The Holy Eucharist St. Paul’s Parish, Charlottetown, PEI Sept. 19, 2021

The Holy Eucharist
St. Paul’s Parish, Charlottetown, PEI
Sept. 19, 2021
A Home for All? Renewing the Oikos (family) of God
 
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.
We gather in the image of the Creator
who is a community of love.
We gather in the name of the Redeemer
who reconciles all of creation.
We gather in the presence of the Life Giver
who inspires new life and renews it.
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.
 
Hymn 416: All Things Bright and Beautiful
 
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:
Psalm 1
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.
Happy are they who trust in the Lord.
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.
Happy are they who trust in the Lord.
 
The Holy 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
 
An Affirmation of Faith (Colossians 3.10-16)
We affirm our faith in a compassionate God,
We clothe ourselves with the new self,
according to the image of God our creator.
We clothe ourselves without distinction
of race, Creed or colour,
we are one humanity;
Christ is all and in all!
We clothe ourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 
We clothe ourselves with forgiveness;
just as the Lord has forgiven us, so we also will forgive.
We clothe ourselves with love,
which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
We clothe ourselves with the peace of Christ in our hearts.
We clothe ourselves with gratitude for all wisdom and praise. Amen.
 
The Prayers of the People
Let us ask the God of creation to send a blessing upon us. Upon the rich earth send a blessing, O Lord. Let the earth be fruitful and its resources be hallowed. We ask in faith:
                we ask you to hear us, good Lord.
Upon human labour send a blessing, O Lord. Prosper the work of our hands; may all find dignity and just reward in their work; free the exploited and oppressed. We ask in faith:
                we ask you to hear us, good Lord.
Upon our political systems, O Lord: we give thanks for those who have offered to serve the public good by running in the general election, help us elect trustworthy leaders in tomorrow’s election. We ask in faith:
                we ask you to hear us, good Lord.
Upon our desire for justice. O Lord: help all who are struggling with the pain of the residential school system find the truth and reconciliation that will bring healing – help us heal the injustice of discrimination wherever it is found in our society. We ask in faith:
                we ask you to hear us, good Lord.
Upon the produce of the earth send a blessing, O Lord. Guide us into a sustainable future, and give us the will to share the fruits of the world. We ask in faith:
                we ask you to hear us, good Lord.
Upon the seas and waters send a blessing, O Lord. Teach us to cherish the water of the earth, and to conserve the seas, lakes and rivers. We ask in faith:
                we ask you to hear us, good Lord.
Upon doctors and nurses and all health care providers, O Lord: we give thanks for their hard work, and we are blessed by their diligence now and throughout the pandemic. Help them to know that the vast majority of people are deeply thankful for all that they do to keep us healthy and safe. We ask in faith:
                we ask you to hear us, good Lord.
Upon aid agencies send a blessing, O Lord. Where the earth is parched and the well has run dry; where war brings want, and children go hungry; where the poor cry out for bread and for justice, give hands to care and heal, and compel us to be generous. We ask in faith:
                we ask you to hear us, good Lord.
Upon the sick and the suffering, O Lord, remembering those who are ill at home or in the hospital:
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And others we may name out loud, or in our hearts…
- [pause]
…that they will find strength and healing in the ministry of others, We ask in faith:
                we ask you to hear us, good Lord.
Upon those who mourn, O Lord: give courage and faith, that they may trust in your love for all that you have made. And so we pray for those who have died, and we remember especially today the family of six who died in a fire in Amherst, Nova Scotia this week, and:
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…that they may be welcomed to share in the joy of your presence forever. We ask in faith:
                we ask you to hear us, good Lord.
We ask you to hear us, good Lord, for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
 
Confession and Absolution
Let us confess our sins,
confident in God’s forgiveness.
 
Let us pray.
As we remember who we are, what we are, and what we have done, as we turn away from the forgetfulness and self-centredness of the past, may God the loving Creator welcome us, forgive us, set us free from the past and strengthen us to live a new life, to cooperate in a new creation.
 
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
 
Hymn: This Is the Day (P85 / 3 verses)
 
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.
 
Silence
 
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 Communion
The gifts of God for the People of God.
Thanks be to God.
 
Communion
 
Hymn-during-communion
61: As We Gather at Your Table
504: Jesu, Jesu
 
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.
 
Blessing
God the Father, who created the world, give you grace to be wise stewards of creation.
God the Son, who redeemed the world, inspire you to go out as labourers into the harvest.
God the Holy Spirit, whose breath fills the whole creation, help you to bear fruits of love, joy and peace.
And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
 
Hymn 500: Servant Song
 
The Scattering
Tend the earth, care for God’s good creation,
and bring forth the fruits of righteousness.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.