A Christ-Centered Community of Practice Awaking to the Abiding Presence of God

THE SIXTEENTH SUNDAY OF PENTECOST

WE GATHER IN THE NAME OF CHRIST

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS

After the Announcements, a period of silence is kept.

HYMN “Oh, how good it is”

Additional verses printed on next page

2. Oh how good it is On this journey we share To rejoice with the happy And weep with those who mourn. For the weak find strength The afflicted find grace When we offer the blessing of belonging.

SO WITH ONE VOICE….

3. Oh how good it is To embrace His command To love one another Forgive as He forgives. When we live as one We all share in the love Of the Son with the Father and the Spirit.

SO WITH ONE VOICE…..

ACCLAMATION

Celebrant Blessed be God: Creator, Son and Holy Spirit. People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever. Amen. SONG OF PRAISE

COLLECT OF THE DAY The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Let us pray. O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. THE FIRST LESSON Psalm 126 1

When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, * then were we like those who dream.

2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, * and our tongue with shouts of joy.

3 Then they said among the nations, * "The LORD has done great things for them."

4 The LORD has done great things for us, * and we are glad indeed.

5 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, * like the watercourses of the Negev.

6 Those who sowed with tears * will reap with songs of joy.

7

Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, * will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.

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

PSALM 127 1

Unless the LORD builds the house, * their labor is in vain who build it.

2 Unless the LORD watches over the city, * in vain the watchman keeps his vigil.

3 It is in vain that you rise so early and go to bed so late; * vain, too, to eat the bread of toil, for he gives to his beloved sleep.

4 Children are a heritage from the LORD, * and the fruit of the womb is a gift.

5 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior * are the children of one's youth.

6 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them! * he shall not be put to shame when he contends with his enemies in the gate.

THE SECOND LESSON James 3:1-12 Of particular concern are habits of speech.

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue-- a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

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

HYMN The Hymnal 689

THE GOSPEL Mark 8: 27-38 Peter recognizes that Jesus is the Christ, and Jesus then describes the true nature of the ministry of the Son of Man and what it means to follow in his way.

Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Following the Gospel... The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Christ. SERMON The Reverend Mary Lindquist

After the sermon a period of silence is kept

WE PRAY FOR GOD’S CREATION, FOR THE WORLD, AND FOR THE CHURCH

The Leader bids us to pray for the sick and suffering, for those who have asked for our prayer, for those who rejoice in life events and for those who have died.

Intercessor: Lord, in your mercy, People: Hear our prayer. The Priest says a concluding Collect

Let us confess our sins to God. Leader and People 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 Priest says Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive 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 Celebrant bids

THE PEACE The peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you. Following the Peace, the Celebrant recites a sentence from Holy Scripture; all prepare for the Holy Eucharist.

WE SHARE HOLY COMMUNION TOGETHER

OFFERTORY HYMN The Hymnal 309

OFFERING

We ask you to continue to support St. Michael’s during this time. Those in person may leave offering in the offering plate. Or you may send your pledges or donations through the mail or online on our website, www.stmichaelsvermont.org, pressing the “Donate now” button on the top right hand corner. Our ministry at St. Michael’s depends on your generosity.

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

The people remain standing. The Celebrant says The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Celebrant Lift up your hearts, People We lift them to the Lord. Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God, People It is right to give him thanks and praise.

The Celebrant praises God for God’s creation and love. Then all sing the Sanctus together:

The Presider recalls and makes present for all Jesus’ life and last supper.

Great is the mystery of faith: Celebrant and People Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. The Presider asks the Holy Spirit to consecrate the bread and the wine to be God’s holy food. And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say, People and Celebrant 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. THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD

The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread.

Celebrant: We who are many are one Body; People: For we all share one bread, one cup. (For those not gathered, the Prayer of Spiritual Communion is below) Dear God, we believe that you are truly present in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. We love you above all things, and long for you in our souls. Since we cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into our hearts. As though you have already come, we embrace you and unite ourselves entirely to you; never permit us to be separated from you. Amen. (St. Alphonsus de Liguori, 1696-1787)

PRAYER

Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

BLESSING

HYMN The Hymnal 527

DISMISSAL

Participants Today

Greg Lesch, Lay Assistant; Laura Andrews and Chris Chapman, Readers; Cary Gaunt, Intercessor; Ricky Davidson and Betsy Bates, Ushers; Jane Sbardella, Craig Newbert and Sherry Stimmel, Altar Guild.

St. Michael’s we believe that God’s love is unconditional. We welcome all people and we affirm the worth, dignity, and gifts of every person as a beloved child of God.

ST. MICHAEL’S WEEKDAY WORSHIP

Morning Prayer, 8-8:30 am, Monday – Friday Wednesday Eucharist, 12 noon

Contemplative Worship, 5:30-6:00 pm, Thursday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Margit Lilly, Today; Laurie Kaiser, Monday; Jay Pomponio and Kyle Capponcelli, Tuesday; Eleanor Horton, Thursday; KJ White, Saturday.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO: Judy & Jack Davidson, Tuesday; Margit & Jack Lilly, Thursday.

BABY GRAND OPENING TODAY: Our plans for having a big grand opening have been dashed by rising COVID numbers, but we are still having a Baby Grand opening! While we won’t be able to offer all the children and youth offerings of the past, we will offer some. While we won’t have our full liturgical party with a Communion of bread and wine, we will still be able to offer our simplified liturgy with bread. While we cannot yet do a true Coffee Hour, we will continue to offer food and fellowship outside, under the tent, after the 10:15 am service.

SUNDAY SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE TODAY, 9:30-10 AM: Please join us for the Sunday School Open House outside, under the tent, from 9:30-10am. Stop by and learn more about Godly Play and Holy Mayhem, as well as register your child for Sunday School.

SERMON SERIES ON THE PSALMS: Mary is offering a sermon series on the Psalms this September through October 10. This sermon series is a great opportunity for us to explore the Psalms more in depth. Please take some time during the week prior to read some examples of the Psalms that we will encounter on the coming Sunday.

Here is a schedule: Today, September 12: Psalms of Pilgrimage Main Psalms: 126, 127 Other Pilgrimage Psalms: 120-134 September 19: Cursing Psalms Main Psalms: 7, 137 Other Cursing Psalms: 35, 55, 58, 59, 69, 79, 83, 109 September 26: Psalms of Refuge and Trust Main Psalms: 46, 91 Other Refuge Psalms: 16, 23, 27, 62, 121 October 10: Psalms of Lament Main Psalms: 42, 38 Other Lament Psalms: 3, 12, 13, 22, 31, 39, 42, 57, 80, 85, 88, 90, 94, 137 JERUSALEMA DELAYED: With the rise in infections in Windham County and throughout New England, and especially while children under twelve still cannot be vaccinated, it seems unwise to gather energetic dancers even outside on the church lawn, even to celebrate our Baby Grand Reopening. So we will dance the Jerusalema another day - maybe on more than one occasion (just not on this occasion).

FOR OUR VIRTUAL COMMUNITY-- USE THE CHAT FUNCTION TO GREET ONE ANOTHER, OFFER THE PEACE & INCLUDE PRAYER REQUESTS: We have discovered that it is possible to “chat” with others on our Sunday Livestream service. We encourage you use it if you are participating in Sunday worship online.

• It is possible to chat directly from our webpage here: https://www.stmichaels-vt.org/vimeo-archive/

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH: We have modified and simplified our offerings for children and youth this fall. Below is our plan, but we are open to being flexible depending on how things unfold with vaccinations for young children and the Delta variant. We will be taking cues from the public schools in our region regarding safety precautions.

Safety Precautions: All children, youth and adults will be masked at all times regardless of vaccination status. Godly Play will be offered outside, and for those who wish, Holy Communion will be distributed under the tent (see below for more details). There will also be two pews reserved in the back of the church for children and families, for those who prefer to sit in a designated area in the church

Godly Play (Preschool-4th Grade): We will be offering Godly Play outside this fall. Children are invited to gather under the tent between 10-10:15 am. Beginning at 10:15, there will be a time of song and preparation, followed by a Godly Play story. Following the story, the kids will be taken to the playground for their response/play time. Kids will return with teachers to the tent by the time of the Peace (in the liturgy). Parents are invited to fetch their children and bring them into the church for Holy Communion, or remain outside under the tent and Holy Communion will be brought to you there. For more information, please contact Susan Heimer at heimer.susan@gmail.com

Holy Mayhem (5th-8th Grade): Holy Mayhem kids will meet in person every other week, from 10:15 until Holy Communion time (approximately 10:15-11am). Kids are invited to gather under the tent and proceed to their classroom at 10:15. On the “off weeks” when Holy Mayhem is not offered, kids are invited to act as helpers with the Godly Play class. For more information, please contact Lydia Taggert at lydiafin1@gmail.com

Nursery Care (0-4 years old) has resumed. Kaitlin, who has been a nursery caretaker at St. Michael’s for many years, is now joined by September, a staff member of the Horizon Preschool.

HEALING TEAM RETURNS AS A PRAYER PARTNER. Beginning today, a member of the healing team will be waiting at the door of the Mary Magdalen Chapel at the end of both the 8 AM and 10:15 services for people wanting individual, couple, or family prayers for healing, thanksgiving and other concerns. They will be masked, will maintain safe distance, and will work with you to make this familiar, but changed, experience a blessing for all.

REGARDING THE SURGE IN COVID CASES: We plan to continue to offer services in the church for those who would like to participate in person. However, given the surge in COVID cases in our community because of the Delta variant, we whole-heartedly encourage anyone who feels uncomfortable coming to church in person to take advantage of participating in church through our Vimeo service available at 10:15 am.

This goes also for those who may be scheduled to serve in person. Please just let us know if you will not be attending and we will find a replacement!

ST. MICHAEL’S SAFETY PROTOCOLS:

• Given the rise of the Delta variant, we are asking the congregation to mask at both the 8 am and 10:15 services.

• We also ask you to keep your greeting to a wave or a bow at the Peace, as we maintain physical distance.

• Please do not remain in the church after the service is over, but come outside to greet people and have conversations.

• We will receive Holy Communion of bread only at this time. • The 10:15 service is available via Livestream every Sunday for those who wish to worship from

home.

“THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH – AN INTRODUCTION”: SIGN UP BY SEPTEMBER 19: Are you new to St. Michael’s? To the Episcopal Church? Been away from church for a while? This class is for you! During this class we will be exploring the basics of the Bible, Church history, liturgy and what makes the Episcopal Church the Episcopal Church. We will also get a chance to get to know one another. The class will be on Zoom on Tuesdays either in the morning or the early evening (depending on the best time for those who are interested) beginning on Tuesday, September 28 and concluding on Tuesday, October 26. Please let Mary Lindquist know if you are interested in attending at marydail7@gmail.com or by calling the church office, 802-254-6048, ext 104. The deadline for signing up is next Sunday, September 19.

ADULT FORUM BEGINS AGAIN ON SEPTEMBER 19: The Adult Forum will be starting up again on Sunday, September 19, from 9-10 am in the Meeting Room. The Forum worked really well on Zoom during the pandemic and it was a great way to connect with one another. The Adult Forum Committee will offer the Forum both in-person and on Zoom to try to accommodate everyone who wishes to attend. This hybrid style of meeting may be challenging at first, but we are committed to try to figure out a way to involve everyone who wishes to attend! An Adult Forum Zoom Link will be set up for all those who wish to attend virtually.

September 19, RECONNECTING: For this first Forum, we want to hear from you! Because of vaccinations and the lifting of restrictions, we’d like to hear about what you’ve been up to this last summer and what it meant to you to be able to reunite with family and friends AND what it has meant to have to return to masks and social distancing. What was the highlight of your summer? What about a lowlight? What has surprised you? What has made you take stock or change the way you live? What are you grateful for? Sharing is totally voluntary, so don’t hesitate to attend the forum, even if you just want to listen!

THE BIN IS ON THE BENCH: Please support St Michael’s ministry to the Southern State Correctional Facility. Donations of men's toiletries (all in clear bottles) and individually wrapped candy and cookies are always needed. I am still on a quest for paperback books and magazines in Spanish. The bin is on the bench. Thanks for your continued support. Cliff Wood CHANGES IN BMH COVID TESTING & VACCINE CLINICS, FREE VACCINE & TESTS:

Vaccine Clinic: Unit next to Brattleboro Family Medicine, 53 Fairview Street, Brattleboro Hours of operation: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday – 9:30 am-1:30 pm Testing Clinic: Lot behind Brattleboro House of Pizza, 417 Canal Street, Brattleboro (enter between House of Pizza and Brattleboro Pharmacy) Hours of operation: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday – 2:00 pm-6:00 pm Individuals can walk-in or register at COVID-19 | Vermont Department of Health (healthvermont.gov) for both the vaccine and testing.