In the waters of the Jordan, Jesus is revealed as the beloved Son of God. Through this great epiphany, Jesus fulfills all righteousness and becomes the servant of God who will bring forth justice and be a light to the nations. In the waters of baptism, we too are washed by the Word, anointed by the Spirit, and named God’s beloved children. Our baptismal mission is to proclaim good news to all who are oppressed or in need of God’s healing.
The people’s responses are given in bold.
ENTRANCE PROCESSION
The people are invited to stand as they are able as the sacred ministers enter the church from the south-east door.
THE GREETING
We share in the Apostolic Greeting.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
COLLECT FOR PURITY
Almighty God,
unto whom all hearts be open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hid:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love thee,
and worthily magnify thy holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE SUMMARY OF THE LAW
Our Lord Jesus Christ said: hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Lord, have mercy upon us, and write both these thy laws in our hearts, we beseech thee.
KYRIE ELEISON
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
The collect is the prayer appointed for the day that reflects the theme of the day or season, and which celebrates the attributes of God revealed in the readings of the day.
The Lord be with you;
And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Eternal Father,
who at the baptism of Jesus
revealed him to be your Son,
anointing him with the Holy Spirit,
keep your children, born of water and the Spirit,
faithful to their calling;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The people may be seated.
THE FIRST READING Isaiah 42. 1–9 Stephen White
God’s servant is endowed with God’s spirit in order to bring justice to the nations. The servant will not exercise authority boisterously or with violence, nor will weariness ever prevent the fulfilling of the servant’s task. God’s old promises have been fulfilled; the servant’s new assignment is to bring light to the nations.
Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord, that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM Psalm 29. Afferte Domino
The Psalms form the ancient songbook of God’s people.
1 ASCRIBE to the Lord,you gods, * ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; * worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; * the Lord is upon the mightty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; * the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendour.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; * the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, * and Mount Hermon like a youngwild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire; the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; * the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
8 The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe * and strips the forests bare.
9 And in the temple of the Lord * all are crying, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned abovethe flood; * the Lord sits enthroned as king for evermore.
11 The Lord shall give strength to his people; * the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
THE SECOND READING Acts 10. 34–43 Stephen White
Peter crosses the sharp religious boundary separating Jews from Gentiles and proclaims the good news of God’s inclusive forgiveness in Jesus’ name to Cornelius, a Roman centurion. As a result of Peter’s preaching, Cornelius and his family become the first Gentiles to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
THE HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 2. 1–12
Before Jesus begins his ministry, he is baptized by John, touched by the Spirit, and identified publicly as God’s child.
The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
Glory to thee, O Lord.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise be to thee, O Christ.
THE SERMON Adedayo Olomodosi
The sermon follows the readings and reflects on one or more the readings, relating them to our Christian discipleship and daily life.
The people are seated.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH The Apostles’ Creed
The Affirmation of Faith typically takes the form of one of the ancient creeds of the Church. The word ‘creed’ comes from the Latin ‘credo,’ translated as, ‘I believe.’
The people may stand for the creed.
Let us confess the faith of our baptism as we say,
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth,
and of all things visible and invisible;
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of the Father before all worlds,
God, of God; Light, of Light; very God, of very God;
begotten, not made; being of one substance with the Father;
through whom all things were made:
who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven,
and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man,
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried,
and the third day he rose again according to the scriptures,
and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father.
And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead:
whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceedeth from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified,
who spake by the prophets.
And I believe one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
And I look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The people may be seated for the prayers.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Stephen White
We pray for the Church throughout the world; the flourishing of creation; the nation, our King and all in authority under him; the needs of the world, the concerns of our community of faith, especially those who have requested our prayers; and for the departed.
The people are seated.
As God’s beloved children united in Christ, let us pray for the church, the whole human community, and the well-being of the earth, our home.
A brief silence.
Steadfast God, give courage to your servant church. With the worldwide Anglican Communion and in our cycle of prayer we pray for the Province of the Anglican Church in Central America. In our Diocese of Niagara, we pray for the Burlington Anglican Lutheran Church, The Reverend Colin Cameron, Rector and Pastor; and the people of that parish. We pray for Susan and Colin our bishops; David, Sarah, and Patrick our priests; Adedayo our student minister; and for our other parish leaders and all the people. Heal our divisions and unite your church in mission. Uphold all who proclaim hope in a broken world. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Restoring God, cleanse the life-giving waters of rivers, seas, and springs, especially here in the Western Lake Ontario Watershed. Create in us an urgent desire to preserve the beauty and bounty of your good creation. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Righteous God, you guide the nations. Reconcile warring enemies and end cycles of violent retribution. Defend the rights of prisoners, detainees, and all who flee from persecution. Sustain international aid workers and peacemakers. We pray especially for peace in Israel and Palestine, Ukraine and Russia, Venezuela and the Americas, Myanmar, Sudan, and all places threatened with violence. We pray for Charles our King and all in authority under him. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Compassionate God, you care for all in distress. Provide safety and support for those seeking asylum or in need of shelter. Be near to the dying, and comfort all who are grieving or ill. We pray for all those who have requested our prayers: Bruce, Kevin, Marlene, Moira, Brooke, Kathryn, Peter, Jas, Isabel, Eileen, Madison, Pam, David H, Mary, Mike, Cheryl, Scott M, Paul, John, Gary, Cam, Frida, David B, Carol, Connie and Ted. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Loving God, awaken the gifts of the Spirit in this congregation, that we may serve Christ by loving one another, our neighbours, and our enemies. We pray for travellers and those who are homebound. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Promising God, in baptism we die and rise with Christ. We give thanks for those who have gone before us, and we trust that we will join them in your everlasting peace. We also give thanks for Marilynn Barker, Marian & Eric Harris, Minnie & Albert Barker, Sean Burton and Dorothy Smye, in whose memory flowers have been given. Bring us to the banquet feast of your kingdom with them, St. Jude, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the saints. God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Confident that the Holy Spirit receives our prayers and answers us, we commend all for whom we pray to God’s loving-kindness made known to us in Christ Jesus our Saviour. Amen.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Let us humbly confess our sins to almighty God.
Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Maker of all things and judge of all people:
We acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness,
Which we from time to time most grievously have committed,
By thought, word and deed,
Against thy divine majesty.
We do earnestly repent and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings.
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
For thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
Forgive us all that is past;
And grant that we may ever hereafter
Serve and please thee
In newness of life,
To the honour and glory of thy name;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto 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
As forgiven and reconcile people we exchange words of peace with one another.
The people may stand.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And with thy spirit.
The people are invited to share words of peace with one another.
PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS
God of life and freedom,
we celebrate the revelation of Jesus
as the Christ who makes all creation new.
Accept all we offer you this day
and make us new in him,
who is Lord for ever and ever. Amen.
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up unto the Lord.
Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
It is meet and right so to do.
It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God, creator and preserver of all things, through Jesus Christ our Lord; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who by water and the Holy Spirit hast made us a holy people in Jesus Christ our Lord; thou dost renew that mystery in bread and wine and nourish us, to show forth thy glory in all the world. Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name; evermore praising thee and saying:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts,
heaven and earth are full of thy glory.
Glory be to thee, O Lord most high.
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessing and glory and thanksgiving be unto thee, almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of thy tender mercy didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to take our nature upon him, and to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption; who made there, by his one oblation of himself once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memorial of that his precious death, until his coming again.
Hear us, O merciful Father, we most humbly beseech thee; and grant that we receiving these thy creatures of bread and wine, according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ’s holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed body and blood; who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread; and, when he had given thanks, he brake 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 he took the cup; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all, of this; for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins: Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Wherefore, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, we thy humble servants, with all thy holy Church, remembering the precious death of thy beloved Son, his mighty resurrection, and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming again in glory, do make before thee, in this sacrament of the holy bread of eternal life and the cup of everlasting salvation, the memorial which he hath commanded:
We praise thee, we bless thee, we thank thee,
and we pray to thee, Lord our God.
And we entirely desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, most humbly beseeching thee to grant, that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion; And we pray that by the power of thy Holy Spirit, all we who are partakers of this holy communion may be fulfilled with thy grace and heavenly benediction; through Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, world without end. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Believing in the promises of God and gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Saviour taught us,
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, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
BREAKING OF THE BREAD
We do not presume to come to this thy table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table. But thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy: grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.
FRACTION ANTHEM Agnus Dei
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world: have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world: have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world: grant us thy peace.
THE COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE
All people who seek to follow Jesus are welcome to receive the Holy Communion. The Holy Communion is distributed at the altar rail. You are welcome to kneel or stand to receive. You may receive Holy Communion in either, or both the bread and the wine. Gluten free bread is available; if you prefer gluten free, please ask the priest distributing the bread. Receive the bread in your open and outstretched hands, responding, Amen. The wine is offered from a common cup. To receive please assist by helping guide the cup to your lips. If you prefer not to receive the cup, cross your arms across your chest. If you prefer to receive a blessing rather than the bread and wine of communion, again, cross your arms over your chest as the priest comes to distribute the bread and the priest will bless you.
THE SENDING OF THE COMMUNITY
The people may stand.
Gracious God, lover of all,
by this sacrament
you make us one family in Christ your Son,
one in the sharing of his body and blood,
one in the communion of his Spirit.
Help us to grow in love for one another
and come to the full maturity of the Body of Christ.
We ask this in his name. Amen.
DOXOLOGY
Glory to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever. Amen.
BLESSING
May God, who in Christ gives us a spring of water welling up to eternal life, perfect in you the image of his glory; and the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, rest upon you, and remain with you always. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
If it is needful that any announcements concerning the life and work of the church be made, they are given at this time.
DISMISSAL
The assisting minister dismisses the people.
Go in peace. Do justice. Love mercy.
Thanks be to God.
As you are able, please remain standing as the sacred ministers make their way from the church.
TODAY’S MINISTERS. Presiding Celebrant: The Reverend Canon Dr. David Anderson, Rector. Preacher: Adedayo Olomodosi, Assisting Minister: The Reverend Sarah Grondin, Priest Associate. Reader & Greeter: Stephen White. Altar Guild: Ann McCulloch, Colleen Balders.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This liturgy is in the tradition of the Book of Common Prayer (Canada, 1962), and is adapted from the Book of Alternative Services, The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada (1984), and from other sources as follows. ‘The Prayers of the People’ are adapted from Sundays and Seasons, Augsburg Fortress, © 2025, used by permission. Readings from Holy Scripture are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ (USA); used by permission. This liturgy is used at St. Jude’s Church by permission of the Bishop of Niagara.
ALTAR FLOWERS
The flowers on the reredos are dedicated to the Glory of God and in loving memory of Marilynn (Lynne) Barker, wife, mother and grandmother. Also, to the Glory of God and in loving memory of Marian & Eric Harris and Minnie & Albert Barker, given by Doug Barker and family.
The flowers on the right stand are dedicated to the Glory of God and in loving memory of my son, Sean Burton, given by Barbara Caine.
The flowers on the left stand are dedicated to the Glory of God in loving memory of Dorothy Smye, given by the family.
St. Jude’s Church
www.stjudeschurch.net
office@stjudeschurch.net
905-844-3972
Clergy and Staff
The Right Reverend Dr. Susan J.A. Bell, Bishop of Niagara
The Reverend Canon Dr. David Anderson, Rector anderson@stjudeschurch.net
The Reverend Sarah Grondin, Priest Associate grondin@stjudeschurch.net
The Reverend Canon Dr. Patrick Patterson, Priest Assistant pat.macrae.pat@gmail.com
Adedayo Olomodosi, Student Minister
Sebastian Moreno, Director of Music choir@stjudeschurch.net
Dr. Andrei Streliaev, Associate Organist
Grace D’Mello, Choral Scholar
Carmen Almeida, Coordinator of Youth and Children’s Ministry carmen@stjudeschurch.net
Amanda Judd, Operations Manager manager@stjudeschurch.net
Bharatie Malik, Parish Secretary office@stjudeschurch.net
Churchwardens
Kevin Coleman, People’s Warden peopleswarden@stjudeschurch.net
Nancy Coombs, Rector’s Warden rectorswarden@stjudeschurch.net
Martha Denning, Deputy People’s Warden
Henry Popp, Deputy Rector’s Warden
Nick Choules-Burbidge, Treasurer nwrburbidge@gmail.com
All are invited to make a gift to support
St. Jude’s ministry of sharing God’s love.
As the plate is passed or by scanning the QR code at the left or
online at stjudeschurch.net/give.
Thank you for your generosity.
We’d love to stay connected with you.
ANNOUCEMENTS & UPCOMING EVENTS
Annual Pledge Campaign Now Open
Now live on the website, please help your parish in preparation for its Operating Budget and financial stewardship. To find more information, visit the Pledge Campaign page today or check out this week’s newsletter.
Your parish thanks you for your participation and support!
Wed, Jan 14 (after the 10:30am service) – Parish Lunch
Don’t miss out on another amazing Parish Lunch, lovingly prepared by St. Jude’s volunteers. For only $8 you get a main course, salad, dessert, and a glass of wine! Coffee and tea are also available.
Sign up on our website or in the Church Office. Hope to see you there!
St. Jude’s Pantry Program Reaches 13,000 Meals in 2025
On December 30, the St. Jude’s Pantry Program cook team met in the church kitchen for the final time in 2025. Team members George Caughell, Susan Fanelli, Susan Elsely, Rosemary Detje, and Len Favreau, Coordinator of the Pantry Program, prepared 80 soups—bringing the total number of dinners and soups made this year to 13,000!
This represents an 85% increase over the total meals made in 2024—a remarkable accomplishment reflecting the dedication of our volunteers and the generosity of our parish community. Each meal prepared helps provide nourishment and hope to those who need it most in our community.
Robbie Burns Night: January 24th, 2025
Join us for a traditional Robbie Burns Night on January 24 @ 6:30 PM. Enjoy a festive meal on wonderful night of culture, community, and tradition! The tickets are for $60 per person. Limited spots (filling fast!)
Get your tickets at the church office during office hours.