The Holy Eucharist: The Liturgy of the Word
Trinity Sunday (Year A) June 7, 2020
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)
Preface
I am posting this worship service online because we at St. Matthew's Church in Savannah are unable to gather together in person this week. Due to the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) outbreak, public health officials recommend avoiding large gatherings of people to avoid spreading the illness to more vulnerable people. Therefore, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia has ordered all parishes in our diocese to suspend in-person worship until further notice.
At 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, I will broadcast the following worship service using Facebook Live at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav. After the service concludes, you can re-watch it at any time.
Today's service is the Liturgy of the Word (or the first part of the Holy Eucharist service we use on normal Sundays). This is for use at home while watching the live stream or reading the prayers when you cannot physically attend worship. Lay people may read the entirety of this service as printed.
May God protect you from this virus and protect the most vulnerable among us. May we be God’s hands and feet of compassion and service to all in need during this time. Amen.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
The Word of God
Hymn #362: Holy! Holy! Holy! Lord God Almighty!
1 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee:
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.
2 Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.
3 Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the sinful human eye thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love, and purity.
4 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! All thy works shall praise thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea; Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty, God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.
Words: Reginald Heber, Public Domain.
Music: Nicaea, John Bacchus Dykes, Public Domain
Opening Sentences
[BCP, p. 355]
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen.
The Collect for Purity
[BCP, p. 355]
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn S 280: Glory to God in the Highest
[BCP, p. 356]
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Words: Public Domain.
Music: Robert Powell, © 1985 Church Publishing, Inc.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #77081. All rights reserved.
The Collect of the Day
[BCP, p. 357, 228]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Genesis (1:1-2:4a)
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.
These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 8
[BCP, p. 592]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
1 O Lord our Governor, * how exalted is your Name in all the world!
2 Out of the mouths of infants and children * your majesty is praised above the heavens.
3 You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, * to quell the enemy and the avenger.
4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, * the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
5 What is man that you should be mindful of him? * the son of man that you should seek him out?
6 You have made him but little lower than the angels; * you adorn him with glory and honor;
7 You give him mastery over the works of your hands; * you put all things under his feet:
8 All sheep and oxen, * even the wild beasts of the field,
9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, * and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.
10 O Lord our Governor, * how exalted is your Name in all the world!
A Reading from the Second Letter to the Corinthians (13:11-13)
Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
AAHH #565: More About Jesus
1 More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show,
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.
Refrain:
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.
2 More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my Teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me. [Refrain]
3 More about Jesus - in His Word,
Holding communion with my Lord,
Hearing His voice in ev'ry line,
Making each faithful saying mine. [Refrain]
4 More about Jesus on His throne,
Riches in glory all His own,
More of His kingdom's sure increase;
More of His coming - Prince of peace. [Refrain]
Words: Eliza E. Hewitt, Public Domain.
Music: John R. Sweney, Public Domain.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Matthew (28:16-20)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
“The Liberating Trinity” by the Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda
We start today at the beginning. Genesis is the beginning of the Bible. It tells the story of how God created the world in an ordered, poetic way. For many people of faith, this is our introduction to God. Over thousands of years of human history, Jews, Christians, and Muslims have come to identify the God of Israel as the God who created the universe. We, Christians, have identified the Creator God of Israel as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have identified this Creator God of Israel as the One, Holy, and Undivided Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Christians believe that God is Trinity (Three in One and One in Three) because of the complex ways that God interacts with the world. The history of salvation revealed in the stories of Israel and the life of Jesus point to a God who is not only our Creator, but also our Redeemer and our Sustainer. In the biblical history, we meet a God who isn’t afraid to get dirty and messy, who speaks to people as a Spirit but also becomes a human being and lives among us on earth.
This is the God who made the universe from the formless void. It’s the same God who called Moses to lead the Israelite people out of slavery in Egypt. It’s the same God who called Prophets to speak up against kings and emperors who oppressed the poor and common people. It’s the same God who brought the tribe of Judah out of exile in Babylon and back to its homeland. It’s the same God who became human and was born to a poor unmarried woman in a tiny, insignificant Roman colony called Judea. It’s the same God who preached, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [i.e. justice], for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). It’s the same God who suffered humiliation and death on the Cross “for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). It’s the same God who defeated death and rose from the dead to give us new life and new creation. It’s the same God who unified people and languages from all across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe on the Day of Pentecost.
To borrow one of our Presiding Bishop's favorite phrases, the God who we call Trinity is known in the world as Loving, Liberating, and Life-Giving.
The Triune God acts in solidarity with the poor and downtrodden. The Triune God brings freedom and salvation for the oppressed and enslaved. The Triune God stands up to the bullies and haters of the world. In the words of Dr. James H. Cone, one of the 20th century’s greatest theologians, “God freely chooses to be known as the One who liberates victims from their oppression” (Cone, "God is Black," 103). This God always stands alongside those who are hurting. This God pushes for human societies to be fair and just. This God refuses to let exploitation and injustice slide. This God works to set things right.
I keep saying “this God” and “the Triune God” and “the Liberating God” because I’m not sure that all our Christian sisters and brothers are thinking about the same God when they pray and worship. In a culture where Christianity and religions are broadly accepted as private interests insignificant to public and political life, we need to reclaim the truly radical nature of our faith. We believe in a God who breaks chains! Jesus, echoing the words of God’s Prophet Isaiah, once preached, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).
So sometimes we need to shake things up and remind wealthy, comfortable, powerful elites that God is not like them. If powerful people look down on Black people, if they fail to value their lives, if they act like they can torture and kill black bodies with impunity, then we must declare with Dr. Cone that "God is Black" (Ibid., 102) and God is the side of Blacks and their allies. That’s why we prayerfully sing hymns like, “We shall overcome someday! … God is on our side today!” (LEV #227). It’s because the Christian God is and always has been a Liberator!
We know that Christians themselves have been slaveholders and many Christians still are oppressors. We know that the Good News of Jesus has been manipulated and distorted by the greed, pride, and hatred of human beings throughout history. But we can look at the whole arc of Scripture, beginning with Genesis and find that our Triune God is a Liberator.
I have one final but critically important point: God isn’t the only Liberator. Genesis 1:27 teaches us, “God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” We are created in the image of a Liberating God, and God calls us to bring freedom too!
Dr. James Cone, who we quoted above, grew up in Arkansas during the horrible era of Jim Crow segregation. In the 1960s, Dr. Cone was a graduate student and then a young professor. He marched and fought for Civil Rights in Chicago, where he studied, and in his home state, where he taught. He stood up to racist people and racist systems of oppression. And he says he couldn’t have done it without the influence of his home church, Macedonia A.M.E. Church in Bearden, Arkansas. There, he learned that the Triune God was a Liberating God. By worshipping God in his church community, he found “the power to be somebody in a world that had defined Blacks as nobody” (Ibid., 104; emphasis added).
Across our nation today, people are sick and tired of the racial status quo. People are rising to protest unchecked police violence and criminality. Blacks are speaking up for themselves. And they are finding allies in an interracial, intergenerational, and interreligious coalition. It’s not that different from what some of our church members lived through in the 1960s. With enough grit and determination, we can take hold of our God-given liberty and justice for all. And I, for one, am supporting this movement because I was created in the image of a Liberating and Life-giving God. That same God made you too. Amen.
Bibliography
Cone, James H. A Black Theology of Liberation. Twentieth Anniversary Edition. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1970/1990.
_____. “God is Black.” In Lift Every Voice: Constructing Christian Theologies from the Underside, 2nd ed., edited by Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite and Mary Potter Engel, 101-114. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1998.
The Nicene Creed
[BCP, p. 358]
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
[Adapted from Prayers provided by the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia and Lutheran CORE: https://lutherancore.website/2018/03/16/prayers-of-the-church-for-day-of-pentecost-cycle-b-may-20-2018/]
In the power of the Holy Spirit, let us pray for the Church, the world, and all people according to their need.
A brief silence
Come, Holy Spirit, and renew the Church. Fill it with boldness in witnessing to Jesus’ strong saving love. Fill it with faithfulness in proclaiming his Word and celebrating his Sacraments. Fill it with zeal for ministering to all people in his name – especially to the least of those whom he calls sisters and brothers. Grant our Bishop Frank, and all our deacons, priests, and lay leaders, faithfulness and creativity for their ministry at this time.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Come, Holy Spirit, and renew the faith of your persecuted Church. Give it grace to endure suffering for Jesus’ sake; and grant that its faithful witness may cause many to turn to Christ and live. Kindle the faith and inspire the proclamation of all missionaries of the Gospel, and of our sister congregations and dioceses.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Come, Holy Spirit, and renew the people and the ministry of this congregation. Fill us with joyfulness in worship; eagerness in service; gentleness in fellowship; generosity in giving; and persistence in faithful witness in Jesus’ name. Remember Keith Holly, Jr. (6/8), Rose Robinson (6/8), Janice Vaughn (6/8), and Patrece Grant (6/9) on their birthdays.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Come, Holy Spirit, and stir up faith in all who desire to be baptized or confirmed today. Grant them the assurance of your love as they wait to receive these sacraments. Be for them the true Spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge and fear of the Lord, and joy in his presence.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Come, Holy Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. Fill the minds of worldly leaders with wisdom in guiding the nations towards peace, justice, and health. Fill their hearts with humility and courage as they wield power and authority during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Fill the spirits of the world’s citizens with love for God, neighbor, and the world around them.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Come, Holy Spirit, and bring peace in all places of danger, violence and strife. Fill the minds and direct the actions of all who take up arms in defense of life and liberty. Strengthen and protect them; bless all they do that works for peace and justice; and bring them safely home when their task is done.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Come, Holy Spirit, and bring joy, peace, and healing to all whose need is great, especially: Martha Avery, Zavier Bradley, Raleigh Bryant, Christine Brown, Mark Case, Genella Chamberlain, Annie Colbert, Lazola Cope, Alice Dailey, Brittany Dawson, Imani Ferguson, Ruby Fernandez, Harry Frazier, Earl Golden, Gary Gordon, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Enoch Henderson, Charles E. Hines, Kenneth Howard, Terri Howard, Dale Hundley, Jared Hundley, Tracy Hundley, Milinda James, Alvin Jenkins, Dana Jenkins, Frances T. Jones, Lori Jones, Robert L. Jones, Sr., Ronald Jones, Tonya Jones, Whitney Kennedy, Leonard Law, Jr., Ryan Lovett, Tammie Lovett, Joan Maty, Craig Maxwell, Sada Maxwell, Carmelita Maynard, Viola Maynard, Bette Milledge, Hollie Moultrie, Patricia Murry, Russell Nails, Dorothy Neal, Glenzy Payne, Robert Payne, Dison Washington Slaughter, James Small, Gwendolyn Smith, Willie Stephens, Gisele Walton, Lori Ward, Gertrude Washington, Noel Wheeler, and Dean Williams. Fill them with the comfort of your presence and lead them into the joy of your salvation.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Come, Holy Spirit, and bring the departed into the place of eternal joy and light. Cheer the hearts of all who grieve the loss of loved ones. Fill them and us with steadfast faith in you, the Lord and Giver of life; in the communion of saints in heaven and on earth; in the forgiveness of sins, in the resurrection of the body; and in the life everlasting.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Grant us, dear Lord, all that is in accordance with your will, to your glory, and for the building up of your people. Amen.
The Celebrant adds a concluding collect:
Almighty God, you have revealed to your Church your eternal Being of glorious majesty and perfect love as one God in Trinity of Persons: Give us grace to continue steadfast in the confession of this faith, and constant in our worship of you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; for you live and reign, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Peace
[BCP, p. 360]
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Announcements
A. We do not yet know when we can safely return to in-person worship in our church building. The Right Rev. Frank Logue, the new Bishop of Georgia, is developing updated guidelines for a return to in-person worship in our diocese. The public health criteria for re-opening church buildings include (1) a steady reduction in new cases of COVID-19 for at least fourteen consecutive days and (2) the widespread availability of COVID-19 tests throughout our coastal region of the Diocese of Georgia. If those criteria are met, we may be able to return in July under significant restrictions, including reduced attendance, social distancing within the church, required masks, no singing, shortened liturgies, and more. All of these are efforts to reduce the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus, especially airborne transmission from asymptomatic carriers.
B. Our updated weekly worship schedule during this time of social distancing and quarantine is as follows. Unless otherwise noted, all services may be read on the blog and/or viewed as a video on Facebook Live. If you know of church members who have trouble accessing these services, please reach out and show them or direct them to Fr. Arboleda for support.
Sundays - 9:30 Worship (You can find all of the upcoming Sunday and Holiday readings at http://www.lectionarypage.net.)
Tuesdays - 5:00 Evening Prayer
Thursdays - 5:00 Evening Prayer
C. We will hold a virtual "Coffee Hour" over Zoom today, Sunday, June 7, at 10:30 AM, and again on every other Sunday. Thank you to Mrs. Rachael Blue-Jones who is donating a professional Zoom login to the church for our use.
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/291169382055231
Zoom Meeting Info:
Meeting ID: 818 0308 3672 Password: coffee One tap mobile +19292056099,,81803083672#,,1#,876400# US (New York)
Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) Meeting ID: 818 0308 3672 Password: 876400
D. St. Matthew's is planning to pre-record Sunday services to ensure higher quality video and audio for our worshippers at home. This provides a new opportunity for church members to be a part of the service! Mrs. Pearson and I will reach out to some experienced readers about recording themselves reading Scripture lessons and/or the Prayers of the People for use in these Sunday videos. Even if you don't hear from us, if you want to get involved, please email me about your interest at FrGAA@StMattSav.org.
E. Thank you to Mrs. Idella Jones and Mr. and Mrs. General and Lazola Cope who donated money to purchase the ring light for future worship filming! It is scheduled to arrive early this week so you should see the difference in lighting next Sunday (June 14).
F. Many people are already feeling the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis, including the church. We still need your support to pay our staff, pay our bills, and provide for these online live streams. If you pledged a donation in 2020 and are able, please continue making those contributions. If you have not pledged, please consider donating to St. Matthew’s now and in the future. There are several ways to give, but the simplest are these:
Mail us a check or money order at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 1401 Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd, Savannah, GA 31415; OR
Make a secure online gift to St. Matthew’s and/or automate future gifts at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now; OR (3) Text “stmattsav” to 73256 to make a secure online donation through your phone.
The Offertory
[BCP, p. 377]
“O Lord our God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power; because you have created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:11)
Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now
Hymn #409: The Spacious Firmament on High
1 The spacious firmament on high,
with all the blue ethereal sky,
and spangled heavens, a shining frame,
their great Original proclaim.
The unwearied sun from day to day
does his Creator's power display;
and publishes to every land
the work of an almighty hand.
2 Soon as the evening shades prevail,
the moon takes up the wondrous tale,
and nightly to the listening earth
repeats the story of her birth:
whilst all the stars that round her burn,
and all the planets in their turn,
confirm the tidings, as they roll
and spread the truth from pole to pole.
3 What though in solemn silence all move round the dark terrestrial ball? What though no real voice nor sound amid their radiant orbs be found? In reason's ear they all rejoice, and utter forth a glorious voice; for ever singing as they shine, "The hand that made us is divine."
Words: Joseph Addison; para. of Psalm 19:1-6, Public Domain.
Music: Creation, Franz Joseph Haydn, Public Domain.
The Lord’s Prayer
[BCP, p. 364]
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
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.
The Blessing & Dismissal
[Enriching Our Worship 1, p. 71; BCP, p 366]
The Wisdom of God
the Love of God
and the Grace of God
strengthen [us]
to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,
in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.
Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit!
Thanks be to God!
Note: This service is reproduced from The Book of Common Prayer 1979 (BCP), The Hymnal 1982 (Hymn), Lift Every Voice and Sing II: An African American Hymnal (LEV), and other sources cited. Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture readings and quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.