St. Stephen’s Anglican Parish

                             10:30 am St. Stephen’s, Chester                                               

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost                                                                           

30 August 2020   

 

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 Chester

Order for Ante-Communion

30 August 2020

 

Presider: Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

All: Amen.

 

Presider: ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

 

Presider: OUR Lord Jesus Christ said: Hear O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first and great commandment And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and write both these thy laws in our hearts, we beseech thee.

 

All: Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

 

Presider: The Lord be with you

All: And with thy Spirit.

Presider: Let us pray

 

Collect of the Day:

O God, whose word burns like a fire within us: grant us a bold and faithful spirit, so that, in your strength, we may be unafraid to speak your word and follow where you lead; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever

 

1^st Lesson  Exodus 3:1-15

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, "I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up." When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then he said, "Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." He said further, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, "I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt." But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" He said, "I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain." But Moses said to God, "If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." He said further, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" God also said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you': This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations."

 

 

 

Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45

 

Presider: O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples.
All: Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works.
Presider: Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
All: Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually.
Presider: Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
All: O offspring of his servant Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
Presider: Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
All:  And the LORD made his people very fruitful, and made them stronger than their foes,
Presider: whose hearts he then turned to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.
All: He sent his servant Moses, and Aaron whom he had chosen.
Presider: Praise the LORD!

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.

 

2^nd Lesson Romans 12:9-21

 

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." No, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

Gospel Lesson  Matthew 16:21-28

 

Presider: The Lord be with you.

All: And with thy spirit.

Presider: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Matthew (16:21-28)

All: Glory be to thee, O Lord.

 

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

 

At the conclusion of the Gospel Lesson, the Presider declares:

Presider: The Gospel of Christ.

All: Praise be to thee, O Christ.

 

THE NICENE CREED

Presider: I BELIEVE in one God

All: the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father before all worlds; God, of God; Light, of Light; Very God, of very God; Begotten, not made; Being of one substance with the Father; Through whom all things were made: Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man, And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: Whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord, The Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. And I believe One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the Resurrection of the dead, And the Life of the world to come. Amen.

 

The Homily

 

INTERCESSIONS

Presider: Almighty and immortal God, the giver of life and health: Behold, we beseech thee, our separation from one another, our beloved parish church, and from the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, regard with tender compassion our sorrows, anxieties and fears, and help us to put our whole trust and confidence in thee. Lord, hear our prayer,

All: And let our cry come unto thee.

 

Presider: For the Holy Church of God throughout the world. For those administering our Diocese in the absence of a bishop, for those standing election for bishop, and for those who will be electors. For Justin Archbishop of Canterbury and Linda our Primate;  and for all the clergy and people of our parish of St. Stephen, with all of our congregations. Grant, O Heavenly Father that thy people would remain joyful in hope, patient in suffering, perseverant in prayer, and steadfast in works of love, Lord, hear our prayer,

All:  And let our cry come unto thee.

 

Presider: For Elizabeth our Queen, for the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority in our world, Grant, O Heavenly Father, that the leaders of the nations would act with wisdom from above and serve the good of all, enacting justice and making peace. Lord, hear our prayer,

All:  And let our cry come unto thee.

 

Presider: For doctors, nurses, research workers, caregivers, and all who work in our health-care system in any capacity. Grant to them, O Heavenly Father, skill, sympathy and patience; and send down thy blessing upon all who labour to prevent suffering and to forward thy purposes of love. Lord, hear our prayer,

All: And let our cry come unto thee.

 

Presider: For the sick and the suffering (especially…), for prisoners and captives, for those who travel, and those stranded abroad, and for their safety, health, and salvation, Comfort and heal, O loving and gracious God, all those we have named and all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of thy salvation. Lord, hear our prayer,

All: And let our cry come unto thee.

 

Presider: For the absolution and remission of our sins and offences, Grant us, O Heavenly Father, forgiveness and deliverance from all our sins and the will to walk in thy holy ways and to do that which is pleasing in thy sight. Lord, hear our prayer,

All: And let our cry come unto thee.

 

Presider: For all who have died (especially. . .). Heavenly Father, grant them a share in thy light, thy wisdom and thy peace in company with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Stephen our Patron, St. George, and all the Saints in light.

 

Presider: ALMIGHTY God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking: We beseech thee to have compassion upon our infirmities; and those things, which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, vouchsafe to give us for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

 

Presider: Gathering our prayers into one, let us pray as our Saviour Christ hath taught us:

All: OUR Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen

 

The Peace, Announcements, Blessing & Dismissal

 

 

 

 

 

Announcements

 

Notice Regarding Worship for Sunday, 6 September  - Please note that the Rector will be on vacation (for his final allotted week) from Monday, 31 August through Sunday, 6 September (inclusive). If there is any emergency during this time which requires the attention of a priest, please call the parish office (902-275-3804) or Wardens;

 

Mary Casavant           902.275.7992

Jon Waddell               902.275.4630 

 

Maxine Christo           902.275.3496

Rhoda Webber           902.275.4374

 

Neil Boutilier              902.275.5065

Sheila Hirtle                902.275.5720

Please note that for that Sunday only, worship will not be either “in-person” or live-streamed. As we did during July and early August, the bulletin with the entirety of the service, plus Scripture commentary, will be published and distributed in the week leading up to the 6^th, and we are encouraged to be joined in the Spirit as we worship in our homes. 

 

 

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.

 

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.

Notice Regarding Worship for Sunday, 6 September  - Please note that the Rector will be on vacation (for his final allotted week) from Monday, 31 August through Sunday, 6 September (inclusive). Please note that for that Sunday only, worship will not be either “in-person” or live-streamed. As we did during July and early August, the bulletin with the entirety of the service, plus Scripture commentary, will be published and distributed in the week leading up to the 6^th, and we are encouraged to be joined in the Spirit as we worship in our homes. 

 

 

The Worship Bulletin for Sunday morning, the Twelfth 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

9:00 am St. George’s, East River

10:30 am St. Stephen’s, Chester

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost                                                                            

23  August 2020     

 

 

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 

 

MORNING PRAYER

(Book of Common Prayer)

 

*A Note from the Rector about Morning Prayer. - The Daily Offices of Morning and Evening Prayer are some of the treasures of our Book of Common Prayer. In “saying” the Office, any person can read the prayers, especially in the privacy of their own home, without the presence of a priest – with the exception of the Prayer of Absolution, which normally follows the Confession at the start of the service. Everything else can be led by any Christian person. And so, if you are praying this service, YOU are the “Officiant”, or “Minister”, and can even read those parts that say “Priest”. I would encourage you to read the “Mutual Salutations” (“The Lord be with you”. “And with thy spirit.”) as a reminder that, even if you are praying this service physically alone, you are praying in unity with your whole parish family, and the whole family of Christ’s Church on earth.

 

O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: let the whole earth stand in awe of him.
Psalm 96. 9.

 

Prayer of Confession

Officiant: ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep, We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts, We have offended against thy holy laws, We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.

 

OUR Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

 

Minister. O Lord, open thou our lips;
People. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Minister. O God, make speed to save us;
People. O Lord, make haste to help us.

Minister: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
People. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Minister. Praise ye the Lord;

People. The Lord’s Name be praised.

 

“Venite” (Psalm 95)

O COME, let us sing unto the LORD: / let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, / and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.
For the LORD is a great God, / and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are all the corners of the earth: / and the strength of the hills is his also.
The sea is his, and he made it: / and his hands prepared the dry land.

O COME, let us worship, and fall down, / and kneel before the LORD our Maker.                                     For he is the Lord our God; / and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.                                  

TO-DAY, O that ye would hear his voice: / ‘Harden not your hearts as in the Provocation, and as in the day of Temptation in the wilderness;
When your fathers tempted me, / proved me, and saw my works.
Forty years long was I grieved with that generation, and said, / “It is a people that do err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways”;
Unto whom I sware in my wrath, / that they should not enter into my rest.’

GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, / and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, / world without end. Amen.

 

The Proclamation of the Word

 

Psalm 124

IF the LORD himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say; / if the LORD himself had not been on our side, when men rose up against us;
They had swallowed us up alive, / when they were so wrathfully displeased at us;
Then the waters had drowned us, / and the torrent had gone over our soul;
Yea, then the raging waters / had gone even over our soul.
BUT praised be the LORD, / who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.
Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler: / the snare is broken, and we are delivered.                                   

Our help standeth in the Name of the LORD, / who hath made heaven and earth.

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

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

 

 

Lesson:                                   Exodus 1:8-2:10

Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. He said to his people, "Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land." Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labour. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labour. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them. The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, "When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live." But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?" The midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them." So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, "Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live." Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him. The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him, "This must be one of the Hebrews' children," she said. Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?" Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Yes." So the girl went and called the child's mother. Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, "because," she said, "I drew him out of the water.".

 

The Word of the Lord

All: Thanks be to God

“Te Deum” 

WE praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud, the Heavens and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry,
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts;
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles praise thee;
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise thee;
The noble army of Martyrs praise thee;
The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee,
The Father, of an infinite Majesty;
Thine honourable, true, and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter.

THOU art the King of Glory, O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, thou didst not abhor the Virgin’s womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints, in glory everlasting.

 

Epistle:                                   Romans  12:1-8

 

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

The Word of the Lord

All: Thanks be to God

 

“Benedictus”

BLESSED be the Lord God of Israel; / for he hath visited and redeemed his people;
And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us, / in the house of his servant David;
As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, / which have been since the world began;
That we should be saved from our enemies, / and from the hands of all that hate us;
To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, / and to remember his holy covenant;
To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham, / that he would grant us
That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies / might serve him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before him, / all the days of our life.

AND thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest: / for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people / for the remission of their sins;
Through the tender mercy of our God; / whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us;
To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, / and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, / and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, / world without end. Amen.

 

Gospel Lesson:                            Matthew 16:13-20

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

 

The Word of the Lord

All: Thanks be to God

 

Reflection

 

Apostles’ Creed

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
     And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
     I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy Catholic Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.

 

Minister: The Lord be with you;
People. And with thy spirit.
Minister. Let us pray.

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

OUR Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Priest: O Lord, show thy mercy upon us;
People. And grant us thy salvation.
Priest. O Lord, save the Queen;
People. And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Priest. Endue thy Ministers with righteousness;
People. And make thy chosen people joyful.
Priest. O Lord, save thy people;
People. And bless thine inheritance.
Priest. Give peace in our time, O Lord;
People. And evermore mightily defend us.
Priest. O God, make clean our hearts within us;
People. And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

 

Collect of the Day

O God, with all your faithful followers of every age, we praise you, the rock of our life. Be our strong foundation and form us into the body of your Son, so that we may gladly minister to all the world, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen

 

Collect for Peace

O GOD, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom: Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Collect for Grace

O LORD our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day: Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Prayer for the Queen

O LORD God Almighty, who rulest the nations of the earth, we humbly beseech thee with thy favour to behold our Sovereign Lady, Queen ELIZABETH, that in all things she may be led by thy guidance and protected by thy power. We pray thee also to bless and all the Royal Family. Endue with wisdom the Governor-General of this Dominion, the Lieutanant-Governors of the Provinces, the Legislators of the Commonwealth and Empire, and all who are set in authority; that all things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours upon the best and surest foundations, that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety, may be established among us for all generations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Prayer for the Clergy and People

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift: Send down upon, all  Clergy, and all Congregations committed to their charge, and especially this Parish of St. Stephen, Chester, (with this community of St. George’s) the healthful Spirit of thy grace; and that they may truly please thee, pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honour of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

A Prayer for All Conditions

O GOD, the Creator and Preserver of all, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of humanity; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for the good estate of the Catholic Church; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those, who are any ways afflicted or distressed in mind, body, or estate; [*name here any who are in your heart and on your mind who stand in need of God’s help] that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them, according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.

 

The General Thanksgiving

ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, We thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks For all thy goodness and loving-kindness To us and to all people; [*Name here any particular thanks you have to offer to the Lord.] We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; But above all for thine inestimable love In the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; For the means of grace, And for the hope of glory. And we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, That our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, And that we show forth thy praise, Not only with our lips, but in our lives; By giving up ourselves to thy service, And by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, To whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

 

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests: Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.

 

The Grace

THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

 

Announcements

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.

 

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.

Notice Regarding Worship for Sunday, 6 September  - Please note that the Rector will be on vacation (for his final allotted week) from Monday, 31 August through Sunday, 6 September (inclusive). Please note that for that Sunday only, worship will not be either “in-person” or live-streamed. As we did during July and early August, the bulletin with the entirety of the service, plus Scripture commentary, will be published and distributed in the week leading up to the 6^th, and we are encouraged to be joined in the Spirit as we worship in our homes.