ee ai Sewadship o h a S. a hews

ee ai Sewadship o h a S. a hews 8A 10:30A ai a s Aasa S day coe 16 2016

Praised be my Lord God with all creatures; and especially our brother the sun, which brings us the day, and the light; fair is he, and shining with a very great splendor: O Lord, he signifies you to us! Praised be my Lord for our sister the moon, and for the stars, which God has set clear and lovely in heaven. Wecoe o S. a hews piscopa h ch. We ae ad ha yo ae hee. oday we ae cee ai a specia se ice o Sewadship o eaio i wee 3 o o sewadship o h. We ae coi o ea ha o sewadship o ods i s o s is hea wo ad o espose-aiiy ha coes o o o ai de o hose i s. Processional Hymn #412 Earth and all stars Call to Worship Priest Creator God, you created the heavens and the earth. People We thank you, O God, for the heavens and the earth. Priest You created the oceans and dry land. People We thank you, O God, for the oceans and dry land. Priest You created the plants and animals. People We thank you, O God, for the plants and animals. Priest You created us and called us to be stewards of your creation. People We thank you, O God, that you created us. Empower us to be good stewards of what you have entrusted to us. Song of Praise -- St. Francis's Canticle of the Sun All say together O most High, almighty, good Lord God, to you belong praise, glory, honor, and all blessing! Praised be my Lord for our brother the wind, and for air and cloud, calms and all weather, by which you uphold in life all creatures. Praised be my Lord for our sister water, which is very serviceable to us, and humble, and precious, and clean. Praised be my Lord for brother fire, through which you give us light in the darkness: and he is bright, and pleasant, and very mighty, and strong. Praised be my Lord for our mother the Earth, which sustains us and keeps us, and yields divers fruits, and flowers of many colors, and grass. Praised be my Lord for all those who pardon one another for God's love's sake, and who endure weakness and tribulation; blessed are they who peaceably shall endure, for you, O most High, shall give them a crown! Praised be my Lord for our sister, the death of the body, from which no one escapes. Woe to him who dies in mortal sin! Blessed are they who are found walking by your most holy will,

for the second death shall have no power to do them harm. Praise you, and bless you the Lord, and give thanks to God, and serve God with great humility. (St. Francis, 1182-1226) Collect for Stewardship Gracious Father, creator of all life, you opened your loving hand and filled all things living with plenty, and you made us to be stewards of your beloved creation: Bless the lands and waters and living creatures, and multiply the harvests of the world; let your Spirit go forth to renew the face of the earth; and save us from the selfish use of what you give, that men and women everywhere may give you thanks and safeguard the earth and its creatures from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Liturgy of the Word (please be seated) Old Testament Reading -- Job 38:1-11, 16 18 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind: Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements surely you know. Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy? Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb? -- when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors, and said, Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stopped? Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this. Canticle 13 A Song of Creation Benedicite, omnia opera Domini Song of the Three Young Men, 35-65 Invocation Glorify the Lord, all you works of the Lord, * In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, * I The Cosmic Order Glorify the Lord, you angels and all powers of the Lord, * O heavens and all waters above the heavens. Sun and moon and stars of the sky, glorify the Lord, * Glorify the Lord, every shower of rain and fall of dew, * all winds and fire and heat. Winter and Summer, glorify the Lord, * Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold, * drops of dew and flakes of snow> Frost and cold, ice and sleet, glorify the Lord, * Glorify the Lord, O nights and days, * O shining light and enfolding dark. Storm clouds and thunderbolts, glorify the Lord, *

II The Earth and its Creatures Let the earth glorify the Lord, * Glorify the Lord, O mountains and hills, and all that grows upon the earth, * Glorify the Lord, O springs of water, seas, and streams, * O whales and all that move in the waters. All birds of the air, glorify the Lord, * Glorify the Lord, O beasts of the wild, * and all you flocks and herds. O men and women everywhere, glorify the Lord, * III The People of God Let the people of God glorify the Lord, * Glorify the Lord, O priests and servants of the Lord, * Glorify the Lord, O spirits and souls of the righteous, * You that are holy and humble of heart, glorify the Lord, * Doxology Let us glorify the Lord: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; * In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, * New Testament Reading -- Romans 8:19 25 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Please stand Gradual Hymn #534 - God is working his purpose out During the reading of the Gospel it is traditional to turn and face the Gospel book The Gospel John 6:1-14 Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat? He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, Six months wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter s brother, said to him, There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people? Jesus said, Make the people sit down. Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may

be lost. So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world. The Homily The Rev. Liz Huskey Simmons, Interim Rector A Creation Care Creed Because God gave us this earth as a home, and declared it very good, we seek to be faithful stewards of this gracious gift. Because God s Creation now groans to be brought back to wholeness, we commit ourselves to work vigorously to protect and heal that Creation for the honor and glory of the Creator. Because God delivered us from slavery to the promised land, we seek to respond by liberating others from oppression. Because God has been revealed in Jesus Christ, we seek to be his disciples. Because Jesus calls us to love God, our neighbors, and ourselves, we strive to care for, and reconcile with, all of God s beloved people. Because God loves us eternally, we know nothing can separate us from God s abiding presence. Because God s Spirit continually brings healing to us, and through us all, we have reason to hope, celebrate and rejoice. Praise be to God! Amen! Litany on Behalf of God s Creatures Leader Gracious God, you created the earth and all that is in it and proclaimed it good. All this belongs to you, and yet we harm your creation. Forgive us, we pray, and help us to be champions of all those who suffer, so that we may be channels of your goodness. Leader We give you thanks, O God, for the life and witness of the prophets who remind us of your true purpose and for those special people who minister with tenderness to all living beings. Leader We give you thanks, O God, for animals who live in our homes, on farms, in the wild, and in havens of refuge. Make us ever aware of our stewardship of creation, and help us to be faithful in caring for all you have created. Leader We pray today for animals who are mistreated in any way... for those who are tortured, deserted, abused, exploited and used for unnecessary experimentation, and for any whose lives are spent in extreme confinement. Help us to stop abuse in any form. Open our mouths to the defense of the defenseless, and above all, open our lives to your ways. Leader We ask forgiveness for the part we have all played in systems that employ violence and promote hardness of heart. Leader We remember before you our companion animals who have died. We remember at this time also, those animals who are lost or separated from their owners.

Celebrant Hear our humble prayer, O God, for our friends the animals, especially for animals who are suffering; for any that are hunted or lost, deserted, frightened, or hungry; and for all that will be put to death. We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity; and for those who deal with them, we ask a heart of compassion, gentle hands, and kindly words. Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals, and so to share the blessings of the merciful. Albert Schweitzer A Prayer of Confession All We who have lost our sense and our senses--our touch, our smell, our vision of who we are: we who frantically force and press all things, without rest for body or spirit, hurting our earth and injuring ourselves: we call a halt. We want to rest. We need to rest and allow the earth to rest. We need to reflect and to rediscover the mystery that lives in us, that is the ground of every unique expression of life, the source of the fascination that calls all things to communion. We declare a Sabbath, a space of Quiet; for simply being and letting be; for recovering the great, forgotten truths; for learning how to live again. (Silence follows) The Peace In the spirit of reconciliation, you are encouraged to offer a sign of peace to one another Welcome and Announcements The Offertory Anthem God is working his purpose out St. Matthew s Choir (at 8 a.m.) Celebrant all things come of thee O Lord, People and of thine own have we given thee. (at 10:30 a.m. service) Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below, praise Him above ye heavenly hosts, praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Blessing of the Animals Celebrant O sweet maker of all, we ask your blessing on every creature gathered here today, the large and the small. May they live peacefully in praise of you. Bless us all to love your creation, and revere its sacredness. We ask this blessing in the name of the one who was, is, and always will be, our Creator, to whom every creature belongs. Amen. Hymn for the Blessing of Animals "For creatures great and creatures small" (sung to the tune of Just as I am, without one plea ; words by Barb Hameister) For creatures great and creatures small, we thank you, Father, for them all! For tails and wings and fins and paws, we thank you, Lord, we thank you, Lord. For slippers fetched and laps made warm, companionship in ev ry storm; for faithful friends, whate er their form, we re grateful, Lord, we re grateful, Lord. We ask your blessing, Lord, today, on all your creatures here, and pray Oh keep them safe both night and day! We pray, O Lord, we pray, O Lord. Animals will be blessed individually. The worship leaders will come to you. Please share the name(s) of your animals with the priest giving the blessing. The Great Thanksgiving A Creation-Centered Eucharistic Prayer (from the New Zealand Book of Common Prayer; the people join in on the bold portions) Celebrant People The Lord is here. God s Spirit is with us. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to offer thanks and praise. It is right indeed to give you thanks most loving God, through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, the pioneer of our salvation, one of us, yet from the heart of God. For with your whole created universe, we praise you for your unfailing gift of life. (The Eucharistic prayer continues ) Therefore with saints and martyrs, apostles and prophets, with all the redeemed, joyfully we praise you and sing: All sing Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Celebrant continues Accept our praises, living God, for Jesus (the Celebrant continues the Eucharistic prayer) And so we proclaim the mystery of our faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come in glory. May Christ ascended in majesty be our new and living way. In him we offer ourselves to do your will. Empower our celebration with your Holy Spirit, feed us with your life, fire us with your love, confront us with your justice, and make us one in the body of Christ with all who share your gifts of love Through Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, with all who stand before you in earth and heaven, we worship you, Creator God, in songs of everlasting praise. Blessing, honor and glory be yours, here and everywhere, now and for ever. Amen. And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say: The Lord s Prayer 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 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 Fraction Anthem All Sing Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia! The Invitation to Communion This is the Lord s table; all are welcome to it The Communion You are invited to receive the Body and Blood of Christ in both kinds, or simply to receive the Host, then cross your arms over your chest to pass on the wine. If you intinct (dip) your wafer, please do not allow your fingers to dip into the wine. If you wish to receive only a blessing, cross your arms over your chest when you arrive at the altar rail. Communion Hymns All Communion hymns are from the spiral Songbook #26 (For the beauty of the Earth) #63 (Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee)

#78 (Morning has broken) #102 (Let all things now living) Post-Communion Prayer Celebrant Our God, You have blessed us, and fed us with your Body and Blood your very life force. By your Holy Spirit. you have come close to us, and we have come close to you in this precious feast, where Heaven and earth meet, People And so, with all the realms of Nature the growing and creeping things; the running and leaping things; the flying and the swimming things, we proclaim your glory which reaches to the heavens - holding all in sovereign love and care. Celebrant Send us out, nourished and refreshed, to work in partnership with you, bringing your resurrection message to all the inhabitants of this world, in earth, and sea and sky. People Give us vision and new commitment to take up the challenges to which you call us; that in company with all created things we may sing the joy, the beauty and the glory that is Creation s song. Amen. Blessing Celebrant As we prepare to leave and embrace the challenges of our lives and our world, let us ask for God s blessing. May He bless us with wisdom to care for the earth. And may the Lord who established the dance of creation, who marveled at the lilies of the field, who transforms chaos to order, lead us to transform our lives and the Church to reflect God s glory in creation. And the blessing of God Almighty: Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, be amongst you and remain with you always. People Amen Hymn to Process into the World #405 - All Things Bright and Beautiful Dismissal Parish Announcements for October 16, 2016 Coffee Hour All are invited after the service to the Parish Hall for beverages and food! Come and join us so we can get to know you better! The UTO Fall In-Gathering is Sunday, October 30 th. Please bring your UTO boxes or envelopes into the office or place them in the offering plate on Sunday. Shoebox Ministry This year the St. Matthew s Sunday School children will put together shoeboxes full of gifts that will be sent to children in developing countries (this is the Operation Christmas Child project through Samaritan s Purse). In order to do this, we are asking for donations. Toys, school supplies, and personal care items are some suggestions. Please refrain from donating anything related to violence or liquid products. Items need to be donated before Sunday, November 13 th, and can be dropped off in the Sunday school room on Sundays, or in the church office during the week. There is a sign-up sheet in the

parish hall, next to the display, in hopes that we collect a wide range of items. If you would like to donate money, we would be happy to do the shopping for you, or we can use it to pay the $7 shipping cost per box. Please contact Glenda Aasland or Cindy Stragier with any questions. DIRECTORY UPDATES There is a list of contacts posted in the Parish Hall of those we could not get a hold of to update mailing and phone information. Please take a moment to check if you are on this list and update your information for our records.