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Theme of the Day

Conflict is a part of relationships and life in community. Jesus’ words in today's gospel are often used in situations having to do with church discipline. The prophet Ezekiel tells of warning the wicked to turn from their ways, and Paul reminds us that love is the fulfilling of the law. We gather in the name of Christ, assured that he is present among us with gifts of peace and reconciliation.

The Collect for Sunday

God of unity and truth, encourage the fervent, enlighten the doubtful and bring back the wayward. Gather us all together in mutual love, so that our prayer may be pleasing to you. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

The Collect for the Season of Creation

Source of all life, we give thanks to you for your wondrous creation made manifest in the environment that surrounds us; strengthen us in the mission of stewardship and care towards nature, the work of your hands, encouraging us to preserve life in all its precious forms. All this we ask through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer Intentions

The prayers of the church are offered especially:

  • for the needs of the world, especially at this time of global pandemic;
  • for those who are sick and for all medical personnel and caregivers;
  • for research workers and scientists who are working to protect us, provide adequate testing, and to develop a vaccine;
  • for all who have returned to work and those who have been working, that they be kept safe from harm;
  • for those who are particularly vulnerable to this virus;
  • for those who are isolated;
  • for those who are anxious;
  • for parents and educators and all who are returning to school;
  • for our parish family in this time of social isolation and as we make decisions about the partial return to in-person worship;
  • for the healing of racial inequality, prejudice, bigotry, systemic racism, and injustice;
  • for all those who experience poverty or homelessness;
  • for those who are threatened by violence, abuse, or injustice;
  • for those who travel or are enjoying the leisure of summer vacation;
  • for the worldwide church as we mark this Season of Creation;
  • for all of God's creation and for the good stewardship of the Earth;
  • for the whole church: for Susan, our Bishop; for David and Brian, our priests; for Janice, our deacon; for Rob, our intern; for all bish­ops, priests and dea­cons; and for all the bap­tized: that God may accomplish God's work in and through us for the sake of the world;
  • for Elizabeth our Queen and all set in authority under her; for Justin, the Prime Minister of Canada and all members of parliament; Doug, the Premier of Ontario and all members of the legislature; Fred, the mayor of Hamilton and those who serve city council; for the First Nations of this land, for elders, chiefs, and band councils; for all in civil authority and for all citizens that we might work together for the common good;
  • for all for whom we have been asked to pray: especially for Stephen, Duncan and Mary, that God will bring them healing and wholeness;
  • for those who are dying; and all those who have departed from this life and are at rest.

In our cycles of prayer:

  • In the Worldwide Anglican Com­mun­ion: Pray for the Anglican Church of Southern Africa; The Most Revd Thabo Makgoba - Archbishop of Capetown and Primate of Southern Africa.
  • In the Diocese of Niagara: St. Paul, Mount Forest, The Reverend Dr. Shirley Christian, Rector, and the people of that parish.
  • For other faith communities in our neighbourhood, Holy Trinity Ethiopian Orthodox Church, The Rev’d Aba Gebreeyesus Ayalew, head priest, and people of that parish
  • For one another, in our parish cycle of prayer, for Thomas Gnanamuthu, Priscilla Clarence, Ranen Thomas and Leandra Thomas; Paul Grimwood; Andy, Orla, Aedhan and Fionn Hares; Emily Hill; and Andrew, Kyle and Quinn Hornby.

Prayer requests to be included on the following Sunday can can be submitted here by the Thursday morning before.

The Readings for Sunday

First Reading: Exodus 12:1-14

Israel remembered its deliverance from slavery in Egypt by celebrating the festival of Passover. This festival featured the Passover lamb, whose blood was used as a sign to protect God’s people from the threat of death. The early church described the Lord’s supper using imagery from the Passover, especially in portraying Jesus as the lamb who delivers God’s people from sin and death.

1The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. 3Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. 4If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. 5Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. 7They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. 10You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the Lord. 12For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
  14This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.

Semicontinuous Psalm: Psalm 149

Sing the Lord’s praise in the assembly of the faithful. (Ps. 149:1)

Second Reading: Romans 13:8-14

The obligation of Christians is to love one another and so fulfill the heart and goal of the law. Clothes make the person as we “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” and live today in light of the future God has in store for us.

8Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
  11Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20

Jesus offers practical advice to his disciples on how individuals—and the church as a whole—should go about restoring relationships when one member has sinned against another.

[Jesus said to the disciples:] 15“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Prayers of Intercession

This is Christ’s commandment: to love one another as he loved us. With contrite spirits and respect for all humanity, let us pray to God that we may learn to care for not only our brothers and sisters, but for all God’s creation shown forth in the wonder of nature that maintains our common life. Let us pray, responding to each petition, saying, "Inspire us to love the whole of creation."

(Remembering N,) Have compassion on all who suffer from trials and pain, especially the victims of natural disasters caused by our own greed and negligence. Grant them their needed relief and the help of your children in their daily struggles. Inspire us. Inspire us to love the whole of creation.

Kindle the hearts of the leaders in your Church; especially N, our bishop, N, our priest, and all other ministers. Reveal in them the example of your Christ, who revered and cared for the fullness of your creation. Inspire us. Inspire us to love the whole of creation.

Inspire all civil authorities to dedicate their resources and efforts to the building of a better world for all your people. May they govern with respect and balance toward nature through policies that seek to relieve the environmental calamity that surrounds us. Inspire us. Inspire us to love the whole of creation.

(Remembering N,) Have mercy on your children suffering from illness, granting them healing and comfort from their afflictions. Equip us to serve all who are ill as we would serve Christ. Inspire us.  Inspire us to love the whole of creation.

(Remembering N,) Bring to your glorious presence all those faithful who have departed this world with faith in Jesus Christ. Grant them eternal rest in the company of the Virgin Mary, apostles, martyrs, and all your saints. Inspire us. Inspire us to love the whole of creation.

Receive the prayers we now offer you as a sign of our immense gratitude (for N,) for the many blessings you have given us, and above all for the life in nature that continues to flourish despite our carelessness. Grant that we may return your love in acts of charity and compassion toward the world that you created and all of its creatures. Inspire us. Inspire us to love the whole of creation.

Creator of all, whose Son came to reconcile all creation to you: inspire in us a reverence for your creatures in this world and accept the prayers that we now offer; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Readings for the Week

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 23] (Green) |  Season of Creation | Sunday, September 6, 2020

  • Morning Prayer: Ps 63:1-8, (9-11), 98; Job 25:1-6; 27:1-6; Rev 14:1-7, 13; Coll 378
  • Holy Eucharist: Propers 378; Ex 12:1-14; Ps 149 (or Ezek 33:7-11; Ps 119:33-40); Rom 13:8-14; Mt 18:15-20; Preface of the Lord's Day
  • Evening Prayer: Ps 103; (1 Kgs 12:21-33); Mt 5:13-20; Coll 378

Feria (Green) | Labour Day | Season of Creation | Monday, September 7, 2020

  • Morning Prayer: Ps 41, 52; Job 32:1-10, 19-33:1, 19-28; Acts 13:44-52; Coll 378 or Coll 17, 680 (Labour Day)
  • Holy Eucharist: Feria: As Sunday, except: 1 Cor 5:1-8; Ps 5; Lk 6:6-11; Preface of Weekdays  OR  Labour Day: Coll 17, 680; Sir 38:27-32; Ps 107:1-9; (1 Cor 3:10-14); Mt 6:19-24; Prayer over the Gifts 397; Preface of Weekdays; Prayer after Communion 397
  • Evening Prayer: Ps 44; (1 Kgs 13:1-10); Jn 10:19-30; Coll 378 or Coll 17, 680 (Labour Day)

Labour Day: It is recommended that Labour Day be noted in the Prayers of the People at the Eucharist if there is no Labour Day service.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Mem (White) | Season of Creation | Tuesday, September 8, 2020

  • Morning Prayer: Ps 45; Job 29:1-20; Acts 14:1-18; Coll 378 (Mem: 403 or FAS 273)
  • Holy Eucharist: Nativity of the BVM: Propers 403 or FAS 273; Is 61:9-11; Ps 132:6-8, 14-18; Lk 1:26-33; Preface of the Incarnation  OR  Feria: As Sunday, except: 1 Cor 6:1-11; Ps 149:1-5; Lk 6:12-19; Preface of Weekdays (Mem: 403 or FAS 273)
  • Evening Prayer: Ps 47, 48; (1 Kgs 16:23-34); Jn 10:31-42; Coll 378 (Mem: 403 or FAS 273)

Feria (Green) | Season of Creation | Wednesday, September 9, 2020

  • Morning Prayer: Ps 119:49-72; Job 29:1, 30:1-2, 16-31; Acts 14:19-28; Acts 13:44-52; Coll 378
  • Holy Eucharist: As Sunday, except: 1 Cor 7:25-31; Ps 45:11-18; Lk 6:20-26; Preface of Weekdays
  • Evening Prayer: Ps 49, [53]; (1 Kgs 17:1-24); Jn 11:1-16; Coll 378

Edmund James Peck, Priest, Missionary to the Inuit, 1924 - Mem (White) | Season of Creation | Thursday, September 10, 2020

  • Morning Prayer: Ps 50; Job 29:1, 31:1-23; Acts 15:1-11; Coll 378 (Mem: 434 or FAS 275)
  • Holy Eucharist: Peck: Common of a Missionary 434 or FAS 275; 1 Jn 5:6-12; Ps 107:23-32; Mt 28:16-20; Preface of Pentecost  OR  Feria: As Sunday, except: 1 Cor 8:1-13; Ps 139:1-9, 22-23; Lk 6:27-38; Preface of Weekdays (Mem: 434 or FAS 275)
  • Evening Prayer: Ps [59, 60] or 93, 96; (1 Kgs 18:1-19); Jn 11:17-29; Coll 378 (Mem: 434 or FAS 275)

Feria (Green) | Day of discipline and self-denial | Season of Creation | Friday, September 11, 2020

  • Morning Prayer: Ps 40, 54; Job 29:1, 31:24-40; Acts 15:12-21; Coll 378
  • Holy Eucharist: As Sunday, except: 1 Cor 9:16-27; Ps 84; Lk 6:39-42; Preface of Weekdays
  • Evening Prayer: Ps 51; (1 Kgs 18:20-40); Jn 11:30-44; Coll 378

Feria (Green) | Eve of Sunday (Green) | Season of Creation | Saturday, September 12, 2020

  • Morning Prayer: Ps 55; Job 38:1-17; Acts 15:22-35; Coll 378
  • Holy Eucharist: As Sunday, except: 1 Cor 10:14-22; Ps 116:10-17; Lk 6:43-49; Preface of Weekdays
  • Evening Prayer: Ps 138, 139:1-17, (18-23); (1 Kgs 18:41-19:8); Jn 11:45-54; Coll 380 (Eve of Pentecost XV)
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