Welcome to
Saint Francis by the Sea
Episcopal Church
September 20, 2026
The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Saint Francis by the Sea Episcopal Church
The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost • September 20, 2026
| The Prelude | “Ave Verum” | W.A. Mozart |
| The Processional Hymn 410 | “Praise my soul, the King of heaven” | Lauda anima |
Copyright limitations prevent the reprint of this hymn.
Feel free to use our blue hymnals located in the chair in front of you.
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven; to his feet thy tribute bring;
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, evermore his praises sing:
Alleluia, alleluia! Praise the everlasting King.
Praise him for his grace and favor to his people in distress;
praise him still the same as ever, slow to chide, and swift to bless:
Alleluia, alleluia! Glorious in this faithfulness.
Father-like he tends and spares us; well our feeble frame he knows;
in his hand he gently bears us, rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia, alleluia! Widely yet his mercy flows.
Angels, help us to adore him; ye behold him face to face;
sun and moon, bow down before him, dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia, alleluia! Praise with us the God of grace.
The Word of God
Celebrant: Blessed be the one, holy, and living God.
People: Glory to God for ever and ever. Amen.
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.
| The Gloria S277 | “Gloria in Excelsis” | Canticle 20, David Hurd |
The Gloria S277 — Gloria in Excelsis (David Hurd) — please paste a MusicXML score or upload the music image.
The Collect of the Day
Celebrant: God be with you.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Let us pray.
Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away,
to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The First Reading
2The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” 4Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 5On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.” 6So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” 8And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”
9Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’” 10And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 12“I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
The Psalm
1 Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; *
make known his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, *
and speak of all his marvelous works.
3 Glory in his holy Name; *
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Search for the Lord and his strength; *
continually seek his face.
5 Remember the marvels he has done, *
his wonders and the judgments of his mouth,
6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, *
O children of Jacob his chosen.
37 He led out his people with silver and gold; *
in all their tribes there was not one that stumbled.
38 Egypt was glad of their going, *
because they were afraid of them.
39 He spread out a cloud for a covering *
and a fire to give light in the night season.
40 They asked, and quails appeared, *
and he satisfied them with bread from heaven.
41 He opened the rock, and water flowed, *
so the river ran in the dry places.
42 For God remembered his holy word *
and Abraham his servant.
43 So he led forth his people with gladness, *
his chosen with shouts of joy.
44 He gave his people the lands of the nations, *
and they took the fruit of others’ toil,
45 That they might keep his statutes *
and observe his laws. Hallelujah!
The Second Reading
21For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 25Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, 26so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.
27Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, 28and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is
evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. 29For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well—30since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
The Sequence Hymn LEVAS 70
“I want Jesus to walk with me”
LEVAS 70 — “I want Jesus to walk with me” — please paste a MusicXML score or upload the music image.
The Gospel
Deacon: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.
1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same.
6And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Deacon: The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.
| The Sermon | The Reverend Mary Kay Brown |
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
The Deacon says: IN PEACE, we pray to you, Lord God.
ALMIGHTY GOD, keep us ever mindful of your role in our lives and lead us into the generosity, compassion, and fulfillment of your kingdom as we pray for ourselves and the world, as we say Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
GIVE all congregations, churches, and houses of worship the desire to be generous in time, talent and treasure and especially in forgiveness. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
GIVE this nation eyes that are open to the truth that your ways are more loving and merciful than ours and create generations of leaders and servants who will strive to bring this lens to how we act in the world and with each other. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
GIVE each person a calling to live life in a way that brings joy and peace to others; that that same joy and peace may be reflected in our own hearts and souls. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
GIVE courage and strength to those who advocate for others, work to cure or stand for justice. Bless our world with the spirit of your love and the vision of your kingdom. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
GIVE blessings to our Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, as we pray for Holy Trinity Church, Fayetteville, and St. Andrew’s Church, Columbia. In our Ecumenical Cycle of Prayer, we give thanks for Holly Springs Free Will Baptist Church, Newport, and Huggins Memorial Baptist Church on Harkers Island. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
GIVE healing and peace to those who are ill, anxious, imprisoned, alone or in despair. Especially, we pray for [today’s petitions]. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
GIVE hope to the dying for the kingdom life that is to come, comfort those who grieve loss and restore relationships to those now separated, whatever the reason. Today, we remember [today’s petitions]. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
WE GIVE thanks for all our blessings in life Lord, only made possible by You including [today’s petitions]. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
The Celebrant concludes with this collect:
All this we ask in the name of your embodied love, Jesus the Christ, our only strength, and advocate, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever. Amen.
The Confession of Sin and Absolution
The Deacon says: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor: People:
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.
The Rector stands and says…
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.
Celebrant: WALK IN LOVE, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.
| The Choral Anthem | “Seek Ye First” | arr. Douglas Wagner |
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be added unto you; Alleluia.
Ask, and it shall be given unto you, seek, and ye shall find,
knock, and the door shall be opened unto you. Alleluia.
The Presentation of Elements and Offerings
| The Doxology | Old 100th |
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
Praise God, all creatures here below.
Praise God above, ye heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
The Eucharistic Prayer
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 our thanks and praise.
Celebrant: It is truly right, and good and joyful, to give you thanks, all-holy God, source of life and fountain of mercy.
The Celebrant continues…
You have filled us and all creation with your blessing and fed us with your constant love; you have redeemed us in Jesus Christ and knit us into one body. Through your Spirit you replenish us and call us to fullness of life.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. In fulfillment of his true promise, the Holy Spirit came down from heaven, lighting upon the disciples, to teach them and to lead them into all truth; uniting peoples of many tongues in the confession of one faith, and giving to your Church the power to serve you as a royal priesthood, and to preach the Gospel to all nations.
Therefore, joining with Angels and Archangels and with the faithful of every generation, we lift our voices with all creation as we sing:
| The Sanctus MHSO 38 | “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord” | John Bell |
The Sanctus MHSO 38 — “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord” (John Bell) — please paste a MusicXML score or upload the music image.
The Celebrant continues…
Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of the universe and giver of life. You formed us in your own image and called us to dwell in your infinite love.
You gave the world into our care that we might be your faithful stewards and show forth your bountiful grace.
But we failed to honor your image in one another and in ourselves; we would not see your goodness in the world around us; and so we violated your creation, abused one another, and rejected your love. Yet you never ceased to care for us, and prepared the way of salvation for all people.
Through Abraham and Sarah you called us into covenant with you. You delivered us from slavery, sustained us in the wilderness, and raised up prophets to renew your promise of salvation. Then, in the fullness of time, you sent your eternal Word, made mortal flesh in Jesus. Born into the human family, and dwelling among us, he revealed your glory. Giving himself freely to death on the cross, he triumphed over evil, opening the way of freedom and life.
On the night before he died for us, Our Savior Jesus Christ took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his friends, 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, 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 poured out for you and for all 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…
Remembering his death and resurrection, we now present to you from your creation this bread and this wine. By your Holy Spirit may they be for us the Body and Blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. Grant that we who share these gifts may be filled with the Holy Spirit and live as Christ’s Body in the world. Bring us into the everlasting heritage of your daughters and sons, that with St. Francis, St. Clare, and all your saints, past, present, and yet to come, we may praise your Name for ever.
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.
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray,
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 forever, and ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
| The Fraction Anthem WLP 867 | “The bread which we break” | Carl Haywood |
WLP 867 — “The bread which we break” (Carl Haywood) — please paste a MusicXML score or upload the music image.
Celebrant continues: 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.
WE INVITE ALL to join us and receive the Body and Blood of Christ at his table. If you desire to receive a blessing, please come to the altar with hands crossed over your chest. Gluten-free communion wafers and chalice are available upon request.
The Communion Response
“Prayer of St. Francis”
Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred; let me bring your love,
where there is injury, your pardon, Lord,
and where there’s doubt, true faith in you.
Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope,
where there is darkness only light,
and where there’s sadness ever joy.
Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love, with all my soul.
Make me a channel of your peace.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
in giving of ourselves that we receive,
and in dying that we are born to eternal life.
The Post-Communion Prayer
After Communion, the Celebrant says: All stand. Let us pray together: Celebrant and People:
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 Blessing
| Recessional Hymn WLP 801 | “God be with you till we meet again” | Randolph |
WLP 801 — “God be with you till we meet again” — please paste a MusicXML score or upload the music image.
The Dismissal
Deacon: Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
People: Thanks be to God.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
| The Postlude | “Festival for Organ” | James Mansfield |
All rights reserved.
St. Francis by the Sea Episcopal Church Welcomes You
Happy Birthday: Frances Jenkins (24th), Donna Standley (25th), Avery Stroud (26th)
Welcome! If you are new to St. Francis or visiting for the first time, we especially welcome you to our community of faith. We ask that you sign our guest register located at the back of the church.
Our Lobsterfest food drive is the largest one of the year, and it’s especially important this year since the need for food continues to increase in our community. We are collecting these items: boxed cereal, spaghetti, elbow macaroni, any canned vegetable except green beans, canned Sloppy Joe, canned chicken or beef, Hamburger/Tuna/Chicken Helper, and ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise in plastic containers. Please add your donations to the table in the parish hall.
A Celtic Spiritual Journey. Join us on Wednesday, September 23, as Mother Chris leads us on a brief journey into the heart of Celtic spirituality. We’ll explore the Celtic people and their Christian faith, including their understanding of God, creation, the Trinity, “thin places,” monastic life, and the beautiful hymns, poetry, and artwork of the Celtic tradition. We’ll begin with a 5:30 p.m. potluck meal, followed by the class. Come journey with us along the Celtic way of life, prayer, and the Spirit!
Meals on Wheels: The Meals Ministry Team continues to serve our community. Our remaining September date is September 22 (ham and macaroni and cheese). Thank you for your wonderful support of this ministry. We are able to serve 180 needy folks each month, as well as parishioners who are in need of meals. Remember that Love Meals are always available to anyone at any time; share the love with someone who would enjoy a meal!
Lobsterfest 2026 is Saturday, October 10, from 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. We’re less than 30 days away, so please keep pushing ticket sales! Tickets are $28 live, $30 for a single cooked lobster (no meal), and $39 for dine-in or take-out meals. Cash and credit are the same price. We’ll be serving 1.5-lb. Maine lobsters. Tickets are available at church on Wednesdays, Fridays, and during Sunday coffee hour, or through the parish website. You may check out up to 10 tickets at a time to sell to friends. Checks should be made payable to St. Francis by the Sea. For tickets or information, call/text 252-515-0040 or email sfbtslobsterfest@gmail.com.
We’ll also collect food and cash donations for Martha’s Mission Cupboard on Lobsterfest day. Bring food donations to the church and place them on the collection table—let’s see how many tables we can fill! We’re pleased to have nearly all our volunteer positions filled, but still need 1 AM and 1 PM lobster cutter, end-of-day cleanup, a PM dine-in ticket taker, traffic safety volunteers (AM & PM), and utensil dishwashers (AM & PM). Sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090C4DADA72DABF49-50365161-lobsterfest. Thank you for helping make Lobsterfest a success!
Coffee Hour: We encourage everyone to gather downstairs following our Sunday service for refreshments and to enjoy Christian fellowship. Please also wear your name tag to coffee hour. You may place your name tag on the Parish Administrator's desk at the end of coffee hour and the tags will be returned to the file in the sanctuary. Visitors are especially welcome, and a special note of thanks to our members who host coffee hour every Sunday!
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We prayerfully ask that you keep your offerings and pledges to Saint Francis by the Sea up-to-date. Thank you for your faithfulness to our church and to our Lord, Jesus Christ. You can support our ministries by donations via scanning the QR code below which will take you to our PayPal. We thank you for your attendance today and look forward to seeing you again!
[Image: QR Code for PayPal donations]
Worship Leaders
Rector: The Rev. Mary Kay Brown
Priest in Residence: The Rev. Chris Carlin
Deacon: The Rev. Deacon Robin Smith
Lector: Frances Jenkins
Prayers for the People: Kathy Driver
Torchbearers: Sarah Haigwood, Kelly Sheeks
Altar Guild: Jean Smith
Sunday School: Vicki Blanchard, Laura Leslie
Music Director: Craig Everett
Bells: Libba Shelton
Audio: Stover Morris
Videographer: John Clarke
Chalice: Elizabeth Sheeks, Kelly Sheeks
Crucifer: Donald Johnson
Greeters: Beth Beswick, Bob Blalock
Vestry of the Day: John Clarke
Coffee Hour: Kay Brackins / Sarah Criddle / Lisa Park
Vestry Members
Vestry Class of 2026
Pam Ball, Senior Warden
Sharon Birmingham
Terry Smith
Vestry Class of 2027
John Clarke, Junior Warden
Laura Leslie
Terry Parrish
Vestry Class of 2028
Kathy Driver
Bruce Jobe
Mary Kurek
[Image: Episcopal Church Shield]
Saint Francis by the Sea Episcopal Church
920 Salter Path Road • Salter Path, NC 28512
(252) 240-2388 • www.stfrancisbythesea.org • stfrancisbts@gmail.com
A parish of the Diocese of East Carolina • The Rt. Rev. Sarah K. Fisher, Bishop
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