Zion Episcopal Church
SCRIPTURE - TRADITION - REASON
We promise to share the love of Christ with all of God’s children
in our worship, words and witness.
The 8th Sunday after Pentecost July 19, 2026
Year A 10:00 am
Holy Eucharist (Rite II)
Prelude
Welcome & Announcements
Processional Hymn: 423 “Immortal, invisible, God only wise” Blue Hymnal
Celebrant: Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People: And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen.
The Celebrant says
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
The Collect of the Day
Celebrant: The Lord be with you
People: And also with you.
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
First Reading: Genesis 28:10-19a
Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the LORD stood beside him and said, “I am the LORD, the God ofAbraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you andto your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of
the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place—and I did not know it!” And he was afraid, and said,
“How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 139: 1-11, 22-23
Domine, probasti
1 LORD, you have searched me out and known me; *
you know my sitting down and my rising up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
2 You trace my journeys and my resting-places *
and are acquainted with all my ways.
3 Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, *
but you, O LORD, know it altogether.
4 You press upon me behind and before *
and lay your hand upon me.
5 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; *
it is so high that I cannot attain to it.
6 Where can I go then from your Spirit? *
where can I flee from your presence?
7 If I climb up to heaven, you are there; *
if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.
8 If I take the wings of the morning *
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
9 Even there your hand will lead me *
and your right hand hold me fast.
10 If I say, Surely the darkness will cover me, *
and the light around me turn to night,
11 Darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day; *
darkness and light to you are both alike.
22 Search me out, O God, and know my heart; *
try me and know my restless thoughts.
23 Look well whether there be any wickedness in me *
and lead me in the way that is everlasting.
Second Reading: Romans 8:12-25
Brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ-- if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption,
the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gradual Hymn: 596 “Judge eternal throned in splendor” Blue Hymnal
The Gospel: Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
The Holy Gospel of our Lord according to Matthew
Glory to you Lord Christ
Jesus put before the crowd another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon The Rev. Alexander Herasimtschuk
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.
The Prayers of the People Form III
Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church;
That we all may be one.
Grant that every member of the Church may truly and humbly serve you;
That your Name may be glorified by all people.
We pray for our Presiding Bishop, Sean; our Bishops, Matthew and Allen; our Rector, Alex; and for all bishops, priests, and deacons;
That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacraments.
We pray for Greg and Peggy, our wardens, and for the members of our vestry, that the Lord may guide them, and bless them with wisdom, patience and fortitude.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer
We pray for our President, Donald; our Governor, Kathy; and all who govern and hold authority in the nations of the world;
That there may be justice and peace on the earth.
We pray for all victims of violence and terrorism. We pray for all refugees and the countries who shelter them. We pray for our brothers and sisters in the Armed Forces. Protect them and safely bring them home to their family and friends. Comfort and sustain families and friends of those serving in the Armed Forces and deliver them through this time of trial. We pray for all people who are caught in the midst of war. We pray for peace among the nations. We pray for prisoners and their families, and those who minister to them.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake;
That our works may find favor in your sight.
Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble;
That they may be delivered from their distress.
Give to the departed eternal rest;
Let light perpetual shine upon them.
We praise you for your saints who have entered into joy;
May we also come to share in your heavenly kingdom.
Let us pray for our own needs and those of others.
Silence
The People may add their own petitions.
In the Interparish Council rota of prayer, we pray this week for:
Saint Andrews Saint Lukes Church, Beacon.
In the communion of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Margaret of Antioch and of all the saints,let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to Christ our God.
To thee, O Lord our God.
The Celebrant adds a concluding collect
The Confession of Sin
Celebrant 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 you, forgive you all our sins through Jesus Christ our Lord, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life.
Amen.
The Peace
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
Blessing of those celebrating Birthdays and Anniversaries
Offertory Sentence
Ascribe to the Lord the honor due his Name. Bring offerings and come into His courts.
Offering You may continue to bring your gift to the altar through the online payment
application VANCO.
Offertory Hymn: 365 “Come, thou almighty King” Blue Hymnal
The Liturgy of the Holy Communion
Eucharistic Prayer A
The people stand.
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 every-
where to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of
heaven and earth.
The Celebrant says a proper preface
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and
Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who forever
sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
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.
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.
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 for ever.
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us,
we are bold to say,
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 Fraction
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast.
Lamb of God
You take away the sins of the world
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God
You take away the sins of the world
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God
You take away the sins of the world
Grant us peace.
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.
The Distribution
All baptized Christians are welcome at the Lord’s table. Worshippers are welcome to receive the Eucharist in both kinds (bread and wine) or in one kind (bread only), as partaking in one kind is considered sufficient under certain circumstances, according to the Book of Common Prayer. If anyone receiving in one kind desires to reverence the holy chalice, please make the sign of St. Andrew’s cross. If anyone desires to receive a blessing instead of the Eucharist, please also make the sign of St. Andrew’s cross. For those who are joining us in worship and prayer, but do not yet feel called to receive the Eucharist, you are welcome to sing our communion hymns, or to spend time in prayer and reflection. Gluten-Free host, as always, is available upon request. May God’s peace and blessings be with you all.
Communion Hymn: 302 “Father, we thank thee who hast planted” Blue Hymnal
Communion Hymn: 623 “O what their joy and their glory must be” Blue Hymnal
The Post Communion Prayer
The people kneel or stand.
Let us pray.
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.
The Benediction
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father , the Son, and the Holy Spirit be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.
Recessional Hymn: 344 “Lord, dismiss with thy blessing” Blue Hymnal
The Dismissal
Celebrant Let us go forth in to the world rejoicing in the power of the spirit.
People Thanks be to God.
Postlude
You are encouraged to stay to listen to the postlude.
Ministers of the Liturgy
Celebrant The Rev. Alexander Herasimtschuk
Organist Gregory Citarella
Reader Terri Rhoades
Lay Eucharistic Minister Joseph A. Yarnall
Altar Guild John Singler
Ushers Maya Hennebery and Greg Fredeman
Wardens
Greg Fredeman
Peggy Kelland
Treasurer
Maya Hennebery
Vestry
Barbara Clark
Phil Engle
Maya Hennebery
Wendy McNeil
Leo Ocola
Betty Oommen
Sylvia Propfe
Bishop The Rt. Rev. Matthew Heyd, Bishop of NY
Suffragan Bishop The Rt. Rev. Allen K. Shin
Please remember Zion Episcopal Church of Wappingers Falls in your will so this magnificent church may be upkept and mission in the name of the Lord Jesus may continue after you have joined the Church Triumphant.
Limited Podcast / Streaming License, Category A average weekly attendance 1 to 25. M-400628 for Jul 07, 2026 - Jul 06, 2027
Zion Episcopal Church
12 Satterlee Place, Wappingers Falls, New York
(845) 297-9797