The Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost

November 16, 2025

Holy Eucharist

11:00 A.M.

BISHOP: The Rt. Rev. Kara Wagner Sherer

PRESIDER AND PREACHER: The Rev. Steven Metcalfe

MUSIC DIRECTOR and ORGANIST: Stephen Kennedy

We seek to serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves.
We strive for justice and peace among all people,
respecting the dignity of every human being.

Welcome

We seek to mirror the love of God and the hospitality of Jesus in our worship and our service to others. We are a community welcoming all races, ethnicities, faiths, genders, orientations, and abilities. Our worship is open to all, and every person is invited to receive communion.

CHRIST CHURCH OFFICE HOURS – TELEPHONE: 585.454.3878

TUESDAYS - 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAYS - 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

THURSDAYS - 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

As discussed during the Annual Meeting, the Rector Search Committee is interested in your input! Click here and leave us a message https://songforchristchurch.org/contact and share your thoughts. Members of the Search Committee will be available after church during Coffee Hour, too, to answer any questions, and the boards will be available through the month of February.

THE HOLY EUCHARIST: RITE TWO

From The Book of Common Prayer

Today's worship is offered to the glory of God and in memory of Steve Hart and for the Hart family's intentions.

Voluntary Ich Ruf Zu Dir Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639 J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

THE ENTRANCE RITE Please stand, as able.

Introit Intret oratio

Hymn 632 O Christ, the Word incarnate

OPENING ACCLAMATION

Presider: Blessed be the One Holy and Living God.

People: Glory to God for ever and ever. Amen.

Collect for Purity

Presider Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Song of Praise

THE WORD OF GOD

COLLECT OF THE DAY

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Lesson Isaiah 65:17-25

For I am about to create new heavens
and a new earth;

the former things shall not be remembered
or come to mind.

But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I am creating;

for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.

I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
and delight in my people;

no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it,
or the cry of distress.

No more shall there be in it
an infant that lives but a few days,
or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;

for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth,
and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.

They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;

for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

They shall not labor in vain,
or bear children for calamity;

for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord--
and their descendants as well.

Before they call I will answer,
while they are yet speaking I will hear.

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
but the serpent-- its food shall be dust!

They shall not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain, says the Lord.

Lector The word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

GRADUAL: Canticle 9 Ecce Deus

Cantors:

Surely, it is God who / saves me; *
I will trust in him / and not be afraid.

All:

For the Lord is my stronghold and my / sure defense, *
and he will / be my Savior.

Therefore you shall draw water with re-/ joicing *
from the springs / of salvation.

And on that day / you shall say, *
Give thanks to the Lord and / call upon his Name;

Make his deeds known among the / peoples; *
see that they remember that his Name / is exalted.

Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has / done great things, *
and this is / known in all the world.

Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring / out your joy, *
for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy / One of Israel.

Second Lesson 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, and we did not eat anyone's bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

Lector The word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

Please stand, as able.

Gospel Acclamation Qui posuit Verse or verses chanted by cantor(s).

Alleluia is repeated by all following verse(s)

Verse: He maketh peace in thy borders: And filleth thee with the flour of wheat. Alleluia.

The Holy Gospel Luke 21:5-19

Gospeler The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

All Glory to you, Lord Christ.

When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, "As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down."

They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?" And he said, "Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, `I am he!' and, `The time is near!' Do not go after them.

“When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

“But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.”

Gospeler The Gospel of the Lord.

All Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon Rev. Steven Metcalfe

The Nicene Creed

recited in unison.

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 worshipped and glorified.

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.

The Prayers of the People

Leader The risen Christ is among us. Let us offer our prayers to the Holy One, who is our Redeemer and friend, saying, In your loving kindness, O Christ,