St. Christopher's Episcopal Church

The St. C’s Sacristans at work changing everything over from Advent to Christmas!

Simple Text for the Sunday Service for Advent IV

Blessed be God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Confession The Book of Common Prayer, page 79 Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
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.
Opening Anthem Jubilate Psalm 100
1 Be joyful in the LORD, all you lands; * serve the LORD with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
2 Know this: The LORD himself is God; *
he himself has made us, and we are his;
• • • • • • •
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
3 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise; *
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
4 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; * and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
Appointed Psalm
Leader O God, let our mouth proclaim your praise. People And your glory all the day long.
Praise to the holy and undivided Trinity, one God: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26

Your love, O Lord, for ever will I sing; *
from age to age my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness.
For I am persuaded that your love is established for ever; * you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one; * I have sworn an oath to David my servant:
‘I will establish your line for ever, *
and preserve your throne for all generations.’”
You spoke once in a vision and said to your faithful people: * “I have set the crown upon a warrior
and have exalted one chosen out of the people.
I have found David my servant; *
with my holy oil have I anointed him.
My hand will hold him fast *
and my arm will make him strong.
No enemy shall deceive him, *

nor any wicked man bring him down.
23 I will crush his foes before him *
and strike down those who hate him.

My faithfulness and love shall be with him, *
and he shall be victorious through my Name.
I shall make his dominion extend * from the Great Sea to the River.
He will say to me, ‘You are my Father, * my God, and the rock of my salvation.’
First Reading 2 Samuel 7: 1-11, 16 A Reading from the Second book of Samuel
Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.” Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.” But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all

your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever.
Second Reading Romans 16:25-27 A Reading from Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome.
Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.
Gospel Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in
Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Sermon Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Leader People Leader
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Lord’s Prayer (traditional)
The Prayers of Morning Prayer Collect of the Day
The Lord be with you.

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Prayers

QUICK REMINDER: about Church and Christmas Eve this Sunday. With it being Christmas Eve, there are three services, but only one service is in the morning at 9AM (No 8AM and No 10:15). The morning service will be a service for the 4th Sunday of Advent. At 4PM we will have the Family Christmas Eve Service with impromptu pageant. At 9PM we will have the Traditional Christmas Eve Service (with caroling starting at 8:45) and a candle-lit Silent Night. Blessings on these last days of Advent. :)

Schedule for Sunday 12-24
9AM Advent IV (no 8AM, no 10:15AM)
4PM Family Christmas Eve Service
9PM Traditional Christmas Eve Service

Monday 12-25
Christmas Day Service at 10AM

SCHEDULE FOR 12/24 and 12/25

Christmas Eve
Sunday 12/24
9am Holy Eucharist Advent IV
4pm Family Christmas Service with Pageant (any children wanting to participate please come at 3:30pm we have plenty of costumes)
9pm Traditional Christmas Service

Christmas Day
Monday 12/25
10am Holy Eucharist Rite II

✝️🎄🎅🏾🤶🏽🎄✝️

Have you ever been to a Christmas Day service? St. C's is having one at 10AM Christmas Day (Monday 12-25). While not a great fit for a lot of family schedules, it is a beautiful and meaningful gathering if you happen to have the time. It's also a great fit if you had to work Christmas Eve, but still want Holy Communion and Church to be part of your Christmas. On this day we focus on the meaning of the Incarnation. It's usually a small service in comparison to big celebrations on Christmas Eve, but it is meaningful nonetheless.

Blue Christmas
Thursday
December 21st 7pm

⛪️💙🤍⛪️

December 17th

3rd Sunday of Advent

8:00AM Holy Eucharist Rite II
9:00 AM Formation: Fr. Zac's Sabbatical Research
10AM Sunday School
1015am Holy Eucharist Rite II
1130am chorus practice

Celebrating Deacon Donna!

Masks Strongly Recommended, But Not Required

All Welcome Always

You are invited to celebrate Christmas Eve at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church!
On Sunday, 12-24 (Christmas Eve) we will be celebrating at 4PM with a family service and an Impromptu Christmas Pageant. At 9PM that same day we will have a traditional service with Silent Night by candlelight, trumpet music and Christmas carols. All are welcome. We are an inclusive and affirming church.
St. Christopher's is located at 187 East Road in Hampstead, NH.

Image Credit: Original source: Liz Valente, https://www.instagram.com/donalizvalente/ Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=59334 [retrieved December 13, 2023].

St. Christopher's Episcopal Church We are an Episcopal church that values Christ-centered community and
the participation of children,

Join us this Sunday 12/17 to celebrate Deacon Donna!

🎉 ⛪️ 🎉

Simple Text Format for Morning Prayer:

Blessed be God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.�

People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.

Confession The Book of Common Prayer, page 79 Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
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.
Opening Anthem Jubilate Psalm 100
1 Be joyful in the LORD, all you lands; * serve the LORD with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
• • • • • • • • •
2 Know this: The LORD himself is God; *�he himself has made us, and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
3 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;�go into his courts with praise; *
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
4 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; * and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
Appointed Psalm
Leader O God, let our mouth proclaim your praise. People And your glory all the day long.
Praise to the holy and undivided Trinity, one God: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm 85: 1-2,8-13
1
2
8
9
10
11
12
You have been gracious to your land, O Lord, * you have restored the good fortune of Jacob.
You have forgiven the iniquity of your people * and blotted out all their sins.
I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, *�for he is speaking peace to his faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to him.
Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, * that his glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth have met together; *�righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Truth shall spring up from the earth, *�and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
The Lord will indeed grant prosperity, *
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him, *�and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.
First Reading Isaiah 40: 1-11 A Reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
“Comfort, O comfort my people,” says your God. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

Gospel Mark 13: 24-37
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Sermon Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,�was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.�On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,�the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Leader People Leader
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Lord’s Prayer (traditional)�The Prayers of Morning Prayer Collect of the Day
The Lord be with you.
Leader�People�Leader�Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Prayers

December 10th

SecondSunday of Advent

⛪️ 8:00AM Holy Eucharist Rite II
📚 9:00 AM Formation: Fr. Zac's Sabbatical Research
⛪️1015am Holy Eucharist Rite II
Children’s Sunday with a special
visit from the original Saint Nicholas!
🎶 1130am chorus practice

No Sunday School this week

Masks Strongly Recommended, But Not Required

All Welcome Always

Blue Christmas Service, Thursday, December 21st @ 7PM at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church

What is Blue Christmas?

Blue Christmas is a service that makes space if we are having a hard time this holiday. If you've been affected by a loss or unwanted change, and this holiday season is feeling hard, Blue Christmas makes space for prayer and for God around these kinds of feelings. After all, the Christmas story has its blue parts too. If you would like to know more, just comment or send a message here.

“Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Lean Your Ear this Way”

We’ve just received word that
St. Nicholas will be visiting St. Christopher’s!

St. Nicholas plans to teach us about the origin of Christmas stockings!

Text Format for Sunday Service:

Blessed be God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Confession The Book of Common Prayer, page 79 Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
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.
Opening Anthem Jubilate Psalm 100
1 Be joyful in the LORD, all you lands; * serve the LORD with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
2 Know this: The LORD himself is God; *
he himself has made us, and we are his;
• • • • • • •
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
3 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise; *
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
4 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; * and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
Appointed Psalm
O God, let our mouth proclaim your praise. People And your glory all the day long.
Praise to the holy and undivided Trinity, one God: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm 80: 1-7, 16-18
1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; * shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, * stir up your strength and come to help us.
3 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
4 O Lord God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
6 You have made us the derision of our neighbors, * and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, *
the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.

17 And so will we never turn away from you; *
give us life, that we may call upon your Name.
18 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
First Reading Isaiah 64: 1-9 A Reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence—as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil—to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him. You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways. But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity. Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord, and do not remember iniquity forever. Now consider, we are all your people.
Second Reading 1 Corinthians 1: 3-9 A Reading from Paul’s First letter to the Church in Corinth
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you—so that you are

not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Gospel Mark 13: 24-37
Jesus said, “In those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake— for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
Sermon Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
Leader People Leader
the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Lord’s Prayer (traditional)
The Prayers of Morning Prayer Collect of the Day
The Lord be with you.
Leader

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Prayers

Lessons & Carols Happening on Sunday December 17th @ 10:15. The choir is working hard, and this will be wonderful!!

St. Nicholas is visiting St. Christopher's Sunday, December 10th at the Children's Service at 10:15AM. It is likely St. Nicholas will tell us about the first Christmas stockings too!

Please join us for our
LGBTQIA+ Monthly Potluck!

December 3rd

All welcome including allys!

Message for more information
🎄🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🎄

December 3rd

First Sunday of Advent

⛪️ 8:00AM Holy Eucharist Rite II
📚 9:00 AM Formation: Fr. Zac's Sabbatical Research
🏫 10AM Sunday School
⛪️1015am Holy Eucharist Rite II
🎶 1130am chorus practice

No Sunday School this week

Masks Strongly Recommended, But Not Required

All Welcome Always

Sunday Service: Simple Text Format

Blessed be God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Confession The Book of Common Prayer, page 79 Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
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.
Opening Anthem Jubilate Psalm 100
1 Be joyful in the LORD, all you lands; * serve the LORD with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
2 Know this: The LORD himself is God; *
he himself has made us, and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
3 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise; *
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
4 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; * and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
Appointed Psalm
Leader O God, let our mouth proclaim your praise. People And your glory all the day long.
Praise to the holy and undivided Trinity, one God: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm 100
1 Be joyful in the LORD, all you lands; * serve the LORD with gladness
and come before his presence with a song. 2 Know this: The LORD himself is God; *

he himself has made us, and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
3 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise; *
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
4 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; * and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
First Reading Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 A Reading from the book of Ezekiel.
Thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek
them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I
will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice. Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.

Second Reading Ephesians 1:15-23 A Reading from Paul’s letter to the Church in Ephesus.
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Gospel Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus said, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels
with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it

that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Sermon Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Leader People Leader
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.

Lord’s Prayer (traditional)
The Prayers of Morning Prayer Collect of the Day
The Lord be with you.
Leader

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Prayers