Sunday, October 2nd, 2016

Rite II, Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Themes from the Readings: Christ abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, faith like a mustard seed.

Prelude: For the beauty of the earth (Dix), arranged by: Wilbur Held

Processional Hymn: 438 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord! (Woodlands)

Gloria: S280, Powell

First Reading: Habakuk 1:1-13;2:1-4

Psalm: Psalm 37:3-10

Choir: Commit your way to the Lord, and put your trust in him.

3 Put your trust in the Lord and do good; *

dwell in the land and feed on its riches.

4 Take delight in the Lord, *

and he shall give you your heart's desire.

5 Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him, *

and he will bring it to pass.

6 He will make your righteousness as clear as the light *

and your just dealing as the noonday.

7 Be still before the Lord *

and wait patiently for him.

8 Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, *

the one who succeeds in evil schemes.

9 Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; *

do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.

10 For evildoers shall be cut off, *

but those who wait upon the Lord shall possess the land.

Commit your way to the Lord, and put your trust in him.

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 1: 1-14

Before the Gospel: 691 My Faith Looks Up to Thee (Olivet), Stanza 1

Gospel: Luke 17:5-10

After the Gospel: 691 My Faith Looks Up to Thee (Olivet), Stanzas 2-3

Offertory Anthem: My Faith is in Thee, by: Jaeschke (1718-1762)

Choir: Lord, my faith is in Thee.

Thou art all my strength and pow’r and might and my salvation.

Lead me on in wisdom and truth, in love and righteousness.

Doxology: Hymn 380, stanza 3

Holy: S125, Proulx

Communion Anthem: Jesus Makes My Heart Rejoice, by: Johann Friedrich Peter

Choir: Jesus makes my heart rejoice,

I’m His sheep, and know His voice;

He’s a Shepherd king and gracious

And his pastures are delicious;

Constant love to me He shows.

Yea, my very name He knows.

Trusting His mild staff always,

I go in and out in peace;

He will feed me with the treasure

Of His grace in richest measure;

When athirst to Him I cry,

Living water He’ll supply.

Should not I for gladness leap,

Led by Jesus as His sheep;

For when these blest days are over

To the arms of my dear Savior

I shall be conveyed to rest:

Amen, yea, my lot is blest.

Communion Meditation: Offertory, by: George Lachenauer, Sadie Burch, Organist, Student of Ashley Sosis

Communion Hymn: For the Beauty of the Earth (Dix) Insert in bulletin

Recessional Hymn: 565 He who would valiant be (Monk’s Gate)

Postlude: Toccatina, by: David Schack, Drew Cameron, Organist, Student of Ashley Sosis

Music Notes

By: Ashley Sosis

Why is our communion hymn, “For the Beauty of the Earth,” an insert? The text does appear in the 1982 hymnal as hymn 416. However, it is paired there with LUCERNA LAUDONIAE, a tune written by Welsh composer David Evans (1874-1948), which is lovely but widely unknown to most American churchgoers. I just can’t justify choosing it over pairing it with DIX. The DIX version seems to be written on our hearts! I usually try to get the DIX version into our hymn schedule once every autumn.

A few years ago, one of my favorite colleagues tweeted, “what 1982 hymnal text/tune pairing did you learn to love?” The overwhelming answer was Hymn “away in a manger” with the tune CRADLE SONG (Hymnal #101). I must admit that I have come to love this one too. We had the pleasure of singing it last year at the 10:30 Christmas Eve service as part of that year’s “Kings College Christmas”-theme. Do you want to sing that version again? Do you prefer the “American Version” (MUELLER)? Let me know!