THE FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

August 30, 2026

11:00 AM

RECTOR, PRESIDER & PREACHER: The Rev. Martin Pommerenke

MUSIC DIRECTOR and ORGANIST: Stephen Kennedy 

VANDELINDER FELLOW and ASSISTANT ORGANIST: Jimmy Jeffery

VANDELINDER FELLOW and ORGANIST: Dominic Fiacco

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.

VOLUNTARY Improvisation Stephen Kennedy

At the ringing of the bell, all who are able, stand.

HYMN 401 The God of Abraham praise

At the ringing of the bell, all who are able, stand.

THE WORD OF GOD

OPENING ACCLAMATION

Collect for Purity

Celebrant: 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 All glory be to God on high

Presider: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Presider: Let us pray.

THE COLLECT OF THE DAY

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

THE FIRST READING: EXODUS 3:1-15

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’“ God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’:

This is my name forever,
and this my title for all generations.

GRADUAL  PSALM 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c Confitemini Domino

Observing a longer pause at the asterisk. Tone accents are underlined.

Observing a longer pause at the asterisk. Tone accents are underlined.

Cantor:

1 Give thanks to the Lord and call u-/ pon his Name; *
make known his deeds a-/ mong the peoples.

2 Sing to him, sing praises to / him, *
and speak of / all his great works.

All:

3 Glory in his / holy Name; *
let the hearts of those who / seek the Lord rejoice.

4 Search for the Lord and his / strength; *
contin-/ ue to seek his face.

5 Remember the marvels / he has done, *
his wonders and the / judgments of his mouth,

6 O offspring of Abraham his / servant, *
O children of Ja-/ cob his chosen.

37 He led out his people with silver and / gold; *
in all their tribes there was not / one that stumbled.

38 Egypt was glad of their / going, *
because they / were afraid of them.

39 He spread out a cloud for a / covering *
and a fire to give light in / the night season.

40 They asked, and / quails appeared, *
and he satisfied them with / bread from heaven.

41 He opened the rock, and / water flowed, *
so the river ran in / the dry places.

42. For God remembered his / holy word *
and Abra -/ ham his servant.

43 So he led forth his people with / gladness, *
his cho-/ sen with shouts of joy.

44 He gave his people the lands of the / nations, *
and they took the / fruit of others' toil,

45 That they might keep his / statutes *
and observe his laws. / Hallelujah!

THE SECOND LESSON    Romans 12:9-21

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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

 People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

GOSPEL Matthew 16:21-28

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

Then Jesus told his disciples, “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 will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Gospeler: The Gospel of the Lord

People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

SERMON  The Rev. Martin Pommerenke

Please take a moment for silent reflection.

THE NICENE CREED

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.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE  form VI

In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.

Silence

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 our Presiding Bishop, and Kara our Bishop; and for 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.

Silence

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.

Celebrant:

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you 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 PEACE

Presider: The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People: And also with you.

Parish announcements and offertory sentence

OFFERTORY- To donate electronically, please scan this QR code.

Your monetary offering- whether given in the offering plate or by online donation- supports the worship, pastoral care, and outreach of Christ Church as we seek to love and serve God and our neighbors. Thank you for your generosity.

PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS

THE HOLY COMMUNION

OFFERTORY HYMN: 484 Praise the Lord through every nation

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

The Great Thanksgiving Rite II Eucharistic Prayer B,

All who are able stand

SURSUM CORDA

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; For you are the source of light and life, you made us in your image, and called us to new life in Jesus Christ our Lord.  Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

SANCTUS            

Celebrant and People:

We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.

On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Therefore, according to his command, O Father,

Celebrant and People

We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;

The Celebrant continues

And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.

We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.

By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD

A period of silence is kept.

FRACTION ANTHEM

Invitation to Communion

Presider: The gifts of God for the people of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

Everyone, without exception is welcome to receive Holy Communion.

If a gluten free wafer is better for you, please tell the minister when you come forward.

The bread and the cup are given with these Words:

The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven. Please respond: Amen.

The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation. Please respond: Amen.

Please stand, as able.

HYMN 344 Lord dismiss us with thy blessing

Post-Communion Prayer

Presider: Let us pray.

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

DISMISSAL

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord   Alleluia Alleluia

Thanks be to God    Alleluia alleluia

ITE MISSA EST and DEO GRATIAS Mass VIII (De Angelis)Mode 5

VOLUNTARY   Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt BWV 637 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Upcoming PARISH Events and Activities

Our preacher and presider this week was the our rector

the Rev. Martin W. Pommerenke III

PARISH PRAYER LIST

Please keep these people and intentions in your prayers this week-

Our new rector, Martin Pommerenke, the wardens, vestry. The sick and the suffering, John D’Amanda, Norma Kurmis, Bob Brennan, Cora McCallum, Kevin Finnigan, Ellen Iaia (Steve’s mother), Kina Knight (Kristy Liddel’s mom), Antonio Taylor, Judy (Kevin Finnigan’s cousin), John Ford, David Tinkelman, Meg Love’s brother, Tim, Hugh Gray’s sister who lost her home in a flood, Tom, a friend of Jim Ford, Kat’s roommate, and Capt. Charles Lewis, deployed to the Middle East; for refugees and immigrants, those lacking housing, employment, and the necessities of life. Those affected by poverty, bigotry, violence, war, and oppression. In thanksgiving for the many blessings we have been given.

RRRN (Rochester Rapid Response Network) has a fund to support our immigrant neighbors in urgent need: things like grocery shopping, rent relief, and other things that cost money. This fund comes entirely from individual contributions via Venmo. If you would like to contribute, their Venmo handle is @rocrapidresponse

+ + +

Every Monday is ZOOM Morning Prayer. The active link is below:

Every Tuesday is Tuesday Pipes

Every Wednesday is ZOOM Evening Prayer. The active link is below:

CALENDAR FOR THIS WEEK

TODAY/TONIGHT

SUNDAY, August 30

1:00-3:00 Let’s Build Together LEGO® BUILDING CLUB

MONDAY, August 31

10:00 am Zoom Morning Prayer - Leader is Hugh Gray

https://songforchristchurch.org/monday-morning-prayer

11:00am ,August 31 Study of the Gospel of John -Zoom- contact Mary for the link - 4marytrees@gmail.com

TUESDAY, September 1

Tuesday Pipes 12:10pm

WEDNESDAY, September 2

7:00 pm Zoom Evening Prayer - Leader is Hugh Gray

https://songforchristchurch.org/wednesday-evening-prayer

Each Sunday, from October through April, the Office of Compline is observed and performed by the Christ Church Schola Cantorum at 9:00 PM in the church. All are welcome to attend this 30-minute candlelight liturgy.

MUSIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Compline by the Schola Cantorum serves a nearly full church each Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. We therefore need more ushers and candle lighters. Please consider participating in what the City Newspaper branded as “the place to be on Sunday nights”.   

Our Lectors today-

1st Reading-    Fred Scipione  

2nd Reading-    Andrew Shelton

Prayers of the People- Chris Brennan 

Vestry- Jeremy Cooney, Jim Ford, Jim Kurmis, Norma Hopcraft, Kristy Liddell,

Nancy Norwood, Shirley Ricker, Fred Scipione, Craig Smith,

Wardens- Valerie Jutsum & Deb VanderBilt

David Jutsum- Clerk of the Vestry

Organists 

Stephen Kennedy, director of music and organist

Jimmy Jeffery, assistant organist

Dominic Fiacco, VanDelinder Fellow

David Higgs and William Porter, associate organists

Choral Scholars

Anna Bjerken 

Amelia Harkey

Maya Watters 

Mary Reins

Caroline Barata

Andrea McGaugh 

Caleb Meyerhoff 

Daniel Perez (ESM/CC Choral Scholar)

CHRIST CHURCH OFFICE HOURS &Staff -

The Rev. Martin Pommerenke, Rector, rector@christchurchrochester.org

Stephen Kennedy, Director of Music, stephenk@rochester.rr.com

           Steve Iaia, Sexton, stepheniaia9@gmail.com

           Lori Frank, Office Administrator, office@christchurchrochester.org

Office Hours:

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. 

Remember to “like” and “subscribe” to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbkbAzGxOtsMI1dhb_3dGvg/videos

visit the website, http://www.christchurchrochester.org and

The Song, https://songforchristchurch.org often, for any updates and to access free recordings.

DIRECTORY INFORMATION

Christ Church would like to make sure our parishioner records are up to date! Please remember to update the office with your contact information if you have recently changed address, your email address or your phone number.
Email: office@christchurchrochester.org