The Fourth Sunday In Lent
Sunday, March 14, 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: “O Mensch, Bewein’ dein Sunde Gross” J.S. Bach
The entrance Rite & Penitential order
Hymn: “My faith looks up to thee” (verses 1, 3, 4)
1. My faith looks up to thee,
Thou lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away;
O let me from this day
Be wholly thine.
3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn today,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away;
Pure, warm, and changeless be
A living fire.
4. When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove,
O bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul.
The Penitential Order
The people kneel or sit.
Priest ✠ Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.
People His mercy endures for ever.
Hear the commandments of God to his people: I am the Lord your God who brought you out of bondage. You shall have no other gods but me.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not make for yourself any idol.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not invoke with malice the Name of the Lord your God.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
Honor your father and your mother.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not commit murder.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not commit adultery.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not steal.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not be a false witness.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
Priest
Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence is kept.
Priest and People
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The priest pronounces an absolution.
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.
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Numbers 21:4-9
From Mount Hor the Israelites set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
The Psalm is sung by the cantor
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, *
and his mercy endures for ever.
2 Let all those whom the Lord has redeemed proclaim *
that he redeemed them from the hand of the foe.
3 He gathered them out of the lands; *
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
17 Some were fools and took to rebellious ways; *
they were afflicted because of their sins.
18 They abhorred all manner of food *
and drew near to death’s door.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, *
and he delivered them from their distress.
20 He sent forth his word and healed them *
and saved them from the grave.
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his mercy *
and the wonders he does for his children.
22 Let them offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving *
and tell of his acts with shouts of joy.
Second Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10
You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
A tract is then sung by the cantor.
The Gospel: John 3:14-21
Priest The ✠ Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”
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.
The Prayers of the People
Priest In peace, let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Kyrie eleison.”
For the holy Church of God, that it may be filled with truth and love, and be found without fault at the day of your coming, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For Michael our Presiding Bishop, for Daniel and Rodney our own Bishops, for all bishops and other ministers, and for all the holy people of God, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For all who fear God and believe in you, Lord Christ, that our divisions may cease, and that all may be one as you and the Father are one, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For the mission of the Church, that in faithful witness it may preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For those who do not yet believe, and for those who have lost their faith, that they may receive the light of the Gospel, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For the peace of the world, that a spirit of respect and forbearance may grow among nations and peoples, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For those in positions of public trust, especially Joseph, President of this nation, and Thomas, Governor of this commonwealth, that they may serve justice, and promote the dignity and freedom of every person, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For all who live and work in this community, especially essential workers and those who care for the sick, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For a blessing upon all human labor, and for the right use of the riches of creation, that the world may be freed from poverty, famine, and disaster, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and all who suffer; for refugees, prisoners, and all who are in danger; that they may be relieved and protected, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For this congregation, for those who are present and for those who are absent, that we may be delivered from hardness of heart, and show forth your glory in all that we do, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For our enemies and those who wish us harm, and for all whom we have injured or offended, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For ourselves; for the forgiveness of our sins, and for the grace of the Holy Spirit to amend our lives, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For those who are on our parish prayer list, and all who have commended themselves to our prayers; for our families, friends, and neighbors; that being freed from anxiety, they may live in joy, peace, and health, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For our sister church of St. Mary’s, Sololá, and for the churches and provinces throughout the Anglican Communion, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
For all who have X died in the communion of your Church, and those whose faith is known to you alone, that, with all the saints, they may have rest in that place where there is no pain or grief, but life eternal, we pray to you, O Lord.
Kyrie eleison.
Rejoicing in the fellowship of the ever-blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, blessed Paul the Apostle, and all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life to Christ our God.
To you, O Lord our God.
Silence
The priest concludes with a Collect.
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: “O Vos Omnes” Thomas L. Victoria
All ye that pass by,
behold and see
if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow,
All ye my people,
behold and see my sorrow.
If there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow.
O vos ómnes qui transítis per víam,
atténdite et vidéte:
Si est dólor símilis sícut dólor méus.
V. Atténdite, univérsi pópuli,
et vidéte dolórem méum.
Si est dólor símilis sícut dólor méus.
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.
Fraction Anthem: Lamb of God
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.
Hymn 690: “Guide me, O thou great Jehovah” (verses 1, 3)
1. Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
hold me with thy powerful hand;
bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore.
3. When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside;
death of death, and hell’s destruction,
land me safe on Canaan’s side;
songs of praises,
I will ever give to thee.
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 people are dismissed, responding Thanks be to God.
Postlude: “Amsterdam” Austin C. Lovelace
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Eucharistic Minister: Robert Ball
Lector: Christopher McCall
Acolyte: Kirsten Lowell
Organist: Ed McCall
Cantor: Jill Dulany
Altar: Elizabeth Pitts, Carol Fox
A/V: Emma Ward, Liam Kelly
Choir: George Achilles, Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, Jill Dulany, Muriel Hastings, Nick Lindberg, Lisa Nordland, Laura Pankoe, Shelley Reed, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, Anne Shute, Jim Shute, Caitlin Stein, David Taylor, Deborah Taylor, Marian Wentworth
Online giving is available through Realm E-Giving and PayPal. We thank you for your generous giving to St. Paul’s.
The Penitential Order
Today and throughout Lent, our worship of God begins with the Penitential Order. It offers us the chance to hear afresh God’s commandments for our common life, and to ask for God’s mercy so that our hearts would be inclined to keep them. The use of such an ‘order’ has a long history in the Anglican tradition (Thomas Cranmer, the architect of The Book of Common Prayer, first included it in the 1552 book). It reorients us to the truth that we are always in need of God’s mercy, and is a fitting practice during this Lenten season.
Easter MUSIC AND FLOWERS: MEMORIALS & THANKSGIVINGS
We invite you to to submit a memorial and/or thanksgiving offering for Easter music and flowers, along with the names of those you wish to be remembered. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, March 28. You can submit names through our website using the buttons below:
Compline on Wednesdays at 8:45pm on Zoom
Hi friends! There is Compline on Wednesday nights starting at 8:45pm. The zoom room will open at 8:45pm for fellowship and conversation. We'll hang out until about 9:15pm, at which point we will then begin the short prayer service. The zoom room will close after the prayer service, when we say goodnight. The idea here is that our prayers together will be the last words we say before going to bed. While no one is required to keep silence after they sign off, I'd like to encourage us to consider how we "sign off" for the evening and approach rest.
If you'd rather not socialize, please show up around 9:10pm to prepare for the prayer service.
Zoom details can be found on the St. Paul’s Doylestown Members FB group. You can also contact Lindsey Carfagna or Deacon Matthew.
Confirmation & Reception: June 12-13, 2021
The Rt. Rev. Daniel Gutiérrez will be conducting a virtual service of Confirmation and Reception at St. Paul's on the weekend of June 12 and 13. The Bishop has held several of these services in various churches during the pandemic, in order to offer the rites of Confirmation and Reception. The service will be pre-recorded and will air on Saturday, June 12; and those who are candidates for Confirmation and Reception are invited to come to St. Paul's on the afternoon of Sunday, June 13 to receive the laying on of hands from the Bishop. Although this is a very different kind of Episcopal visitation than we may be used to, it nevertheless is a crucial opportunity to welcome new members into The Episcopal Church.
Further details are forthcoming. If you are interested in undergoing one of these rites, or if you have any questions, please contact the Rector. Please do save the date for this significant occasion in the life of our church.
COLLECTION FOR ST. MARY'S SOLOLÁ, GUATEMALA
At St. Paul’s, we pray weekly for our Sister Parish: St. Mary’s, Sololá, in Guatemala. In addition to praying for them, we do a yearly fundraising campaign to help the youth of St. Mary’s with their educational expenses. In the past, we have sponsored students’ educational costs, including tuition, books, supplies, etc. It was a very successful exercise and many children received the benefit from our assistance. This year, however, the need in Guatemala is very different. In addition to extreme weather disasters of hurricanes, mudslides and flooding, they have also suffered the effects of a volcano. Like the rest of the world, they are also fighting Covid-19 pandemic. To help them with these various tragedies, the Bishop of Guatemala has suggested that we send donations to be used for basic needs like water, medications, and personal needs. As a parish, we will be dedicating our special Lenten collection to this cause. Would you please consider helping in this very serious and tragic situation? You can give easily on our church website by clicking here (select the “Guatemala” fund), or by check (write “Guatemala” in the memo line). We thank you for your generous giving to the people of St. Mary’s, Sololá. Mary Lou Parry, Outreach Committee Chair
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP
A Bereavement Support Group is starting up and is available to anyone who is experiencing grief due to the death of a loved one (spouse, friend, child, or parent). It is also offered to those who care about friends who are grieving.
Focusing on various aspects of the grieving process, this interactive series will assist the bereaved in understanding how to cope with grief, and how to develop skills and motivation necessary to turn their mourning into cherished memories of their loved ones. The Bereavement Support Group will be facilitated by Phylis Benoit, a Bereavement Counselor with 15 years of experience companioning family and friends through the difficult period following the death of a loved one. Phylis was formerly the Coordinator of Spiritual Care at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, PA. and expanded their Bereavement Program over the years. She holds a BA in Psychology and Religious Studies and a Masters in Theology and Ministry specializing in Bereavement. There will be a nominal cost for materials. The time of the meeting will depend on what time works best for the participants. This will likely be an in-person/virtual hybrid model. For more information, and to express interest, please contact Deacon Matthew Simpson.
Available Flower Memorial & Thanksgiving Date for 2021
Thank you to all parishioners who have supported our ministry through their flower memorials and thanksgivings and a special thank you to the members of this guild for their time and efforts. Without everyone’s participation the church would not be blessed with our ever changing floral displays to liven up the church! In 2021 we have the following open date for a flower memorial or thanksgiving: July 25.
The Flower Guild welcomes anyone interested in being a part of this ministry. You are welcome to observe any current member arrange flowers for Sunday. Please talk to any current member to find out what it’s all about. For questions, please use the church directory to contact me.
Lisa Farina, Head of the Flower Guild