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.


Holy Cross Day                                                                                  September 14, 2025

Year C                                                                                                       10:00 am

Holy Eucharist (Rite II)

 

Prelude

 

Welcome & Announcements

 

Processional Hymn: 473    “Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim”           Blue Hymnal

                                                                                                                                                       

 Celebrant   Blessed be God: the 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 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Glory to God  S–278                      Gloria in excelsis                                           William Mathias

 

The Collect of the Day 

Officiant    The Lord Be with you.

People       And also with you.

Officiant    Let us pray.

 

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.  

 

First Reading:  Isaiah 45:21-25

 

Declare and present your case;
let them take counsel together!

Who told this long ago?
Who declared it of old?

Was it not I, the Lord?
There is no other god besides me,

a righteous God and a Savior;
there is no one besides me.

Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.

By myself I have sworn,
from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness
a word that shall not return:

“To me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall swear.”

Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me,
are righteousness and strength;

all who were incensed against him
shall come to him and be ashamed.

In the Lord all the offspring of Israel
shall triumph and glory.

  The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

Psalm 98

 

1 Sing to the Lord a new song, *
for he has done marvelous things.

2 With his right hand and his holy arm *
has he won for himself the victory.

3 The Lord has made known his victory; *
his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.

4 He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, *
and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

5 Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands; *
lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.

6 Sing to the Lord with the harp, *
with the harp and the voice of song.

7 With trumpets and the sound of the horn *
shout with joy before the King, the Lord.

8 Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, *
the lands and those who dwell therein.

9 Let the rivers clap their hands, *
and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord,
when he comes to judge the earth.

10 In righteousness shall he judge the world *
and the peoples with equity.

 

Second Reading: Galatians 6:14-18

May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! As for those who will follow this rule-- peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

From now on, let no one make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

 

            The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

Gradual Hymn: 382                 “King of glory, King of peace”                         Blue Hymnal       

                                                                                                                                 

 

The Gospel:   John 12:31-36a

 The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

People   Glory to you Lord Christ.

 

Jesus said, “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.”

 

 The Gospel of the Lord.

          

            People   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 Priest-in-Charge, Alex; for Michael, our Rector emeritus; and for all bishops, priests, and deacons;

That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacraments.

 

We pray for Steve 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: 

Holy Trinity Church, Pawling

 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.

 

Silence may be kept.

 

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept.

 

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 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.

 

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 Choir Anthem     “Lead Me Lord, lead me in thy righteousness”            Richard Farrant

Offertory Hymn: 598       “Lord Christ, when first thou cam’st to earth”              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 for ever
sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

 Holy, holy, holy Lord S-129            Sanctus                   Robert Powell

 

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:

 

Celebrant and People

 

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. Amen.

 

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.

 

Fraction Anthem S– 161                                  Agnus Dei                                      David Hurd

 

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 Hymns: 471          “We sing the praise of him who died”         Blue Hymnal                                

                                     441          “In the cross of Christ I glory”                     Blue Hymnal

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 upon you and remain with you for ever.  Amen.

 

 Recessional Hymn: 413         “New songs of celebration render”             Blue Hymnal       

The Dismissal

       

Celebrant   Let us go forth in the name of Christ.

People        Thanks be to God.                                     

           

 You are encouraged to stay to listen to the postlude.


  

Ministers of the Liturgy

 

Celebrant                                The Rev. Alexander Herasimtschuk

Organist                                  Gregory Citarella

Reader                                     Joy Maryniak

Lay Eucharistic Minister         TBA

Acolytes                                   Jody Fredeman; Doug McNeil; Joshua Roberts

Altar Guild                                 John Singler

Ushers                                        TBA

 

Wardens  

Steve Carlough

Peggy Kelland

Treasurer

Maya Hennebery

 

Vestry

Greg Fredeman

Alison Friedland

Maya Hennebery

Mike Matts

Wendy McNeil

Betty Oommen

Sylvia Propfe

 

Rector Emeritus                                                                                  The Rev. Michael B. Webber                   

Bishop                                                                The Rt. Rev. Matthew Heyd, Bishop of New York

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.

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M-400628 for Jul 07, 2023 – Sep 14, 2025

 

Zion Episcopal Church 

12 Satterlee Place, Wappingers Falls, New York

(845) 297-9797