St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church, All Saints, Nov.1, 2020 Canon Claude Schroeder
So today, we have great cause for celebration at St. Mary’s.
Earlier this morning we celebrated the baptism of Sophia, and now in this service we are celebrating the great and wonderful Feast of All Saints, or as it used to be called “The Feast of All Hallows”, from which we get the word Hallowe’en.
There is no trick or treating going on at the church this morning.
THE NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY – OCTOBER 18, 2020
8.30 a.m. Holy Communion
10.30 a.m. Morning Prayer with Hymns and Sermon
Godly Play in the Children’s Worship Centre (ages 3 – 6 years.) in the Children’s Worship Centre for children 3 – 6 years. Today’s story is ‘The Garden of Eden, the Fall, and the Promise’ Genesis 2:8 – 3:24. Leaders: Sandra and Myka.
Faith Quest (ages 7-13) Faith Quest kids (ages 7-13) continue the Armour of God rotation with a Let there be Science Workshop. Memory verse: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:10-11
7.00 p.m. Evening Prayer and Rector’s Class. The Means of Grace: Holy Communion.
PARISH LIFE NOTES
WELCOME SERVICE. Today we welcome Sophia as a candidate for Holy Baptism, and we pray for her and her parents, Ben and Oleksandra in this time of preparation.
CONDOLENCES to Beryl and family. Beryl’s daughter Margaret passed away last Saturday. A memorial service for family was held at St. Mary’s yesterday at 1.30 p.m. We will be having memorial prayers for Margaret at the end of today’s service. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.
THE RECTOR’S CLASS. Join us this Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m. for Evening Prayer and the Rector’s Class where we will explore the means of grace that God offers us in the Service of Holy Communion for ” the preservation of our souls and bodies unto eternal life.”
STATEMENTS AND ENVELOPES — If any parishioners would like a statement of giving to date in 2019 please let Blair know and he will be happy to email one to you. If anyone would like to change their envelope status (change weekly to monthly or vice versa, begin to use envelopes, discontinue using envelopes) or to begin or discontinue making donations by direct deposit, please be in touch with Blair.
NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH. Our thanks to Adam and Alanna who delivered who delivered 26 Thanksgiving Gifts and Cards prepared by family ministries to our neighbors around St. Mary’s yesterday morning!
St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church, Trinity 19, Oct. 18, 2020 Canon Claude Schroeder
Sermon on Matt.22. 15-22.
I think we have all learned from bitter experience that when it comes to preserving relationships with friends and family, there are two subjects you must never bring up: the one is religion and the other is politics, and never, ever bring these two subjects up at the same time.
That’s a recipe for disaster.
But it’s election time here in Saskatchewan and elsewhere, and our Gospel lesson is all about the intersection between religion and politics as it relates to Jesus Christ.
How could we not talk about religion and politics?
10.30 a.m. Morning Prayer with Hymns and Sermon Faith Quest kids (ages 7-13) continue the Armour of God rotation with a Let there Be Art workshop. Leader: Clara D Shepherds: Ernie and Sally K Memory verse: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:10-11
Godly Play in the Children’s Worship Centre for children 3 – 6 years. Today’s story is ‘The Garden of Eden, the Fall, and the Promise’ Genesis 2:8 – 3:24. Leaders: Ginny L, Nicte R-L.
PARISH LIFE NOTES Condolences to Elizabeth D and family. Elizabeth’s Dad, Deng Arok Deng, died on Saturday, Oct. 3. Please remember Elizabeth and family in your prayers. May he rest in peace and rise in glory. The family invites all South Sudanese, Sudanese and family friends to join them at Kiwanis Park, located at the junction of Elphinstone St and Regina Avenue for a memorial service on Saturday, at 2:00 p.m. For your convenience comfort, pleased bring a chair.
Condolences to Randy M and family. Randy’s Mother Marjorie, died on Wednesday, Oct.7. Please remember Randy, Eleanor, Anya and Zachary and the family in your prayers. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.
WORSHIP THIS WEEK AT ST MARY’S Tuesday to Friday 8.30 a.m. Morning Prayer 5.30 p.m. Evening Prayer
We plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land, but it is fed and watered by God’s almighty hand. He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain, the breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain.
Refrain: All good gifts around us are sent from heav’n above; then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord for all his love.
He only is the Maker of all things near and far; he paints the wayside flower, he lights the evening star;
the wind and waves obey him, by him the birds are fed; much more to us, his children, he gives our daily bread. [Refrain]
We thank you, then, O Father, for all things bright and good: the seed-time and the harvest, our life, our health, our food; no gifts have we to offer for all your love imparts, but that which you desire now: our humble, thankful hearts! [Refrain]
The Minister,
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.
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.
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.
O Lord, open thou our lips; And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
O God, make speed to save us; O Lord, make haste to help us.
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.
Who else commands all the hosts of heaven Who else could make every king bow down Who else can whisper and darkness trembles Only a Holy God
What other beauty demands such praises What other splendour outshines the sun What other majesty rules with justice Only a Holy God
[Chorus:]
Come and behold Him The One and the Only Cry out, sing holy Forever a Holy God Come and worship the Holy God
What other glory consumes like fire What other power can raise the dead What other name remains undefeated Only a Holy God
Who else could rescue me from my failing Who else would offer His only Son Who else invites me to call Him Father Only a Holy God
Only my Holy God!
THE FIRST LESSON: Isaiah 25. 1-9
O Lord, you are my God;I will exalt you, I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin;the palace of aliens is a city no more, it will never be rebuilt. Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you. For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat. When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm, the noise of aliens like heat in a dry place, you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds; the song of the ruthless was stilled. On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 23
THE LORD is my shepherd; / therefore can I lack nothing. He shall feed me in a green pasture, / and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.
He shall restore my soul, / and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness, for his Name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; / for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me.
Thou shalt prepare a table before me in the presence of them that trouble me; / thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full. Surely thy loving-kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; / and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
SECOND LESSON: Philippians 3:4-14
Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If any other man thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, 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. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but 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 upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Worship in Song: Ancient Words
Holy words long preserved For our walk in this world They resound with God’s own heart Oh, let the ancient words impart
Words of Life, words of Hope Give us strength, help us cope In this world, where e’er we roam Ancient words will guide us home
Ancient words ever true Changing me and changing you We have come with open hearts Oh, let the ancient words impart
Holy words of our Faith Handed down to this age Came to us through sacrifice Oh heed the faithful words of Christ
Holy words long preserved For our walk in this world They resound with God’s own heart Oh let the ancient words impart
THE HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 22:1-14 R. / Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
R./ Praise be to thee, O Christ.
BENEDICTUS. ST LUKE 1:68
BLESSED be the Lord God of Israel; / for he hath visited and redeemed his people; And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us, / in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, / which have been since the world began; That we should be saved from our enemies, / and from the hands of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, / and to remember his holy covenant; To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham, / that he would grant us That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies / might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, / all the days of our life. AND thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest: / for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people / for the remission of their sins; Through the tender mercy of our God; / whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us; To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, / and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
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.
Then shall be said or sung the Confession of the Faith, called 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.
The Lord be with you; And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us.
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. Amen.
O Lord, show thy mercy upon us; And grant us thy salvation.
O Lord, save the Queen; And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Endue thy Ministers with righteousness; And make thy chosen people joyful.
O Lord, save thy people; And bless thine inheritance.
Give peace in our time, O Lord; And evermore mightily defend us.
O God, make clean our hearts within us; And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.
The Collect for the Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity.
LORD, we beseech thee, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect for Harvest Thanksgiving.
O ALMIGHTY God and heavenly Father, we glorify thee that we are once more permitted to enjoy the fulfilment of thy gracious promise, that, while the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest shall not fail. Blessed be thou, who hast given us the fruits of the earth in their season. Teach us to remember that it is not by bread alone that man doth live; but grant that we may feed on him who is the true bread which cometh down from heaven even Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour; to whom with thee, O Father, and thee, O Holy Spirit, be honour and glory, for ever and ever. 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 Hymn: Give Thanks
Give thanks with a grateful heart Give thanks to the Holy One Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son
Give thanks with a grateful heart Give thanks to the Holy One Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son
And now let the weak say, “I am strong” Let the poor say, “I am rich Because of what the Lord has done for us”
O GOD, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations.
More especially we pray for the good estate of the Catholic Church; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.
Finally we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those, who are any ways afflicted or distressed in mind, body, or estate; [* especially those for whom our prayers are desired; that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them, according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.
ALMIGHTY Father, who hast watered our fields with the dew of heaven, and poured out upon us the former and the latter rain, according to our need, and hast reserved unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest: We bless and praise thee that, in love to thy children, thou hast at this season bestowed upon us such an abundant supply for all our necessities. Grant that we may never be destitute of those better gifts which nourish and enrich the soul. Pour down, we beseech thee, upon us thy heavenly grace, and endue us with the gifts of thy Holy Spirit, that we may bring forth abundant fruits to thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A General Thanksgiving
ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, We thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks For all thy goodness and loving-kindness To us and to all men; We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; But above all for thine inestimable love In the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; For the means of grace, And for the hope of glory. And we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, That our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, And that we show forth thy praise, Not only with our lips, but in our lives; By giving up ourselves to thy service, And by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, To whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
A Prayer of Saint Chrysostom.
ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests: Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.
2 Corinthians 13:14.
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: For the Fruit of All Creation
For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God; for the gifts of every nation, thanks be to God; for the ploughing, sowing, reaping, silent growth while we are sleeping, future needs in earth’s safe-keeping, thanks be to God.
In the just reward of labour, God’s will is done; in the help we give our neighbour, God’s will is done; in our world-wide task of caring for the hungry and despairing, in the harvests we are sharing, God’s will is done.
For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God; for the good we all inherit, thanks be to God; for the wonders that astound us, for the truths that still confound us, most of all that love has found us, thanks be to God.
Even under these present ‘unhappy circumstances’, I want to wish you all “Happy Thanksgiving.” Thank you all so much for coming today.
Our tradition of having Thanksgiving Long Week End goes back to 1957, when the Governor General of Canada Vincent Massey, issued a proclamation stating: “A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed – to be observed on the second Monday in October.”
Well, a lot has changed in this country in the last 63 years. For one thing, our connection with the land is not what it used to be. We can come to church at Thanksgiving and sing, “We Plough the Fields and Scatter”, but how many of us plough the fields and scatter? But as it happened, back in May I got to go out with Henry Friesen and Nat Ross and ‘ploughed the fields’ in the community gardens to raise money for our refugee family. We had great harvest of potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini and strawberries in the garden at home. (May have wrecked a few friendships forcing zucchini onto people). And although there is a renewed interest in our culture in things local and organic, overall our relationship with the land is rather tenuous.
St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church, Trinity 17, Oct 4, 2020 Canon Claude Schroeder
Sermon on Matthew 21. 33-46.
In today’s gospel lesson today from St. Matthew, Jesus is in the Temple in Jerusalem addressing the crowds who had come to celebrate the Passover. We are here on the day after Jesus made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, on what we call Palm Sunday, where and the crowds hailed Jesus as their King.
But no sooner does Jesus enter the city, than he makes a bee line for the Temple where he proceeds to turn over the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons, declaring, “My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers” thus provoking a confrontation with the religious leaders as the ones responsible for the corruption at the centre of the Israel’s spiritual life.
The issue here was one of authority. They asked Jesus, “By what authority do you do these things, and who gave you this authority?”
