Sundays at All Hallows (July 5, 2026)
This Sunday is the Fifth Sunday after Trinity. As was the case last Sunday the readings for this Sunday are those appointed in the one year Eucharistic Lectionary in An Anglican Prayer Book (2008).
In this Sunday’s message we consider what Jesus requires from those whom he calls to be his disciples.
GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link in a new tab to hear Kevin Duncan’s arrangement of Graham Kendrick’s ALL I ONCE HELD DEAR for solo piano.
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;
his ears are open to their cries for help.
But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil;
he will erase their memory from the earth. Psalm 34:15-16
[Let us worship God.]
Open this link in a new tab to hear Richard Baxter’s “Ye Holy Angels Bright.”
1 Ye holy angels bright,
who wait at God's right hand,
or through the realms of light
fly at your Lord's command,
assist our song,
for else the theme
too high doth seem
for mortal tongue.
2 Ye blessèd souls at rest,
who ran this earthly race,
and now, from sin released,
behold the Saviour's face,
his praises sound,
as in his sight
with sweet delight
ye do abound.
3 Ye saints, who toil below,
adore your heavenly King,
and onward as ye go
some joyful anthem sing;
take what he gives
and praise him still,
through good and ill,
who ever lives.
4 My soul, bear thou thy part,
triumph in God above,
and with a well-tuned heart
sing thou the songs of love;
let all thy days
till life shall end,
whate'er he send,
be filled with praise.
[Let us confess our sins to God our Father]
Silence
Heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour
in thought and word and deed,
negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault;
by what we have done
and by what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name. Amen.
Merciful Lord,
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Christopher Idle’s “Glory in the Highest.”
1 Glory in the highest to the God of heaven!
Peace to all your people through the earth be given!
Mighty God and Father, thanks and praise we bring,
singing Hallelujah to our heavenly king.
2 Jesus Christ is risen, God the Father's Son!
With the Holy Spirit you are Lord alone!
Lamb once killed for sinners, all our guilt to bear,
show us now your mercy, now receive our prayer.
3 Christ the world's true Saviour, high and holy One,
seated now and reigning from your Father's throne:
Lord and God, we praise you! Highest heaven adores:
in the Father's glory, all the praise be yours!
[Let us pray.]
Silence
Almighty God, we pray that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered through your guidance that your church may joyfully serve you in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Book of First Kings
1 Kings 19: 19-21
So Elijah went and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field. There were twelve teams of oxen in the field, and Elisha was plowing with the twelfth team. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and then walked away. Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah, and said to him, “First let me go and kiss my father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you!”
Elijah replied, “Go on back, but think about what I have done to you.”
So Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant.
[May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.]
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear Emily Bateman and Derek Moore’s
“Highways in our Hearts” (Psalm 84).
How lovely your dwelling place, LORD of hosts!
My soul longs and faints even for the LORD’s courts!
My heart and my flesh to the living God sing!
A sparrow will there find a home.
A swallow a nest also has for herself,
And there with your altar her young she has laid.
My king and my God, LORD of Hosts, they are blessed
Who dwell in your house; they will praise you again!
And blessed is the man who finds his strength in you;
In their heart there are highways. As they journey on,
The Valley of Baca they make like a spring;
It also is covered with blessings by rain.
From strength unto strength they will walk, then appear
Before God At Zion. Oh LORD, God of Hosts,
Attend to my prayer; God of Jacob, give ear.
O God see our shield; Your Messiah’s face view!
Because just one day spent inside of your courts
Is better by far than one thousand removed.
To stand, O my God, at the door of your house,
I’d choose over living in tents full of sin.
Because the LORD God is a sun and a shield,
The LORD will give glory and grace.
From those walking rightly no good will refuse —
O blessed is the man, LORD of hosts,
O blessed is the man, LORD of hosts,
who trusts in you!
A reading from the First Epistle of Peter.
1 Peter 3:8-15
Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. For the Scriptures say,
“If you want to enjoy life
and see many happy days,
keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies.
Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right,
and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord turns his face
against those who do evil.”
Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.
[May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.]
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear William Watkins Reid Jr.’s “Help Us, O Lord, to Learn.”
1 Help us, O Lord, to learn
the truths your word imparts:
to study that your laws may be
inscribed upon our hearts.
2 Help us, O Lord, to live
the faith which we proclaim,
that all our thoughts and words and deeds
may glorify your name.
3 Help us, O Lord, to teach
the beauty of your ways,
that all who seek may find the Christ
and sing aloud his praise.
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke.
Luke 5:1-11
One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.
[May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.]
Silence
Called
What is notable about this Sunday’s Old Testament Lesson and Gospel is both readings are accounts of a call to ministry. With the act of throwing his cloak over Elisha’s shoulders Elijah calls him to become a prophet like himself, the one whom God has commanded him to anoint to replace himself. After directing Simon Peter to where he and his partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, are able to catch so many fish that their nets were tearing and their boats were nearly swamped by fish, Jesus calls them to become his disciples, telling them that they will be fishing for people. In Matthew and Mark’s accounts of Jesus’ calling of Simon Peter, James, and John, he also calls a fourth man, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. There is no mention of a miraculous catch of fish. Simon Peter and Andrew are casting a net into the sea. James and John are mending a net
What Elisha’s call and Simon Peter, James, and John’s call (and Andrew’s call too) is that they are going about their daily lives when they receive their call. Elisha is ploughing. Simon Peter, James, and John are washing their nets after an unsuccessful day of fishing. They are not doing anything out of the ordinary.
Note what they do when they receive the call. They abandon what they are doing. Elisha slaughters his oxen, burns the wooden plough and yoke, cooks their meat, and gives it to the townspeople. Simon Peter, James, and John abandon their boats, their nets, and the fish they caught. (In Matthew and Mark’s accounts, James, and John also abandon their father.) Their call is a major turning point in their lives. They leave their old way of life for a new way of life, a way of life in which they must depend upon God’s grace more than they have ever done before. Indeed, it was God’s grace that called them. It was by God’s grace they were able to respond to that call the way they did.
We may never have a cloak thrown over our shoulders. Or have Jesus call us while casting a net into the sea or mending a net. Or be sitting at a counting table in tax collector’s booth. Or see a blinding light, fall from our horse, and hear a voice from heaven. Everyone experiences Jesus’ call differently. It may be sudden. Or it may be gradual, a growing sense that Jesus is calling us.
Jesus meets us wherever we are, but he does not leave us where he met us. He calls us to repentance, faith, and a new life. While Jesus may not require of us that we change our occupation, the work in which we are employed, he will required that we serve him in that occupation and do whatever we do in accordance with what he taught.
All whom Jesus calls, he calls to be ministers of God. While they may not be called to be a bishop, an ordained elder (or presbyter) or deacon or a licensed local pastor, they are called to some form of ministry, serving God in the church or in the world.
Everyone called by Jesus is also called to be his representatives, his ambassadors, in their community and the larger world. They are called to make Jesus known by their attitudes, words, and actions.
The apostle Peter, the same Simon Peter Jesus called to be his disciple beside the Sea of Galilee, in this Sunday’s Epistle gives instructions to those whom he is writing on how they are to conduct themselves as a people whom Jesus has called. Note how he echoes Jesus’ own words and cites Psalm 34:12-16 in support of what he is saying. Jesus himself drew on the Psalms to a large extent in his own teaching. He saw himself as the fulfillment of the Psalms as well as the Law and the Prophets.
What Peter wrote particularly deserves the careful attention of those who have experienced Jesus’ call and who are earnestly striving to live as his disciples. What has been identified as major obstacle for many North Americans to becoming Christians themselves is the huge gap between the attitudes, words and actions of those who are ostensibly Christians and Jesus’ teaching and example. They may attend a church, but their attitudes, words, and actions are no different from those who are not churchgoers. Jesus’ influence is not evident in their lives.
Like the Galilean fishermen Jesus called to be his disciples, all whom Jesus calls are called to tell others about Jesus, who he is, what he did for humanity, why it matters, what he taught and the example he set. They are called not only to be messengers of the good news but also to be a part of the message, embodying that news.
No one can be an effective messenger of God’s kingdom whose life shows no evidence of God’s righteous reign in their hearts and minds, no evidence of Jesus’ teaching serving as the guiding principles of how they live. Jesus was quite clear that those who called him Lord but did not do what he told them were not his disciples. They were not sheep of his flock, those who belonged to him. He would not acknowledge them.
For the true disciple Jesus is more than a means by which they are put right with God. His words and his deeds are the compass which guides them through this life, which keeps their feet on the right path. The love that Jesus has shown them, they know, is not solely for them but for the whole world, and Jesus has called them to be instruments of that love.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear William Walsham How’s “It Is a Thing Most Wonderful.”
1 It is a thing most wonderful,
almost too wonderful to be,
that God's own Son should come from heav'n,
and die to save a child like me.
2 And yet I know that it is true:
He chose a poor and humble lot,
and wept and toiled and mourned and died
for love of those who loved Him not.
3 I cannot tell how He could love
a child so weak and full of sin;
His love must be most wonderful
if He could die my love to win.
4 I sometimes think about the cross,
and shut my eyes, and try to see
the cruel nails and crown of thorns,
and Jesus crucified for me.
5 But even could I see Him die,
I could but see a little part
of that great love which, like a fire,
is always burning in His heart.
6 It is most wonderful to know
His love for me so free and sure;
but 'tis more wonderful to see
my love for Him so faint and poor.
7 And yet I want to love Thee, Lord;
O light the flame within my heart,
and I will love Thee more and more,
until I see Thee as Thou art.
[Let us affirm our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.]
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father
almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER
[Let us pray for the Church and the world.]
Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may
be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal
your glory in the world.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the
ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another
and serve the common good.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation,
that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others
and to your honor and glory.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant
that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he
loves us.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or
spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and
bring them the joy of your salvation.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
We commend to your mercy all who have died, that your will
for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share
with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Faithful God,
you have promised to hear the prayers
of all who ask in Jesus’ name.
In your mercy, accept our prayers.
Give us what we have asked in faith,
according to your will:
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[Let us give thanks to God for his goodness.]
Almighty God, merciful Father,
we give you hearty thanks
for all your goodness and loving kindness to us
and to all people.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace; and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such a sense of all your mercies,
that our hearts may be truly thankful
and that we may praise you
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
serving you in holiness and righteousness all our days,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory,
now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty and everlasting God, you enable us both to will and
do those things that are good and acceptable. We offer to you
For the true disciple Jesus is more than a means by which they are put right with God. His words and his deeds are the compass which guides them through this life, which keeps their feet on the right path. The love that Jesus has shown them, they know, is not solely for them but for the whole world, and Jesus has called them to be instruments of that love.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear William Walsham How’s “It Is a Thing Most Wonderful.”
1 It is a thing most wonderful,
almost too wonderful to be,
that God's own Son should come from heav'n,
and die to save a child like me.
2 And yet I know that it is true:
He chose a poor and humble lot,
and wept and toiled and mourned and died
for love of those who loved Him not.
3 I cannot tell how He could love
a child so weak and full of sin;
His love must be most wonderful
if He could die my love to win.
4 I sometimes think about the cross,
and shut my eyes, and try to see
the cruel nails and crown of thorns,
and Jesus crucified for me.
5 But even could I see Him die,
I could but see a little part
of that great love which, like a fire,
is always burning in His heart.
6 It is most wonderful to know
His love for me so free and sure;
but 'tis more wonderful to see
my love for Him so faint and poor.
7 And yet I want to love Thee, Lord;
O light the flame within my heart,
and I will love Thee more and more,
until I see Thee as Thou art.
[Let us affirm our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.]
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father
almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER
[Let us pray for the Church and the world.]
Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may
be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal
your glory in the world.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the
ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another
and serve the common good.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation,
that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others
and to your honor and glory.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant
that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he
loves us.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or
spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and
bring them the joy of your salvation.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
We commend to your mercy all who have died, that your will
for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share
with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Faithful God,
you have promised to hear the prayers
of all who ask in Jesus’ name.
In your mercy, accept our prayers.
Give us what we have asked in faith,
according to your will:
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[Let us give thanks to God for his goodness.]
Almighty God, merciful Father,
we give you hearty thanks
for all your goodness and loving kindness to us
and to all people.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace; and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such a sense of all your mercies,
that our hearts may be truly thankful
and that we may praise you
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
serving you in holiness and righteousness all our days,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory,
now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty and everlasting God, you enable us both to will and
do those things that are good and acceptable. We offer to you
our humble supplications, beseeching you so to lead us in knowledge
of your truth, and obedience to your will, that of weakness we may
be made strong, and bear much fruit to your glory; through Jesus Christ
of your truth, and obedience to your will, that of weakness we may
be made strong, and bear much fruit to your glory; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
[And now as our Saviour taught us, we 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,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear John Ernest Bode’s “O Jesus, I Have Promised.”
1 O Jesus, I have promised
to serve thee to the end;
be thou for ever near me,
my Master and my friend:
I shall not fear the battle
if thou art by my side,
not wander from the pathway
if thou wilt be my guide.
2 O let me feel thee near me:
the world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
the tempting sounds I hear;
my foes are ever near me,
around me and within;
but, Jesus, draw thou nearer,
and shield my soul from sin.
3 O let me hear thee speaking
in accents clear and still,
above the storms of passion,
the murmurs of self-will;
O speak to reassure me,
to hasten or control;
O speak and make me listen,
thou guardian of my soul.
4 O Jesus, thou hast promised,
to all who follow thee,
that where thou art in glory
there shall thy servant be;
and, Jesus, I have promised
to serve thee to the end:
O give me grace to follow,
my Master and my friend.
5 O let me see thy foot-marks,
and in them plant mine own;
my hope to follow duly
is in thy strength alone:
O guide me, call me, draw me,
uphold me to the end;
and then in heav'n receive me,
my Savior and my friend.
GOING OUT AS GOD’S PEOPLE
Eternal God and Father, by whose power we are created and
by whose love we are redeemed: guide and strengthen us by
your Spirit, that we may give ourselves to your service, and
live every day in love to one another and to you; through Jesus
Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Lee Fisher’s “Go in Peace, Go in Love.”
Go in peace, go in love,
May the Lord be at your side.
Go in peace, go in love,
May he ever be your guide.
May his grace overflow
And his blessing be upon you.
Go in peace, go in love,
Now and evermore,
Go in peace, go in love,
May the Lord be at your side.
Go in peace, go in love,
May he ever be your guide.
May his grace overflow
And his blessing be upon you.
Go in peace, go in love,
Now and evermore,
Amen
Amen
Amen
[And now as our Saviour taught us, we 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,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear John Ernest Bode’s “O Jesus, I Have Promised.”
1 O Jesus, I have promised
to serve thee to the end;
be thou for ever near me,
my Master and my friend:
I shall not fear the battle
if thou art by my side,
not wander from the pathway
if thou wilt be my guide.
2 O let me feel thee near me:
the world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
the tempting sounds I hear;
my foes are ever near me,
around me and within;
but, Jesus, draw thou nearer,
and shield my soul from sin.
3 O let me hear thee speaking
in accents clear and still,
above the storms of passion,
the murmurs of self-will;
O speak to reassure me,
to hasten or control;
O speak and make me listen,
thou guardian of my soul.
4 O Jesus, thou hast promised,
to all who follow thee,
that where thou art in glory
there shall thy servant be;
and, Jesus, I have promised
to serve thee to the end:
O give me grace to follow,
my Master and my friend.
5 O let me see thy foot-marks,
and in them plant mine own;
my hope to follow duly
is in thy strength alone:
O guide me, call me, draw me,
uphold me to the end;
and then in heav'n receive me,
my Savior and my friend.
GOING OUT AS GOD’S PEOPLE
Eternal God and Father, by whose power we are created and
by whose love we are redeemed: guide and strengthen us by
your Spirit, that we may give ourselves to your service, and
live every day in love to one another and to you; through Jesus
Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Lee Fisher’s “Go in Peace, Go in Love.”
Go in peace, go in love,
May the Lord be at your side.
Go in peace, go in love,
May he ever be your guide.
May his grace overflow
And his blessing be upon you.
Go in peace, go in love,
Now and evermore,
Go in peace, go in love,
May the Lord be at your side.
Go in peace, go in love,
May he ever be your guide.
May his grace overflow
And his blessing be upon you.
Go in peace, go in love,
Now and evermore,
Amen
Amen
Amen
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