St.

Francis Church Biblically minded::Mission driven

The Right Reverend John C. Bauerschmidt--Bishop of Tennessee

The Reverend Joseph B. Howard--Vicar

Order of Worship

St. Francis Church is a community dedicated to the

transformation of lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ for
the Kingdom of God.

The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Proper 20
Year B

A congregation of the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee and the world-wide Anglican Communion
A note for visitors: We’re thankful that you could join us for worship today, and we
pray God blesses you in your time here. The service is printed in your bulletin. If you
have any questions don’t hesitate to ask someone around you!

St. Francis Church we want to encourage families to worship together. In order to

be a community where all ages feel welcome, we provide coloring materials for children
to use during worship and seek to understand the specific gifts and challenges that
children bring. We encourage you, should you feel comfortable doing so, to sit toward
the front with your children, as little-ones are often more attentive if they can see what is
happening.

We understand that there may be times when it is best to take advantage of child care,
and nursury is provided.

Prayer in Preparation for worship:

O Almighty God, who pours out on all who desire it the spirit of grace and
of supplication: Deliver us, when we draw near to you, from coldness of
heart and wanderings of mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled
affections we may worship you in spirit and in truth; though Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.

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 The Word of God
423
Processional: Immortal, invisible, God only wise Praise to God H423
 G C Am D Em G
¡ ¡
D G

¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡ Ì
¡ ¡ ¡ Ì
1 Im - mor - tal, in - vis - i - ble, God on - ly wise,
2 Un - rest - ing, un - hast - ing, and si - lent as light,
3 To all life thou giv - est, to both great and small;

¡
Thou reign - est in glo - ry, thou rul - est in light,
¡¡
4

" ¡ ¡
¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡
¡ ¡¡ Ì
¡ ¡ Ì

C Am D Em G D G

¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Ì
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Ì
in light in - ac - ces - si - ble hid from our eyes,
nor want - ing, nor wast - ing, thou rul - est in might;
in all life thou liv - est, the true life of all;

¡
thine an - gels a - dore thee, all veil - ing their sight;

"  ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡¡ Ì
¡ ¡ ¡ Ì
 ¡¡ ¡
Em D G Em Bm G D sus D

¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ÌÌ
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
most bless - ed, most glo - rious, the An - cient of Days,
thy jus - tice like moun - tains high soar - ing a - bove
we blos - som and flour - ish, like leaves on the tree,

¡ ¡
all laud we would ren - der: O help us to see
¡ ¡¡
"  ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡Ì ¡
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡

 ¡
C Am D Em G D G

¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Ì
¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Ì
al - might - y, vic - tor - ious, thy great Name we praise.
thy clouds, which are foun - tains of good - ness and love.
then with - er and per - ish; but nought chan - geth thee.

¡
’tis on - ly the splen - dor of light hid - eth thee.

" ¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡¡ Ì
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Ì
Words: Walters Chalmers Smith (1824-1908), alt.
Music: St. Denio, Welsh hymn, from Caniadau y Cyssegr, 1893; adapt. John Roberts ((1822-1877);
harm. The English Hymnal, 1908, alt. 11 11. 11 11
From Tell Out, My Soul: Guitar Lead Sheets for Favorite Hymns, Vol. 1 Copyright ©
Opening Acclamation:
2006 by R. C. Laird. Church Publishing Incorporated. www.churchpublishing.org
All Standing

Celebrant: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

People: And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen.
Collect for Purity:

A lmighty 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.
The following is sung, all standing

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Canticle 20, Glory to God: Gloria in excelsis S 280

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Collect of the Day:
Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Let us pray.
Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and
even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those
that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
First Reading: Wisdom of Solomon 1:16—2:1,12-22
All sit.

A Reading from the book of Wisdom.

But ungodly men by their words and deeds summoned death; considering him a friend,
they pined away, and they made a covenant with him, because they are fit to belong to his
party. For they reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves, “Short and sorrowful is our
life, and there is no remedy when a man comes to his end, and no one has been known
to return to Hades. Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient
to us and opposes our actions; he approaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us
of sins against our training. He professes to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a
child of the Lord. He became to us a reproof of our thoughts; the very sight of him is a
burden to us, because his manner of life is unlike that of others, and his ways are strange.
We are considered by him as something base, and avoids our ways as unclean; he calls the
last end of the righteous happy, and boasts that God is his father. Let us see if his words
are true, and let us test what will happen at the end of his life; for if the righteous man is
God’s son, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hands of his adversaries. Let
us test him with insult and torture, that we may find out how gentle he is, and make trial
of his forbearance. Let us condem him to a shameful death, for, according to what he
says, he will be protected.” Thus they reasoned, but were led astray, for their wickedness
blinded them, and they did not know the secret purposes of God, nor hope for the wages of
holiness, nor discern the prize for blameless souls.

Reader: The Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.
The Psalm of the day: Psalm 54

1 Save me, O God, by your Name; *
  in your might, defend my cause.
 
2 Hear my prayer, O God; *
  give ear to the words of my mouth.
 
3 For the arrogant have risen up against me,
  and the ruthless have sought my life, *
  those who have no regard for God.
 
4 Behold, God is my helper; *
  it is the Lord who sustains my life.
 
5 Render evil to those who spy on me; *
  in your faithfulness, destroy them.
 
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 6 I will offer you a freewill sacrifice *
  and praise your Name, O Lord, for it is good.
 
7 For you have rescued me from every trouble, *
  and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes.

Second Reading: James 3:13—4:3,7-8a

A Reading from the letter of James.

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good life let him show his works in the
meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts,
do not boast and be false to the truth. This wisdom is not such as comes down from above,
but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there
will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or
insincerity. And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Submit
yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God
and he will draw near to you.

Reader: The Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.
All stand.
The Children come forward for a prayer and depart for Children’s Church

Sequence: Be thou my vision H488

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Holy Gospel: Mark 9:30-37
Gospeller: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

J esus and his disciples went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would
not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of
man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed,
after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid
to ask him. And they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them,
“What were you discussing on the way?” But they were silent; for on the way they had
discussed with one another who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve;
and he said to them, “If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
And he took a child, and put him in the midst of them; and taking him in his arms, he said
to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives
me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
Gospeller: The Gospel of the Lord
People: Praise to you, Lord Christ
Sermon: The Rev. Joseph B. Howard

Nicene Creed
All stand.

W e 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.
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 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

Leader: Let us pray

In the Diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for St. Matthew’s Church, McMinnville.

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer we pray for the Diocese of Southwark in the
province of Canterbury, England, The Rt. Rev’d Thomas Frederick Butler, bishop;
The Rt. Rev’d Nicholas Baines, bishop of Croydon, The Rt. Rev’d Richard Ian
Cheetham, bishop of Kingston-upon-Thames, and The Rt. Rev’d Christopher
Thomas Chessun, bishop of Woolwich, assisting bishops.

Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church;

People: That we all may be one.

Leader: Grant that every member of the Church may truly and humbly serve you;
People: That your Name may be glorified by all people.

Leader: We pray for all whose hearts are being prepared by your Spirit to join in
your work through this community;
People: That we may be utterly dedicated to you.

Leader: We pray for all bishops, priests, and deacons;

People: That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacra-
ments.

Leader: We pray for all who govern and hold authority in the nations of the
world;
People: That there may be justice and peace on the earth.

Leader: Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake;

People: That our works may find favor in your sight.

Leader: Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble;
People: That they may be delivered from their distress.

Leader: Give to the departed eternal rest;

People: Let light perpetual shine upon them.

Leader: We praise you for your saints who have entered into joy;
People: May we also come to share in your heavenly kingdom.

Let us pray for our own needs and those of others.

Silence

Celebrant adds a concluding collect.

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The Confession
Celebrant: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence.

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.

Celebrant: 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.
All stand

Celebrant: The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People: And also with you.
Then the Ministers and the People may greet one another in the name of the Lord.
Announcements

# The Holy Communion #

Offertory music chosen by musician
Representatives of the congregation bring the people’s offering of bread and wine, and money or other gifts, to the
celebrant. The people stand while the offerings are presented and placed on the Altar.

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. For you are the source of light and life;
you made us in your image, and called us to new life in 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:

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The Sanctus: S129

Please stand or kneel at this time, as best helps you to pray.

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:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
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 for ever.
AMEN.
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
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Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed by 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

A period of silence is kept

Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia
The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for
you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

ON RECEIVING COMMUNION:
All baptized Christians who are in love and charity with their neighbors are invited to the
Lord’s table. If you do not wish to receive, you are invited to come forward for a blessing
in the name of Christ—simply cross your arms over your chest to let the servers know
that you will not be receiving.
One or more of the following prayers, or some other, may be said quietly or
silently before recieving:
We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own
righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to
gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord whose property is
always to have mercy: Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son
Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body,
and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in
him, and he in us. Amen (Prayer of Humble Access from p. 82 of the 1928 BCP, a revised
version of which is found on p. 337 of the 1979 BCP)

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Be present, be present, O Jesus, our great High Priest, as you were present with your
disciples, and be known to us in the breaking of bread; who live and reign with the Father
and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen (a prayer before recieving communion which
can be found among the many prayers of the 1979 BCP, p. 834).

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Communion music: Ubi caritas Taize

Post-Communion Prayer
After Communion, the Celebrant says:
Let us Pray
The minister and people together, pray:
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.

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Recessional: Lift High the Cross H473

Celebrant says the dismissal

People: Thanks be to God.

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 A Note on Today’s Readings
Proper 20, Year B
Welcome to St. Francis Church. In today’s Gospel reading Jesus again predicts his death and
resurrection. The disciples fail to understand and dispute among themselves which of them is the
most important. Jesus tells them that the highest status in his kingdom is reserved for those who
serve. This is a call to pattern our lives on his life in self-giving love.
The first reading is from the Wisdom of Solomon, one of the books in the Apocrypha. Its
description of those who are unfaithful to God, turning upon God’s servant with persecution, has
been seen as an Old Testament prefiguring of Jesus’ suffering and death.
Again we read from the Epistle of James. After describing the characteristics of those who are
at peace with God, the author states that strife, jealousy, and estrangement are the products of
allying ourselves with the world rather than with God. This passage bears some similarity with the
message from the first reading.
When the Church gathers to worship, it acts out its allegiance to God and its service to the world. In
the action of the liturgy we express our service to each other. That liturgical action is the pattern for
our daily living as God’s friends and as fellow servants with Christ to all people. The liturgy, then,
is extended beyond the doors of the church building into all of life.
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.

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 Good News Daily
(
Volume IX September 20-26, 2009 Number 38
Sunday, September 20
2 Kings 4:8-37 But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not
leave you.” So he got up and followed her. (v.30 NIV)
The Shunammite woman was living out her faith in her daily life by providing meals and a comfortable
room for Elisha, God’s holy man, whenever he was in town. She found contentment where God had
placed her in her family and community, and when Elisha told her that she would bear a son, she did
not doubt him.
Then came the hard testing of her faith. As a young child, her beloved son suddenly died. The response
of the Shunammite woman to this distressful situation is an example of the wonderful strength of her
faith. Her faith in God kept her from railing against Him and, potentially, in her anger and bitterness,
isolating herself from family and community. She struggled with why her son had been taken, but her
response—to turn toward God and seek Elisha’s help—was as natural to her as the air she breathed.
In so doing she was blessed indeed!
When we face the hard times in life, may our faith be strong and our natural responses to our distressful
situations like that of the Shunammite woman.
Psalms 93, 96; Acts 9:10-31; Luke 3:7-18
Monday, September 21
Psalm 77 I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. (v.12)
Initially the psalmist cries out to the Lord in deep distress. Something has happened in his life to
cause great anguish and the Lord appears to be silent. I envision the psalmist pacing back and forth
anxiously wringing his hands and then falling prostrate on the floor crying, “Lord, where are you?”
Finally, with arms and tear-stained eyes raised toward heaven he pleads, “Oh, Lord, help me!”
Then, quite suddenly and decidedly, the psalmist shifts his focus away from himself, and we find him
meditating on God’s works and mighty deeds. The Psalm ends with a real sense of the psalmist being
at peace and filled with hope.
In Philippians 4:11, when Paul says, “for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances,”
it seems he has learned the psalmist’s secret. This is beautifully expressed in Helen Lemmel’s great
hymn: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow
strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”
Internal peace and hope in the midst of distressing circumstances can be ours also when we keep our
eyes on our Lord, Jesus.
2 Kings 5:1-19; Psalm 80; 1 Corinthians 4:8-21; Matthew 5:21-26
Tuesday, September 22
2 Kings 5:19-27 “Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi
went from Elisha’s presence and he was leprous, as white as snow. (v.27)
The Bible is a book about choosing. Joseph chose to be faithful to God and, ultimately, he was
reconciled with his family. Ruth chose to be loyal to Naomi, and God blessed them both. Because
Esther chose to marry the Persian king, the future of Israel was no longer in jeopardy.

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These stories of faith and courage demonstrate how God blesses His people when they choose to do
His will. There are disappointments as well, such as when Moses chose to strike the rock a second
time and missed his blessing of entering the Promised Land or when King David chose to get involved
with Bathsheba, causing grief to both of them.
Though Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, is not one of the giant figures in the Bible, God shows no partiality.
When Gehazi was obedient to God’s will through Elisha, he was blessed; but when he chose to use
the grace of God (God’s healing of Naaman) for his own material gain, he was afflicted with a terrible
disease.
Just as Gehazi and the others made choices that were either life giving (God’s will) or life taking (our
will), we, too, face making those same choices today.
Psalm 78:1-39; 1 Corinthians 5:1-8; Matthew 5:27-37
Wednesday, September 23
Matthew 5:38-48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (v.48)
Remember the Titans! is a movie based on a true story set in a small town in Virginia in the early 1970’s
when racial tensions were high and public schools were being integrated. The newly hired head coach
of the high school football team (played by Denzel Washington) starts off by setting high standards
of conduct for the team, the coaching staff, and himself on and off the field. As team members trained
together and got to know each other, the initial tensions that existed between the boys gave way to a
genuine bond of love and respect that eventually rippled throughout the community. Having crossed
the racial barrier, the players were then able to work as a team and end their football season as true
winners!
Jesus calls on us to be perfect, and yet not one of us can ever honestly lay claim to perfection. But
here Jesus is calling on us to “Love your enemies” (v.44). We can be winners only after we realize
that we are all God’s children; we are all on the same team, bound together by His love for us. We
make our enemies into our friends and teammates by loving them as God loves us.
2 Kings 6:1-23; Psalm 119:97-120; 1 Corinthians 5:9—6:8
Thursday, September 24
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you,
whom you have received from God? (v.19a)
Since the earliest times, people have built places to worship their gods. A temple was often a city’s
finest building and demonstrated the citizens’ devotion to their patron god. It was set apart from
the daily activities of life, a sacred space to worship and to offer sacrifices. Often the temple was
considered the dwelling place of the god to which it was dedicated. There were temples everywhere
in Corinth, each dedicated to a pagan god or goddess.
Paul wanted Christians to know the “temple of the Holy Spirit” is a sacred place existing, not apart
from the activities of daily life, but in their very midst. Jesus came to live among his people and
promised each of them, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (Acts 1:8).
A Christian’s body is a holy place in which the Spirit of God dwells. Our “temples” are visible to
everyone we meet. The question we need to answer is whether our attitudes, choices, and the ways
we use our bodies honor the Spirit whom we have received from God.
2 Kings 9:1-16; Psalms 83, 146, 147; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
Friday, September 25
Matthew 6:7-15 “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (v.10)
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In Luke’s Gospel, a disciple says to Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples”
(11:1b). Jesus’ model prayer has been repeated through the centuries. Sadly, the words are so familiar
that it is easy to miss their power.
Tom Wright’s response to the phrase “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in
heaven” makes it clear that what we say so easily is, in fact, revolutionary. “We are praying, as Jesus
was praying and acting, for the redemption of the world; for the radical defeat and uprooting of evil;
and for heaven and earth to be married at last, for God to be all in all. And if we pray this way, we
must of course be prepared to live this way” (The Lord and His Prayer, p.31).
Picture if you will, God’s Will controlling every aspect of our lives—our hearts, bodies, minds, and
spirits, and our homes, neighborhoods, workplaces and, yes, even our churches. It may be hard to
imagine what it would look like, but the Christian hope is to live with confidence until God’s purpose
for the world is fulfilled.
2 Kings 9:17-37; Psalm 88; 1 Corinthians 7:1-9
Saturday, September 26
Psalm 136 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.... and [he has] freed us from our enemies, His love
endures forever. (vv.1a, 24)
Psalm 136 outlines God’s saving deeds in the history of His chosen people: the story of creation, the
exodus out of Egypt, provision for His people as they wandered in the wilderness, and the defeat of
the inhabitants of the land He promised them as their inheritance.
From the beginning of time, God has been unchanging; “His love endures forever.” But despite all
God had accomplished in the past, the climax was still to come. God’s eternal plan of redemption
would not be brought to completion until the death and resurrection of His only begotten Son, Jesus
Christ. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “His love endures forever.”
God the Father took the initiative and offered new life and unity with Him to all who have faith in
His Son. What a wonderful and amazing way to demonstrate that “His loves endures forever.” God’s
perfect and unconditional love is a free gift to us, and we can make the decision to accept it or reject
it. The decision is ours, but “His loves endures forever.”
2 Kings 11:1-20a; Psalms 87, 90; 1 Corinthians 7:10-24; Matthew 6:19-24
by Gail and Jack Potter

Used with permission from the BIBLE READING FELLOWSHIP

P. O. Box 380, Winter Park, FL 32790

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 Announcements
A Special Thank you to all those who helped with the yard sale, and those who
donated items!

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 Bishop of Tennessee
The Rt. Rev. John C. Bauerschmidt

Vicar
The Rev. Joseph B. Howard

Mission Council
Thom Chittom
Linda Palmer
Shelley Sircy
Kim Waltenbaugh

Accompanist
Anna Howard

Schedule of Ministry:
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Joseph B. Howard Reader: Adam Waltenbaugh
Acolyte/Crucifer: Prayer Station: Linda Palmer
Oblationers: Chalicist: Shelley Sircy
To check the schedule online, visit:
http://stfrancis-tn.net and go to congregational resources-->ROTA: service schedule

To get in touch with Fr. Jody for any reason, you can reach him at 615-440-6492 or via email at frjody@stfrancis-tn.
net.
_______________________________________________________________________________

St. Francis Church

Biblically minded. Mission driven.
812 Meadowlark Ln
PO Box 697
Goodlettsville, TN 37072
Phone: 851-0790
http://stfrancis-tn.net

Cover Image: James the Just, brother of our Lord

Wood cuts from: Pitts Theological Library Digital Image Archive

Color images from: Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN, https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-search.pl

CCLI License No. 2334637 Oneliscence.net No. A-714717