The Holy Eucharist
Last Sunday After Epiphany (Year C)
February 27, 2022
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday, February 27, at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)
The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
The Word of God
Hymn #137: O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair
[Verses 1-5]
1. O wondrous type! O vision fair
of glory that the church may share,
which Christ upon the mountain shows,
where brighter than the sun he glows!
2. With Moses and Elijah nigh
the incarnate Lord holds converse high;
and from the cloud, the Holy One
bears record to the only Son.
3. With shining face and bright array,
Christ deigns to manifest today
what glory shall be theirs above
who joy in God with perfect love.
4. And faithful hearts are raised on high
by this great vision's mystery;
for which in joyful strains we raise
the voice of prayer, the hymn of praise.
5. O Father, with the eternal Son,
and Holy Spirit, ever One,
vouchsafe to bring us by thy grace
to see thy glory face to face.
Words: Latin, 15th cent., tr. Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861), after John Mason Neale, alt., Public Domain. Music: Wareham, melody William Knapp, alt.; harm. Hymns Ancient and Modern (1875), after James Turle, Public Domain; desc. Sydney Hugo Nicholson © 1985, GIA/Royal School of Church Music. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #11328. All rights reserved.
The Opening Sentence
[BCP, p. 355]
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
And blessed be God's kingdom, now and forever. Amen.
A 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
[See also 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 #28331. All rights reserved.
The Collect of the Day
[BCP, p. 357, 217]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
O God, who before the passion of your only begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Exodus (34:29-35)
Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 99
[BCP, p. 728]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
1 The Lord is King; let the people tremble; * he is enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth shake.
2 The Lord is great in Zion; * he is high above all peoples.
3 Let them confess his Name, which is great and awesome; * he is the Holy One.
4 "O mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; * you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob."
5 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God and fall down before his footstool; * he is the Holy One.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call upon his Name, * they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; * they kept his testimonies and the decree that he gave them.
8 O Lord our God, you answered them indeed; * you were a God who forgave them, yet punished them for their evil deeds.
9 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God and worship him upon his holy hill; * for the Lord our God is the Holy One.
A Reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (3:12-4:2)
Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The People stand for the reading of the Gospel.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Luke (9:28-43a)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"--not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not." Jesus answered, "You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here." While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.
While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.” But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
"Taking Off the Veils" by The Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda
In Exodus, this morning, we heard the tail end of the story of how Moses received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. Encountering God directly and being handed these tablets of stone with God’s handwriting on them changed Moses. That would change any of us! But apparently, being in God’s presence made Moses shine, sort of like how the moon reflects the light of the sun. God’s light was shining through Moses. But this light was too intense for most of the people. It scared them or intimidated them. So they asked Moses to cover his face with a veil. They asked him to hide his light under a bushel basket (to borrow from one of Jesus’ stories). And he did. He hid the glory of God from people so they wouldn’t have to face the awesome love, Grace, and truth telling of God.
Centuries later, St. Paul wrote about this Moses story. He said that Jesus changes everything for us. Through Christ, we can remove the veil from our faces. Through the Holy Spirit of Freedom we can see the glory of the Lord. And through seeing God’s glory, we are transformed into the image of God. That beautiful part of us that God created and called good —that will shine through when we take off the veil.
So what’s stopping us? Because it’s not as simple as Paul says it is. Even after we have found Christ, we all know that things don’t magically change. We don’t magically change in an instant. Instead, we might still keep the veil on. We still might not want to see the glory of God face to face. That light of God’s glory may be too real, too honest, too revealing. We might not want to face the whole truth about ourselves the way God knows it. So we keep the veil on, even though God has given us permission to take it off.
What are the veils in our lives that prevent us from seeing God’s glory? Because as Christians, we believe that God’s glory is here in the world. In the very beginning, God made the world and made human beings called everything good. When the Word became flesh, and was born as baby Jesus, God showed that the whole world was holy. When the Holy Spirit fell on the disciples, that was God’s promise that God remains here with us. So God’s glory is all around us.
The question is, what keeps us from connecting with God’s glory? Why don’t we always realize that God’s glory is right in front of us? What are the prejudices, preconceived notions, and assumptions we make that lead us to miss out on what God has in store?
Those are our critical questions as we begin the season of Lent this Wednesday. A lot of cultural attention in Lent focuses on two things: First, Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday, the party before it all starts. We’ll celebrate Shrove Tuesday with a pancake supper so we can load up on all the rich sweets that people traditionally don’t eat during Lent. And that leads to the second thing -- people associate Lent with fasting, or giving things up.
But in Lent, giving things up or depriving ourselves is not the point. We might choose to take on a temporary discipline in Lent that involves giving up something you like. But that’s not to say that the things we give up are bad or evil or anything like that. The biggest reason we give up things during Lent is to try to clear away some of the distractions in our lives. It’s these same distractions that might be holding the veil in front of our faces, that might be preventing us from seeing the glory of God, even though it’s here in our midst.
So if you stay away from chocolate or meat on certain days in Lent, that’s fine. But don’t do it just to lose weight or try to fit some cultural norm, or worse, because you just feel guilty and think you oughta do something. The point of the fasts in Lent is to try to remove those distractions. So replace whatever it is with some time in prayer or meditation or journaling or doing a nature walk, or anything that helps you pay attention to God’s glory that surrounds us. And that means Lenten fasts don’t need to be about food at all. They can be about screen time or something else that you find distracting from the real, important things in your life.
Lent is really just an opportunity to reset spiritually. If you feel off, or out of whack, like you can’t quite connect with God or the people you love in your family or church community, this is a chance to try to examine why that is. Lent is an invitation to deeper discipleship, to following Jesus more closely. It’s an invitation to get real, to sweep away the distractions and veils and illusions in our lives and especially in our relationships (with God and other people).
So as we prepare to start Lent in just 3 days, take some time to think and reflect about where the veils are in your life. God is inviting you to take them off, to receive the Spirit of Freedom, to see God’s glory, and to be transformed. The light of God’s glory might seem scary because it will reveal hard truths to us. But the main truth is that God loves us no matter what. So if we trust that fundamental truth, then maybe we can let go of some of that fear and take a leap of faith into those everlasting arms — no veil, just face to face with our Savior. Amen.
Hymn #618: Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones
[Verses 1-4]
1 Ye watchers and ye holy ones,
bright seraphs, cherubim, and thrones,
raise the glad strain, Alleluia!
Cry out, dominions, princedoms, powers,
virtues, archangels, angels' choirs,
Alleluia! alleluia! alleluia!
Alleluia! alleluia!
2 O higher than the cherubim,
more glorious than the seraphim,
lead their praises, Alleluia!
Thou bearer of the eternal Word,
most gracious, magnify the Lord,
Alleluia! alleluia! alleluia!
Alleluia! alleluia!
3 Respond, ye souls in endless rest,
ye patriarchs and prophets blest,
Alleluia, alleluia!
Ye holy twelve, ye martyrs strong,
all saints triumphant, raise the song,
Alleluia! alleluia! alleluia!
Alleluia! alleluia!
4 O friends, in gladness let us sing,
supernal anthems echoing,
Alleluia, alleluia!
To God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Spirit, Three in One,
Alleluia! alleluia! alleluia!
Alleluia! alleluia!
Words: John Athelstan Laurie Riley, Public Domain. Music: Lasst uns erfreuen, melody from Auserlesene Catholische Geistliche Kirchengesänge (1623), adapt. and harm. Ralph Vaughn Williams. Reprinted with permission under ONELICENSE #80949. All rights reserved.
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 http://www.rickmorley.com/archives/1355]
Let us pray to God, who is made manifest in Jesus Christ.
As the prophet Isaiah rang out, “Arise, shine; for your light has come”; empower your Church, O God, to ring out the Good News of the Light of your son Jesus, which pierces even the deepest darkness.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
As a star rose high into the nighttime sky to draw the nations to the Christ-child; send your blessing, O God, on this nation, and every nation, and draw the whole world to your peace and truth.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
As John the Baptist guided crowds of people to the edge of the wilderness and baptized Jesus in the River Jordan, we pray that you would guide our country and our leaders to the ways of justice and righteousness.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Like the Magi who traveled from afar to bring gifts and celebrate the Savior’s birth; we pray for this community: for Annie Colbert (2/27), RaShad Taylor Jr. (2/28), Lee Grant Pearson, Sr. (3/1), and Clemontine Washington (3/1) on their birthdays, and for all those celebrating wedding anniversaries.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
As Jesus climbed the mountaintop, and proclaimed blessings on the people of the world; we pray for the sick and the distressed, the poor and the lame. We pray for those on our Parish Prayer List: Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Christine Brown, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Annie Bell Greer, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Craig Maxwell, Bette Milledge, Helen Scroggins, and Paulette Sibert.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
As Jesus called his disciples to leave their nets and boats, and follow him; we pray for the departed whom we love and have answered your call to follow Jesus to your Heavenly Kingdom... Give them your peace.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
The Celebrant prays:
Lord Jesus, Light of the World, hear our prayers, and make us reflections of your Light, that the places of darkness in our world would be pierced by your Light, and that all nations would be drawn to you and be overwhelmed with joy. Amen.
The Confession of Sin
[BCP, p. 360]
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Bishop, when present, or the Priest, stands and says
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Peace
[BCP, p. 360]
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Parish Announcements
A. Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper 3/1/22 from 12:30-4:00 PM: St. Matthew's Episcopal Church Women (ECW) will again sponsor the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. Shrove Tuesday is March 1, 2022. Dinners will cost $8.00 per plate and will be available for pick-up only from 12:30-4:00 that afternoon.
B. Ash Wednesday on 3/2/22 at 7 AM & 6 PM: Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of preparation for Easter. This year, Ash Wednesday will be on March 2, 2022.
We will hold an in-person worship service with ashes, music, and Holy Communion at 7:00 AM. This service will also be live-streamed to our Facebook page.
There will be a short second in-person service with no music, no Communion, and no live-stream at 6:00 PM for those who prefer to attend in the evening.
C. Lenten Book Study: This Band of Sisterhood: This Lent, we will gather together to read and discuss a new book called This Band of Sisterhood: Black Women Bishops on Race, Faith, and the Church, edited by Dr. Westina Matthews. These meetings will mostly take place on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM over Zoom, beginning on March 9 (we will meet Tuesday, March 22, instead of March 23).
You can order this book for $14.95 via Church Publishing or Amazon. We will publish a reading schedule and Zoom information closer to the start of the program. If you're interested in learning more about the book, watch this webinar with the author/editor and the five bishops: https://youtu.be/BBJMAxTXp6k.
D. Youth to Sponsor Ronald McDonald House Donation Drive in Lent: Become involved in supporting the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), which provides housing and support for children and their families as they receive medical treatment at nearby hospitals. Our youth will be collecting donations to help cover these costs. Donations will be collected during Lent. They can be dropped off at the church on Wednesday between 10:00 am – 5:00 pm or Sunday before or after service. The RMHC of the Coastal Empire, based in Savannah, requests the following items for donation this spring:
Bleach
Disinfectant Wipes
Trash Bags (4, 13, and 33+ gallons)
E. JUST Rethinking Justice Workshop 3/12: Justice Unites Savannah Together invites you to join a Bible Study-themed workshop called "Rethinking Justice." The purpose of the workshop is to build relationships between diverse faith communities, reclaim the biblical mandate to “do justice,” and review a proven model for that mandate. This is a great opportunity to get involved in St. Matthew's Justice Ministry Team if you have been interested!
The Rethinking Justice Workshop will take place on Saturday, March 12, from 1:30-4:00 PM at Connexion United Methodist Church, 5411 Skidaway Rd, Savannah, GA 31409, where the Rev. Michael Culbreath is Senior Pastor.
F. CORR on 4/3 at St. Matthew's: Conversations on Relationships and Race (CORR) is a joint Christian Education course with St. Matthew’s, St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Isle of Hope United Methodist Church, and Asbury United Methodist Church. This spring, we will continue to read How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. You may purchase it from any major bookstore (such as Amazon).
Our next CORR meeting is scheduled to be in person on Sunday, April 3, 2022, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. at St. Matthew's. Please read Chapters 6-11 of Kendi’s book before the meeting.
G. 2021 Giving Statements Available Now: The Bookkeeper, Rector, and Parish Administrator worked this week to compile 2021 Giving Statements for all donors to St. Matthew's in the year 2021. Following IRS guidelines, we are providing statements only to individuals or families whose gifts totaled at least $250.00, so some donors may not have a statement.
Your statements were mailed out on February 9. If you did not receive yours, let us know. If you prefer to receive your statement by email, please contact Fr. Arboleda at FrGAA@StMattSav.org or contact the Parish Administrator at Office@StMattSav.org.
If you notice a discrepancy between your giving statement and your own giving records, please contact our Bookkeeper, Pat Lanchester, at Bookkeeper@StMattSav.org.
H. T/W/Th Evening Prayer: On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, St. Matthew's invites you to pray Evening Prayer over Zoom. The video will continue to stream to Facebook Live at 5:00 PM. Please join the Zoom call by 4:55 PM. Otherwise, watch the prayer service as you have been on Facebook Live.
For security purposes, below is the Meeting ID only; please check your St. Matthew's e-Newsletter for the password (or email FrGAA@StMattSav.org to request it).
Topic: Zoom Evening Prayer
Time: 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
Join Zoom Meeting: See e-Newsletter
Meeting ID: 991 8577 8541
Passcode: See e-Newsletter
Dial by your location: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
Meeting ID: 991 8577 8541
Passcode: See e-Newsletter
I. Revised COVID-19 Safety Guidelines for In-Person Worship: On June 21, the Vestry authorized revised COVID-19 Safety Guidelines for in-person worship at St. Matthew's. At the October Vestry meeting, they reaffirmed the use of these guidelines and the maintenance of this temporary Sunday worship schedule.
All people in attendance are still required to wear masks that cover the nose and mouth at all times and maintain social distancing in their assigned seating areas. Click here to read the Vestry's June 2021 COVID-19 Safety Guidelines in their entirety.
The Offertory
[BCP, p. 377]
Giving to St. Matthew's: We know that many people are feeling the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. The church is feeling it too. We still need your support to pay our staff, pay our bills, and provide for these online live streams. 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
Text “stmattsav” to 73256 to make a secure online donation through your phone.
NOTE: Donations made online (#2 or #3) through Realm incur a processing fee of about 2.5%. Please consider adding an additional 2.5% to your online gift to cover these costs.
“From the rising of the sun to its setting my Name shall be great among the nations, and in every place incense shall be offered to my Name, and a pure offering: for my Name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.” [Malachi 1:11]
Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now
[Verses 1-3]
1 I’m so glad Jesus lifted me
I'm so glad Jesus lifted me
I'm so glad Jesus lifted me
singing glory Hallelujah Jesus lifted me.
2 Satan had me bound Jesus lifted me
Satan had me bound Jesus lifted me
Satan hand me bound Jesus lifted me
singing glory Hallelujah Jesus lifted me
3 When I was in sin Jesus lifted me
When I was in sin Jesus lifted me
When I was in sin Jesus lifted me
singing glory Hallelujah Jesus lifted me.
Words: Traditional, Public Domain. Music: Negro Spiritual, Public Domain; arr. Evelyn Simpson-Curenton © 2000 GIA Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #95009. All rights reserved.
AAHH #651: Doxology
[See also Hymn # 380, v. 3]
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
Words: Thomas Ken, Public Domain. Music: Old 100th, attributed to Louis Bourgeois, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84260. All rights reserved.
Eucharistic Prayer B
[BCP, p. 367]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. …
Preface of the Epiphany [BCP, p. 378]:
Because in the mystery of the Word made flesh, you have caused a new light to shine in our hearts, to give the knowledge of your glory in the face of your son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
LEV #254:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
[Word: Public Domain. Music: Carl Maultsby, The Saint Mary Mass, © 1989 Malted Milk Music. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #00004C1989. All rights reserved.]
The people stand or kneel.
We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."
Therefore, according to his command, O Father,
LEV #260:
We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;
We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;
[Word: Public Domain. Music: Hezekiah Brinson, Jr. © 1990 Hezekiah Brinson, Jr. All rights reserved.]
And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.
We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with Blessed Matthew our Patron, Blessed Mary the Mother of Jesus, and all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.
By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
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 Fraction Anthem
[BCP, p. 364, 407]
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!
This Far By Faith (1999) #36:
O Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy and grant us peace,
we pray, O Lamb of God.
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Grayson Warren Brown, arr. Larry Adams © 1979 Grayson Warren Brown, admin. by OCP Publications. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #81590. All rights reserved.]
Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
The Gifts of God for the people of God.
AAHH #443: Give Us This Day
[Repeat as desired]
Give us this day our daily bread.
You said You would supply all my needs
according to Your riches.
I have but to ask and I shall receive.
To go from here and share this love You gave to me,
to show someone who's lost and help them find their way,
the way to truth and faith so they can be free like me,
free like me. Lord, we need Your love.
Lord, we need Your peace.
Lord, we need Your joy
Thank You for this day.
Lord, we thank You for this day.
Words: Edwin Hawkins © 2000 GIA Publications, Inc. Music: Edwin Hawkins, arr. Stephen Key © 2000 GIA Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #95028, #27538. All rights reserved.
The Post-Communion Prayer
[Enriching our Worship 2 [2000], pp. 56-57]
Let us pray.
For In-Person Worshippers:
Faithful God,
in the wonder of your wisdom and love
you fed your people in the wilderness with the bread of angels,
and you sent Jesus to be the bread of life.
We thank you for feeding us with this bread.
May it strengthen us
that by the power of the Holy Spirit
we may embody your desire
and be renewed for your service
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
For Online Worshippers and Those Receiving Spiritual Communion:
Faithful God,
in the wonder of your wisdom and love
you fed your people in the wilderness with the bread of angels,
and you sent Jesus to be the bread of life.
Though we cannot consume now these gifts of bread [and wine],
we thank you that we have received the sacrament of Christ’s presence,
the forgiveness of sins, and all other benefits of Christ’s passion.
By the power of the Holy Spirit,
may we embody your desire
and be renewed for your service
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
The Blessing of the People
[The Book of Occasional Services 2018, p. 10]
May Christ, the Son of God, be manifest in you, that your lives may be a light to the world; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.
The Dismissal
[BCP, p. 366]
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
Thanks be to God!
The Parish Prayer List
Prayer List: Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Christine Brown, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Annie Bell Greer, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Craig Maxwell, Bette Milledge, Helen Scroggins, and Paulette Sibert
Birthdays: Annie Colbert (2/27), RaShad Taylor Jr. (2/28), Lee Grant Pearson, Sr. (3/1), and Clemontine Washington (3/1)
Wedding Anniversaries: N/A
Recent Deaths: N/A
May the souls of all the departed rest in peace; and may light perpetual shine upon them. Amen.
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), African American Heritage Hymnal (AAHH), Wonder Love and Praise (WLP), and other sources cited. The Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.