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  • Church Bulletin – 29 December 2024

    The First Sunday after Christmas 

             29 December 2024 

                The Holy Eucharist – Rite II 

          (Note: H=Blue Hymnal / BCP=Red Book of Common Prayer) 

                     The Word of God 

       Procession Hymn              H 450              

       Acclamation                  BCP 355 

       Gloria            H S280  

    Salutation and Collect                 BCP 325 

    Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. 

    The First Lesson – Isaiah 61:10-62:3 

    I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, 
    my whole being shall exult in my God; 

    for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, 
    he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, 

    as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, 
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 

    For as the earth brings forth its shoots, 
    and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, 

    so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise 
    to spring up before all the nations. 

    For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, 
    and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, 

    until her vindication shines out like the dawn, 
    and her salvation like a burning torch. 

    The nations shall see your vindication, 
    and all the kings your glory; 

    and you shall be called by a new name 
    that the mouth of the Lord will give. 

    You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, 
    and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 

    The Response – Psalm 147:13-21 

    Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem; * 
       praise your God, O Zion; 

    For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; * 
       he has blessed your children within you. 

    He has established peace on your borders; * 
       he satisfies you with the finest wheat. 

    He sends out his command to the earth, * 
       and his word runs very swiftly. 

    He gives snow like wool; * 
       he scatters hoarfrost like ashes. 

    He scatters his hail like bread crumbs; * 
       who can stand against his cold? 

    He sends forth his word and melts them; * 
       he blows with his wind, and the waters flow. 

    He declares his word to Jacob, * 
       his statutes and his judgments to Israel. 

    He has not done so to any other nation; * 
       to them he has not revealed his judgments. 
       Hallelujah! 

     The Second Lesson – Galations 3:23-25; 4:4-7 

    Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian. 

    But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. 

     Sequence Hymn                              H 632        

    The Gospel – John 1:1-18 

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 

    There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 

    He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. 

    And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. 

    Sermon                   The Rev. Nancy Gill 

    The Nicene Creed                    BCP 358 

    The Prayers of the People 

      After each petition, 

      Layreader: O living God, 

      People: glory and praise to you. 

    For the Universal Church, its members, and its mission: 

    For Sean, our Presiding Bishop; Poulson, our Diocesan Bishop; Nancy, our Vicar; the members of our Bishop’s Committee 

       For the Claremore Ministerial Alliance 

      For the Northeast Oklahoma Clericus 

       For St. Paul’s, its mission, ministry, and people 

       In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer for St. James’, Oklahoma City 

       In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer for The Episcopal Church 

    For the nation and all in authority: 

       For Joe, our President, and the Congress; Donald, the President-elect, Kevin, our Governor and the Legislature; Debbie our Mayor and the City Counsel; and the judicial system 

       For our service men and women around the world and all those in harm’s way, especially Connor, John, Josh, Steven, and Cooper 

    For this community: 

       For all students, teachers, & administrators, especially Christina, Hannah, Zach, Cara, and Shelby 

       For all public safety officers, especially Dale and Michael 

    For those who have asked for or are in need of our prayers: 

       For Ani/ Chris/ Mike/ Brian/ Mark H/ Ron H/ Rose/ Brady/ Zachary/ Donna/ Vernon/ Corey/ Janie/ Rick/ Lillian/ Carol Sue/ Erin/ Mike/ Don/ Pauline/ Doris/ Stephen/ Jim/ Tjode/ Traci/ Rusti/ Joyce L/ Justin/ Robert/ Lenny 

    For those who have died:  

    The Confession of Sin                            BCP 331 

    The Peace                        BCP 360 

             The Holy Communion 

       The Offertory – Every 3rd Sunday, all undesignated offerings in the offering plate go to the ministry fund (formerly the discretionary fund). 

       Offertory Hymn   H 437                            

       Doxology 

    (“Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise him all creatures here below, Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts, Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen”) 

       Eucharistic Prayer B                       BCP 367 

       Sanctus H S125  

       Fraction Anthem                             BCP 364 

    The Invitation to Communion 

    All people are welcome to receive Communion at Saint Paul’s. This is the table, not of the Church, but of God. It is here for those who love God and who want to love God more. So, come, you who have much faith, and you who have little, you who have been here often and you who are new. Come, because it is our Lord who invites us. It is God’s will that those who want him should meet him here. 

       Post-communion Prayer                       BCP 366 

       Blessing 

       Procession Hymn    H 631      

  • Way of Love in Lent Bible Study

    Shelby continues our Lenten Bible Study video series

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    Shelby continues our Way of Love in Lent Bible Study with Video 5

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    Way of Love in Lent Bible Study Session Three

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    Way of Love in Lent Bible Study Session two

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    Way of Love in Lent Bible Study Video Session One

  • St. Paul’s Newsletter – February 22, 2024

    Lenten greetings, dear Friends.

    O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from thy ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of thy Word ~ From the Collect for the Second Sunday in Lent, BCP 166

    May you find this to be a season in which you are drawn into a deep knowledge of, and love for, God.

    The Second Sunday in Lent

    Last week (2/18), the first Sunday in Lent, our Gospel lesson reminded us that we must commit time and energy to prayer and Bible study in order to successfully survive the emotional deserts of life.

    This Sunday (2/25), join us at 9:30 a.m. as we learn from Jesus’s example of how to live into the fulling of God’s purpose.

    Community-wide Lenten Services & Luncheons

    Invite a friend and join us at St. Paul’s at Noon each Wednesday during Lent for a service led by various churches from the Claremore Ministerial Alliance. Each service is followed by lunch (donations appreciated) in the Parish Hall. Next Wednesday, February 28, our service will be led, and lunch provided by, the Claremore Assembly of God Church.

    Christian Formation

    Last Sunday, the first Sunday of Lent (2/18), we discussed the Introduction and chapter 1 – The Rung of Hope – in the book Ladder to the Light by Steven Charleston. A Native American, former Episcopal Bishop of Alaska, and current resident of Oklahoma, Charleston shares insight he has gleaned about his Christian journey as related to his indigenous customs. The journey he guides us through in his book correlates beautifully with the journey upon which we embark during the Lenten season.

    This Sunday, the second Sunday of Lent (2/25), we will discuss chapter 2 – The Rung of Blessing. All are welcome to join us each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. as we discuss this indigenous elder’s meditations on hope and courage.

    Hospitality Continues

    For the next several weeks, until they are able to repair the damage that flooding has done to their own building, our friends from First Christian Church will continue to utilize the nave for their worship services on Sunday mornings @ 11:00 a.m. 

    Let Us Pray

    • For a holy Lent
    • For Dellaura
    • For the victims of the war in Ukraine
    • For Israel and Palestine, and for the victims of the war in Gaza
    • For the needs of the members, family, and friends of our congregation, specifically The First Christian Church of Claremore/ Cory Wilcox/ Rick/ Doris, as she travels/ Vernon/ Dellaura/ Miranda & Brayden/ Nancy S/ Velma/ Jim/ Judy/ Ani/ Aaron Blum/ Robert/ Lloyd/ Patricia/ Marie/ Russell/ Virginia/ Barbara/ Grace/ Lauren/ Cindy/ Stephen/ John/ Tom Patterson/ Jan/ Tom/ Bob & family/ Jean/ Al/ Carol W/ Mark/ Brian/ Pat/ Mark H/ Mike/ Chris/ Brady/ Patrick/ Zachary

    If you have prayer requests to add to the Newsletter, email them to Clergy@stpaulsclaremore.org or reply to this email.

    Save the Dates 

    • Sunday, February 25 – Second Sunday in Lent
    • Wednesday, February 28 @ Noon – 3rd Community-wide Lenten service and luncheon
    • Sunday, March 3 – Third Sunday in Lent
    • Wednesday, March 6 @ Noon – 4th Lenten luncheon
    • Sunday, March 10 – The Rev. Canon Steve Carlson visits; Fourth Sunday in Lent
    • Wednesday, March 13 @ Noon – 5th Lenten luncheon
    • Sunday, March 17 – Bishop’s Committee Meeting; Fifth Sunday in Lent

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  • Sunday Service 2/4/24

    Trying something new, below find the complete Holy Eucharist service for Sunday 2/4/24. Please leave a comment with your thoughts on whether I should continue doing this. Thanks, Ron

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    This week Shelby continues our Way of Love Advent Series