Fourth
Sunday after Epiphany
St. Paul’s Church, Charlottetown, PEI
January 28, 2024, 10:00 am
Preludes:
Voluntary in C minor Maurice Greene
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.
The
Collect for Purity
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.
397 Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness
The
Collect of the Day
Let us pray,
Living God, in Christ you make all things new. Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The
Proclamation of the Word
First Reading: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him. Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "no idol in the world really exists," and that "there is no God but one." Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth - as in fact there are many gods and many lords - yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. "Food will not bring us close to God." We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church
Thanks be to God
Psalm 111
Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the deeds of the Lord! they are studied by all who delight in them.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
His work is full of majesty and splendour, and his righteousness endures for ever. He makes his marvellous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
He gives food to those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant. He has shown his people the power of his works in giving them the lands of the nations.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, because they are done in truth and equity.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
He sent redemption to his people; he commanded his covenant for ever; holy and awesome is his name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; those who act accordingly have a good understanding; his praise endures for ever.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
The Holy Gospel: Mark
1:21-28
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching - with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Sermon
620 How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds
Prayers
of the People
United in the same mind and the same purpose, let us pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ for the whole human family, saying: hear our prayer.
For
the Church and for the unity of purpose of all Christian people. We pray
especially for Linda our Primate and Sandra our bishop, and that all of us may be
liberated from being stumbling blocks to the weak and that all of us are
empowered to follow Jesus. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
For this parish, that we will allow the Word to penetrate our hearts, call us to new life and motivate us to serve you with love. Bless us as we work towards making this a more compassionate world. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
For a spirit of hope, that all who find themselves walking in darkness may be renewed in mind and spirit with a vision and promise of life and wholeness. For peace in all places of war and conflict, that you will change the hearts of those inflicting violence and open opportunities for dialogue so that peace and justice may prevail. God of love,
For all who are suffering, that you will protect all who have fled violence, guide the homeless to safe shelter, and open pathways for food, water, and medicine for those in need. For the members of the various levels of government, that your Spirit will give them wisdom, insight and courage to lead in ways that are just and righteous. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
For all who help us deepen our relationship with you, that they may share the good news of Jesus in life-giving and healing ways. For greater care for the earth and its resources, that you will guide us in being good stewards who seek to preserve and protect its resources for future generations. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
For all healthcare providers and those who guide us through illness. For all who the people we know who are ill at home or in hospital, especially,
-
And others we may name out loud or in our hearts,
-
that the light of your love will bring them joy and wholeness. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
For all those who have died who’ve died in your peace and whose faith is known to you alone, remembering especially,
that the light of Christ may shine upon them forever and bring comfort to their loved ones and all who mourn. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
God of every land and nation, you have created all people and you dwell among us in Jesus Christ. Listen to the cries of those who pray to you, and grant that, as we proclaim the greatness of your name, all people will know the power of love at work in the world. We ask this through 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
632 The King of Glory Comes
The
Celebration of the Holy Eucharist
Prayer Over the Gifts
Let us pray,
God of steadfast love, may our offering this day, by the power of your Holy Spirit, renew us for your service. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer 5
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.
We give
you thanks and praise, almighty God, for the gift of a world full of wonder, and
for our life which comes from you. By your power you sustain the universe.
You
created us to love you with all our heart, and to love each other as ourselves,
but we rebel against you by the evil that we do. In Jesus, your Son, you bring
healing to our world and gather us into one great family.
Therefore,
with all who serve you on earth and in heaven, we praise your wonderful name,
as we sing (say),
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.
We give
you thanks and praise, loving Father, because in sending Jesus, your Son, to us
you showed us how much you love us. He cares for the poor and the hungry. He
suffers with the sick and the rejected. Betrayed and forsaken, he did not
strike back but overcame hatred with love. On the cross he defeated the power
of sin and death. By raising him from the dead you show us the power of your
love to bring new life to all your people.
On the
night before he gave up his life for us, Jesus, at supper with his friends, took
bread, gave thanks to you, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “Take this,
all of you, and eat it: this is my body which is given for you.”
After
supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, said the blessing, gave it to his friends, and
said, “Drink this, all of you: this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the
new and eternal covenant, which is shed for you and for many, so that sins may
be forgiven. Do this in memory of me.”
Gracious
God, with this bread and wine we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus,
and we offer ourselves to you in him. Send your Holy Spirit on us and on these
gifts, that we may know the presence of Jesus in the breaking of bread, and
share in the life of the family of your children.
Father,
you call us to be your servants; fill us with the courage and love of Jesus, that
all the world may gather in joy at the table of your kingdom.
We sing
your praise, almighty Father, through Jesus, our Lord, in the power of the Holy
Spirit, 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.
Breaking of the Bread
We break the bread of life,
and that life is the light of the world.
God here among us,
light in the midst of us,
bring us to light and life.
The gifts of God for the People of God.
Thanks be to God.
Lamb of God [sung]
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
74 For the Bread Which You Have Broken
PB 80 Great Are You, Lord
The Sending Forth of the Community
PB 80 Great Are You, Lord
Prayer
after Communion
Let us pray,
Source of all goodness, in this eucharist we are nourished by the bread of heaven and invigorated with new wine. May these gifts renew our lives, that we may show your glory to all the world, 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.
The
Blessing
The God of all grace,
opens us to new dimensions of love,
and heal us of all that separates us
from God and one another,
and may the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
598 Go to the World
The Scattering (Mark 4:20)
Go forth into the world,
rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
Thanks be to God.
St. Paul’s Church, Charlottetown, PEI
January 28, 2024, 10:00 am
Voluntary in C minor Maurice Greene
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.
Let us pray,
Living God, in Christ you make all things new. Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
First Reading: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him. Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "no idol in the world really exists," and that "there is no God but one." Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth - as in fact there are many gods and many lords - yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. "Food will not bring us close to God." We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church
Thanks be to God
Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the deeds of the Lord! they are studied by all who delight in them.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
His work is full of majesty and splendour, and his righteousness endures for ever. He makes his marvellous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
He gives food to those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant. He has shown his people the power of his works in giving them the lands of the nations.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, because they are done in truth and equity.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
He sent redemption to his people; he commanded his covenant for ever; holy and awesome is his name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; those who act accordingly have a good understanding; his praise endures for ever.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching - with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
United in the same mind and the same purpose, let us pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ for the whole human family, saying: hear our prayer.
Hear our prayer.
For this parish, that we will allow the Word to penetrate our hearts, call us to new life and motivate us to serve you with love. Bless us as we work towards making this a more compassionate world. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
For a spirit of hope, that all who find themselves walking in darkness may be renewed in mind and spirit with a vision and promise of life and wholeness. For peace in all places of war and conflict, that you will change the hearts of those inflicting violence and open opportunities for dialogue so that peace and justice may prevail. God of love,
For all who are suffering, that you will protect all who have fled violence, guide the homeless to safe shelter, and open pathways for food, water, and medicine for those in need. For the members of the various levels of government, that your Spirit will give them wisdom, insight and courage to lead in ways that are just and righteous. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
For all who help us deepen our relationship with you, that they may share the good news of Jesus in life-giving and healing ways. For greater care for the earth and its resources, that you will guide us in being good stewards who seek to preserve and protect its resources for future generations. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
For all healthcare providers and those who guide us through illness. For all who the people we know who are ill at home or in hospital, especially,
-
And others we may name out loud or in our hearts,
-
that the light of your love will bring them joy and wholeness. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
For all those who have died who’ve died in your peace and whose faith is known to you alone, remembering especially,
that the light of Christ may shine upon them forever and bring comfort to their loved ones and all who mourn. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
God of every land and nation, you have created all people and you dwell among us in Jesus Christ. Listen to the cries of those who pray to you, and grant that, as we proclaim the greatness of your name, all people will know the power of love at work in the world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us confess our sins, confident in God’s forgiveness.
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.
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Prayer Over the Gifts
Let us pray,
God of steadfast love, may our offering this day, by the power of your Holy Spirit, renew us for your service. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
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.
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.
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.
Breaking of the Bread
We break the bread of life,
and that life is the light of the world.
God here among us,
light in the midst of us,
bring us to light and life.
The gifts of God for the People of God.
Thanks be to God.
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.
74 For the Bread Which You Have Broken
PB 80 Great Are You, Lord
PB 80 Great Are You, Lord
Let us pray,
Source of all goodness, in this eucharist we are nourished by the bread of heaven and invigorated with new wine. May these gifts renew our lives, that we may show your glory to all the world, in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
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.
The God of all grace,
opens us to new dimensions of love,
and heal us of all that separates us
from God and one another,
and may the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
The Scattering (Mark 4:20)
Go forth into the world,
rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
Thanks be to God.
