Author: Parish Administrator

A Season of Creation
The Redemption of All Creation
Christ Episcopal Church

The Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
The Word of God
Opening Hymn Hymnal 412
Call to Worship
Blessed be the One who creates all things. The Holy One’s love is new every morning.*
The God of Creation be with you. And also with you. Let us pray.
Dear God, Creator of the earth, this sacred home we share: Give us new eyes to see the beauty all around and to protect the wonders of creation. Give us new arms to embrace the strangers among us and to know them as family. Give us new ears to hear and understand those who live off the land and sea, and to hear and understand those who extract its resources. Give us new hearts to recognize the brokenness in our communities and to heal the wounds we have inflicted. Give us new hands to serve the earth and its people and to shape beloved community. For you are the One who seeks the lost, binds our wounds and sets us free, and it is in the name of Jesus the Christ we pray. Amen.
(Prayer from Carol Gallagher (Member of the Cherokee Nation, Bishop in the Episcopal Church, and Regional Canon, Diocese of Massachusetts), “A Prayer for Our Time and for the Earth,” from the 2019 meeting of the House of Bishops, Fairbanks, Alaska.)
Song of Praise Hymnal 428 vs 4, 5
The Lessons
Genesis 45:1-15, 25-27
Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has

been in the land these two years, and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me; do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there, since there are five more years of famine to come, so that you and your household and all that you have will not come to poverty.’ And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them, and after that his brothers talked with him.
So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. And they told him, “Joseph is still alive! He is even ruler over all the land of Egypt.” He was stunned; he could not believe them. But when they told him all the words of Joseph that he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.
For the word of God in Scripture; For the word of God among us; For the word of God within us.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 104:25-35
O LORD, how manifold are your works! * in wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
Yonder is the great and wide sea with its living things too many to number, * creatures both small and great.
There move the ships, and there is that Leviathan, * which you have made for the sport of it.
All of them look to you * to give them their food in due season.

You give it to them; they gather it; * you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.
You hide your face, and they are terrified; * you take away their breath, and they die and return to their dust.
You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; * and so you renew the face of the earth.
May the glory of the LORD endure for ever; * may the LORD rejoice in all his works.
He looks at the earth and it trembles; * he touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; * I will praise my God while I have my being.
May these words of mine please him; * I will rejoice in the LORD.
A Reading from “Resurrection is Vegetal”, Dong Hyeon Jeong
I love gardening. Touching the soil, seeing and smelling the plants, and eating the fruits of their love teach me every time to be receptive to the presence of the vegetal life. Moreover, recently I have also learned about the importance of accepting decay or death. As a human being, I am fearful of my own death because, as a Christian, I have one life to live with a clear expiration in sight. And yet, plants teach me that decay/death is not the end. They grow their leaves during spring, blossom their flowers during summer, lay down their leaves during the fall, and accept the slumber during winter. Then they rise again as the spring season awakens…
Losing one’s life for the gospel is not a call for meaningless sacrifice or abuse. Rather, it is a reminder to “come and see” (John 1:39) from God’s creation that resurrection is vegetal. We live and die in Christ because, like the plants, we believe in Christ’s promise of renewed life. This renewed life recognizes the joys and pains of the olden days, the deaths that we have had in the past, while believing that we will see the rays of divine light and the joys of the blessed rain in our lives. In all of these, we are invited once again to let go of all of ourselves so we can be buried and be resurrected in Christ.
The Rev. Dr. Dong Hyeon Jeong is a pastor and professor of New Testament Interpretation at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, where he utilizes such critical interpretive lenses such as postcolonialism, gender and sexuality, socio-economic, race and ethnicity, ableism, and posthumanism/eco-justice. The son of Korean missionaries in the Philippines, Jeong is an ordained elder in the Philippine Central Conference, Manila Episcopal Area, Southwest Philippines Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. Dong Hyeon Jeong, “Commentary on John 12:20-33: Resurrection is vegetal”, Working Preacher, 2024, https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/fifth-sunday-in-lent-2/commentary-on-john-1220-33-6)

For the word of God in Scripture; For the word of God among us; For the word of God within us.
Thanks be to God.
Sequence Hymn Hymn Hymnal 379
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. Glory to you, Lord Christ.
When they had finished eating, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) took Stands on the Rock (Peter) and sat down with him by the lake.
He spoke to him, using the name his family gave him, “One Who Hears (Simon), son of Gift of Kindness (John), do you love me more than the others love me?” “Yes, Wisdomkeeper,” he answered, “you know I am your friend.” “Then feed my lambs,” he said.
Then a second time Creator Sets Free asked, “One Who Hears, son of Gift of Kindness, do you love me?” “Yes, Wisdomkeeper,” he answered him again, “you know how deeply I care for you.” “Then watch over my sheep,” he said.
Creator Sets Free asked him a third time, “One Who Hears, Son of Gift of Kindness, do you love me as a friend?” Stands on the Rock felt his heart sink because he had asked the third time, “Do you love me as a friend?” “Wisdomkeeper!” he said, “you know all things, you must know how deeply I care for you. I am your friend!” Creator Sets Free said to him again, “Feed my sheep.”
Creator Sets Free then said to him, “I tell you from my heart, when you were a young man, you dressed yourself and walked wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will dress you and take you to a place you do not want to go.” He was telling him the kind of death he would die, to bring honor to Creator. Then he said to Stands on the Rock, “Come, walk the road with me.”
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Christ.
(From First Nations Version: an Indigenous Translation of the New Testament)

The Sermon
Creed: A Confession of St. Patrick
Our God, God of all people, God of heaven and earth, sea and rivers, God of sun and moon, of all stars, God of highest mountain, of deepest valleys, God over heaven and in heaven and under heaven.
He has his dwelling in heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them.
He inspires all, he gives life to all, he surpasses all, he upholds all.
He ignites the light of the sun. He surrounds the stars and tells them to shine. He makes fountains in dry lands, and dry islands in the sea, and stars to serve the greater lights.
He has a Son, coeternal with him and like him. The Son is not younger than the Father, neither is the Father older than the Son.
And the Holy Spirit breathes in them. Not separate are the Father and Son and Holy Spirit.
(This creed is attributed to the 5th century missionary and bishop Patrick, known as the Apostle of Ireland, in the story of “Patrick and the royal daughters” from the biographical Collectanea by the 7th century Irish Bishop Tírechán. It is included in the 10th century The Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick which is traditionally preached during the three-day Feast of St. Patrick in Ireland.)
Prayers of the People
During the silence after each bidding, the people may offer their own prayers, either silently or aloud.
Let us pray for the revealing of the reign of God in the world, now and always.
In the beginning, God was.

Here and now, God is.
In the future, God will be.
Creator of earth, sea, and sky, kindle the fire of your Spirit within us that we may be bold to heal and defend the earth, and pour your blessing upon all who work for the good of the planet.
Silence
God, Giver of life, Hear our prayer.
Breath of life, receive our thanks for the beauty of our local habitat and all who dwell in it, and grant us the wisdom and will to conserve it.
Silence
God, Giver of life, Hear our prayer.
Source of life, heal and redeem the wounds of your creation, and visit the places and people who suffer from our indifference, neglect, and greed.
Silence
God, Giver of life, Hear our prayer.
Lover of all you have made, we thank you for the wondrous diversity of your creatures, and we pray for their well-being.
Silence
God, Giver of life, Hear our prayer.
Author of the book of nature, receive our gratitude for places of restoration and healing, and continue to bless those places that feed our lives and spirits. In the Anglican cycle of prayer, we pray for [__]. In the diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for [__].
Silence
God, Giver of life, Hear our prayer.
Wise Creator, whose works are full of mystery, give us wonder and appreciation for your creatures with whom we find ourselves in conflict.
Silence

God, Giver of life, Hear our prayer.
Giver of all good gifts, awaken us daily to our dependence upon your bounty, and make us always thankful for the abundance of your blessings. We pray for those celebrating birthdays this week: [__]. We pray for those celebrating anniversaries this week: [__]
Silence
God, Giver of life, Hear our prayer.
Divine Physician, heal our communities, especially those where neglect, greed, or violence inflict suffering upon people and other creatures.
Silence
God, Giver of life, Hear our prayer.
Comforter of all the earth, sustain the people of this congregation who desire or need your presence and help [especially __].
Silence
God, Giver of life, Hear our prayer.
Rock and refuge of all your creatures, receive into everlasting mercy all those who have died [especially __, for whom the altar flowers are given].
Silence
God, Giver of life, Hear our prayer.
Gracious God: Grant that your people may have in them the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, and guide us into harmony of relationship through loving-kindness and the wise use of all that you have given; for you are drawing all things into communion with you and with each other by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(From “Honoring God in Creation,” 239-245.)
Confession
Merciful and sustaining God, we have sinned against you. We confess our lack of gratitude

for the beauty and bounty of your creation: teach us to see that your earth sustains us and all that lives. We confess that we have misused your earth: grant us amendment of life. We confess that we have been intemperate in our appetites: strengthen us in self-control. We confess that we have taken the abundance of your world for granted: make us urgent now for its protection. Forgive and renew us now through our Savior Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, with whom you live and reign, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
(“Liturgical Materials for Honoring God in Creation,” Reports To The 78th General Convention: Supplemental Materials (Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music: SCLM, 2015), 246-247.)
The Peace
The peace of Christ be always with you. And also with you.
Offertory Music
Doxology Hymnal 380 vs 3
The Holy Communion (The Wyoming Eucharistic Prayer)
The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give God thanks and praise.

We thank you, Creator God, that we live in a place where the glorious revelation of yourself is all around us. The prairie bursts with song from wind and birds and waving grasses. The abundance of animals roaming freely reminds us of our own freedom, and the many ways you provide sustenance in your kingdom. From the depths of the ocean floor you lifted up massive mountains and pointed them toward the heavens.
We, like your Son, our Lord, are called to these high places to get away and rest in communion with you. We marvel as we wander through stately pines and twirling aspens along the creeks, where trout dance on their tails above the rocks, and deer and elk sip from the water’s edge: and we remember that you have given us the Living Water to quench our thirst. Our spirit is refreshed and our strength renewed.
We welcome the passing of seasons in broad circles of time, with anticipation of new things to come, and we recognize that same feeling of hope that encircles our faith. Our lives are lived between sunrises and sunsets and brilliant colors. But at night the limitless stars have a way of pushing back the boundaries of our lives and we dream of heaven and your wonder.
And with all these blessings of your creation around us, O God, we come together in communities on the prairie, by rivers and streams, on mountain tops, and in their shadows in the valley, to receive your Word, which has been sown in rich soil and grown into a fruitful crop in the Body of Christ.
And so, we join with saints and angels in proclaiming your glory, as we sing:
Sanctus WLP 858
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, hosanna in the highest.
As we gather to praise your name, we see your greatest glory, your Son our Savior, reflected in each other’s faces and we know the magnitude of your love for us and ours for you.
On the night before he died for us, Jesus was at table with his friends. He took bread, gave thanks to you, broke it, and gave it to them, and said: “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
As supper was ending, Jesus took the cup of wine. Again, he gave thanks to you, gave it to them, and said: “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is poured out for

you and for all for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Now gathered at your table, O God of all creation, and remembering Christ, crucified and risen, who was and is and is to come, we offer to you our gifts of bread and wine, and ourselves, a living sacrifice.
Pour out your Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Body and Blood of Christ. Breathe your Spirit over the whole earth and make us your new creation, the Body of Christ given for the world you have made. In the fullness of time bring us, with all your saints, from every tribe and language and people and nation, to feast at the banquet prepared from the foundation of the world.
Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to you be honor, glory, and praise, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Savior Christ has taught us, we now pray:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
Alleluia, Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
The gifts of God for the people of God.

The Communion
Communion Music I am Sure I Shall See
I am sure I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Yes, I shall see the goodness of our God, hold firm, trust in the Lord.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Lord of the harvest, with joy we have offered thanksgiving for your love in creation and have shared in the bread and the wine of the kingdom: by your grace plant within us a reverence for all that you give us and make us generous and wise stewards of the good things we enjoy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessing
May our hearts feel the song of the meadowlark, our minds the clearness of the mountain air, and our souls the freedom of the soaring eagle. May our faith be renewed as the creek in spring, may we celebrate the saving redemption of the Cross in all its mysteries, may we always feel the love of the community of Christ. And the blessing of God Almighty, Creator, Redeemer, and Giver of Life, be upon you and remain with you forever. Amen.
Closing Hymn Hymnal 427
Dismissal
The worship has ended, the service begins. Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit. Thanks be to God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

# * Congregational responses are printed in bold.