

ren

in yo

ur lif

e. Yo

u migh

t also

mak

e a d

onat

ion or

volun

teer

at an

or

ganiz

ation

that

wor

ks w

ith

child

ren,

such

as

an a

fter-

schoo

l or t

utor

ing pr

ogra

m