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Welcome to St. Alban’s Episcopal ChurchSunday, November 8, 202023rd Sunday after Pentecost

Before we begin, let us acknowledge that we stand on traditional Snohomish, Coastal Salish land. They cared for this land for millennia. We honor them and pray for the wisdom to care for it as well as they.

Prelude

Opening Acclamation BCP 355Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.And blessed be his kingdom now and for ever. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

GloriaGlory 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.

The CollectO God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The First ReadingA Reading from Joshua, Chapter 24 beginning with the 1st verse

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Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25

Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many.

“Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.” And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!” Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” The people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” So Joshua made

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a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.Thanks be to God.

The Psalm: 78:1-7 Attendite, popule

1 Hear my teaching, O my people; *incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable; *I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.

3 That which we have heard and known,and what our forefathers have told us, *we will not hide from their children.

4 We will recount to generations to comethe praiseworthy deeds and the power of the LORD, *and the wonderful works he has done.

5 He gave his decrees to Jacoband established a law for Israel, *which he commanded them to teach their children;

6 That the generations to come might know,and the children yet unborn; *that they in their turn might tell it to their children;

7 So that they might put their trust in God, *and not forget the deeds of God,but keep his commandments;

The Second ReadingA Reading from Paul’s 1st epistle to the Thessalonians, Chapter 4 beginning with the 13th verse 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we

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who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.Thanks be to God.

Sequence Hymn #436 Lift Up Your Heads (music on page 16 of bulletin)

The Gospel ReadingThe Holy Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ according to Matthew.Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Matthew 25:1-13

Jesus said, “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

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

The Sermon

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, 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.

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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.

Prayers of the Peoplefrom the Anglican Church of New Zealand, NZBCP page 413-14

Heavenly Father,you have promised to hear when we prayin the name of your Son.Therefore in confidence and trustwe pray for the Church:

For Justin our Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael our Presiding Bishop, Greg our Diocesan Bishop, Brian our Assisting Bishop, Jim our Deacon, and Greg our Priest; and for the ministries and missions of this Diocese, especially [Diocesan Cycle of Prayer].

Father, enliven the Church for its missionthat we may be salt of the earth and light to the world.Breathe fresh life into your people.Give us power to reveal Christ in word and action.We pray for the world:

For the just and proper use of your creation; for those affected by Climate Change and for the wisdom, skill, and will to heal our planet; for those who suffer from natural disasters, human caused famine, pestilence, and tragedy, [especially ______]; and

Creator of all,lead us and every people into ways of justice and peace.That we may respect one another in freedom and truth.Awaken in us a sense of wonder for the earth and all that is in it.Teach us to care creatively for its resources.We pray for the community:

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For those whom we have granted authority, especially António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Donald, President of the United States, Jay, Governor of Washington State, and Mike Nelson, Mayor of Edmonds. We pray for our nation in the midst of this election, may we choose wise, fair, and just leaders.And for peaceful resolution of conflict in every land, [especially in __________] and the United States; for a blessing on our elections; and for those who work for reconciliation and justice.

God of truth, inspire with your wisdomthose whose decisions affect the lives of othersthat all may act with integrity and courage.Give grace to all whose lives are linked with ours.May we serve Christ in one another, and love as he loves us.

We pray for those in need:For the victims of Covid-19, those who have been sickened, those who care for them, those who anxious because of it, and those who have died from it. For the unemployed, the underemployed, and those whose jobs are lost forever; for those experiencing homelessness; and for those threatened with food insecurity. And for those on our Congregational Prayer List:

God of hope, comfort and restoreall who suffer in body, mind or spirit.May they know the power of your healing love.Make us willing agents of your compassion.Strengthen us as we share in making people whole.We remember those who have died and those who mourn:(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)We remember with thanksgiving those who have died in the faithof Christ, and those whose faith is known to you alone.Father, into your hands we commend them.Give comfort to those who mourn.

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Bring them peace in their time of loss.We praise you for Alban and all your saintswho have entered your eternal glory.May their example inspire and encourage us.We pray for ourselves and our ministries:

For all the blessings of this life, especially those organizations that we support spiritually and financially: Chase Lake Community School, the West Edmonds Cooperative Preschool, Templo Emanuel, and ChildStrive (formerly Little Red School House) the Outreach ministry we are supporting this quarter, which helps advance the quality of life for children ages birth to three years with, or at risk of, developmental delays and disabilities.

For those celebrating Birthdays and Anniversaries this week, [especially _____].

and for the members of this congregation, especially Congregational Cycle of Prayer, for whom we give particular thanks this week.

Lord, you have called us to serve you.

Grant that we may walk in your presence:your love in our hearts,your truth in our minds,your strength in our wills;until, at the end of our journey,we know the joy of our homecomingand the welcome of your embrace,through Jesus Christ our Lord.    Amen.

Confession and Absolution BCP 360Let 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

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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.

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 PeaceThe Peace of the Lord be always with you.And also with you.

Anniversaries & Birthdays

Announcements

The Offertory

Offertory Hymn #690 Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah (music page 17 of bulletin)

Eucharistic Prayer 3

Presider The Lord be with you.PeopleAnd also with you.Presider Lift up your hearts.PeopleWe lift them up to the Lord.Presider Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.PeopleIt is right to give our thanks and praise.

Presider All thanks and praise are yours at all times and in all places, our true and loving God; through Jesus Christ, your eternal Word, the Wisdom from on high by whom you created all things. You laid the foundation of the world and enclosed the sea when it burst out from the womb; You brought forth all creatures of the earth and gave breath to humankind.Wondrous are you, Holy One of Blessing, all you create is a sign of hope for our journey; and so as the morning stars sing your praises

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we join with the heavenly beings and all creation as we shout for joy: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.

Glory and honor are yours, Creator of all, your Word has never been silent; You called a people to yourself, as a light to the nations, You delivered them from bondage, and led them to the land of promise. Of your grace, You gave Jesus to be human, to share our life, to proclaim the coming our your reign, and give himself for us, a fragrant offering. Through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, You have freed us from sin, brought us into your life, reconciled us to You, and restored us to the glory you intend for us.We thank You that on the night before he died for us Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, gave it to his friends, and said: “Take, eat, this is my Body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” After supper Jesus took the cup of wine, said the blessing, gave it to his friends, and said: “Drink this, all of you: This cup is the new Covenant in my Blood, poured out for you and for all for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”And so, remembering all that was done for us: the cross, the tomb, the resurrection and ascension, longing for Christ’s coming in glory, and presenting to You these gifts your earth has formed and human hands have made, we acclaim you, O Christ:Presider and People

Dying, you destroyed our death.Rising, you restored our life.Christ Jesus, come in glory!

PresiderSend your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts of bread and wine that they may be to us the Body and Blood of your Christ.

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Grant that we, burning with your Spirit’s power, may be a people of hope, justice, and love.Giver of Life, draw us together in the Body of Christ, and in the fullness of time gather us with blessed Mary, Joseph, Alban, and all your people into the joy of our true eternal home.Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, we worship You our God and Creator in voices of unending praise.

Presider and PeopleBlessed are you now and forever. Amen.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,

Our Father, who art in heaven,     hallowed be 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.

Fraction AnthemWe break this bread to share in the Body of Christ.We who are many are one body, for we all share in the one bread.

The Breaking of the BreadChrist our Passover is sacrificed for us; Therefore let us keep the feast.

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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.

Communion Hymn Post Communion PrayerGod of abundance, You have fed us with the bread of life and cup of salvation; You have united us with Christ and one another; and You have made us one with all your people in heaven and earth. Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit, that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue for ever in the risen life of Christ our Savior. Amen.

Blessing

DismissalLet us go forth in the name of Christ. Thanks be to God.

Postlude

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St. Alban’s Episcopal Church21405 82nd Place West, Edmonds, WA 98026 Office (425) 778-0371

Sunday Worship 10:30am Facebook LiveAdult Education Sundays 9:30am Zoom

Wednesday Evening Prayer 6pm Facebook Live Email: stalbansedmonds@gmail.com

Fr. Greg Email: gwpeters.stalbansedmonds@gmail.comWebsite www.stalbansedmonds.org

The Rt. Rev. Gregory Rickel, Bishop Diocese of OlympiaThe Rev. Greg Peters, Rector

The Rev. Dr. James Gilman, DeaconJohn Lehrack, Music Director and Organist

Dan Mullene, Parish Care Minister

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St. Alban’s seeks to be a welcoming, Christ-centered community committed to sharing Christ’s love, empowering people to grow spiritually, deepening our relationship with Christ,

and living out our faith in our community and the world.

Weekly Sunday Outreach Basket Offerings1st week—Food Bank

2nd week—Discretionary Fund3rd week—Outreach: Cocoon House

4th week—Capital Campaign

Serving in Today’s WorshipCelebrant & Preacher Father Greg PetersDeacon Jim GilmanMusic Director & Organist John Lehrack

AnnouncementsDrive By Pledge Ingathering, Sunday November 8 th : Join us today for a Drive-by Pledge Ingathering. If you would like to drop off your card, we will be available in the parking lot with a basket to receive and bless your pledge starting at 11:45, following the service. You may also mail your pledge card or drop it in the mail slot in Father Greg’s office.

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AnnouncementsDrive By Pledge Ingathering, Sunday November 8 th : Join us today for a Drive-by Pledge Ingathering. If you would like to drop off your card, we will be available in the parking lot with a basket to receive and bless your pledge starting at 11:45, following the service. You may also mail your pledge card or drop it in the mail slot in Father Greg’s office.

Scripture Readings for November 15th Judges 4:1-7; Psalm 123; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matthew 25:14-30

November 8, 2020

The gifts of faithBY THE REV. MATTHEW WOODWARD

The parable of the wise and foolish virgins brings back so many rector wedding memories. I have to say, virgins trimming wicks are few and far between in early 21st century Bay Area weddings; you are

more likely to find mason jars liberally strewn around the barn venue and handwritten chalkboards offering tri-tip, which you can eat perched on a bale of hay. But the frenetic last-minute energy of things needing to be fixed is just the same today as in scripture.

If you get stuck in the anxiety, keeping company with the wedding planner and their staff, you are going to miss the point of the event.

Weddings confer the blessing of companionship. We can get stuck in the mechanics of delivery and all of the anxiety it generates. Or we can acknowledge that love is a great gift, and we should be grateful for it.

I once oversaw a wedding in which the couple forgot to get a license. I took a deep breath, made sure they had a wonderful day, and secretly remarried them a month or two later. Their love for each other was a gift. We found a way to fix the paperwork.

Faith is a gift, Christian community is a gift; worship, children’s choirs and that moment when teenagers suddenly make a profound connection with their faith: These are all gifts. We could get caught up in the anxiety of paying for it all, or we could just say thank you and write the pledge that shows how grateful we are for all we have received.

The Rev. Matthew Woodward is an Englishman on the West Coast of America and the Rector of Transfiguration Episcopal Church in San Mateo California. He is a recent puppy

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For reflection• Do you get stuck in

the anxiety of stewardship and just how much it takes to run a church?

• What if you started thinking about giving by looking at a finger painting of Mary and Joseph your preschooler, face beaming, just brought

parent, and loves comics. He has also found stewardship ministry to be a real joy, rather than the other thing, in recent years.

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