The fifth sunday after the epiphany
Sunday, February 8, at 10:00 am
The form for this service can also be found in The Book of Common Prayer, page 355. Spoken responses are in bold typeface.
Prelude: “Lord of all Hopefulness,” Clay Christiansen
The Word of God
Hymn 543: “O Zion, tune thy voice”
1. O Zion, tune thy voice,
and raise thy hands on high;
tell all the earth thy joys,
and boast salvation nigh.
Cheerful in God, arise and shine,
while rays divine stream all abroad.
2. He gilds thy morning face
with beams that cannot fade;
his all resplendent grace
he pours around thy head;
the nations round thy form shall view,
with luster new divinely crowned.
3. In honor to his Name
reflect that sacred light;
and loud that grace proclaim,
which makes thy darkness bright;
pursue his praise, till sovereign love
in worlds above the glory raise.
4. There on his holy hill
a brighter sun shall rise,
and with his radiance
fill those fairer purer skies;
while round his throne ten thousand stars
in nobler spheres his influence own.
Opening Acclamation
Celebrant ✠ Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Celebrant
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: “Glory to God in the highest”
The Collect of the Day
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Let us pray.
Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
First Lesson: Isaiah 58:1-9-12
Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. “Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?” Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People 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.
Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 2:1-16
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual. Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny. “For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 419: “Lord of all being, throned afar”
1. Lord of all being, throned afar,
thy glory flames from sun and star;
center and soul of every sphere,
yet to each loving heart how near!
2. Sun of our life, thy quickening ray
sheds on our path the glow of day;
star of our hope, thy softened light
cheers the long watches of the night.
3. Lord of all life, below, above,
whose light is truth, whose warmth is love,
before thy ever-blazing throne
we ask no luster of our own.
4. Grant us thy truth to make us free,
and kindling hearts that burn for thee,
till all thy living altars claim
one holy light, one heavenly flame.
The Gospel: Matthew 5:13-20
Celebrant The ✠ Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Matthew.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Celebrant The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
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, X and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
Leader In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.
For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.
For this community, the nation, and the world;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.
For the just and proper use of your creation;
For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.
For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.
For all bishops and other ministers;
For all who serve God in his Church.
For the special needs and concerns of this congregation.
Silence. The People may add their own petitions
Hear us, Lord;
For your mercy is great.
We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life.
Silence. The People may add their own thanksgivings
We will exalt you, O God our King;
And praise your Name for ever and ever.
We pray for ✠ all who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom.
Silence. The People may add their own petitions
Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;
Who put their trust in you.
We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
in your compassion forgive us our sins,
known and unknown,
things done and left undone;
and so uphold us by your Spirit
that we may live and serve you in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Celebrant says
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
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
The ministers and the people greet one another with a sign of peace.
The Holy Communion
The Celebrant begins the Offertory with a sentence of Scripture.
During the Offertory a hymn is sung, and the Altar is prepared with the elements of Holy Communion.
The Offering is brought forward. The people stand and are censed by the acolyte.
To give an offering, choose one of the following:
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
Anthem: “O Christ, who art the light and day” Robert Whyte
O Christ, who art the light and day,
Thou drivest darksome night away,
We know thee as the light of light,
Illuminating mortal sight.
All holy Lord, we pray to thee,
Keep us tonight from danger free;
Grant us, dear Lord, in thee to rest,
So be our sleep in quiet blest.
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer A
The people stand and the Celebrant sings
The Celebrant 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. Because you gave Jesus Christ, your only Son, to be born for us; who, by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, was made perfect Man of the flesh of the Virgin Mary his mother; so that we might be delivered from the bondage of sin, and receive power to become your children.
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 Celebrant continues
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.
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 and People
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
The Celebrant continues
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. ✠ Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.
All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: 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.
Celebrant And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
The Fraction
The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.
Celebrant
Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
Fraction Anthem
Then, facing the people, the Celebrant says
Celebrant The Gifts of God for the People of God.
Spiritual Communion: Act of Reception
During Communion, you are invited to say the following prayer form for receiving Spiritual Communion. Know that the grace of God is made present in your heart, 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: “Christ is the world’s true Light” Wm. Stanton
Christ is the world’s true Light
its Captain of salvation;
The Day Star clear and bright
of every man and nation.
New life, new hope awakes
wheree’re men own his sway;
Freedom her bondage breaks,
and night is turned to day.
In Christ all races meet,
their ancient feuds forgetting,
The whole round world complete,
from sunrise to its setting.
When Christ is throned as Lord,
men shall forsake their fear;
To ploughshare beat the sword,
to pruning hook the spear.
One Lord, in one great Name
unite us all who own thee;
Cast out our pride and shame,
that hinder to enthrone thee.
The world has waited long,
has travailed long in pain;
To heal its ancient wrong,
Come, Prince of Peace and reign.
Hymn 505: “O Spirit of Life, O Spirit of God”
1. O Spirit of Life, O Spirit of God,
in every need thou bringest aid;
thou comest forth from God’s great throne,
from God, the Father and the Son;
O Spirit of Life, O Spirit of God.
2. O Spirit of Life, O Spirit of God,
increase our faith in our dear Lord;
unless thy grace the power should give,
none can believe in Christ and live;
O Spirit of Life, O Spirit of God.
3. O Spirit of Life, O Spirit of God,
make us to love thy sacred word;
the holy flame of love impart,
that charity may warm each heart;
O Spirit of Life, O Spirit of God.
4. O Spirit of Life, O Spirit of God,
enlighten us by that same word;
teach us to know the Father’s love,
and his dear Son, who reigns above;
O Spirit of Life, O Spirit of God.
After Communion, the Celebrant says
Let us pray.
Celebrant and People
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.
Welcome & Announcements
Blessing & Dismissal
The Celebrant blesses the people and dismisses them.
The people respond Thanks be to God.
Postlude: “Celebration,” Charles Callahan
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Eucharistic Minister: Christopher McCall
Thurifer: Madeleine Moore
Crucifer: John Wilkinson
Lector: Laura Pankoe
Ushers: Rob Wilkinson, Ted Hopkins
Altar Guild: Sara Frister, Carol Fox
Flower Guild: Suzanne Day
A/V: Michael Kelly
Organist: W. Edward McCall
Counters: Doug Esser, Kathy Sullivan
Choir: Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, Alexander Famous, Carol Fox, Margery Hoffman, Laura Pankoe, Shelley Reed, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, Annie Rogers, Anne Shute, Jim Shute, Matthew Siebenhuhner, Caitlin Stein, Ed Warren, Marian Wentworth
Online giving is available through Realm E-Giving and PayPal. We thank you for your generous giving to St. Paul’s.
Altar Flowers
Today’s flowers are given by Wayne Dallas to the glory of God, and as a loving tribute to the memory of Victoria. Arranged by Suzanne Day
