United in God’s Love, Empowered to Serve, Welcoming All The art above is a carved rock image of the Trinity Knot

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The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

August 3, 2025

Holy EUCHARIST

11:00 A.M.

The Rev. Steven Metcalfe is our Presider and Celebrant today

BISHOP: The Rt. Rev. Kara Wagner Sherer

INTERIM RECTOR: The Rev. Dr. Julianne Buenting

MUSIC DIRECTOR and ORGANIST: Stephen Kennedy

PRIEST ASSOCIATE: The Rev. Joel Wilbur

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

Voluntary Improvisation Stephen Kennedy

THE ENTRANCE RITE

Please stand, as able.

Hymn 408 Sing praise to God who reigns above

OPENING ACCLAMATION

Presider Blessed be one holy and living God.

People Glory to God for ever and ever. Amen.

COLLECT FOR PURITY

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 HYMN 421

THE WORD OF GOD

COLLECT OF THE DAY

Presider: God be with you.

People: And also with you.

Presider: Let us pray.

Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it always by your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever. Amen.

Please be seated.

First Lesson Hosea 11:1-11

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

The more I called them, the more they went from me; they kept sacrificing to the Baals, and offering incense to idols.

Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them up in my arms;
but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love.

I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them.

They shall return to the land of Egypt, and Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me. The sword rages in their cities, it consumes their oracle-priests, and devours because of their schemes. My people are bent on turning away from me.

To the Most High they call, but he does not raise them up at all. How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel?

How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim?

My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. I will not execute my fierce anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and no mortal ,the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.

They shall go after the Lord, who roars like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come trembling from the west. They shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria; and I will return them to their homes, says the Lord.

Leader The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

Gradual Psalm 107:1-9. 43

Confitemini Domino Tone VIII

Cantor:

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for / he is good, *
and his mercy en-/dures for ever.

All:

2 Let all those whom the Lord has re-/deemed proclaim *
that he redeemed them from the / hand of the foe.

3 He gathered them out / of the lands; *
from the east and from the west, from the / north and from the south.

4 Some wandered in / desert wastes; *
they found no way to a city / where they might dwell.

5 They were hungry and / thirsty; *
their spirits lan-/ guished within them.

6 Then they cried to the Lord in their / trouble, *
and he delivered / them from their distress.

7 He put their feet on a / straight path *
to go to a city / where they might dwell.

8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his / mercy *
and the wonders he does / for his children.

9 For he satisfies the / thirsty *
and fills the / hungry with good things.

43 Whoever is wise will ponder these / things, *
and consider well the / mercies of the Lord.

The Epistle Colossians 3:1-11

If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things-- anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!

Leader The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

Please stand, as able.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Verse O sing to the Lord a new song: for he has done marvelous things. Alleluia.

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

All: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

The Holy Gospel Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?" And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." Then he told them a parable: "The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, `What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' Then he said, `I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, `Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, `You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So, it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God."

Gospeler: The Gospel of the Lord.

All: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon The 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 worshiped 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 In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray for the church and the world,

saying, Hear our prayers, O God.