Opening Sentence: Pentecost

Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling. Psalm 43:3

Confession

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

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 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.

Invitatory

Lord, open our lips.

And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Alleluia. The Spirit of the Lord renews the face of the earth: Come let us adore him. Alleluia.

Venite Psalm 95:1-7

Come let us sing to the Lord; *
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *
and the heights of the hills are his also.

The sea is his, for he made it, *
and his hands have molded the dry land.

Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *
Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!

Antiphon

Alleluia. The Spirit of the Lord renews the face of the earth: Come let us adore him. Alleluia.

Psalm 131 Domine, non est

1

O LORD, I am not proud; *
I have no haughty looks.

2

I do not occupy myself with great matters, *
or with things that are too hard for me.

3

But I still my soul and make it quiet,
like a child upon its mother's breast; *
my soul is quieted within me.

4

O Israel, wait upon the LORD, *
from this time forth for evermore.

Psalm 132 Memento, Domine

1

LORD, remember David, *
and all the hardships he endured;

2

How he swore an oath to the LORD *
and vowed a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:

3

"I will not come under the roof of my house, *
nor climb up into my bed;

4

I will not allow my eyes to sleep, *
nor let my eyelids slumber;

5

Until I find a place for the LORD, *
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."

6

"The ark! We heard it was in Ephratah; *
we found it in the fields of Jearim.

7

Let us go to God's dwelling place; *
let us fall upon our knees before his footstool."

8

Arise, O LORD, into your resting-place, *
you and the ark of your strength.

9

Let your priests be clothed with righteousness; *
let your faithful people sing with joy.

10

For your servant David's sake, *
do not turn away the face of your Anointed.

11

The LORD has sworn an oath to David; *
in truth, he will not break it:

12

"A son, the fruit of your body *
will I set upon your throne.

13

If your children keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them, *
their children will sit upon your throne for evermore."

14

For the LORD has chosen Zion; *
he has desired her for his habitation:

15

"This shall be my resting-place for ever; *
here will I dwell, for I delight in her.

16

I will surely bless her provisions, *
and satisfy her poor with bread.

17

I will clothe her priests with salvation, *
and her faithful people will rejoice and sing.

18

There will I make the horn of David flourish; *
I have prepared a lamp for my Anointed.

19

As for his enemies, I will clothe them with shame; *
but as for him, his crown will shine."

Gloria Patri

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Old Testament Lesson

Zech. 13: 1- 9 (NRSV)

On that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.

2 On that day, says the LORD of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more; and also I will remove from the land the prophets and the unclean spirit. 3 And if any prophets appear again, their fathers and mothers who bore them will say to them, "You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the LORD"; and their fathers and their mothers who bore them shall pierce them through when they prophesy. 4 On that day the prophets will be ashamed, every one, of their visions when they prophesy; they will not put on a hairy mantle in order to deceive, 5 but each of them will say, "I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the soil; for the land has been my possession since my youth." 6 And if anyone asks them, "What are these wounds on your chest?" the answer will be "The wounds I received in the house of my friends."

7 "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my associate," says the LORD of hosts. Strike the shepherd, that the sheep may be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones. 8 In the whole land, says the LORD, two-thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one-third shall be left alive. 9 And I will put this third into the fire, refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, "They are my people"; and they will say, "The LORD is our God."

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Canticle 8 The Song of Moses
Cantemus Domino Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18

I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted; *
the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea.

The Lord is my strength and my refuge; *
the Lord has become my Savior.

This is my God and I will praise him, *
the God of my people and I will exalt him.

The Lord is a mighty warrior; *
Yahweh is his Name.

The chariots of Pharoah and his army has he hurled into the sea
the finest of those who bear armor have been drowned in the Red Sea.

The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them; *
they sank into the depths like a stone.

Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might; *
your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy.

Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods? *
who is like you, glorious in holiness,
awesome in renown, and worker of wonders?

You stretched forth your right hand; *
the earth swallowed them up.

With your constant love you led the people you redeemed; *
with your might you brought them in safety to your holy dwelling.

You will bring them in and plant them *
on the mount of your possession,

The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord, *
the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established.

The Lord shall reign *
for ever and for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

New Testament Lesson

Eph. 1: 15- 23 (NRSV)

15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. 20 God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22 And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel

Luke 19:11- 27 (NRSV)

11 As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 So he said, "A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. 13 He summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, 'Do business with these until I come back.' 14 But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to rule over us.' 15 When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading. 16 The first came forward and said, 'Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.' 17 He said to him, 'Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.' 18 Then the second came, saying, 'Lord, your pound has made five pounds.' 19 He said to him, 'And you, rule over five cities.' 20 Then the other came, saying, 'Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.' 22 He said to him, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could have collected it with interest.' 24 He said to the bystanders, 'Take the pound from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds.' 25 (And they said to him, 'Lord, he has ten pounds!') 26 'I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them-bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.' "

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Canticle 20 Glory to God
Gloria in excelsis

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.

Departure of St. John Chrysostom

He went to the City of Athens where he learned Greek wisdom in one of its schools. He surpassed many in knowledge and virtue. He forsook the world and became a monk at a young age in one of the monasteries. He had a friend whose name was Basilius, who was ordained a monk before him in that monastery. They had the same interests and they practised many virtues.

When his father died, John did not keep any of his father's belongings, but gave everything to the poor and the needy and lived a life of toil as an ascetic.

In the monastery there was a Syrian hermit whose name was Ansosynos. One night he saw the Apostles Peter and John going to John and the Apostle John gave him a Bible and told him: "Do not be afraid, whosoever you shall bind, shall be bound, and whosoever you shall loosen, shall be loosened". The old hermit therefore realised that John would be a faithful shepherd. The grace of the Lord filled him and he wrote homilies and sermons and he interpreted many books while he was still a deacon. It was Melatius, Patriarch of Antioch who ordained him a deacon and his successor St. Phlapianus, by the guidance of the angel of the Lord, ordained him a priest.

When Nectarius, Patriarch of Constantinople departed Emperor Arcadius summoned St. John and made him Patriarch. He conducted himself in an Apostolic manner. He continually taught, preached and interpreted the books of the Church, both old and new. He boldly admonished the sinners and the wealthy.

Queen Eudoxia, the wife of Emperor Arcadius, had a lust for money. She took by force a garden which belonged to a poor widow. The latter complained to the Saint, who went to the Queen, counselled her and asked her to return the garden to its owner.

When Eudoxia did not listen to him, he prevented her from entering the church and partaking of the Holy Communion. She became angry and gathered a Council of bishops who St. John had previously excommunicated for their evil deeds and mismanagement. They sentenced the Saint to exile. He was exiled in the Island of Thrace, but this exile did not last more than one night. The people were enraged and they gathered around the royal palace demanding the return of the Patriarch.

While the people were in a state of sorrow because of their shepherd, a severe earthquake took place which was about to destroy the whole city. The people were terrified and thought that this was a sign of the Lord's wrath because of the Saint's exile. Eudoxia, was disturbed, her soul was troubled and she went in haste to her husband and asked him to bring back the Saint from exile. The people were exceedingly joyous for his return.

The mood of joy did not last long. There was a large square beside the church of Agia Sophia, where a large silver statue of Queen Eudoxia was erected. On the day of its dedication, some common people danced madly, played profligate games, until they were immersed in immorality and sin. Because of St. John's zeal to curb the spread of immorality, he repudiated the people with great courage in his sermons.

His enemies took advantage of his zeal and accused him before the Queen of having said: "Herodia had risen up and danced and asked the head of John the Baptist on a plate". This cruel accusation gave the Queen a good reason to sentence him to exile. She instructed the soldiers who were in charge of guarding him not to give him any rest during his travel. Thus, they moved him from place to place hastily, until they came to a city called Komana, where his health deteriorated and he departed in peace in the year 407 A.D.

During the reign of Theodosius II, the son of Emperor Arcadius who exiled him, his body was taken to Constantinople, where it was placed in the Church of the Apostles.

Apostles' Creed

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.

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.

Suffrages A

Show us your mercy, O Lord;

And grant us your salvation.

Clothe your ministers with righteousness;

Let your people sing with joy.

Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;

For only in you can we live in safety.

Lord, keep this nation under your care;

And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

Let your way be known upon earth;

Your saving health among all nations.

Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;

Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

Create in us clean hearts, O God;

And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

Collect of the Day: Pentecost, proper 29

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for the Renewal of Life

O God, the King eternal, who 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 while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

World Cycle of Prayer

We pray for the people of Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan News.net

Ecumenical Cycle of Prayer

We pray for our sisters and brothers, members of the Disciples of Christ.

The Disciples of Christ

For Peace Among Nations

For Those in the Armed Forces of Our Country

For the Conservation of Natural Resources

A Prayer of Self-Dedication

General Thanksgiving

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.

Benediction

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Thanks be to God. Alleluia. Alleluia.