The Holy Eucharist 20th Sunday after Pentecost The Blessing of the Animals October 6, 2024 – 10:00 a.m. St. Paul’s Church, Charlottetown, PEI

 
The Holy Eucharist
20^th Sunday after Pentecost
The Blessing of the Animals
October 6, 2024 – 10:00 a.m.
St. Paul’s Church, Charlottetown, PEI
 
Preludes:  Dearest Jesu, We Are Here J.G. Walther; Aria Georg Muffat; Invocation Alexandre Guilmant
 
Gathering of the Community
Blessed be God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Who brings all things into being and calls them good.
Bless your Creator, all animals of the land.
Praise and exalt our Creator for ever.
Bless your Creator, all birds of the air.
Praise and exalt our Creator for ever.
Bless your Creator, all creatures of the sea.
Praise and exalt our Creator for ever.
Bless your Creator, all children of God.
With all of creation, we praise your name.
Gracious God, grant your people grace to renounce the vanities of this world; that, following the way of Saint Francis, we may delight in your creation with joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
 
Opening: 415 All Things Bright and Beautiful
 
The Collect of the Day
Let us pray,
Grant us, Almighty God, after the example of your holy servant Francis, to do what you would have us do, and always to desire what is pleasing in your sight, that cleansed by your love, enlightened by your truth, and kindled with the fire of your Holy Spirit, we may follow in the footsteps of your beloved Son and make our way to you, O God most High; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
 
Reading: Matthew 11.25–30
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.
At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.  ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Anthem: The Best of Rooms Donald Busarow 
 
Homily:
 
Hymn: Make Me a Channel of Your Peace
(Based on a prayer attributed to St. Francis)
 
The music continues under the following blessings, as the clergy make their way around to each animal. From time to time the choir (and congregation) can sing a verse.
 
The Blessing of Each Pet (Individually)
May you be blessed in the Name of the Father,
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
May you and your human enjoy life together
and find joy with the God who created you. Amen.
 
Prayers for pets and animals
Gracious and heavenly God, to you be all praise, and glory, and honour! We praise you and give thanks for blessing us with all sorts of creatures; for all the animals, birds and fish, which fill your world. We thank you for the wild and the tame, for the domestic and free and may they all enjoy healthy and appropriate habitats and be allowed to flourish. Let us protect wild places. May all you creatures, all that you’ve created, be treated with respect and honour. O God, your world is wonderful, and particularly this day we thank you for our pets and the companionship they bring us. This we pray in Christ’s name. Amen.
 
Litany for All Creation
Call out (or remember quietly) the names of those animals who are no longer with us.
 
Silence
God, the refuge and strength of all who mourn: Hear our prayers all those who grieve the death of beloved pets. Bring comfort in loneliness, peace in distress, and joy in remembering; and lift their hearts in thanksgiving for the gift of companionship that they have known. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
 
Holy God, Creator of heaven and earth,
Have mercy upon us.
Holy and Mighty, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy upon us.
Holy Immortal One, Sanctifier of the faithful,
Have mercy upon us.
 
God’s animals inhabit the skies, the land, and the sea; we share the earth with them, and like them rely on God’s blessing to sustain and preserve us. We gather today in communion and friendship celebrating God’s unconditional love for all beings.
 
Grant that all your creatures may serve you with thanksgiving;
Pour out your blessing on earth, O God.
Grant favorable weather, temperate rain, and fruitful seasons, providing food and drink for all your creatures;
Pour out your blessing on earth, O God.
Open our eyes to the wonder of creation, that we may see you in all your works;
Pour out your blessing on earth, O God.
Stir in us the desire to care for your creation;
Pour out your blessing on earth, O God.
Make us wise and faithful stewards of creation, caring for the earth, the waters, the air, and all that live therein;
Pour out your blessing on earth, O God.
Forgive us who waste and pollute your creation and strengthen us to restore what we have disregarded;
Pour out your blessing on earth, O God.
Look with compassion on those that are abused and mistreated, show us their dignity in your creation;
Pour out your blessing on earth, O God.
Remember those creatures that have died yet remain dear to us, that they may rejoice in your new creation;
Pour out your blessing on earth, O God.
Bring peace to those places that are torn apart by war and violence. Be with those who suffer any kind of disaster. Bless those who are called to help:
Pour out your blessing on earth, O God.
Be with all who are sick or in any need, remembering especially those we know who are ill at home or in the hospital,
-
… and others we may name out loud or in our hearts…
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…that they may know your presence and healing power.
Pour out your blessing on earth, O God.
Welcome all those who have died in the peace of Christ and whose faith is known to you alone, especially…
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… and be with and comfort all those who mourn.
Pour out your blessing on earth, O God.
Holy Immortal One: No sparrow falls without your knowing it; nothing dies but is remembered by you; nothing comes into being that you do not see. Give us courage and resolve to build up the common good, holding fast to the hope of a new creation in which all shall dwell eternally, through Jesus Christ, our Risen Savior. Amen.
 
Confession of Sin
Let us confess to God our sins against creation.
 
God of compassion, we confess that we have squandered your creation, and mistreated those you give into our care. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. Fill us with your Spirit, that we may care for all that you have made, according to your will and in the fullness of your love; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
 
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
 
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
 
Announcements
 
Music at the Offertory: Jesus Loves Me Medley, arr. Mark Hayes
 
The Prayer over the Gifts
Let us pray
Loving God, join our offering to the sacrifice of your only Son, that our service may be stamped with his humility and bear the image of his obedience; through the same Jesus Christ our 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.
 
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 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
Hymn: 634 Jesus, Remember Me (repeated)
 
The Sending Forth of the Community
634 Jesus, Remember Me (repeated)
 
Prayer after Communion
Let us pray
God of all goodness, who gave to your servant Francis a will to be the servant of all, grant us in our service of your gospel to hold back nothing of ourselves for ourselves, that Christ may receive the whole of our lives into the habitations of light and glory; through 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
May the almighty and everlasting God, bless you and all the animals in your life. May you reflect God’s compassion and may God strengthen you to love and care for them following the good example of Francis of Assisi. And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you now and always. Amen.
 
Closing: 20 Day Is Done, But Love Unfailing
 
The Scattering (From St. Clare)
Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy,
has always protected you, and loves you as a mother.
Go in peace to follow the good road
and may God’s blessing be with you always.
Thanks be to God.