The thirteenth SUNday after pentecost
Sunday, August 18, 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: “Be Thou My Vision” Manz
The Entrance Rite
Hymn 446: “Praise to the Holiest in the height”
1. Praise to the Holiest in the height,
and in the depth be praise;
in all his words most wonderful,
most sure in all his ways!
2. O loving wisdom of our God!
When all was sin and shame,
a second Adam to the fight
and to the rescue came.
3. O wisest love! that flesh and blood
which did in Adam fail,
should strive afresh against the foe,
should strive, and should prevail;
4. and that the highest gift of grace,
should flesh and blood refine:
God’s presence and his very self,
and essence all divine.
5. Praise to the Holiest in the height,
and in the depth be praise;
in all his words most wonderful,
most sure in all his ways!
Opening Acclamation
Priest ✠ Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. 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.
The Gloria in Excelsis Hymnal 1982, S-280
The Collect of the Day
Priest The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Let us pray.
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son 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: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.
Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David; only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?”
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.”
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 111
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 Lesson: Ephesians 5:15-20
Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 488: “Be thou my vision”
1. Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
all else be nought to me, save that thou art—
thou my best thought, by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
2. Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
thou my great Father; thine own may I be;
thou in me dwelling, and I one with thee.
3. High King of heaven, when victory is won,
may I reach heaven’s joys, bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Alleluia
The choir sings the Alleluias, then all repeat them.
The Gospel: John 6:51-58
Priest The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”
Priest The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon Dr. James Massey
The Nicene Creed
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.
Welcome & Announcements
The Celebrant introduces the Offertory with a sentence of Scripture, and the people sit.
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 594: “God of grace and God of glory”
1. God of grace and God of glory,
on thy people pour thy power;
crown thine ancient Church’s story;
bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the facing of this hour,
for the facing of this hour.
2. Lo! the hosts of evil round us
scorn thy Christ, assail his ways!
From the fears that long have bound us
free our hearts to faith and praise:
grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the living of these days,
for the living of these days.
3. Cure thy children’s warring madness,
bend our pride to thy control;
shame our wanton selfish gladness,
rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal,
lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal.
4. Save us from weak resignation
to the evils we deplore;
let the gift of thy salvation
be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
serving thee whom we adore,
serving thee whom we adore.
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer A
The people stand and the priest 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. But chiefly are we bound to praise you for the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; for he is the true Paschal Lamb, who was sacrificed for us, and has taken away the sin of the world. By his death he has destroyed death, and by his rising to life again he has won for us everlasting life. 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 et Benedictus qui venit Hymnal 1982, S-130
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.
Hymn 420: “When in our music God is glorified”
1. When in our music God is glorified,
and adoration leaves no room for pride,
it is as though the whole creation cried
Alleluia!
2. How often, making music, we have found
a new dimension in the world of sound,
as worship moved us to a more profound
Alleluia!
3. So has the Church, in liturgy and song,
in faith and love, through centuries of wrong,
borne witness to the truth in every tongue,
Alleluia!
4. And did not Jesus sing a psalm that night
when utmost evil strove against the Light?
Then let us sing, for whom he won the fight,
Alleluia!
5. Let every instrument be tuned for praise!
Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise!
And may God five us faith to sing always
Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
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 & Dismissal
The Celebrant blesses the people and dismisses them.
The People respond Thanks be to God.
Postlude: “Cwm Rhondda” Wetherill
Service Participants
Celebrant: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Preacher: Dr. James Massey
Organist: Susan Johnson
Eucharistic Minister: Christopher McCall
Thurifer: J.T. Massey
Crucifer: Weston Massey
Lector: Nancy Gifford-Humphreys
Ushers: John Caughie, Maureen McGraw
Altar: Widgette Kelly, Carol Fox
Livestream: Liam Kelly
Counters: Kathy Sullivan, George Achilles
Flowers: Kay Johnson
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. Bartholomew, Apostle (transferred) will be held this week on Wednesday, August 21, at noon in the Church.
Wrapping Presence, a new Outreach project for 2024
Wrapping Presence is an organization that was founded locally almost 30 years ago. Its mission is to return a degree of dignity to residents in nursing facilities who are otherwise no longer able to do for others during the Christmas season. Here is a list of items being collected for Wrapping Presence. You can find information about the ways to get involved here. Please contact Maureen McGraw with any questions.
Community Meal
Thank you to everyone that helped make the recent Community Meal such an incredible experience. We were able to serve a wonderful meal to our guests, provide them with gift cards, toiletries and additional food to take away. Additionally, we provided a comfortable place to cool off, friendly conversation, and people that care about them...this was possible because of you and your help and support...thank you. The next regularly scheduled community meal is Sunday, August 25th. The signup sheet is available here, and as always, any help you can provide with either food, set-up, clean-up, greeting, serving, or any take away items is very much appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help and support. Mary Lou Parry, Outreach Committee Chair
Daughters of the King
Exciting news! A brand-new chapter of the DOK will be inducted. What’s Daughters of the King? It’s an order of Episcopal church women that’s been around for over a century. Basically, it’s women who feel called to focus their lives on the three principles of the order – prayer, study, and evangelism (in the form of service) – who find the delight and wisdom of supporting others along their spiritual journeys. **If you have not identified yourself as interested in becoming a member, please reach out to Leigh DeTato this month, as we will start meeting, informally, in September.**
Saint Paul’s Market is OPEN
featuring bounty from parishioners’ gardens
Proceeds benefit the Little Free Pantry
Gardeners: Bring in your extras!
Buyers: Please make a donation & remember to bring your own bag.
Spiritual Prayer Practices will resume with three Fall sessions.
Come and explore some ancient and some not-so ancient ways of opening and deepening your prayer life. You will be among friends in an informal environment. Meet once a month – as you wish and can – for about an hour. The first Fall meeting is planned for Saturday, September 14 at 10:00 in Paxson Hall. Questions? Contact Leigh DeTato.
Little Free Pantry
Thank you to everyone for the generous donations to the Little Free Pantry...the food and monetary donations are greatly appreciated. If you are considering a donation, we are always in need of snack bars, fruit cups, single serving tuna or chicken salad, shelf stable milk, bottled water...a guideline is…"anything that can be eaten on a bench.” Thank you again for your help and support. Mary Lou Parry, Outreach Committee Chair
Returns this year!
We continue to accept donations of
gently used Christmas decorations & ornaments.
Please mark your donations ‘Attic’ and drop them off to the church office or leave them in the coat room. Thank You!
Seeking Flower Guild Members:
Do you admire the lovely flower memorial arrangements each Sunday in church? The Flower Guild is responsible for these memorials and we are always open to having new members join our guild.
If you wondered what is involved in this ministry: no experience required, only a desire to create, training available upon request! What is created: One large arrangement for the church and one small arrangement for the Mary shrine.
When is completed: Saturday morning or if needed Friday, keep in mind the flowers need to look fresh for Sunday morning! Schedule: Usually you would be scheduled appx. once every other month - so in total 6 to 8 times a year.
How this is accomplished: Purchase and/or gather the flowers, twigs, seed pods etc. that you wish to include in the arrangement and create the arrangement in the flower guild room, to the left of the altar. You are reimbursed for your purchase. If you feel you are up for this wonderful ministry, please contact: Lisa Farina.
Summer Office Hours
During the summer months, the church office hours will be reduced on Friday afternoons. From June 14 through August 30, the office will close at noon on Fridays. In September, the office will once again resume its normal schedule.
ALTAR FLOWERS
Today’s flowers are given by the Kelly family to the glory of God, and in loving memory of Helmut and Lisa Lutter, great-grandparents of Liam and Alex Kelly. Arranged by Kay Johnson
