Pentecost-25 (Yr A) November 19, 2023

 

 

 

PRELUDE                         “Short Fantasia on Abridge”                                    Thomas Adams 

 

OPENING HYMN                 “We “Lift up your heads”                                     Hymn #436

 

1  Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates;

     behold the King of glory waits!

     The King of kings is drawing near;

     the Savior of the world is here.

 

 2  O blest the land, the city blest,

     where Christ the ruler is confessed!

     O happy hearts and happy homes

     to whom this King of triumph comes!

 

 3  Fling wide the portals of your heart;

     make it a temple, set apart

     from earthly use for heaven’s employ,

     adorned with prayer and love and joy.

 

 4  Redeemer, come! I open wide

     my heart to thee: here, Lord, abide!

     Let me thy inner presence feel:

     thy grace and love in me reveal.

 

 5  So come, my Sovereign; enter in!

     Let new and nobler life begin;

     thy Holy Spirit guide us on,

     until the glorious crown be won.

 

 

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

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant
us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace
and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given
us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

 

                    Please be seated for the lessons.

 

FIRST LESSON      Judges 4:1-7    A Reading from the Book of Judges

 

Joshua At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. She
used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country
of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. She sent and sum-

moned Barak son of Abinoam from The Israelites again did what was evil in the
sight of the LORD, after Ehud died. So the LORD sold them into the hand of King
Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the commander of his army was Sisera,
who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim. Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for
help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites
cruelly twenty years.

 

Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “The LORD, the God of Israel, commands
you, ‘Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of
Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army,
to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give
him into your hand.’”

 

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

 

 

PSALM                 Psalm 123                      Read responsively by half-verse.

 

1 To you I lift up my eyes, *
     to you enthroned in the heavens.

 

2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, *
     and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,

 

3 So our eyes look to the LORD our God, *
     until he show us his mercy.

 

4 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy, *
     for we have had more than enough of contempt,

 

5 Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, *
     and of the derision of the proud

 

 

Epistle   1 Thessalonians 5:1-11   A Reading from Paul’s first letter to the Church in Thessolonica

 

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need
to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of
the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, “There is peace and security,”
then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a
pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness,
for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and
children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then let us not fall
asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for those who sleep
sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to
the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet
the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are
awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and
build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

 

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

 

 

GRADUAL             “Once he came in blessing”                         Hymn #53

GOSPEL                        Matthew 25:14-30

 

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

 

People:  Glory to you Lord Christ.

 

Jesus said, “It is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted
his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another
one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received
the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more
talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents.
But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground
and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came
and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents
came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me
five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well
done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will
put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the one
with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me
two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well
done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will
put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Then the one
who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that
you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you
did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.
Here you have what is yours.’ But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave!
You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not
scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my
return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent
from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have,
more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have
nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw
him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

 

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                      “The Earth is the Lord’s”                          Carl Nygard, Jr

 

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              “Let all mortal keep silence”                  Hymnal 324

 

1  Let all mortal flesh keep silence,

        and with fear and trembling stand;

    ponder nothing earthly-minded,

        for with blessing in his hand

    Christ our God to earth descendeth,

        our full homage to demand.

 

2  King of kings, yet born of Mary,

        as of old on earth he stood,

    Lord of lords in human vesture,

        in the Body and the Blood

    he will give to all the faithful

        his own self for heavenly food.

 

3  Rank on rank the host of heaven

        spreads its vanguard on the way,

    as the Light of Light descendeth

        from the realms of endless day,

    that the powers of hell may vanish

        as the darkness clears away.

 

4  At his feet the six-winged seraph;

        cherubim with sleepless eye

    veil their faces to the Presence,

        as with ceaseless voice they cry,

    “Alleluia, alleluia!

        Alleluia, Lord Most High!”

 

 

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          “Judge eternal, throned in splendor”                      Hymn #596

 

1 Judge eternal, throned in splendor,

      Lord of lords and King of kings,

   with thy living fire of judgment

      purge this land of bitter things;

   solace all its wide dominion

      with the healing of thy wings.

 

 

2 Still the weary folk are pining

      for the hour that brings release,

   and the city’s crowded clangor

      cries aloud for sin to cease;

   and the homesteads and the woodlands

      plead in silence for their peace.

 

 

3 Crown, O God, thine own endeavor;

      cleave our darkness with thy sword;

   feed all those who do not know thee

      with the richness of thy word;

   cleanse the body of this nation

      through the glory of the Lord.

 

 

DISMISSAL

 

The congregation is dismissed by the deacon or the priest.

People    Thanks be to God.

 

POSTLUDE                     “Rigaudon”                             Andre Campra

 

 

        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 19, 2023
Altar Guild for November: Norma Peachey and Ginny Tuxhorn
Organist: Donna Larsen Vocalist: Laura Leach
Acolyte: Jackie Hoskinson
Lay Readers: Don Nancarrow and TJ Walch
Chalice Bearers: Don Nancarrow and Kendall Rubino
Tech Table: TJ Walch
Ushers: Dave Reuter and Ginny Tuxhorn
Counters: Carol Nancarrow and Jim Rudd
Open/Close: Wagner/Nancarrow
Coffee Hour: Youth Fundraiser
Sanctuary Candle and Flowers: The Rubino Family

 

 

Ministers for November 26, 2023
Altar Guild for November: Norma Peachey and Ginny Tuxhorn
Organist: Donna Larsen Vocalist: Laura Leach
Acolyte: Stephanie Welch
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: TBA/TBA
Coffee Hour: THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER POTLUCK
Flowers:
Sanctuary Candle: Elizabeth Wagner-Weber

 

Calendar items:
November 19—Adult Education and Sunday School, 9:15am
November 23—Thanksgiving Day
November 26—Food Pantry collection day
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
There are several significant feast days in September through November. Our Adult
Forum class talks about these occasions at 9:15am in the Lounge. Come for all; come
for some. Get to know the saints and the history behind a holy day or two.
November 19th—St. Andrew
November 26th—no class, Thanksgiving weekend

 

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!

 

Next Sunday: Thanksgiving Leftover Potluck
One can never have too much pie. Right? Let’s share our Thanksgiving bounty with
each other on November 26th.

 

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.
Have you turned in your pledge card? If so, thank you! If not, please do. There
are forms on the table in the narthex/foyer.

 

 

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