THE SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
September 13, 2026
11:00 AM
RECTOR, PRESIDER & PREACHER: The Rev. Martin Pommerenke
MUSIC DIRECTOR and ORGANIST: Stephen Kennedy
VANDELINDER FELLOW and ASSISTANT ORGANIST: Jimmy Jeffery
VANDELINDER FELLOW and ORGANIST: Dominic Fiacco
We seek to serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves.
We strive for justice and peace among all people,
respecting the dignity of every human being.
Welcome
We seek to mirror the love of God and the hospitality of Jesus in our worship and our service to others. We are a community welcoming all races, ethnicities, faiths, genders, orientations, and abilities. Our worship is open to all, and every person is invited to receive communion.
VOLUNTARY Sonata No. 1 in F Minor II. Adagio Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdi (1809-1846)
The Entrance Rite
INTROIT Da pacem
HYMN 410 Praise my soul, the King of Heaven
THE WORD OF GOD
OPENING ACCLAMATION
GLORIA IN EXCELSIS Christ Church Mass - Stephen Kennedy (b. 1962)
The Word of God
Presider: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Presider: Let us pray.
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
THE FIRST READING: EXODUS 14:19-31
The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. At the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come4back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.” So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great work that the Lord did againstthe Egyptians. So the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
GRADUAL PSALM 114
Observing a longer pause at the asterisk. Tone accents are underlined
1 Cantors: Hallelujah! When Israel came out of / Egypt, *
the house of Jacob from a peo-/ple of strange speech,
All: 2 Judah became God's sanctu-/ary *
and Israel / his dominion.
3 The sea beheld it and / fled; *
Jordan / turned and went back.
4 The mountains / skipped like rams, *
and the little / hills like young sheep.
5 What ailed you, O sea, / that you fled? *
O Jordan, / that you turned back?
6 You mountains, that you / skipped like rams? *
you little / hills like young sheep?
7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence / of the Lord, *
at the presence of the / God of Jacob,
8 Who turned the hard rock into a pool of /water *
and flint-stone in-/to a flowing spring.
SECOND READING: Romans 14:1-12
Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand. Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God. We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written,
"As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God."
So then, each of us will be accountable to God.
ALLELUIA VERSE Timebunt gentes
GOSPEL: Matthew 18:21-35
Gospeler: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Peter came and said to Jesus, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Gospeler: The Gospel of the Lord
People : Praise to you, Lord Christ
SERMON The Rev. Martin Pommerenke
Please take a moment for silent reflection.
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,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
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,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who 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 Form III, BCP 387
All remain standing or kneel
Father, we pray for your holy catholic Church;
That we all may be one.
Grant that every member of the Church may truly and humbly serve you;
That your Name may be glorified by all people.
7We pray for all bishops, priests, and deacons;
That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacraments.
We pray for all who govern and hold authority in the nations of the world;
That there may be justice and peace on the earth.
Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake;
That our works may find favor in your sight.
Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble;
That they may be delivered from their distress.
Give to the departed eternal rest;
Let light perpetual shine upon them.
We praise you for your saints who have entered into joy;
May we also come to share in your heavenly kingdom.
Let us pray for our own needs and those of others.
Silence. The People may add their own petitions.
The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect:
Almighty and eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully accept the prayers of your people, and strengthen us to do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
CONFESSION OF SIN
The Celebrant says
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Minister and 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.
Celebrant:
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
Presider: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People: And also with you.
Parish announcements and offertory sentence
OFFERTORY- To donate electronically, please scan this QR code.
Donate here
Your monetary offering- whether given in the offering plate or by online donation- supports the worship, pastoral care, and outreach of Christ Church as we seek to love and serve God and our neighbors. Thank you for your generosity.
PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS
THE HOLY COMMUNION
OFFERTORY HYMN: HYMN 593 Lord, make us servants of thy peace
SURSUM CORDA
Through Jesus Christ our Lord; who on the first day of the week overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
SANCTUS
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all. He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper he 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 shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holySacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom. All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ. By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever.
LORD’S PRAYER
THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD
A period of silence is kept.
FRACTION ANTHEM
Invitation to Communion
Presider: 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.
Everyone, without exception is welcome to receive Holy Communion.
ANTHEM Let all the world - Norman Gilbert (1912-1975)
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
The heavens are not too high,
His praise may thither fly;
The earth is not too low,
His praises there may grow.
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
The Church with psalms must shout,
No door can keep them out;
But above all the heart
Must bear the longest part.
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
Silence follows the anthem
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER
Celebrant says:Let us pray.
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.
BLESSING
Sung response: Amen
HYMN 334 Praise the Lord, rise up rejoicing
ITE MISSA EST and DEO GRATIAS Mass VIII (De Angelis)Mode 5
VOLUNTARY Fugue in C major, BWV 545/ii by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Parish Notices
MEET THE RECTOR EVENTS
This month and next, we’re hosting gatherings for Fr. Martin to meet parishioners. We’ll have a light agenda: where
we will be sharing stories and hearing about what you love about Christ Church. This will also be a great time for
newcomers to meet people. We’ll offer these on various weekdays to accommodate schedules. You may select your
preferred dates from the emailed Google form that was sent out on August 27th. Thanks to Deb Vanderbilt for
organizing these. Sign up on a paper form available at the back of the church or write to the
office@christchurchrochester.org to receive the emailed form.
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4
Bring your pets to church at the 11:00 am service on Sunday October 4, (Note: the 8:00 am service will be
pet-free that Sunday.) We bless pets on the first Sunday of October because the first day of St Francis of
Assisi is October 4, and he is the patron saint of animals and creation.
NAME TAGS
Please fill out a name tag at the table at the back of the church to get acquainted with everyone who enters. Peel-
and-stick name tags welcome newcomers and help everyone, even long-timers, remember names.
NEW OR VISITING WITH US TODAY?
We’re glad to see you! Please feel welcome to sign our guest book at the rear of the church (behind the pews). If
you’d like to know more about programs and activities at Christ Church, fill out a pew slip and place it in the
offering plate when it is passed around.
CALENDAR ORGANIZATION
If you lead a group here, we want to make sure your event is on our radar - and on our calendar. It might not be, so
please email Lori, our office administrator, at office@christchurchrochester.org. You can also reach her by calling
454-3878. Going forward, she’ll be the sole point of contact for building usage and scheduling off site church
events.
CELEBRATION OF NEW MINISTRY WITH FR. MARTIN – NOVEMBER 21 - SAVE THE DATE!
We’ve confirmed with the Bishop’s office that Martin’s Celebration of New Ministry liturgy with Bishop Kara will
happen on Saturday, November 21, 11:00 am. This will be a big liturgy (and big party!) for the whole parish, so do
plan to attend.
DATES TO SAVE
• Sunday, October 4 - St. Francis Sunday / Blessing of the Animals & Compline Resumes
• Sunday, November 1 - All Saints’ Day
• Friday, November 6 - Annual Fund pledge card ingathering & All Saints’ Gala
• Saturday, November 21 - Celebration of New Ministry with Fr. Martin
MUSIC
.
Tuesday Pipes – Each Tuesday at 12:10 pm is a 30-minute organ concert. These concerts are collaborations
between the Eastman School of Music and Christ Church and feature faculty and students from ESM and
occasional guest organists.
Compline resumes Sunday, October 4, at 9 p.m. and continues every Sunday at 9 p.m. through April
• Candlelight Concerts precede Compline, at 8:30 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month. On these first
Sundays, a cookie reception follows Compline, attended by many Eastman students and other young
people. Watch for information on how you might offer hospitality to those for whom compline is a
valuable experience of spirituality and connection.
CANDLELIGHT CONCERT SERIES
First Sunday concerts preceding Compline at 8:30 p.m. Receptions
follow 9:00 p.m. on these evenings
OCTOBER 4: Elinor Freer and Andrew Harley pianists
NOVEMBER 1: William Porter organist
DECEMBER 6: Malcolm Matthews organist
JANUARY 5: Andrew Johnson organist
FEBRUARY 2: Dominic Fiacco organist
MARCH 2: James Jeffery organist
APRIL 6: Noah Fields and Chris Petit, Arvo Pärt Fratras and more
GIFTS - ROCHESTER RAPID RESPONSE NETWORK
has a fund to support our immigrant neighbors
in urgent need: things like grocery shopping, rent relief, and other financial needs. This fund comes entirely
from individual contributions via Venmo. If you would like to contribute, their Venmo handle is
@rocrapidresponse.
OFFICE INFORMATION
Lori Frank, Office Administrator office@christchurchrochester.org
The Rev. Martin Pommerenke, Rector martin@christchurchrochester.org
Office Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday
Phone: (585)-454-3878
Sexton’s Hours: Sundays: 6:30 - 1 and 3:30 - 5 / Mon to Thurs: 7:30 to 3:30
Rector’s Workdays: Sunday to Thursday (Saturday work make-up day: Monday)
PARISH LEADERSHIP
Rector- The Rev. Martin W. Pommerenke III
Wardens- Val Jutsum, Deb VanderBilt Vestry- Jeremy Cooney, Jim Kurmis, Norma Hopcraft,
Kristy Liddell, Nancy Norwood, Shirley Ricker, Craig Smith, Jim Ford, Fred Scipione
MONTHLY EVENTS
Vestry Meeting - 3rd Tuesday Monthly @ 6:30 – 8:00 pm – Guild Room
Writer’s Circle at Christ Church – 1st Saturday of the month @ 3:00-5:00 pm contact John
Cedarleaf.
PARISH PRAYER LIST
Please keep these people and intentions in your prayers this week -
Our new rector, Martin Pommerenke, the wardens, and vestry. The sick and the suffering, John D’Amanda,
Norma Kurmis, Bob Brennan, Cora McCallum, Kevin Finnigan, Ellen Iaia (Steve’s mother), Adele (John
D’Amanda’s 9 yr old niece) Kina Knight (Kristy Liddel’s mom), Antonio Taylor, Judy (Kevin Finnigan’s
cousin), John Ford, David Tinkelman, Meg Love’s brother, Tim, Hugh Gray’s sister who lost her home in a
flood, Tom, a friend of Jim Ford, Kat’s roommate, and Capt. Charles Lewis, deployed to the Middle East; for
refugees and immigrants, those lacking housing, employment, and the necessities of life. Those affected by
poverty, bigotry, violence, war, and oppression. In thanksgiving for the many blessings, we have been given.
