St. John’s Episcopal Church
Helena, Arkansas
Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
February 20, 2022
THE HOLY EUCHARIST RITE TWO
Entrance Rite, Eucharistic Prayer A
The Word of God
ENTRANCE RITE
Entrance Hymn I come with joy to meet my Lord (H 304)
Opening Acclamation
The people standing, the Celebrant says
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Celebrant |
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. |
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People |
And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen. |
The Celebrant may say
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Opening Anthem or Song of Praise
The following is sung, all standing
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
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Celebrant |
The Lord be with you. |
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People |
And also with you. |
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Celebrant |
Let us pray. |
O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing: Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
THE LESSONS
First Reading Genesis 45:3-11, 15
The people sit.
A Reading from the book of Genesis.
3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence. 4Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. 10You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’ ” 15And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.
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Reader |
The Word of the Lord. |
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People |
Thanks be to God. |
Psalm Psalm 37:1-12, 41-42
Remain seated and read responsively by whole verse.
1Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; *
do not be jealous of those who do wrong.
2For they shall soon wither like the grass, *
and like the green grass fade away.
3Put your trust in the Lord and do good; *
dwell in the land and feed on its riches.
4Take delight in the Lord, *
and he shall give you your heart’s desire.
5Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him, *
and he will bring it to pass.
6He will make your righteousness as clear as the light *
and your just dealing as the noonday.
7Be still before the Lord *
and wait patiently for him.
8Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, *
the one who succeeds in evil schemes.
9Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; *
do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.
10For evildoers shall be cut off, *
but those who wait upon the Lord shall possess the land.
11In a little while the wicked shall be no more; *
you shall search out their place, but they will not be there.
12But the lowly shall possess the land; *
they will delight in abundance of peace.
41But the deliverance of the righteous comes from the Lord; *
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
42The Lord will help them and rescue them; *
he will rescue them from the wicked and deliver them,
because they seek refuge in him.
Second Reading 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50
The people sit.
A Reading from Paul's First letter to the Church in Corinth.
35Someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 42So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. 43It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. 45Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. 47The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven. 50What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
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Reader |
The Word of the Lord. |
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People |
Thanks be to God. |
Silence may follow.
Sequence Hymn Love divine, all loves excelling (H 657)
All stand.
Gospel Luke 6:27-38
All stand.
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Priest |
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. |
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People |
Glory to you, Lord Christ. |
[Jesus said,] 27“I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
37“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
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Priest |
The Gospel of the Lord. |
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People |
Praise to you, Lord Christ. |
The Sermon Rev. Teresa Cantrell
The Creed
All stand.
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
People may stand or kneel.
Father, we pray for your holy catholic Church;
That we all may be one.
Grant that every member of the Church may truly and humbly serve you;
That your Name may be glorified by all people.
We pray for all bishops, priests, and deacons;
That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacraments.
We pray for all who govern and hold authority in the nations of the world;
That there may be justice and peace on the earth.
Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake;
That our works may find favor in your sight.
Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble; we pray for all those who suffer from Covid -19, their families, and caregivers. We pay also for all those who are alone or afraid.
That they may be delivered from their distress.
Give to the departed eternal rest; remembering especially Kenneth Fielder, and Jane & Lawrence Lenius.
Let light perpetual shine upon them.
We praise you for your saints who have entered into joy;
May we also come to share in your heavenly kingdom.
LEM continues with prayer for our search for a new rector.
O, God, who has blessed and sustained us through the years; we ask that you continue to lead us, stretch us, and direct us, in our search for a new rector. Raise for us, we pray, a priest and pastor who will boldly proclaim your Gospel, and faithfully administer your sacraments, and serve your people with love and compassion, that we may continue to grow in the likeness of Christ and be a beacon of love and hope to our community and the world. To the glory of your holy Name. Amen.
Let us pray for our own needs and those of others.
Silence
The People may add their own petitions.
The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.
Lord, hear the prayers of your people; and what we have asked faithfully, grant that we may obtain effectually, to the glory of your Name; though Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession of Sin
The Celebrant says
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept.
Minister 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 stands and says
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Peace
All stand.
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Celebrant |
The peace of the Lord be always with you. |
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People |
And also with you. |
Then the Ministers and the People may greet one another in the name of the Lord.
Announcements and birthday and anniversary blessings.
The Holy Communion
Offertory Sentence
The Celebrant says
Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.
Offertory Music
Doxology
The Great Thanksgiving
The People remain standing.
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Celebrant |
The Lord be with you. |
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People |
And also with you. |
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Celebrant |
Lift up your hearts. |
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People |
We lift them to the Lord. |
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Celebrant |
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. |
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People |
It is right to give him thanks and praise. |
Facing the Holy Table, the Celebrant proceeds
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
Because in the mystery of the Word made flesh, you have caused a new light to shine in our hearts, to give the knowledge of your glory in the face of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
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
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.
The People stand or kneel.
The Celebrant continues
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself; and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, 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 we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Celebrant and People
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
The Celebrant continues
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.
Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.
All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ. 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 forever. AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer
Please kneel as Lord’s Prayer is sung by Kallen Esperian
The Breaking of the Bread
Fraction Anthem
All sing
Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
The Celebrant says
The Gifts of God for the People of God.
The ministers receive the Sacrament in both kinds, and then immediately deliver it to the people.
The Bread is given to the communicants with these words
The Body (Blood) of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you in everlasting life. [Amen.]
Communion Hymn
Post-Communion Prayer
After Communion, the Celebrant says
Let us pray.
Celebrant and People
Eternal God, heavenly Father,
you have graciously accepted us as living members
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ,
and you have fed us with spiritual food
in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.
Send us now into the world in peace,
and grant us strength and courage
to love and serve you
with gladness and singleness of heart;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
BLESSING
May Christ, the Son of God, be manifest in you, that your lives may be a light to the world; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.
Post-Communion Hymn Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation (H390)
Dismissal
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Celebrant |
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. |
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People |
Thanks be to God. |
POSTLUDE
A Note on Today’s Readings
The Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany—Year C
Welcome to our parish. Again, the theme of Epiphany, the manifestation of Christ, is the focus of the liturgy. The “sermon on the plain” continues today with Jesus teaching about the way members of God’s kingdom relate to other people. Here our behavior is to reflect God’s behavior toward us. We are to love, to forgive, and to be generous because God loves us, God forgives us, and God is generous to us.
In the first reading, a model of forgiveness and love are given in the story of Joseph and the ten brothers who had sold him into slavery. Joseph’s forgiveness is unconditional and is the means by which God saved the people of Israel for their future vocation.
In this last portion of I Corinthians, Paul continues to explain the resurrection. Here he is confronting a notion held by some in that congregation that human beings are purely spiritual beings trapped in sinful, material bodies and that certain people with special spiritual gifts can escape their material existence. Paul’s message is that human beings are material but are destined, through the resurrection of Christ, to be raised themselves with spiritual bodies. It is only through the dying and rising of Jesus, not through special knowledge or gifts, that this can take place.
It is always God whose actions come first. Jesus is the manifestation of God’s generous love and forgiveness. Our response is to show forth that divine love and forgiveness in our own lives. We are to be epiphanies of God’s love to the world. We find God’s love revealed in the Eucharist and we in turn are sent forth to embody that love in our lives.
From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2007 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York
Our mission is to know God, love God, and serve God
by welcoming all, loving all and serving all.
Welcome to St. John’s. We are so glad you’re here to worship and celebrate with us today. We are so happy to have with us again our special soloist Kallen Esperian.
Please keep the following in your prayers: Debra Richardson, Kathy Sullivan, Parker Pace, Courtney Turner, Jo Boone Wild, Gloria Higginbotham, Kathleen Gibson, Cole Jefferies, Carol Spencer, Bonnie & Charles Rowland, Jo Liddy, Janet Juengel, Vivian Wright, Jim Howe, Cliff Clark, Linda Dowling, Susan Taylor, Sylvia Ross, Sawyer Barry Smith, and Gretchen Barry.
Grace Food Pantry: plastic bags go in the labeled container in the narthex.
Thank you for your donations. They are all greatly appreciated and needed.
Special Music will be included in the Sunday service this month on February 27 also.
DATES TO MARK IN YOUR CALENDAR:
March 2....Ash Wednesday service at 5:45 in the church
April 10....Palm Sunday
April 14....Maundy Thursday service at 5:45 in the church
April 15....Good Friday service at noon in the church
April 17.... Easter Sunday
Contact info:
Email: rector@saintjohnshelena.org
St. John’s Church Office:
Phone: 870-338-8115
Email: office@saintjohnshelena.org
Mailing address: P.O. Box 770, Helena, AR 72342
Street address: 625 Pecan St., Helena, Arkansas
The Most Rev. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church
The Rt. Reverend Larry R. Benfield, Bishop of Arkansas
The Rev. Teresa Cantrell
The Vestry of St. John’s Church, Helena
Allison Biederman, Senior Warden (2022)
Ed Pat Wright, Junior Warden (2023)
Brooke Tappan, Clerk (2023), Tap Jennings (2023)
Mark Rogers (2022), Susan Carter (2022)
West Hornor (2024), Ned Pillow (2024)
Walter Morris, Treasurer
Pianist –Dagmar Bergan
Organist – Dr. Gabriel Statom
Soloist – Kallen Esperian
Lay Eucharist Minister – Ann Lee
Acolyte – Ann Lee
Altar Guild – Bennett Sellers & Angie Fielder
Ushers – Dana Kurts & Ed Pat Wright
Facebook Live – Julie Pittman
The flowers in the church today are given to the glory of God
and in memory of Kenneth Fielder and Jane & Lawrence Lenius,
and in honor of Mike & Angie’s 40th anniversary.
Given by Mike & Angie Fielder
