The Lessons Appointed for Use on the Feast of
William Reed Huntington
Priest July 27

Ephesians 4:11-16 or
Ephesians 1:3-10
John 17:20-26
Psalm 133 or
Psalm 145:8-13

The Preface of Baptism

O Lord our God, we thank you for instilling in the heart of your servant William Reed Huntington a fervent love for your Church and its mission in the world; and we pray that, with unflagging faith in your promises, we may make known to all people your blessed gift of eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Ephesians 4:11-16

The gifts Christ gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love.

or Ephesians 1:3-10

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Psalm 133 Page 787, BCP

Ecce, quam bonum!

1

Oh, how good and pleasant it is, *
when brethren live together in unity!

2

It is like fine oil upon the head *
that runs down upon the beard,

3

Upon the beard of Aaron, *
and runs down upon the collar of his robe.

4

It is like the dew of Hermon *
that falls upon the hills of Zion.

5

For there the LORD has ordained the blessing: *
life for evermore.

or

Psalm 145:8-13 Page 802, BCP

Exaltabo te, Deus

8

The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, *
slow to anger and of great kindness.

9

The LORD is loving to everyone *
and his compassion is over all his works.

10

All your works praise you, O LORD, *
and your faithful servants bless you.

11

They make known the glory of your kingdom *
and speak of your power;

12

That the peoples may know of your power *
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

13

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; *
your dominion endures throughout all ages.

John 17:20-26

Looking up to heaven, Jesus said, "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

"Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The Collects, Psalms and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.

Return to The Lectionary Page.