14th Sunday of Pentecost, Aug 30, 2026 (10:30 am)
All Scripture quotes from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible. Unless otherwise noted, all music reproduced under copyright license through RiteSong. Streaming permission for music in this service from ONE LICENSE (license #M-739297). All rights reserved.
The Liturgy of the Word
(Our liturgy comes directly from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer.
This version is the approved Expansive Language Prayer B)
The responses of the people are in bolded italics.
Prelude
Opening Hymn *See Music*
Opening Acclamation
Officiant Blessed be God: most holy, glorious, and undivided Trinity.
People And blessed be God’s reign, now and for ever. Amen.
Song of Praise God Welcomes All
The Collect (remain standing in body or spirit)
Celebrant God be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Let us pray.
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.
First Lesson: Exodus 3:1-15 (please be seated)
Reader A reading from The Book of Exodus.
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.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c Please pray responsively by half verse (bolded text).
1 Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; *
make known his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, *
and speak of all his marvelous works.
3 Glory in his holy Name; *
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Search for the Lord and his strength; *
continually 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 Jacob his chosen.
23 Israel came into Egypt, *
and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham.
24 The Lord made his people exceedingly fruitful; *
he made them stronger than their enemies;
25 Whose heart he turned, so that they hated his people, *
and dealt unjustly with his servants.
26 He sent Moses his servant, *
and Aaron whom he had chosen.
45 Hallelujah!
The Epistle: Romans 12:1-8
Reader A reading from The Book of Romans.
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.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Sequence Hymn Come, All You People
The Gospel: Matthew 16:21-28
Deacon The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
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.”
Deacon The Gospel of the Savior.
All Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Sermon
Contemplative Silence
The Nicene Creed (Please rise in body or spirit)
Celebrant Let us affirm our faith in the words of 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,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
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,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who 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 (standing or kneeling in body or spirit) Form IV
Leader Let us pray for the Church and for the world. Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world.
(Silence)
Leader Lord, in your mercy
People Hear our prayer.
Leader Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another and serve the common good.
(Silence)
Leader Lord, in your mercy
People Hear our prayer.
Leader Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.
(Silence)
Leader Lord, in your mercy
People Hear our prayer.
Leader We give thanks for the many ministries of Holy Communion, this week we lift up . . . Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us.
(Silence)
Leader Lord, in your mercy
People Hear our prayer.
Leader Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation.
(Silence)
Leader Lord, in your mercy
People Hear our prayer.
Leader We commend to your mercy all who have died, that your will for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.
(Silence)
Leader Lord, in your mercy
People Hear our prayer.
The People may add their own petitions
Concluding Collect
Celebrant Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles, “Peace I give to you; my own peace I leave with you:” Regard not our sins, but the faith of your Church, and give to us the peace and unity of that heavenly City, where with the Creator and the Holy Spirit, you live and reign, now and for ever. Amen.
The Confession
Deacon Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence (kneeling in body or spirit)
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Celebrant Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Peace (Please rise in body or spirit)
Celebrant The peace of Christ be always with you.
People And also with you.
Announcements & Offering (Please be seated)
As part of our offering, a basket of food, which will be delivered to the U-City School's Community Cupboard, will also be brought to the altar.
Offering:
Blessing of Birthdays & Anniversaries
AllWatch over your children, O Lord, as their days increase; bless and guide themwherever they may be. Strengthen them when they stand; comfort them when discouraged or sorrowful; raise them up if they fall; and in their heart may your peace which passes all understanding abide all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Table
Offertory Hymn or Anthem *See Music*
Doxology (Please rise in body or spirit) The Hymnal 1982, #380, vs. 3
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise God, all creatures here below;
praise God above, ye heavenly host:
Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost.
Words: Thomas Ken (1637-1711)
Music: Old 100th, melody from Psaumes octante trois de David, 1551, alt.; harm. after Louis Bourgeois (1510?1561?)
Please rise or kneel, in body or spirit
The Great Thanksgiving
Celebrant God be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Lift up your hearts.
People We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Celebrant It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth.
For by water and the Holy Spirit you have made us a new people in Jesus Christ our Lord, to show forth your glory in all the world.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
Sanctus
Celebrant and People
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Celebrant 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 Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. For in these last days you sent Jesus to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In Christ, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In Christ, 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 Savior 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 Jesus 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 Creator,
Celebrant and People
We remember Christ’s death,
We proclaim Christ’s resurrection,
We await Christ’s coming in glory;
The Celebrant continues
And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Savior 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 in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, through whom we are acceptable to you, 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 Holy Communion and all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your children; through Jesus Christ our Savior, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.
By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God, now and for ever. AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer
Celebrant As our Savior Christ has taught us, we now pray, using the language or version of our hearts,
Padre nuestro que estás . . . Our Father who art . . .
AllOur Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.
Celebrant Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
Celebrant These are God's holy gifts, for you, God's holy people.
Deacon This is the table of company with Jesus. It is the table of sharing with the poor and lowly of the world, with whom Jesus identified.
Celebrant So come to this table you who have much faith or you who would like to have more; you who have been here often and you who have not been here in a long time. Come. It is Christ who invites you to meet him here.
People Amen. As the bread and wine are transformed, may we be changed into the likeness of Christ; bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh, loving and caring in the world.
Communion Protocol
Everyone is welcome at God’s table. The Greeters will direct you to the altar rail, where you are welcome to stand or kneel. The host (bread) will be dropped into your cupped hands. When you move to the wine, you may either drink from the cup, or have your host dipped. If you require gluten-free, let the server know. If you prefer a blessing, cross your arms over your chest, and if you are unable to come to the altar rail, let an usher know, and we will bring communion to you.
Communion Hymns *See Music*
The Sending of Lay Eucharistic Visitors (LEVs)
At various times, Lay Eucharistic Visitors take the consecrated bread and wine to those who cannot physically be present for worship. When we do so, the following prayer may be offered:
Deacon We send you forth, bearing these holy gifts, that those to whom you go may share with us in the Body and Blood of Christ our Savior.
People We who are many are one body, because we all share one bread, one cup.
Post Communion Prayer (standing or kneeling, in body or spirit)
Celebrant Let us pray.
All Eternal God, you have graciously accepted us as living members of 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 Savior. Amen.
The Blessing
Closing Hymn *See Music*
Dismissal
Deacon Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Alleluia, Alleluia!
All Thanks be to God. Alleluia, Alleluia!
Postlude
✠
*Music*
Prelude: Prelude in G Major Felix Mendelssohn
Processional Hymn: On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand L99
Sequence Hymn: Come, All You People SEE INSERT
Offertory Anthem: The Battle is Not Ours Phil Vischer & Kurt Heinecke
Communion Hymn: I’m-a Gonna Eat at the Welcome Table L148
Let Us Break Bread Together L152
Recessional Hymn: Sweet, Sweet Spirit L115
Postlude: Dialogue for the Trumpet Louis-Nicolas Clerambault
Announcements
Theology on Tap: Join us Thursday, Sept 10 at Schlafly Bottleworks in the Crown room, from 6-8pm.
Sign up for Choir! Weekly choir rehearsals will resume Sept 10 at 7 pm, with our first choral service returning Sept 13 at 10:30 am. If you've thought about becoming a member of the choir, this is your opportunity! Not sure about regular choir signing? Try our monthly Pick-Up Choir, which meets at 9:30 am on the first Sunday of the month (beginning in Oct) to learn the anthem and hymns for that morning's service. Join the fun! Email Mary at mchapman@holycommunion.net to learn more.
Godly Play & Children's Chapel: Children’s programs return Sunday, Sept 13!
The Color Purple Sign Ups: Holy Communion is planning to attend The Black Rep production of The Color Purple (in the Edison Theatre on WashU’s campus) on Friday, Sept 25 at 7pm. Tickets are $55 ($50 for ages 55+). Please email Darcy before Sept 9 at office@holycommunion.net to sign up.
Save the Date
Sages Luncheon: Thursday, Sept 17, 1pm at Three Kings Public House in Des Peres, MO.
Episcopal Church Women (ECW) Retreat & Annual Meeting: Sept 18 & 19, 2026
A Day of Reflection & Prayer: Oct 10 from 1-4pm in the Nave. Drop-in anytime – follow the footprints for silent reflection at your own pace. This includes an opportunity to walk the labyrinth.
Episcopal City Mission Fundraiser: Thursday, Oct 15 at 6:00 pm
Servers
Preacher: The Reverend Brenda Sol
Deacon: The Reverend Chester Hines
Organist: Earl Naylor
Guest Musicians: Scott & Debbie Lunte
Crucifer: Tim Anderson
Readers: Maryanne Angliongto (8), Sherifa Olivia Bethune (10:30)
Intercessor: Robert Lewis (10:30)
Announcements: Gloria Grenwald (10:30)
Greeters: Mark Willingham (8), Faye Westbrook (10:30)
Chalice Bearers: Karen Payne (8), Andrew Wasson (10:30)
Streamer: Lyle Barbato
Vestry
Joe Donahou, Rector’s Warden
Heidi Volkl, People’s Warden
Jim Wire, Treasurer
Pat Redington, Secretary
Tim Anderson, Bex Comas, Nancy Donohoo,
Gloria Grenwald, Karen Payne, Rudy Walz
Staff
The Rev. Brenda Sol, Rector
314-721-7401 x302; rector@holycommunion.net
The Rev. Chester Hines, Deacon
314-386-7762; chinesj@charter.net
Darcy Brainard, Parish Administrator
314-721-7401 x301; office@holycommunion.net
Mary Chapman, Director of Music
Earl Naylor, Organist
Erin Meadows, Financial Administrator
314-721-7401 x304; financeadmin@holycommunion.net
Music used and reprinted with permission under OneLicense #A-704988
and WorshipCast License #13476
