PreludeHow firm a foundation H637
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St. James’ Episcopal ChurchJune 21, 2020
The Third Sunday after Pentecost
Wherever you are on this journey of faith, you are welcome at this table. Wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcome at this
table.
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: 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.
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Praise, praise, honor and glory LEVAS 243
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The Lord be with you.And also with you.
Let us pray.O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Psalm 69: 8-20
Surely, for your sake have I suffered reproach, and shame has covered my face.I have become a stranger to my own kindred, an alien to my mother's children.Zeal for your house has eaten me up; the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.I humbled myself with fasting, but that was turned to my reproach.I put on sack-cloth also, and became a byword among them.Those who sit at the gate murmur against me, and the drunkards make songs about me.But as for me, this is my prayer to you, at the time you have set, O Lord:"In your great mercy, O God, answer me with your unfailing help.Save me from the mire; do not let me sink; let me be rescued from those who hate me and out of the deep waters.Let not the torrent of waters wash over me, neither let the deep swallow me up; do not let the Pit shut its mouth upon me.]Answer me, O Lord, for your love is kind; in your great compassion, turn to me.'"Hide not your face from your servant; be swift and answer me, for I am in distress.Draw near to me and redeem me; because of my enemies deliver me.
A Reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans Romans 6:1b-11
Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once
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for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
The Word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.
Baptized in water LEVAS 121
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The Holy Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Mt 10:24-39Glory to you, Lord Christ!
Jesus said to the twelve disciples, “A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!
“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
“Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father,and a daughter against her mother,and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”
The Gospel of the Lord.Praise to you, Lord Christ!
Sermon The Rev. Eileen O’Brien
Musical MeditationGod will take care of you
The Nicene CreedWe believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
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We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Celebrant Jesus said, “The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
In the silence, we are invited to examine the brokenness in our own lives and in the world and to pray that, with God’s merciful help, we might set our feet upon paths of repentance.
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against youin thought, word, and deed,
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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 neighbors 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.
Celebrant Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
Intercessor God of heaven and earth, through Jesus Christ you promise to hear us when we pray to you in faith with thanksgiving. Hear us when we pray:
People O Lord, hear our prayer.
Intercessor We pray for one another, for our families and friends, through whom we learn to love and to be loved. Thank you for all who care for us, especially for our fathers.
We give thanks for those spiritual fathers who mentor, sustain, and support others in need of mature guidance and wise counsel.
We pray, too, for those who have longed to be fathers, and for those whose years of parenting have been cut short by the loss of a child, that their grief may be touched by the embrace of your fatherly love.
We remember fathers who are separated from their children though alienation, incarceration, war or disaster. Give them opportunity, wisdom, and perseverance to parent in whatever creative and life-giving ways open to them.
We pray for those fathers separated from us in death, as we take time to recall with gratitude all they have given to us in our growing. May we find the readiness to move forward in the love our fathers have given us.
Finally, 0 God, we join all fathers everywhere in praying that their children may be well and happy, a source of joy for years to come. Hear us when we pray:
People O Lord, hear our prayer.
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Intercessor Give us grace to serve Christ by serving our neighbours and our community, loving others as he loves us. Empower us to live out our baptismal covenant, as we seek to walk daily in the way of love. Hear us when we pray:
People O Lord, hear our prayer.
Intercessor We thank you for the unfailing love you hold out to everyone in Jesus Christ. Comfort and heal those in sorrow, need, sickness or any other trouble. Give them courage and hope in their distress, and bless those who minister to them. For whom shall we pray?SilenceHear us when we pray:
People O Lord, hear our prayer.Intercessor We remember with gratitude your many gifts to us in creation and the rich
heritage of these lands. Help us and people everywhere to share with justice and peace the resources of the earth. Give wisdom to those in authority among us and to all leaders of the nations.Hear us when we pray:
People O Lord, hear our prayer.
Intercessor We pray for your Church throughout the world, thanking you for all who serve Christ and his kingdom. By your Spirit strengthen your people for their work and witness in the world. Unite us in your truth and love, that we who confess your name may also reflect your glory.Hear us when we pray:
People O Lord, hear our prayer.
Intercessor We remember with thanksgiving all who have died in Christ, and we rejoice at the faithful witness of your saints in every age, praying that we may enter with them into the unending joy of your heavenly kingdom.Whom shall we remember and not forget?SilenceHear us when we pray:
People O Lord, hear our prayer.
Celebrant Merciful God, you look with compassion on all who turn to you. Hear the prayers of your people. Grant that what we have asked in faith we may by your grace receive; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Celebrant And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray,People Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread.And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Celebrant Let us pray.Loving God, we give you thanks for gathering us and for pouring out your presence among us through your abundant Spirit. Now send us forth a people forgiven, healed, renewed; that we may proclaim your love to the world and continue in the risen life of Christ our Savior. Amen.
Celebrant Life is short,And we do not have much timeto gladden the hearts of those whomake the journey with us.So… be swift to love,and make haste to be kind.And the blessing of God,who made us,who loves us,and who travels with usbe with you now and forever.Amen.
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I want to walk as a child of the Light H490
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