Prelude
“Variations of the Old 100th”
P.J. Jansen
(Please stand)
The Word of God
(BCP p. 355)
Celebrant Blessed be God:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
People And blessed be his king dom, 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
(BCP p.356)
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.
Collect of the Day
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you
Celebrant Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; 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)
A Reading from the Book of Exodus 33:12-23
Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have said to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And he said to him, “If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.” The Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Show me your glory, I pray.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, ‘The Lord’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.” And the Lord continued, “See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”
The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God
Psalm 99
(The Lector and the Congregation pray responsively)
1 The Lord is King;
let the people tremble; *
he is enthroned upon the cherubim;
let the earth shake.
2 The Lord is great in Zion; *
he is high above all peoples.
3 Let them confess his Name, which is great and awesome; *
he is the Holy One.
4 “O mighty King, lover of justice,
you have established equity; *
you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.”
5 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God
and fall down before his footstool; *
he is the Holy One.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests,
and Samuel among those who call upon his Name, *
they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; *
they kept his testimonies and the decree that he gave them.
8 “O Lord our God, you answered them indeed; *
you were a God who forgave them,
yet punished them for their evil deeds.”
9 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God
and worship him upon his holy hill; *
for the Lord our God is the Holy One.
A Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians 1:1-10
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead–Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God
(Please stand)
Celebrant The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew 22:1-14
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
The Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
(Please be seated)
The Sermon
The Rev. Dr. John Agbaje
Pay taxes but put God first!
The Pharisees were opposed to the Roman occupation of Palestine. The Herodians on the other hand, were instituted by Rome.
These two groups were bitter enemies; but, because they did not like Jesus, when it was time to trap Him, both groups became united against Him. They thought they could corner Jesus with their questions.
They asked Jesus if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not.
Jesus, believing that every person has citizenship to the State and to God said that our Citizenship to the State requires that we pay taxes for the amenities which we enjoy through the State (Life Application Bible (KJV) TYSDALY).
This Gospel reminds us that those who want to test Jesus would certainly find Him too hard to get through. This is because Jesus knows our thoughts before we say anything. After all Jesus was there at the beginning as the Word God spoke when God created human beings and our world. This is why those who came to bait Jesus were made to answer their own question. (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Matthew 22:15-22)
The tax in question was really the poll tax. There was no physical benefit associated to the tax. It simply went into the emperor’s coffers.
This tax was paid in coins with the inscription Tiberius Caesar Augustus of the divine Augustus, the High Priest. The Jews considered graven images as idolatrous and so these types of coins could be considered offensive to the Jews. After all, one of the 10 Commandments was not to make graven images for themselves and not to worship them. Clearly the Romans were unconcerned about that, but since the Jews did not like the Roman’s coin, the Romans allowed them to use another coin. The Jewish coin was cheap in value compared to the Roman’s coin. The Jewish coin was so devalued that in order to pay the tax in question the Jews would have had to carry lots of coins.
The challenge that the question posed for Jesus therefore is that it required a Yes or No answer. To them, Jesus had no choice other than to either make the Jews unhappy or make the Emperor unhappy.
If Jesus made the Emperor unhappy, He would have been arrested and His enemies would have won.
Thank God Jesus perceived their craftiness in asking a question like that. So, he asked for a coin. Then He asked the people whose image was on the coin and whose inscription. They said Caesar’s. Jesus responded: “Give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s.”
What Jesus encouraged the Jews to do was to obey the rule of their government even if it is against their own religious rule, but to put God first in all they do.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, since none of us can make our own rule outside of our own government, our call is to do our duty to our government by paying taxes, and put God first in our own lives by paying pledges to enhance proclamation of the Gospel from our Church. Our call is to give abundantly to God, to count our many blessings like the song:
“Count your blessings Name them one by one
and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”
So give until it feels good and may the Lord bless our giving.
Amen.
(Please stand)
The Nicene Creed
(BCP p. 358)
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
worshipped 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 Episcopal Church.
In the Diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for Epiphany in Nelsonville, St. James in Columbus, and St. Peter’s in Delaware.
In our Parish cycle of prayer, we pray for Dwight and Kathy Cass; Jackie Cooper; and Steve, Lisa, Sophie, and Carly 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 those on St. Mark’s Prayer List (N); for others for whom we wish to pray; for the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and the suffering, 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.
Silence
Celebrant Almighty God, to whom our needs are known before we ask:
Help us to ask only what accords with your will; and those good things which we dare not, or in our blindness cannot ask, grant us for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Confession of Sin
The Book of Common Prayer, page 360
Celebrant 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.
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.
People Amen.
The Peace
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
(Please be seated)
Birthday and Anniversary Prayers
Holy Communion
The Ushers collect the offering at this time.
Offertory
“O For a Closer Walk With God”
John Dykes
Soloist: TJ Walch
O for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame,
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the lamb.
So shall my walk be close with god,
Calm and serene my frames;
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.
(Please stand as the offerings are brought up)
Celebrant All things come of thee O Lord and of thy own have we given thee.
Prayer over the Gifts For the Pantry
Celebrant Dear Lord, who fed friends and strangers on the hillside, accept our gifts of food for the hungry in our community. Grant that we may never be at ease at our tables until all your people are fed. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten,
All nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Eucharistic Prayer A
(The Book of Common Prayer, page 361)
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.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power 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)
Celebrant 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.
Celebrant 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.
All Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Celebrant 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 for ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread.
A period of silence is kept.
Celebrant Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People Therefore let us keep the feast.
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.
We welcome our visitors today, and we invite all baptized Christians to join us in receiving Communion. Those not partaking are invited to come forward, cross your arms over your chest, and receive a blessing.
Please line up as directed by the ushers; at your turn walk up to Fr John and he will drop the Host into your hand. Return to your seat to consume it, then please replace your mask.
(Please stand)
Prayer After Communion
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.
(Please be seated)
Announcements
Blessing
Dismissal
The congregation is dismissed.
Celebrant Let us bless the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Postlude
“Recessional”
Herbert Horrocks
For today’s announcements, click HERE.
———–
St. Mark’s Vestry
Senior Warden: Gary Welch
Junior Warden: Katherine Wagner
Treasurer: Don Nancarrow
Secretary: Dave Reuter
Vestry Members:
Carol Nancarrow, Tracey Swartz
Susan Kendall
Kendall Rubino, Jenna Walch
St. Mark’s Staff
Transitional Priest in Charge The Rev. Dr. John Agbaje
Parish Administrator Katherine Wagner
Music Director Donna Larsen
Sexton Douglas Plummer
Webmaster Dave Reuter
Look for us…
On the web: www.StMarksDayton.org
Facebook: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Dayton, Ohio
Instagram: stmarksdayton
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