Messiah - St.

Bartholomew Episcopal Church

The Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost
Oct. 25, 2020
11:00 a.m.
(an online service)

The Rev. Isaac K.N.O. Bonney, Priest –In-Charge

Clifford Michael Gale and Donna M. Strickland, Wardens
Introit Love Lifted Me Pg 9
Song Joyful, Joyful Pg 9
Opening Acclamation
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. 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 the Holy Spirit, that
we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your Holy Name. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity;
and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Reading
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is
opposite Jericho, and the LORD showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all
Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western
Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as
far as Zoar. The LORD said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to
Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it
with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” Then Moses, the servant of the
LORD, died there in the land of Moab, at the LORD’s command. He was buried in a
valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to
this day. Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was
unimpaired and his vigor had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of
Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.
Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands
on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face
to face. He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the LORD sent him to
perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land,
and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses
performed in the sight of all Israel.

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Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17
Refrain: We shall rejoice all the days of our lives.

1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, *
nor lingered in the way of sinners,
nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
2 Their delight is in the law of the LORD, *
and they meditate on his law day and night.
3 They are like trees planted by streams of water,
bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; *
everything they do shall prosper.
4 It is not so with the wicked; *
they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes, *
nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, *
but the way of the wicked is doomed.

Second Reading
I Thessalonians 2:1-8
You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but
though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know,
we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition.
For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we
have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we
speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as
God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor
did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have
made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly
caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share
with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become
very dear to us.
Song I Love the Lord Pg 9

The Holy Gospel

Matthew 22:34-46
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together,
and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which
commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “’You shall love the Lord
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your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the
greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: “What
do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.”
He said to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying,
‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your
feet”’? If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?” No one was able to give
him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

Homily Fr. Isaac K.N.O. Bonney

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.
Prayers of the People
During the Prayers of the people unmute or press *6 on your phone to join in the responses.

Holy God, lover of justice, you have promised that your presence will go with us to guide
and protect your people: Show us your glory, that we may know you and find favor in your
sight, as we pray: Proclaim the greatness of our God, for our God is the Holy One.
Holy God, you have chosen your Church for your work of faith and labor of love and
steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ: Grant that we may be true to you, not in
word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, with full conviction.
Proclaim the greatness of our God, for our God is the Holy One.

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Transcendent God, you urge this nation and all in authority into your ways of peace and
equality: Save our leaders from showing partiality and grant them vision and courage to
give only that which is appropriate to the claims of politics and state, and to give to God the
things that are God's.
Proclaim the greatness of our God, for our God is the Holy One.
Immanent One, your presence is everywhere and your glory touches all the earth: Show
your gracious goodness to people throughout the world, so that all may know you and find
favor in your sight.
Proclaim the greatness of our God, for our God is the Holy One.
Loving and gracious God, your presence inspires us and our neighbors in this community to
continue to work in faith, to labor in love, and to be steadfast in hope. Let our welcome go
forth in grace and peace.
Proclaim the greatness of our God, for our God is the Holy One.
Merciful One, your grace and peace fill our community and connect us with ties of loving
regard:
Hear our prayers for those whom we remember in intercession, especially our sick:
Accept our grateful thanksgiving for the goodness of life, especially for our church and
families.
Receive into the full vision of your goodness and glory those who have died.
Proclaim the greatness of our God, for our God is the Holy One.
Living and true God, your strong arm is extended to bring justice and truth to the whole
world: Guide the powerful into your ways and keep us ever faithful to your will, that
everyone in heaven and earth may work to bring about your intention for universal
reconciliation and peace; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Peace
The Blessing
God has chosen you, for the message of the gospel has come to you not in word only, but
also in power. Therefore, give to God the things that are God's.
Let the Divine Word sound forth through your work of faith and labor of love and
steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Receive the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, that your trust in God's Spirit may
become known in every place.
And the grace and peace of our wonderful God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you and
empower you, now and forever. Amen.
Closing Song I Will Trust in the Lord Pg 9

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 The Dismissal
____________________________________________________________________________

SPECIAL INTENTIONS
Please pray for those in distress of body, mind or spirit: Marzelle, Laura,
Dianne, Renee, Sarah, Florence, Ted, Van, Cannute, Mary Hope, Shirley W.,
Covid-19 patients, The City of Chicago, Jean Anthony, Jacob Blake Jr.,
Louis Jordan. Darryl Fleming
October Birthdays: Patricia Mitchell – 6 * Pat Cornelius-Woods – 14
Russell Fletcher – 15 * Van Johnson – 20 * Aletha Abaryea – 22

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sunday Service at 11 AM
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81276874031?pwd=S2xSVTJ4T0t1RWdFUjV5NSt1MFZ5UT09
Phone: 312-626-6799
Meeting ID: 812 7687 4031
Passcode: 902663
MSB EXPRESS
Diocesan News
183rd Annual Convention. The 183rd Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of
Chicago will be held on Saturday, November 21, 2020 as a virtual gathering between 9:00
a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Voting participants at convention include the clergy of the diocese and
lay delegates elected from each congregation. All voting will be conducted electronically.
General attendees and visitors are invited to observe the proceedings online or to listen by
phone. . Our MSB lay delegates are: Ms. Marjorie Jones, Mr. Darius Fearrington, and
Dr. Florence Townsend. Fr. Bonney will also be in attendance.

In our continuing series on the candidates for the next Bishop of Chicago, let’s get to know the
second candidate in alphabetical order: The Rev. Edwin Daniel Johnson
Gratitude abounds as I get to employ,
God’s gifts in my life for mutual joy.
Working to move this world towards the Heavenly thesis.
Playing my small role in the movement of Jesus.
With a wing and a prayer sweet as David’s song.
Partners I continue to seek in this dance lifelong.
God has waxed poetically and musically, in creation, in our Scriptures and in my life,
though my understanding of God’s rhythm and meter is limited. As a child the sweet lullaby
of my loving family helped me understand God as caretaker and blessing-maker. It was here
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I felt the call to become priest and parent. At the heart of my work for justice is a desire for
all to experience such love and care during formative and/or transformative years.
Through the clave and rhythms echoing through my Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latin church
and family, God revealed that the Incarnation is ongoing, in people like me, in people far
different from me. I emerged with deep curiosity for those different from me, a sense of the
Spiritual gifts that manifest in others and a hunger for the Scriptural grounding to
understand and amplify where the Spirit is showing up. I minister so that others may come
to know their giftedness and how their narratives reflect those of our Spiritual ancestors as
we collectively breathe, act and pray God’s kingdom into being.
Amidst the loud percussion of at times dangerous urban environments, I learned first-hand
what it means to pray with my whole being. I learned also where and how God meets us in
the darkness and also how we fall short when we fail to recognize our own or other’s
belovedness. It is for this reason our catechism teaches that the heart of the church’s mission
is reconciliation, for that is what we need. Inspired by this, I preach unceasingly that we are
called to sit, stand, march and move with the oppressed. Our troubled times of division have
made this all the more clear to me.
In adulthood, God has reached me in the silence, in the “rests” amongst the harmonies.
Ignatian and other contemplative practices have blessed me in the midst of my loud
extroverted life. I’ve pushed the communities I’ve led to move beyond areas of familiarity
and comfort to find God.
As I’ve sought to recreate God’s lullaby for my children, I’ve begun to understand just how
much I depend on God. As I’ve seen my sons toddle through hazards, smiling brightly as they
are swept out of harm's way, I realize that my journey has involved far less walking than
toddling and being held by God. I believe doing church the right way means offering that
embrace of belovedness to those who need it most.
Life is a prayer and we participate in an eternal priesthood. If I can bring depth and rhythm to
the former and lift up the latter in all I meet, I will have played my part.
For more information on how Rev. Johnson answered the essay can be found here:
https://chicago-bishop-search.squarespace.com/edwin-johnson
Conversations/Coffee Hour
At the last Coffee Hour, we discussed about meeting outside the Sunday service to just have
conversations with no agenda as a means of keeping connected. We have tried in the past four
weeks to do exactly that. However, except for one person, no one has showed up for it.
In conversation with the Vestry, we have decided to have Coffee Hour twice a month beginning
with the first Sunday in November (All Saints Sunday). The Coffee Hour will be the opportunity
for us to catch up with one another.
Food Pantry Ministry
The Food Pantry continues to feed and minister to people in and around our community who
need food. On October 16th, we served 17 families.

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 Devotion
“It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle
of the night or toward daybreak.” Luke 12:38
Early on in life, I learned that the difference between a happy end of term at school and a
miserable one was whether or not my parents were happy with my report card.
Likewise, the state of readiness in which our Lord Jesus Christ finds us will determine whether
the coming of the Lord will be a time of joy and celebration or a time of fear and trembling.
Dear God, make me vigilant so that I may recognize You in all my encounters today. And grant
me the grace to be ready to demonstrate Your love and who You are with each of these
encounters. Amen.
Action item
“Each choice we make in life is either for God or against God. As we go through the day, let’s
pay attention to each decision we have to make, and note whether its for God or against God.
And where we cannot or do not chose God, let’s ask ourselves why and if we can, make a
different decision. God bless.
Rev. Akua Buabema.

SERVICE HYMNS
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1 Joyful, joyful, we adore You, I love you, Lord; you heard my cries,
God of glory, Lord of love; and pitied every groan;
Hearts unfold like flow'rs before You, Long as I live, when troubles rise,
Op'ning to the sun above. I'll hasten to your throne.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
I love you, Lord; you bow your ear;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
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