October 31, 2021 | 11:15 a.m. | 23rd Sunday after Pentecost

The Word of God

Opening Hymn     When Jesus left his Father’s throne

1     When Jesus left his Father’s throne, he chose an humble birth;
like us, unhonoured and unknown, he came to dwell on earth.
Like him, may we be found below in wisdom’s paths of peace;
like him in grace and knowledge grow as years and strength increase.

2     Sweet were his words, and kind his look, when mothers round him pressed;
their infants in his arms he took, and on his bosom blessed.
Safe from the world’s alluring harms, beneath his watchful eye,
thus in the circle of his arms, may we forever lie.

3     When Jesus into Zion rode, the children sang around;
for joy they plucked the palms and strowed their garments on the ground.
Hosanna our glad voices raise, hosanna to our King!
Should we forget our Saviour’s praise, the stones themselves would sing.

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 merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  

The First Reading     Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Moses said: Now this is the commandment–the statutes and the ordinances–that the Lord your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, so that you and your children and your children’s children, may fear the Lord your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.   The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 119:1-8  (in unison)

Happy are they whose way is blameless, * who walk in the law of the Lord!  Happy are they who observe his decrees * and seek him with all their hearts!  Who never do any wrong, * but always walk in his ways.  You laid down your commandments, * that we should fully keep them.  Oh, that my ways were made so direct * that I might keep your statutes!  Then I should not be put to shame, * when I regard all your commandments.  I will thank you with an unfeigned heart, * when I have learned your righteous judgments.  I will keep your statutes; * do not utterly forsake me.

The Second Reading     Hebrews 9:11-14

When Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!

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 12:28-34

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

One of the scribes came near and heard the Saducees disputing with one another, and seeing that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’ —this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.

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

The Sermon   The Rev. Lisa Green A period of silence follows the sermon.

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 call upon God through Jesus Christ our high priest, who offered his blood for the sins of all.

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

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

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

      For the sick and the suffering, travelers and prisoners, and the dying and dead.  Lord, have mercy.

      For our families and neighbors and for all the people of our city.  Lord, have mercy.

Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and loveone another as Christ loves us.  We pray for the Bill, the Chalakani Family, George and Andre, the Pallister family, Jeff, Jim, Christina, Bobby, Courtney and Brad, Ben and Suzanne, Carol, Diane, Bob, Joan, 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.    

Please add your own intentions, silently or aloud.

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.

God of Israel, who set forth your commandments for all your children, hear the prayers we offer this day and purify our consciences to worship the living God; 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 & 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     Let us be bread

Refrain:     Let us be bread, blessed by the Lord, broken and shared, life for the world.
      Let us be wine, love freely poured.  Let us be one in the Lord.

     1    I am the bread of life, broken for all. Eat now and hunger no more.   Refrain

     2    You are my friends if you keep my commands, no longer servants but friends.   Refrain

     3    See how my people have nothing to eat. Give them the bread that is you.   Refrain

     4    As God has loved me so I have loved you.  Go and live on in my love.   Refrain

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     Love divine, all loves excelling

      1     Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven, to earth come down, fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown. Jesus, thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art; visit us with thy salvation, enter every trembling heart.

        2     Finish then thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be; let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee: changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place, till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.

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 thanksgiving for Jim’s successful surgery by his loving wife, Sue.

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