Lent-3 (Yr A) Mar 12, 2023

PRELUDE How Firm a Foundation Lee Hastings Bristol

OPENING HYMN

“In the Cross of Christ I Glory” Hymnal 1982 #441

1 In the cross of Christ I glory,

towering o’er the wrecks of time;

all the light of sacred story

gathers round its head sublime.

2 When the woes of life o’ertake me,

hopes deceive, and fears annoy,

never shall the cross forsake me:

lo, it glows with peace and joy.

3 When the sun of bliss is beaming

light and love upon my way,

from the cross the radiance streaming

adds new luster to the day.

4 Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,

by the cross are sanctified;

peace is there that knows no measure,

joys that through all time abide.

5 In the cross of Christ I glory,

towering o’er the wrecks of time;

all the light of sacred story

gathers round its head sublime.

Celebrant: Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.

People: His mercy endures for ever.

The Decalogue: Contemporary

Hear the commandments of God to his people: I am the Lord your God who brought you out of bondage. You shall have no other gods but me.
Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not make for yourself any idol.
Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not invoke with malice the Name of the Lord your God.
Amen. Lord have mercy.

Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
Amen. Lord have mercy.

Honor your father and your mother.
Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not commit murder.
Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not commit adultery.
Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not steal.
Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not be a false witness.
Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Amen. Lord have mercy.

Celebrant:
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8,9

The Deacon/Priest invites the congregation to confession.

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept.

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.

ABSOLUTION
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you
in eternal life. Amen.

Celebrant: Let us pray.

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. .

Please be seated for the lessons.

Old Testament Exodus 17:1-7

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 quarreled 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 quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

The Word of the Lord. Response: Thanks be to God.

Psalm 95 (said responsively by half-verse) Please remain seated.

1 Come, let us sing to the Lord; *
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.

3 For the Lord is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.

4 In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *
and the heights of the hills are his also.

5 The sea is his, for he made it, *
and his hands have molded the dry land.

6 Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

7 For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *
Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!

8 Harden not your hearts,
as your forebears did in the wilderness, *
at Meribah, and on that day at Massah,
when they tempted me.

9 They put me to the test, *
though they had seen my works.

10 Forty years long I detested that generation and said, *
“This people are wayward in their hearts;
they do not know my ways.”

11 So I swore in my wrath, *
“They shall not enter into my rest.”

Epistle Romans 5:1-11

A Reading from the Letter to the Romans

Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person– though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

GRADUAL HYMN

“As Longs the Deer for Cooling Streams” Hymnal 1982 #658

1 As longs the deer for cooling streams

in parched and barren ways,

so longs my soul, O God, for thee

and thy refreshing grace.

2 For thee, my God, the living God,

my thirsty soul doth pine:

O when shall I behold thy face,

thou Majesty divine?

3 Why restless, why cast down, my soul?

Hope still, and thou shalt sing

the praise of him who is thy God,

thy health’s eternal spring.

4 To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

the God whom we adore,

be glory, as it was, is now,

and shall be evermore.

Please stand as you are able for the Gospel proclamation.

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

Glory to you Lord Christ.

Gospel John 4:5-42

Jesus came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.

A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!” The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”

Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” They left the city and were on their way to him.

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Surely no one has brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor.

Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Response: Praise to you Lord Christ.

Sermon The Rev. Cricket Park

Please stand as you are able for the Nicene Creed. We say the Creed in unison.

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.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church;
That we all may be one.

Grant that every member of the Church may truly and humbly serve you;
That your Name may be glorified by all people.

We pray for all bishops, priests, and deacons;
That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacraments.

We pray for all who govern and hold authority in the nations of the world;
That there may be justice and peace on the earth.

Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake;
That our works may find favor in your sight.

Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble;
That they may be delivered from their distress.

Give to the departed eternal rest.
Let light perpetual shine upon them.

We praise you for your saints who have entered into joy;
May we also come to share in your heavenly kingdom.

Let us pray for our own needs and those of others.

Silence

The Celebrant continues

Heavenly Father, you have promised to hear what we ask in the Name of your Son: Accept and fulfill our petitions, we pray, not as we ask in our ignorance, nor as we deserve in our sinfulness, but as you know and love us in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE PEACE

Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People And also with you.

Announcements & Birthday/Anniversary Prayers

Happy Birthday this week to Adam and Allison Oiler

OFFERTORY “Great is Thy Faithfulness” Jack Schrader

PRESENTATION OF GIFTS

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God all creatures here below;

Praise God above ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen.

THE HOLY COMMUNION

Celebrant The Lord be with you.

People And also with you.

Celebrant Lift up your hearts.

People We lift them to the Lord.

Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People It is right to give him thanks and praise.

The Celebrant proceeds

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who was tempted in every way as we are, yet did not sin. By his grace we are able to triumph over every evil, and to live no longer for ourselves alone, but for him who died for us and rose again.

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:

Celebrant and People Hymnal 1982 #S130

All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and 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.

The people stand or kneel. Then the Celebrant continues

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:

Celebrant and People

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

The Celebrant continues

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.

As our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,

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.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
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

The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.

Agnus Dei Hymnal 1982 #S164

Jesus, Lamb of God:
have mercy on us,

Jesus, Lamb of God,
Bearer of our sins:
have mercy on us,

Jesus, redeemer,

redeemer of the world:

give us your peace,

give us your peace.

Facing the people, the Celebrant says the following Invitation

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you and feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.

Come to God’s altar. You are welcome to receive communion. If you wish only to receive a blessing from the priest, please cross your arms when you come forward. If you require a gluten-free wafer, or communion at your pew, please let the ushers know.

COMMUNION HYMN “Shepherd of Souls Refresh and Bless” Hymnal 1982 #343

1 Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless
your chosen pilgrim flock
with manna in the wilderness,
with water from the rock.

2 We would not live by bread alone,
but by your word of grace,
in strength of which we travel on
to our abiding place.

3 Be known to us in breaking bread,
but do not then depart;
Savior, abide with us, and spread
your table in our heart.

4 Lord, sup with us in love divine,
your body and your blood,
that living bread, that heavenly wine,
be our immortal food.

DISMISSAL

Deacon: Let us bless the Lord

People Thanks be to God.

Response: Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE In the Cross of Christ I Glory Robert J Powell

After Communion, the Celebrant says

Let us pray.

Celebrant and People

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 SUNDAY NEWS

COFFEE HOUR: THE EIGHTH SACRAMENT Please volunteer to hot coffee hour. Sign up on the charts in the narthex or contact Rev. Cricket (st_marks@ameritech.net)

SANCTUARY LAMPS need adoption. Please adopt a lamp—$7.50 helps us to shine the light of Jesus for all to see.

LENT MADNESS: Pick a saint and join the voting during Lent. Who will win the Golden Halo and a special mug for the local winner! A fun way to learn about church history! Follow the voting at www.lentmadness.org

Beavercreek Rotary Club’s Flags for Heroes Program We are now accepting sponsorships for this year (2023). This year’s events will occur on: Memorial Day (May 29^th) at Be Hope Church; Independence Day (July 4^th) at Beavercreek High School, and Veterans Day (November 11^th) at Be Hope Church. The cost of each sponsorship is $55. You may pay by check (Rotary Club of Beavercreek, P.O. Box 340475, Beavercreek, OH 45434) or pay online (https://www.beavercreekflags.org). Also, please let me know (email:jljmrudd@aol.com) the method, amount, and date of your payment. I look forward to your continued participation in this worthwhile community program as we honor our well-deserved heroes.Respectfully, Jim Rudd, Chairperson, Flags for Heroes Program

The Prayer List for St. Mark’s is provided each week through our ENewsletter.

Ministry Assignments for TODAY March 12, 2023

Acolyte(s): Elizabeth Wagner-Weber

Lay Readers: TJ Walch and Gary Welch

Chalice Bearers: Elizabeth Wagner-Weber and Don Nancarrow

Tech/Facebook Live: Katherine Wagner

Ushers: Carol Williamson and Tony Rubino

Counters: Kendall Rubino and Jim Rudd

Open/Close: Rudd/Welch

Coffee Hour: Jim and Jackie Hoskinson

Ministry Assignments for March 19, 2023

Acolyte: Scott Kelly

Lay Readers: Carol Williamson, Jackie Hoskinson

Chalice Bearers: Don Nancarrow, Kendall Rubino

Tech/Facebook Live: TJ Walch

Ushers: Dave Reuter and Ginny Tuxhorn

Counters: Tony Rubino and Carol Nancarrow

Open/Close: Wagner/Rubino

Coffee Hour: TBD

CALENDAR ITEMS

TODAY—”Day of Change” Loose change offering to benefit St. Paul’s Food Pantry.

NEXT WEEK—Food item collection for St. Paul’s Food Pantry. Food should not be expired. Expired food cannot be distributed. Items such as toilet paper, paper towels, hygiene products are welcome also. These items are not included with SNAP benefits.

March 17—St. Patrick’s Day: Have fun but be careful!

March 21—Outreach Committee Meeting, 4:30pm, location TBD.

March 23—Vestry Meeting, 7pm, in the Fellowship Hall.

April 1—”Sparkle Day” (Time to be determined.) Clean up for our visitors on Easter!

Holy Week Schedule:

April 2—Palm Sunday, 10:30am

April 6—Maundy Thursday at St. Christopher, Fairborn, 7pm

April 7—Good Friday Service, Noon

April 8—Easter Vigil at St. Mark’s, 7pm (with St. Christopher, Fairborn)

April 9—Easter Day, 10:30am

More information to come. Watch your e-mail!

How’s your bracket? Check out the latest results in the Fellowship Hall.

It’s…

The Return of Adult Christian Education!

Don’t freak out! Starting in Eastertide, Rev. Cricket wishes to provide formation opportunities for inquiring parishioners. We’ll meet at 9:15am beginning on April 16th. She’s looking for ideas on what to present!

Please fill out this form and give it to her, or email her at revcricketpark@gmail.com by 3/26.

I’d like to come to:

____Doing Justice ____Prayer Book Basics ____ Anglican Spirituality

____ Prayer Practices ____Book Study (such as CS Lewis, etc.)

____ What Episcopalians need to know about the Bible

St. Mark’s is a parish in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, which is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The diocese is currently in a search for its next Bishop.

Vestry

Libby Nicholson, Senior Warden wardens@stmarksdayton.com

Kendall Rubino, Junior Warden wardens@stmarksdayton.com

Fred Berta flbretiredncr@aol.com

Jackie Hoskinson jghoskinson@hotmail.com

Linda Stagles LStagles@gmail.com

Patricia Tallman patskincare@aol.com

Elizabeth Wagner-Weber wagnere17@hanover.edu

Jenna Walch jennawalch@gmail.com

Don Nancarrow, Treasurer nancard@sbcglobal.net

Dave Reuter, Recorder DFReuter@aol.com

Interim Rector

Rev. Cricket Park st_marks@ameritech.net;

revcricketpark@gmail.com

614-806-5248

———————————

Our Mission Statement:

“We gather for worship, education and mutual support;

welcome all people; and serve the community in God’s name”.

A prayer for St. Mark’s in a time of transition

O Lord, Father of life and change, of new and old: You gifted us with abilities to speak and listen, to hear and decide, to choose and know. We thank you for teaching us how to used these abilities, though we must at times remember to combine them with patience. Remind us to speak with kindness, to listen to understand, to hear all voices, to decide on what is just and true, to choose the path of peace, and to know we are not alone. Be with us in this time of transition, that it is as effective as it is unsettling, as comforting as it is confusing. And never leave our side on the journey ahead, as we strive for an unknown destination. In the name of your Son Jesus, who walks alongside us, we pray. Amen.

(written by Elizabeth Wagner-Weber)

The Rev. Cricket Park, Interim Priest-in-Charge

st_marks@ameritech.net

614-806-5248

Libby Nicholson – Senior Warden; Kendall Rubino – Junior Warden,

wardens@stmarksdayton.org

Donna Larsen, Music Director/Organist,

musicdirector@stmarksdayton.org

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

456 Woodman Drive

Dayton, OH 45431

Email: st_marks@ameritech.net