Christ Episcopal Church Service

19th Century-style Church Service Sunday, May 27th 2007 10:00AM - 11:15AM Christ Episcopal Church 526 Amity Road On Sunday, May 27th, Bethany’s Christ Episcopal Church will mark the septaquintaquinquecentennial with a special 19th century-style service from 10:00 to 11:15 AM. The church bell, used for many years to announce worship services or announce a public alarm, will be rung at noon to mark the occasion. The parish of Christ Church in Bethany was officially organized in 1799, and the church building was completed in 1810.

Order of Worship

Christ Church, Bethany

526 Amity Road Bethany, CT 065244

The Rev. Peter A. Stebinger, Rector

The Rev. Katherine A. Heichler, Assistant Rector

8:00 and 10:00 Holy Communion According to the Prayerbook of 1789

A note on the service

Today we celebrate an older style service in observance of the 175th anniversary of the town of Bethany. The service is done by the clergy with little or no lay participation beyond collecting the offering. The sermon is from a prewritten book of authorized homilies. We will be offering communion to all, but in 1832 it would have been offered to adult confirmed communicants only.

Trinity Sunday

First Sunday after Pentacost: Trinity Sunday

Collect

Traditional

Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity: we beseech thee, that thou wouldest keep us steadfast in this faith and evermore defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.

Contemporary

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

FIRST READING : Isaiah 6:1-8

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:

"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory."
The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"

Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out." Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I; send me!"

Refrain

Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Canticle 13 (or Psalm 29 or Canticle 2)

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; *
you are worthy of praise; glory to you.
Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *
on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.
Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths; *
in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.
Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.
 

SECOND READING : Revelation 4:1-11

After this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." At once I was in the spirit,and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne! And the one seated there looks like jasper and cornelian, and around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an emerald. Around the throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads. Coming from the throne are flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God; and in front of the throne there is something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
 

Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing,
 

"Holy, holy, holy,
the Lord God the Almighty,
who was and is and is to come."
 

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honour and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives for ever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing,
 

"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honour and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created."
 

GOSPEL  : John 16:(5-11)12-15

Jesus said to his disciples, "Now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, `Where are you going?' But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.]
"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."

Note from the Webmaster: Due to camera problems, some of the photos are poor quality. If you would like to contribute some photos, or would like to provide photo annotations, please contact

Ann Klatskin, Webmaster

web hosting courtesy of mason, inc.