Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost
October 4, 2025
11:00AM HOLY EUCHARIST
THE BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS
Prelude: "Rhosymedre" Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Processional Hymn #400: All creatures of our God and King Lasst uns erfreuen
(verses 1, 4, 5 & 7 only)
The Opening Acclamation
Celebrant: Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People: And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen
The 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 Robert Powell HYMNAL # S-280
The Collect of the Day
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Word of God
The First Reading Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Then God spoke all these words:
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work.
Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.”
Reader: The Word of the Lord People: Thanks be to God
Psalm 124 (Anglican Chant, sung by the choir)
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, *
and the firmament shows his handiwork.2 One day tells its tale to another, *
and one night imparts knowledge to another.3 Although they have no words or language, *
and their voices are not heard,4 Their sound has gone out into all lands, *
and their message to the ends of the world.5 In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun; *
it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its course.6 It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again; *
nothing is hidden from its burning heat.7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and revives the soul; *
the testimony of the Lord is sure
and gives wisdom to the innocent.8 The statutes of the Lord are just
and rejoice the heart; *
the commandment of the Lord is clear
and gives light to the eyes.9 The fear of the Lord is clean
and endures for ever; *
the judgments of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.10 More to be desired are they than gold,
more than much fine gold, *
sweeter far than honey,
than honey in the comb.11 By them also is your servant enlightened, *
and in keeping them there is great reward.12 Who can tell how often he offends? *
cleanse me from my secret faults.13 Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me; *
then shall I be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offense.14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be acceptable in your sight, *
O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
The Second Reading Philippians 3:4b-14
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
Reader: The Word of the Lord People: Thanks be to God
Sequence Hymn 405: O love, how deep Deus tuorum militum
(Verses 1-3 will be sung before the Gospel reading, and verses 4-6 will be sung after.)
The Holy Gospel Matthew 21:33-36
Celebrant: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Mathew
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ
Jesus said, “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is amazing in our eyes’?
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.
Celebrant: The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon Rev. Sarah Wood
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
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us bring our prayers before God, saying: Lord, hear our prayer.
For the Church: remembering especially Michael our Presiding Bishop and Matthew, Allen, and Mary, our bishops, that we may run with perseverance the race that is set before us, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
For this parish family, that we may be faithful witnesses to what God has done, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
For peace in all places of conflict, that the Spirit will lead those in positions of authority to work to end violence and promote the safety and dignity of all, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
In thanksgiving for those who have taught us to live faithfully, that our lives may also witness to Jesus who is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
For all who bear the burden of poverty, for those who are held unjustly, for the victims of human trafficking, and all those in need of our prayers. Let us pray for those on our prayer list: Tony, Meg, Eunice, Ira, Thomas, David, Ester, Tyler, Teresa, Alec, Karrson, Doris, Jennie, Wilhelmina, Nino, Christina Suela, Eva, Christina Hing, Althea, Paul, Patrick, and Michael; and also the victims of war, violence, and natural disasters that God will strengthen their spirits and give them hope, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
For all the departed, that they may rejoice in that great company who sings God's praises…. We especially remember your servant Nicky Ambrosio for whom the flowers on the altar are given. Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
Lifting our voices with all creation, with Mary the God-bearer all the saints, let us offer ourselves and one another to the living God through Christ. To you, O Lord our God.
(The celebrant adds a concluding collect.)
The Prayer for God’s Creation
Blessed are you, Lord God,
maker of all living creatures.
On the fifth and sixth days of creation,
you called forth fish in the sea,
birds in the air and animals on the land.
You inspired St. Francis to call all animals
his brothers and sisters.
We ask you to bless all animals.
By the power of your love,
enable them to live according to your plan.
May we always praise you
for all your beauty in creation.
Blessed are you, Lord our God,
in all your creatures! Amen.
Prayer for Suffering Animals
Hear our humble prayer, O God, for our friends, the animals, especially for animals who are suffering; for any that are lost or deserted or frightened or hungry. We entreat for them all your mercy and pity, and for those who deal with them, we ask a heart of compassion and gentle hands and kindly words. Make us ourselves true friends to animals and so to share the blessings of the merciful. Amen. (by Albert Schweitzer)
Prayer of St. Francis (said by all)
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
The Confession and Absolution
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.
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 and Announcements
Offertory Verse Tone II
Moses consecrated an altar unto the Lord, offering burnt offerings upon it
and sacrificing peace offerings: and he made an evening sacrifice for a
sweet smelling savour unto the Lord God, in the sight of the children of
Israel.
Anthem: Sicut cervus Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594)
Like as the hart (deer) desireth the water-brooks, so longeth my
soul after thee, O God.
Presentation Hymn #337: And now, O Father Unde et momores
The Great Thanksgiving
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.
Celebrant: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. From before time you made ready the creation. Your Spirit moved over the deep and brought all things into being: sun, moon and stars, and every living thing. You formed out of the ground wild animals and birds of the air and set humankind in dominion over them. You rescued two of every kind from the flood with Noah and his family.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Francis and Clare, with earth, air, sea, and all their creatures, with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
Sanctus Powell HYMNAL #S-128
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.
Eucharistic Prayer: The people stand or kneel.
Celebrant: You are indeed holy, 0 God, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ, the true Passover Lamb and the great Shepherd of Your flock. Foxes have their dens and birds of the air their nests, but when Jesus came into our world, there was no place for him to lay his head. He broke bread with outcasts and sinners, healed the sick, and proclaimed good news to the poor. Giving himself freely to death on the cross, he triumphed over evil, opening the way of freedom and life.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, 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, we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Celebrant & People: Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
Celebrant: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us, gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. As they are the body and blood of Christ for us, so may we be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. Like Adam and Eve, set us as caretakers of the animals of your Creation. Like Francis and Clare, set us alight with the fire of your love.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at the heavenly banquet.
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 forever. AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer
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
Celebrant: Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
People: Therefore, let us keep the feast. Alleluia!
Fraction Anthem: Agnus Dei Powell HYMNAL #S-163
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
grant us peace.
Communion of the People: You are invited to receive communion if you are baptized, or you may come to receive a blessing if you are in the process of discerning your faith. If you wish to receive a blessing, please cross your arms in front of your chest when you come up.
Communion Verse Tone I
Bring offerings and come into his courts:
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
Anthem Vaughan Williams
O taste and see how gracious the Lord is: blest is the man that trusteth in him.
The Post-Communion Prayer (stand or kneel)
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 and Dismissal
Recessional Hymn #552: Fight the Good Fight Pentecost
Postlude: Fanfare for St. Michael & All Angels Guy H. Eldridge (1904-1976)