St.

Francis Church Biblically minded::Mission driven

The Right Reverend John C. Bauerschmidt--Bishop of Tennessee

The Reverend Joseph B. Howard--Vicar

Order of Worship

St. Francis Church is a community dedicated to the

transformation of lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ for
the Kingdom of God.

The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Proper 19
Year B

A congregation of the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee and the world-wide Anglican Communion
A note for visitors: We’re thankful that you could join us for worship today, and we
pray God blesses you in your time here. The service is printed in your bulletin. If you
have any questions don’t hesitate to ask someone around you!

St. Francis Church we want to encourage families to worship together. In order to

be a community where all ages feel welcome, we provide coloring materials for children
to use during worship and seek to understand the specific gifts and challenges that
children bring. We encourage you, should you feel comfortable doing so, to sit toward
the front with your children, as little-ones are often more attentive if they can see what is
happening.

We understand that there may be times when it is best to take advantage of child care,
and nursury is provided.

Prayer in Preparation for worship:

O Almighty God, who pours out on all who desire it the spirit of grace and
of supplication: Deliver us, when we draw near to you, from coldness of
heart and wanderings of mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled
affections we may worship you in spirit and in truth; though Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.

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 The Word of God
Processional: Jesus Calls us O’er the Tumult H550

Opening Acclamation:
All Standing

Celebrant: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

People: And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen.
Collect for Purity:

A lmighty 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.
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The following is sung, all standing

Canticle 20, Glory to God: Gloria in excelsis S 280

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Collect of the Day:
Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Let us pray.
O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy
Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9a
All sit.

A Reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how
to sustain with a word him that is weary. Morning by morning he wakens, he wakens
my ear to hear as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was
not rebellious, I turned not backward. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to
those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord
God helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a
flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will
contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to
me. Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty?

Reader: The Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.
The Psalm of the day: Psalm 116:1-8

1 I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of
  my supplication, *
  because he has inclined his ear to me whenever
  I called upon him.
 
2 The cords of death entangled me;
  the grip of the grave took hold of me; *
  I came to grief and sorrow.
 
3 Then I called upon the Name of the Lord: *
  “O Lord, I pray you, save my life.”
 
4 Gracious is the Lord and righteous; *
  our God is full of compassion.
 
5 The Lord watches over the innocent; *
  I was brought very low, and he helped me.
 
6 Turn again to your rest, O my soul, *
  for the Lord has treated you well.
 
7 For you have rescued my life from death, *
  my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.
 
8 I will walk in the presence of the Lord*
  in the land of the living.
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Second Reading: James 3:1-12
A Reading from the letter of James.

Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we who teach shall
be judged with greater strictness. For we all make many mistakes, and if any one makes no
mistakes in what he says he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. If we put
bits into the mouths of horses that they may obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Look at
the ships also; though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by
a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So the tongue is a little member
and boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue
is a fire. The tongue is an unrighteous world among our members, staining the whole
body, setting on fire the cycle of nature, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and
bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by humankind, but no
human being can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless
the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. From
the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so. Does
a spring pour forth from the same opening fresh water and brackish? Can a fig tree, my
brethren, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

Reader: The Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.
All stand.
The Children come forward for a prayer and depart for Children’s Church

Sequence: Thy Word

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Holy Gospel: Mark 8:27-38
Gospeller: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

J esus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he
asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist;
and others say, Elijah; and others one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do
you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he charged them to
tell no one about him. And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many
things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed,
and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him, and began
to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, “Get
behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men.” And he called to him
the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, “If any man would come after me, let
him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will
lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it
profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return
for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful
generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his
Father with the holy angels.”
Gospeller: The Gospel of the Lord
People: Praise to you, Lord Christ
Sermon: The Rev. Joseph B. Howard

Nicene Creed
All stand.

W e 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.
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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.

The Prayers of the People

Leader: Let us pray

In the Diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for Church of the Holy Cross,
Murfreesboro.

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer we pray for the Diocese of the Southern
Highlands in the province of Tanzania, The Rt. Rev’d John Mwela, bishop.

Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church;

People: That we all may be one.

Leader: Grant that every member of the Church may truly and humbly serve you;
People: That your Name may be glorified by all people.

Leader: We pray for all whose hearts are being prepared by your Spirit to join in
your work through this community;
People: That we may be utterly dedicated to you.

Leader: We pray for all bishops, priests, and deacons;

People: That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacra-
ments.

Leader: We pray for all who govern and hold authority in the nations of the
world;
People: That there may be justice and peace on the earth.

Leader: Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake;

People: That our works may find favor in your sight.

Leader: Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble;
People: That they may be delivered from their distress.

Leader: Give to the departed eternal rest;

People: Let light perpetual shine upon them.

Leader: We praise you for your saints who have entered into joy;
People: May we also come to share in your heavenly kingdom.

Let us pray for our own needs and those of others.

Silence

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Celebrant adds a concluding collect.

The Confession
Celebrant: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence.

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.

Celebrant: 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.
All stand

Celebrant: The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People: And also with you.
Then the Ministers and the People may greet one another in the name of the Lord.
Announcements

# The Holy Communion #

Offertory music chosen by musician
Representatives of the congregation bring the people’s offering of bread and wine, and money or other gifts, to the
celebrant. The people stand while the offerings are presented and placed on the Altar.

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Lift 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.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. For you are the source of light and life;
you made us in your image, and called us to new life in Jesus Christ our Lord. 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:

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The Sanctus: S129

Please stand or kneel at this time, as best helps you to pray.

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.
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:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
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 for ever.
AMEN.
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
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Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed by 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

A period of silence is kept

Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia
The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for
you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

ON RECEIVING COMMUNION:
All baptized Christians who are in love and charity with their neighbors are invited to the
Lord’s table. If you do not wish to receive, you are invited to come forward for a blessing
in the name of Christ—simply cross your arms over your chest to let the servers know
that you will not be receiving.
One or more of the following prayers, or some other, may be said quietly or
silently before recieving:
We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own
righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to
gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord whose property is
always to have mercy: Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son
Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body,
and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in
him, and he in us. Amen (Prayer of Humble Access from p. 82 of the 1928 BCP, a revised
version of which is found on p. 337 of the 1979 BCP)

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Be present, be present, O Jesus, our great High Priest, as you were present with your
disciples, and be known to us in the breaking of bread; who live and reign with the Father
and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen (a prayer before recieving communion which
can be found among the many prayers of the 1979 BCP, p. 834).

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Communion music: Wait for the Lord Taize

Post-Communion Prayer
After Communion, the Celebrant says:
Let us Pray
The minister and people together, pray:
Almighty and everliving God,
we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food
of the most precious Body and Blood
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;
and for assuring us in these holy mysteries
that we are living members of the Body of your Son,
and heirs of your eternal kingdom.
And now, Father, send us out
to do the work you have given us to do,
to love and serve you
as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.
To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

494
Recessional: Crown him with many crowns Jesus Christ our Lord H494


D Bm G D G A D A

¡¡ ¡¡ Ì ¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ÌÌ  ¡¡
¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ Ì ¡ ¡
1 Crown him with man - y crowns, the Lamb up - on his throne; Hark!
2 Crown him the Son of God be - fore the worlds be - gan, and
3 Crown him the Lord of life, who tri - umphed o’er the grave, and
4 Crown him of lords the Lord, who o - ver all doth reign, who
5 Crown him the Lord of heaven, en - throned in worlds a - bove; crown

"   ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ Ì ¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ Ì ¡
¡ ¡ Ì Ì ¡

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  ¡ ¡
D Bm E A D A D E A

¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ Ì ¡
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Ì ¡
1 how the heaven - ly an - them drowns all mu - sic but its own; a -
2 ye, who tread where he hath trod, crown him the Son of man; who
3 rose vic - to - rious in the strife for those he came to save; his
4 once on earth, the in - car - nate Word, for ran - somed sin - ners slain, now
5 him the King, to whom is given, the won - drous name of Love. Crown

"   ¡¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡¡  ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡¡  ¡¡ Ì ¡¡
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
494b

D A D G B7 E A

¡¡ Ì ¡ ¡¡  ¡¡ 0 ¡¡ Ì ¡
¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ Ì ¡ ¡¡ Ì ¡
1 wake, my soul, and sing of him who died for thee, and
2 ev - ery grief hath known that wrings the hu - man breast, and
3 glo - ries now we sing who died, and rose on high, who
4 lives in realms of light, where saints with an - gels sing their
5 him with man - y crowns, as thrones be - fore him fall, crown

"   ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ÌÌ  ¡¡  ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡  ¡¡ Ì 0 ¡¡
From Tell Out, My Soul: Guitar Lead Sheets for Favorite Hymns, Vol. 1 Copyright ©
2006 by R. C. Laird. Church Publishing Incorporated. www.churchpublishing.org

 ¡ 
D
K
¡ ¡
G D A D G A sus A D

¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ XX
1 hail him as thy match - less King through all e - ter - ni - ty.
2 takes and bears them for his own, that all in him may rest.
3 died, e - ter - nal life to bring, and lives that death may die.
4 songs be - fore him day and night, their God, Re - deem - er, King.

¡K XX
5 him, ye kings, with man - y crowns, for he is King of all.

"   ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡¡ ¡
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
Words: Matthew bridges (1800-1894)
Music: Diademata, George Job Elvey (1816-1893) SMD

Celebrant says the dismissal

People: Thanks be to God.

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From Tell Out, My Soul: Guitar Lead Sheets for Favorite Hymns, Vol. 1 Copyright ©
2006 by R. C. Laird. Church Publishing Incorporated. www.churchpublishing.org

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 A Note on Today’s Readings
Proper 19, Year B
Welcome to St. Francis Church. Today’s liturgy is similar in theme to the feast of the Holy Cross
(September 14), which always falls near this Sunday of the Church year. The Gospel reading is
Peter’s acknowledgement of Jesus as the Messiah, which was followed by Jesus’ first prediction of
his crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus calls his followers to pattern their own lives on his, sharing in
the self-giving love which leads to the Cross.
The Old Testament reading from Isaiah is the third of the poems called the “Servant Songs.” In
them the prophet foresees the servant of God suffering persecution and death for his faithfulness
to God, a death which would be redemptive for all people. The first Christians, following Jesus’
teaching, understood Isaiah’s oracle to have been fulfilled in the dying and rising of Jesus.
The second lesson is again drawn from the Epistle of James, an intensely practical discourse
on Christian living. In today’s reading, James exhorts us to learn self control, especially in our
speaking. The tongue, when disciplined, is used to glorify God, but when undisciplined, can cause
hurt and damage.
The People of God enact in song, story, and sacrament their unity with Jesus dying and rising in
their midst. In baptism and Eucharist we join him in his death and resurrection. We speak and sing
our praise to him in our worship and in our lives of ministry, acceptance, and love for all people..
From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2007 by Michael W.
Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York.

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 Good News Daily
(
Volume IX September 13-19, 2009 Number 37
Sunday, September 13
1 Kings 19:8-21 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire
came a gentle whisper. (v.12 NIV)
God tells Elijah that He will pass by. The wind comes, the earthquake comes, and the fire comes.
They are massive, forceful, and cause destruction to the mountain. Elijah recognizes that those things
are not God. He knows the Lord was in the gentle whisper.
An unhealthy relationship can be like the great wind. An addiction can be like the fire. A bankruptcy
can feel like the ground beneath you is crumbling, as in an earthquake. Sometimes we can make the
mistake of putting the big, powerful things that cause destruction or pain in our lives in the place of
God. We give control of our lives over to those things and let them destroy us. We don’t allow God
to be God.
As mighty as He is, He speaks to us in a gentle voice. He wants to provide comfort and salvation from
those things that can destroy us. We need to listen for the still, small voice that is stronger and more
powerful than the elements that threaten our lives.
Psalms 24, 29; Acts 5:34-42; John 11:45-47
Monday, September 14
1 Corinthians 1:1-19 He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of
our Lord Jesus Christ. (v.8)
Living a pure and blameless life is really hard. In fact, it is impossible. We can’t do it. We give in to
temptation. People hurt us and make us mad and we want to do the same to them. We have pain. We
are sinful by nature. Yet the Lord calls us to be holy and without sin. Quite a conundrum!
Thank goodness we aren’t left to resolve this by ourselves. God has provided the answer for us. This
passage reminds us that God, through his Son, has given us all the grace we need to stand blameless
before him on judgment day.
That doesn’t give us a free pass to sin without remorse. We should strive to live a pure and holy life.
But we will struggle in our behavior and how we treat others. When we have difficulty living without
sin, God can be strong for us if we ask him.
1 Kings 21:1-16; Psalms 56, 57, 58; Matthew 4:1-11
Tuesday, September 15
1 Corinthians 1:20-31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” (v.31)
We are taught as children not to brag or show off. It is impolite and shows bad manners. When you
become a parent, you quickly learn that no one wants to hear how cute, funny, or smart your children
are—except maybe their grandparents.
Boasting in the Lord is something different. It doesn’t mean telling others how much money you put
in the offering plate or how long you pray. It doesn’t refer to considering yourself better than others
because of your Christ-like behavior.
Boasting in the Lord has very little to do with us. It is joyfully sharing how the Lord has moved
in your life; what He is doing in you to draw you closer to Him. When it is done in humility and
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gratitude, boasting in the Lord can be an encouragement to others. Hearing how God works in other’s
lives reminds us how He can work in ours.
Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to see when I have an opportunity to boast in You and give me the courage
to speak it.
1 Kings 21:17-29; Psalms 61, 62; Matthew 4:12-17
Wednesday, September 16
1 Kings 22:1-28 Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your
people, my horses as your horses.” But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the
counsel of the Lord.” (vv.4b-5)
Jehoshaphat is a wise man and a good friend. He tells Ahab he will march off to war with him, but
only after Ahab seeks the Lord’s guidance. He wants to make sure the fight to reclaim Ramoth Gilead
is God’s will. Otherwise, the results could be most unpleasant.
The downfall of so many people in the Bible could have been avoided had they followed Jehoshaphat’s
advice and sought the Lord’s counsel. Think of Adam or David or Judas. History would have to be
rewritten.
Can you think of times in your life when the outcome may have been different if you had asked the
Lord for guidance? I can, and oh I wished I had. Imagine what our lives would be like if we sought
the Lord for guidance before we acted, as opposed to seeking His help to rescue us from a situation
we have made a mess of.
Psalm 72; 1 Corinthians 2:1-13; Matthew 4:18-25
Thursday, September 17
1 Kings 22:29-45 In everything he walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them;
he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. The high places, however, were not removed, and the
people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. (v.43)
This is what is written about Jehoshaphat after he dies. A few sentences sum up a whole life. He
may have done many wonderful acts for God. We know he served the Lord well. But specifically
Jehoshaphat is also remembered for what he didn’t do.
I wonder what will be said about me after I am gone. Will it be said that I loved the Lord and loved
seeing others grow closer to Him? Will something be included that I just couldn’t do or resolve. A
person I couldn’t forgive? A behavior I couldn’t let go of? An idol I put before the Lord? The one
thing that would have made my service to the Lord complete if I had accomplished it? What do I want
them to say about me?
Prayer: Lord, show me whatever I still have to accomplish in Your eyes. I know that if I submit to
You, You can do it through me.
Psalms 70, 71; 1 Corinthians 2:14—3:15; Matthew 5:1-10
Friday, September 18
Matthew 5:11-16 “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” (vv.13a, 14a)
My daughter had a busy summer. She taught Vacation Bible School and went to soccer camp. She
begged us to go on a mission trip to Appalachia with a group from church.
She helped teach VBS there, and did some home improvements for folks who couldn’t do it themselves.
She came back heartbroken, as did many others, for one family. The young children were unwashed
and starving. They were living in filth. Most of the trip was spent bringing their house up to adequate
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living conditions.
Later in the summer, we were invited to Miami Beach for the weekend. It’s quite the opposite of
Appalachia, but just as much of a mission field. I had to pray about her going on the trip. Did I want
to expose her to South Beach?
I decided to take her with me. If I tell her she is called, as a Christian, to be salt and light, that doesn’t
mean just to her school or while on a mission trip. It means to the world. She needs to learn how to
be a Christian in all kinds of settings with all kinds of people.
2 Kings 1:2-17; Psalm 69; 1 Corinthians 3:16-23
Saturday, September 19
1 Corinthians 4:1-7 For who do you know that really knows you, knows your heart? And even if they
did, is there anything they would discover in you that you could take credit for? Isn’t everything you
have and everything you are sheer gifts from God? So what’s the point of all this comparing and
competing? (v.7 The Message)
I have four women who have been my friends most of my life, for about 35 years. These women have
been through it all with me, and they know pretty much everything about me. We live in different
states and don’t see each other as much as we used to, but we still get together regularly.
At one get-together, after getting updates on our lives, someone suggested an exercise. We were
to share the traits we appreciate most in each other. It was a fun idea and the results were a little
surprising.
While these women knew about my Christianity, they weren’t believers. The traits they appreciated
most in me were all traits I knew the Lord had given me. I couldn’t take credit for any of them. So
they weren’t really valuing me, but God. I don’t write this to boast. It was quite humbling to be
reminded that the best part of me was the Lord. Furthermore, I was grateful for my friends to see God
in me, which was an answer to prayer.
2 Kings 2:1-18; Psalms 75, 76; Matthew 5:17-20
by Mara McClain
Used with permission from the BIBLE READING FELLOWSHIP
P. O. Box 380, Winter Park, FL 32790

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 Announcements
A Special Thank you to all those who helped with the yard sale, and those who
donated items!

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 Bishop of Tennessee
The Rt. Rev. John C. Bauerschmidt

Vicar
The Rev. Joseph B. Howard

Mission Council
Thom Chittom
Linda Palmer
Shelley Sircy
Kim Waltenbaugh

Accompanist
Anna Howard

Schedule of Ministry:
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Joseph B. Howard Reader: Lynn-nore Chittom
Acolyte/Crucifer: Prayer Station: Shelley Sircy
Oblationers: Chalicist: Adam Waltenbaugh
To check the schedule online, visit:
http://stfrancis-tn.net and go to congregational resources-->ROTA: service schedule

To get in touch with Fr. Jody for any reason, you can reach him at 615-440-6492 or via email at frjody@stfrancis-tn.
net.
_______________________________________________________________________________

St. Francis Church

Biblically minded. Mission driven.
812 Meadowlark Ln
PO Box 697
Goodlettsville, TN 37072
Phone: 851-0790
http://stfrancis-tn.net

Cover Image: James the Just, brother of our Lord

Wood cuts from: Pitts Theological Library Digital Image Archive

Color images from: Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN, https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-search.pl

CCLI License No. 2334637 Oneliscence.net No. A-714717