August 7, 2022 - Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

A Joint Worship Service between St. Paul’s Anglican and Fort Garry UC. Join us in person at St. Paul's or live-streamed at 10:15AM or find our recorded service at your convenience. Additional details on our Worship page.

How to join online: This service will be live streamed from to St. Paul’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/St-Pauls-Fort-Garry-Anglican-Church-163274787036804/ ). The video will open in your internet browser (no need to have a Facebook account). The video can also be viewed on the same Facebook page at any time after the live stream.

The worship video will also be uploaded to St. Paul’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1PjLywZrpISPEHLiyTEiVQ) later in the afternoon, where the video can be viewed at any time.

Prelude Music

Acknowledgement

Welcome

Gathering Song: 276 CP For All the Saints (vs. 1,2,4,7)

For all the saints who from their labours rest, who thee by faith before the world confessed, thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Alleluia! Alleluia! Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might; thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight; thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light. Alleluia! Alleluia!

O blest communion, fellowship divine, we feebly struggle, they in glory shine; yet all are one in thee, for all are thine. Alleluia! Alleluia!

But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day; the saints triumphant rise in bright array; the King of glory passes on his way. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Gathering the Community (Prayers to Share)

We come into your presence, O God, a community of faith, proud of our venturing heritage.

Abraham set out with Sarah and found a new land

Moses went into the desert, to escape the persecution of Pharaoh

Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem, and re-established a worshipping community

Jesus returned to Jerusalem and overcame the forces of evil

In the confidence of our faith tradition, let us worship God!

Prayer of the Day

All power is yours, Almighty God,

Creator of mountains, origin of life, source of countless galaxies.

All good is yours, compassionate God

Inspiration of the care givers, sustainer of the powerless, motivator of the justice seekers

All hopefulness is yours, Eternal God

Encourager of the downhearted, light in the dark places, defeater of death

All love is yours, Anointer of Jesus,

Bond of faith community, life giver to the saints, value-bringer to our troubled planet. We praise you world without end. Amen

Glory to God (Tune: Woodlands)

Glory to God, we give you thanks and praise;

Of heav’nly joy and earthly peace we sing.

We worship you, to you our hearts we raise,

Lord God almighty Father, heav’nly king.

Lord Jesus Christ, the Father’s only Son,

You bore for us the load of this world’s sin.

O Lamb of God, your glorious vict’ry won,

Receive our prayer, grant us your peace within.

Alone O Christ, you only are the Lord,

At God’s right hand in majesty most high:

Who with the Spirit worshipped and adored:

With all the heav’nly host we glorify.

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, you sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your Church. Open our hearts to the riches of your grace, that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love, joy, and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

The Proclamation of the Word

A reading from the book, Genesis (15:1-6)

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ And Abram said, ‘You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.’ But the word of the Lord came to him, ‘This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.’ He brought him outside and said, ‘Look towards heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.

The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God

Psalm 33:12-22 Refrain: The earth is full of the loving-kindness of the Lord.

Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord, happy the people chosen to be God’s own. The Lord looks down from heaven, and beholds all the people in the world. Enthroned in the heavens God gazes on all who dwell on the earth, fashioning all the hearts of them and understanding all their works.

The earth is full of the loving-kindness of the Lord.

There is no ruler that can be saved by a mighty army; the strong are not delivered by their great strength. The horse is a vain hope for deliverance; for all its strength it cannot save.

The earth is full of the loving-kindness of the Lord.

Behold, your eye, O Lord, is upon those who fear you, on those who wait upon your love, to pluck their lives from death, and to feed them in time of famine. Our soul waits for the Lord who is our help and our shield.

The earth is full of the loving-kindness of the Lord.

Indeed, our heart rejoices in God in whose holy name we put our trust. Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, as we have put our trust in you.

The earth is full of the loving-kindness of the Lord.

A Reading from the letter to the Hebrews (11:1-3, 8-16)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, ‘as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.’

All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God

Gradual Hymn: 565 CP Guide me O thou Great Redeemer

Guide me, O thou great Redeemer, pilgrim though this barren land; I am weak, but thou art mighty; hold me with thy powerful hand; Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more,

feed me till I want no more. Open now the crystal fountain, whence the healing stream doth flow; let the fire and cloudy pillar lead me all my journey through; strong deliverer, strong deliverer, be thou still my strength and shield,

be thou still my strength and shield. When I tread the verge of Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside; death of death and hell’s destruction land me safe on Canaan's side; Songs of praises, songs of praises, I will ever give to thee, I will ever give to thee.

The Lord be with you And also with you

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Luke 12:32-40

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ

‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

‘But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.’

The Gospel of Christ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

Homily

Affirmation of Faith: 44 CP I Believe in God Almighty

I believe in God almighty, Author of all things that be,

maker of the earth and heavens, keeper of the sky and sea.

I believe in God’s Son, Jesus, now for us both Lord and Christ,

of the Spirit and of Mary, born to bring abundant life.

I believe that Jesus suffered, scourged and scorned and crucified;

Taken from the cross, was buried – true life there had truly died.

I believe that on the third day Christ was raised up from the grave,

then ascended to God’s right hand. He will come to judge and save.

I believe in God’s own Spirit, bonding all the saints with-in

One church catholic, and holy, where forgiveness fees from sin;

In the body’s resurrection, for the breaking of death’s chains

Give the life that’s ever-lasting: this the faith that I have claimed.

Prayers of the People Our response to the prayers today is Holy One, in your love and mercy: hear our prayer. Holy One, creation was envisioned by you and is sustained by you; in gratitude we pray for the world: that its riches and resources be used responsibly and fairly; that its rulers and leaders may govern with justice, compassion and humility; that humankind may live with understanding and respect, noticing what unites us; In your love and mercy: hear our prayer. Holy One, Teacher of Love and compassion, you lived among us to teach us and to show us by your example how to love; in humility we pray for our siblings around the globe: for those dehumanized by their struggle for existence, may we listen; for those overshadowed by the constancy of death, may we notice; for those besieged by fear, anger and relentless peril, may we show up; for those ensnared by systems beyond their control, may we be willing to add our voices to demand change. In your love and mercy, hear our prayer. Holy One, Breath of Being, you are here – in this very moment – a constant presence and insistent voice; in gratitude we pray…with boldness we pray: inundate the world with humanity, overwhelm the world with truth, flood the world with kindness and hope, upset our indifference so that complacency comes to an end, accelerate our action so that those who wait for justice see it take shape and happen, fortify our resolve to continue to seek equality for all, compel us to authentic discipleship that nurtures creation, embodies love and breathes life,

hope and justice for all. In your love and mercy, hear our prayer. Triune and blessed Creator, we look at our world that is full of pain and we say we want to help, we want to stand in solidarity, we want to lend our voice and our hands and ourselves. Remind us, walk with us and show us how to continue to be a “squeaky wheel” so that issues of reconciliation, justice and equality do not get ignored but are addressed in a timely manner. Let truth be spoken without fear. In your love and mercy, hear our prayer.

Prayer of Confession

Divine forgiver, for our arrogant endeavours to live as islands, and our willing ignorance of others…

God, have mercy upon us

Giver of all goodness, for our greedy accumulation of wealth and prestige, and our unlimited demands on this life…

Christ, have mercy upon us

Granter of purpose, for our own ambitions devised pretentiously, and our inflexibility to laugh and play…

God, have mercy upon us

Words of Assurance

O God, you alert us, and you bring us confidence

You enable us to say the words that need saying,

You enable us to take the actions that need to be taken.

We rejoice in your strong presence, for the good times, and for the challenging times.

Pardon and peace are yours.

Thanks be to God. Amen

The Peace

Offertory Hymn: 536 CP Singing Songs of Expectation Singing songs of expectation, onward goes the pilgrim band, Through the night of doubt and sorrow, marching to the promised land. Clear before us through the darkness gleams and burns the guiding light: Trusting God, we march together stepping fearless through the night. One the light of God’s own presence, o’er his ransomed people shed, Chasing far the gloom and terror, brightening all the path we tread: One the object of our journey, one the faith which never tires, One the earnest looking forward, one the hope our God inspires. One the strain the lips of thousands lift as from the heart of one; One the conflict, one the peril, one the march in God begun: One the gladness of rejoicing on the far eternal shore, Where the one almighty Creator reigns in love for evermore.

Prayer over the gifts

God our creator, receive all we offer you this day, and grant that in this eucharist we may be enriched by the gifts of the Spirit. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Eucharistic Prayer 2

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 our thanks and praise.

We give you thanks and praise, almighty God, through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer. He is your living Word, through whom you have created all things. By the power of the Holy Spirit he took flesh of the woman Mary and shared our human nature. He lived and died as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.

In fulfilment of your will he stretched out his hands in suffering, to bring release to those who place their hope in you; and so he won for you a holy people. He chose to bear our griefs and sorrows, and to give up his life on the cross, that he might shatter the chains of evil and death, and banish the darkness of sin and despair. By his resurrection he brings us into the light of your presence. Now with all creation we raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name.

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of power and might Heaven and Earth of your glory are full Hosanna, in the Highest. Blessed is the one that comes in the name of the Lord

Hosanna in the highest

Holy and gracious God, accept our praise, through your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ; who on the night he was handed over to suffering and death, took bread and gave you thanks, saying, “Take, and eat: this is my body which is broken for you.”

In the same way he took the cup, saying, “This is my blood which is shed for you. When you do this, you do it in memory of me.”

Remembering, therefore, his death and resurrection, we offer you this bread and this cup, giving thanks that you have made us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.

We ask you to send your Holy Spirit upon the offering of your holy Church. Gather into one all who share in these sacred mysteries, filling them with the Holy Spirit and confirming their faith in the truth, that together we may praise you and give you glory through your Servant, Jesus Christ. All glory and honour are yours, Father and Son, with the Holy Spirit in the holy Church, now and for ever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

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

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.

We, being many, are one body, for we all share in the one bread

The Communion

Prayer After Communion

Eternal God, grant to your Church the unity and peace that we have tasted in this eucharist, the fruit of your life-giving Spirit. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen

Glory to God,

whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Blessing

Announcements

Closing Hymn This Little Light of Mine

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine