St. Stephen’s Anglican Parish
9:00 am St. George’s, East River
10:30 am St. Stephen’s, Chester
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
27 September 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
The Gathering of the Community
The Penitential Rite
Celebrant
The grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with you all.
People And
also with you.
Celebrant Bless the
Lord who forgives all our sins.
People His
mercy endures for ever.
Celebrant Almighty God,
All to you all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from you no secrets are hidden.
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.
Celebrant Dear
friends in Christ, God is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy; he welcomes
sinners and invites us to this table. Let us confess our sins, confident in
God’s forgiveness.
Celebrant Most merciful God,
All 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 neighbours 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 Priest then pronounces
“Absolution”
Celebrant:
Glory to God in the highest,
All: and peace
to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly king,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
All: For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
All Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Collect of the Day
Presider: God of our salvation,
All: we falter before the demands of your word and turn away from your call to life. As you showed mercy to your people of old, pour out your mercy on us, so that we may turn from our sinfulness and walk the path of self-emptying love made known in Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
The
Proclamation of the Word
1st Lesson – Exodus 17:1-7
Reader: A reading
from the Book of
Exodus
From the wilderness of Sin the
whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord
commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to
drink. The people quarrelled with Moses, and said, "Give us water to
drink." Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you
test the Lord?" But the people thirsted there for water; and the people
complained against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to
kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?" So Moses cried out to
the Lord, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to
stone me." The Lord said to Moses, "Go on ahead of the people, and
take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with
which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on
the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the
people may drink." Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He
called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarrelled and
tested the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?" Reader:
The Word of the
Lord
All: Thanks
be to God.
Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16
Presider: Hear my teaching, O my people; incline your
ears to the words of my mouth.
All:
I will open my mouth in a parable; I will declare the mysteries of
ancient times.
Presider: That which we have heard and known, and
what our forefathers have told us, we will not hide from their
children.
All: We will recount to generations to come the
praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, and the wonderful works he has
done.
Presider: We will recount to generations to come the
praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, and the wonderful works he has
done.
All:
He split open the sea and let them pass through; he made the waters
stand up like
walls.
Presider: He led them with a
cloud by day, and all the night through with a glow of
fire.
All:
He split the hard rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as from
the great
deep.
Presider: He brought streams
out of the cliff, and the waters gushed out like rivers. Glory be to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit.
All:
As it was the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
.
2nd
Lesson - Philippians 2:1-13
Reader: A reading from
The Letter of Paul to the Philippians
If then there is any encouragement in Christ,
any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and
sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love,
being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or
conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of
you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the
same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of
God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied
himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being
found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of
death - even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave
him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my
presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to
will and to work for his good pleasure.
After the reading, the reader says,
Reader: The Word of the
Lord
All: Thanks be to God.
The Proclamation of the Gospel
Reader The Lord be with you.
People And
also with you.
Reader The Holy
Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew (21:23-32)
People Glory to
you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and
understand: it is not what goes into the mouth
that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that
defiles.” Then the disciples approached and said
to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you
said?” He answered, “Every plant that my
heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let
them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person
guides another, both will fall into a pit.” But
Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” Then
he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do
you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out
into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth
proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For
out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft,
false witness, slander. These are what defile a
person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”
Jesus left that place and went
away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just
then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have
mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came
and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before
him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It
is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs
that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus
answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And her daughter was healed instantly.
At the conclusion of the Gospel
the reader
says:
The
Gospel of
Christ.
People Praise to
you, Lord Jesus Christ.
The Homily – The
Rector
The
Nicene Creed
Celebrant Let us
confess our faith, as we say,
All We
believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all
that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord,
Jesus Christ,the only Son of God,eternally begotten of the Father, God from
God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being
with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became
incarnate from the Virgin Mary and was made man. For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he
rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is
seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge
the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in
the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father.
With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken
through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic
Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We
look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
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
Presider: Eternal God
All: in Jesus Christ we
behold your glory.
Receive the offering of your people gathered
before you, and open our hearts and mouths to praise your great salvation, the
same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Celebrant And now,
as our Saviour Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
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 those who
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
Exchange of Peace, Blessing,& Dismissal
Celebrant The peace
of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with
you.
The People may exchange the peace, safely!!!
The
Priest pronounces the blessing.
Presider:
Let us go forth into the world in peace.
All: Thanks be
to God. Amen.
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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, October 20th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm (online via Zoom for Healthcare)
• 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.
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.
