June 29, 2025 The Third Sunday After Pentecost Feast Day of St. Peter & Paul

Entrance Hymn #473                        Lift High the Cross

Sequence Hymn #697                        My God Accept My Heart This Day

Offertory Anthem                          God Is Our Refuge (Pote)

Communion Anthem                         Come, O Fount of Every Blessing (arr. Young)

Post-Communion Hymn #625           Ye Holy Angels Bright

THE COLLECT OF THE DAY

Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Almighty God, whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you by their martyrdom: Grant that your Church, instructed by their teaching and example, and knit together in unity by your Spirit, may ever stand firm upon the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

FIRST READING                     2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14

Reader             A reading from the Second Book of Kings.

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.

Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit." He responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not." As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, "Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

Reader

The Word of the Lord.

People

Thanks be to God.

PSALM                                     Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20                 Voce mea ad Dominum

1 I will cry aloud to God; *

I will cry aloud, and he will hear me.

2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; *

my hands were stretched out by night and did not tire;

I refused to be comforted.

11 I will remember the works of the Lord, *

and call to mind your wonders of old time.

12 I will meditate on all your acts *

and ponder your mighty deeds.

13 Your way, O God, is holy; *

who is so great a god as our God?

14 You are the God who works wonders *

and have declared your power among the peoples.

15 By your strength you have redeemed your people, *

the children of Jacob and Joseph.

16 The waters saw you, O God;

the waters saw you and trembled; *

the very depths were shaken.

17 The clouds poured out water;

the skies thundered; *

your arrows flashed to and fro;

18 The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind;

your lightnings lit up the world; *

the earth trembled and shook.

19 Your way was in the sea,

and your paths in the great waters, *

yet your footsteps were not seen.

20 You led your people like a flock *

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

SECOND READING                Galatians 5:1,13-25

Reader             A Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians.

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

Reader

The Word of the Lord.

People

Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL                                  Luke 9:51-62

Priest               The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

People              Glory to you, Lord Christ.

When the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village.

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home." Jesus said to him, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

Priest

The Gospel of the Lord.

People

Praise to you, Lord Christ.