Christ the King Sunday (Yr A) November 26, 2023

 

 

PRELUDE                               “Jesus Shall Reign”                                        David Cherwien

 

OPENING HYMN       “We Plow the Fields and Scatter the Good Seed”          Hymn #291

 

1  We plow the fields, and scatter

       the good seed on the land,

   but it is fed and watered

       by God’s almighty hand;

   he sends the snow in winter,

       the warmth to swell the grain,

   the breezes and the sunshine,

       and soft refreshing rain.

 

          All good gifts around us

              are sent from heaven above;

          then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord

              for all his love.

 

2  He only is the Maker

       of all things near and far;

   he paints the wayside flower,

       he lights the evening star;

   the winds and waves obey him,

       by him the birds are fed;

   much more to us, his children,

       he gives our daily bread.

 

                 Refrain

 

3  We thank thee, then, O Father,

       for all things bright and good,

   the seedtime and the harvest,

       our life, our health, our food:

   the gifts we have to offer

       are what thy love imparts,

   but chiefly thou desirest

       our humble thankful hearts.

                  

                 Refrain

 

Celebrant     Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

People     And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever. Amen

 

Celebrant

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

 

 

HYMN OF PRAISE                      “Glory to God”                               S278 Matthias

 

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.

 

 

Celebrant   The Lord be with you.

People   And also with you

 

Celebrant: Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your wellbeloved
Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples
of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under
his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and for ever.  Amen.

 

                    Please be seated for the lessons.

 

FIRST LESSON      Ezekiel 34: 11-16, 20-24    A Reading from the Book of Ezekiel

 

Thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As
shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will
seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been
scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples
and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will
feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited
parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel
shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall
feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my
sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will
bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak,
but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.

 

Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: I myself will judge between the fat
sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and
butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and
wide, I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge
between sheep and sheep.

 

I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he
shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my
servant David shall be prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.

 

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

 

 

PSALM                 Psalm 100                      Read responsively by half-verse.

 

1 Be joyful in the LORD, all you lands; *
serve the LORD with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.

 

2 Know this: The LORD himself is God; *
he himself has made us, and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

 

3 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise; *
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.

 

4 For the LORD is good;
his mercy is everlasting; *
and his faithfulness endures from age to age.

 

 

Epistle   Ephesians 1:15-23   A Reading from Paul’s first letter to the Church in Ephesus

 

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,
and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my
prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may
give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with
the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he
has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints,
and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according
to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when
he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly
places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every
name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has
put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the
church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

 

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

 

 

GRADUAL             “Jesus, our mighty Lord”                Hymn #478

GOSPEL                        Matthew 25:31-46

 

Deacon or Priest: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew

 

People:  Glory to you Lord Christ.

 

Jesus said, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him,
then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before
him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the
sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at
the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are
blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me
something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you
gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited
me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you
hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when
was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you
clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And
the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of
these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those
at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared
for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I
was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not
welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you
did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you
hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care
of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one
of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal
punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

 

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

 

 

SERMON                                                                                                               The Rev. Cricket Park

 

 

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

 

Our celebration continues with the Prayers of the People.

 

 

Deacon or other leader:  In peace, let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy”.

 

For the holy Church of God, that it may be filled with truth and love, and be found
without fault at the day of your coming, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

Here and after every petition the People respond:   Lord, have mercy.

 

For Michael our Presiding Bishop, for Kristin our Bishop-Elect, for all bishops and other
ministers, and for all the holy people of God, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For all who fear God and believe in you, Lord Christ, that our divisions may cease,
and that all may be one as you and the Father are one, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For the mission of the Church, that in faithful witness it may preach the Gospel to the
ends of the earth, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For those who do not yet believe, and for those who have lost their faith, that they
may receive the light of the Gospel, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For the peace of the world, that a spirit of respect and forbearance may grow among
nations and peoples, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For those in positions of public trust, especially Joseph our President and Michael our
Governor, that they may serve justice, and promote the dignity and freedom of every
person, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For all who live and work in this community, especially volunteers and staff of Neighborhood
Bridges, Hope 4 Riverside, CARE House, and the St. Paul’s Food Pantry, we pray to you O Lord.

 

For a blessing on all human labor, and for the right use of the riches of creation, that
the world may be freed from poverty, famine, and disaster, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and all who suffer; for refugees, prisoners, and
all who are in danger; that they may be relieved and protected, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For this congregation, that we may be delivered from hardness of heart, and show
forth your glory in all that we do, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For our enemies and those who wish us harm, and for all whom we have injured or
offended, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For all who have commended themselves to our prayers; for our families, friends, and
neighbors; that being freed from anxiety, they may live in joy, peace, and health, we
pray to you, O Lord.

 

For those on our hearts this day (especially ______________), we pray to you O Lord.

 

For all who have died in the communion of your Church, and those whose faith is
known to you alone, that, with all the saints, they may have rest in that place where
there is no pain or grief, but life eternal, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mark and all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and
one another, and all our life to Christ our God.
To you, O Lord our God.

 

Silence            The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect, or the following Doxology.

 

For yours is the majesty, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; yours is the kingdom and the
power and the glory, now and for ever. Amen.

 

THE CONFESSION

Deacon/Celebrant:   Let us then confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

 

Most merciful God: We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and 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

 

Celebrant:  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.

 

 

THE PEACE

Celebrant:     The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

Response:      And also with you.

 

Please greet one another with a sign of peace.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

 

OFFERTORY/ANTHEM          “We Thank Thee Lord for this Fair Earth”           Eric H. Thiman

 

PRESENTATION OF GIFTS

 

At this time the ushers will bring up the offering of money and any pantry items. As they do this, please stand and sing the following:

 

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.

 

 

THE HOLY COMMUNION                   Prayer B

 

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 continues, with the congregation joining in the words in bold type.

 

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 on the first day of the week overcame death and
the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life12

 

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:

 

SANCTUS                                                                                                                     HYMN S128

 

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.

 

 

Then the Celebrant continues

 

We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made
known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word
spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your
Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be
the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and
made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error
into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.

 

On the night before he died for us, 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, according to his command, O Father,

 

Celebrant and People

 

We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;

 

The Celebrant continues:

 

And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting
to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.

 

We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be
the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to
your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by
the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ,
and bring us to that heavenly country where, with Mark and all your saints, we may
enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our
Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our
salvation.

 

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 now pray,

 

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.  Amen 

 

THE FRACTION/THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD

 

Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us. 

Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us. 

Jesus, redeemer, redeemer of the world,

give us your peace, give us your peace.

 

 

INVITATION TO COMMUNION:

 

Celebrant: Behold who you are. May you become one with the One you receive

 

Everyone is welcome to come forward for communion or a blessing. You may receive the bread and the wine, or the bread or the wine. If you prefer a blessing only, please cross your hands over your chest as a signal to the priest.

 

 

COMMUNION HYMN             “All Who Hunger Gather Gladly”            WLP #761

 

1  All who hunger gather gladly;

        holy manna is our bread.

    Come from wilderness and wand’ring.

        Here in truth we will be fed.

    You that yearn for days of fullness,

        all around us is our food.

    Taste and see the grace eternal.

        Taste and see that God is good.

 

2  All who hunger, never strangers,

        seeker, be a welcome guest.

    Come from restlessness and roaming.

        Here, in joy we keep the feast.

    We that once were lost and scattered

        in communion’s love have stood.

    Taste and see the grace eternal.

        Taste and see that God is good.

 

3  All who hunger, sing together,

        Jesus Christ is living bread.

    Come from loneliness and longing.

        Here, in peace, we have been fed.

    Blest are those who from this table

        live their days in gratitude.

    Taste and see the grace eternal.

        Taste and see that God is good.

 

 

POST COMMUNION PRAYER

Celebrant:  Let us pray.

People:
Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom.

 

And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever.  Amen.

 

 

THE BLESSING

 

May the peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in
the knowledge and love of God, and of God’s son, Jesus Christ our Lord. And the
Blessing of God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit, be with you now and remain with you always.
Amen.

 

 

RECESSIONAL HYMN          “Now Thank We All Our God”               Hymn #396

 

1  Now thank we all our God,

        with heart, and hands, and voices,

    who wondrous things hath done,

        in whom his world rejoices;

    who from our mother’s arms

        hath blessed us on our way

    with countless gifts of love,

        and still is ours today.

 

2  O may this bounteous God

        through all our life be near us!

    With ever-joyful hearts

        and blessed peace to cheer us;

    and keep us in his grace,

        and guide us when perplexed,

    and free us from all ills

        in this world and the next.

 

3  All praise and thanks to God

        the Father now be given,

    the Son, and him who reigns

        with them in highest heaven,

    eternal, Triune God,

        whom earth and heaven adore;

    for thus it was, is now,

        and shall be, evermore.

 

 

DISMISSAL

 

The congregation is dismissed by the deacon or the priest.

People    Thanks be to God.

 

POSTLUDE                    “Now Thank We All Our God”                    Sigfrid Karg-Elert

 

 

        Please join us for coffee in the Fellowship Room of the Community Building.

 

 

————————————-

 

 

Welcome to St. Mark’s! During the service, please assume the postures of prayer and
devotion as best suits your ability. If you are able, please stand for the Gospel, singing
hymns, and the prayers. Kneeling and sitting are also appropriate for the prayers of
the people and the Eucharistic prayers. Remember, the posture of your heart is more
important to God than the position of your body.

 

 

Ministers for November 26, 2023
Altar Guild for November: Norma Peachey and Ginny Tuxhorn
Organist: Donna Larsen Vocalist: Laura Leach
Acolyte: Jackie Hoskinson
Lay Readers: Elizabeth Wagner-Weber and Carol Williamson
Chalice Bearers: Judy Rudd and Elizabeth Wagner-Weber
Tech Table: Dave Reuter
Ushers: Tony Rubino and Jim Rudd
Counters: Dave Reuter and Tony Rubino
Open/Close: Reuter/Rubino
Coffee Hour: THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER POTLUCK
Flowers: The altar flowers are given by Mike and Katherine Wagner to celebrate the
birth of their granddaughter, Eliza Rey Wagner, on Nov. 20
Sanctuary Candle: The candle in the sanctuary lamp is given by Elizabeth Wagner-
Weber, and shines brightly to welcome Eliza Rey.

 

 

Ministers for December 3, 2023
Altar Guild for December: Mary-Anna Welch, Stephanie Welch, Janet Reuter
Organist: Donna Larsen Vocalist: Laura Leach
Acolyte: Elizabeth Reuter
Lay Readers: TJ Walch and Gary Welch
Chalice Bearers: Jim Rudd and Don Nancarrow
Tech Table: Gary Welch
Ushers: Dave Reuter and Tony Rubino
Counters: Kendall Rubino and Gary Welch
Open/Close: Wagner/Rudd
Coffee Hour: TBA
Sanctuary Candle and Flowers: The Park Family in memory of loved ones.

Flowers:
Sanctuary Candle: Elizabeth Wagner-Weber

 

Calendar items:
November 26—Food Pantry collection day
December—stay tuned for information about helping Neighborhood Bridges
this holiday season
December 3—Advent I and CARE House collection
December 10—Advent II
December 17—Advent III
December 24—Advent IV, 10:30am; Christmas Eve, 5:00pm
December 24—Food Pantry collection day
December 31—Christmas II

 

 

Upcoming Events

 

Adult Forum:   Fall Feasts and Fasts

Beginning December 3rd and continuing through Epiphany: The Revelation to John.
The final book of the Bible is 24 chapters of some very creative prose and symbolism.
It can’t be read, marked, or inwardly digested in a few weeks. A syllabus will be available
next week. Please join us for this wild ride of a Bible Study.

 

Please sign up for December ministries.
There are empty spaces for flowers, sanctuary lamps, and coffee hours. The sign-up
sheet is on the bulletin board by the church office. A separate sign-up will go out via
email for Christmas flowers.

 

Welcoming Bishop White.
Bishop White begins her ministry with the diocese on December 1st. Rev. Derrick Fitz
has asked all congregations to shower her with gifts from our region. Are there items
we at St. Mark’s might like to send? It would be lovely to send a basket that represents
our ministries here. Please give Rev. Cricket as many ideas as possible.

 

Reminder about scented products.
St. Mark’s has several parishioners who have heightened sensitivity to scented products.
These are not limited to perfumes or colognes. Scented hair products, deodorants,
and lotions can trigger breathing issues. Please be cognizant of these products
and find scent-free alternatives for Sunday mornings. Thank you!

 

2024 Looms Large—Cricket needs schedules for Sunday Ministers.
If you are in charge of scheduling people for Sunday mornings, please send the updated
assignments as soon as possible.

 

 

St. Mark’s is a parish in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, which is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.