St. Stephen's Episcopal church is a welcoming church located in the historic community of New Harmony, Indiana. Please join us every Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. Our Worship Service is also streamed lived on Facebook at 10:00 a.m. CST
VISIT our FACEBOOK PAGE and watch our Worship Services at:
The church office is open on Mondays 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
and on Wednesdays 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 20, 2025
The Food Pantry needs grocery bags.
A basket is in the parish hall to receive your donated bags.
MERELY PLAYERS
read Shakespeare's Macbeth
Sunday, March 2nd at 1:00 p.m.
in the Mary Ellen & Gary Gerard Hall
March 5, 2025
with Rev. Mary Bargiel
Sunday, March 23rd at 10:00 a.m.
CHAIR YOGA
9:00 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays
Chair Yoga is a gentle form of yoga that is practiced sitting on a chair
or standing using a chair for support. Good for all ages and levels.
Morning Prayer
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church | New Harmony, Indiana
February 23, 2025 | 10:00 a.m.
Seventh Sunday after Epiphany
Welcome to worship. Please join in speaking the bolded words.
Prelude Liz & Bish Mumford
Announcements
The service begins with the ringing of the bell; the people stand as able.
The Officiant says
The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:23
Love divine, all loves excelling H657
Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation,
enter every trembling heart.
Come, almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be alway blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
Finish then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee:
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Confession of Sin
Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of Almighty God our heavenly Father, to set forth his praise, to hear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and on behalf of others, those things that are necessary for our life and our salvation. And so that we may prepare ourselves in heart and mind to worship him, let us kneel in silence, and with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.
Silence may be kept; all kneel as able for the confession.
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 Officiant remains kneeling and says
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.
The Invitatory & Psalter
All stand as able.
Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Officiant and People all sing together
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
The earth is the Lord’s for he made it:
Come let us adore him.
Jubilate, said responsively by half verse Psalm 100
O be joyful in the Lord all ye lands;
Serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with a song.
Be ye sure that the Lord he is God; it is he that hath made us and not we ourselves;
We are his people and sheep of his pasture.
O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise;
Be thankful unto him and speak good of his Name.
For the Lord is gracious; his mercy is everlasting;
And his truth endureth from generation to generation.
Psalm 37:1-12, 41-42 Noli aemulari
Do not fret yourself because of evildoers;
do not be jealous of those who do wrong.
For they shall soon wither like the grass,
and like the green grass fade away.
Put your trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and feed on its riches.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he shall give you your heart's desire.
Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him,
he will bring it to pass.
He will make your righteousness as clear as the light
and your just dealing as the noonday.
Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him.
Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers,
the one who succeeds in evil schemes.
Refrain from anger, leave rage alone;
do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.
For evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait upon the Lord shall possess the
land.
In a little while the wicked shall be no more;
you shall search out their place, but they will not be
there.
But the lowly shall possess the land;
they will delight in abundance of peace.
But the deliverance of the righteous comes from the Lord;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
The Lord will help them and rescue them;
he will rescue them from the wicked and deliver
them, because they seek refuge in him.
At the end of the Psalm, all sing together
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Lessons
The people sit for the readings.
A period of silence will follow each reading.
First Reading Genesis 45:3-11, 15
A reading from the book of Genesis.
Joseph 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.
Then 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. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For 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. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So 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. Hurry 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. You 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. I 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.'"
And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Silence may follow.
Canticle 20 Glory to God Gloria in excelsis
The canticle is to be sung; all stand as able.
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.
Second Reading
The people sit.
A Reading from the book of First Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50
Someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And 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. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.
So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As 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. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.
What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Silence may follow.
Canticle 19 The Song of the Redeemed Magna et mirabilia
The canticle is read responsively by half verse; please stand as able.
O ruler of the universe, Lord God, great deeds are they that you have done,
surpassing human understanding.
Your ways are ways of righteousness and truth,
O King of all the ages.
Who can fail to do you homage, Lord, and sing the praises of your Name?
For you only are the Holy One.
All nations will draw near and fall down before you,
because your just and holy works have been revealed.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Gospel Reading Luke 6:27-38
The people are seated.
A Reading from the book of Luke.
Jesus said, "I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If 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. But 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. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, 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."
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Homily Bish Mumford
The Apostles’ Creed
The people stand as able for the creed.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church, the communion of
saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the
body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Offertory
The people are seated.
Let us with gladness present the offering and oblations of our life and labor to the Lord.
Offertory Anthem Liz & Bish Mumford
During the offertory (or at your own convenience), please consider giving to St. Stephens at the following link: https://onrealm.org/StStephensEpisc/-/give/now or by texting
SSNH to 73256 and following the prompts. All donations go toward sustaining our church operations and our ministries.
The people stand.
Doxology Hymnal 380 v. 3
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
The Prayers
The people stand or kneel as able for the prayers.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
The Lord’s Prayer
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, forever and ever. Amen.
The Suffrages
O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine heritage;
Govern them and lift them up for ever.
Day by day we magnify thee;
And we worship thy Name ever, world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin;
O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy be upon us;
As our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted;
Let me never be confounded.
The Collects
The Collect of the Day
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.
A Collect for Mission
O God of all the nations of the earth: Remember the multitudes who have been created in your image but have not known the redeeming work of our Savior Jesus Christ; and grant that, by the prayers and labors of your holy Church, they may be brought to know and worship you as you have been revealed in your Son; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for Social Justice
Almighty God, who created us in your own image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Prayers of the People: Intercessions
In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.
Silence
The leader and people pray responsively.
For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.
For this community, the nation, and the world;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.
For the just and proper use of your creation;
For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.
For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.
For Sean Rowe, our Presiding Bishop, and Jennifer, our Bishop; and all bishops and other ministers;
For all who serve God in his Church.
For the special needs and concerns of this congregation.
Silence
The People may add their own petitions
Hear us, Lord;
For your mercy is great.
We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life.
Silence
The People may add their own thanksgivings
We will exalt you, O God our King;
And praise your Name for ever and ever.
We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom.
Silence
The People may add their own petitions
Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;
Who put their trust in you.
We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.
Silence may be kept
Leader and People
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
in your compassion forgive us our sins,
known and unknown,
things done and left undone;
and so uphold us by your Spirit
that we may live and serve you in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, who didst stretch out thine arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of thy saving embrace: So clothe us in thy Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know thee to the knowledge and love of thee; for the honor of thy Name. Amen.
The General Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication unto thee, and hast promised through thy well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name thou wilt be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.
I come with joy to meet my Lord H304
I come with joy to meet my Lord,
forgiven, loved, and free,
in awe and wonder to recall
his life laid down for me.
I come with Christians far and near
to find, as all are fed,
the new community of love
in Christ’s communion bread.
As Christ breaks bread and bids us share,
each proud division ends.
That love that made us makes us one,
and strangers now are friends.
And thus with joy we meet our Lord.
His presence, always near,
is in such friendship better known:
we see, and praise him here.
Together met, together bound,
we’ll go our different ways,
and as his people in the world,
we’ll live and speak his praise.
The Dismissal
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20, 21
Postlude Liz & Bish Mumford
ANNOUNCEMENTS
THANKS TO THOSE SERVING!
Altar Guild, Peggy Meyer
Coffee Hour, Linda Warrum
Facebook Greeter,
Greeter, Phyllis Westfall
Homilist, Bish Mumford
Intercessor, Terri Hall
Lector, Rita Davis
Music, Liz & Bish Mumford
Officiant, Bish Mumford
Tech Coordinator, Carol Stratton
Offertory, Gloria, Doxology, Sanctus, & Communion Anthem
used with permission © Windelm Music.
