The Nineteenth SUNday after pentecost
Sunday, September 29, 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: “Pastoral Dance on Simple Gifts” Andrew Clarke
The Entrance Rite
Hymn 574: “Before thy throne, O God, we kneel”
1. Before thy throne, O God, we kneel:
give us a conscience quick to feel,
a ready mind to understand
the meaning of thy chastening hand;
whate’er the pain and shame may be,
bring us, O Father, nearer thee.
2. Search out our hearts and make us true;
help us to give to all their due.
From love of pleasure, lust of gold,
from sins which make the heart grow cold,
wean us and train us with thy rod;
teach us to know our faults, O God.
3. For sins of heedless word and deed,
for pride ambitious to succeed,
for crafty trade and subtle snare
to catch the simple unaware,
for lives bereft of purpose high,
forgive, forgive, O Lord, we cry.
4. Let the fierce fires which burn and try,
our inmost spirits purify:
consume the ill; purge out the shame;
O God, be with us in the flame;
a new-born people may we rise,
more pure, more true, more nobly wise.
Alleluia
The choir sings the Alleluias, then all repeat them.
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-278
The Collect of the Day
Priest The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Let us pray.
O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; 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
The First Lesson: Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22
The king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. On the second day, as they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, “What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have won your favor, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me—hat is my petition—and the lives of my people—that is my request. For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have held my peace; but no enemy can compensate for this damage to the king.” Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who has presumed to do this?” Esther said, “A foe and enemy, this wicked Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen.
Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, “Look, the very gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, stands at Haman’s house, fifty cubits high.” And the king said, “Hang him on that.” So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the anger of the king abated.
Mordecai recorded these things, and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, enjoining them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same month, year by year, as the days on which the Jews gained relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and presents to the poor.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
The Psalm Psalm 124
1 If the Lord had not been on our side, *
let Israel now say;
2 If the Lord had not been on our side, *
when enemies rose up against us;
3 Then would they have swallowed us up alive *
in their fierce anger toward us;
4 Then would the waters have overwhelmed us *
and the torrent gone over us;
5 Then would the raging waters *
have gone right over us.
6 Blessed be the Lord! *
he has not given us over to be a prey for their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; *
the snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the Name of the Lord, *
the maker of heaven and earth.
The Second Lesson: James 5:13-20
Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.
My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 509: “Spirit divine, attend our prayers”
1. Spirit divine, attend our prayers
and make this house thy home;
descend with all thy gracious powers,
O come, great Spirit, come!
2. Come as the light; to us reveal
our emptiness and woe,
and lead us in those paths of life,
whereon the righteous grow.
3. Come as the fire and purge our hearts
like sacrificial flame;
let our whole soul an offering be
to our Redeemer’s Name.
4. Come as the dove, and spread thy wings,
the wings of peaceful love;
and let thy Church on earth become blest
as the Church above.
5. Spirit divine, attend our prayers
make a lost world thy home;
descend with all thy gracious powers;
O come, great Spirit, come!
Alleluia
The choir sings the Alleluias, then all repeat them.
The Gospel: Mark 9:38-50
Priest The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Mark.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.
“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
Priest The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon The Rev. Mary McCullough
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.
Anthem: “The Lord is My Shepherd” Maurice Green
The Lord is my shepherd,
therefore can I want nothing,
he shall feed me in green pastures
and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.
He shall convert my soul and bring me
in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
The Lord is my shepherd,
therefore can I want nothing.
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-125
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.
Anthem: “Ubi Caritas” James Biery
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Exultemus, et in ipso iucundemur.
Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
Where charity and love are, God is there.
Christ’s love has gathered us into one.
Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.
Let us fear, and let us love the living God.
And may we love each other with a sincere heart
Hymn 347: “Go forth for God; go to the world in peace”
1. Go forth for God;
go to the world in peace;
be of good courage,
armed with heavenly grace,
in God’s good Spirit,
daily to increase,
till in his kingdom
we behold his face.
2. Go forth for God;
go to the world in love;
strengthen the faint,
give courage to the weak,
help the afflicted;
richly from above
his love supplies the grace
and power we seek.
3. Go forth for God;
go to the world in strength;
hold fast the good,
be urgent for the right;
render to no one evil;
Christ at length
shall overcome all
darkness with his light.
4. Go forth for God;
go to the world in joy;
to serve God’s people
every day and hour,
and serving Christ,
our every gift employ,
rejoicing in the
Holy Spirit’s power.
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: “Recessional on St. Anne” Gordon Young
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Mary McCullough
Organist: W. Edward McCall
Eucharistic Ministers: John Black, Jim Massey
Thurifer: J.T. Massey
Crucifer: Jon Moore
Lector: George Achilles
Ushers: Ted Hopkins, Andy Hutchison
Altar: Rachel Morse, Carol Fox
Livestream: : Liam Kelly
Counters: David Nejako, George Wiemann
Flowers: Anne Shute
Choir: George Achilles, 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 be held this week on Wednesday, October 2, at noon in the Church.
Children’s Sunday School
Sunday school for children grades K-5 during the 10 AM service in the education wing downstairs. Drop off begins at 9:45 AM and children will join the service during the peace. Please contact Rachel Morse with questions or to volunteer.
Social Justice Committee Meeting
Our next meeting is at 7:30 PM on October 8th, the usual 2nd Tuesday of every month. Join us on Zoom via the link in the Weekly E-Notes. All are welcome!
Women’s Ministry Event: October 26
The Women’s Ministry group is getting back together this Fall for fun and fellowship. We have several “outings” as well as “in-house” activities coming up, so stay alert for announcements!
In the beauty of Fall, and hopefully the height of the color, we will gather at the Peace Valley Nature Preserve and take a walk together for about an hour. Join us for some fresh air and leisurely conversation. This event will take place Saturday afternoon, October 26, at 1:30.
Any questions, feel free to talk with anyone on the women’s ministry team, including Leigh DeTato or Jen Prater.
Ministry Fair: Sunday, October 6
“Be Involved” at St. Paul’s by joining us at the Ministry Fair in Paxson Hall immediately following the 8 AM and 10 AM masses on Sunday, October 6. Now is your chance to find out more about our ministries of worship, outreach, formation, and fellowship. Learn about Parish Life and all that St. Paul’s has to offer. Join us!
MINISTRY LEADERS Last chance to let us know if your ministry is participating in the Ministry Fair. This is a great way to recruit new volunteers and increase participation in our parish! Please contact Angie at office@stpaulsdoylestown.org as soon as possible to reserve a table.
October “Dinner & A Movie” Series
Join us on Wednesday nights during October for a new “dinner & a movie” series. The evening schedule will be as follows:
· 5:30 – Evening Prayer (Nave)
· 6:00 – Potluck Dinner (Parish Hall)
· 6:30 – ‘Movie’ & Discussion, ending by 7:30pm
The “movies” we will watch are actually short films produced by The Work of The People, a kind of visual library that explores faith and the Christian life through interviews with theologians, artists, pastors, and others. Films we’ll watch will cover topics that include: grace, sacraments, suffering, embodiment, and hope—from a variety of voices and perspectives.
This fall series begins Wednesday, October 2. Attendees will be invited to contribute to meals and help with setup/cleanup: you can sign up at bit.ly/stp-movies2024. To help plan for enough food and seating, RSVP for the series by sending a message to Fr. Daniel Moore.
October Bible Study
If you’re interested in growing your Christian faith through Bible reading, please join us for studies in October: October 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th. We meet in the Education Wing 9 -9:45 am, in-between our two Sunday Masses.
Whether you have very little Bible knowledge or you’re a Bible scholar, there’s a place for you. Please join us for a time of fellowship and an exploration of God’s word.
Topic: ‘How and why do we give back to God, who already has everything?’
Questions? You can contact Nancy Gifford-Humphreys or John Humphreys.
Daughters of the King
Those women interested in a new chapter of this order being initiated at St. Paul’s will be gathering, again, on Thursday, October 3, at 6:00pm in the conference room. There are several things to discuss and to put in place even before we begin our formation sessions early next year. These are exciting first steps. Questions for anyone else interested and not yet identified? Feel free to contact Leigh DeTato.
Christmas in Doylestown: Butter Cookies
Once again, our famous Butter Cookies will be available for Christmas in Doylestown. This year we will be taking pre-orders with some boxes of cookies available for sale at the tour. Make sure you place a pre-order so as to make sure you don’t miss out on the delicious cookies. Order Forms can be found here or in the parish hall by the Christmas in Doylestown bulletin board. To make the scrumptious cookies, bakers and ingredient donations will be needed. Please see sign up forms in the parish hall by the Christmas in Doylestown bulletin board starting October 1st. Baking dates begin November 2nd through November 9th - some weekends and some weekdays. Thank you in advance to all that help with the butter cookies! Butter Cookie questions? Please contact June Psculkowski.
Spiritual Prayer Practices
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 second Fall meeting is planned for Saturday, October 12 at 10:00 in Paxson Hall. Questions? Contact Leigh DeTato.
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.
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
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.
Looking for Help with the Nursery
Would you like to see our church grow by welcoming young families? Would you like bring your young grandchildren to church? Do you love children and enjoy rocking infants and playing with toddlers? Do you know of any babysitters or preschool teachers looking to earn extra income each month? We are hoping to resume nursery care during the 10:00 AM Sunday service for families with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, but we need your help! Ideally, we will have one paid position each Sunday along with a crew of volunteers to serve once a month or every other month. If you know of a high school or college student or other adult looking to make a few extra dollars each month or if you are interested in being a part of our volunteer crew, please contact Fr. Daniel.
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!
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. Arranged by Anne Shute
