St.

Stephen’s Episcopal
Church

1 9 0 Ra ughl e y Hi l l Rd.
Ha rri ngton, De l aw are
3 0 2 -39 8 -3 71 0
[Link]

O ur Mi s s i on i s to grow a c ongre ga ti on tha t

w el c ome s a l l , to c ome toge the r to c e l e bra te
our be l i e f i n J es us Chri s t through bi bl i c a l
te a c hi ngs a nd pra ye r w hi l e s tri vi n g to a c hi e ve
a s pi r i tual c onnec ti on a nd fe l l ow shi p w i thi n i ts
m e m be r s hi p a nd c ommuni t y w e s er ve .

Holy Eucharist
Sept 21, 2025
15th Sunday after Pentecost
 Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
Processional Hymn- S tan d ( V e rs es 1, 4, 5, & 7) H 400

Alleluia. Christ is risen.

People The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known,
and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our
hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may
perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Glory to God in the highest,

and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,

almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,

Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Let us Pray.

The Collect:

Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things,

but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are
placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to
those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lessons:

A Reading from Jeremiah 8: 18-[Link] Cathy George

My joy is gone, grief is upon me,
my heart is sick.
Hark, the cry of my poor people
from far and wide in the land:
"Is the LORD not in Zion?
Is her King not in her?"
("Why have they provoked me to anger with their images,
with their foreign idols?")
"The harvest is past, the summer is ended,
and we are not saved."
For the hurt of my poor people I am hurt,
I mourn, and dismay has taken hold of me.
Is there no balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there?
Why then has the health of my poor people
not been restored?
O that my head were a spring of water,
and my eyes a fountain of tears,
so that I might weep day and night
for the slain of my poor people! The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God

Psalm 79: 1-9: Janet Voss

1 O God, the heathen have come into your inheritance;

they have profaned your holy temple; *
they have made Jerusalem a heap of rubble.
2 They have given the bodies of your servants as food for
the birds of the air, *
and the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of
the field.
3 They have shed their blood like water on every side of
Jerusalem, *
and there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors, *
an object of scorn and derision to those around us.
5 How long will you be angry, O LORD? *
will your fury blaze like fire for ever?
6 Pour out your wrath upon the heathen who have not
known you *
and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon
your Name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob *
and made his dwelling a ruin.
8 Remember not our past sins;
let your compassion be swift to meet us; *
for we have been brought very low.
9 Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your Name; *
deliver us and forgive us our sins, for your Name's
sake.
The Epistle- 1 Timothy 2: 1-7: Cathy George
First of all, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all
who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is
acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires
everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the
truth. For

there is one God;

there is also one mediator between God and
humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human,
who gave himself a ransom for all
-- this was attested at the right time. For this I was appointed a
herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. The Word of the
Lord. Thanks be to God

Gospel Hymn Stand H 707

The Gospel- Luke 16:1-13: Rev. Bruce Lomas

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

People: Glory to you Lord Christ
Jesus said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a
manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was
squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to
him, `What is this that I hear about you? Give me an
accounting of your management, because you cannot be my
manager any longer.' Then the manager said to himself, `What
will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from
me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.
I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as
manager, people may welcome me into their homes.' So,
summoning his master's debtors one by one, he asked the
first, `How much do you owe my master?' He answered, `A
hundred jugs of olive oil.' He said to him, `Take your bill, sit
down quickly, and make it fifty.' Then he asked another, `And
how much do you owe?' He replied, `A hundred containers of
wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill and make it eighty.'
And his master commended the dishonest manager because he
had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more
shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the
children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves
by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they
may welcome you into the eternal homes. "Whoever is
faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is
dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you
have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will
entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been
faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what
is your own? No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will
either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one
and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." The
Gospel of the Lord! Praise to you Lord Christ

Sermon Rev. Bruce Lomas

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:
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 he is worshiped and glorified.
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.

Prayers of the People- Form II: Janet Voss

In the course of the silence after each bidding, the People offer
their own prayers, either silently or aloud.

I ask your prayers for God's people throughout the world;

for our Bishop(s) The Rt. Rev. Sean W. Rowe Presiding Bishop,
and The RT. Rev. Kevin S. Brown our Diocesan Bishop, Bruce
Lomas, our Priest, Vestry Group: Susan, Selena, George, Sonny,
Margaret Kinney and Cathy and The Diocesan Cycle of Prayer—
Licensed Lay Ministries, for this gathering; and for all ministers
and people.
Pray for the Church.
Silence

I ask your prayers for peace; for goodwill among nations;

and for the well-being of all people. We prayer for those in the
Military: C hri s t opher Dawson, J ust i n Garey, R ussel l
Knaub, J ai m e Gri m es , Bruc e C arrol l , A m ber Mabre y,
J ared Farm e r, Da rre n Hearn, J ohn Hea rn & Ga rret t
Burri s

Pray for justice and peace.

Silence

I ask your prayers for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed,
and those in prison. We pray for the following:

For th e S i ck , an d / or i ssu es:

J ohn M acce y R egi na Mi l l er Karen Hi l l
Lex i M i l es S hi rl e y Bowden P aul a S wi ft
Em m a Fi s her Bri st ol Herd Ti m W al t ers
J ean M os s Karen W ri ght S arah Kenn y
Donal d Fr az i er Barb ara Faj no r J i m Fri el
P at Bake r Berni e Dupr as Hunt Hacket t
Andrea T a yl or C al vi n Hi l l J ason Dean
El i z abet h R os s Joan Qui l l en Do l ores Mi chel s
M oni ca S wane y Debbi e McKi nn e y J oe M yer
Bob M et hen e y Gar y Onk en S usan El i as on

F or Good H eal t h i n Ol der Y ears:

M ar yAnn P rui ksm a J i m P rui ksm a

Pray for those in any need or trouble.

Silence
I ask your prayers for all who seek God, or a deeper
knowledge of him.
Pray that they may find and be found by him.

Silence

I ask your prayers for the departed. Pray for those who have died.
Silence

Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been
honored [especially whom we remember today].
Pray that we may have grace to glorify Christ in our own day.

Silence

The Celebrant concludes with an absolution or a suitable Collect

Confession of Sin

The Deacon or Celebrant says

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept.

Minister and People

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.

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.

The Peace

All stand. The Celebrant says to the people

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People- And also with you.

Offertory Stand H 325

The Great Thanksgiving

Eucharistic Prayer A

The people remain standing. The Celebrant, whether bishop or

priest, faces them and sings or says

Celebrant The Lord be with you.

People And also with you.
Celebrant Life 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 him thanks and praise.
Then, facing the Holy Table, the Celebrant proceeds
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and every-
where to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of
heaven and earth.
Here a Proper Preface is sung or said on all Sundays, and on
other
occasions as appointed.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and

Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever
sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

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 he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

The people stand or kneel.

Then the Celebrant continues

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us

for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become
subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus
Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human
nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the
God and Father of all. He stretched out his arms upon the cross,
and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice
for the whole world.

At the following words concerning the bread, the Celebrant is to

hold it, or to lay a hand upon it; and at the words concerning the
cup, to hold or place a hand upon the cup and any other vessel
containing wine to be consecrated.

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our

Lord 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 he 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 we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Celebrant and People

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.

The Celebrant continues

We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in

this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death,
resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.

Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the

Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new
and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully
receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy,
and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints
into the joy of your eternal kingdom.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and
with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor
and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever. AMEN.
And now, as our Savior
Christ has taught us,
we are bold to say,

People and Celebrant

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 Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread.

A period of silence is kept.

Then may be sung or said

[Alleluia.] Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

Therefore let us keep the feast. [Alleluia.]

In Lent, Alleluia is omitted, and may be omitted at other times

except during Easter Season. In place of, or in addition to, the
preceding, some other suitable anthem may be used. Facing the
people, the Celebrant says the following Invitation

The Gifts of God for the People of God.

And may add- Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you,
and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

The ministers receive the Sacrament in both kinds, and then

immediately deliver it to the people.

The Bread and the Cup are given to the communicants with these
words

The Body (Blood) of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you in

everlasting life. [Amen.]

or with these words

The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven. [Amen.]

After Communion, the Celebrant says

Let us pray.

Celebrant and People

Eternal God, heavenly Father,

you have graciously accepted us as living members
of your Son 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 Lord. Amen.

Announcements

The Blessing
Recessional Stand H 482

Dismissal

Alleluia, Alleluia, Let us go forth into the world rejoicing in the

power of the Spirit! Thanks be to God, Alleluia, Alleluia

Announcements:

Church Convention– The church convention will take place on

Friday Nov. 21 (Evening) and Saturday Nov. 22 (during the
day) at University of Delaware. We are looking for 2 Delegates
and 2 Alternates to attend this year. Please let Heather Crouse
know ASAP if you would like to attend.