October 17, 2021 | 11:15 a.m. | 21st Sunday after Pentecost

The Word of God

Opening Hymn     Come with me into the fields

     1    The fields are high and summer’s days are few; green fields have turned to gold.

The time is here for the harvesting, for gathering home into barns.

Refrain:    The harvest is plenty, laborers are few. Come with me into the fields.  Your arms may grow weary; your shoes will wear thin. Come with me into the fields.

     2    The seeds were sown by other hands than yours; nurtured and cared for they grew.

But those who have sown will not harvest them; the reaping will not be their care.   Refrain

Opening Acclamation

Blessed be God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever.  Amen.

The Collect for Purity (together)

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.

Gloria

Glory to God in the highest, 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. 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.

The Collect of the Day

The Lord be with you.  And also with you.  Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.Amen.

The First Reading     Isaiah 53:4-12

Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By a perversion of justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future? For he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people. They made his grave with the wicked and his tomb with the rich, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days; through him the will of the Lord shall prosper. Out of his anguish he shall see light; he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.   The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 91:9-16  (in unison)

Because you have made the Lord your refuge, * and the Most High your habitation, There shall no evil happen to you, * neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over you, * to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you in their hands, * lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and adder; * you shall trample the young lion and the serpent under your feet. Because he is bound to me in love, therefore will I deliver him; *  I will protect him, because he knows my Name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *  I am with him in trouble; I will rescue him and bring him to honor.  With long life will I satisfy him, * and show him my salvation.

The Second Reading     Hebrews 5:1-10

Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was.  So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”  In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.  

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

The Gospel Acclamation     In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful

      In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful, in the Lord I will rejoice! Look to God, do not be afraid;

     Lift up your voices, the Lord is near; lift up your voices, the Lord is near.

The Gospel     Mark 10:35-45

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.  Glory to you, Lord Christ.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”  When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

The Gospel of the Lord.  Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon                                                                                                             The Rev. Cathy Boyd

The Nicene Creed

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 and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped 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

      Let us approach the throne of grace and pray in the name of Jesus, who bore the sins of many.

      For this holy gathering, and for the people of God in every place. Lord, have mercy.

      For all peoples and their leaders, and for mercy and justice in the world. Lord, have mercy.

      For good weather, abundant fruits of the earth, and peaceful times. Lord, have mercy.

      For doctors, nurses, and hospital staff, and for all who work in the medical arts. Lord, have mercy.

      For the sick and the suffering, travelers and refugees, and prisoners and their families. Lord, have mercy.

      For our city and those who live in it, and for our families, companions, and all those we love.

      Lord, have mercy.

Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as Christ loves us.  We pray for Courtney and Brad, Ben, Carol, Diane, Lee, Betsy, Bob, for the children of St. Vincent’s School, Haiti, and for an end to the pandemic. We pray for the dying and those who have died, and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.  Lord, have mercy.

Lifting our voices with all creation, with Blessed Martin and the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the saints, let us offer ourselves and one another to the living God through Christ. To you, O Lord.

Source of eternal salvation, who gave us a great high priest in heaven, hear the prayers of your servants and let all your beings sing for joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Confession of Sin 

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 Absolution 

The Peace and Announcements

     The peace of the Lord be always with you.  And also with you.

The Holy Communion

The Offertory                                                                   

The Offering of Gifts     The Doxology

     Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below;

     praise him above, ye heavenly host:  praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Amen.

The Great Thanksgiving     Eucharistic Prayer A

      The Lord be with you.  And also with you.

     Lift up your hearts.  We lift them to the Lord.

     Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.  It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, for by water and the Holy Spirit you have made us a new people in Jesus Christ our Lord, to show forth your glory in all the world.  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:

          Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power, God of might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. 

          Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

          Hosanna in the highest.  Hosanna in the highest.

     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:

                        Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

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.

The Lord’s Prayer  

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, and the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread

Alleluia.  Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.  Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia.

Communion Hymn     Just as I am

Each verse ends with  O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

 1  Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidd’st me come to thee…

 2  Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt; fightings and fears within, without…

 3  Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; sight, riches, healing of the mind, yea, all I need, in thee to find…

 4  Just as I am, thou wilt receive; wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve, because thy promise I believe…

 5  Just as I am, thy love unknown has broken every barrier down; now to be thine, yea, thine alone…

 6  Just as I am, of thy great love the breadth, length, depth, and height to prove, here for a season, then above…

The Post-Communion Prayer

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.

The Blessing

The Closing Hymn     I sing the almighty power of God

     1      I sing the almighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,

            that spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies.

            I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;

            the moon shines full at his command, and all the stars obey.

     2      I sing the goodness of the Lord, that filled the earth with food;

            he formed the creatures with his Word, and then pronounced them good.

            Lord, how thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,

            if I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky!

     3      There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes thy glories known,

            and clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from thy throne;

            while all that borrows life from thee is ever in thy care,

            and everywhere that I could be, thou, God, art present there.

The Dismissal

     Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.  Thanks be to God.

“Alleluia, alleluia” is only said during Easter season.

The flowers on the altar are given in loving memory of Hilary Ennis Armstrong.

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