The Fifteenth Sunday after pentecost
Sunday, September 10 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: “Praise the Almighty, My Soul, Adore Him” Jan Bender
The Entrance Rite
Hymn 400 (verses 1,4,5,7): “All creatures of our God and King”
1. All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voices, let us sing:
Alleluia, alleluia! Bright burning sun with golden beams,
pale silver moon that gently gleams,
O praise him, O praise him, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
4. Dear mother earth, you day by day unfold your blessings on our way,
O praise him, Alleluia! All flowers and fruits that in you grow,
let them his glory also show:
O praise him, O praise him, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
5. All you with mercy in your heart, forgiving others,
take your part, O sing now: Alleluia!
All you that pain and sorrow bear, praise God, and cast on him your care:
O praise him, O praise him, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
7. Let all things their creator bless and worship him in humbleness,
O praise him: Alleluia! Praise God the Father,
praise the Son, and praise the Spirit, Three in One:
O praise him, O praise him, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Opening Acclamation
Priest Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
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.
Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
First Lesson: Ezekiel 33:7-11
You, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, “O wicked ones, you shall surely die,” and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life.
Now you, mortal, say to the house of Israel, Thus you have said: “Our transgressions and our sins weigh upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?” Say to them, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 119:33-40
33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, *
and I shall keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law; *
I shall keep it with all my heart.
35 Make me go in the path of your commandments, *
for that is my desire.
36 Incline my heart to your decrees *
and not to unjust gain.
37 Turn my eyes from watching what is worthless; *
give me life in your ways.
38 Fulfill your promise to your servant, *
which you make to those who fear you.
39 Turn away the reproach which I dread, *
because your judgments are good.
40 Behold, I long for your commandments; *
in your righteousness preserve my life.
Second Lesson: Romans 13:8-14
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 674: “Forgive our sins as we forgive”
1. ‘Forgive our sins as we forgive’
you taught us, Lord, to pray;
but you alone can grant us grace
to live the words we say.
2. How can your pardon reach and bless
the unforgiving heart
that broods on wrongs and will not let
old bitterness depart?
3. In blazing light your cross reveals
the truth we dimly knew,
how small the debts men owe to us,
how great our debt to you.
4. Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls,
and bid resentment cease;
then, reconciled to God and man,
our lives will spread your peace.
Alleluia
The choir sings a verse, then all repeat the Alleluias.
The Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20
Priest The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Matthew.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
Priest The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
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
Let us pray for the Church and for the world.
Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another and serve the common good.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, especially ___ , and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
We commend to your mercy ✠ all who have died, especially ___ , that your will for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Silence. Additional petitions may be included here.
The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.
Lord, hear the prayers of your people; and what we have asked faithfully, grant that we may obtain effectually, to the glory of your Name; through 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.
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 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.
The proper preface is sung.
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
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,
The Fraction
The priest 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.
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.
Communion Anthem: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” Thomas Tallis
If you love me, keep my commandments.
And I will pray the Father,
and he shall give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you forever;
ev’n the spirit of truth.
Hymn 518: “Christ is made the sure foundation”
1. Christ is made the sure foundation,
Christ the head and cornerstone,
chosen of the Lord, and precious,
binding all the Church in one;
holy Zion’s help for ever,
and her confidence alone.
2. All that dedicated city,
dearly loved of God on high,
in exultant jubilation
pours perpetual melody;
God the One in Three adoring
in glad hymns eternally.
3. To this temple, where we call thee,
come, O Lord of Hosts, today;
with thy wonted loving-kindness
hear thy servants as they pray,
and thy fullest benediction
shed within its walls alway.
4. Here vouchsafe to all thy servants
what they ask of thee to gain;
what they gain from thee, for ever
with the blessèd to retain,
and hereafter in thy glory
evermore with thee to reign.
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.
People Thanks be to God.
Postlude: “Praise to the Lord” Gordon Young
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Organist: W. Edward McCall
Eucharistic Minister: Pike Stephens
Thurifer: Andela Dozier
Crucifer: Will Boyd
Lector: Trudie Benton
Ushers: John Fraser, Andy Hutchison
Altar: Sara Frister, Widgette Kelly
Livestream: Emery Kohut
Flowers: Kay Johnson
Choir: Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, Carol Fox, Laura Pankoe, Shelley Reed, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, Amber Robinson, Annie Rogers, 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
Mass for the Feast of the Holy Cross (transferred) will take place this week on Wednesday, September 13, at noon in the Church.
Blessing of Backpacks and Parent Meeting
Parents, children, and youth - Sunday, September 17 bring your backpacks to church for Blessing of Backpacks during the 10 AM service. Then stay for the Parents Meeting following the service. Grab coffee and refreshments and then you will be invited to return to the church for the parents meeting where we will go over new and exciting plans for faith formation for the 2023-24 school year. Children will meet in the church library for a movie and snacks. Please contact Rachel Morse or Nancy Gifford-Humphreys with any questions.
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.
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!
From the Social Justice Committee:
The Social Justice Committee invites you to visit an art installation entitled “Souls Shot” being hosted this month at Doylestown Presbyterian Church. Our committee has worked with DPC’s Peace and Justice team in the past and we look forward to partnering with them on Heeding God’s Call to End Gun Violence (heedinggodscall.org).
Souls Shot: Portraits of Victims of Gun Violence is a traveling exhibit that features works honoring and memorializing lives cut short. These portraits have been created by artists working with the loved ones of the victims. They offer intimate glimpses to raise awareness of the terrible cost to our communities, to touch hearts and minds, and to move people to take action. Souls Shot at DPC is presented by the Peace and Justice Committee and the Matthew 25 Task Force and will be open in the Celtic Cross Room on Sundays (Sept. 3 through 24) from 12-4 pm and Tuesdays (Sept. 5 through 26) from 6-8 pm. Please visit their website for more information.
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 Joseph Josko, in remembrance of his birthday. Given by his wife Vikki and their children and family members.
