The Liturgy of the Word

Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost

Processional Hymn #423: Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

1 Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

almighty, victorious, thy great Name we praise.

2 Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,

nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;

thy justice like mountains high soaring above

thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

3 To all life thou givest, to both great and small;

in all life thou livest, the true life of all;

we blossom and flourish, like leaves on the tree,

then wither and perish; but nought changeth thee.

4 Thou reignest in glory, thou rulest in light,

thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;

all laud we would render: O help us to see

'tis only the splendor of light hideth thee.

[Words: Walter Chalmers Smith, alt. Music: St. Denio, Welsh hymn, from Caniadou y Cyssegr, adapt. John Roberts; harm. The English Hymnal, alt. Reprinted with permission under One License # 84444. All rights reserved.]

The Opening Acclamation

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever. Amen.

The Confession of Sin

Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14, 16)

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept. All pray together, kneeling, as they are able,

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.

The Deacon or Lay Celebrant says:

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

LEV #243: Glory To God

The Collect of the Day                                 

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us pray. 

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.  Amen.

A Reading from the Book of Proverbs 25:6-7

Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great; for it is better to be told, "Come up here," than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 112

1 Hallelujah! Happy are they who fear the Lord * 

and have great delight in his commandments!

2 Their descendants will be mighty in the land; * 

the generation of the upright will be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches will be in their house, * 

and their righteousness will last for ever.

4 Light shines in the darkness for the upright; * 

the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.

5 It is good for them to be generous in lending * 

and to manage their affairs with justice.

6 For they will never be shaken; * 

the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.

7 They will not be afraid of any evil rumors; * 

their heart is right; they put their trust in the Lord.

8 Their heart is established and will not shrink, * 

until they see their desire upon their enemies.

9 They have given freely to the poor, *

and their righteousness stands fast for ever; they will hold up their head with honor.

10 The wicked will see it and be angry; they will gnash their teeth and pine away; * 

the desires of the wicked will perish.

A Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?" Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Sequence Hymn #376: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

1 Joyful, joyful, we adore thee,

God of glory, Lord of love;

hearts unfold like flowers before thee,

praising thee, their sun above.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;

drive the dark of doubt away;

giver of immortal gladness,

fill us with the light of day.

2 All thy works with joy surround thee,

earth and heaven reflect thy rays,

stars and angels sing around thee,

center of unbroken praise.

field and forest, vale and mountain,

blooming meadow, flashing sea,

chanting bird and flowing fountain,

call us to rejoice in thee.

[Public Domain. Words: Henry Van Dyke. Music: Hymn to Joy, Ludwig van Beethoven; adapt. Edward Hodges, alt. Reprinted with permission under One License # EXS00130SD. All rights reserved.]

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to St. Luke 

Glory to you, Lord Christ.

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, `Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, `Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sequence Hymn #376: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (Final Verse)

3 Thou art giving and forgiving,

ever blessing, ever blest,

wellspring of the joy of living,

ocean-depth of happy rest!

Thou our Father, Christ our Brother:

all who live in love are thine;

teach us how to love each other,

lift us to the joy divine.

[Public Domain. Words: Henry Van Dyke. Music: Hymn to Joy, Ludwig van Beethoven; adapt. Edward Hodges, alt. Reprinted with permission under One License # EXS00130SD. All rights reserved.]

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, Form IV

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. [Silence]

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. [Silence]

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. [Silence]

Lord, in your mercy

Hear our prayer.

Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, especially _____ on their birthdays and _____ on their anniversaries; and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us. [Silence]

Lord, in your mercy

Hear our prayer.

Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, especially the people on our Parish Prayer List: _____; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation. [Silence]

Lord, in your mercy

Hear our prayer.

We commend to your mercy all who have died, [especially _____,]  that your will for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom. [Silence]

Lord, in your mercy

Hear our prayer.

The Celebrant concludes with the following or some other suitable Collect:

Almighty and eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully accept the prayers of your people, and strengthen us to do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Peace

The peace the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Parish Announcements

The Offertory

Ascribe to the Lord the honor due his Name; bring offerings and come into his courts.

Offertory Hymn: LEV #193 I Will Trust In The Lord

The Doxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow!

Praise him all creatures here below!

Praise him above ye heavenly hosts!

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,

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 Grace

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore. Amen.

Recessional Hymn #437: Tell Out, My Soul, the Greatness of the Lord

The Dismissal

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord! [Alleluia! Alleluia!]

Thanks be to God! [Alleluia! Alleluia!]

The Parish Prayer List

PRAYER LIST: Teresa Blue-Clemons, Lazola Cope, David Jones, Milburn Lewis, Jessica Mathis, Marion Mathis, Rene James Nails, Jewel Wheeler 

BIRTHDAYS: Jason Carrington, Caroline Banks, Kathy Robinson

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: General & Lazola Cope

RECENT DEATHS:  May the souls of all the departed rest in peace; and may light perpetual shine upon them. Amen.

Readings for next week :

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Psalm 1

Second Reading: Philemon 1-21

Gospel: Luke 14:25-33