The prelude is a time for preparation for worship.
As we enter the sanctuary, let us prepare through quiet prayer and meditation.
The service is being livestreamed and recorded and will be available on our Facebook page and on YouTube.
The People’s responses are in bold type, and directions are italicized.
As a courtesy to others, please silence your cell phone.
The Hymnal 1982 is the blue hymnal; Wonder, Love, & Praise is the green hymnal; Lift Every Voice and Sing II is the red and black hymnal
PRELUDE:
“America, the Beautiful” arr. J. Raney
Prayer Requests, Birthdays/Anniversaries and Announcements
PROCESSIONAL HYMN:
“O beautiful for spacious skies” The Hymnal 1982, #719
1 O beautiful for spacious skies,
for amber waves of grain,
for purple mountain majesties
above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
and crown thy good with brotherhood
from sea to shining sea.
2 O beautiful for heroes proved
in liberating strife,
who more than self their country loved,
and mercy more than life!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
confirm thy soul in self-control,
thy liberty in law.
3 O beautiful for patriot dream
that sees beyond the years
thine alabaster cities gleam,
undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
and crown thy good with brotherhood
from sea to shining sea.
Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
People And blessed be his 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.
GLORIA:
“Glory to God” Enriching Our Music, #20
Glory to God in the highest!
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,
for 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.
Collect of the Day
Lord God Almighty, in whose Name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn: Grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace; 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.
First Reading: Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
Reader A reading from the book of Genesis
The servant said to Laban, “I am Abraham’s servant. The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys. And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given him all that he has. My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; but you shall go to my father’s house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.’
“I came today to the spring, and said, ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will only make successful the way I am going! I am standing here by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also” —let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’
“Before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her water jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels. Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms. Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to obtain the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so that I may turn either to the right hand or to the left.”
And they called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will.” So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “May you, our sister, become thousands of myriads; may your offspring gain possession of the gates of their foes.” Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. Now Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb. Isaac went out in the evening to walk in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, and said to the servant, “Who is the man over there, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
The Response: Psalm 45:11-18
11 “Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; *
forget your people and your father’s house.
12 The king will have pleasure in your beauty; *
he is your master; therefore do him honor.
13 The people of Tyre are here with a gift; *
the rich among the people seek your favor.”
14 All glorious is the princess as she enters; *
her gown is cloth-of-gold.
15 In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; *
after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.
16 With joy and gladness they are brought, *
and enter into the palace of the king.
17 “In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; *
you shall make them princes over all the earth.
18 I will make your name to be remembered
from one generation to another; *
therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever.”
Second Reading: Romans 7:15-25a
Reader A reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans
I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Please stand as you are able.
GRADUAL HYMN:
“Just as I am ” (vs. 1-3) The Hymnal 1982, #693
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,
O Lamb of God, I come.
2 Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt;
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come.
3 Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
sight, riches, healing of the mind,
yea, all I need, in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come.
The Gospel: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Deacon The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said to the crowd, “To what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Deacon The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Please be seated
The Homily The Rev. Mike Kreutzer
Proper 9 A July 5, 2026
This summer, our Sunday cycle of readings offers us some of the greatest stories in the entire bible: those taken from the books of Genesis and Exodus.
Last week, we heard what might be the most disturbing story in all of scripture: the story of the Binding of Issac. While later generations interpreted this ancient narrative to be about the total faith and obedience of Abraham, the emphasis in its conclusion is not so much on the faithfulness of Abraham, but on the faithfulness of God. After God calls on Abraham not to sacrifice his son but instead provides a ram for the offering, the story concludes: “Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’” The focus of this ancient narrative is on the God who provides.
That theme continues in today’s first reading, as God provides a suitable wife for Isaac and, in doing so, provides that the promises made to Abraham will continue to be fulfilled.
That focus will carry over into next Sunday’s reading when we will hear about coming of the next generation in the birth of Esau and Jacob. God will continue to provide for God’s people.
But the question for us is “How does that happen with us in our time and in our lives? How does God provide for God’s people today?”
There are certainly times and situations in our lives when things just seem to work out, as they did with Abraham’s servant in this morning’s reading. It appears that someone is looking out for us and providing for us; and that is an important aspect of our faith. Sometimes, it seems, God does provide in ways that we cannot fully explain.
But, for the most part, God does not step in directly and miraculously provide for our needs and show us a way out of a difficult, or seemingly impossible, situation. Instead, God provides for us through our fellow human beings. And God seeks to provide for our fellow human beings through us.
Many years ago, I came across an article by David Brooks. He called our tendency to give ourselves credit for what we have and for what we have achieved “The Credit Illusion.” Writing to a fictitious inquirer who has asked about how much credit he actually deserves for everything that he has accomplished in his life and for everything that he now owns, David Brooks writes: “You… are right to preserve your pride in your accomplishments. Great companies, charities and nations were built by groups of individuals who each vastly overestimated their own autonomy. As an ambitious executive, it’s important that you believe that you will deserve credit for everything you achieve. As a human being, it’s important for you to know that’s nonsense.” Many people – from our parents, our family, our teachers, our friends, and many more – have provided for us in countless ways. God has provided, and continues to provide for us, through many other people.
But the care of “the God who provides” works in the opposite direction as well. God seeks to provide for others through us. We are the means through which God provides for others. To put it another way, we are the hands of God.
All too often, when good, faithful people consider those who are in desperate need or who have faced a terrible tragedy, they content themselves by declaring simply that they are “in our thoughts and in our prayers” and then acting as though that absolves them from doing anything to address those needs or to help alleviate the causes of what has happened. Their attitude seems to be one of “I turned it over to God – and that gets me off the hook.” But it most certainly does not.
Several years ago, I came across a statement attributed to the late Pope Francis. He was teaching about the practice of prayer. He declared, “When you see someone who is hungry, first you pray for them; then you feed them. That’s how prayer works.” Prayer does not get us off-the-hook. Instead, it opens us up to God, maybe to a God who changes us and leads us to provide for the needs of our fellow human beings. We are all in this life together. We are all responsible for providing for one another.
That is a principle that, I suggest, is an important part of this weekend’s celebration as we mark 250 years since the signing of our nation’s Declaration of Independence. Its opening includes those time-honored words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” We all know and treasure those words. But what is too often ignored are the Declaration’s closing words. It concludes, not with an assertion of what is sometimes called “rugged individualism,” not with an affirmation of our individual independence, but with an affirmation of our mutual interdependence. It boldly states: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
This historic document affirms that all of us in this nation are in this life together and that we will provide: not just for ourselves, but for one another. And the great declaration of freedom and life that is our bible, affirms that all of us in this world are in this life together and that we will provide, not just for ourselves, but for one another.
Certainly, along with the author of Genesis, we are confident that “the Lord will provide.” But at the same time, our faith reminds us that God apparently is confident that we will provide: that we, as people who are abundantly blessed by God, will, along with Abraham, be a blessing to others. That is most frequently the way that God seeks to share God’s countless blessings with all God’s people. And we need to pray that we will prove worthy of God’s confidence in us, and that we will be faithful in doing the work that God has given us to do: providing for the needs of others, just as God and many of God’s other children provide for us.
Please stand as you are able.
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
In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer we pray for The Church of South America.
In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer we pray for Trinity Church in London, and Episcopal Retirement Services; an entity of the Diocese of Southern Ohio.
In our Parish Cycle of Prayer we pray for Sandy & Mike Bultman; Lisa, Steve, Sophia & Caroline Darnell; and Steve & Will Day.
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 on our Parish Prayer List: Jim H., Hayward, George, Patricia, Jim T., Mary-Anna, Wayne, Judy, Juanita, Rob, Susan, and the Darnell family; and for all who suffer from any grief or trouble;
That they may be delivered from their distress.
We praise you for your saints who have entered into joy;
May we also come to share in your heavenly kingdom.
Give to the departed eternal rest;
Let light perpetual shine upon them.
Let us pray for our own needs and those of others.
Celebrant Thanksgiving, blessing and praise be yours, God of the incarnation; because you care for us and for our prayer. May our love for you and our likeness to you be strengthened every time we pray. Amen.
The Confession of Sin
Celebrant Let us confess our sins to God and our neighbors.
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.
The Peace BCP p. 360
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
The Offertory – The ushers collect the offering at this time
Offertory music:
“Musette” J-F Dandrieu
Please stand as you are able.
PRESENTATION HYMN:
“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” LEVAS #56
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 HOLY COMMUNION
Eucharistic Prayer B (The Book of Common Prayer, page 367)
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. It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ; who on this day overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
SANCTUS: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord” The Hymnal 1982, #S128
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.
Please stand or kneel
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;
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. AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer BCP p. 364
As our Savior Christ has taught us, we now pray,
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 BCP p. 364
FRACTION ANTHEM:
“Christ our Passover” The Hymnal 1982, # S154
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
therefore let us keep the feast.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Officiant 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.
Please be seated.
ALL are welcome to the table of the Lord. If you choose not to receive Holy Communion and wish to receive a blessing please cross your arms over your chest. Come to the Great Eucharist thanking God for all he has done and will do for us.
COMMUNION HYMN:
“Love divine, all loves excelling ” The Hymnal 1982, #657
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 Come, almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be alway blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
3 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.
Post-Communion Prayer
Celebrant 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.
Deacon George It is with both great sadness and great joy that we accept the resignation of Barbara, our organist. She has been a blessing to St. Mark’s, and we will dearly miss her and her musical contributions to this parish. She has accepted a position at St. George’s Episcopal Church as their new organist. Her greatest joy in this new role is the opportunity to play the instrument of her dreams: a beautiful pipe organ.
As Barbara leaves St. Mark’s, we wish her the very best. In holy baptism, our Lord Jesus received you and made you members of his Church. When you came to this congregation, we rejoiced to welcome you into our fellowship in the Gospel. In this community of faith, you have heard the proclamation of God’s Word, which reveals his loving purpose for you and for all creation. You have been nourished at Christ’s holy table and called to be a witness to the Gospel. God has blessed you in this fellowship, and he has blessed us through you.
We encourage you to continue to receive and share God’s gifts with the St. George’s community as workers with us in the kingdom of God.
The Blessing
RECESSIONAL:
“O God of every nation” The Hymnal 1982, #607
1 O God of every nation, of every, race and land,
redeem the whole creation with your almighty hand;
where hate and fear divide us and bitter threats are hurled,
in love and mercy guide us and heal our strife-torn world.
2 From search for wealth and power and scorn of truth and right,
from trust in bombs that shower destruction through the night,
from pride of race and nation and blindness to your way,
deliver every nation, eternal God, we pray!
3 Lord, strengthen all who labor that we may find release
from fear of rattling saber, from dread of war’s increase;
when hope and courage falter, your still small voice be heard;
with faith that none can alter, your servants undergird.
4 Keep bright in us the vision of days when war shall cease,
when hatred and division give way to love and peace,
till dawns the morning glorious when truth and justice reign
and Christ shall rule victorious o’er all the world’s domain.
Dismissal
People Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE:
“Fanfare on Glorious things of thee are spoken” arr. G. Young
Thank you for joining us in worship.
Please know that your participation with us today,
in person or online, has been a blessing.
July 5, 2026:
The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Readings:
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 Psalm 45: 11-18
Romans 7:15-25a Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Officiant: The Rev. Mike Kreutzer
Organist: Barbara Acker-Mills
Acolyte: Elizabeth Wagner-Weber
Lay Readers: Gary Welch, TBD
Chalicists: Carol Williamson, Don Nancarrow
Tech & Facebook Live: Gary Welch, Katherine Wagner
Ushers: Ginny Tuxhorn, Jim Rudd
Counters: Jim Rudd, Katherine Wagner
Open/Close: Wagner/Nancarrow
July Altar Guild: Janet Reuter & the Welch Family
Altar Flowers: are given by Katherine Wagner
in loving memory of Bettie Veazey Babcock.
Candle: Rommell Festus-Abibo
Coffee Hour: Katherine Wagner & Elizabeth Wagner-Weber
July 12, 2026:
The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Readings:
Genesis 25:19-34; Psalm 119:105-112;
Romans 8:1-11; Matthew 13:1-9,18-23
Officiant: Deacon George
Organist: Barbara Acker-Mills
Acolyte: TBD
Lay Readers: Jim Rudd, Judy Rudd
Tech & Facebook Live: TJ Walch, Katherine Wagner
Ushers: Wayne Harper, Tony Rubino
Counters: Dave Reuter, Katherine Wagner
Open/Close: Wagner/Welch
July Altar Guild: Janet Reuter & the Welch Family
Altar Flowers: TBD
Candle: Claudia & Steve Hurd
Coffee Hour: Claudia & Steve Hurd
+++++++++
Announcements for the Week of July 5
The CANDLE in the Sanctuary Lamp is given by Rommell Festus-Abibo
The ALTAR FLOWERS are given by Katherine Wagner in loving memory of Bettie Veazey Babcock.
COFFEE HOUR is hosted by Katherine Wagner and Elizabeth Wagner-Weber
HUNGER SUNDAY is today! Due to the continuing decrease of food assistance, what food banks really need are financial donations so they can purchase quantities in bulk. Your canned goods are always welcome: shelf-stable items, spices, pet food, diapers & wipes, feminine hygiene supplies, can openers, and kitchen paper products are needed items
ACOLYTES NEEDED! Are you looking for a new and different ministry to serve? Come join the St. Mark’s Acolyte Corps who assist the priest or worship leader at all services. Questions? Contact Acolyte Director Elizabeth Wagner-Weber.
The monthly VESTRY MEETING has been moved to Thursday, June 25, at 6pm via Zoom. All are welcome to attend; contact Dave Reuter if you need the Zoom link.
MENTORING AND TUTORING PROGRAM – St. Mark’s is partnering with Mad River Local Schools to support 1st–4th graders at Saville Elementary through mentoring or tutoring. Please sign up on the bulletin board outside the church office for more information.
FLAGS FOR HEROES: JUNE 30-JULY 5 – Sponsored by the Beavercreek Rotary, Flags for Heroes honors personal heroes in four categories: Military, Family, First Responders, and Teachers/Mentors/Friends. Independence Day is the second of three times the flags are posted publicly; you are welcome to visit the memorial during the six days the flags are flying. If you’d like to designate someone for this honor, please see Jim Rudd. More information in The Lion’s Tale.
We will say Farewell and Godspeed to our Music Director, Barbara Acker-Mills on July 12. We are saddened to see her leave St. Mark’s because she has truly blessed us with her music and presence. We are excited for her as she begins her new position as Organist at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Centerville, as she is looking forward to playing their magnificent pipe organ. Please join us for a Special Coffee Hour on July 12, as we send her with blessings for both her ministry here, and as she begins this new ministry. Barbara, we will miss you and we send you out with love!
JOINT Worship Services/Events for St. Mark’s and St. Paul’s
Sunday, Aug 2 – Outreach Project and Worship Service at St. Paul’s at 10am.The Outreach Committees at both parishes will work together to organize details for a joint outreach project.
Sunday, Oct 4 – Outdoor Worship service & Pet Blessing at 10am. Location TBD.
A Holy Cycle
The transition process is a holy cycle.
It begins with discovering what God is already doing in our community. We observe, listen, and ask questions.
We look for the small and large ways God’s love is at work among our neighbors – whether they live next door or in the next town.
As we learn the needs of our community, we also pray and reflect on our own gifts and passions, both individually and as a parish. We remember Jesus’ call to go and make disciples and Isaiah’s promise that God is making all things new. Our passions, shaped by the Spirit, meet the needs of the world around us. This is where ministry begins.
To be the church is to participate in God’s work. It is less about filling pews or balancing budgets – important as those are – and more about living the gospel with compassion, mercy, and Christ-like love. It is being the hands and feet of Christ wherever we are.
As we shape our parish goals, we shape them for the sake of our neighbors. We offer our community a church that cares for them, prays for them, and is present with them. And as God continues to inspire us, the cycle begins again: discovering need, noticing God’s activity, and listening for the Spirit’s leading.
May the Spirit of God inspire and guide you.
