Trinity Sunday and a Pastoral Letter - 2025

 

Trinity-Sunday.

Psalm 98. Cantate Domino.

O SING unto the Lord a new song; * for he hath done marvellous things.

2 With his own right hand, and with his holy arm, * hath he gotten himself the victory.

3 The Lord declared his salvation; * his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen.

4 He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel; * and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.

5 Show yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands; * sing, rejoice, and give thanks.

6 Praise the Lord upon the harp; * sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.

7 With trumpets also and shawms, * O show yourselves joyful before the Lord, the King.

8 Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is; * the round world, and they that dwell therein.

9 Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord; * for he is come to judge the earth.

10 With righteousness shall he judge the world, * and the peoples with equity.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be * world without end. Amen. 

[This will be our congregation’s confession of sin on Trinity Sunday]

Lord, who hast formed me out of mud,
And hast redeemed me through thy blood,
And sanctified me to do good; 

Purge all my sins done heretofore:
For I confess my heavy score,
And I will strive to sin no more. 

Enrich my heart, mouth, hands in me,
With faith, with hope, with charity;
That I may run, rise, rest with thee.

(George Herbert, “Trinity Sunday,” from The Temple, 1633) 

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of thy Divine Majesty to worship the Unity; We beseech thee, that thou wouldst keep us steadfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Numbers 21.4-9

Psalter: Psalm 29, 33 | 93, 97, 150

Epistle Reading: Revelation 4.1-11

Gospel Reading: St. John 3.1-15 

Homily 

Athanasian Creed 

From my pastoral letter this last week: 

I love hymns, which I’m sure is no shock to anyone. I love singing them. I also enjoy memorizing a few, because they are potent, and make for great prayers. Here is one I memorized many years ago and use in prayer often. It was written in 6^th Century by Venantius Fortunatus. It is worth noting three key things. First, the Gospel runs this hymn. Second, justification trumps works-righteousness in v.2. Finally, the Trinity shows up in the final verse. I commend it to you as worth your time and effort to memorize it, sing it, and add it to your morning prayers. It’s Hymn #243, “Praise the Savior Now and Ever”.

 

1 Praise the Savior now and ever; praise him, all beneath the skies; prostrate lying, suff'ring, dying on the cross, a sacrifice. Vict'ry gaining, life obtaining, now in glory he doth rise.

 

2 Man's work faileth, Christ's availeth; he is all our righteousness; he, our Savior, has forever set us free from dire distress. Through his merit we inherit light and peace and happiness.

 

3 Sin's bonds severed, we're delivered; Christ has bruised the serpent's head; death no longer is the stronger; hell itself is captive led. Christ has risen from death's prison; o'er the tomb he light has shed.

 

4 For his favor, praise for ever unto God the Father sing; praise the Savior, praise him ever, Son of God, our Lord and King. Praise the Spirit; through Christ's merit he doth us salvation bring.

 Pastor Mike