Union soldiers accompanying freed slaves (source unknown)

We welcome you to worship this morning & hope you will join with us in the prayers & responses in bold. In this season after Pentecost, we will be using the

Book of Common Prayer (BCP) from various countries across the Anglican Communion.

Today’s Service Celebrates Juneteenth in Word & Song On June 19, 1865, two months after Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendered at the Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia, Gordon Granger, a Union general, arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform enslaved African Americans that the Civil War had ended and they were free. It had been two and a half years since the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln. Enforcement of the Proclamation generally relied on the advance of Union troops. Juneteenth commemorates the final end of slavery for four million African Americans in the United States. Just this week, on June 15, 2021, the Senate unanimously passed a bill making Juneteenth “a National holiday, a day for recognition, restoration and celebration.”

The Word of God

All stand as the Celebrant enters and saysBlessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.

All say Anglican Church of CongoAlmighty God, you bring to light things hidden in darkness, and know the shadows of our hearts:By your Spirit, cleanse us, revive us, renew us,

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St. John’s Episcopal ChurchThe Holy Eucharist: Rite

TwoFourth Sunday after Pentecost20 June 2021 10 a.m.

that we may walk in the light, and glorify your name,through Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Amen.The Collect of the DayThe Celebrant says to the people

The Lord be with you.People And also with you. Celebrant Let us pray.Holy and righteous God, you created us in your image. Grant us grace to stand fearlessly against evil and to make no peace with oppression. Help us, like those in generations before us who resisted the evil of slavery and oppression of any kind, to use our freedoms to bring justice to all people and nations throughout the Earth, to the glory of your Holy name. Amen.

The people sitA Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians

Deirdre ComeyNow 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, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.  As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (3:23-28)

Lector The Word of the Lord.People Thanks be to God.

We Rose (A poem written by Kristina Kay Robinson for Juneteenth) Deirdre Comey

From Africa’s heart, we roseAlready a people, our faces ebony, our bodies lean,We roseSkills of art, life, beauty and familyCrushed by forces we knew nothing of, we roseSurvive we must, we did,We roseWe rose to be you, we rose to be me,Above everything expected, we roseTo become the knowledge we never knew,We roseDream, we did Act we must.

All standThe Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

People’s response before the Gospel Glory to you, Lord Christ.

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Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”People’s response after the Gospel Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon The Rev. Candace Sandfort, Rector

All sayThe 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:by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. 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 and the Son.With the Father and the Son s/he is worshiped and glorified.

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S/He 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

The Prayers of the People Deirdre Comey

Leader O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son. Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred that infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unites us in bonds of love; and, through our struggle and confusion, work to accomplish your purposes on earth; so that, in your good time, every people and nation may serve you in harmony around your

heavenly throne.People Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Leader Out of the darkness we cry to you, O God. Enable us to find in Christ the faith to trust your care even in the midst of pain. Assure us that we do not walk alone through the valley of the shadow, but that your light is leading us into life.People Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Leader O God, where hearts are fearful and constricted, grant courage and hope. Where anxiety is infectious and widening, grant peace and reassurance. Where impossibilities close every door, grant imagination and resistance. Where distrust twists our thinking, grant healing

and illumination. Where spirits are daunted and weakened, grant us strength to do

what we can, knowing that all things are possible in you.People Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Leader O God, call us into a deeper relationship to be your church for the sake of the world. Help us to see with new eyes the injustices within church and society. Call us to have a loving heart that respects and uplifts the humanity and dignity of every person; open our ears to listen to and learn from the experiences of people of color. Open our mouths to speak up when we see injustices. Show this congregation ways to work for racial equity and inclusion for all people.People Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Leader We now offer prayers from our weekly Prayer & Share groupLeader Now let us pray silently or aloud for our own needs and those of others.

The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect

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O Lord God of hosts, who with a mighty arm delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt: Let not our hearts be hardened like Pharaoh’s, but incline our hearts to mercy; that we might fight against slavery of body and mind, and oppression of the soul. Help us to welcome the liberated into the fullness of the family of Christ, that their children and our children may share the bread of life, and that hand in hand we may enter together into your eternal Kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Confession & Absolution Celebrant

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.In this worship and when we leave this place, we pray for more than conviction. We pray, O Lord, for change. Change the easy peace we make with ourselves into discontent because of the oppression of others. Change our tendency to defend ourselves into the freedom that comes from being forgiven and empowered through your love. Change our need for disguises and excusesinto the ability to be honest with ourselves and open with one another. Change our inclination to judge others into a desire to serve and uplift others. And most of all, Lord, change our routine worship and work into genuine encounter with you and our better selves so that our lives will be changed for the good of all.

The Celebrant then gives absolutionTake heart: God’s Spirit empowers us to move from the ways of death to the ways of new life. Your sins are forgiven. Let us forgive one another and give ourselves to one another in joyful community of justice and peace.

Welcome & Announcements

The Holy CommunionOffertory Sentence“To do righteousness and seek justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” Proverbs 21:3

Eucharistic Prayer VII Church in Wales BCP

The people stand and the Celebrant says

The Lord be with you. People And also with you.Celebrant Lift up your hearts.

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People We lift them to the Lord.Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.People It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is always right, wherever we are, to thank you and to praise you,Almighty God and Father, through Jesus Christ, your Son.So here on Earth, and with the angels and archangelsand everyone in heaven, we praise your name and sing:

All saySanctus

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. The Celebrant continuesFather in heaven,listen to the prayer we make in Jesus’ name;through the Holy Spirit’s power, gentle as a dove, may this bread and this wine be for us the body and blood of Christ.Father, we rememberwhen Jesus had supper with his disciplesthe night before he died, he took the bread; he thanked you, broke it, gave it to them and said:Take, eat: this is my body, given for you.Do this to remember me.After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine;he thanked you, gave it to them and said:All of you drink from this cup, because this is my blood,the new promise of God’s love:Do this every time you drink it to remember me.Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Celebrant & PeopleChrist has died.Christ is risen.Christ will come again.

Father, as we remember your Son, Jesus Christ,who died on the cross and rose again,we offer you these and all the gifts you freely give to us.Send your Holy Spirit to be with us

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and all who share this bread and drink from this cup.Help us to trust you,bring us closer together and welcome us,with all people, into your glorious kingdom.All honor and glory belong to you, Father,through Jesus, your Son, with the Holy Spirit:one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

The Celebrant then saysAnd now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,     hallowed be thy Name,     thy kingdom come,     thy will be done,         on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread.And forgive us our trespasses,     as we forgive those         who trespass against us.And lead us not into temptation,     but deliver us from evil.For thine is the kingdom,     and the power, and the glory,     for ever and ever. Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread The Church of the Province of Central Africa BCP

The priest breaks the consecrated bread, saying,The bread which we break, is it not a sharing of the body of Christ?

People We who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.Celebrant The Gifts of God for the People of God.

All say

Postcommunion Prayer & Blessing Iona Abbey Worship BookStay with us Lord,for the day will soon be spent and night is coming;Kindle our hearts on the way,that we may recognize you in the Scriptures,in the breaking of the Bread,and in each other. Amen.

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All singClosing Hymn, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” 1. Lift ev’ry voice and sing,   Till earth and heaven ring,   Ring with the harmonies of liberty;   Let our rejoicing rise   High as the list’ning skies,   Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.   Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us;   Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;   Facing the rising sun Of our new day begun,   Let us march on till victory is won. 2. Stony the road we trod,   Bitter the chast’ning rod,   Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;   Yet with a steady beat,   Have not our weary feet   Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?   We have come over away that with tears has been watered;   We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered;   Out from the gloomy past,   Till now we stand at last   Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast. 3. God of our weary years,   God of our silent tears,   Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;   Thou who hast by thy might,   Led us into the light,   Keep us forever in the path, we pray.   Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee;   Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee,   Shadowed beneath Thy hand,   May we forever stand,   True to our God, true to our native land.

Dismissal Celebrant Go out into the world in peace; have courage; hold onto what is good;

return no one evil for evil; strengthen the faint hearted; support the weak,

and help the suffering; honor all people; love and serve the Lord, alleluia, alleluia!

People Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia!

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Today’s flowers are given to the glory of God by Coleen Stevens Porcherin celebration of her son Elliot’s 21st birthday, on June 19th

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Happy Father’s Day to all our fathers& grandfathers at St. John’s!

CHANGE OF PLANS! We’re Going to Stay with 10:00 a.m. for the SummerThe Wardens and I have decided not to change the service to 9:00 for the summer.

We feel—as do many parishioners who have given us feedback—that there has been too much

change this year. So, wanting to keep change to a minimum, we’ve decided to leave the service

at 10. Lemonade on the Lawn (or coffee from the kitchen) in our beautiful gardens

following the service won’t change either. See you Sunday at 10!

This Month’s Outreach: Real HouseReal House is a non-profit organization that maintains group shelters for men and for women separately. Two shelters are located here in Montclair, on North Mountain Ave, and Grove St., and both are for women only. Some residents are recovering from addiction, and some are victims of domestic abuse. St. John's, for the past four years, has supported the residents of the two local women’s shelters by providing them with all sorts of needed items. Pillows and bedding, towels, slippers, personal hygiene items, kitchen utensils, and Christmas gifts are among the things we contribute. The need for these things is ongoing, since residents eventually leave the shelters and move into their own homes, bringing what we have given with them. For the next two weeks we are appealing for new or lightly used:

Bedding Towels Pillows

The women at Real House are trying so hard to get their lives together! Whatever you can contribute is such a help and very much appreciated.Contributions can be left on the Rectory porch or on the Church porch. Call Dean Squires at 973–632-3251 with any questions!

If you are busy you can also make a monetary donation to support this ministry

and Dean will buy whatever is needed.Just go to our website’s VANCO secure online giving page to give to Real House or any of our outreach ministries.

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Our Own Rev. Joyce will be singing with her choral group! For more info call 551-226-9305

Stephen Ministry CornerHow Does Stephen Ministry Support St. John’s Mission?

Stephen Ministers are equipped to provide high quality, one-on-one, Christ-centered care to support emotionally and spiritually those who are hurting due to life crisis or life difficulties. Through the love and compassion of the Stephen Ministers, people who are hurting can be healed by God and made whole again. The care receivers and the Stephen Ministers alike are touched by God’s love through the caring process. Their faith in God increases and our faith community grows. This is how Stephen Ministry supports St. John’s mission.

Please contact Rev. Candace or Ellen Lentz (EllenLinLentz@gmail.com or 650-238-8760) to request care, or if you are interested to become a Stephen Minister.

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Join us in our weekly “Prayer & Share” every Thursday @ 7 p.m. on Zoom

All Are Welcome! Includes Compline at 8:00

Topic: The Poetry of RumiGuest host: Thursday, 6/24: Rev. Candace Sandfort

June 24th will be our last session before the summer break. We will reassess if group members would like to continue this group in mid-September. Please use the following link, (same link every week, no password needed) for this meeting:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/823943733Meeting ID: 823 943 733

The following flower donation dates are available in July to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or to remember a loved one: July 18th & July 25th

Use the QR code above under “Outreach” OR mail your $75 donation to St. John's OR leave it in the mail slot outside the Parish Hall OR pay via our website—just click the “Online Payment” tab on our

homepage Or donate flowers from your own garden for free!

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