The Seventeenth Sunday after pentecost
Sunday, September 24 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: “Variations on Ora Labora” Gerre Hancock
The Entrance Rite
Hymn 9: “Not here for high and holy things”
1. Not here for high and holy things
we render thanks to thee,
but for the common things of earth,
the purple pageantry of dawning
and of dying days, the splendor of the sea,
2. the royal robes of autumn moors,
the golden gates of spring,
the velvet of soft summer nights,
the silver glistering of all the million, million stars,
the silent song they sing,
3. of faith and hope and love undimmed,
undying still through death,
the resurrection of the world,
what time there comes the breath of dawn
that rustles through the trees, and that clear voice that saith:
4. Awake, awake to love and work!
The lark is in the sky,
the fields are wet with diamond dew,
the worlds awake to cry their blessings
on the Lord of life, as he goes meekly by.
5. Come, let thy voice be one with theirs,
shout with their shout of praise;
see how the giant sun soars up,
great lord of years and days!
So let the love of Jesus come and set thy soul ablaze,
6. to give and give, and give again,
what God hath given thee;
to spend thyself nor count the cost;
to serve right gloriously the God who gave
all worlds that are, and all that are to be.
Opening Acclamation
Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Celebrant There is one Body and one Spirit;
People There is one hope in God’s call to us;
Celebrant One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism;
People One God and Father of all.
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, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; 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: Jonah 3:10-4:11
When God saw what the people of Nineveh did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. And now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.
The Lord God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?” And he said, “Yes, angry enough to die.” Then the Lord said, “You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?”
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 145:1-8
1 I will exalt you, O God my King, *
and bless your Name for ever and ever.
2 Every day will I bless you *
and praise your Name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; *
there is no end to his greatness.
4 One generation shall praise your works to another *
and shall declare your power.
5 I will ponder the glorious splendor of your majesty *
and all your marvelous works.
6 They shall speak of the might of your wondrous acts, *
and I will tell of your greatness.
7 They shall publish the remembrance of your great goodness; *
they shall sing of your righteous deeds.
8 The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, *
slow to anger and of great kindness.
Second Lesson: Philippians 1:21-30
To me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.
Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well—since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 660: “O Master, let me walk with thee”
1. O Master, let me walk with thee
in lowly paths of service free;
tell me thy secret; help me bear
the strain of toil, the fret of care.
2. Help me the slow of heart to move
by some clear, winning word of love;
teach me the wayward feet to stay,
and guide them in the homeward way.
3. Teach me thy patience; still with thee
in closer, dearer company,
in work that keeps faith sweet and strong,
in trust that triumphs over wrong,
4. in hope that sends a shining ray
far down the future’s broadening way,
in peace that only thou canst give,
with thee, O Master, let me live.
Alleluia
The choir sings a verse, then all repeat the Alleluias.
The Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16
Priest The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Matthew.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
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: “Exultate Justi” L. Viadana
Praise your God, ye righteous, rejoice and sing
for the Lord is worthy to be praised.
Raise your voices and sound his praise
with lute and harp:
Strike the ten-stringed psaltery bravely.
Tell out his praises, declare his glory;
Sing ye a new song.
O sing praises lustily with good courage.
Praise your God, ye righteous, rejoice and sing
for the Lord is worthy to be praised.
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: “I Am the Vine” John Bertalot
I am the vine, and ye are the branches:
He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit.
I am the vine, and ye are the branches:
for without me ye can do nothing.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you,
ye shall ask what ye will,
and it shall be done unto you.
If ye abide in me.
I am the vine and ye are the branches:
Herein is my Father glorified,
that ye bear much fruit; abide in me.
Hymn 541: “Come, labor on”
1. Come, labor on.
Who dares stand idle on the harvest plain,
while all around us waves the golden grain?
And to each servant does the Master say,
‘Go work today.’
2. Come, labor on.
The enemy is watching night and day,
to sow the tares, to snatch the seed away;
while we in sleep our duty have forgot,
he slumbered not.
3. Come, labor on.
Away with gloomy doubts and faithless fear!
No arm so weak but may do service here:
by feeblest agents may our God fulfill
his righteous will.
4. Come, labor on.
Claim the high calling angels cannot share—
to young and old the Gospel gladness bear:
redeem the time; its hours too swiftly fly.
The night draws nigh.
5. Come, labor on.
No time for rest, till glows the western sky,
till the long shadows o’er our pathway lie,
and a glad sound comes with the setting sun,
‘Servants, well done.’
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: “Variation #5 on Ora Labora” Gerre Hancock
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Organist: W. Edward McCall
Eucharistic Minister: John Black
Thurifer: Madeleine Moore
Crucifer: William Pitts
Lector: Laura Pankoe
Ushers: Andy Morse, Rob Wilkinson
Altar: Widgette Kelly, Susan Nejako
Livestream: Liam Kelly
Flowers: Kim Jacobsen
Choir: Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, Alexander Famous, 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 St. Michael and All Angels (transferred) will take place this week on Wednesday, September 27, at noon in the Church.
Fall Parish Picnic: Sunday, October 1
Save the date for our Fall Parish Picnic on Sunday, October 1, here on the St. Paul’s grounds starting at 11:00, right after mass ends. This is a potluck-style picnic: good food, and great company. You can sign up to bring food here. The playground will be open for kids—as well as a special ‘bouncy’ surprise for them! As this is an event for the parish as a whole, please feel free to invite your friends as well as our neighbors nearby.
COMMUNITY MEAL
Thank you to everyone who volunteered to help with today’s community meal. Your generous gifts of food, gift cards and your time to those in need is wonderful and greatly appreciated. Please watch for the signup sheet for the next Community Meal which is scheduled for October 22. Thank you in advance for your continued help and support. Mary Lou Parry, Outreach Committee Chair
Eucharistic Visitation Ministry
Eucharistic Visitors are lay members from the parish who are trained and authorized to bear the elements of Holy Communion to those who, for whatever reason, are unable to be present at mass to receive them (typically those who are elderly or infirm). If you wish to be trained and share in this ministry, please contact Fr. Daniel Moore for further details.
Food & Fellowship!
We are looking forward to our next St. Paul’s Women’s event! We are planning a double-header event! First, we will meet Oct. 19 from 5pm – 8pm in the Parish Hall and kitchen to prepare a meal together and at the same time prepare food to contribute to the next Caring for Friends event. Second, we will then meet Saturday to help with the food packing event. Please join us for any or all of these events!
The plan is to prepare a pasta dish and shepherd’s pie with salad and bread for dinner. We will then freeze a portion for the food packing event. If you would like to contribute any ingredients, please see the sign up here.
Please reach out to me (Elizabeth Pitts) with any questions.
Hope to see you there!
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.
Christmas in Doylestown UPDATE: Sign-Ups for Helping Hands Coming Soon
Dear St. Paul’s Parishioners,
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 SOON 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 by Rich and Kay Johnson to the glory of God, in loving memory of their parents Lillian and Herbert Johnson and Catharine and William Kappauf and their beloved infant son Christopher H. Johnson.
