July 4, 2021, The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

This period in the Church year is known as “The Season after Pentecost” or “Ordinary Time.”  The term “ordinary” refers to how the New Testament passages are generally read in order or in sequence, as opposed to being arranged by specific theme as in other seasons.  During this season the Gospel passages focus on the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and how he is revealed to the world as the Christ.  In Year B (the second in a three-year cycle: A, B & C) most of the Gospel passages are from the Gospel according to Mark.  The Old Testament Lesson and the Psalm are chosen because they relate to the words and message of Jesus.  The New Testament Lesson is independent of these readings and is almost always taken from one of the Letters in the New Testament that reflects the common life and mission of the first Christian community.

Our Preacher this morning is the Rev. Peter Powell.


Today’s In Person Worship

  • Every Sunday at 8am the Eucharist (Rite 1) is celebrated in the Church.  The service is from the red Book of Common Prayer, beginning on page 323, and includes 2 pre-recorded hymns, and lasts about 45 minutes. Weather permitting coffee and tea are available in Garden afterwards.
  • Every Sunday at 10am the Eucharist (Rite 2) is celebrated in the Church. The service is from the red Book of Common Prayer, beginning on page 355.  See below for detailed music information.  The service lasts about an hour.  Weather permitting coffee and tea are available in Garden afterwards.
  • Please review these Guidelines before attending worship at Christ Church.

NOTE: Limited congregational singing (with masks on) will resume this Sunday.  We will add more congregational singing at the 10am in the the coming weeks.


Today’s Live-Stream Worship & Sermon Archives


Sunday Offerings & Financial Donations to Christ Church

Christ Church is supported by the generosity of members and friends who donate time, talent, and money to the church to ensure that it is open, staffed, safe, and active. God has given each of us many gifts and we are called to use them to build up the church and to show the spread the love of God to our community. Click on the Donate Button for a variety of ways to support Christ Church, including one-time donations, annual pledges, and raising funds through FaceBook or Amazon.


Today’s Propers (Collect & Lections from Holy Scripture)

The Collect

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Old Testament

Ezekiel 2:1-5

The Lord said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you. And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day. The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord God.” Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them.

The Psalm

Psalm 123  Ad te levavi oculos meos

1 To you I lift up my eyes, *
to you enthroned in the heavens.

2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, *
and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,

3 So our eyes look to the Lord our God, *
until he show us his mercy.

4 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy, *
for we have had more than enough of contempt,

5 Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, *
and of the derision of the proud.

The Epistle

2 Corinthians 12:2-10

I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

The Gospel

Mark 6:1-13

Jesus came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.  Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.


Today’s Music

At the 10am service, the following recorded hymn will be offered by our full choir:
Hymn: “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord” 
Words: Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910), alt.
Music: BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC (JOHN BROWN’S BODY) adapted from an American folk hymn by William Steffe (1830-1890).
Words and music in the public domain.
Organ arrangement by Jeffrey Hoffman (b. 1970), copyright © 2020. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Performed by Laurelyn Watson Chase, Jann Degnan, Jeffrey Hoffman, and Simon Cram, professional choristers; with members of the parish choir Linda Gerra, Cheryl Greenhalgh, and Emily Kane; Jeffrey Hoffman, organist & director of music.
Recording, photography, and video production by Jeffrey Hoffman. This presentation copyright © 2021 by the Parish of Christ the Redeemer (Christ Church), Pelham, New York.
All rights reserved.

At the 10 am Eucharist, the following musical selections will also be heard and sung:

Organ prelude (played live) at the 10 am Eucharist: Reverie: With Sweet Lavender, Op. 62, No. 4 by Edward MacDowell (1860-1908), arranged for organ by Frederick N. Shackley (1868-1937)

Hymn: 718 God of our fathers
Words: Daniel Crane Roberts (1841-1907). Public domain.
Music: NATIONAL HYMN, George William Warren (1828-1902). Public domain.

Hymn-anthem at the offertory: Heal me, hands of Jesus, arranged by Jeffrey Hoffman (b. 1970)
Margaret Young, soprano and John Hastings, baritone; soloists

Heal me, hands of Jesus, and search out all my pain;
restore my hope, remove my fear, and bring me peace again.

Cleanse me, blood of Jesus, take bitterness away;
let me forgive as one forgiven and bring me peace today.

Know me, mind of Jesus, and show me all my sin;
dispel the memories of guilt and bring me peace within.

Fill me, joy of Jesus; anxiety shall cease,
and heaven’s serenity be mine, for Jesus brings me peace!

Words: Michael A. Perry (1942-1996)
Music: SHARPE, Carl Haywood (
b. 1949)
Text copyright © 1982 by Hope Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Used under OneLicense.net A-713125.
Music copyright © 1997 by Carl Haywood. All rights reserved. Used under OneLicense.net A-713125.
This arrangement copyright © 2018 by Jeffrey Hoffman. Used with permission.

Hymn: 529 In Christ there is no East or West
Music: MCKEE, African-American spiritual; adapt. and harm. Harry T. Burleigh (1866-1949)
Words copyright by the American Tract Society. Music copyright 1940, Estate of Harry T. Burleigh.
Used with permission under OneLicense A-713125.

Hymn: 717 My country, ’tis of thee
Words: Samuel Francis Smith (1808-1895).  Public domain.
Music: AMERICA, from Thesaurus Musicus, 1745; Public Domain.
Last verse harmonization by T. Tertius Noble (1867-1953) Copyright © 1946 J. Fischer & Bro.,
assigned to Alfred Publishing. Used under OneLicense.net A-713125.

Organ voluntary (played live)  at the 10 am Eucharist: March: “The stars and stripes forever” by John Philip Sousa (1854-1932), arr. by E. Power Biggs (1906-1977) and Jeffrey Hoffman (b. 1970).
E. Power Biggs arrangement copyright © 1977 by The John Church Company, an imprint of Theodore Presser Company. Used under OneLicense.net A-713125.


Parish Prayer List

Please note that names are listed alphabetically by last name of the person being prayed for (if it is known).  We do not list last names for privacy reasons. For pastoral emergencies call or text one of the clergy: Father Matt (914.471.0260),  Deacon Katie Lawrence (914.589.1628), Deacon Chisara Alimole (914.338.5194), or call the parish office (914.738.5515) .  If you have any updates (birthdays, prayers additions, etc., please let us know.) Please submit names you wish to be included by Tuesday morning, to Marie at: marie@christchurchpelham.org.

Our prayers are asked especially for: Marion, Shane, Rosemary, Rob, Marcia, Mike, Anne, Ginny, Craig, Beverly, Barbara, Mary, Ralph, Jed, Didi, Josephine, Sammy, Jeanette, Ryan, Monica, Rebecca, Janet, Amina, Alexia Grace, Alison, John, Emma, Hildy, Martin,  Jason, Yen, Terry, Susan, Sue, Xandra, Sigi, Joyce, Julie, Scott, Sherrie, Michelle, Karen, Lisa, Laurelyn, Rob, Drue, Rob, Bill, Andrea, Sue,  Lael, M & D, Sandy,  and Katie.

We give thanks for those celebrating birthdays this week and in the coming week:  Laurelyn Watson Chase (June 30), David Jeffries (July 1), Curtis Chase (July 8), and Susan Reische (July 10).

We pray for those in our Armed Services especially: Joseph, Kevin, Jack, Leopold, Philip, Jake, Matthew, Robert, Philip-Jason,  Nicholas, Sam, Jack, Helen, Mitchel, Alec, Tia, Tyrese, and Terrence.

We pray that all elected and appointed officials may be led to wise decisions and right actions for the welfare and peace of the world, especially Joseph our President and Andrew our Governor.

We remember and pray for all Americans who have died from COVID-19, and we pray also for all who mourn.

We pray for those who have died.

Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord

And let light perpetual shine upon them.

May their souls and the souls of the departed, through the mercy of God,

rest in peace.  Amen


Announcements & News

CLICK HERE