St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

405 B Street

St. Albans, West Virginia 25177

Morning Prayer

June 07

Digital Bulletin

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Daily Morning Prayer

Greetings – Welcome to Morning Prayer, Rite II Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 Confession of Sin Officiant: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor. All: 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 your Son 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.

Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our

Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy

Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

The Invitatory and Psalter

Officiant: Lord, open our lips.

People: And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

All: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as

it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Officiant: Alleluia. Christ the Lord has ascended into heaven: Come let us adore

him. Alleluia.

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Christ our Passover Pascha nostrum 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Romans 6:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 All: Alleluia. Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; * therefore let us keep the feast, Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, * but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia. Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; * death no longer has dominion over him. The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; * but the life he lives, he lives to God. So also consider yourselves dead to sin, * and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia. Christ has been raised from the dead, * the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by a man came death, * by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, * so in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.

Genesis 1:1-2:4a In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

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And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our like-ness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

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So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God. Psalm 8 Domine, Dominus noster

1 O LORD our Governor, * how exalted is your Name in all the world!

2 Out of the mouths of infants and children * your majesty is praised above the heavens.

3 You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, * to quell the enemy and the avenger.

4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, * the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,

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5 What is man that you should be mindful of him? * the son of man that you should seek him out?

6 You have made him but little lower than the angels; * you adorn him with glory and honor;

7 You give him mastery over the works of your hands; * you put all things under his feet:

8 All sheep and oxen, * even the wild beasts of the field,

9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, * and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.

10 O LORD our Governor, * how exalted is your Name in all the world!

2 Corinthians 13:11-13 Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.

The Holy Gospel Officiant: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

The Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20 The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.

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And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Officiant: The Gospel of the Lord. People: Praise to you, Lord Christ. 13 A Song of Praise Benedictus es, Domine Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34 All: Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; * you are worthy of praise; glory to you. Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; * on the throne of your majesty, glory to you. Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. Glory to you, beholding the depths; * in the high vault of heaven, glory to you. Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Sermon: Gina Griffith

First chapter of Genesis. Boy! Do people like to argue over the first

chapter of Genesis!

Ever since the publication of Lyell's book "Principles of Geology" in 1830,

followed hard on by Darwin's Origin of Species in 1859, this chapter has

become one of the most argument-able sections of the Bible. This chapter

wasn't always a source of controversy.

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Most of the time -including for a lot of people even today - this chapter has

been enjoyed for its poetic beauty in its description of our wonderful world

and the glory of God's creation.

Times change. Cultures change as they progress through time. Starting in

the late 1600s, the beginning of the era we now call The Enlighten-

ment, non-scripture based learning broke into separate studies in colleges

and universities. Natural sciences, which we now call geology, geography,

physics, biology, medicine, -- had broken away from theology and great

strides were being made in these disciplines.

But still, Lyell and Darwin's books were a bit of a shocker. For Lyell and

Darwin presented evidence that, No, the universe and our world were not

made in just a week. And creation didn't "just happen." It was actually a

process guided by laws of nature and evolution.

It was a hard proposition for people to understand or agree with. So much

so that then, and still for many of us today, accepting Lyell and Darwin's

deductions as "real" is considered UnChristian or downright heretical.

For many of us the argument has become:

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"It's true. Whatever the Bible says is true. Words straight from God. If

you are deceived by those unbelieving scientists, then that shows you are

not a Christian and your teachings are harmful."

vs.

"Genesis was written around 600 BCE during the Babylonian Captivity. It

was based on folklore tales told by varying Hebrew tribes and it has nothing

to do with science! Fossils and geology tell us our planet is 2billion years

old, and humans evolved from great apes around 2 million years ago.

And despite the elevation of reason into the Anglican tradition by Richard

Hooker in 1590, Anglicans too have had to adjust. Christians are still split

into the "fundamentalist" vs " evolution" camps.

But today I'm not going to stress this argument of science vs scripture in

today's readings from Genesis. There is more in these verses then the big

"evolution controversy. In fact, by narrowly focusing on the Darwinian

controversy, I fear that many readers are missing the crucial message in this

chapter.

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I want to point out that, as in many Bible chapters, this one has some--- in

modern standards-- eye rolling repetition. A brief summary follows:

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth,...And there

was evening and there was morning, the first day.

God made ... .And there was evening and there was morning, the second

day.

... , the third day. ... fourth day.... and so on.

Now. What the author of these passages is clearly trying to convey to us is

that creation is a process. God didn't just snap his fingers and "BANG"

here we all are. Creation was, and still is, a process. Day 1, then day 2, day

3... etc.

And actually, this sets the pattern for the whole Bible. It's a process. From

creation, to sin, to recognition of sin, to the formation of God's people,

then the history of God's people learning what God asked of them, then

delineating their errors and their learning process.

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And then the arrival of the Messiah, his life and teachings, his death and

resurrection, the slow learning process of his chosen apostles, the founding

of the church, the growth of the church across time and

space. Error. Reformation. And including today -- we see the continuing

growth of the church as well all learn how to understand and incorporate

new thoughts and events -- such as the need for virtual services during a

pandemic -- into our lives.

It's a process. And no matter how troubling or confusing the process may

be -- just remember. It's a process. And ultimately, it is good.

And this process of growth is what we all go through as followers of Christ.

We're born. Things happen. We grow up. Things happen. We learn.

Things happen. We grow. This is the reason why we Episcopalians confess

our sins at each and every church service. It's a process. I am not ashamed

to say I am 65 this year. I am proud of my age. I look back on things I said,

did, and thought from years past -- 50, 30,20, 10 -- even just last year! and I

shake my head. I have grown. The process of life and events has deepened

my awareness, my understanding and my love. I remember times I wrong.

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I am so sorry. How can I make it up for those mistakes? I apologize. I try

to make amends for my mistakes. But I can't erase all the consequences of

my misdeeds and words. How can I fix all that?

How?

Well -- I don't have to! Jesus, the incarnate God, was born as a man in

Galilee some 2000 years ago. He lived as one of us. He taught us , and in

his life he showed us, how we should live. He entered the mortal process so

we could further understand the meaning of our lives in God's process of

creation. God created all things. All people. You. Me. And God is

ingrained in all things. In all people. You. Me. Through love,

specifically though the love from our King and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I'm growing. Each day. I trust Jesus, my King, as the one who truly knows

and directs the process I am living through. I hope to be a better person

tomorrow, next week, through whatever events I go through, through

whatever roads I take. It is a process.

And it is good. My king is in charge of the process of my life. When all

said and done, it is, and will be -- good. Amen!

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The Apostles' Creed

All: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth; I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Prayers of the People - Form I Officiant: With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.” Officiant: In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the Anglican Church of Mexico. In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we pray for Mt. Zion; Hedgesville, St. Mark’s; Berkely Springs, and for our companion diocese in Colombia. For the peace of the world, for the welfare of the holy Church of God, and for the unity of all peoples, let us pray to the Lord. People: Lord, have mercy. Officiant: We pray for Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Curry, the Presiding Bishop, Bishop Klusmeyer, Charles, our priest, Gina, our postulant, and for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord. People: Lord, have mercy.

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Officiant: For our President, Supreme Court, Congress, and for our armed forces around the world; for soldiers and citizens in war-torn countries; for the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority, let us pray to the Lord. People: Lord, have mercy. Officiant: We give thanks for the birthdays of Jeanette Mitchell and Kristen Elkins. For this city, for every city and community, and for those who live in them, let us pray to the Lord. People: Lord, have mercy. Officiant: For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy. Officiant: We pray for those on our parish prayer list: Betty, Pat, Anna, Chris, Robert, Joyce, Bracken, Beverly, Margaret, Lynn, Verna, Pam, Anne, Calwell, Matthew and family, Ann, Richard and family, Casey, Chris, Adrian, Carol, Jean, and for those you name silently or aloud. (pause) For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and suffering, let us pray to the Lord. People: Lord, have mercy. Officiant: For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute, for prisoners and captives, and for all who remember and care for them, let us pray to the Lord. People: Lord, have mercy. Officiant: For all who have died from Coronavirus, and in the hope of the resurrection and for all the departed, especially for those you name silently or aloud, (pause), let us pray to the Lord. People: Lord, have mercy. Officiant: We pray for protection from Coronavirus, and for the reopening of our nation. For deliverance from all danger, violence, oppression, and degradation, let us pray to the Lord. People: Lord, have mercy. Officiant: That we may end our lives in faith and hope, without suffering and without reproach, let us pray to the Lord. People: Lord, have mercy.

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Officiant: In the communion of St. Mark, St. Cecilia, and of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to Christ our God. People: To thee, O Lord our God.

Officiant: Lord, hear the prayers of your people; and what we have asked faithfully, grant that we may obtain effectually, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Officiant: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor. Silence All: 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 your Son 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. Officiant: 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. A Collect for the Renewal of Life O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness during the day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Collect for Peace O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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All: Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The General Thanksgiving All: Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give your humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. Chrysostom Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. Priest: Let us bless the Lord. People: Thanks be to God. Priest: May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13

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Announcements

Daily Offices

As long as we are not physically present at church Daily Offices on Facebook Live

Video will include:

Tuesday Evening Prayer at 7 PM led by Gina Griffith;

Wednesday Evening Prayer at 7 PM, led by Ray Shackleford;

Friday Compline at 7 PM, led by Ray Shackleford.

Note: There will be no Wednesday Morning Prayer this week Reopening Fr. Pope, in consultation with The Vestry and the Bishop, will resume in person services on July 5. We will be following the Bishop's directives to reopen to the letter. Digital Bulletins All our services on Facebook Video are much enhanced if you have a hard copy of the service to follow. Contact Rachel at stmarks1825@gmail.com with your name and email address. You will then receive a digital bulletin for all the ser-vices which can be printed off. Popes Away Charles and Mary will be away on vacation June 05-15. Services on June 07 and 14 will be morning prayer. Computers Some of us are not as enthusiastic about utilizing computer technology for wor-ship. Please consider getting on board with this. It’s easy to learn. A whole new world of worshipping this way beckons to us.

Reopening Plan See the Reopening Plan in today's bulletin (next page). It has been approved by the Vestry and The Bishop.

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Reopening Plan July 5, 2020

1. No live in- person gatherings other than scheduled Sunday Eucharists. 2. Church staff continues to work from home. 3. Virtual liturgies continue. 4. Vestry Zoom meetings continue. 5. Pastoral care by phone or computer. 6. Sunday In-person Eucharist – 10 AM

- Worship space surfaces are disinfected. - All hymnbooks, prayer books, and alms basins removed. - Holy water removed. - Registration: All who wish to attend must register ahead of time by July 03 at 12 Noon. - Seating is marked on the pews with painters’ tape. Space between individual seating is 10 (ten) feet. - Offering plates will not be passed. There will be one plate located in the rear of the church for all. - Communion will be “spiritual”, with no wafers or wine present. - No one in the altar area except the priest. - All who attend must wear a mask at all times. Masks will be provided for those who need one. - Worshippers enter one domicile at a time and leave one domicile at a time, maintaining a 6-foot distance. - Refusal to wear a mask by one or more persons results in cancellation of services for all.

7. Eucharists are scheduled one Sunday at a time with no plan for regular weekly services.

8. Communication of infections to the priest in the congregation is strongly encouraged.