Hymnal Number (left) / Prayer Book Page (right)

Announcements

Prelude

495 Hymn in Procession: Hail, thou once despised Jesus!

The Word of God Page 355

S-278 Song of Praise: Gloria

Collect of the Day

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The people sit.

The Lessons

The First Reading: Isaiah 5:1-7

Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it;
he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.
And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it?
When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?
And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed,
     and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns;
I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah are his pleasant planting;
he expected justice, but saw bloodshed;
righteousness, but heard a cry!

552 Sequence Hymn: Fight the Good Fight with all thy might

The Gospel: Matthew 21:33-46

Jesus said, “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:

‘The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
    and it is amazing in our eyes’?

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.

The Holy Communion

Offertory

following the offertory the people stand for the presentation of the offering.

380 Hymn: Praise God from whom all blessing flow (vs 3)

The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer A — Page 361

S-129 Sanctus

The Breaking of the Bread — Page 364

Fraction Anthem (spoken)

At Communion, the first chalice is for sipping, the second chalice is for dipping.
If you want to receive communion and you choose to remain in your pew for any reason, please let the ushers know.

Communion Hymns

339 Hymn: Deck Thyself my soul with gladness
333 Hymn: Now the silence Now the peace

Post Communion Prayer — Page 365

Benediction

448 Hymn in Recession: O love how deep, how broad, how high

Dismissal

Postlude

Announcements

We Welcome All Visitors and Newcomers!
Children are Welcome in Worship at St. John’s Services.

• Don’t forget to join us each week for coffee hour immediately following the service.
• Children are invited to join us for Children’s chapel each Sunday if they wish. Parents are welcome to accompany them. Children will be invited to attend following the collect and will return before communion.
• If you would like to give flowers for the altar the cost is $40.00. Please sign up on the calendar located in the Parish Hall entrance.
• Socktober and Undy Sunday: Outreach will be collecting new socks and underwear for Bedford Christian Ministries and Bedford Domestic Violence services for the month of October. Please leave your donations in the bin outside the parish hall.
• Where there’s a Will there’s a way! What would it take to make sure St. John’s is financially strong not just next year, but for generations to come? On October 4th, Frank West will introduce “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way,” a new sustainability initiative focused on growing St. John’s Endowment Fund through planned and legacy giving. You’ll hear where St. John’s currently stands compared with similar churches in our diocese, why a stronger endowment matters to our future, and some surprisingly simple ways each of us can help build long-term financial stability for the parish. Materials will be available for anyone interested in making a lifetime gift to the Endowment or including St. John’s in their estate plans. The goal is simple: to make sure the ministry we value today is still thriving many years from now.
• Blessing of the Animals will take place today at 5:00 p.m. All Pets are welcome. Please bring a donation of food or treats to benefit the Bedford Animal Shelter.
• Fall Clean up will take place on Saturday October 10th from 9 a.m. to Noon. Many Hands make light work! All are welcome to help make the church sparkle!
• There will be no Adult Forum on October 11th.
• Parish Picnic will take place on Sunday October 11th at Liberty Lake Park. We will gather at the large pavilion. Worship will begin at 10 a.m. The picnic will follow. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. Hot dogs, hamburgers, drinks and paper products will be provided.
• Bishop Karin MacPhail will be visiting on Sunday October 25th. There will be several confirmations. Please join us in welcoming the bishop.

Stay connected with St. John’s — subscribe to our email updates.