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.
Sunday, February 16, 2025
after Coffee Hour
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 16, 2025 | 10:00 a.m.
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
Welcome to worship. Please join in speaking the bolded words.
Prelude Blessed Jesus at thy word Mr400
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
Immortal, invisible, God only wise H423
Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great Name we praise.
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
To all life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish, like leaves on the tree,
then wither and perish; but nought changeth thee.
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 1 Beatus vir qui non abiit
Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked,
nor lingered in the way of sinners,
nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
Their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and they meditate on his law day and night.
They are like trees planted by streams of water,
bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither;
everything they do shall prosper.
It is not so with the wicked;
they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes,
nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked is doomed.
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 Jeremiah 17:5-10
A reading from the book of Jeremiah.
Thus says the Lord:
Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals
and make mere flesh their strength,
whose hearts turn away from the Lord.
They shall be like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see when relief comes.
They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.
Blessed are those who trust in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
They shall be like a tree planted by water,
sending out its roots by the stream.
It shall not fear when heat comes,
and its leaves shall stay green;
in the year of drought it is not anxious,
and it does not cease to bear fruit.
The heart is devious above all else;
it is perverse--
who can understand it?
I the Lord test the mind
and search the heart,
to give to all according to their ways,
according to the fruit of their doings.
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 15:12-20
Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ--whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.
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 6:17-26
The people are seated.
A Reading from the book of Luke.
Jesus came down with the twelve apostles and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.
Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
“Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they
exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of
the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets."
"But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
"Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
"Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
"Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets."
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Homily Hope Staubitz
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 Jesus shall reign where e’er the sun Mr400
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 God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and 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.
O for a thousand tongues to sing H493
O for a thousand tongues to sing
my dear Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!
My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim
and spread through all the earth
abroad the honors of thy Name.
Jesus! the Name that charms our fears
and bids our sorrows cease;
’tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’tis life and health and peace.
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 Remember your servants, Lord Mr400
ANNOUNCEMENTS
THANKS TO THOSE SERVING!
Altar Guild, Peggy Meyer
Coffee Hour,
Facebook Greeter,
Greeter, Phyllis Westfall
Homilist, Hope Staubitz
Intercessor, Mike Staubitz
Lector,
Music, Mr400
Officiant, Hope Staubitz
Tech Coordinator, Carol Stratton
Offertory, Gloria, Doxology, Sanctus, & Communion Anthem
used with permission © Windelm Music.
