The Holy Eucharist: Liturgy of the Word
2nd Sunday in Lent (Year B) February 28, 2021
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday, February 28, at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)
Preface
We at St. Matthew's Church in Savannah are unable to gather together in person due to the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic. Under the guidance of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, the Vestry has decided to keep our church building closed for all in-person gatherings.
At 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, 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.
This worship service is designed for 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.
In 2021, we have made some technological and liturgical changes to our live stream, in accordance with the latest COVID-19 Safety Guidelines from the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia. All these changes are intended to simplify the production process of these worship videos and comply with those guidelines.
This liturgy will be performed live on Sunday morning as you watch from home, rather than pre-filmed and edited together. In other words, you are looking at a live feed of what we are doing in the church. This means there will be fewer flourishes on the video, but it will look like actually attending church again.
Due to the "live" nature of this video, there will be 3-4 people in the church on Sunday morning (Ms. Dandy, 1-2 lay readers, and myself). In compliance with the Diocese of Georgia's COVID-19 indoor worship guidelines, we will engage in social distancing, wear masks at all times, and aim to keep the liturgy under 40 minutes.
Therefore, most hymns will be shortened (typically to 3 or fewer verses) and some portions of the liturgy that may be sung will be spoken.
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 Holy Eucharist: Rite II
The Penitential Order
Hymn #401: The God of Abraham Praise
[Verses 1-3]
1 The God of Abraham praise,
who reigns enthroned above;
Ancient of everlasting days,
and God of love;
the Lord, the great I AM,
by earth and heaven confessed:
we bow and bless the sacred Name
for ever blest.
2 He by himself hath sworn:
we on his oath depend;
we shall, on eagles-wings upborne,
to heaven ascend:
we shall behold his face,
we shall his power adore,
and sing the wonders of his grace
for evermore.
3 There dwells the Lord, our King,
the Lord, our Righteousness,
triumphant o'er the world and sin,
the Prince of Peace;
on Zion's sacred height
his kingdom he maintains,
and, glorious with his saints in light,
for ever reigns.
Words: Thomas Olivers, alt., Public Domain.
Music: Leoni, Hebrew melody, alt., Public Domain.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84523. All rights reserved.
Opening Sentences
[BCP, p. 351]
Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.
God's mercy endures forever. Amen.
The Decalogue
[BCP, p. 350]
Hear the commandments of God to his people:
I am the Lord your God who brought you out of bondage. You shall have no other gods but me. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not make for yourself any idol. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not invoke with malice the Name of the Lord your God. Amen. Lord have mercy.
Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Amen. Lord have mercy.
Honor your father and your mother. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not commit murder. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not commit adultery. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not steal. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not be a false witness. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor. Amen. Lord have mercy.
Confession of Sin
[BCP, p. 351]
Jesus said, "The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord your God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these."
[Mark 12:29-31]
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
[1 John 1:8-9]
Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
[Hebrews 4:14,16]
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept.
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.
Kyrie Eleison
[BCP, p. 356]
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
The Collect of the Day
[BCP, p. 357, 218]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Genesis (17:1-7, 15-16)
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.
God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God
Psalm 22:22-30
[BCP, p. 611]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
22 Praise the Lord, you that fear him; *
stand in awe of him, O offspring of Israel;
all you of Jacob's line, give glory.
23 For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty;
neither does he hide his face from them; *
but when they cry to him he hears them.
24 My praise is of him in the great assembly; *
I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship him.
25 The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek the Lord shall praise him: *
"May your heart live for ever!"
26 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, *
and all the families of the nations shall bow before him.
27 For kingship belongs to the Lord; *
he rules over the nations.
28 To him alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship; *
all who go down to the dust fall before him.
29 My soul shall live for him;
my descendants shall serve him; *
they shall be known as the Lord's for ever.
30 They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn * the saving deeds that he has done.
A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans (4:13-25)
For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.
For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”) —in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So numerous shall your descendants be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith “was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Mark (8:31-38)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus began to teach his disciples that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
"Black History and Our Future" by Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
Today is the final day of Black History Month this year. I apologize for not mentioning it from the pulpit on any of the last three Sundays. Normally, we have a short Black History-themed program at the end of worship on Sundays in February, but with so few people involved in the live-stream this year, those plans fell to the wayside.
But today, I want to help us see a connection between the Gospel reading and one of the most famous, but least-well-understood figures in Black American history, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. King has been on my mind a lot this year. I re-read the entirety of his Letter from a Birmingham Jail leading up to King Day in January, and I read a long excerpt from that text on our Zoom Morning Prayer service. I’ve been struck by his clarity of thought, the conviction of his actions, and the effectiveness with which he organized people to accomplish legislative victories for racial equality. These have been an inspiration to me in my new role as the Diocese of Georgia’s Missioner for Racial Justice. And, finally, I think of Dr. King because this Easter is the 53rd anniversary of his assassination, April 4, 1968, in Memphis, TN.
Just like today’s Gospel passage, Dr. King’s life and death confront us with the question, What are we willing to die for?
“[Jesus] called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?’” (Mark 8:34-37).
Jesus teaches us how hard it can be to do the right thing. We will always be tempted to pick the easy route, to go for the path of least resistance and greatest comfort. Even Jesus was tempted to let go of his calling when Peter tried to make him stop teaching about suffering and death on the cross.
But God has given us higher callings. If we want to be followers of Jesus, we must be willing to give up our lives for his sake and for the sake of the Gospel. And remember that the Gospel is not simply that Jesus saves us from our sins. The Gospel is also the Good News of God’s love, freedom, justice, and peace for all of God’s creatures, you and me, especially.
We strive toward that goal even when it’s difficult, even when others try to rebuke us, even when it hurts. We strive toward that goal because it is good, because it is liberating, and because it is life-giving. Good News like that is worth fighting for, striving for, and even dying for.
Dr. King’s legacy in American history is very complicated. He is rightly remembered for his instrumental role in fighting for civil rights and voting rights for Black Americans and Americans of all races. He is remembered for his monumental “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington in 1963. The movement he led pushed the U.S. Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. But Dr. King lived for three more years. His work did not end in 1965.
By the late 1960s, Dr. King repeatedly drew connections between what he called America’s “three major evils—the evil of racism, the evil of poverty, and the evil of war” (King, “America’s Chief Moral Dilemma”). In this period, he began to criticize the USA’s involvement in the War in Vietnam. He spoke out against the violence and atrocities committed against both the Vietnamese people and our American soldiers overseas. He further began to speak out against the economic policies that keep so many Americans trapped in poverty. Thus, in 1967, Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference launched the Poor People’s Campaign.
The King Institute at Stanford University summarizes the movement like so: “Seeking a ‘middle ground between riots on the one hand and timid supplications for justice on the other,’ King planned for an initial group of 2,000 poor people to descend on Washington, D.C., southern states and northern cities to meet with government officials to demand jobs, unemployment insurance, a fair minimum wage, and education for poor adults and children designed to improve their self-image and self-esteem (King, 29 November 1967).”
The popular history told around MLK Day and Black History Month is that Dr. King was killed by racists. And he was. But the adage among scholars of the Civil Rights Movement is that white people hated Dr. King for standing up against racism, but they killed him for standing up against the war abroad and poverty here at home. King did not simply want to let Black people ride buses and sit at lunch counters. He wanted a multi-racial coalition of all the people who had been oppressed by this nation’s greed to rally together for true economic equality and security. He wanted a revolution to end poverty and end our endless wars.
And he wanted that revolution because it fits with the Gospel. Dr. King pursued liberation for the captives, freedom for the oppressed, jobs for the jobless, homes for the homeless, and food for the hungry. He rightly believed that this was a godly calling to straighten out our society’s morals for the benefit of all God’s children. And he was willing to die for it. He took up the cross by standing up for the poor and downtrodden. He was willing to pursue life and healing for others even if it cost him his own.
And after Dr. King was murdered, the Poor People’s Campaign fell apart. Most of its goals were never accomplished, and here we are over half a century later living in a southern city with shockingly high rates of poverty and homelessness. The work is unfinished.
That’s the part of Black History that they don’t often tell you in school or on TV specials or in commercials. That’s the uncomfortable part about Black History that reminds us that the work of freedom, justice, and equality is unfinished. We still do not live in that society where all people are treated like God’s children, regardless of their skin color, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality. We still live in a nation where members of our state legislature are trying to block access to the vote in Georgia because their party didn’t win in November. Even the basic voting rights for which Dr. king fought are again being threatened.
The world is not as it should be. And that means that we still have Good News to share. God’s vision for life is much greater, much fairer, and much more loving than our current reality. We still have a role to play in taking up the Cross and following Christ. Thankfully, others have revived Dr. King’s work in the 21st Century. The Poor People’s Campaign is still alive and well under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber and the Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis. (You can learn more at: https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org).
Inspired by Dr. King and the other pillars of Black History; inspired by the contemporary work of pastors, theologians, and activists; inspired by Jesus Christ who preached love, life, and liberation; and inspired by the Holy Spirit that lives in our hearts even now, we shall overcome. God is not finished with us, if we will only follow Jesus into freedom. Amen.
Bibliography
King, Martin Luther, Jr. “America’s Chief Moral Dilemma.” Quoted in “Martin Luther King Jr. Saw Three Evils in the World.” Published February 2018 (originally 1967). Accessed 25 February 2021. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/02/martin-luther-king-hungry-club-forum/552533/.
The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute. “Poor People’s Campaign.” Stanford University. Accessed 25 February 2021. https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/poor-peoples-campaign.
LEV #144: Where He Leads Me
[Verses 1, 4]
1 I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
“Take thy cross and follow, follow me.”
REFRAIN:
Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.
4 He will give me grace and glory,
He will give me grace and glory,
He will give me grace and glory,
And go with me, with me all the way. [Refrain]
Words: E. W. Blandy, Public Domain.
Music: John S. Norris, Public Domain.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #95088. 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 the Rev. Rick Morley, http://www.rickmorley.com/archives/1431]
Celebrant: Have mercy on us, O God, according to your loving kindness; in your great compassion, hear our prayers.
Intercessor: We pray for the whole church, all leaders and ministers, and all the holy people of God. Wash us through and through, And cleanse us from our sin.
We pray for our nation, for all the nations of the earth, and for all who govern and judge, especially for Joseph our President, Brian our governor, Van our mayor, Chester the chair of our County Commission, and Ann the Superintendent of our Public Schools. Purge us from our sin, And we shall be pure.
We pray for those who hunger, those who thirst, those who cry out for justice, those who live under the threat of terror, and those without a place to lay their head. Make them hear of joy and gladness, that those who are broken may rejoice.
We pray for those who are ill, those in pain, those under stress, and those who are lonely. Give them the joy of your saving help, and sustain them with your bountiful Spirit.
In this season of Lent we pray for those who prepare for baptism, and we pray that we all might be given the grace and strength to repent and grow closer to you, O God. Create in us clean hearts, O God, and renew a right spirit within us.
We pray for those who have died, (especially _____ ) and who have entered into the land of eternal Light and your abiding peace. Cast them not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from them.
We pray for our Day Care staff, students, and their families, and for the people of our Parish Prayer List: Martha Avery, Zavier Bradley, Myrtle Brow-Hollis, Jacquelyn Bryant, Christine Brown, Genella Chamberlain, Taylor Blue Clemons, Annie Colbert, Ana Columna, Lazola Cope, Alice Dailey, Beryl Dandy, Mark Dashiell, Brittany Dawson, Eduardo Espinosa, Imani Ferguson, Ruby Fernandez, Harry Frazier, Charles Gordon, Amanda Green, Jocelyn Bryant Harden, 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, David Jones, Frances T. Jones, Lori Jones, Robert L. Jones, Sr., Whitney Kennedy, Leonard Law, Jr., Ralph Lovett, Ryan Lovett, Tammie Lovett, Marcus Marzen, Joan Maty, Craig Maxwell, Sada Maxwell, Altheria Maynard, Carmelita Maynard, Bette Milledge, Hollie Moultrie, Patricia Murry, Russell Nails, Dorothy Neal, Jameel Newton, Glenzy Payne, Robert Payne, Willie Mae Robinson, Paul Rockwell, Dison Washington Slaughter, James Small, Gwendolyn Smith, Courtney Watts Vista, Ed Vista, Willie Stephens, Lori Ward, Gertrude Washington, and Noel Wheeler.
We give thanks for RaShad Taylor, Jr. (2/28), Lee Grant Pearson, Sr. (3/1), and Clemontine Washington (3/1) on their birthdays.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Concluding prayer led by the Celebrant:
Lord Jesus, you taught your disciples that you must undergo great suffering and be killed before rising again; grant us the strength and wisdom to be your followers and to take up our cross to follow you, this day and always. Amen.
The Peace
[BCP, p. 360]
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
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.
“If you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.”
[Matthew 5:23-24; see BCP, p. 376]
Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now
Hymn #707: Take My Life, And Let It Be
[Verses 1-2]
1 Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move
at the impulse of thy love;
take my heart, it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.
2 Take my voice, and let me sing
always, only, for my King;
Take my intellect, and use
every power as thou shalt choose.
Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.
Words: Frances Ridley Havergal, alt., Public Domain.
Music: Hollingside, John Bacchus Dykes, Public Domain.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #97292. All rights reserved.
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 Solemn Prayer Over the People
[The Book of Occasional Services 2018, p. 11]
Let us bow down before the Lord.
Keep this your family, Lord, with your never-failing mercy, that relying solely on the help of your heavenly grace, they may be upheld by your divine protection; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Parish Announcements
[See below]
The Dismissal
[BCP, p. 366]
Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
Parish Announcements - 2/21/21
A. Wednesday Study in Lent: This Lent, St. Matthew's will hold a weekly discussion about the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia's Thriving in the Vine: Daily Reflections for Lent. We encourage parishioners to read the daily devotions prepared by priests and laypeople from around our Diocese (including folks from St. Matthew's). Download the Lenten Devotional Book here: https://gaepiscopal.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Lent-2021-Book.pdf. You may also purchase a printed version of the devotional book for $3.60 per copy, plus shipping at: https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/liz-williams/thriving-in-the-vine/paperback/product-gprw5q.html?page=1&pageSize=4.
On Wednesdays from February 24 - March 31 at 5:30 PM, right after Evening Prayer ends, we will hold a discussion group focusing on the spiritual practice of the week (highlighted each Saturday and Sunday), and provide time for a conversation about the other weekday devotions. The Devotional Study will meet over Zoom using the same call information as Wednesday Evening Prayer. All you need to do is log into the call at 5:30 to join the study. If you log into the call at 5:00, you can pray with us and be featured on the Zoom Facebook Live-stream. Note that the discussion group will not be live-streamed to Facebook.
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: 05:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) every Wednesday
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
B. Virtual Coffee Hour 2/28: Join us for virtual coffee hour over Zoom this Sunday at 10:30 AM.
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: St. Matthew's Coffee Hour
Time: Feb 28, 2021 10:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: See e-Newsletter
Meeting ID: 825 7251 1175
Passcode: See e-Newsletter
Dial by your location: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
Meeting ID: 825 7251 1175
Passcode: See e-Newsletter
C. Annual Meeting & Annual Report ONLINE: On January 31, St. Matthew's held its 2021 Annual Meeting virtually through Zoom. You can read about the Annual Meeting and download the Annual Report here: https://www.stmattsav.org/post/annual-meeting-on-january-31-2021.
The entire meeting was recorded through Zoom and has been posted to a private YouTube link. If you missed the Annual Meeting and would like to watch it, please check your e-Newsletter for the link. If you have trouble accessing the e-Newsletter, please contact the church office (see below). If you would like a paper copy of the 2021 Annual Report to be mailed to you, please call or email the church office at (912) 234-4440 or Office@StMattSav.org.
D. Raleigh Bryant Burial Plans TBD: St. Matthew's mourns the death of Mr. Raleigh A. Bryant, Jr., who passed away on December 18, 2020, at the age of 96. Mr. Bryant will be cremated and buried at a future date to be determined. A graveside burial service will be announced once plans are finalized. For Mr. Bryant's full obituary and online guestbook, please visit the following link to Adams Funeral Services' website: https://www.adamsfuneralservicesinc.com/obituary/MrRaleigh-BryantJr
E. Donations for New Security System, Internet, & Camera: In the last month, the Vestry and Rector have planned several improvements to our facility using the Building Renovation Fund. The Vestry approved a wholesale replacement and upgrade of the burglary alarm system across our entire building and we have asked several members to contribute to the upfront installation costs. The Vestry also approved a complete upgrade to our internet and wifi equipment, such that there is universal hi-speed internet coverage throughout the building (Office, Parish Hall, Day Care, and Sanctuary). Finally, we are purchasing a new HD video camera for use during live-stream worship on Sundays and holidays (see above).
Now that the internet installation is complete, the total cost of all these upgrades has increased to approximately $6500.00. We thank all those that have already contributed designated gifts toward these projects. If you have not already contributed, please consider making an additional donation to the Building Renovation Fund for one or all of these building upgrades.
The Altar Guild invites parishioners to offer memorial gifts in honor of departed loved ones toward these projects in lieu of flowers. Raffle tickets for the quilt also go toward the Building Renovation Fund and can support this cause.
F. T/W/Th Evening Prayer via Zoom: On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, Fr. Arboleda invites you to pray Evening Prayer with him over Zoom. The video will continue to stream to Facebook Live at 5:00 PM. Please join the Zoom call by 4:50 PM. Otherwise, watch the prayer service as you have been on Facebook Live.
During Lent, we will use the Evening Prayer liturgy from Enriching Our Worship 1, an Episcopal worship resource that includes new prayers from more parts of the Bible, an emphasis on non-gendered language for God, and featuring more feminine perspectives both ancient and modern.
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
G. “Trip Around the World” Quilt Raffle: The Quilter's Guild, through St. Matthew's ECW, is raffling a "Trip Around the World" Quilt to benefit St. Matthew's Building Renovation Fund. This fund supports major extra-budgetary building improvement projects, such as painting, replacing the sound system, replacing the oven in Toomer-Walker Hall, etc.
This beautiful, jewel-toned quilt measures 103"x90" and will fit a queen-sized bed. This machine-stitched quilt in tones of deep violet amethyst, blue sapphire, green emerald, blue topaz, and green peridot will enhance any bedroom.
The winner will be announced on September 30, 2021. Winners do not need to be present to win. In addition to the grand prize of the "Trip Around the World '' quilt, there will be interim raffles of seasonal quilt-type projects for no additional ticket purchase. Interim winners will still be eligible for the grand prize.
The first interim drawing was on December 16, 2020. Sheila Jones won four Christmas potholders and Yavonne Taylor won a set of six Christmas placemats. The next interim drawing will be in late February.
Tickets are $15 each. Please make donations in $15 increments. Tickets may be purchased by:
Mailing a check to St. Matthew's with "Quilt Raffle" in the memo line; OR
Expect your raffle tickets to be returned to you by mail or email within 5-7 business days of receipt. Direct any questions to office@stmattsav.org.
The Parish Prayer List
Prayer List: Martha Avery, Zavier Bradley, Myrtle Brow-Hollis, Jacquelyn Bryant, Christine Brown, Genella Chamberlain, Taylor Blue Clemons, Annie Colbert, Lazola Cope, Alice Dailey, Beryl Dandy, Mark Dashiell, Brittany Dawson, Eduardo Espinosa, Imani Ferguson, Ruby Fernandez, Harry Frazier, Charles Gordon, Amanda Green, Jocelyn Bryant Harden, 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, David Jones, Frances T. Jones, Lori Jones, Robert L. Jones, Sr., Whitney Kennedy, Leonard Law, Jr., Ralph Lovett, Ryan Lovett, Tammie Lovett, Marcus Marzen, Joan Maty, Craig Maxwell, Sada Maxwell, Altheria Maynard Carmelita Maynard, Bette Milledge, Hollie Moultrie, Patricia Murry, Russell Nails, Dorothy Neal, Jameel Newton, Glenzy Payne, Robert Payne, Willie Mae Robinson, Paul Rockwell, Dison Washington Slaughter, James Small, Gwendolyn Smith, Courtney Watts Vista, Ed Vista, Willie Stephens, Lori Ward, Gertrude Washington, and Noel Wheeler
Birthdays: RaShad Taylor, Jr. (2/28), Lee Grant Pearson, Sr. (3/1), and Clemontine Washington (3/1)
Wedding Anniversaries: N/A
Recent Deaths: Raleigh Bryant (12/18)
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), and other sources cited. The Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.