St. Stephen’s Anglican Parish

9:00 am St. George’s, East River

10:30 am St. Stephen’s, Chester

Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost

25 October2020    

 

 

           Our mission is to worship God and care for 

God’s people in the spirit of Christ….

 

Archdeacon Ian Wissler  Rector 902. 275. 8627  ian.wissler@gmail.com

Rev. Canon Dr. Stephen Paul Booth, Honorary Assistant

                       Wardens:   Mary Casavant 902.275.7992 rickmarycasavant@gmail.com                                                                                                         Jon Waddell   902.275.4630   jwadell@bellaliant.net

Choir Director: Dawn Harwood-Jones

Organist: Margaret Machum

ststephensparish@ns.sympatico.ca

Parish Office Hours:  Monday-Thursday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

54 Regent Street Chester NS B0J 1J0      902.275.3804 

 

 

 

The Gathering of the Community

Ante-Communion

 The Penitential Order – p. 216

 

“Glory to God” & “Kyrie” - p. 186

 

Collect of the Day

Your love, O God, is boundless. We who were strangers have been made your children; we who were defenseless have been brought into your household. Keep us mindful of your mercy, so that we may love you with our whole heart and love our neighbour as ourselves. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen  

 

The Proclamation of the Word

1st Lesson – Deuteronomy 34:1-12

 Reader: A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy                                                                                                                                

Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees as far as Zoar. The Lord said to him, "This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there." Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord's command. He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Bethpeor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigour had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended. Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the Lord had commanded Moses. Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequalled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17

REFRAIN       From age to age you are God.

Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to another.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or the land and the earth were born, from age to age you are God. R

You turn us back to the dust and say, "Go back, O child of earth."

For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past and like a watch in the night. R

You sweep us away like a dream; we fade away suddenly like the grass.

In the morning it is green and flourishes; in the evening it is dried up and withered. R

Return, O Lord; how long will you tarry? be gracious to your servants.

Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us and the years in which we suffered adversity. R

Show your servants your works and your splendour to their children.

May the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us; prosper the work of our hands; prosper our handiwork. R

 

2^nd Lesson  - 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

 Reader: A reading from The Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

The Proclamation of the Gospel                                                                                                  

Matthew (22:34-46)

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: "What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of David." He said to them, "How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet"'? If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?" No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

 

The Sermon – The Rector

 

The Nicene Creed    p. 188                                                                                                                     

 

 

The Prayers of the People

 

  Litanist: Let us approach the throne of grace on behalf of the Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence is kept.

Litanist: Most holy Father, thank you for making us your children through your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you for your patience with us when we speak and act in ways that grieve and displease you. Make us to be like him, so we are your heart’s delight and your blessing to the world. Lord, in your mercy, 

All: hear our prayer.

 

Litanist: Praying for the Church for those administering our diocese in the absence of a bishop, and for Sandra, our Bishop Elect, we ask you to conform the Church throughout the world to the mind of your dear Son. Conform its proclamation and teaching to his own. Conform its works to his self-sacrificing love. Fashion the Church ever more fully into the image and likeness of Christ, so that the light of his love shines into the world. Lord, in your mercy, 

All: hear our prayer.

 

Litanist: Put the mind of Christ into this Parish of St. Stephen’s (and this community of St. George’s). Let his humility and self-giving love shape and direct our words, worship, service, and fellowship. Give us such willing hearts that we gladly speak and act in obedience to your will, to your glory and for the building up of your people. Lord, in your mercy, 

All: hear our prayer.

 

Litanist: Grant strength, perseverance, and charity to our brothers and sisters who experience bitter persecution throughout the world. Give them courage, strength and love. Turn the hearts of their tormentors, so that love, repentance, reconciliation, and true faith in you may grow. Lord, in your mercy, 

All: hear our prayer.

 

Litanist: We pray to you for Elizabeth our Queen, and all who govern our nation under her, for those who govern this province and municipality, for the leaders of the nations. We pray that you will put it in their hearts to work together to address the crisis of this pandemic, and that they will work for justice and peace for all people. Lord, in your mercy, 

All: hear our prayer.

 

Litanist: Bring the joy of your saving help to everyone in the midst of illness, grief, distress, sorrow, danger or any kind of need (especially...). Be their guide and defence, grant them all their needs according to your loving will for them, and give them wholeness of body, mind, and spirit. Lord, in your mercy, 

All: hear our prayer.

 

Litanist: We commend to your care and keeping all our brothers and sisters who have departed this life and are at rest (especially...). Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them. Lord, in your mercy, 

All: hear our prayer.

 

Litanist: Father, conform our prayers to the heart of Jesus, hear them through the interceding of your Holy Spirit, and grant them in accordance with your gracious will, who together with you, lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 

 

Prayer over the Gifts                                                                                                                                     God of constant love, you have guided your people

in all times and ages. May we who offer you our praise today

always be ready to follow where you lead; we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

The Lord’s Prayer – p. 211

Blessing

Announcements

Dismissal

 

 

 

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Announcements

 

 

Advanced Care Planning and Personal Directives Workshops

 

A free workshop offered by the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA), is available, and will be running for the coming months.  Learn about how to write your personal directive for healthcare. They will be offered every month until March, and are free!  For anyone thinking about their health, wellness and getting their personal affairs in order, this is a wonderful tool.

Advance Care Planning and Personal Directives – INSPIRED Program, NSHA

Explore what advance care planning is and what to include when creating a personal directive. To register, please call Andrew Comstock at (902) 483-8943


• Tuesday, November 24th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm (online via Zoom for Healthcare)
• Tuesday, December 8th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm (online via Zoom for Healthcare)

 

 

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.

 

 

Rector's Discretionary Fund - Our Parish maintains the Rector's Discretionary Fund, for the relief and assistance of both parishioners and members of the broader Chester Municipality Community, should they have a material difficulty which we may be able to alleviate. In addition to your alms to the general ministry of the Parish of St. Stephen, you may also donate directly to it. All donations should be identified as being for the Rector's Discretionary Fund, while all cheques for that purpose need to be made to St. Stephen's Parish, Chester, with "Rector's Discretionary Fund" in the memo line.