Holy Week Schedule

+Palm Sunday, April 13th. 10:00 AM 

+Maundy Thursday April 17th. Soup Supper and worship 6:00 PM 

+Good Friday, April 18th Noon Good Friday Liturgy

Fourth Sunday in Lent

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. 

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Prayers of the People 

Let us pray for the whole state of Christ's Church and the world. 

Almighty and everliving God, who in your holy Word has taught us to make prayers, and petitions, and to give thanks for all people: Receive these our prayers which we offer to your divine Majesty, beseeching you to inspire continually the Universal Church with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord; and grant that all those who do confess your holy Name may agree in the truth of your holy Word, and live in unity and godly love. Lord, in your mercy..... Hear our prayer. 

Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all bishops and other ministers especially for Sean, our Presiding Bishop, and Nicholas, the Bishop of RI, that they may, both by their life and doctrine, set forth your true and lively Word, and rightly and duly administer your holy Sacraments. Lord, in your mercy..... Hear our prayer. 

On our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our Finance Committees, Standing Committees and Treasurers. And to all your people give your heavenly grace, and especially to this congregation; that, with meek heart and due reverence, they may hear and receive your holy Word, truly serving you in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life. Lord, in your mercy..... Hear our prayer. 

We beseech you also so to rule the hearts of those who bear the authority of government in this and every land especially the president, the vice-president, the congress, and the courts, that they may be led to wise decisions and right actions for the welfare and peace of the world. Lord, in your mercy.... Hear our prayer. 

Open, O Lord, the eyes of all people to behold your gracious hand in all your works, that, rejoicing in your whole creation, they may honor you with their substance, and be faithful stewards of your generosity. Lord, in your mercy..... Hear our prayer. 

And we most humbly beseech you, of your goodness, O Lord, to comfort and help all those who, in this transitory life, are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity, especially, we pray, for those on our parish prayer list. Lord, in your mercy..... Hear our prayer. 

And we also bless your holy Name for all your servants departed this life. We humbly ask you to grant them continual growth in your love and service; and to grant us grace so to follow the good examples of St. Paul and all your saints, that with them we may be partakers of your heavenly kingdom. Grant these our prayers, O Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen. 

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Today we celebrated our nonagenarians – Rev. Marilyn and August Miller - with a big standing room only Potluck Birthday Party following the service❣️🎈🥳 Fun - fun - fun, with musical entertainment, a great meal, laughs and yummy birthday cake! There were candles...lots of candles! 

The Annunciation of Our Lord

 Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we who have known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, announced by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion be brought to the glory of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Third Sunday in Lent

 Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Saint Joseph

 O God, who from the family of your servant David raised up Joseph to be the guardian of your incarnate Son and the spouse of his virgin mother: Give us grace to imitate his uprightness of life and his obedience to your commands; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Second Sunday in Lent

 O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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 "On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram ..." Genesis 15:18a 

Rev. Liz thoughtfully reviewed the significance of covenants in our religious history, particularly focusing on Abraham’s covenant with God, which established monotheism and is considered the foundation of Christianity and Islam. She emphasized the importance of understanding and maintaining a covenant relationship with God, highlighting the role of individuals like Abraham, Noah, Moses, David, Mary and Jesus. Lastly Rev. Liz asked us to do our part; to reflect and act on the relevance of our ongoing covenant with Jesus.

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 Prayers of the People 

Let us pray for the whole state of Christ's Church and the world.

Almighty and everliving God, who in your holy Word has taught us to make prayers, and petitions, and to give thanks for all people: Receive these our prayers which we offer to your divine Majesty, beseeching you to inspire continually the Universal Church with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord; and grant that all those who do confess your holy Name may agree in the truth of your holy Word, and live in unity and godly love. Lord, in your mercy..... Hear our prayer. 

Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all bishops and other ministers, especially for Sean, our Presiding Bishop, and Nicholas, the Bishop of RI, that they may, both by their life and doctrine, set forth your true and lively Word, and rightly and duly administer your holy Sacraments. Lord, in your mercy..... Hear our prayer. 

We pray for our diocesan cycle of prayer. And to all your people give your heavenly grace, and especially to this congregation; that, with meek heart and due reverence, they may hear and receive your holy Word, truly serving you in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life. Lord, in your mercy..... Hear our prayer. 

We beseech you also so to rule the hearts of those who bear the authority of government in this and every land, especially the president, vice-president, congress, and the courts, that they may be led to wise decisions and right actions for the welfare and peace of the world. Lord, in your mercy..... Hear our prayer. 

Open, O Lord, the eyes of all people to behold your gracious hand in all your works, that, rejoicing in your whole creation, we may honor you with our substance, and be faithful stewards of your generosity. Lord, in your mercy..... Hear our prayer. 

And we most humbly beseech you, of your goodness, O Lord, to comfort and help all those who, in this transitory life, are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity, especially, we pray, for those on our parish prayer list. Lord, in your mercy..... Hear our prayer. 

And we also bless your holy Name for all your servants departed this life. We humbly ask you to grant them continual growth in your love and service; and to grant us grace so to follow the good examples of St. Paul and of all your saints, that with them we may be partakers of your heavenly kingdom. 

Grant these our prayers, O Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

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 Lord, we give you thanks that you have nourished us with fellowship, prayer, music, scripture, and holy Eucharist; and you have made us one with all your people in heaven and on earth. Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit, that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world. Amen

First Sunday in Lent

 Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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 “You are my refuge and my stronghold, * my God in whom I put my trust.” Psalm 91 

 Rev. Marilyn urged us to understand that the underlying message is clear, refuge is not only a physical place, but also a moral imperative, a tangible expression of God's covenant with God's people. This covenant is characterized by promises of protection and provision, reinforcing that the idea of refuge is both physical and spiritual, and is a divine gift. How comforting is it to know that somewhere there is a refuge for the sinner, for the one who has made the mistake. How comforting is it to know that our God cares enough about each one of God's children to provide for them for each one of according to their need. 

 We were asked to sing. “And He will raise you up on angel’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of His Hand.” Additionally we each received an envelope with a Lenten "Prayer Partner” so that we might throughout the week also provide comfort through prayers for others in our parish.

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 And of course we got Pretzels for Lent: The common pretzel was originally designed for use during Lent. Sometime during the Middle Ages, when Lent was accompanied by strict bans on dairy products and meat, people subsisted largely on breads, pastries, soups and vegetables. Bakers in Germany decided to create a food that would even look religious - the pretzel. The crossed arms of a pretzel represent a Christian in prayer. Place the palm of each hand on the opposite shoulder, so that your forearms cross. That's the shape of a pretzel.

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 At the end of today's service a new St Paul's Directory was distributed to all.

Ash Wednesday

 Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Last Sunday after the Epiphany - Alleluia Sunday

 O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Alleluia! New beginnings for many of us in the St Paul's family and a celebration of what is to come. Amen.

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Prayers of the People 

Led by the Holy Spirit we pray for the church and the world, saying, Lord in your mercy, Hear our Prayer. 

For the church in all its ways, in every land and in every language, may your Word be known. Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer. 

For all who seek to follow Jesus Christ, that they may be steadfast in their love and faith and that they may work together for greater unity as Christ's body, Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer. 

For peace in all places and in the hearts of all people throughout the earth, Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer. 

For our community, especially for those struggling in economic transitions, that we might find strength and hope together, Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer. 

For the natural world and its abundance, that we might use that abundance wisely and sustainably. Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer. 

For all who are suffering, that they might find solace in your presence and wholeness in your love and we pray for those in our congregation. Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer. 

For the saints in every generation, that they might inspire our lives, and that we might be faithful stewards of their legacy, Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

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After our service we continued the celebration with a Mardi Gras Potluck!