The Fourteenth Sunday after pentecost
Sunday, September 3 at 10:00 am
The form for this service can also be found in The Book of Common Prayer, page 355. Spoken responses are in bold typeface.
Prelude: “Land of Rest” Alec Wyton
The Entrance Rite
Hymn 304: “I come with joy to meet my Lord”
1. I come with joy to meet my Lord,
forgiven, loved, and free,
in awe and wonder to recall
his life laid down for me.
2. I come with Christians far and near
to find, as all are fed,
the new community of love
in Christ’s communion bread.
3. As Christ breaks bread and bids us share,
each proud division ends.
That love that made us makes us one,
and strangers now are friends.
4. And thus with joy we meet our Lord.
His presence, always near,
is in such friendship better known:
we see, and praise him here.
5. Together met, together bound,
we’ll go our different ways,
and as his people in the world,
we’ll live and speak his praise.
Opening Acclamation
Priest ✠ Alleluia. Christ is risen.
People The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
The Collect for Purity
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”
The Collect of the Day
Priest The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Let us pray.
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; 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 Lesson: Jeremiah 15:15-21
O Lord, you know; remember me and visit me, and bring down retribution for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance do not take me away; know that on your account I suffer insult. Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts. I did not sit in the company of merrymakers, nor did I rejoice; under the weight of your hand I sat alone, for you had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail.
Therefore, thus says the Lord: If you turn back, I will take you back, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall serve as my mouth. It is they who will turn to you, not you who will turn to them. And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the Lord. I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 26:1-8
1 Give judgment for me, O Lord,
for I have lived with integrity; *
I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.
2 Test me, O Lord, and try me; *
examine my heart and my mind.
3 For your love is before my eyes; *
I have walked faithfully with you.
4 I have not sat with the worthless, *
nor do I consort with the deceitful.
5 I have hated the company of evildoers; *
I will not sit down with the wicked.
6 I will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord, *
that I may go in procession round your altar,
7 Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving *
and recounting all your wonderful deeds.
8 Lord, I love the house in which you dwell *
and the place where your glory abides.
Second Lesson: Romans 12:9-21
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 439: “What wondrous love is this”
1. What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this
that caused the Lord of bliss
to lay aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
to lay aside his his crown for my soul.
2. To God and to the lamb, I will sing, I will sing,
To God and to the lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb
who is the great I AM,
while millions join the theme,
I will sing, I will sing, while millions
join the theme I will sing.
3. And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free,
I’ll sing and joyful be,
and through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and through eternity I’ll sing on.
Alleluia
The cantor sings a verse, then all repeat the Alleluias.
The Gospel: Matthew 16:21-28
Priest The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Matthew.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Priest The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon The Rev. Raymond L. Harbort
The Nicene Creed
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
The leader and people pray responsively
I ask your prayers for God’s people throughout the world; for our Bishops; for this gathering; and for all ministers and people. Pray for the Church.
Silence
I ask your prayers for peace; for goodwill among nations; and for the well-being of all people. Pray for justice and peace.
Silence
I ask your prayers for all victims of violence, and for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, and those in prison. Pray for those in any need or trouble.
Silence
I ask your prayers for all who seek God, or a deeper knowledge of him. Pray that they may find and be found by him.
Silence
I ask your prayers for the departed. Pray for those who have died.
Silence
I ask your prayers for those on our parish prayer list, and for those we now name:
Silence. Additional petitions may be included here.
We pray for our sister church of St. Mary’s, Sololá, in our companion diocese of Guatemala.
Silence
Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been honored. Pray that we may have grace to glorify Christ in our own day.
Silence
The Celebrant concludes
Almighty God, to whom our needs are known before we ask: Help us to ask only what accords with your will; and those good things which we dare not, or in our blindness cannot ask, grant us for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession of Sin
Celebrant Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Celebrant and People
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 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.
The Celebrant pronounces an absolution. The people stand.
The Peace
Priest The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
The ministers and the people greet one another in the name of the Lord, saying “He is risen!”
The Holy Communion
The Celebrant introduces the Offertory with a sentence of Scripture.
To give an offering, choose one of the following:
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
During the Offertory an anthem is sung, and the Altar is prepared with the elements of Holy Communion.
The Offering is brought forward.
Hymn 306: “Come, risen Lord, and deign to be our guest”
1. Come, risen Lord, and deign to be our guest;
nay, let us be thy guests; the feast is thine;
thyself at thine own board make manifest
in thine own Sacrament of Bread and Wine.
2. We meet, as in that upper room they met;
thou at the table, blessing, yet dost stand:
“This is my Body”; so thou givest yet:
faith still receives the cup as from thy hand.
3. One body we, one Body who partake,
one Church united in communion blest;
one Name we bear, one Bread of life we break,
with all thy saints on earth and saints at rest.
4. One with each other, Lord, for one in thee,
who art one Savior and one living Head;
then open thou our eyes, that we may see;
be known to us in breaking of the Bread.
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer B
The Celebrant faces the People and sings
Priest 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.
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 you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.
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 priest continues
We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night before he died for us, 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, according to his command, O Father,
Celebrant and People
We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;
The Celebrant continues
And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine. We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with the ever-blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, blessed Paul the Apostle, and all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation. 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.
Celebrant And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
The Fraction
The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.
Celebrant Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
The Celebrant sings the Antiphon, then all repeat it.
Celebrant: The bread which we break, alleluia, is the communion of the body of Christ.
Then all repeat the Antiphon.
Priest The Gifts of God for the People of God.
Spiritual Communion: Act of Reception
During Communion, you are invited to say the following prayer form for receiving Spiritual Communion. Know that the grace of God is made present in your heart, 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 522: “Glorious things of thee are spoken”
1. Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for his own abode;
on the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
thou may’st smile at all thy foes.
2. See! the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint, when such a river
ever will their thirst assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver
never fails from age to age.
3. Round each habitation hovering,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a covering,
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from their banner,
light by night, and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna
which he gives them when they pray.
4. Blest inhabitants of Zion,
washed in the Redeemer’s blood!
Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
makes them kings and priests to God.
’Tis his love his people raise
over self to reign as kings:
and as priests, his solemn praises
each for a thank-offering brings.
After Communion, the priest says
Let us pray.
Priest and People
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.
Welcome & Announcements
The Blessing
The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.
Dismissal
Priest Let us go forth in the name of Christ. Alleluia, alleluia.
People Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
Postlude: “Postlude on ‘Austria’” Gordon Young
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Raymond L. Harbort
Organist: Susan Johnson
Eucharistic Minister: Widgette Kelly
Thurifer: J.T. Massey
Crucifer: John Wilkinson
Lector: Leigh DeTato
Ushers: Maureen McGraw, John Caughie
Altar: Elizabeth Pitts, Susan Nejako
Livestream: Josh Pankoe
Flowers: Anne Shute
Choir: George Achilles, Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, J.T. Capps, Carol Fox, Laura Pankoe, Shelley Reed, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, Amber Robinson, Anne Shute, Jim Shute, Caitlin Stein, Marian Wentworth
Online giving is available through Realm E-Giving and PayPal. We thank you for your generous giving to St. Paul’s.
Weekday Worship
There is no weekday mass this week; the next one will be held on the week of September 10
Blessing of Backpacks and Parent Meeting
Parents, children, and youth - save the date for Sunday, September 17 for Blessing of Backpacks during the 10 AM service followed by a Parents Meeting in Paxson Hall during coffee hour for all parents and caregivers of youth and children to hear about new and exciting plans for faith formation for the 2023-24 school year. More details to follow!
Calling all 7th-12th graders, we are starting a group for you!
To kick the year off, please join us for Mass on September 17th for the Blessing of the Backpacks. We will meet for about 30 minutes after the service as well to chat about plans for the year and our first event.
We are excited to see everyone. Please reach out to Kristin Moore, Laura Pankoe, or Elizabeth Pitts with any questions.
Road Closure Next Sunday, September 10
Next Sunday the intersection of Pine Street and East Oakland Avenue will be closed due to the annual Bike Race. This will prevent parking or dropping off in front of the church. Parking will still be available in our main lot—you’ll need to come from Ashland in order to access it. There is plenty of street parking on Ashland or Oakland (east of the church). Parking is also available at the Library (150 S. Pine St.—just 2 blocks away).
Doylestown Bike Race
The annual Doylestown Bike Race will be held on Sunday, September 10. As we have done in the past, St. Paul’s will support the event by providing bottled water and packaged snacks. We will have a table on the sidewalk at the corner of Oakland & Pine starting after the 10:00am service. Your donations of small water bottles and packaged snacks are greatly appreciated. Any questions, please contact Mary Lou Parry. A huge thank you in advance!
Community Meal
Thank you to everyone who helped to make the August 27th Community Meal such a big success. The next meal is scheduled for Sunday, September 24. The Community Meal helps those who are food insecure in the community by providing a nutritious and delicious meal. Volunteers are needed to help with the food preparation and serving. We will also need greeters, servers, and volunteers to help with setup and cleanup. Food should be delivered to the church by 12:30 on September 24th. If possible, the food should be delivered warm and ready to serve. Please review the signup here and consider signing up to help with the meal. Thank you in advance for your continued support. Mary Lou Parry, Outreach Committee.
Virtual Food Drive for Maui
Would you please consider participating in the Virtual Food Drive for Maui by registering with the website below? The area is in desperate need of food, and the grocery stores in the area have been destroyed. The website is easy to use. Please click here to donate. Scroll down until you see Donate to Virtual Food Drive. Click on that, and it should bring you to a list of food they are requesting. Finish the transaction with your credit card. Thank you so much for your help in this critical situation. Mary Lou Parry, Outreach Committee Chair
SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE
Our next meeting is at 7:30 PM on Septembet 12th, the usual 2nd Tuesday of every month. Join us on Zoom (login credentials can be found in the most recent Weekly E-Notes email). Contact chair Jim Massey with any questions. All are welcome!
CARING FOR FRIENDS
Caring for Friends has resumed our meal packing at the church. Our next meeting will be Saturday, September 16 from 9:30-11:30am. We are asking for anyone who would like to cook at home to bring the food to church on the 16th to pack. Please include a list of ingredients for all meals. Casseroles with a protein source, meats like meatloaf, chicken, beef, turkey breasts with a side of rice or potatoes are some other ideas. Donations of canned goods are appreciated, especially fruits and vegetables. Hope you can make it. Please contact Myra Parker, Mary Smith, or George Wiemann with any questions.
Christmas in Doylestown UPDATE: One Co- Lead Decorator Needed
It is that time of year when the leaves are beginning to change ever so slightly and the summer is coming to an end. The Christmas in Doylestown leadership has been working hard to find 4 wonderful homes in the borough for this year’s Christmas House Tour! That task has been checked off our list and NOW we are looking for any creatives that are looking for a challenge, social bonding and helping two great charities: St. Paul’s and The Bucks County Housing Group.
If you feel so called, please sign up here to oversee the decorating on one of the four houses; if you have questions about what this work entails, please reach out and ask, we’d be glad to tell you more! Thanks for those who have graciously signed up as “Lead Decorator”!! We have some house teams filled but are in need of one more co-lead decorator. The people who have signed up definitely need your help!! Once we have these spots full we will reach out for “Helping Hands” to assist in ALL the tasks involved with getting the homes ready for the tour.
We are looking forward to another successful tour this year and hope you are as excited as we are to have this event happening again.
Thank you, and merry (early) Christmas!
Lisa Farina and Mary Lou Parry
Bulletin Announcements
Wednesday is the deadline for submitting announcements for inclusion in the Sunday bulletin. Please submit relevant announcements to Angie in the Parish Office. Any announcements submitted after Wednesday will be included in the following week’s printed bulletin.
LITTLE FREE PANTRY
The Little Free Pantry continues to be a huge asset for the community. Your kindness and generosity are greatly appreciated by those suffering from food insecurities in the area. The need continues to be great for supplies such as snack bars, small cereal boxes, fruit cups, pudding and Jell-O cups, pretzels, and crackers. Thank you for your help and support. Questions? Contact Mary Lou Parry using the church directory.
ALTAR FLOWERS
Today’s flowers are given to the glory of God, and in loving memory of Edward L. McGill, Sr. Given by his wife, Janet, and children, Edward Jr., Sean, Diane, and Mary and also his grandchildren Christoffer, William, and Anna.
