The Holy Eucharist Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost October 22, 2023 @ 10:00 a.m.

 
The Holy Eucharist
Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
October 22, 2023 @ 10:00 a.m.
St. Paul’s Parish
 
The Gathering of the Community
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with you all.
And also with you.
 
Almighty God,
to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
350 Stand Up and Bless the Lord
 
The Collect of the Day
Let us pray,
Almighty and everliving God, increase in us your gift of faith, that forsaking what lies behind and reaching out to what is before, we may run the way of your commandments and win the crown of everlasting joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
 
The Proclamation of the Word
Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
A Reading From The First Letter Of Paul To The Thessalonians
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church
Thanks be to God
 
591 Our Cities Cry to You, O God
 
The Gospel: Matthew 22:15-22
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Sermon
 
Affirmation of Faith (cf Ephesians 3):
Let us declare our faith in God.
We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family
in heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith,
and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us
with power from on high.
We believe in one God;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
 
Prayers of the People
In peace, let us join in prayer with God’s faithful people throughout the world, saying “hear our prayer.”
 
We pray for the unity of your church, that our life may reflect the love you have shown us, the peace you call us to and that we will be transformed by your love and mercy. God of peace:
Hear our prayer.
We ask your grace for Linda our Primate, Sandra our bishop, and for all who minister in word and action, that we may bear faithful witness to your good news and proclaim with grateful hearts the love you have for all people and all of creation. We pray for people who endure hardships and disasters of earthquake, and we give special thanks for first responders and emergency workers. God of peace:
Hear our prayer.
We seek your peace and justice in our world, our country, and our community, and that those who are in any need may never be forgotten, that a way forward to peace may be found and pursued in all war-torn places on earth; we pray for peace in the Middle East. God of peace:
Hear our prayer.
We pray for a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the poor. We seek your blessing on our letter writing campaign, that those in positions of power and ability will hear the cry of people living in poverty and be moved to act to lift up those in need so that all people can live with dignity and confidence. God of peace,
Hear our prayer.
We ask your blessing on our homes, our friends and family, and on those who live alone, that we may know your presence. We are truly thankful for the bounty of creation, that you bless us with the richness of land and sea; that in Christ our salvation is won; and that you fulfil your promise to be with us through your Holy Spirit. God of peace:
Hear our prayer.
We name before those we know who are ill at home or in the hospital:
-
… and those we may name out loud, or in our hearts:
-
… praying that you are with them in their distress and are a comfort to them at this time. God of peace:
Hear our prayer.
We commend to you all who have died in your peace and whose faith is known to you alone, especially:
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… and we trust that you will keep them safe in your care, and we pray for your comfort to all who mourn. God of peace:
Hear our prayer.
We offer our thanks and praise for all you have done for us, rejoicing in the knowledge that you are with us always and we pray that same blessing on our ministry in this place. Cleanse our hearts of prejudice and selfishness, and inspire us to hunger and thirst for what is right. Teach us to use your creation for your greater praise, that all may share the good things you provide.
God of peace:
Hear our prayer.
Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgements, and all just works, give to all people that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on doing your will, and that, freed from the fear of war, we may pass our time in rest and quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
Confession and Absolution
Let us confess our sins, confident in God’s forgiveness.
 
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 neighbours 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 upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
 
Announcements
 
618 Glorious in Majesty
 
The Celebration of the Holy Eucharist
Prayer Over the Gifts
Let us pray,
Eternal God, your word inspires our faith. May we who offer you our praise trust you in all things. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
 
Eucharistic Prayer 1
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
 
It is indeed right that we should praise you, gracious God, for you created all things. You formed us in your own image: as your children you created us. When we turned away from you in sin, you did not cease to care for us, but opened a path of salvation for all people.
 
You made a covenant with Israel, and through your servants Abraham and Sarah gave the promise of a blessing to all nations. Through Moses you led your people from bondage into freedom; through the prophets you renewed your promise of salvation.
 
Therefore, with them, and with all your saints who have served you in every age, we give thanks and raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name.
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
 
Holy God, source of life and goodness, all creation rightly gives you praise. In the fullness of time, you sent your Son Jesus Christ, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all. He healed the sick and ate and drank with outcasts and sinners; he opened the eyes of the blind and proclaimed the good news of your kingdom to the poor and to those in need. In all things he fulfilled your gracious will.
 
On the night he freely gave himself to death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: this is my body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
 
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
 
Gracious God, his perfect sacrifice destroys the power of sin and death; by raising him to life you give us life for evermore.
 
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
 
Recalling his death, proclaiming his resurrection, and looking for his coming again in glory, we offer you, Father, this bread and this cup. Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts, that all who eat and drink at this table may be one body and one holy people, a living sacrifice in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
 
Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory is yours, almighty Father, now and for ever. Amen.
 
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Saviour taught us, 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.
 
The Breaking of the Bread
“I am the bread of life,” says the Lord.
“Whoever comes to me will never be hungry;
whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
happy are they who trust in him!
 
The Communion
The gifts of God for the people of God
Thanks be to God.
 
Lamb of God
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
                have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
                have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
                grant us your peace.
 
Hymns during Communion:
In Christ Alone
 
PB 81 In His Time (verses 1 and 2)
 
The Sending forth of the Community
PB 81 In His Time (verses 1)
 
Prayer After Communion
Let us pray,
God of peace, you have nourished us in this sacrament with the body and blood of Christ. May we who have taken holy things keep faith in our hearts and lives, in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
 
The doxology
Glory to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever. Amen.
 
Blessing
May you continue in the work of faith
and labour of love
and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
And may the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
 
575 Let Streams of Living Justice
 
The Scattering
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.