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The Twenty Third Sunday
After Pentecost
November 16, 2014
http://sixmeasuresofbarley.files.wordpress.com
10:00am
Christ Episcopal Church
Montpelier, Vermont
Christ Church is a Christian faith community that welcomes all, worships together,
transforms lives, and engages in God’s work in greater Montpelier and beyond.
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The Holy Eucharist – Rite II – 10:00 am
We invite you to observe silence before the service begins.
Processional Hymn: #617, “Eternal ruler of the ceaseless round”
Salutation and response
BCP 355
Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever.
Amen.
Collect for Purity
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: #S277, “Plainsong”
David Hurd
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
The Collect of the Day.
BCP 236
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.
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The Word of God
A reading from the Book of Judges
4:1-7
Psalm 123
BCP 780
To you I lift up my eyes,
to you enthroned in the heavens.
As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes look to the LORD our God,
until he show us his mercy. Antiphon.
Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy,
for we have had more than enough of contempt,
Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich,
and of the derision of the proud. Antiphon.
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians
Sequence Hymn: #9, “Not here for his and holy things”
The Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Sequence Hymn: #9, “Not here for his and holy things”
The Sermon
5:1-11
vs. 1-3
25:14-30
vs. 4-6
Rev. Bob Meyers
South African Affirmation of Faith
It is not true that this world and its inhabitants are doomed to die and be lost;
This is true: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that
everyone who believes in him shall not die but have everlasting life.
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It is not true that we must accept inhumanity and discrimination, hunger and poverty,
death and destruction;
This is true; I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
It is not true that violence and hatred shall have the last word, and that war and
destruction have come to stay forever;
This is true; For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given in whom
authority will rest and whose name will be Prince of Peace.
It is not true that we are simply victims of the powers of evil that seek to rule the world;
This is true: To Me is given all authority in Heaven and on Earth, and lo, I
am with you always to the end of the world.
It is not true that we have to wait for those who are specially gifted, who are the
prophets of the church, before we can do anything;
This is true: I will pour out My Spirit on all people, and your sons and
daughters shall prophesy, your young people shall see visions, and your
old folk shall dream dreams.
It is not true that our dreams for the liberation of humankind, our dreams of justice, of
human dignity, of peace, are not meant for this earth and this history;
This is true: The hour comes, and it is now, that true worshippers shall
worship God in spirit and in truth.
Prayers of the People
Let us pray for the church and for the world.
Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your
truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and
peace; that we may honor one another and serve the common good.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its
resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
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Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant we may serve Christ
in them, and love one another as he loves us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind or spirit: give them courage
and hope in their troubles and bring them the joy of your salvation. Today, we pray
especially for Mack, Bonnie, Pat and Bob, Mary, Katherine, Eric, John, Heather
and John’s family, Ellen, Catherine, Mark, Anne, Deb, for Sylvia, and for those
whom you wish to name either silently or aloud. (After a brief silence, the leader
and people respond.)
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
For those who rest in Christ, for all the dead, and for those persons you wish to
remember either silently or aloud.
(After a brief silence, the leader and people respond.)
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
The Concluding Collect
Confession and Absolution
BCP 360
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 thy 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 Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
We encourage you to offer your neighbor a sign of peace!
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The Holy Communion
All are welcome to receive communion at our Lord’s table!
In addition to traditional consecrated bread and wine,
consecrated gluten free hosts and grape juice are available upon request.
The Offertory
Offertory Anthem: “Praise the Lord ye Servants”,
Doxology : Hymn #380, Verse 3
John Blow (1649-1708)
The Great Thanksgiving
BCP 369
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
God of all power, Ruler of the Universe, you are worthy of glory and praise.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space,
galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island
home.
By your will they were created and have their being.
From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us
with memory, reason, and skill. You made us the rulers of creation. But we
turned against you, and betrayed your trust; and we turned against one
another.
Have mercy, Lord, for we are sinners in your sight.
Again and again, you called us to return. Through prophets and sages you
revealed your righteous Law. And in the fullness of time you sent your only Son,
born of a woman, to fulfill your Law, to open for us the way of freedom and
peace.
By his blood, he reconciled us. By his wounds, we are healed.
And therefore we praise you, joining with the heavenly chorus, with prophets,
apostles, and martyrs, and with all those in every generation who have looked
to you in hope, to proclaim with them your glory, in their unending hymn:
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Sanctus 124
And so, Father, we who have been redeemed by him, and made a new people by
water and the Spirit, now bring before you these gifts.
Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our
Lord.
On the night he was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread,
and gave it to his friends, 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, gave thanks, and said, “Drink this, all of
you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for all for
the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of
me.”
Remembering now his work of redemption, and offering to you this sacrifice of
thanksgiving,
We celebrate his death and resurrection, as we await the day of his
coming.
Lord God of our Fathers and Mothers: God of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and
Rebekah, and Jacob and Leah and Rachel; God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ:
Open our eyes to see your hand at work in the world about us.
Deliver us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace only, and
not for strength; for pardon only, and not for renewal.
Let the grace of this Holy Communion make us one body, one spirit in Christ,
that we may worthily serve the world in his name.
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Risen Lord, be known to us in the breaking of the Bread.
Accept these prayers and praises, Father, through Jesus Christ our great High
Priest, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, your Church gives honor, glory,
and worship, from generation to generation. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
BCP 364
The Breaking of the Bread
Fraction Anthem
S154
Distribution of Communion
Communion Anthem: “Give Almes of Thy Good”
Christopher Tye (1500-1572)
Communion Hymn #312, “Strengthen for service Lord”
The Postcommunion Prayer
BCP 366
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.
The Blessing
Recessional Hymn: #551, “Rise up ye saints of God”
The Dismissal
Thank you for worshipping with us today!
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Welcome!
Our Lay Eucharistic Minister this morning is Angela Simpson.
Our Lectors this morning are Elizabeth Wilcox and Jody Pettersen.
Our Ushers this morning are Allen Gilbert and Laurie Labarthe.
Martha Holden is preparing the altar for the month of November.
Christ Episcopal Church’s team of preachers reflects a variety of styles by
bringing the Word of God to life in unique and relevant ways.
The flowers on the altar this morning are given by Martha Holden to the glory
of God and in gratitude for her vocation
ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPCOMING EVENTS!
“Engaging in God’s Mission” By now, most members and friends of
Christ Church have received the 2015 stewardship invitation themed “Engaging
in God’s Mission.” We hope you will take the time to read this narrative story and
that you will respond to the invitation by pledging your “first fruits” to supporting
the continually evolving mission and ministries of Christ Episcopal Church. If
you would like to continue your pledging electronically, please let us
know, as we cannot authorize without your prior notification. The
fall pledge campaign officially closes on November 23, 2014. Thank you!
Vestry Meeting: A meeting of the Christ Church vestry (elected leadership
team) will take place on Monday, November 17, 2014 from 6:30-8:30PM in the
conference room on the lower level. Anyone interested in learning more about
how our vestry works is invited to attend.
The "Youth and Family Team" is reorganizing! Rev. Auburn is
looking for volunteers interested in participating in an Intergenerational
Fellowship and Events team which will meet quarterly throughout the year and
actively organize intergenerational fellowship opportunities here at Christ
Church! Please contact Auburn if you are interested: 802-249-9593 or
[email protected].
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Youth Formation Team: Are you interested in teaching bible stories to
children in fun and interesting ways? Rev. Auburn is looking to fill the Teaching
Rota for the spring semester (beginning in Epiphany/January). Please contact
Auburn for more information!
Upcoming Church School & Youth Events!
Nov 16: Church School/Godly Play – Angel Tree preparations for Christmas
outreach ministry.
Nov 22: Montpelier Area Interfaith Youth Group! 6-8PM @ Unitarian Church,
Main St., Montpelier.
Nov 23: Youth In-Church Sunday (Christ the King) – FIRST CHRISTMAS
PAGEANT REHEARSAL after 10:00AM Eucharist. (until 12:30PM)
Nov 29: Angel Tree will be set up in sanctuary.
Nov 30: (Advent 1)
PAGEANT REHEARSAL during regular church school time at the
10:00AM Eucharist.
A blessing of THE ANGEL TREE will also take place during this service.
Dec 7: (Advent 2) Church School/Godly Play - and PAGEANT REHEARSAL after
10:00AM Eucharist (until 12:30)
Dec 14: (Advent 3) PAGEANT REHEARSAL during 10:00AM church school and
after the Eucharist until 12:30PM.
Dec 19: Montpelier Area Interfaith Youth Group! 6-8PM @ Christ Episcopal
Church.
Dec 21: (Advent 4) Christmas Pageant at the 10:00AM Eucharist
Angel Tree presents will be delivered to sponsor families.
Dec 28: MERRY CHRISTMAS! (No children/youth programming today.)
Hanover Concrete Pavers: Our courtyard is nearly complete and we
have two pallets of new pavers left over. Additionally, we have some blue stone
pavers. We are looking to sell the new pavers at cost. Anyone interested in
purchasing them please contact Denise Womer, Junior Warden @ 603-545-9488
or [email protected] .
Interested in helping our environment and reducing our
heat consumption? We are looking for help programming our
thermostats. Each thermostat is programmed individually according to our
building’s use. This can be done on Sunday’s after church and in about an hour’s
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time. If you are willing to help our please contact Denise Womer @ 603-5459488 or [email protected] .
How Does our Worship Feed Us Monday through Saturday?
In our liturgy during this stewardship season, we will hear brief “Ministry
Minutes” from members of our congregation. Many experience our worship
together on Sunday as a “re-fueling” for the work of the week. Members of the
Christ Church congregation will be invited to speak about how they find and
share Christ’s love in the activities that fill their week, and their gratitude for our
life together in worship. If you have a story to share, contact Rev. Beth Ann Maier
– 802-793-4234, or [email protected].
Music Discernment Process: A newly formed music discernment
committee has begun meeting regularly to begin the process which will eventually
lead toward the calling of a new organist/choir director. Maggie Thompson and
Diane Holland are the leaders of this discernment committee. Stay tuned for
more information.
Repairing the Northwest Corner of the Church: As you know,
the NW corner of our sanctuary needs to be repaired this coming spring.
Professional inspectors and architects have estimated the repair to this granite
wall to total $150-$175,000. To date, we have received grants and contributions
totaling approximately $85,000. If you would like to make a contribution toward
repairing this corner of the church, please speak to Josh Fitzhugh or to Rev Paul.
Your contributions are greatly appreciated.
Vestry Openings: Are you interested in serving on the Christ Church vestry
(elected leadership team)? Several vestry members will be completing their terms
in January, which will create opportunities for new members to step in. If you
would like to know more about how the vestry operates, please speak to any
current vestry member or contact Sharon Winn Fannon, Sr. Warden for more
information. Serving on the vestry is enjoyable and rewarding.
Soup Kitchen Fund Drive: November 28-30, 2014, the Soup Kitchen
will be operating a fund drive at the Sharon, VT rest area on I-89. Baked goods
will be available to travelers for a monetary donation toward supporting the
ministry of Christ Church’s Soup Kitchen. If you can contribute baked goods to
support this fund raiser, the Soup Kitchen team would be appreciative. See Bill
Beard for more information.
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The Missions & Ministries of Christ Episcopal Church, Montpelier
Altar Guild
Choir/Music
Christ Church Tours
Martha Holden (802-229-9036)
Diane Holland (802-223-2976)
Joan Sabens (802-476-2040)
Jackie Mills Brown (802-223-2243)
Communications Team
Erika Nagy (802-552-8165)
Kathy Pries (802-522-8219)
Diocesan Representatives
Maggie Thompson (802-454-4635)
Discretionary Fund for Community Outreach
Ginny Catone, (802-229-9898)
Finance Committee
John Jaworski (802-476-4942)
Food Shelf
Bill Beard (802-223-2137)
Full Ladle Soup Kitchen
Sharon Wilson (802-244-8037)
Hospitality Committee
Ida Lange (802-223-3223)
Lay Eucharistic Ministers/Chalice Bearers/Lectors
Steamer Walke (802-223-3632)
Lay Eucharistic Visitor/Home Communion Cynthia Steed (802-622-0787)
Pastoral Care Committee
Rev. Beth Ann Maier (802-244-7472)
Kathy Preis (802-522-8219)
Prayer Chain
Pat Carruth (802-223-7050)
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Maggie Thompson (802-454-4635)
Rilla Murray (802-229-0416)
Stewardship Committee
Denise Womer (802-778-0218)
Sudan Communion
Deb Jerard (802-223-0531)
Martha Holden 802-229-9036)
Youth and Families Ministry
Rev. Auburn Watersong (802-249-9593)
Vestry (elected leadership team)
Sharon Winn Fannon (802-454-1173)
Usher/Greeter Ministry
Jody Pettersen (802-522-6171)
Worship Committee
Rev. Paul Habersang (802- 223-3631)
Would you like to get involved or learn more about these ministries? If so, please
contact the persons listed so you can become active in our ministries!
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