November 7, 2026 - First Sunday of The Kingdom
Instrumental prelude
Each week we take a few moments for silent prayer and reflection during the instrumental prelude. We invite you to quiet your conversations as we begin, and to join us in quiet prayer; to pause for a moment without words, and enter this place with quietness and trust before the Lord.
Call to worship: (standing together)
Hallelujah, for the love that saves me
THE ACCLAMATION (standing together)
Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus Christ is the firstborn from the dead;
to him be glory and power for ever and ever. Alleluia.
PRAYER FOR EVENING VIGIL
THE PHOS HILARON
Hail, gladdening light,
Pure brightness of the everliving Father in Heaven,
Hail, Jesus Christ!
Holy and blessèd one.
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
And our eyes behold the vesper light,
We sing your praises, O God:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices;
O Son of God, O Giver of Life,
And to be glorified through all the Worlds.
AMEN.
THE COLLECT FOR PURITY
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 COLLECT OF THE DAY (standing together)
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Let us pray.
Almighty Father, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of all: govern the hearts and minds of those in authority, and bring the families of the nations, divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin, to be subject to his just and gentle rule; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Sung Worship (standing together)
King of My Heart
Verse 1
Let the King of my heart, be the mountain where I run
The fountain I drink from, oh He is my song
Let the King of my heart, be the shadow where I hide
The ransom for my life, oh He is my Song
CHORUS
You are good, good, oh, oh
You are good, good, oh, oh
Verse 2
Let the King of my heart, be the wind inside my sails
The anchor in the waves, oh He is my song
Let the King of my heart, be the fire inside my veins
The echo of my days, oh He is my song
Bridge
You're never gonna let, never gonna let me down
You're never gonna let, never gonna let me down
CHORUS
You are good, good, oh, oh
You are good, good, oh, oh
THE LESSON (please be seated)
A reading from the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 21: 1-5a):
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them and be their God;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.”
And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.”
The Word of the Lord,
Thanks be to God.
Sung Worship (continues)
How Great Thou Art
Oh Lord, my God
When I, in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
THE GOSPEL (standing together)
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark. (Mark 4: 26-34)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle because the harvest has come.”
He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
*Parents, please check your kids in at their classrooms. 🌠
Sung Worship Continues
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration
And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
I will bless the Lord at all times
I will bless the Lord
The Message Mother Jen Keifer
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (kneeling or seated as you’re able)
Celebrant: Let us with confidence present our hearts and prayers to the throne of grace.
Intercessor:
We pray for all those in positions of power, that they may govern with wisdom and integrity, serving the needs of their people.
May your reign come;
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the Church, the sign of your reign, that it may extend your welcome to people of every race and background.
May your kingdom come;
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for Christians of every denomination, that together we may come to understand the royal priesthood you bestowed on us in baptism.
May your dominion come;
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those whose commitment to truth brings them into conflict with earthly powers, that they may have the courage to endure.
May your rule come;
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for this community of faith, that attentive to your word we may always worship in spirit and in truth.
May your reign come;
Lord, hear our prayer.
The Celebrant concludes:
(A prayer of Pope Leo, from November 3rd)
Lord of life, all we have comes from you:
the fertile land, the talents we’ve received, the effort of those who came before us. Nothing is ours alone — everything is a shared gift.
But so often, Lord, we let the wealth we seek or attain harden our hearts, lock us in selfishness, and make us forget the most vulnerable.
Forgive us for storing up instead of sharing, for using goods as power rather than as service.
You remind us that true wealth is not found in what we keep
but in what we give with love. A heart detached from possessions transforms the world: It opens paths of justice, tears down walls of indifference, and sows hope among the poor.
We ask you, Lord, that your Spirit teach us to use what we have —
money, time, talents, opportunities — as instruments of fraternity.
May each economic, family, or community decision spring from a free heart, able to recognize that every good is meant for all, and that only by sharing we build the future.
Make us witnesses of a wealth transformed into service and mercy, so that our lives, united to the lives of others, may be a sign of your kingdom of justice and peace.
THE NICENE CREED (standing together)
Let’s stand together and recall the narrative summary of God’s love story
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten 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 from the Holy Spirit and 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, 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.
THE CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION OF SIN
(kneeling or seated as you’re able)
Let's confess our sins and those things that prevent our being filled with
love for God and our neighbors:
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.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who in his great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all those who sincerely repent and with true faith turn to him, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
THE PEACE (standing together)
The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
And with your spirit.
(Let’s greet one another with a sign of peace)
Announcements and Upcoming Events -
more details on our Events Page
Ascension artwork by Ukrainian artist, Ivanka Demchuk
New Baby!
Sarah Hagen wrote to say that she, Will, and George welcomed Theodore (Teddy) Henry Hagen on September 30 (sorry for the delay here — I had a few emails disappear, unbeknownst to me). All are doing well and big brother George couldn’t be prouder of our new addition!
New Baby!
Miles Josef Vaselkiv was born to Matt and Bailey and Beau on October 29, a big boy at 9.5 lbs.
Be sure to stop by our Take Them a Meal Page and support our community
The Joseph Fund - ARDF Relief Support for the People of Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Mozambique, Turkey, Syria, Earthquake, Wildfire, Hurricane relief and other relief efforts.
Details on our Missions Page
Healing Hands
The hands of the king are healing hands, and thus shall the rightful king be known.
- JRR Tolkien
Movie Night Tonight at 530pm Of Gods and Men, Potluck Next Week! Online Coffee Hour!
Check out the latest update on our News page
Christmas Eve at Trinity North Shore in Manchester by the Sea
4 pm in the CROWELL CHAPEL
3 Rosedale Ave, Manchester-by-the-Sea
Details on our Events Page
*Parents: Following the announcements, please pick up your kids at their class room. Thanks! 🌠
Sung Worship/Offering: we worship together with our hearts in song and in giving
the opportunity to worship through giving is available online here.
There is also a giving area near the welcome table. Look for the box shaped like a church building on the table near the entry.
Beautiful Scandalous Night
Go on up to the mountain of mercy
To the crimson perpetual tide
Kneel down on the shore
Be thirsty no more
Go under and be purified
Follow Christ to the holy mountain
Sinner sorry and wrecked by the fall
Cleanse your heart and your soul
In the fountain that flows
For you and for me and for all
Chorus
At the wonderful, tragic, mysterious tree
On that beautiful, scandalous night you and me
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white
On that beautiful, scandalous night
Verse 3
On the hillside, you will be delivered
At the foot of the cross justified
And your spirit restored
By the river that poured
From our blessed Savior's side
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen.
THE PRESENTATION OF THE GIFTS
All things come from you, O Lord,
And of your own have we given you.
THE SURSUM CORDA (standing together)
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is right, our duty and our joy, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Through Jesus Christ our Lord; for he is your living Word from before time and for all ages; by him you created all things, and by him you make all things new. 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:
THE SANCTUS
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.
THE PRAYER OF CONSECRATION
(kneeling as you’re able or sitting)
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself; and when we had sinned against you and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent your only Son Jesus Christ into the world for our salvation. By the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary he became flesh and dwelt among us. In obedience to your will, he stretched out his arms upon the Cross and offered himself once for all, that by his suffering and death we might be saved. By his resurrection he broke the bonds of death, trampling Hell and Satan under his feet. As our great high priest, he ascended to your right hand in glory, that we might come with confidence before the throne of grace.
On the night that he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is my Body, which is given for you: Do this in remembrance of me.”
Likewise, after supper, Jesus took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink this, all of you; for 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 in remembrance of me.”
Celebrant: Therefore, we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and we offer you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Word and Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Sanctify us also, that we may worthily receive this holy Sacrament, and be made one body with him, that he may dwell in us and we in him. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us with all your saints into the joy of your heavenly kingdom, where we shall see our Lord face to face.
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.
Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray:
Our Father in heaven,
your Name be hallowed,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
as in heaven, also on earth.
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 yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
(Matthew 6:9–13)
THE FRACTION
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast, Alleluia!
THE MINISTRATION OF COMMUNION
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.
A PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
(for those with us online)
Lord Jesus, truly present in the Holy Sacrament: come spiritually into my heart and give me yourself, for I love you above all else, and I desire to be united with you within my soul.
Amen.
Reminder Communion Instructions: Prayer and Blessing Opportunities are available from a member of the prayer team as you return to your seat after receiving the bread and wine. Personal and Confidential Prayer is available following the service.
Sung Worship
Goodness of God
I love You Lord
Oh Your mercy never fails me
All my days I've been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh I will sing of the goodness of God
All my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh I will sing of the goodness of God
I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
In darkest night You are close like no other
I've known You as a Father
I've known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God
All my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh I will sing of the goodness of God
Your goodness is running after it's running after me
Your goodness is running after it's running after me
With my life laid down I surrender now
I give You everything
Your goodness is running after it's running after me
All my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh I will sing of the goodness of God
THE POST COMMUNION PRAYER (standing together)
Heavenly Father, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal Kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever.
Amen.
THE BLESSING
Go forth into the world in peace; be of good courage; hold fast that which is good; render to no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honor everyone; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.
Amen!
THE DISMISSAL
Alleluia, alleluia: go in peace to love and serve the Lord
Thanks be to God, Alleluia, alleluia.
SUNG WORSHIP
All my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh I will sing of the goodness of God
May the Peace of God be with you tonight
*Personal and Confidential Prayer is available after the service in the back of the chapel, look for the team with the Prayer badges around their shoulders.
Cn Timothy Clayton, lead pastor
Mtr Jen Keifer, clergy
Michael Pritzl, sung worship leader
Ian Clayton, production, guitar
Jennifer Mahnke, vocals
Juniper Mahnke, vocals
Jodi Fryling, reader, intercessor
sung worship during Kingdom Season:
Psalm 139 (Hallelujah for the Love that Saves Me) and Glory Be, written by Michael J Pritzl
Better is One Day, written by Kate Miner
None But Jesus, written by Antonio Romero / Brooke Ligertwood / Tania Braun
I Exalt Thee, written by Pete Sanchez
Doxology, written by Thomas Ken in 1674
O Praise the Name, written by Martin W. Sampson / Benjamin William Hastings / Dean Michael Ussher
Goodness of God, written by Ben Fielding / Brian Johnson / Edward Martin Cash / Jason Ingram / Jenn Johnson
The Solid Rock, written by Edward Mote composed by William Bradbury
Here I am to Worship, written by Tim Hughes
O My Redeemer, written by Mike Duran
All Hail King Jesus, written by Jeremy Riddle, Steffany Dawn Gretzinger, Ran Matthew Jackson, Peter Benjamin Mattis
Sanctus, written by Peter Scholtes, adapted by Michael Pritzl and Cindy Rethmeier
Maker of the Stars, written by Michael Pritzl
Were You There (When they Crucified My Lord), African American spiritual likely composed by enslaved African Americans in the 19th century. In 1940, it was included in the Episcopal Church hymnal, making it the first spiritual to be included in any major American hymnal
Blessed be the Name of the Lord, written by Matt Redman
King of my Heart, written by Sarah and John Mark MacMillan
This is My Father’s World, Lyrics by Maltbie Babcock 1901; Tune: "Terra Beata" arranged by Franklin Sheppard 1915
Till I See You, written by Joel Timothy Houston / Jadwin Gillies
What Joy is Found, written by Jeremy Riddle
Beautiful Scandalous Night, written by Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong
Here’s my Heart, written by Chris Tomlin
Cannons, written by Phil Wickham
God of Wonders, written by Marc Byrd and Steve Hindalong
Throne of Grace, written by John Barnett as adapted by Michael Pritzl
There is a Redeemer, written by Melody Green
Tis the Old Ship of Zion, African American Spiritual written by African American slave M. J. Cartwright sometime around 1889 (exact date not known), played to a tune written by Daniel B. Towner
Breathe, written by Marie Barnett, John Barnett, Michael Pritzl
The Wondrous Cross, Written by Sir Isaac Watts to the tune of Rockingham by Edward Miller
as adapted by Michael Pritzl
10,000 reasons, written by Matt Redman
Today’s liturgy is from the Book of Common Prayer 2019.
The Kingdom Season is part of Ordinary Time in the Church of England's liturgical calendar. However, the Church of England encourages the use of red vestments between All Saints Day and Christ the King to differentiate the period.
The Sundays of the Kingdom are an opportunity to understand what the Kingdom of God means in our lives and in the lives of others. The final Sunday of the Kingdom season is a celebration of Christ the King.
In the Church of England, "the period between All Saints' Day and the First Sunday of Advent is observed as a time of celebration and reflection on the reign of Christ in earth and heaven". Despite the official nomenclature, this period is commonly named the Kingdom Season by those churches choosing to observe it.
In the Church in Wales, the Kingdom Season was formally enshrined in the revised "Church in Wales Lectionary" of 2004 and the companion volume "Times and Seasons" published in 2017. The final four Sundays of the year (which follow All Saints' Day) are officially named the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Sundays of the Kingdom, with the "Fourth Sunday of the Kingdom" also named "Christ the King".[8] The Times and Seasons publication identifies the Kingdom Season as a subsection of Ordinary Time, and states: "This season of discipleship [Ordinary Time] culminates in the Kingdom Season. A relatively recent season, it arises from the need to provide shape to commemorations focussing on earth and heaven with Christ’s Kingship over all
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We all live on Indigenous land. We would like to acknowledge the Massachusett Tribe: the tribe of Indigenous peoples from whom the Colony, Province, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts have taken their name. We would like to pay our respect to the ancestral bloodline of the Massachusett Tribe and their descendants who still inhabit historical Massachusett Tribe territories to this day.
We are grateful to Thomas Green, VP of the Massachusett Tribe, for providing this paragraph. https://massachusetttribe.org/the-tribe
Saturday Evening Vigils
The practice of holding vigils on Saturday evening has roots in ancient Christian traditions, originally as the solemn Great Vigil of Easter, which was a night-long watch that celebrated the resurrection of Christ and was the first celebration of Easter. Over time, the vigil shifted to Saturday morning in some traditions, primarily due to fasting rules, but was restored to the evening in the mid-20th century, and Saturday evening Mass for Sunday obligations became a common practice in the 1970s
”Trinity”, and “Ascension” artwork by Ukrainian Icon Artist, Ivanka Demchuk
be·gin·ning
/bəˈɡiniNG/
noun: the point in time or space at which something starts.
mer·cy
/ˈmərsē/
noun: compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.
