Morning Prayer 4.27.17, Christina Rossetti, Poet, 1894

Both services today are reading for streaming.

The audio on our early service was only average today; click here.

Our later service had very good audio and excellent lectors; go here.

—

They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us.

A United Methodist ecclesiastical court in New Jersey heard arguments this week on removing Bishop Karen Oliveto because she’s a Lesbian. Oliveto was elected to the church’s 4-state Big Sky Conference knowing she is openly Gay – she formerly was a pastor at famed Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, which is as rainbow as you can get – but an Oklahoma layperson charged that this violated church law, so she’s seeking to invalidate the election; the bishop argued that under church law, one conference (equivalent to a diocese) may not overturn another conference’s election. The court promised a judgment in a few days – while other authorities have announced they will call a special meeting of the worldwide General Conference in 2019 to try to avert a schism. If Anglican Wars were hard, this may be worse; Methodism doesn’t recognize national churches, but throws representatives from all nations into one big General Synod. Now please re-read St. John’s remarks about schism, above and below this photo. (David Zalubowski/Assocated Press)

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Christ Our Passover
1 Cor. 5:7-8; Rom. 6:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:20-22

Alleluia.
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; *
therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, *
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.

Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; *
death no longer has dominion over him.
The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; *
but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So also consider yourselves dead to sin, *
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.

Christ has been raised from the dead, *
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by a man came death, *
by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, *
so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.

Psalm 18:1-20

1  I love you, O LORD my strength, *
O LORD my stronghold, my crag, and my haven.
2  My God, my rock in whom I put my trust, *
my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my refuge;
you are worthy of praise.
3  I will call upon the LORD, *
and so shall I be saved from my enemies.
4  The breakers of death rolled over me, *
and the torrents of oblivion made me afraid.
5  The cords of hell entangled me, *
and the snares of death were set for me.
6  I called upon the LORD in my distress *
and cried out to my God for help.
7  You heard my voice from your heavenly dwelling; *
my cry of anguish came to your ears.
8  The earth reeled and rocked; *
the roots of the mountains shook;
they reeled because of your anger.
9  Smoke rose from your nostrils
and a consuming fire out of your mouth; *
hot burning coals blazed forth from you.
10  You parted the heavens and came down *
with a storm cloud under your feet.
11  You mounted on cherubim and flew; *
you swooped on the wings of the wind.
12  You wrapped darkness about you; *
you made dark waters and thick clouds your pavilion.
13  From the brightness of your presence, through the clouds, *
burst hailstones and coals of fire.
14  O LORD, you thundered out of heaven; *
O Most High, you uttered your voice.
15  You loosed your arrows and scattered them; *
you hurled thunderbolts and routed them.
16  The beds of the seas were uncovered,
and the foundations of the world laid bare, *
at your battle cry, O LORD,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
17  You reached down from on high and grasped me; *
you drew me out of great waters.
18  You delivered me from my strong enemies
and from those who hated me; *
for they were too mighty for me.
19  They confronted me in the day of my disaster; *
but the LORD was my support.
20  You brought me out into an open place; *
you rescued me because you delighted in me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

French, 15th Century: Nebuchadezzar’s dream of the composite statue, with a head of gold and feet of clay.

THE LESSONS
Daniel 2:31-49 (NRSV)

Daniel said, “You were looking, O king, and lo! there was a great statue. This statue was huge, its brilliance extraordinary; it was standing before you, and its appearance was frightening. The head of that statue was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked on, a stone was cut out, not by human hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, were all broken in pieces and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

“This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation. You, O king, the king of kings—to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the might, and the glory, into whose hand he has given human beings, wherever they live, the wild animals of the field, and the birds of the air, and whom he has established as ruler over them all—you are the head of gold. After you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over the whole earth. And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron; just as iron crushes and smashes everything, it shall crush and shatter all these. As you saw the feet and toes partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but some of the strength of iron shall be in it, as you saw the iron mixed with the clay. As the toes of the feet were part iron and part clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with clay, so will they mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall this kingdom be left to another people. It shall crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever; just as you saw that a stone was cut from the mountain not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The great God has informed the king what shall be hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation trustworthy.”

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, worshiped Daniel, and commanded that a grain offering and incense be offered to him. The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery!” Then the king promoted Daniel, gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.

Canticle: A Song of Wisdom
Wisdom 10:15-19,20b-21

Wisdom freed from a nation of oppressors *
a holy people and a blameless race.
She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord, *
withstood dread rulers with wonders and signs.
To the saints she gave the reward of their labors, *
and led them by a marvelous way;
She was their shelter by day *
and a blaze of stars by night.
She brought them across the Red Sea, *
she led them through mighty waters;
But their enemies she swallowed in the waves *
and spewed them out from the depths of the abyss.
And then, Lord, the righteous sang hymns to your Name, *
and praised with one voice your protecting hand;
For Wisdom opened the mouths of the mute, *
and gave speech to the tongues of a new-born people.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

1 John 2:18-29 (NRSV)

Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But by going out they made it plain that none of them belongs to us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and you know that no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he has promised us, eternal life.

I write these things to you concerning those who would deceive you. As for you, the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in him.

And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.

If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who does right has been born of him.

Canticle: A Song of True Motherhood
by Julian of Norwich

God chose to be our mother in all things *
and so made the foundation of his work,
most humbly and most pure, in the Virgin’s womb.
God, the perfect wisdom of all, *
arrayed himself in this humble place.
Christ came in our poor flesh *
to share a mother’s care.
Our mothers bear us for pain and for death; *
our true mother, Jesus, bears us for joy and endless life.
Christ carried us within him in love and travail, *
until the full time of his passion.
And when all was completed and he had carried us so for joy, *
still all this could not satisfy the power of his wonderful love.
All that we owe is redeemed in truly loving God, *
for the love of Christ works in us;
Christ is the one whom we love.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Luke 3:1-14 (NRSV)

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'”

John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the power of Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE PRAYERS

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.

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.

V.  Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;
R.  Govern and uphold them, now and always.
V.  Day by day we bless you;
R.  We praise your Name for ever.
V.  Lord, keep us from all sin today;
R.  Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
V.  Lord, show us your love and mercy;
R.  For we put our trust in you.
V.  In you, Lord, is our hope;
R.  And we shall never hope in vain.

Christina Rossetti’s poetic emphasis on the sacramental nature of ordinary things (bread, wine, oil, water) was part of the Oxford Movement’s attempt to restore medieval worship practices and spirituality, especially the Sunday Holy Eucharist, to the Church of England.

Collect of the Day: Christina Rossetti, Poet, 1894

O God, whom heaven cannot hold, you inspired Christina Rossetti to express the mystery of the Incarnation through her poems: Help us to follow her example in giving our hearts to Christ, who is love; and who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Poem by Christina Rossetti
for use after Communion

Why should I call Thee Lord, Who art my God?
Why should I call Thee Friend, Who art my Love?
Or King, Who art my very Spouse above?
Or call Thy Sceptre on my heart Thy rod?
Lo, now Thy banner over me is love,
All heaven flies open to me at Thy nod:
For Thou hast lit Thy flame in me a clod,
Made me a nest for dwelling of Thy Dove.
What wilt Thou call me in our home above,
Who now hast called me friend? how will it be
When Thou for good wine settest forth the best?
Now Thou dost bid me come and sup with Thee,
Now Thou dost make me lean upon Thy breast:
How will it be with me in time of love?

A Collect for Guidance

Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Thursday Morning Prayer List
• Octave of Prayer for the retiring and rising Bishops of Indianapolis

12 Deadliest Places of War, Political Unrest & Violence
Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Mexico, Somalia/Kenya, Nigeria/Cameroon/Niger/Chad, Libya, South Sudan, Turkey, Sudan, Yemen/Saudi Arabia, Egypt

For peace in these nations
Civilians in danger zones
Peacemakers and military personnel
First responders, emergency workers and civilian volunteers
Doctors Without Borders, especially Trish

Please add your own intercessions, supplications and thanksgivings here.

Prayer for Mission

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

God’s blessing be with us,
Christ’s peace be with us,
the Spirit’s outpouring be with us,
now and always. Amen.++

VIDEO: My shepherd will supply my needs (#664, Resignation, American folk melody; Isaac Watts, para. Ps. 23) – Choir of Washington National Cathedral, 2010

Morning Prayer 1.15.17, Second Sunday after Epiphany

I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

The opening of the African-American Museum of History and Culture in Washington, D.C. last fall caused a team of journalists to visit the home of Cecilia Marshall, the widow of civil rights giant Thurgood Marshall, the first black justice of the U.S. Supreme Court; she keeps her own Thurgood shrine of photos and memories. He was a widower, 46, and she was 26 when they married; they had two sons, both distinguished lawyers. She was born in Hawai’i of Filipino immigrants; her father forbade her to marry her first choice, another Filipino who didn’t speak the right dialect (!) – so she married Thurgood, a foot and a half taller and a different race entirely. It worked out fine; he’d tease her about being short, and she’d threaten to stand on a chair and beat him up. He was the cook, while she followed behind cleaning up, knowing he’d dirty every pot in the house. They met in New York when an employment agency took one look at her and sent her to his employer, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He saw her and wondered what the heck was going on now. (Sarah L. Voisin/Washington Post)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Psalm 100
Jubilate

Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands;
serve the Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.

Know this: The Lord himself is God;
he himself has made us, and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.

For the Lord is good;
his mercy is everlasting;
and his faithfulness endures from age to age.

Psalm 148

1  Hallelujah!
Praise the LORD from the heavens; *
praise the LORD in the heights.
2  Praise the LORD, all you holy angels; *
praise the LORD, all heavenly host.
3  Praise the LORD, sun and moon; *
praise the LORD, all you shining stars.
4  Praise the LORD, heaven of heavens, *
and you waters above the heavens.
5  Let them praise the Name of the LORD; *
who commanded, and they were created.
6  The LORD made them stand fast for ever and ever *
and gave them a law which shall not pass away.

7  Praise the LORD from the earth, *
you sea-monsters and all deeps;
8  Fire and hail, snow and fog, *
tempestuous wind, obeying God’s will;
9  Mountains and all hills, *
fruit trees and all cedars;
10  Wild beasts and all cattle, *
creeping things and wingèd birds;
11  Kings of the earth and all peoples, *
rulers and all judges of the world;
12  Young men and women, *
old and young together.
13  Let them praise the Name of the LORD, *
for the Name of the LORD only is exalted,
and the splendor of the LORD is over earth and heaven.
14  The LORD has raised up strength for the chosen people
and praise for all loyal servants, *
the children of Israel, a people who are near to the LORD.
Hallelujah!

Psalm 149

1  Hallelujah!
Sing to the LORD a new song; *
sing praise to God in the congregation of the faithful.
2  Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; *
let the children of Zion be joyful in their Sovereign.
3  Let them praise God’s Name in the dance; *
let them sing praise to the LORD with timbrel and harp.
4  For the LORD takes pleasure in the chosen people *
and adorns the poor with victory.
5  Let the faithful rejoice in triumph; *
let them be joyful on their beds.
6  Let the praises of God be in their throat *
and a two-edged sword in their hand;
7  To wreak vengeance on the nations *
and punishment on the peoples;
8  To bind their rulers in chains *
and their nobles with links of iron;
9  To inflict on them the judgment decreed; *
this is glory for all God’s faithful people.
Hallelujah!

Psalm 150

1  Hallelujah!
Praise God in the holy temple; *
give praise in the firmament of heaven.
2  Praise God who is mighty in deed; *
give praise for God’s excellent greatness.
3  Praise God with the blast of the ram’s-horn; *
give praise with lyre and harp.
4  Praise God with timbrel and dance; *
give praise with strings and pipe.
5  Praise God with resounding cymbals; *
give praise with loud-clanging cymbals.
6  Let everything that has breath *
praise the LORD.
Hallelujah!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

(Pinterest)

THE LESSONS
Isaiah 43:14 – 44:5 (NRSV)

Thus says the LORD,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
For your sake I will send to Babylon
and break down all the bars,
and the shouting of the Chaldeans will be turned to lamentation.
I am the LORD, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, your King.
Thus says the LORD,
who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
who brings out chariot and horse,
army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
The wild animals will honor me,
the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.

Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob;
but you have been weary of me, O Israel!
You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings,
or honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with offerings,
or wearied you with frankincense.
You have not bought me sweet cane with money,
or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins;
you have wearied me with your iniquities.

I, I am He
who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
and I will not remember your sins.
Accuse me, let us go to trial;
set forth your case, so that you may be proved right.
Your first ancestor sinned,
and your interpreters transgressed against me.
Therefore I profaned the princes of the sanctuary,
I delivered Jacob to utter destruction,
and Israel to reviling.

But now hear, O Jacob my servant,
Israel whom I have chosen!
Thus says the LORD who made you,
who formed you in the womb and will help you:
Do not fear, O Jacob my servant,
Jeshurun whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my spirit upon your descendants,
and my blessing on your offspring.
They shall spring up like a green tamarisk,
like willows by flowing streams.
This one will say, “I am the Lord’s,”
another will be called by the name of Jacob,
yet another will write on the hand, “The Lord’s,”
and adopt the name of Israel.

Canticle: Song of Zechariah
Luke 1:68-79

Blessed are you, Lord, the God of Israel; *
you have come to your people and set them free.
You have raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of your servant David.
Through your holy prophets you promised of old
to save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us.
To show mercy to our forebears, *
and to remember your holy covenant.
This was the oath you swore to our father Abraham, *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship you without fear, *
holy and righteous before you
all the days of our life.
And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
To give God’s people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Attributed to Colin Nouailher, c. 1570: Abraham and Melchizedek, painted Limoges enamel. (The Louvre, Paris)

Hebrews 6:17 – 7:10 (NRSV)

In the same way, when God desired to show even more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it by an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God would prove false, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to seize the hope set before us. We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

This “King Melchizedek of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him”; and to him Abraham apportioned “one-tenth of everything.” His name, in the first place, means “king of righteousness”; next he is also king of Salem, that is, “king of peace.” Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. See how great he is! Even Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth of the spoils. And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their kindred, though these also are descended from Abraham. But this man, who does not belong to their ancestry, collected tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had received the promises. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In the one case, tithes are received by those who are mortal; in the other, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

Canticle: We Praise You, O God
Te Deum laudamus

We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
All creation worships you,
the Father everlasting.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
the cherubim and seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you took our flesh to set us free
you humbly chose the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come to be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

Ivan Rutkovych: Christ and the Samaritan Woman (Lviv National Museum, Ukraine)

John 4:27-42 (NRSV)

Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that Jesus was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or “Why are you speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” They left the city and were on their way to him.

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Surely no one has brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.”

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE PRAYERS

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as it is 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.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

Cecilia and Thurgood Marshall leaving the Supreme Court in 1954 after he won one of the biggest cases in U.S. history, reversing the infamous 1896 decision that approved the American apartheid. He was an Episcopalian, a longtime vestryman and senior warden; his feast day is May 17. (United Press International)

Collect of the Day: Second Sunday after the Epiphany

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Sundays

O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sunday Morning Prayer List: Our Donors: thank you!

2016 DONORS
√ = multiple gifts

√ Linda Brown, in memory of James W. Brown, Anthony D. Brown, Idella & Nicholas Brown, Elizabeth & Melvin Miller, Othello & Mocha Brown, and Sweet Molly Brown
The Rev. Donnie Wilkinson
Amy Welin
Stephen (Canada)
Cynthia Hoelscher
Gary Roberts
Marian Gabriel
Darlene (Canada)
Amy
EE (Barbados)
Janine Howard
The Rev. Daniel London, in honor of the Order of the Holy Cross
Randall Gerbino, in memory of Betty and Jack McConahy
Tim Karney, in memory of Susan Karney
Clayton Duncan, in memory of Dan Sapp

Please add your own prayers here.

Prayer for Mission

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The General Thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14++

VIDEO: Come, thou almighty King (#365, Moscow, Felice de Giardini; anonymous, c. 1757, alt.) – St. Peter’s RC, Columbia, South Carolina, 2011

Video Evensong 1.13.17, Hilary, Foe of Arianism, Doctor of the Church, 367

Among our highlights tonight: hearing Scotty read for us again after a hiatus; Fr. Jim & Mother Gwen’s chants, and a clutch pinch hit by Alison, our head cantor. The Lord was with us; let us be with God.

To stream this service, click here.

—

As he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples—for there were many who followed him.

VIDEO: Dear Lord and Father of mankind (#652, Rest, Frederick Chalres Maker; John Greenleaf Whittier) – St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Singapore, 2010

From the rising of the sun to its setting my Name shall be great among the nations, and in every place incense shall be offered to my Name, and a pure offering; for my Name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. Malachi 1:11

GENERAL CONFESSION

God of all mercy,
we confess that we have sinned against you,
opposing your will in our lives.
We have denied your goodness in each other,
in ourselves, and in the world you have created.
We repent of the evil that enslaves us,
the evil we have done,
and the evil done on our behalf.
Forgive, restore, and strengthen us
through our Savior Jesus Christ,
that we may abide in your love
and serve only your will. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

If possible, light a candle here.

VIDEO: O gracious light (Howard Helvey) – Christ Church Cathedral, Cincinnati, 2011

Hymn: O Gracious Light
Phos hilaron

O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.

VIDEO: Psalm 22, A Sacred Lament – Teresa Acquaviva, 2011

Psalm 22

1  My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? *
and are so far from my cry
and from the words of my distress?
2  O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not answer; *
by night as well, but I find no rest.
3  Yet you are the Holy One, *
enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
4  Our ancestors put their trust in you; *
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5  They cried out to you and were delivered; *
they trusted in you and were not put to shame.
6  But as for me, I am a worm and not a man, *
scorned by all and despised by the people.
7  All who see me laugh me to scorn; *
they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying,
8  “He trusted in the LORD; let him deliver him; *
let him rescue him, if he delights in him.”
9  Yet you are the one who took me out of the womb, *
and kept me safe upon my mother’s breast.
10  I have been entrusted to you ever since I was born; *
you were my God when I was still in my mother’s womb.
11  Be not far from me, for trouble is near, *
and there is none to help.
12  Many young bulls encircle me; *
strong bulls of Bashan surround me.
13  They open wide their jaws at me, *
like a ravening and a roaring lion.
14  I am poured out like water;
all my bones are out of joint; *
my heart within my breast is melting wax.
15  My mouth is dried out like a pot-sherd;
my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; *
and you have laid me in the dust of the grave.
16  Packs of dogs close me in,
and gangs of evildoers circle around me; *
they pierce my hands and my feet;
I can count all my bones.
17  They stare and gloat over me; *
they divide my garments among them;
they cast lots for my clothing.
18  Be not far away, O LORD; *
you are my strength; hasten to help me.
19  Save me from the sword, *
my life from the power of the dog.
20  Save me from the lion’s mouth, *
my wretched body from the horns of wild bulls.
21  I will declare your Name to the community; *
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.

22  Praise the LORD, you that are God-fearing; *
stand in awe of the LORD, O offspring of Israel;
all you of Jacob’s line, give glory.
23  For the LORD does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty;
neither is the LORD’s face hidden from them; *
but when they cry out, the LORD hears them.
24  My praise is of God in the great assembly; *
I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship the LORD.
25  The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek the LORD shall give praise: *
“May your heart live for ever!”
26  All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to God, *
and all the families of the nations bow before the LORD.
27  For sovereignty belongs to the LORD, *
who rules over the nations.
28  To the LORD alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship; *
all who go down to the dust fall before the LORD.
29  My soul shall live for God;
my descendants shall serve the LORD; *
they shall be known as the LORD’s for ever.
30  They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn *
the saving deeds that God has done.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

THE LESSON
Mark 2:13-22 (NRSV)

Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them. As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples—for there were many who followed him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.

“No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”

VIDEO: Nunc dimittis (William Byrd, Third Service) – The Merbecke Choir, 2012

Canticle: The Song of Simeon
Luke 2:29-32

Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

VIDEO: Apostles’ Creed – Village Church, Flower Mound, Texas, 2015

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE PRAYERS

VIDEO: Lord’s Prayer (John Farmer) – St. Stephen’s, Armonk, New York, 2012

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.

That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may depart this life in your faith and fear,
and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit
in the communion of all your saints,
entrusting one another and all our life to Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.

St. Hilary was a defender of the catholic faith and the Nicene Creed against the Arian heresy that Jesus was a lesser being than God the Father. Hilary was also a great mentor to St. Martin, later Bishop of Tours, and encouraged him to promote the monastic life. (iconographer unknown)

Collect of the Day: Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, 367

O Lord our God, you raised up your servant Hilary to be a champion of the catholic faith: Keep us steadfast in that true faith which we professed at our baptism, that we may rejoice in having you for our Father, and may abide in your Son, in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit; who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Fridays

Lord Jesus Christ, by your death you took away the sting of death: Grant to us your servants so to follow in faith where you have led the way, that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in you and wake up in your likeness; for your tender mercies’ sake. Amen.

Anglican Cycle of Prayer: Diocese of Kwoi, Nigeria

Friday Evening Prayer List: For the Church

For Ordinands
Alyssa Goudswaard Anderson to the diaconate, Diocese of Indianapolis

For Our Postulants for Ordination to the Diaconate
Hilary Greene, Diocese of Massachusetts

For our Seminarians and Their Schools
Shanna, Church Divinity School of the Pacific

Andhra Christian Theological College, India
Berkeley Divinity School, Connecticut
Bexley-Seabury Federation, Illinois
Bishop Hannington Institute, Kenya
Brite Divinity School, Texas

For Christians in the Middle East
Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Israel and Palestine

Please add your own prayers and supplications here.

Prayer for Mission

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13++

VIDEO: God is love (#379, Abbot’s Leigh, Cyril Vincent; Timothy Rees, alt.) – BBC “Songs of Praise,” 2012

Morning Prayer 1.13.17, Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, 367

Praising the Lord with unusual enthusiasm today:

At the early service everyone sang along to the final video – with our mics muted but with great spirit. It was fun. For your own little dose of holy hilaritas, click here!

Our 9 a.m. congregation all agreed the final hymn tune & arrangement are outstanding; to watch and pray and maybe sing along with us, go here.

—

The Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Gina Quattrochi has died, a labor lawyer with the New York State Nurses’ Association, who became alarmed by all the friends she lost to AIDS in the 1980s, joined the board of the AIDS Resource Center, and established Bailey House in New York City to provide housing for them, the first such agency in the USA. She became its director, served for 25 years, and grew its budget to $18 million and its caseload to 1800 persons in 3 locations. She persuaded policymakers that a lack of services like housing and case management led to more infections, and spurred them to action. In a 2008 interview she said, “The epidemic still rages in many parts of the country, including New York City, and all over the world.” (Bennett Raglin/Wire Image)

From the rising of the sun to its setting my Name shall be great among the nations, and in every place incense shall be offered to my Name, and a pure offering; for my Name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. Malachi 1:11

CONFESSION OF SIN

Most merciful God, 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 neighbors 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.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Psalm 95:1-7
Venite

Come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before God’s presence with thanksgiving;
and raise to the Lord a shout with psalms.
For you are a great God;
you are great above all gods.
In your hand are the caverns of the earth;
and the heights of the hills are yours also.
The sea is yours, for you made it,
and your hands have molded the dry land.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee,
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For you are our God,
and we are the people of your pasture, and the sheep of your hand.
Oh, that today we would hearken to your voice!

Psalm 16

1  Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you; *
I have said to the LORD, “You are my Lord,
my good above all other.”
2  All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land, *
upon those who are noble among the people.
3  But those who run after other gods *
shall have their troubles multiplied.
4  Their libations of blood I will not offer, *
nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.
5  O LORD, you are my portion and my cup; *
it is you who uphold my lot.
6  My boundaries enclose a pleasant land; *
indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
7  I will bless the LORD who gives me counsel; *
my heart teaches me, night after night.
8  I have set the LORD always before me; *
because you are at my right hand I shall not fall.
9  My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; *
my body also shall rest in hope.
10  For you will not abandon me to the grave, *
nor let your holy one see the Pit.
11  You will show me the path of life; *
in your presence there is fullness of joy,
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Psalm 17

1  Hear my plea of innocence, O LORD;
give heed to my cry; *
listen to my prayer, which does not come from lying lips.
2  Let my vindication come forth from your presence; *
let your eyes be fixed on justice.
3  Weigh my heart, summon me by night, *
melt me down; you will find no impurity in me.
4  I give no offense with my mouth as others do; *
I have heeded the words of your lips.
5  My footsteps hold fast to the ways of your law; *
in your paths my feet shall not stumble.
6  I call upon you, O God, for you will answer me; *
incline your ear to me and hear my words.
7  Show me your marvelous loving-kindness, *
O Savior of those who take refuge at your right hand
from those who rise up against them.
8  Keep me as the apple of your eye; *
hide me under the shadow of your wings,
9  From the wicked who assault me, *
from my deadly enemies who surround me.
10  They have closed their heart to pity, *
and their mouth speaks proud things.
11  They press me hard,
now they surround me, *
watching how they may cast me to the ground,
12  Like a lion, greedy for its prey, *
and like a young lion lurking in secret places.
13  Arise, O LORD; confront them and bring them down; *
deliver me from the wicked by your sword.
14  Deliver me, O LORD, by your hand *
from those whose portion in life is this world;
15  Whose bellies you fill with your treasure, *
who are well supplied with children
and leave their wealth to their little ones.
16  But at my vindication I shall see your face; *
when I awake, I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

THE LESSONS
Isaiah 42:(1-9) 10-17 (NRSV)

Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the LORD, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols. See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the end of the earth! Let the sea roar and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants. Let the desert and its towns lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the inhabitants of Sela sing for joy, let them shout from the tops of the mountains. Let them give glory to the LORD, and declare his praise in the coastlands.

The LORD goes forth like a soldier, like a warrior he stirs up his fury; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes. For a long time I have held my peace, I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor, I will gasp and pant. I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbage; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools. I will lead the blind by a road they do not know, by paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I will not forsake them. They shall be turned back and utterly put to shame—those who trust in carved images, who say to cast images, “You are our gods.”

Canticle: A Song of Jonah
Jonah 2:2-7, 9

I called to you, O God, out of my distress, and you answered me; *
out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.
You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, *
and the flood surrounded me;
all your waves and billows passed over me.
Then I said, “I am driven away from your sight; *
how shall I ever look again upon your holy temple?”
The waters closed in over me, the deep was round about me; *
weeds were wrapped around my head at the roots of the mountains.
I went down to the land beneath the earth, *
yet you brought up my life from the depths, O God.
As my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, O God, *
and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.
With the voice of thanksgiving, I will sacrifice to you; *
what I have vowed I will pay, for deliverance belongs to the Lord!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Bishop Rayford Ray of Northern Michigan celebrated the Eucharist Sunday with Deacon Carol Carson-Hull at Holy Innocents’, a thriving house church at Little Lake, where our chaplain Mother Gwen Hetler is one of the clergy. They meet at a funeral home in town in winter months because the area gets so much snow.

Ephesians 3:1-13 (NRSV)

This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—or surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him. I pray therefore that you may not lose heart over my sufferings for you; they are your glory.

Canticle: A Song to the Lamb
Revelation 4:11, 5:9-10, 13

Splendor and honor and kingly power *
are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is, *
and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *
for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation, *
a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to him who sits upon the throne, *
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *
for ever and for evermore.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

A modern wineskin, called a bota bag in Spanish; they’re usually made of cowhide or goatskin. (Ardo Beltz)

Mark 2:13-22 (NRSV)

Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them. As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples—for there were many who followed him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.

“No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE PRAYERS

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.

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.

V.  Help us, O God our Savior;
R.  Deliver us and forgive us our sins.
V.  Look upon your congregation;
R.  Give to your people the blessing of peace.
V.  Declare your glory among the nations;
R.  And your wonders among all peoples.
V.  Do not let the oppressed be shamed and turned away;
R.  Never forget the lives of your poor.
V.  Continue your loving-kindness to those who know you;
R.  And your favor to those who are true of heart.
V.  Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning;
R.  So shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

Unknown artist, 14th C.: Consecration of St. Hilary. An epic battle over the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation arose in the 3rd century, lasted for hundreds of years and has never entirely gone away. A heresy known as Arianism rests on a single sentence in the Gospel of John where Jesus says, “The Father is greater than I” – and doctrine never results from a single line in Scripture. But Arius, a priest from Alexandria, took it to mean that Jesus was created by and subordinate to the Father, not his equal – though John’s own Gospel starts, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Hilary was one of the foremost thinkers to put down that train of thought, which would have led to a neglect of who Jesus was and what he did in salvation. Hilary is accounted a Doctor of the Church for his staunch defense. (Wikipedia)

Collect of the Day: Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, 367

O Lord our God, you raised up your servant Hilary to be a champion of the catholic faith: Keep us steadfast in that true faith which we professed at our baptism, that we may rejoice in having you for our Father, and may abide in your Son, in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit; who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Fridays

Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Friday Morning Prayer List

For Those Looking for Work or a New Project
Kimberly
Nyck

Financial Needs
For the Homeless
50,000 U.S. veterans (source: Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
Residents of tent cities and refugee camps
Those living in shelters, motels, cars, on the streets and in the woods

For the Poor of every nation
For the cold and hungry
For those who minister among them
Parish food pantries, gardens and orchards

For Those Facing Danger & Oppression
Rohingyas
Christians persecuted in China, Sudan, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Turkey India and Pakistan
Muslims persecuted in India, Myanmar, Europe & the USA
Hindus persecuted in Bangladesh
Jews all over the world
Racism in all its forms
All women and girls of the world
LGBTs in places of violence, especially youth worldwide
Victims of human trafficking
Archbishops Paul Yazigi and John Ibrahim, Syria, abducted 3 years ago, fate unknown
Rev. Andrew Brunson, American missionary detained in Turkey

Please add your own intercessions, supplications and thanksgivings here.

Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfil now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

Webcast Dismissal
by Josh Thomas

O God, we’re ready to depart now to begin the rest of our morning. Thank you for this time together to worship you, to see and listen to each other over miles and time zones. We ask your blessing on the concerns and joys each of us has brought with us, that you will be with N., N., and each of our viewers as we go about our day. Be present in our encounters with others, and give us awareness of you in our solitude. Help us do good work and live good lives, in unity with your Son and Holy Spirit. And now, with one voice,

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you without blemish before the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all time and now and for ever. Amen. Jude 24-25++

VIDEO: All hail the power of Jesus’ Name! (#450, Diadem, James Ellor, arr. Sterling Procter; Edward Perronet, alt.) – St. Olaf College, 2012

Morning Prayer 11.13.16, Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral (paxworks.com)

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122:1

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Psalm 100
Jubilate

Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands;
serve the Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.

Know this: The Lord himself is God;
he himself has made us, and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.

For the Lord is good;
his mercy is everlasting;
and his faithfulness endures from age to age.

Psalm 66

1  Be joyful in God, all you lands; *
sing the glory of God’s Name;
sing the glory of God’s praise.
2  Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! *
because of your great strength your enemies cringe before you.
3  All the earth bows down before you, *
sings to you, sings out your Name.”
4  Come now and see the works of God, *
how wonderful God’s actions toward all people.
5  God turned the sea into dry land,
so that they went through the water on foot, *
and there we rejoiced in God.
6  In might God rules for ever
and keeps watch over the nations; *
let no rebel rise up against God.
7  Bless our God, you peoples; *
make the voice of praise to be heard.
8  God holds our souls in life, *
and will not allow our feet to slip.
9  For you, O God, have proved us; *
you have tried us just as silver is tried.
10  You brought us into the snare; *
you laid heavy burdens upon our backs.
11  You let enemies ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water; *
but you brought us out into a place of refreshment.

12  I will enter your house with burnt-offerings
and will pay you my vows, *
which I promised with my lips
and spoke with my mouth when I was in trouble.
13  I will offer you sacrifices of fat beasts
with the smoke of rams; *
I will give you oxen and goats.
14  Come and listen, all you who fear God, *
and I will tell you what God has done for me.
15  I cried out with my mouth, *
and God’s praise was on my tongue.
16  If I had found evil in my heart, *
the Lord would not have heard me;
17  But in truth God has heard me *
and attended to the voice of my prayer.
18  Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer, *
nor withheld steadfast love from me.

Psalm 67

1  O God, be merciful to us and bless us, *
show us the light of your countenance and come to us.
2  Let your ways be known upon earth, *
your saving health among all nations.
3  Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
4  Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, *
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide all the nations upon earth.
5  Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
6  The earth has brought forth its increase; *
may God, our own God, bless us.
7  O God, give us your blessing, *
may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of you.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

THE LESSONS
Habakkuk 1:1—2:1 (NRSV)

The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.

O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see wrong-doing and look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law becomes slack and justice never prevails. The wicked surround the righteous — therefore judgment comes forth perverted.

Look at the nations, and see! Be astonished! Be astounded! For a work is being done in your days that you would not believe if you were told. For I am rousing the Chaldeans, that fierce and impetuous nation, who march through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own. Dread and fearsome are they; their justice and dignity proceed from themselves. Their horses are swifter than leopards, more menacing than wolves at dusk; their horses charge. Their horsemen come from far away; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. They all come for violence, with faces pressing forward; they gather captives like sand. At kings they scoff, and of rulers they make sport. They laugh at every fortress, and heap up earth to take it. Then they sweep by like the wind; they transgress and become guilty; their own might is their god!

Are you not from of old, O LORD my God, my Holy One? You shall not die. O LORD, you have marked them for judgment; and you, O Rock, have established them for punishment. Your eyes are too pure to behold evil, and you cannot look on wrongdoing; why do you look on the treacherous, and are silent when the wicked swallow those more righteous than they? You have made people like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler. The enemy brings all of them up with a hook; he drags them out with his net, he gathers them in his seine; so he rejoices and exults. Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his seine; for by them his portion is lavish, and his food is rich. Is he then to keep on emptying his net, and destroying nations without mercy?

I will stand at my watchpost, and station myself on the rampart; I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint.

Canticle: Song of Zechariah
Luke 1:68-79

Blessed are you, Lord, the God of Israel; *
you have come to your people and set them free.
You have raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of your servant David.
Through your holy prophets you promised of old
to save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us.
To show mercy to our forebears, *
and to remember your holy covenant.
This was the oath you swore to our father Abraham, *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship you without fear, *
holy and righteous before you
all the days of our life.
And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
To give God’s people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Philippians 3:13 – 4:1 (NRSV)

Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.

Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

Canticle: We Praise You, O God
Te Deum laudamus

We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
All creation worships you,
the Father everlasting.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
the cherubim and seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you took our flesh to set us free
you humbly chose the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come to be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

(iconographer unknown)

Matthew 23:13-24 (NRSV)

Jesus said, “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.’ How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; and whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears by it and by the one who dwells in it; and whoever swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!”

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE PRAYERS

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as it is 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.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

Veterans/Remembrance Day was Friday, which causes us to remember the remarkable life and ministry of the Rev. Birney Walker Smith, Jr. During World War II he was a member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, a segregated Air Force unit which distinguished itself in European combat. A year after the war ended in 1945, he was ordained a priest by the Bishop of Michigan at St. Matthew’s, Detroit, and served as Vicar of St. Mary the Virgin in Keokuk, Iowa, a town of 10,000 that’s 4% Black. Fr. Smith died in 1996.

Collect of the Day: Proper 28

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Sundays

O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sunday Morning Prayer List: Our Donors: thank you!

2016 DONORS
√ = multiple gifts

Linda Barry
The Rev. Deacon John Belzer, in honor of Those in the Armed Forces
Mark Cappetta, in honor of Marjorie Estelle Cappetta
Kyn Barker
Stephen Brown
Elizabeth Davis
The Ven. William C. Parnell
Alison Saichek
Linda Ricker
√ Alan E. Dinn

Please add your own prayers here.

Prayer for Mission

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The General Thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14++

VIDEO: God the omnipotent (#569, Russia, Alexis Lvov; Henry Fothergill Chorley, John Ellerton, alt.) – St. John’s, Detroit, 2016

Video Evensong 11.11.16, St. Martin, Bishop of Tours, 397; Veterans/Remembrance Day

At tonight’s live webcast the Vicar changed the final hymn to honor Leonard Cohen, and people seemed to like it. You can pray along with us just by clicking here.

—

‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.’

VIDEO: Ubi caritas (Maurice Duruflé) – Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, one week ago

Seek the One who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth: The Lord is his name. Amos 5:8

GENERAL CONFESSION

God of all mercy,
we confess that we have sinned against you,
opposing your will in our lives.
We have denied your goodness in each other,
in ourselves, and in the world you have created.
We repent of the evil that enslaves us,
the evil we have done,
and the evil done on our behalf.
Forgive, restore, and strengthen us
through our Savior Jesus Christ,
that we may abide in your love
and serve only your will. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

If possible, light a candle here.

VIDEO: O Gracious Light (S. Dayton) – Sean Dayton, 2014

Hymn: O Gracious Light
Phos hilaron

O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.

VIDEO: Psalm 91 (Edward Bairstow) – Pittsburgh Compline Choir, 2012

Psalm 91

1  You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, *
abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2  You shall say to the LORD,
“You are my refuge and my stronghold, *
my God in whom I put my trust.”
3  God shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter *
and from the deadly pestilence.
4  God’s pinions will cover you,
and you shall find refuge under the wings of the LORD; *
whose faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.
5  You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, *
nor of the arrow that flies by day;
6  Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, *
nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid-day.
7  A thousand shall fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand, *
but it shall not come near you.
8  Your eyes have only to behold *
to see the reward of the wicked.
9  Because you have made the LORD your refuge, *
and the Most High your habitation,
10  There shall no evil happen to you, *
neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
11  For God shall give the holy angels charge over you, *
to keep you in all your ways.
12  They shall bear you in their hands, *
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13  You shall tread upon the lion and the adder; *
you shall trample the young lion and the serpent under your feet.
14  Because they are bound to me in love,
therefore will I deliver them; *
I will protect them, because they know my Name.
15  They shall call upon me, and I will answer them; *
I am with them in trouble;
I will rescue them and bring them to honor.
16  With long life will I satisfy them, *
and show them my salvation.

VIDEO: Psalm 92 (uncredited composer) – Choir of St. Aloysius Gonzaga RC Church, Cheektowaga, New York, 2015

Psalm 92

1  It is a good thing to give thanks to the LORD, *
and to sing praises to your Name, O Most High;
2  To tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning *
and of your faithfulness in the night season;
3  On the psaltery, and on the lyre, *
and to the melody of the harp.
4  For you have made me glad by your acts, O LORD; *
and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands.
5  LORD, how great are your works! *
your thoughts are very deep.
6  The dullard does not know,
nor does the fool understand, *
that though the wicked grow like weeds,
and all the workers of iniquity flourish,
7  They flourish only to be destroyed for ever; *
but you, O LORD, are exalted for evermore.
8  For lo, your enemies, O LORD,
lo, your enemies shall perish, *
and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
9  But my horn you have exalted like the horns of wild bulls; *
I am anointed with fresh oil.
10  My eyes also gloat over my enemies, *
and my ears rejoice to hear the doom of the wicked who rise up against me.
11  The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, *
and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon.
12  Those who are planted in the house of the LORD *
shall flourish in the courts of our God;
13  They shall still bear fruit in old age; *
they shall be green and succulent;
14  That they may show how upright the LORD is, *
my Rock, in whom there is no fault.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Marinus van Reymerswale: The Unjust Steward; see them haggling in the back room. (Kunst Historiches Museum, Vienna)

THE LESSON
Luke 16:1-9 (NRSV)

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.’ Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He answered, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’ Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘A hundred containers of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and make it eighty.’ And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.”

VIDEO: Nunc dimittis (Thomas Causton) – The Merbecke Choir, 2012

Canticle: The Song of Simeon
Luke 2:29-32

Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

VIDEO: Credo, the Apostles’ Creed in Latin (Gregorian) – uncredited musicians, 2008

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE PRAYERS

VIDEO: Notre Père (Maurice Duruflé) – Academie Vocal Paris, dir. Iain Simcock, 2010

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.

That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may depart this life in your faith and fear,
and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit
in the communion of all your saints,
entrusting one another and all our life to Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.

St. Martin statue at the gate of Hochst Castle in Germany. Legend says that Martin, a soldier, found a naked beggar asking for alms in the name of Christ. The soldier cut his military cloak in two and gave him half. The next night Jesus, wearing half a cloak, appeared to Martin and said, “Martin, a simple catechumen, covered me with this garment.”

Collect of the Day: St. Martin, Bishop of Tours, 397

Lord God of hosts, you clothed your servant Martin the soldier with the spirit of sacrifice, and set him as a bishop in your Church to be a defender of the catholic faith: Give us grace to follow in his holy steps, that at the last we may be found clothed with righteousness in the dwellings of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Fridays

Lord Jesus Christ, by your death you took away the sting of death: Grant to us your servants so to follow in faith where you have led the way, that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in you and wake up in your likeness; for your tender mercies’ sake. Amen.

Friday Evening Prayer List: For the Church

For Our Candidates for Ordination to the Diaconate
Maria L. Evans, CDSP & Diocese of Missouri
Leslie Scoopmire, Eden Theological Seminary

For our Seminarians
Teresa Wakeen, CDSP

For Christians in the Middle East
Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Israel and Palestine

For the Anglican Communion
Our Ecumenical Partners
Church Unity

Primates of the Anglican Communion
Fred Hiltz, Canada
Albert Chama, Central Africa
Armando Guerra Soria, Central America
Henri Isingoma, Congo
Justin Welby, England

Please add your own prayers and supplications here.

Prayer for Mission

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13++

VIDEO: Peace Train (C. Stevens) – Cat Stevens at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2014