Saint Francis Sunday

Most high, omnipotent good Lord, grant your people grace to renounce gladly the vanities of this world, that, following the way of blessed Francis, we may for love of you delight in your whole creation with perfectness of joy. O God, you have made us and all living things. You are even more wonderful than what you have made. We thank you for giving us these pets who bring us joy. As you take care of us, so also we ask your help that we might take care of those who trust us to look after them. By doing this, we share in your love for all creation. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

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The Prayers for Blessing of the Animals

Leader: Let us give thanks to God our Creator for all the gifts so freely bestowed upon us and for the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and sky and sea.

All: We thank you Lord.

Leader: For the richness of the mountains, plains, and rivers.

All: We thank you Lord.

Leader: For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women.

All: We thank you Lord.

Leader: For all creatures that breathe, and move, and have life.

All: We thank you Lord.

Leader: For the songs of birds and the loveliness of flowers and trees.

All: We thank you Lord.

Leader: For the trust you have shown in giving into our care these, our pets.

All: We thank you Lord.

Leader: That each of our pets my be treasured with care.

All: We thank you Lord.

Leader: That we may love and honor all your works, O God.

All: We pray to you Lord.

Leader: That we may continue to grow in our grateful enjoyment of your abundant creation.

All: To the honor and glory of your name, now and forever, we pray to you Lord. Amen.

+The Blessing:

May you be blessed in the Name of God, the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. May you and your animals enjoy life together and find joy with the God who created you.

Amen

Prayer (said together)

Almighty God, our great Creator, yours are the praise, the glory, the honor and all blessings! To you alone do all things belong. Be praised for giving us the animals, birds and fish which fill your world. May we think of you and thank you when we play with and care for our pets.

Be praised for making us so happy to have our pets and to have them to play with. We ask you, Lord, that we may be good to our pets always, so that they may be happy also.

Help us always to take care of them so that they will be healthy. O God, your world is wonderful. May we all come into your even greater world of the kingdom of heaven where we shall see even more wonderful things and where we shall live and love forever. This we ask to your eternal praise, and to our blessing. Amen.

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Prayers of the People

Creating and sustaining God, in faith we lift our voices to you that we might be transformed by your love, saying:

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the church, that it may manifest your grace and mercy in the world. And for the National Episcopal Church Leaders: for Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and for Presiding Bishop elect Sean Rowe. And for all priests that they may be constant in faith and witness .

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for our nation, that it might fulfill its promise and be a nation where all people know justice, peace, and the opportunity to thrive.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for St. Paul's, that we might be a place where each of us can discover our call and find ways to minister together as the Body of Christ.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the natural order, and that the abundance and diversity of creation might be preserved through our choices and advocacy.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the sick, the injured, the anxious and despairing, and we lift up all those affected by the hurricane. Through your healing presence, grant them hope and healing.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Let us pray for those on our Parish Prayer List.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

The flowers have been given in loving memory of Peter Carlone. May he rest in peace.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the dying, and for all those who have died, that they may rest in the glory of your eternal love.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

You have promised to hear and respond to us when we gather in your name. All this we ask through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

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Closing Prayer

Create in us a new heart and a new vision, O God, that the gifts of your Spirit may work in us and renew the face of the earth.

May we be one with you so that our work is yours

and your work is ours.

Lead us to transform our lives to reflect your glory in Creation; through Jesus Christ our Savior who is alive with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.

Saint Michael and All Angels

 Everlasting God, you have ordained and constituted in a wonderful order the ministries of angels and mortals: Mercifully grant that, as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your appointment they may help and defend us here on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Blessed God, fountain of life: Grant that we may see all

water as holy, and so protect and preserve the waters of

the earth and the life they sustain. In the name of Christ,

the living water, we pray. Amen.

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God of peace, we offer ourselves, heart and soul, and mind

to you. Please respond to our prayers as we say:

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Help your church to face the world with grace, humility and

love. Let us be a beacon of hope and a sanctuary of peace.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We prayer for our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry and our

Presiding Bishop Elect, Sean Rowe. We pray for the

Bishop of Rhode Island, Nicholas Knisely, and for all lay

people, priests, and deacons, that they may be faithful

stewards of the faith.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

On the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we pray for St Michael’s,

Bristol and St Francis’, Coventry.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Give wisdom to the leaders of the nations that they might

work together for the good of the whole world.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Give wisdom to the office seekers and the voters and lead

the people of this nation as we seek to elect leaders for our

country

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Draw us close to you, that we might be renewed by your

love and emboldened to carry out the ministry of Christ in

our own community.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Bestow upon us a reverence for your created world

and give us hearts that ache to care for it.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Give us a reverence for for the waters of the earth; for

their careful use and conservation, that we may have

the will and the ability to keep them clean and pure.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We beseech you for those who are on our parish

prayer list. For the victims of the storm. For those who seek after their loved ones.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Wrap all who know pain or sickness into your healing

embrace, give them courage and perseverance and

remind them that you are with them in their suffering.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

The flowers are given in loving memory of Eva Reise.

Shower the dead with your love that they might be at

peace and free from the tribulations of this life; and, at

the dawn of your new age, reunite us with those whom

we love but are now beyond our reach.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Almighty God, who was and is and is to come,

bestow your blessings upon us and answer our

prayers as may be best for us, and all this we ask

through your Son, Jesus Christ, who is our

redeemer and savior. Amen.

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Closing Prayer

Create in us a new heart and a new vision, O God,

that the gifts of your Spirit may work in us and renew

the face of the earth.

May we be one with you so that our work is yours

and your work is ours.

Lead us to transform our lives to reflect your

glory in Creation; through Jesus Christ our Savior who

is alive with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and

forever. Amen.

An Invitation to the Creation Care Conference 2024

Registration: https://tinyurl.com/rhode-island-creation-care

 

Fall 2024 Update with Important Dates and Plans

+ St. Paul's, Portsmouth Fall 2024 Update Dear St. Paul's Folks, The seasons are so beautiful here in New England! Summer and its warmth, and heat, is giving way to the color and coolness of the Fall. During the early days of September and October, at St. Paul's we are celebrating and praying through a Season of Creation as we acknowledge our role as God's stewards of this created world we share. We move gradually into the color of the leaves and the crispness of the October time and feeling the briskness of the coming cold weather and the feeling of Thanksgiving as November's theme takes over all around us. A theme that is so appropriate for our lives as faithful followers of the One who came among us because "God so loved the world that he gave his only son". As we share the world, we know also that God so loves us that he gave us each other, to love and to serve together in his church. Thanks be to God and to our Lord Jesus Christ for our community here and for the way we are nourished at St. Paul's through the Word and Sacraments and through the blessing of our fellowship. We pray for these days and for our life together. Faithfully, Rev. Marilyn and Rev. Liz