(Modified 2021-07-26: Added audio recording)
THE FEAST OF ST. JAMES,
APOSTLE AND MARTYR, A.D. 44
JULY 25, 2021
10.30 a.m.
MORNING PRAYER with HOLY BAPTISM
I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy:
and in thy fear I will worship toward thy holy temple.
Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies;
Make thy way straight before me,
that with a clear mind I may glorify thee forever,
One Divine Power worshipped in three persons:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
THE HYMN: #1 HOLY, HOLY, HOLY
1 Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee:
holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
2 Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.
3 Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide thee,
though our sinful human gaze thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love, and purity.
4 Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea;
holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.
DEARLY beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness; and that we should not dissemble nor cloke them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father; but confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart; to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same, by his infinite goodness and mercy.
And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sins before God; yet ought we most chiefly so to do, when we assemble and meet together to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his most holy Word, and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul.
Wherefore I pray and beseech you, as many as are here present, to accompany me with a pure heart and humble voice unto the throne of the heavenly grace.
A general Confession to be said of the whole Congregation with the Minister, all kneeling.
ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep, We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts, We have offended against thy holy laws, We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
The Absolution, or Remission of sins, to be pronounced by the Priest alone, standing: the people still kneeling.
ALMIGHTY God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness, and live, hath given power and commandment to his Ministers, to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the Absolution and Remission of their sins.
He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel.
Wherefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do at this present, and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy; so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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 them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.
Minister. O Lord, open thou our lips;
People. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Minister. O God, make speed to save us;
People. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Here, all standing up, the Minister shall say:
GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
People. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Minister. Praise ye the Lord;
People. The Lord’s Name be praised.
VENITE EXULTEMUS DOMINO. PSALM 95
O COME, let us sing unto the LORD: / let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, / and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.
For the LORD is a great God, / and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are all the corners of the earth: / and the strength of the hills is his also.
The sea is his, and he made it: / and his hands prepared the dry land.
O COME, let us worship, and fall down, / and kneel before the LORD our Maker.
For he is the Lord our God; / and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, / and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, / world without end. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON: Jeremiah 45:1-5
The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neri′ah, when he wrote these words in a book at the dictation of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoi′akim the son of Josi′ah, king of Judah: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: You said, ‘Woe is me! for the Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.’ Thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord: Behold, what I have built I am breaking down, and what I have planted I am plucking up—that is, the whole land. And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not; for behold, I am bringing evil upon all flesh, says the Lord; but I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.” R. / Thanks be to God.
PSALM 7:1-10
O LORD my God, in thee have I put my trust: / save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me;
Lest mine enemy devour my soul like a lion, / and tear it in pieces, while there is none to help.
O LORD my God, if I have done any such thing; / or if there be any wickedness in my hands;
If I have rewarded evil unto him that dealt friendly with me; / (yea rather, I have delivered him that without any cause is mine enemy;)
Then let mine enemy persecute my soul, and take me; / yea, let him tread my life down upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust.
STAND up, O LORD, in thy wrath, and lift up thyself against the fury of mine enemies; / arise up for me in the judgement that thou hast commanded.
And let the congregation of the peoples come about thee; / and over it take thy seat on high.
The LORD shall judge the peoples: give sentence for me, O LORD, / according to my righteousness, and according to the innocency that is in me.
O let the wickedness of the ungodly come to an end; / but guide thou the just.
For the righteous God / trieth the very minds and hearts.
EPISTLE: Acts 11:27-12:3
Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Ag′abus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world; and this took place in the days of Claudius. And the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brethren who lived in Judea; and they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. About that time Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword; and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. R./ Thanks be to God.
HYMN: # 282 Let Saints on Earth in Concert Sing
1 Let saints on earth in concert sing
with those whose work is done;
for all the servants of our King
in earth and heaven, are one.
2 One family, we live in him,
one church above, beneath,
though now divided by the stream,
the narrow stream of death.
3 One army of the living God,
to his command we bow;
part of his host have crossed the flood
and part are crossing now.
4 But all unite in Christ their head,
and love to sing his praise:
Lord of the living and the dead,
direct our earthly ways!
5 So we shall join our friends above
who have obtained the prize;
and on the eagle wings of love
to joys celestial rise.
GOSPEL: Mark 10: 32-40 R. / Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.”James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” R./ Praise be to thee, O Christ.
SERMON – The Revd. Canon Claude Schroeder
THE ORDER OF SERVICE OF HOLY BAPTISM OF CHILDREN
DEARLY beloved in Christ, seeing that God willeth all men to be saved from the fault and corruption of the nature which they inherit, as well as from the actual sins which they commit, and that our Saviour Christ saith, None can enter into the kingdom of God, except he be born anew of Water and of the Holy Spirit, I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that he will grant to this Child that which by nature he cannot have; that he may be baptized with Water and the Holy Spirit, and received into Christ’s holy Church, and be made a living member of the same.
Then he shall say the following Prayer:
ALMIGHTY and immortal God, the aid of all that need, the helper of all that flee to thee for succour: We call upon thee for this Child, that he, coming to thy holy Baptism, may receive remission of sin by spiritual regeneration. Receive him, O Lord, as thou hast promised by thy well-beloved Son, saying, Ask, and ye shall have; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: So give now unto us that ask; let us that seek find; open the gate unto us that knock; that this Child may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternal kingdom which thou hast promised by him who is the Resurrection and the Life, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE PROMISES
Then shall the Priest say to the Sponsors:
DEARLY beloved, you have prayed that our Lord Jesus Christ may be pleased to receive, cleanse, and sanctify this Child, and grant unto him the blessing of eternal life, which things Christ, for his part, will most surely perform. And now this Child, on his part, must through you, his Sponsors, promise and vow that he will renounce the devil and all his works, believe in Christ, and obediently keep God’s commandments.
I demand therefore:
DO you, in the name of this Child, renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the sinful desires of the flesh, so that you will not follow nor be led by them?
Answer. I do.
Priest. Let us recite the Articles of our Belief.
Then shall be said by the Priest and the Godparents, and the whole Congregation, the Apostles’ Creed.
I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy Catholic Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.
Then shall the Priest say to the Sponsors:
DO you, in the name of this Child, profess this faith?
Answer. I do.
DO you, in the name of this Child, seek Baptism into this faith?
Answer. I do.
DO you, in the name of this Child, acknowledge the duty to keep God’s holy will and commandments, walking stedfastly in the Way of Christ?
Answer. I do.
WILL you pray for this Child, and take care that she may learn and do all these things?
Answer. I will.
THE PRAYERS
Then shall the Priest make the following supplications, and after each of them the Congregation shall answer Amen.
O MERCIFUL God, grant that all sinful desires may die in this Child, and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in him. Amen.
GRANT that he may have power and strength to have victory, and to triumph against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Amen.
GRANT that whosoever here shall begin to be of thy flock may evermore continue in the same. Amen.
GRANT that whosoever is here dedicated to thee by our office and ministry may also be endued with heavenly virtues, and everlastingly rewarded, through thy mercy, O blessed Lord God, who dost live, and govern all things, world without end. Amen.
THE HYMN: # 35 Wash O God our Sons and Daughters
Wash, O God, our sons and daughters
Where your cleansing waters flow
Number them among your people
Bless as Christ blessed long ago
Weave them garments bright and sparkling
Compass them with love and light
Fill, anoint them, send your Spirit
Holy Dove and heart’s Delight
We who bring them long for nurture
By your milk may we be fed
Let us join your feast, partaking
Cup of blessing, living bread
God, renew us, guide our footsteps
Free from sin and all its snares
One with Christ in living, dying
By your Spirit, children, heirs
Oh, how deep your holy wisdom
Unimagined all your ways
To your name be glory, honor
With our lives we worship, praise
We your people stand before you,
Water-washed and Spirit-born
By your grace our lives we offer
Re-create us; God, transform!
THE BAPTISM
THE Lord be with you;
People. And with thy spirit.
Priest. Lift up your hearts;
People. We lift them up unto the Lord.
Priest. Let us give thanks unto our Lord God;
People. It is meet and right so to do.
Then shall the Priest say:
IT is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God, for that thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ upon the Cross, for the forgiveness of our sins, did shed out of his most precious side both water and blood; and after his glorious Resurrection gave commandment to his disciples, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
REGARD, we beseech thee, the prayers of thy Church. Sanctify this Water to the mystical washing away of sin; and grant that this Child, now to be baptized therein, may receive the fulness of thy grace and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
The Priest, taking the Child into his arms, or by the right hand, shall say to the Sponsors:
Name this Child.
And then, naming him after them, he shall dip him in the Water or pour Water upon him, saying:
Gunnar . I BAPTIZE thee In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Then shall the Priest say:
WE receive this Child into the Congregation of Christ’s flock, and do sign her with the sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner against sin, the world, and the devil, and to continue Christ’s faithful soldier and servant unto his life’s end. Amen.
Receive the light of Christ to show that you have passed from darkness to light.
Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Receive the robe of righteousness to show that you have put on Christ.
Be clothed in his love that you may stand without shame or fear on the day of his appearing.
Then shall the Priest say:
SEEING now, dearly beloved brethren, that this Child is regenerate and grafted into the body of Christ’s Church, let us give thanks unto Almighty God for these benefits, and with one accord make our prayers unto him, that this Child may lead the rest of his life according to this beginning.
Then shall be said by all:
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 them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.
Then shall the Priest say:
WE yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this Child with thy Holy Spirit, to receive him for thine own Child by adoption, and to makehim a member of thy holy Church. Grant, O Lord, that being baptized into the death of Christ, he may also be made partaker of his resurrection, so that serving thee here in newness of life, he may finally, with all thy holy Church, inherit thine everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE HYMN: 36 Now There is No Male of Female
THE DUTIES
The Priest shall say to the Sponsors and Parents:
DEARLY beloved, forasmuch as you have brought this Child to be baptized into the family of Christ’s Church, and have promised that he shall renounce the devil and all his works, and shall believe in God, and serve him: you must remember that it is your part and duty to see that he be taught what a solemn vow, promise and profession he has here made by you, and be instructed in all other things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his soul’s health.
USE all diligence therefore to see that he be virtuously brought up to lead a godly and a Christian life; and to that end you should teach he to pray, and bring him to take his part in public worship.
TAKE care that she be taught the Creed, the Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer, and be further instructed in the Church Catechism; and then that he be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed by him; so that he may be strengthened by the Holy Spirit, and may come to receive the holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, and go forth into the world to serve God faithfully in the fellowship of his Church.
REMEMBER always that Baptism represents unto us our profession; which is, to follow our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto him; that as he died and rose again for us, so should we, who are baptized, die from sin, and rise again unto righteousness, continually mortifying all evil desires, and daily increasing in all virtue and godliness of living.
WILL you be faithful in the fulfilment of these duties?
Answer. I will, the Lord being my helper.
Then the Priest may say one or both of the following prayers:
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, whose beloved Son did share in Nazareth the life of an earthly home: Bless, we beseech thee, the home of this Child, and grant wisdom and understanding to all who shall have the care of him, that he may grow up in stedfast love and reverence of thy holy Name; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
GRANT, O Lord, that this Child may by thy mercy grow in health of body and mind, and serve thee faithfully according to thy will all the days of his life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE HYMN: #11 Blessed be the God of Israel.
1 Blessed be the God of Israel
who comes to set us free
and raises up new hope for us:
a Branch from David’s tree.
So have the prophets long declared
that with a mighty arm
God would turn back our enemies
and all who wish us harm.
2 With promised mercy will God still
the covenant recall,
the oath once sworn to Abraham,
from foes to save us all;
that we might worship without fear
and offer lives of praise,
in holiness and righteousness
before God all our days.
3 My child, as prophet of the Lord
you will prepare the way,
to tell God’s people they are saved
from sin’s eternal sway.
Then shall God’s mercy from on high
shine forth and never cease
to drive away the gloom of death
and lead us into peace.
THE COLLECTS
The Collect for St. James, Apostle and Martyr
GRANT, O merciful God, that as thine holy Apostle Saint James, leaving his father and all that he had, without delay was obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him; so we, forsaking all worldly and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy commandments; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Second Collect, for Peace.
O GOD, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom: Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Third Collect, for Grace.
O LORD our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day: Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.
THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.THE
HYMN: 505 Be Thou My Vision
1 Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
2 Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word;
I ever with thee, and thou with me, Lord.
Born of thy love, thy child may I be,
thou in me dwelling and I one with thee.
3 Be thou my buckler, my sword for the fight.
Be thou my dignity, thou my delight,
thou my soul’s shelter, thou my high tow’r.
Raise thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.
4 Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise;
thou mine inheritance, now and always.
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
Ruler of heaven, my treasure thou art.
5 True Light of heaven, when vict’ry is won
may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.