Come 4th Sunday: The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost- 9.24.2023

Sunday! The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Glenside, Pennsylvania Sept. 24, 2023 10:00 A.M.

Come 4th

About Come 4th Sunday

At St. Peter’s the fourth Sunday of the month is Come 4th Sunday. It’s a time when we come forth in new ways to celebrate being the Body of Christ.

Children come forth to read Scripture and lead prayer, and to get a better look at what’s going on.

Families come forth to take on new roles.

New members come forth for a blessing.

We all come forth to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, and we all go forth as his disciples – with God’s help.

The Scripture translations are from the resource God’s Word, my Voice, by Lyn Zill Briggs, Church Publishing: 2015. They are written in a way that is easy for young readers to proclaim and understand.

Our opening prayers are from the supplemental liturgical materials in Enriching Our Worship 1.

Our choir will lead us in songs that are simple to sing but full of meaning. When the words aren’t written in the leaflet, we use the Blue Hymnal; the thin green Wonder, Love and Praise Book (WLP), or the thin blue With One Voice (WOV) hymnal.

And you can even color the front page of the leaflet. Crayons are available in the basket in the narthex. All ages welcome.

Infants, toddlers and their families can hang out in our new soft space on the right side of the worship space, which welcomes soft toys, soft activities and soft voices. Wiggles are also welcome.

Overall, this is a great opportunity to ask yourself, how can I come forth to serve Jesus in new ways this year?

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Gathering in Joy

Prelude Terita & Michael Reeve

Opening Hymn: All Are Welcome Marty Haugen

Let us build a house where love can dwell And all can safely live, A place where saints and children tell How hearts learn to forgive. Built of hopes and dreams and visions, Rock of faith and vault of grace; Here the love of Christ shall end divisions;

All are welcome, all are welcome, All are welcome in this place.

Let us build a house where love is found In water, wine and wheat: A banquet hall on holy ground, Where peace and justice meet. Here the love of God, through Jesus, Is revealed in time and space; As we share in Christ the feast that frees us:

All are welcome, all are welcome, All are welcome in this place.

Let us build a house where hands will reach beyond the wood and stone, To heal and strengthen, serve and teach, and live the Word they've known Here the out-cast and the stranger bears the image of God's face, Let us bring an end to fear and danger:

All are welcome, all are welcome, All are welcome in this place.

Let us build a house where all are named, their songs and visions heard And loved and treasured, taught and claimed as words with the Word. uilt of tears and cries and laughter,

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prayers of faith and songs of grace. Let this house proclaim from floor to rafters

All are welcome, all are welcome, All are welcome in this place.

The Opening Acclamation

Presider: Blessed be our God

People: For ever and ever. Amen.

The Presider says to the people

Presider: God be with you.

People: And also with you.

Presider: Let us pray.

Collect of the Day

EOW 1

Dear God help us not to worry about temporary things. For we know you will give us what we need, and you’ll help us to be generous with what we have. But help us to really love the things that last – like faith and hope and the love that comes from Jesus, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Listening for God’s Word

The First Reading- Exodus 16:2-15

Reader: A Reading from the Book of Exodus

Everyone was whining to Moses and Aaron, "If only we'd stayed in Egypt. Even if we died there, at least we had food to eat. You brought us to the wilderness to starve us all! "

Then God said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people will gather enough for that day. We'll see if they can follow this set of instructions. Every sixth day, they can bring in enough for two days, so they can take a day off.

So Moses and Aaron said to everyone, “God heard your complaint. In the morning, you will see bread that God will provide in the wilderness. There is no point in complaining or thanking us- its all God's doing." In the evening, God provided quails so that the people could eat meat. In the morning, they saw bread called manna for them to gather. They weren't sure what it was.

Moses told them, "That's the bread God said he would send you."

God said, “Now you'll know that I'm God”

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The Word of the Lord. All: Thanks be to God

Psalm- 105:1-6:37-45

Reader: The Response to the psalm is “Don't forget what God has done. Tell the stories of God's goodness.”

We'll thank you, God, whenever we pray. We'll let everyone know what good you have done. We'll sing songs of praise when we tell each other the stories. We are glad we turned our hearts toward you. We always turn toward you and your strength, and look for your face wherever we are.

All: Don't forget what God has done. Tell the stories of God's goodness.

You are part of God's familychildren of Abraham and children of Jacob. You brought your children out of Egypt. The Egyptians handed over their silver and gold, and celebrated when they left because they were scared of you, God. You hid your children and led them with lightning. They asked you for meat to eat and you sent them quail. You filled them full with bread from heaven.

All: Don't forget what God has done. Tell the stories of God's goodness. You made water gush out of a rock, and it flowed through the desert like a river. You led your people to freedom shouting yelps of joy through the desert. You gave them land and wealth so they followed your law. At least they tried. Hallelujah.

All: Don't forget what God has done. Tell the stories of God's goodness.

The Second Reading – Philippians 1:21-30

Reader: A Reading from the Letter of Paul to the Philippians

Either way, living or dying, I am with Christ. So I don't worry, but I know it is good for me to be here with you in the flesh. I do my best to help you in your growing faith. Live your life so that it's worthy of Christ's gospel. I want to know that you are working side by side with each other in faith, and are not intimidated

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by your enemies. You may be suffering, but remember you are suffering for Christ in whom you believe.

The Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God

Gospel Hymn: Word of Truth and Life- Gospel Acclamation Mass of Creation

Cantor: Praise the God of all creation, God of mercy and compassion. Response: Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise the Word of truth and life.

The Gospel – Matthew 4:1-11

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew All: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is like a man who owned a vineyard and found some people to work in the field for him. They agreed on their daily pay and they were sent to work. Three hours later the vineyard owner went and found more workers, and then again three hours after that, and at the end of the day he hired some, too. When evening came, they all lined up to get their pay. Those hired at the end of the day got a certain amount. Then the ones who'd worked all day long came and saw that they got the same as those who worked only an hour. They were really angry. The owner said, “But you and I agreed on your pay, and you did the work I asked you to do. Can't I pay people what I want to pay them? Do you hate me because I'm generous? Get used to it. The last will be first and the first will be last.”

The Gospel of the Lord. All: Praise to you, Lord Christ

The Sermon The Rev. Barbara Ballenger

The Nicene Creed BCP 358

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,

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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.