The First Sunday In Lent

Sunday, February 18, at 10:00 am | The Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Livestreamed on Facebook (click and open the ‘live’ video)

The order of this service can also be found in The Book of Common Prayer, page 355. Spoken responses are in bold typeface.

To give to St. Paul’s, select an option below:

• Online: E-Giving (Realm) | PayPal

• Text: message 73256 with the phrase saintpauls $X (insert an amount in place of X)

• Check: mail your offering to St. Paul’s Church, 84 E Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901

Prelude: “Jesu Meine Freude” J.S. Bach

The Great Litany

O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth,
Have mercy upon us.

O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy upon us.

O God the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the faithful,
Have mercy upon us.

O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God,
Have mercy upon us.

Remember not, Lord Christ, our offenses, nor the offenses of our forefathers; neither reward us according to our sins. Spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and by thy mercy preserve us, for ever.
Spare us, good Lord.

From all evil and wickedness; from sin; from the crafts and assaults of the devil; and from everlasting damnation,
Good Lord, deliver us. 

From all blindness of heart; from pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice; and from all want of charity,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all inordinate and sinful affections; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all false doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word and commandment,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From lightning and tempest; from earthquake, fire, and flood; from plague, pestilence, and famine,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all oppression, conspiracy, and rebellion; from violence, battle, and murder; and from dying suddenly and unprepared,
Good Lord, deliver us.

By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation; by thy holy Nativity and submission to the Law; by thy Baptism, Fasting, and Temptation,
Good Lord, deliver us.

By thine Agony and Bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension; and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost,
Good Lord, deliver us.

In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment,
Good Lord, deliver us.

We sinners do beseech thee to hear us, O Lord God; and that it may please thee to rule and govern thy holy Church Universal in the right way,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to illumine all bishops, priests, and deacons, with true knowledge and understanding of thy Word; and that both by their preaching and living, they may set it forth, and show it accordingly,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to bless and keep all thy people,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to send forth laborers into thy harvest, and to draw all mankind into thy kingdom,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give to all people increase of grace to hear and receive thy Word, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred, and are deceived,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give us a heart to love and fear thee, and diligently to live after thy commandments,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee so to rule the hearts of thy servants, the President of this nation, and all others in authority, that they may do justice, and love mercy, and walk in the ways of truth,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to make all violence to cease in this nation, and wars to cease in all the world; to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord; and to bestow freedom upon all peoples,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to show thy pity upon all prisoners and captives, the homeless and the hungry, and all who are desolate and oppressed,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the bountiful fruits of the earth, so that in due time all may enjoy them,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to inspire us, in our several callings, to do the work which thou givest us to do with singleness of heart as thy servants, and for the common good,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to preserve all who are in danger by reason of their labor or their travel,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to preserve, and provide for, all women in childbirth, young children and orphans, the widowed, and all whose homes are broken or torn by strife,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to visit the lonely; to strengthen all who suffer in mind, body, and spirit; and to comfort with thy presence those who are failing and infirm,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to support, help, and comfort all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to have mercy upon all mankind,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to thy holy Word,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand; to comfort and help the weak-hearted; to raise up those who fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to grant to all the faithful departed eternal life and peace,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to grant that, in the fellowship of the ever-blessed Virgin Mary, blessed Saint Paul the Apostle, and all the saints, we may attain to thy heavenly kingdom,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.
Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
Grant us thy peace.

O Christ, hear us.
O Christ, hear us.

Kyrie: “Lord, have mercy”

Salutation & The Collect of the Day

Priest     The Lord be with you. 
People     And also with you.
Priest    Let us pray. 

Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: Genesis 9:8-17

God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

Reader     The Word of the Lord.
People     Thanks be to God.

Psalm 25:1-9

1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
my God, I put my trust in you; *
let me not be humiliated,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.

2 Let none who look to you be put to shame; *
let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.

3 Show me your ways, O Lord, *
and teach me your paths.

4 Lead me in your truth and teach me, *
for you are the God of my salvation;
in you have I trusted all the day long.

5 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, *
for they are from everlasting.

6 Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; *
remember me according to your love
and for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.

7 Gracious and upright is the Lord; *
therefore he teaches sinners in his way.

8 He guides the humble in doing right *
and teaches his way to the lowly.

9 All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness *
to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22

Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

Reader     The Word of the Lord.
People     Thanks be to God.

Hymn 150: “Forty days and forty nights”

1. Forty days and forty nights
thou wast fasting in the wild;
forty days and forty nights
tempted, and yet undefiled.

2. Should not we thy sorrow share
and from worldly joys abstain,
fasting with unceasing prayer,
strong with thee to suffer pain?

3. Then if Satan on us press,
Jesus, Savior, hear our call!
Victor in the wilderness,
grant we may not faint or fall!

4. So shall we have peace divine:
holier gladness ours shall be;
round us, too, shall angels shine,
such as ministered to thee.

5. Keep, O keep us, Savior dear,
ever constant by thy side;
that with thee we may appear
at the eternal Eastertide.

A tract is then sung by the choir.

The Gospel: Mark 1:9-15

Priest     The ✠ Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Mark.
People  Glory to you, Lord Christ.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

Priest     The Gospel of the Lord.
People     Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon

The Nicene Creed Said in unison

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.

Today, The Great Litany is in lieu of the Prayers of the People.

The Peace

Priest     The peace of the Lord be always with you. 
People     And also with you.

The Holy Communion

An anthem is sung as the Altar is prepared with the elements of Holy Communion.

To give an offering, select an option below:

• Online: E-Giving (Realm) | PayPal

• Text: message 73256 with the phrase saintpauls $X (insert an amount in place of X)

• Check: mail your offering to St. Paul’s Church, 84 E Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901

Offertory Anthem: “I See His Blood Upon the Rose” Michael Bedford

I see his blood upon the rose
and in the stars the glory of his eyes,
his body gleams amid eternal snows,
his tears fall from the skies.

I see his face in ev’ry flow’r;
the thunder and the singing of the birds
are but his voice and carven by
his pow’r rocks are his written words.

All pathways by his feet are worn,
his strong heart stirs the ever beating sea,
his crown of thorns is twined
with ev’ry thorn, his cross is ev’ry tree.

The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer B

The Priest faces the People and says

The Lord be with you. 
People     And also with you.
Priest     Lift up your hearts. 
People     We lift them to the Lord.
Priest     Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. 
People     It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Then, facing the Holy Table, the Priest continues

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who was tempted in every way as we are, yet did not sin. By his grace we are able to triumph over every evil, and to live no longer for ourselves alone, but for him who died for us and rose again.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

Sanctus: “Holy, holy, holy Lord”

The People may stand or kneel. The Priest continues

We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life. 

On the night before he died for us, 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, according to his command, O Father, 

Priest and People

We remember his death, 
We proclaim his resurrection, 
We await his coming in glory; 

The Priest continues

And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine. We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being ✠ sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with the ever-blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, blessed Paul the Apostle, and all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation. 

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 for ever. AMEN. 

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

People and Priest

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

The Priest breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.

Priest     Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People     Therefore let us keep the feast.

The Agnus Dei

Facing the People, the Priest says

The Gifts of God for the People of God.

Spiritual Communion: Act of Reception

This prayer form is for those who desire to receive the Sacrament but are unable to do so, with the assurance that all the benefits of Communion are received, even though the Sacrament is not received with the mouth. 

In union, blessed Jesus, with the faithful gathered at every altar of your Church where your blessed Body and Blood are offered this day, I long to offer you praise and thanksgiving, for creation and all the blessings of this life, for the redemption won for us by your life, death, and resurrection, for the means of grace and the hope of glory.

I believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament, and, since I cannot at this time receive communion, I pray you to come into my heart. I unite myself with you and embrace you with all my heart, my soul, and my mind. Let nothing separate me from you; let me serve you in this life until, by your grace, I come to your glorious kingdom and unending peace. Amen.

Come Lord Jesus, and dwell in my heart in the fullness of your strength; be my wisdom and guide me in right pathways; conform my life and actions to the image of your holiness; and, in the power of your gracious might, rule over every hostile power that threatens or disturbs the growth of your kingdom, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Communion Anthem: “I heard the voice of Jesus say” Sondra Tucker

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto me and rest;
and in your weariness lay down
your head upon my breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
so weary, worn and sad;
I found in him a resting place,
and he has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give the living water;
thirsty one, stoop down and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus and I drank
of that lifegiving stream;
my thirst was quenched,
my soul revived,
and now I live in him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s light;
look unto me, your morn shall rise,
and all your day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
in him my Star, my Sun;
and in that light of life I’ll walk
till pilgrim days are done.

Hymn 142: “Lord, who throughout these forty days”

1. Lord, who throughout these forty days
for us didst fast and pray,
teach us with thee to mourn our sins,
and close by thee to stay.

2. As thou with Satan didst contend,
and didst the victory win,
O give us strength in thee to fight,
in thee to conquer sin.

3. As thou didst hunger bear and thirst,
so teach us, gracious Lord,
to die to self, and chiefly live
by thy most holy word.

4. And through these days of penitence,
and through thy Passiontide,
yea, evermore, in life and death,
Jesus! with us abide.

5. Abide with us, that so, this life
of suffering overpast,
an Easter of unending joy
we may attain at last!

Postcommunion Prayer

Priest     Let us pray.

The People may join in saying this prayer 

Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Announcements

The Blessing & Dismissal

The Priest gives the blessing.

The Priest dismisses the people, who respond Thanks be to God.

Postlude: “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” Craig Penfield

Service Participants

• Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore

• Eucharistic Ministers: Kyle Evans, Michael Kelly

• Thurifer: Madeleine Moore

• Crucifer: Jon Moore

• Lector: Laura Pankoe

• Ushers: Andy Morse, Maureen McGraw

• Organist: W. Edward McCall

• Altar: Rachel Morse, Widgette Kelly

• A/V: : Emery Kohut

Choir: George Achilles, Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, Alexander Famous, Carol Fox, Laura Pankoe, Shelley Reed, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, Amber Robinson, Annie Rogers, Anne Shute, Jim Shute, Caitlin Stein, Marian Wentworth

Online giving is available through Realm E-Giving and PayPal. We thank you for your generous giving to St. Paul’s.

The Great Litany

Today we begin our worship with The Great Litany—one of the oldest prayer forms in The Book of Common Prayer, going all the way back to 1544 (five years before the first Prayer Book was even published). It may be used as a separate prayer service, and it is especially appropriate for use during the season of Lent. It gives us the chance to name the sins of “thought, word, and deed” which we confess more generally every Sunday. When used at mass, The Great Litany takes the place of the Prayers of the People and Confession. The image below is of the original Litany from 1544.

WEEKDAY WORSHIP

Mass for the Feast of St. Mathias, Apostle will be held this week on Wednesday, February 21, at noon in the Church.

LENTEN SOUP & STUDY SERIES

What does it mean to be a disciple—is it different from being a Christian? In this year’s Lenten Soup & Study Series, we will explore this very question, using as our launching point the book Being Disciples: Essentials of the Christian Life by Rowan Williams (Archbishop of Canterbury from 2003-2012). “Discipleship,” writes Williams “is a state of being … about how we live; not just the decisions we make, not just the things we believe, but a state of being.” Topics include: faith, hope, & love; forgiveness; holiness; faith in society; and life in the Spirit. The evening schedule is as follows:

·         5:30—Stations of the Cross (Nave)

·         6:00—Soup Dinner (Parish Hall)

·         6:30—Study & Discussion, ending by 7:30pm

This study series meets on Wednesday nights during Lent, beginning February 21. As we gather, week by week, we will deepen our knowledge of what being disciples really means. To RSVP for the series (so that we can plan for enough food & seating), please send a message to Fr. Daniel Moore.

Women’s Clothing Drive

Dear Parishioners, The Outreach Committee is having a women’s clothing drive to help Immigrant Rights Action Group. Please donate new or slightly “new” women’s clothing in any size. Articles of clothing like coats, jackets, jeans, pants, sweaters, shirts, and socks, as well as new packets of underwear would be great. The drive will only be for 2 weeks. Thank you. The Outreach Committee

Altar Guild Cleaning Day: Saturday, March 23 
Join the Altar Guild as we prepare for Easter. 

March 23rd, at 10:00 AM the Altar Guild will be cleaning the church and we would like to give everyone in the church family the opportunity to join us. Dusting, Polishing, Wax Removal and plenty of Schlepping - no experience is needed, just a willing spirit and helping hands. Pizza and salad will be served at noon, please bring your own drink. For more information contact Carol Fox.

Spiritual Direction/Guidance: 

Might there be a stirring from deep within you, inviting you to ponder your spiritual journey?  Jesus knew the comfort and wisdom of wondering about the divine in community.  He encouraged questions from those closest to Him, and the first time he sent the 12 disciples out, he sent them in pairs.  Spiritual Direction/Guidance is a centuries-old practice of entering into deep conversation with another while becoming more aware of your personal walk with God.  Leigh DeTato has completed the Shalem Spiritual Guidance Program and is now receiving new directees. Contact Leigh for more information.

Dear Ladies of St. Paul’s: 

Would this year of our Lord, 2024, be the year to begin a chapter of the Daughters of the King?  Members of The Order of the Daughters of the King are women and girls between the ages of 7-107 who desire a closer walk with the Lord.  We are Christian women, both lay and ordained, who are strengthened through the discipline of a Rule of Life and supported through the companionship of our sisters.  We are all at different stages of our Christian journey – some have just begun, and some have been on this path for a long time.  But no matter where we are on our sacred journeys, our primary goal is the same – to know Jesus Christ and to make Him known to others. Would you be interested in knowing more?  If so, take a look around the national website beginning here: The Order of the Daughters of the King, Inc. (doknational.org) and talk with Jen Prater, Leigh DeTato, and Kyle Evans.