The Fourth Sunday after The Epiphany
Sunday, January 31, at 10:00 am | The Holy Eucharist, Rite II
Livestreamed on Facebook (click and open the ‘live’ video)
The order of this service can also be found in The Book of Common Prayer, page 355. Spoken responses are in bold typeface.
To give to St. Paul’s, select an option below:
Online: E-Giving (Realm) | PayPal
Text: message 73256 with the phrase saintpauls $X (insert an amount in place of X)
Check: mail your offering to St. Paul’s Church, 84 E Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901
Prelude: “The Lord’s My Shepherd” arr. Donald Hustad
The Entrance Rite
Hymn 438: “Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord” (verses 1, 4)
1. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Savior shall my heart rejoice.
4. Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children’s children and for evermore!
Opening Acclamation and the Collect for Purity
Priest ✠ Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
People And blessed be his 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.
Gloria: “Glory to God in the highest”
Salutation & The Collect of the Day
Priest The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Moses said: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet. This is what you requested of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: “If I hear the voice of the Lord my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die.” Then the Lord replied to me: “They are right in what they have said. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command. Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak—that prophet shall die.”
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 111
The Psalm is sung by a cantor
1 Hallelujah!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, *
in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the deeds of the Lord! *
they are studied by all who delight in them.
3 His work is full of majesty and splendor, *
and his righteousness endures for ever.
4 He makes his marvelous works to be remembered; *
the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
5 He gives food to those who fear him; *
he is ever mindful of his covenant.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works *
in giving them the lands of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice; *
all his commandments are sure.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever, *
because they are done in truth and equity.
9 He sent redemption to his people;
he commanded his covenant for ever; *
holy and awesome is his Name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; *
those who act accordingly have a good understanding;
his praise endures for ever.
Second 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.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
The Gospel: Mark 1:21-28
Priest The ✠ Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Mark.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus and his disciples went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he 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.
Priest The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Alleluia
The cantor sings the Alleluia, followed by a verse.
The Sermon
The Nicene Creed Said in unison
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
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.
The Prayers of the People
In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.
Silence
For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.
For this community, the nation, and the world;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.
For the just and proper use of your creation;
For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.
For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.
For all bishops and other ministers;
For all who serve God in his Church.
For the special needs and concerns of this congregation.
Silence. The People may add their own petitions
Hear us, Lord;
For your mercy is great.
We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life.
Silence. The People may add their own thanksgivings
We will exalt you, O God our King;
And praise your Name for ever and ever.
We pray for ✠ all who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom.
Silence. The People may add their own petitions
Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;
Who put their trust in you.
We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.
Silence
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
in your compassion forgive us our sins,
known and unknown,
things done and left undone;
and so uphold us by your Spirit
that we may live and serve you in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Priest concludes with an absolution
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 Peace
Priest The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
The Holy Communion
An anthem is sung as the Altar is prepared with the elements of Holy Communion.
To give an offering, select an option below:
Online: E-Giving (Realm) | PayPal
Text: message 73256 with the phrase saintpauls $X (insert an amount in place of X)
Check: mail your offering to St. Paul’s Church, 84 E Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901
Offertory Anthem: “Teach me, O Lord” Thomas Attwood
Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer A
The Priest faces the People and says
The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Lift up your hearts.
People We lift them to the Lord.
Priest Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Then, facing the Holy Table, the Priest continues
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Because in the mystery of the Word made flesh, you have caused a new light to shine in our hearts, to give the knowledge of your glory in the face of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
Sanctus: “Holy, holy, holy Lord”
The People may stand or kneel. The Priest continues
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, 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.”
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Priest and People
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
The Priest continues
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.
Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.
All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
People and Priest
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.
The Breaking of the Bread
The Priest breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.
Priest Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
Fraction Anthem: My flesh is food indeed
Facing the People, the Priest says
The Gifts of God for the People of God.
Spiritual Communion: Act of Reception
This prayer form is for those who desire to receive the Sacrament but are unable to do so, with the assurance that all the benefits of Communion are received, even though the Sacrament is not received with the mouth.
In union, blessed Jesus, with the faithful gathered at every altar of your Church where your blessed Body and Blood are offered this day, I long to offer you praise and thanksgiving, for creation and all the blessings of this life, for the redemption won for us by your life, death, and resurrection, for the means of grace and the hope of glory.
I believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament, and, since I cannot at this time receive communion, I pray you to come into my heart. I unite myself with you and embrace you with all my heart, my soul, and my mind. Let nothing separate me from you; let me serve you in this life until, by your grace, I come to your glorious kingdom and unending peace. Amen.
Come Lord Jesus, and dwell in my heart in the fullness of your strength; be my wisdom and guide me in right pathways; conform my life and actions to the image of your holiness; and, in the power of your gracious might, rule over every hostile power that threatens or disturbs the growth of your kingdom, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Hymn 339: “Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness” (verses 1, 3)
1. Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness,
leave the gloomy haunts of sadness,
come into the daylight’s splendor,
there with joy thy praises render
unto him whose grace unbounded
hath this wondrous banquet founded—
high o’er all the heavens he reigneth,
yet to dwell with thee he deigneth.
3. Jesus, Bread of Life, I pray thee,
let me gladly here obey thee;
never to my hurt invited,
be thy love with love requited;
from this banquet let me measure,
Lord, how vast and deep its treasure;
through the gifts thou here dost give me,
as thy guest in heaven receive me.
Postcommunion Prayer
Priest Let us pray.
The People may join in saying this prayer
Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Announcements
The Blessing & Dismissal
The Priest gives the blessing.
The people are dismissed, responding Thanks be to God.
Postlude: “Prelude on ‘Dix’” Lani Smith
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Eucharistic Minister: Christopher McCall
Acolyte: Liam Kelly
Organist: Ed McCall
Cantor: George Achilles
Altar: Jacky Grande
Flowers: Kay Johnson
A/V: Emery Kohut, Emma Ward
Choir: George Achilles, Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, Jill Dulany, Muriel Hastings, Nick Lindberg, Laura Pankoe, Shelley Reed, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, Anne Shute, Jim Shute, Caitlin Stein, David Taylor, Deborah Taylor, Marian Wentworth
Online giving is available through Realm E-Giving and PayPal. We thank you for your generous giving to St. Paul’s.
Today: Annual Meeting
The 175th Annual Meeting of St. Paul's will take place today, at 11:15 AM. Since we are in a period of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Vestry has determined that this year's Annual Meeting will take place online, via Zoom.
At the Annual Meeting, elections will be held for a new class of Vestry members as well as lay deputies to this year's Diocesan and Deanery meetings. Please plan to attend this Annual Meeting today as we hold these elections, and learn about the state of St. Paul's in this last year and looking toward the next.
The Great Geranium Grow
You are invited to join in a St. Paul’s Parish wide event…The Great Geranium Grow (GGG).
The goal is for all of us to grow our own red geraniums and eventually plant them on the St Paul’s grounds at Pentecost (5/23/21). To start things off, we will provide some seeds, a starter pot with soil and instructions. You will provide light, water, a bit of warmth, love and prayer. We will compare notes about progress through the Geranium Gazette. Parishioners of all ages are invited to participate. Hopefully, we can be growing by the start of Lent (2/17/21), a time of renewal. Growing kits are now available. Sign up here to pick up your geranium growing kits. For questions, contact George Wiemann.
Caring for Friends
Due to Covid we are not packing meals in the parish kitchen. We have made packets of trays for anyone who’d like to cook at home and then bring the filled trays back to put in the CFF freezer. These packets are available for pick up outside the church office entrance on Pine Street. Prepared meals can be dropped off on Saturday, February 6 from 10-11am at the Oakland Avenue entrance. George Wiemann and Mary Smith will be there to assist with drop offs. For questions, please contact Myra Parker, George Wiemann or Mary Smith.
Book Study: I’m Still Here
Wednesdays at 7:30 PM: February 3 (via Zoom)
A new book study on the topic of race and faith is forming at St. Paul’s. The book is I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, by Austin Channing Brown—“an eye-opening account of growing up Black, Christian, and female that exposes how white America’s love affair with “diversity” so often falls short of its ideals.” Join us for our concluding discussion of this book via Zoom this Wednesday, Feb. 3, at 7:30 PM. This study is being facilitated by the Rector, and initiated by the work of our Social Justice Committee. You can find the book online and at local bookstores. RSVP for this study by contacting Fr. Daniel Moore.
DIOPA Soul Care for Caregivers Ministry
The 2020 coronavirus pandemic has brought into stark relief the courageous, ongoing, and whole-self-sacrifice of frontline caregivers, those who care for the sick and their families in hospitals and the community. The pandemic has multiplied the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual risks and stressors and is jeopardizing the health, and often the very lives of these dedicated caregivers. The Diocese of Pennsylvania lay and clergy members have come together to address these realities. Our mission is to provide prayer and support for Frontline Caregivers.
An important ministry of the Diocese right now is to pray for our frontline workers: healthcare professionals, social workers, and teachers who are in trenches with this pandemic. We also are called to pray for the sick and suffering during this time. Intercessory prayer is a fundamental and vital ministry of The Church, and during my time on the Covid units the intercessory prayer of the saints in Heaven and on Earth have sustained me. If you would like information on how to commit to this ministry and sign-up for intercessory prayer and for a prayer list please contact Deacon Matthew Simpson. Sign-up today as an intercessor! Email questions and/or names to be added to the prayer list directly. Want more information? click here
Forward Day by Day Devotionals for February-April
Forward Movement is a ministry of The Episcopal Church dedicated to forming adult Episcopalians in the faith. Forward Day by Day is one of its publications: a devotional booklet with brief meditations on a passage of Scripture appointed for each day. Paper copies for the three-month period of February-April are now available. To request one by mail, please email the parish administrator, Angela Stoots. You can also read these daily meditations online on the Forward Movement website.
2021 OFFERING ENVELOPES
2021 offering envelopes are now available for those who requested them. Please contact the office to make arrangements to pick up your envelopes. To request envelopes, please contact the Treasurer, Doug Esser, or call the parish office.
Available Flower Memorial & Thanksgiving Dates for 2021
Thank you to all parishioners who have supported our ministry through their flower memorials and thanksgivings and a special thank you to the members of this guild for their time and efforts. Without everyone’s participation the church would not be blessed with our ever changing floral displays to liven up the church! In 2021 we have the following open dates for flower memorials and thanksgivings: April 25, May 30, July 25, and August 22.
The Flower Guild welcomes anyone interested in being a part of this ministry. You are welcome to observe any current member arrange flowers for Sunday. Please talk to any current member to find out what it’s all about. For questions, please use the church directory to contact me.
Lisa Farina, Head of the Flower Guild
ALTAR FLOWERS
Today’s flowers are given to the glory of God, and in thanksgiving for all departed priests who have served St. Paul’s Church, Doylestown. Arranged by Kay Johnson.
