The Worship Bulletin for Sunday morning, the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost  We hope you find this helpful in following along with the service. You are encouraged to respond in the appropriate places. The service is taken from the Book of Common Prayer. If you do not have a copy, you can access it at either https://www.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/BCP.pdf  or    http://prayerbook.ca/resources/bcponline/.

 

        

St. Stephen’s Anglican Parish

10:30 am St. Stephen’s On-line Service, Chester

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost                                                                          

 13 September 2020   

 

 

 

 

Our mission is to worship God and care for

God’s people in the spirit of Christ….

 

 

 

 

MORNING PRAYER

(Book of Common Prayer)

 

The Penitential Rite:                          p. 4

Responsory:                                        p. 5

Venite:                                                 p. 6

 

The Proclamation of the Word

 

Psalm:                                       Psalm 114 (page 479)

WHEN Israel came out of Egypt, / and the house of Jacob from among the strange people,
Judah was his sanctuary, / and Israel his dominion.
THE sea saw that, and fled; / Jordan was driven back.
The mountains skipped like rams, / and the little hills like young sheep.
WHAT aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest, / and thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams, / and ye little hills, like young sheep?
TREMBLE, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord: / at the presence of the God of Jacob;
Who turned the hard rock into a standing water, / and the flint-stone into a springing well.

Officiant: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

All: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

 

Lesson:                                   Exodus 14:19-31

The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. At the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, "Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt." Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers." So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great work that the Lord did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.

 

The Word of the Lord

All: Thanks be to God

Te Deum:                                            p. 7

 

Epistle:                                   Romans  14:1-12

Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarrelling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgement on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgement on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand. Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it in honour of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honour of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honour of the Lord and give thanks to God. We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why do you pass judgement on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God. For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God." So then, each of us will be accountable to God.

 

The Word of the Lord

All: Thanks be to God

 

Benedictus:                                        p. 9

 

Gospel Lesson:                            Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came and said to Jesus, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, 'Pay what you owe.' Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."

 

The Word of the Lord

All: Thanks be to God

 

Reflection:

Apostles’ Creed:                                 p. 10

Lord’s Prayer:                                     p. 11

Versicles and Responses:                  p. 11

 

Collect of the Day

God of love, you brought your people out of slavery with a mighty hand. Deliver us from our captivity to self-interest and our indifference to the gifts of others, so that we may be ready to love as you have loved us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Collects for Peace and Grace:                p. 11-12

 

Intercessory Prayers

General Thanksgiving, Prayer of Saint Chrysostom, The Grace p.14-15 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Announcements

 

Flu Shots: Just a reminder as we approach flu season to plan on getting your flu shot as a way of advancing the public health of our families, friends, and community.

 

 

PWRDF Pledges $25,000 to Beirut  Explosion Response

PWRDF stands in solidarity with the people of Lebanon, and we pray for all who are responding to this disaster. Many people are still missing and tens of thousands have lost their properties. Hospitals, schools, universities and clinics have been badly damaged. The explosion has added to the already present trauma of economic and political challenges, and the impact of COVID-19. PWRDF has been in contact with partner the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) to express our sorrow, solidarity and prayers. PWRDF is pledging $25,000 to the ACT Alliance appeal for Beirut. ACT is in contact with

their implementing members on the ground in Lebanon to determine how best to respond. 

 

Please support PWRDF’s response to the Beirut Crisis!

 

 Donations can be made in the following ways:

Online
Please visit our online donation page at https://pwrdf.org/give-today/and make your gift in Emergency Response, indicating Beirut Explosion in the message box.​

By Phone
Call 1-866-308-7973 toll-free (please leave a message and we will return your call), or 416-822-9083 to speak immediately with someone who can process your donation over the phone. Please do not send your credit card number by email or fax.

By Mail
Please make cheques payable to PWRDF,

Beirut Explosion and send to:

 

The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund
The Anglican Church of Canada
80 Hayden Street
Toronto, Ontario  M4Y 3G2

PWRDF Humanitarian Response Coordinator 
Naba Gurung
416-924-9192 ext. 321
ngurung@pwrdf.org

Anglicans in Canada are praying, acting and giving

 to those affected by the Beirut crisis.

Please watch for updates on PWRDF’s response to the

situation at www.pwrdf.org.