The service is being livestreamed and recorded, and will be available on our Facebook page.
The People’s responses are in bold type, and directions are italicized.
If you prefer a gluten-free host please notify an usher prior to the service.
Please stand
PROCESSIONAL
“Angels from the realm of glory” The Hymnal 1982, #93
1 Angels, from the realms of glory,
wing your flight o’er all the earth;
ye, who sang creation’s story,
now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn King.
2 Shepherds in the field abiding,
watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with you is now residing;
yonder shines the infant Light:
Refrain
3 Sages, leave your contemplations;
brighter visions beam afar:
seek the great Desire of nations;
ye have seen his natal star:
Refrain
4 Saints before the altar bending,
watching long in hope and fear,
suddenly the Lord, descending,
in his temple shall appear:
Refrain
The Liturgy of the Word
Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. 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.
COLLECT OF THE DAY
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Let us pray.
O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
GLORIA The Hymnal 1982, #S278
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.
Please be seated
A Reading from the Book of Jeremiah 31:7-14
Thus says the Lord: “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel’ See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.’ For the Lord has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall become like a watered garden, and they shall never languish again. Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. I will give the priests their fill of fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty,” says the Lord.
The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
PSALM 84:1-8
1 How dear to me is your dwelling, O Lord of hosts! *
My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
2 The sparrow has found her a house
and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young; *
by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
3 Happy are they who dwell in your house! *
they will always be praising you.
4 Happy are the people whose strength is in you! *
whose hearts are set on the pilgrims’ way.
5 Those who go through the desolate valley will find it a place of springs, *
for the early rains have covered it with pools of water.
6 They will climb from height to height, *
and the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion.
7 Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; *
hearken, O God of Jacob.
8 Behold our defender, O God; *
and look upon the face of your Anointed.
A Reading From the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-19a
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
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.
The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Please stand
GRADUAL HYMN
“What star is this” The Hymnal 1982, #124
1 What star is this, with beams so bright,
more beauteous than the noonday light?
It shines to herald forth the King,
and Gentiles to his crib to bring.
2 True spake the prophet from afar
who told the rise of Jacob’s star;
and eastern sages with amaze
upon the wondrous token gaze.
3 The guiding star above is bright;
within them shines a clearer light,
and leads them on with power benign
to seek the Giver of the sign.
4 O Jesus, while the star of grace
impels us on to seek thy face,
let not our slothful hearts refuse
the guidance of thy light to use.
5 To God the Father, heavenly Light,
to Christ, revealed in earthly night,
to God the Holy Ghost we raise
our equal and unceasing praise.
THE GOSPEL
Celebrant The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. 2:1-12
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Celebrant In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Celebrant The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Please be seated
THE SERMON The Rev. Jack Koepke
Please stand
THE NICENE CREED
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 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
In the Anglican cycle of prayer, we pray for the Church in Wales.
In the Diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for Church of the Advent in Cincinnati, Our Saviour in Mechanicsburg, and St Mary in Hillsboro.
In our Parish cycle of prayer, we pray for Larry & Joy Brown, Mike & Sandy Bultman, and Steve, Lisa, and Sophie Darnell.
With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.”
For the peace of the world, for the welfare of the holy Church of God, and for the unity of all peoples, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For our Bishop, and for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For our President, for the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this city for every city and community, and for those who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and the suffering, including those on the St Mark’s prayer list: Jenna, Patricia, Jim, Mary-Anna, Wayne, Judy, Juanita, Rob, Mary, Susan, the Darnells, and the Phillips; let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute, for prisoners and captives, and for all who remember and care for them, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, and for all the departed, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For deliverance from all danger, violence, oppression, and degradation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
That we may end our lives in faith and hope, without suffering and without reproach, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
In the communion of St Mark and of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to Christ our God.
To thee, O Lord our God.
Celebrant Jesus, as we travel far and fast, lead our minds back to the wise men following your star, and forward to the day when we will see your shining light. Amen.
(from A New Zealand Prayer Book, page 560)
THE CONFESSION
Celebrant Let us confess our sins to God and our neighbors.
All 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.
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.
Please stand
THE PASSING OF THE PEACE
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
The congregation offers the peace of God to one another.
Please be seated
BIRTHDAY AND ANNIVERSARY PRAYERS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Please stand as the offerings are brought to the altar.
OFFERTORY HYMN The Hymnal 1982, #380
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.
A Prayer over the Gifts Received for the Children of CARE House
Lord Jesus, who took the children into your arms and embraced them with your love, receive these gifts for the children of CARE House. Through the power of your Spirit, may these offerings and the offering of all our ministries to them, bring them comfort and healing. May they come to know and feel in their hearts and in their souls the fullness of life and of love given to all of us by our one God and Father. In your holy name we pray. Amen
The Liturgy of the Table
God’s Table is open to all, as God’s Love is open to all.
EUCHARISTIC 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.
Celebrant It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; because in the mystery of the Word made flesh, you have caused a new light to shine in our hearts, to give the knowledge of your glory in the face of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
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:
THE SANCTUS The Hymnal 1982, #S125
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.
Celebrant 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;
Celebrant 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 St. 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.
All Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
All 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.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION:
Celebrant The Gifts of God for the People of God.
What we celebrate is not The Episcopal Church’s Supper, but The Lord’s Supper. All are welcome at the Lord’s Table, where you may receive Communion in both kinds. Those not partaking of Communion are invited to come forward, cross your arms over your chest, and receive a blessing.
COMMUNION HYMN
“Earth has many a noble city” The Hymnal 1982, #127
1 Earth has many a noble city;
Bethlehem, thou dost all excel:
out of thee the Lord from heaven
came to rule his Israel.
2 Fairer than the sun at morning
was the star that told his birth,
to the world its God announcing
seen in fleshly form on earth.
3 Eastern sages at his cradle
make oblations rich and rare;
see them give, in deep devotion,
gold and frankincense and myrrh.
4 Sacred gifts of mystic meaning:
incense doth their God disclose,
gold the King of kings proclaimeth,
myrrh his sepulcher foreshows.
5 Jesus, whom the Gentiles worshiped
at thy glad epiphany,
unto thee, with God the Father
and the Spirit, glory be.
POST COMMUNION PRAYER
Celebrant Let us pray.
All 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
RECESSIONAL
“Brightest and Best” The Hymnal 1982, #117
1 Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;
star of the east, the horizon adorning,
guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
2 Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining,
low lies his head with the beasts of the stall;
angels adore him in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch and Savior of all.
3 Shall we then yield him, in costly devotion,
odors of Edom, and offerings divine,
gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean,
myrrh from the forest, and gold from the mine?
4 Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
vainly with gifts would his favor secure,
richer by far is the heart’s adoration,
dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.
5 Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;
star of the east, the horizon adorning,
guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
DISMISSAL
People Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
THE CANDLE IN THE SANCTUARY LAMP remains lighted throughout the week to indicate and honor the eternal presence of Christ.
Ministers for January 5, 2025
Celebrant: The Rev. Jack Koepke
Organist: Joel Hootman
Acolyte: Elizabeth Wagner-Weber
Lay Readers: Elizabeth Wagner-Weber, Gary Welch
Chalice Bearers: Judy Rudd, Don Nancarrow
Tech/Facebook Live: Gary Welch/Katherine Wagner
Ushers: Dave Reuter, Wayne Harper
Counters: Tony Rubino and Jim Rudd
Altar Guild: Carol Nancarrow, Kendall Rubino
Open/Close: Wagner/Rubino
ANNOUNCEMENTS
January 12 readings: Isaiah 43:1-7, Psalm 29, Acts 8:14-17, Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING, Sunday, January 26. Our 10:30 worship service will be immediately followed by the meeting in the sanctuary. When business is concluded, lunch will be served in the Fellowship Room.
Our nominee slate is:
Senior Warden: Jim Rudd Junior Warden: Tony Rubino
Vestry:
Two 3-year terms: Faggio Nocero-Sargent, Katherine Wagner
Two 2-year terms: Jackie Hoskinson
One 1-year term: Gary Welch
Diocesan Convention Delegates, in addition to the Wardens:
Kendall Rubino, Katherine Wagner
2025 Sign-up sheets for Altar Flowers, Sanctuary Lamp, and Coffee Hour
are now available on the bulletin board next to the Office!
Altar Flowers are $40 Sanctuary Lamp candles are $7.50 per week
There can be more than one person or family contributing for a specific Sunday, so if the date you wanted is already taken, just write your name next to it. We will make sure all requests are listed in the bulletin.
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St. Mark’s is a parish in the Diocese of Southern Ohio,
which is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Vestry
Libby Nicholson, Senior Warden
Kendall Rubino, Junior Warden
Jackie Hoskinson
Jim Rudd
Mary Sones
Patricia Tallman
Jenna Walch
Don Nancarrow, Treasurer
Dave Reuter, Recorder
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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)
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
456 Woodman Drive
Dayton, OH 45431
Email: st_marks@ameritech.net
Office Phone: 937-256-1082
Resources:
Website: https://stmarksdayton.org,
Facebook: St Mark’s Episcopal Church, Dayton OH
Instagram: St Mark’s Dayton
Licensing for music use and streaming:
One License – #A-740839: Annual license with podcasting;
B – 26 to 100 average weekend attendance.
Dave Reuter – Webmaster
webmaster@stmarksdayton.org
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