The Holy Eucharist Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost September 22, 2024 @ 10:00 a.m. St. Paul’s Parish

 
The Holy Eucharist
Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 22, 2024 @ 10:00 a.m.
St. Paul’s Parish
 
Prelude: Avant-propos Richard Lloyd; Voluntary in D Minor John Stanley; God, Thou Faithful God Flor Peeters
 
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.
 
500 Sister, Let Me Be Your Servant
 
The Collect of the Day
Let us pray.
Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth, and ourselves in your image. Teach us to discern your hand in all your works and to serve you with reverence and thanksgiving; 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
Reading: James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a
A Reading from The Letter of James
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace. Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church
Thanks be to God.
 
Psalm 1
Refrain: Happy are they who trust in the Lord.
Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful! Their delight is in the law of the Lord, and they meditate on his law day and night. R They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; everything they do shall prosper. It is not so with the wicked; they are like chaff which the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgement comes, nor the sinner in the council of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked is doomed. R
 
392 Who Comes from God
 
The Gospel: Mark 9:30-37
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to Mark.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
They went on from there and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again." But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?" But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Sermon:
 
The Prayers of the People
In peace, let us join in prayer with God’s faithful people throughout the world, with people of every Creed, 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 love:
Hear our prayer.
 
We give thanks for the faithful ministry of Archbishop Linda Nicholls who has served as Primate of the Church in Canada, and we ask your blessing on Archbishop Anne Germond, who assumes this new ministry as Primate. We also pray for 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 every bit of creation. God of love:
Hear our prayer.
 
We pray for people who are enduring disasters of earthquake, fire or flood and for all those who are there to help. We pray for 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. God of love:
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 and that we may be truly thankful for the bountiful creation, blessing us with the richness of land and sea. We give thanks for Emmanuel and Wendy who were joined together in holy matrimony at St. Paul’s yesterday. God of love:
Hear our prayer.
 
We name before you all whom you have given us to pray for, especially those we know who are ill at home or in the hospital:
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… and those we may name out loud, or in our love:
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… knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can ask or imagine. God of peace:
Hear our prayer.
 
We commend to you all who have died in your peace, especially:
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… that our trust in you may deepen as you keep them safe in your care, and we pray for all who mourn. God of love:
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. We pray for a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the poor that we may be generous in finding dignified and positive solutions. God of love:
Hear our prayer.
 
O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life, to serve you is perfect freedom. Help us understand what it means for us to be humble servants of all; and what it means to welcome all your children as if we are welcoming you. We pray this 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
 
SNC 156 I Heard the Voice of Jesus Calling
 
The Celebration of the Eucharist
The Prayer over the Gifts
Let us pray,
God of power, the glory of your works fills us with wonder and awe. Accept our offering this day, and help us to live in peace and harmony with all your creation, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
The Great Thanksgiving – Eucharistic Prayer 4
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 right to give you thanks and praise, O Lord, our God, sustainer of the universe, you are worthy of glory and praise.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
 
At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home; by your will they were created and have their being.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
 
From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill; you made us the stewards of creation.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
 
But we turn against you, and betray your trust; and we turn against one another. Again and again you call us to return. Through the prophets and sages you reveal your righteous law. In the fullness of time you sent your Son, born of a woman, to be our Saviour. He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities. By his death he opened to us the way of freedom and peace.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
 
Therefore we praise you, joining with the heavenly chorus, with prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and with those in every generation who have looked to you in hope, to proclaim with them your glory, in their unending hymn:
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.
 
Blessed are you, Lord our God, for sending us Jesus, the Christ, who on the night he was handed over to suffering and death, took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, gave it to his friends, and said, “Take this, and eat it: this is my body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
 
In the same way, after supper, he took the cup of wine; he gave you thanks, 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.”
Glory to you for ever and ever.
 
Gracious God, we recall the death of your Son Jesus Christ, we proclaim his resurrection and ascension, and we look with expectation for his coming as Lord of all the nations. We who have been redeemed by him, and made a new people by water and the Spirit, now bring you these gifts. Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon this offering of your Church, that we who eat and drink at this holy table may share the divine life of Christ our Lord.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
 
Pour out your Spirit upon the whole earth and make it your new creation. Gather your Church together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom, where peace and justice are revealed, that we, with all your people, of every language, race, and nation, may share the banquet you have promised;
 
through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, all honour and glory are yours, creator of all.
Glory to you for ever and 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
Creator of all,
you gave us golden fields of wheat,
whose many grains we have gathered
and made into this one bread.
So may your Church be gathered
from the ends of the earth
into your kingdom.
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
PB 94 Lord, Have Mercy on Us (repeated)
PB 88 Make Me Like You (repeated)
 
The Sending Forth of the Community
PB 88 Make Me Like You
 
Prayer after Communion
Let us pray,
Ruler of the universe, all creation yearns for its fulfilment in your Son. May we who have shared in holy things grow into maturity in him. This we ask in the name of the same Jesus Christ our 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
Go out, clothed in strength and dignity.
Submit yourselves to God and delight in the Lord’s teaching,
let your actions arise from the wisdom of God.
And may the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
 
577 God of Grace and God of Glory
 
Dismissal
Go forth into the world,
rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
Thanks be to God.