8:00 Service September 26: Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
You will find our live stream on our homepage, on Facebook (where you can interact with others watching with comments), and on Youtube.
Our Mission Welcome to The Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, a welcoming and diverse community seeking to walk in the way of Jesus and to reveal Christ’s reconciling love in our city, nation, and world.
Things are different right now. The pandemic means we are keeping things simple, short, and safe. Masks are required thorughout the service. There are a few other ground rules.
Distancing: As much as we wish we could greet one another, out of love for our neighbor we have to stay distanced. Please maintain 6 or more feet from other households at all times. Consider sending a text, a message on Facebook, or even writing a letter or email to someone who could use some peace. A wave, a peace sign, or a “smize” (a smile with your eyes) will do.
Masks: Please ensure all members of your household over age 5 are wearing a mask covering both the mouth and nose at all times. (Children over age 2 are encouraged to wear masks, but not required). Ushers have some masks available, if you forgot yours. Please do not remove your mask or lift your mask at any time. When it comes time for communion, simply slip the wafer under your mask.
Donations: We welcome donations to support the work of Holy Communion, whether a payment on a pledge or simply an offering. An offering box is available at the welcome table, if you would like to make a gift after the service. You can also text GIVE to (833) 864-5384 or give any time on our website holycommunion.net/give
Is there wheelchair accessibility? Yes. Our entrances have auto-open buttons, and our elevator is ADA compliant. Both the downstairs restrooms and one of the upstairs restrooms are accessible. Everyone is invited to remain seated during the service as they need.
What about hearing assistance? We can help there, too. Hearing assistance devices are available from the ushers. Just ask.
How do I get involved? If you begin by filling out a “Connect Card” at the Welcome Table or online, we’d be glad to keep you up to date with all that goes on here. You can also use the Connect Cards to update your information, request prayers, or to ask a question. Turn them in to the wooden offering box in the entryway.
The congregation is invited to say the words together in bold. If you are worshiping with us from home, to prepare for worship, you may want to place a candle or two in the place where you worship, to light during the opening prayer.
Procession
The in-person congregation is invited to stand as the clergy enter and reverence the altar.
Welcome
A priest welcomes the congregation. If you are new to us, consider filling out our “get connected” form, let us get to know you better.
Opening Dialogue and the Collect of the Day
In this “Season of Creation” our service begins with a call to prayer adapted from a resource by the Scottish minister John Bell.
Blessed be God: most holy, glorious, and undivided Trinity.
And blessed be God’s reign, now and forever. Amen.
Heaven is here, and earth, and the space is thin between them. Distance may divide, but Christ’s promise unites those of us still bounded by time, and those who are now blessed by eternity. Let heaven be glad.
Let the whole earth cry glory.
Heaven is here, and earth, and the church above and below is one. Peter and the disciples are here, and Paul, Martha and all the Marys, St Francis and St Claire, Mother Teresa; Jonathan Daniels and Martin Luther King; the saints from far back and those who left us not long ago. And only sight prevents us from seeing them, for they are one with us on the other side. Let heaven be glad.
Let the whole earth cry glory.
Heaven is here, and earth, and God who made them is present. The Lamb, glorious on the throne, sits beside us; the spirit of God, the Dove, makes her resting place among us. God inhales the breath of our prayers and spreads a table for our satisfaction. Let heaven be glad.
Let the whole earth cry glory.
Blessing and honor and glory and power be to our God for ever and ever. Amen.
The Collect of the Day
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lessons
We hear the stories of the experience of God from our spiritual ancestors. Following an ancient pattern originally from Jewish synagogue worship, readings follow a set calendar for what will be read when. The translation used at Holy Communion is the Common English Bible translation.
A Reading from the book of Numbers (Numbers 11:4-6,10-16,24-29)
The riffraff among them had a strong craving. Even the Israelites cried again and said, "Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for free, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. Now our lives are wasting away. There is nothing but manna in front of us."
Moses heard the people crying throughout their clans, each at his tent's entrance. The LORD was outraged, and Moses was upset. Moses said to the LORD, "Why have you treated your servant so badly? And why haven't I found favor in your eyes, for you have placed the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give birth to them, that you would say to me, ‘Carry them at the breast, as a nurse carries an unweaned child,' to the fertile land that you promised their ancestors? Where am I to get meat for all these people? They are crying before me and saying, ‘Give us meat, so we can eat.' I can't bear this people on my own. They're too heavy for me. If you're going to treat me like this, please kill me. If I've found favor in your eyes, then don't let me endure this wretched situation." The LORD said to Moses, "Gather before me seventy men from Israel's elders, whom you know as elders and officers of the people. Take them to the meeting tent, and let them stand there with you.”
So Moses went out and told the people the LORD's words. He assembled seventy men from the people's elders and placed them around the tent. The LORD descended in a cloud, spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and placed it on the seventy elders. When the spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but only this once. Two men had remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the second named Medad, and the spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they hadn't gone out to the tent, so they prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." Joshua, Nun's son and Moses' assistant since his youth, responded, "My master Moses, stop them!" Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? If only all the LORD's people were prophets with the LORD placing his spirit on them!"
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The Psalm (Psalm 124)
The Psalm is read responsively. The congregation is invited to read the verses in bold.
If the Lord had not been on our side,
let Israel now say;
if the Lord had not been on our side,
when enemies rose up against us;
then would they have swallowed us up alive
in their fierce anger toward us;
then would the waters have overwhelmed us
and the torrent gone over us;
then would the raging waters
have gone right over us.
Blessed be the Lord
who has not given us over to be a prey for their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler;
the snare is broken, and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ according to Mark (Mark 9:38-50)
Please stand for the reading of the Gospel.
John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone throwing demons out in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”
Jesus replied, “Don’t stop him. No one who does powerful acts in my name can quickly turn around and curse me. Whoever isn’t against us is for us. I assure you that whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will certainly be rewarded.
“As for whoever causes these little ones who believe in me to trip and fall into sin, it would be better for them to have a huge stone hung around their necks and to be thrown into the lake. If your hand causes you to fall into sin, chop it off. It’s better for you to enter into life crippled than to go away with two hands into the fire of hell, which can’t be put out. If your foot causes you to fall into sin, chop it off. It’s better for you to enter life lame than to be thrown into hell with two feet. If your eye causes you to fall into sin, tear it out. It’s better for you to enter God’s kingdom with one eye than to be thrown into hell with two. That’s a place where worms don’t die and the fire never goes out. Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt loses its saltiness, how will it become salty again? Maintain salt among yourselves and keep peace with each other.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon:
Please be seated, at the invitation of the preacher.
The Rev. Mike Angell
The Prayers
Please stand or kneel.
Let us join our hearts and turn our minds together to all creation, and to the Creator’s gifts.
Loving God. We give our thanks.
Let us think of our Mother, the Earth, upon whom we walk and who supports us and nurtures life in all its forms. We give thanks for the minerals, the fungi, and bacteria that give life to soil, bodies and systems. We pray we can learn to walk on Earth with more respect.
Loving God. Hear our Prayer.
Let us call to mind of the reasons why we are gathered. For this place in which we gather, for the Illini people and other first nations who called this land home. For those serving in leadership in government, and for connections through the church to our wider community: in the diocesan cycle of prayer for All Saint’s Episcopal Church in Farmington, and for our relationship with Cristosal in Central America, that together with our web of relations we might learn to better care for creation.
Loving God. We give our thanks.
Let us think of the whole human family whose livelihood and well-being depend on the well-being of the Earth. We pray for those on our prayer list, and for those needing our prayer. You are invited to add your own prayers silently, aloud (or in the comments online). In this difficult season for our planet, we especially lift up our siblings who are displaced from their homes.
Loving God. Hear our Prayer
Let us turn our minds to the sacred waters of the world, the great oceans, aquifers, lakes, rivers and streams, let us turn our mind to the plant life of the Creator’s world: that which is below ground; the roots and vegetables; that which puts just its head above the ground: the grasses, medicines, plants and bushes, all of the many kinds of good fruit the Creator has given us. Let us think of all our kindred animals, those that crawl, walk, swim and fly. Let us also remember to give thanks for the whole human community, for those celebrating a birthday this week especially Alisa Williams. And for those celebrating anniversaries especially Rudy Walz and Bob Meintz.
Loving God. We give our thanks.
Let us turn our minds to those who have gone before us in death. May we all come to feast at the banquet prepared from the foundation of the world.
Loving God. Hear our Prayer
The Peace
The peace of Christ be always with you.
And also with you.
The Peace is then exchanged. Consider sending a text, a message on Facebook, or even writing a letter or email to someone who could use some peace. If you are in the space, please do not approach people outside your household. A wave, a peace sign, or a “smize” (a smile with your eyes) will do.
Announcements:
Announcements are shared. You may be seated.
Offering While we cannot pass the plate, we welcome donations to support the work of Holy Communion, whether a payment on a pledge or simply an offering. An offering box is available at the welcome table, if you would like to make a gift after the service. You can also give on our website or by texting GiveHoCO to (833) 864-5384
Eucharistic Prayer
please stand as you are able
The second part of the liturgy moves to the Table. As we remember Jesus’ last supper with his disciples, we gather in a way Christians have for millenia.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
The presider offers our thanks to God for the grace and mercy made available to us in Christ.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
The presider gives thanks to God for the reconciling work of Christ’s passion and resurrection and remembers Jesus’ last supper with his disciples. The presider concludes with prayer for the coming of God’s reign.
Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God, now and forever. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray in the way Christ taught us, and in the language of our hearts.
Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo, santificado sea tu Nombre,
venga tu reino,
hágase tu voluntad,
en la tierra como en el cielo.
Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día.
Perdona nuestras ofensas,
como también nosotros perdonamos
a los que nos ofenden.
No nos dejes caer en tentación
y líbranos del mal.
Porque tuyo es el reino,
tuyo es el poder, y tuya es la gloria,
ahora y por siempre. Amén
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
Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
Administration of the Sacrament
All are welcome to receive. When it comes time, please maintain a distance of greater than 6 feet in a single file line up to the front. Please come to the priest on the side of the church where you are sitting. Make your way down the side aisle to return to your seat. Under the bishop’s order, wine is not available at this time. If you would rather receive a blessing, please come forward to the altar rail during communion and cross your arms across your chest. Gluten free wafers are available, on request, from the minister.
The Anthem
How Great Thou Art
Post Communion Prayer
God of abundance, you have fed us with the bread of life and cup of salvation; you have united us with Christ and one another; and you have made us one with all your people in heaven and on earth. Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit, that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue forever in the risen life of Christ our Savior. Amen.
The Blessing
The people stand or kneel as the presider proclaims the final blessing. The People respond: Amen
Dismissal
Our worship has ended, our service in the world continues.
The Deacon dismisses the congregation:
Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
Thanks be to God.
Procession
The in-person congregation is invited to stand as the clergy exit and reverence the altar.
Service Leaders
Preacher: The Rev. Mike Angell
Celebrant: The Rev. Julie Graham
Deacon: The Rev. Chester Hines
Reader:
Intercessor:
Usher:
