Welcome to St. Paul’s Anglican Church

The Right Revd John Chapman, Bishop of Ottawa The Revd Pat Martin, Rector

A Blessing of the Pets

Sunday, September 4 10:00am

Greeters: Reader: Chalice Bearer:

We ask that members please refrain from wearing perfumes or colognes.

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16th after Pentecost September 4 2016

THE GATHERING OF THE COMMUNITY

C: The earth belongs to God All: The earth and all its creatures.

C: How good and lovely it is All: to live together in unity

C: Love and faith come together, All: justice and peace join hands.

C: Lord, open our lips All: And our mouths shall proclaim your name. KID’S TIME: If I were a Butterfly by Brian M. Howard

If I were a butterfly, I'd thank you Lord for giving me wings If I were a robin in a tree, I'd thank you Lord that I could sing If I were a fish in the sea, I'd wiggle my tail and I'd giggle with glee. But I just thank you Lord for making me, me. For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile You gave me Jesus and you made me your child And I just thank you Lord for making me, me. Copyright © Mission Hills Music OPENING SONG: A Song for St Paul’s

Tune: To The River Words by George Nightingale

By the river we are growing where our forebears built so fair. Let us join them, sing our praises. Oh, we come to meet You there. All are welcome by the river -Smiles to greet and show we care. Jesus loves us; we’re his children. Come & meet our saviour there. Chorus: Dearest Jesus, you have promised when we gather you are there. Be among us, guide our footsteps; Love and peace for all to share.

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By your spirit we are strengthened doing more than we can dream. In your hand protected, sheltered, help us join the heavenward stream. Chorus Glory to you, from all ages rising from this waterside. Grant - toward you we keep growing with your Spirit to abide.

Chorus

THE COLLECT OF THE DAY: O God, who has made all the earth and every creature that dwells therein: Help us, we pray you, to treat with compassion the living creatures entrusted to our care, that they may not suffer from our neglect nor become the victims of any cruelty; and grant that in caring for them we may find a deeper understanding of your love for all creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD HEBREW SCRIPTURE: Genesis 9:8-17

And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." And there was evening, and there was morning--the fifth day. And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day.

Thanks be to God.

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GRADUAL SONG: As the Deer (Psalm 42) Martin Nystrom

As the deer pants for the water so my soul longs after You. You alone are my heart's desire, and I long to worship You. You alone are my strength, my shield; To you alone may my spirit yield. You alone are my heart's desire, And I long to worship You. You're my friend and You are my brother Even though You are a King. I love you more than any other, So much more than anything. I want You more than gold or silver, only You can satisfy. You alone are the real joy giver and the apple of my eye.

© 1984 Maranatha! Music CCLI# 698129 THE HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 6:25-29

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. Hear the Spirit speak to the church today. Reflection: The animals of God's creation inhabit the skies, the earth, and the sea. They share in the ways of human beings. They have a part in our lives. Francis of Assisi

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recognized this when he called the animals, wild and tame, his brothers and sisters. Remembering Francis' love for these brothers and sisters of ours, we invoke God's blessing on these animals, and we thank God for letting us share the earth with all the creatures. Prayers of the People:

Leader: Creator God, through your Word, you have made all that is. In all creation, your Word echoes, so that even the stones proclaim you as God. The whales and all that move in the waters, the birds of the air, and the beasts of the wild – you call all of us to praise and worship you. But our human lips are often silent – our praise unspoken, and our thankfulness forgotten. People: Holy Spirt, renew us.

Leader: You made the earth a home for all creatures, and made it holy by Your Presence among us, teaching us to learn of your compassion by loving and caring for the earth’s creatures. But we often pass by and turn away from those creatures weaker and poorer than ourselves, and from those we fear. People: Holy Spirit, renew us. Leader: In you all creatures find the well-spring of life and you give us earth’s water to sustain us. You give many of your creatures eyes to see and ears to hear, but we often refuse to hear and see the pain o of the earth and her creatures because of our indifference, greed, and carelessness. People: Holy Spirit, renew us.

Leader: We pray for all the animals and creatures, their habitats and environment, their health and well-being that they may continue to teach us of your wisdom and grace. People: God of steadfast love, hear us.

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Leader: For animal companions everywhere, that we may see reflected in them the goodness and love of God. People: God of steadfast love, hear us. Leader: For those who support and care for all animals. People: God of steadfast love, hear us. Leader: For growing awareness of our own responsibility for the care and nurture of all life. People: God of steadfast love, hear us. Leader: O God, you are infinite, unbounded in Love and will not allow the love which exits between your creatures to perish: We pray for those animals who have died. Comfort all those who mourn, especially those who have lost a beloved pet. Amen.

THE BLESSING OF THE PETS

C: God of all creation, at the beginning of time you gave us all the creatures of the earth to be our helpers. And in your wisdom, these animals, like all good things from you, became more than that. They became our friends. We ask you then to bless these, our animal-friends, that they may have a long and joyful life. Keep them safe when we cannot be with them, protect them from sickness and harm, and heal their wounds. When the end of their life comes, grant them a peaceful death free of pain and suffering. And bless us too, their human companions, with your Holy Spirit, that we may care for them well and be wise and gentle stewards of your creation. May our relationships with them mirror your love; and our care for them be an example of your bountiful mercy as we strive to imitate the love of Jesus Christ our Lord, and God’s servant, Francis. Amen.

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ANIMAL BLESSING ________ (name), may you be blessed in the Name of God who created you, and may you and _________ (owner) enjoy life together with our God. THE PEACE OFFERTORY SONG: Fairest Lord Jesus

From the German, 17th century

Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature, O Thou of God and man the Son: Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honour, Thou my soul's glory, joy and crown. Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodland, Robed in the blooming garb of spring; Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer, Who makes the troubled heart to sing. Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight, And fair the twinkling, starry host; Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer, Than all the angels heaven can boast. All fairest beauty heavenly and earthly, Wondrously, Jesus, is found in thee; None can be nearer, fairer or dearer, Than Thou, my Saviour, art to me. Public Domain. Published in the Münster Gesangbuch, 1677, and translated from German to English

by Joseph A. Seiss PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS: Merciful God, receive all we offer you this day. Give us grace to love one another that your love may be made perfect in us. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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SUPPLEMENTARY EUCHARISTIC PRAYER 1 C: May God be with you. All: And also with you.

C: Lift up your hearts. All: We lift them up to God.

C: Let us give thanks to God our Creator. All: It is right to offer thanks and praise.

C: Holy God, Lover of Creation, we give you thanks and praise for in the ocean of your steadfast love, you bear us and place the song of your spirit in our hearts. When we turn from your love and defile the earth, you do not abandon us. Your spirit speaks through Huldah and Micah, through prophets, sages, and saints in every age, to confront our sin and reveal the vision of your new creation. Joining the song of the universe, we proclaim your glory saying: All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

C: Gracious God, in the fullness of time you sent Jesus the Christ to share our fragile humanity. Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection you open the path from brokenness to health, from fear to trust, from pride and conceit to reverence for you.

Rejected by the world that could not bear the gospel of life, Jesus knew death was near. His head anointed for burial by an unknown woman, Jesus gathered together those who loved him. He took bread, gave thanks to you, broke it and gave it to his friends, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

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After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave you thanks, and said, “Drink this all of you, this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for you and for many. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.” And now we gather at this table in response to his commandment, to share the bread and cup of Christ’s undying love, and to proclaim our faith. All: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come

again. C: Breathe your Holy Spirit, the wisdom of the universe, upon these gifts that we bring to you; this bread, this cup, ourselves, our souls and bodies, that we may be signs of your love for all the world and ministers of your transforming purpose.

Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory is yours, creator of all, and we bless your holy name forever. All: Amen.

THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD C: We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.

All: We, being many, are one body, and we all share in the one bread

C: The gifts of God for the people of God. All: Thanks be to God.

THE COMMUNION

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COMMUNION SONG: Wind Upon The Waters Marty Haugen

Wind upon the waters, voice upon the deep, rouse your sons and daughters, wake us from our sleep, breathing life into all flesh, breathing love into all hearts, living wind upon the waters of my soul. Showers from the heavens, water from the earth, gift so wholly given, source of every birth, joy of every living thing, making all creation sing, shower down upon the dry earth of my soul. Rock and hill and garden, wood and desert sand, praises, field, and meadow shaped by Love's own hand. Love that fills the world around, springing up from barren ground, grow your love within the garden of my soul. Blazing light of wonders, flame that pierces night, burst the dark asunder, fill our souls with light. Lord of glory, fill the skies, make an end to hatred's cries, be the blazing sun of justice in our lives. Wind upon the waters, rains upon the sand, grace your sons and daughters, newborn by your hand. Come, O Spirit, and renew PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION: Almighty God, you renew us at your table with the bread of life. May your holy food strengthen us in love and help us to serve you in each other. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. DOXOLOGY: Glory to God whose power working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation in the church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.

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BLESSING: CLOSING SONG: The Trees of the Field Stuart Dauermann

You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace, and the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you. There'll be shouts of joy, and the trees of the field shall clap, shall clap their hands, and the trees of the field shall clap their hands, and the trees of the field shall clap their hands, and the trees of the field shall clap their hands, and you'll go out with joy.

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IN OUR PRAYERS THIS WEEK:

The Church in the World: Pray for The Anglican Church of Tanzania

The Most Revd Jacob Erasto Chimeledya Archbishop of Tanzania &

Bishop of Mpwapwaay.

Diocese of Ottawa: Pray for John our Bishop, Pat our Priest and for the

people of St James – Leitrim, The Reverend Naomi Kabugi, Priest in

Charge; for all who labour for the good of our society on this Labour

Day Weekend. In our Companion Diocese of Jerusalem we pray for The

Bishop’s School for Boys, Amman, Jordan.

Our Mission Partners: Pray for everyone involved with SchoolBox.

Our Local Community: Pray for the leaders and the development of

the local hospice initiative.

In Our Parish: We pray for Lucy Poaps, Robbie Anderson, Anne

Wheatley, Jayne & Chuck Richeson, Connie Mills, Shirley Melvin, Julia

Thomas and Assad, Alset, Lana and Elias.

vIn our Parish Cycle of Prayer: Paul & Fay Mills, Connie Mills, David

& Heather Moat, Donna Moher.

For the Whole Human Family that we may learn to live together in

justice and peace. We pray for refugees and displaced persons, thinking

especially of the people seeking refuge from Syria. We remember the

victims of terrorism around the world and pray for all those whose lives

are impacted by violence and social unrest.

Prayer for St. Paul’s: Heavenly Father, you have welcomed us into

your kingdom and your heart’s desire is to draw every human being to

yourself. Grant us clear eyes to see people as you see them, sensitive

feet to stand in their shoes, and warm smiles to welcome them into your

name. Give us generous hearts, that our church becomes a foretaste of

heaven where every soul you send us finds their loving home in the

community of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.