The Holy Eucharist: Liturgy of the Word
3rd Sunday After the Epiphany (Year B) January 24, 2021
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday, January 24, 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.
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.
This week, we will make some technological and liturgical changes to our live stream, which you may or may not notice while you watch. All these changes are intended to simplify the production process of these worship videos and be mindful of COVID-19 safety measures.
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 when not speaking to the camera, 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 Word of God
Hymn #530: Spread, O Spread, Thou Mighty Word
(Verses 1-4)
1 Spread, O spread, thou mighty word,
Spread the kingdom of the Lord,
That to earth's remotest bound
All may heed the joyful sound;
2 Word of how the Father's will
Made the world, and keeps it, still;
How his only Son he gave,
Earth from sin and death to save;
3 Word of how the Saviour's love
Earth's sore burden doth remove;
How for ever, in its need,
Through his death the world is freed;
4 Word of how the Spirit came
Bringing peace in Jesus' name;
How his never-failing love
Guides us on to heaven above.
Words: Jonathan Friedrich Bahnmaier; tr. Arthur William Farlander and Charles Winfred Douglas, alt.; St. 4, F. Bland Tucker; Public Domain.
Music: Gott sei Dank; adapt. and harm. William Henry Havergal; Public Domain.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #20389. All rights reserved.
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 (Canticle 20)
[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, 215]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Jonah (3:1-5, 10)
The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days' walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth. When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God
Psalm 62:6-14
[BCP, p. 669]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
6 For God alone my soul in silence waits; * truly, my hope is in him. 7 He alone is my rock and my salvation, * my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken. 8 In God is my safety and my honor; * God is my strong rock and my refuge. 9 Put your trust in him always, O people, * pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge. 10 Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath, * even those of low estate cannot be trusted. 11 On the scales they are lighter than a breath, * all of them together. 12 Put no trust in extortion; in robbery take no empty pride; * though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it. 13 God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, * that power belongs to God. 14 Steadfast love is yours, O Lord, * for you repay everyone according to his deeds.
A Reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians (7:29-31)
I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Mark (1:14-20)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
After John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
“The God of Jonah & Jesus” by Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
Today we hear a short passage about the Prophet Jonah and the story of Jesus calling four of his disciples.
Jonah received a command for the Lord that was so frightening, he tried to run away from God on a boat on the Mediterranean Sea. Jesus found Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John among the boats on the edge of the Sea of Galilee. Jonah did not say yes to the call until he was swallowed by a great fish and returned to the land. Jesus’ followers say yes right away, leaving their nets and their boats and returning to the shore. Jonah, the reluctant Prophet, delivers God’s message of healing and forgiveness to his worst and greatest enemies. Eventually, Jesus’ disciples will do the same thing. It turns out that God’s call on Jonah and Jesus’ call on his disciples are not too different. After all, they come from the same God.
We know that following Jesus can be challenging, because love is not easy. Learning to love all creatures as God does requires us to give up the parts of ourselves that are selfish and vengeful. The apostles of Jesus learn this gradually. Yes, they learn through listening to Jesus’ teaching, but their real lessons come from experience. They must learn to live a Gospel of Love in a world consumed with hate. We see their greatest challenges at the end of the Gospels and in the stories of the Book of Acts.
But Jonah confronts this reality right away. We hear only one story about his life, from one short period, and it’s filled with this conflict between Godly love and human hate. But instead of a war being waged outside with others, Jonah’s conflict is internal. This prophet is not a righteous warrior standing up against an evil, hateful world. Jonah has to stare down the hate in his own heart in order to answer God’s call. He has to learn to love those whom he has every reason to hate. Jonah shows us just how difficult it can be for us to love one another as God loves us.
The Book of Jonah begins with God speaking a word to the prophet Jonah: “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me” (Jonah 1:2).
Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire. Assyria was an invading, conquering force that swept through the ancient Near East and utterly destroyed every foe in its path in the 7th and 8th centuries BCE. They demolished the northern kingdom of Israel and attacked Jerusalem. They would have razed Jerusalem to the ground and stolen all its treasure if it weren’t for some divine intervention that you can read about in 2 Kings 18-19.
And not only were the Assyrians foreign conquerors, they were especially brutal even by ancient standards. They slaughtered men, women, and children indiscriminately. They impaled prisoners of war as a means of torture and execution. They committed truly awful war crimes. They didn’t have modern technology, but the Assyrians were just as genocidal and heinous as the Hitler’s Nazi Germany, Stalin’s Soviet Union, Idi Amin’s Uganda, and other evil regimes in recent memory.
So it’s not surprising that God recognizes Nineveh’s “wickedness.” Everybody could see how wicked the Assyrians were. What was stunning to Jonah is that God wanted to send a Prophet to them at all. Jonah thought of God as Israel’s God, “our God” who is for us, not them. In Jonah’s mind, God’s job was to judge and punish evildoers, especially foreign evildoers, and show them no mercy. Jonah knew that sending a prophet to warn them to repent was a way of showing mercy, of giving them a chance to change, and giving God a chance to forgive.
Jonah is so repulsed by the idea of God forgiving Nineveh and the ruthless Assyrians, Jonah runs away. He literally travels in the opposite direction. Instead of traveling east toward Nineveh (in modern-day Iraq), he gets on a boat headed west toward Tarshish (in modern-day Spain). He wants to get as far away from Nineveh as possible and he hopes that God will leave him alone if he gets far enough away from home.
But “the earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it” (Psalm 24:1). Jonah cannot outrun God. God sends a storm to disturb Jonah’s ship and a great fish to swallow him up and return him to the land of Israel. Reluctantly, Jonah agrees to God’s command the second time and he travels to Nineveh to deliver what he believes is a ludicrous prophecy.
Jonah proclaims to Nineveh that they have forty days before God’s judgment will be upon them for all their wicked deeds. Jonah is probably hoping and praying that they will ignore him so that God can deliver the punishment they deserve. Good riddance to them for all the pain, suffering, and death they have caused.
But, remarkably, the people of Nineveh listen to Jonah: “The people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth. … When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it” (Jonah 3:5, 10).
It turns out that even after all the atrocities the Assyrians had committed, they were still people whom God loved. They still had a capacity for good. They were still able to recognize their wrongdoing, ask forgiveness, and repent -- that is, turn away from evil toward good. God’s love and grace extends even to those who have done the most horrible things imaginable.
And what we don’t see in our short passage this morning is that God’s mercy infuriates Jonah. The very next verses explain: “But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. And now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” (Jonah 4:1-4).
Jonah’s sense of justice makes him angry when God forgives the Assyrians. He is mad that God let them off the hook. Jonah wishes he had no part in seeing these people that had so harmed him and his nation be treated with grace and mercy.
The challenge here is that when we say God loves everybody, we actually mean it.
Even the people you and I hate the most are beloved children of the Most High God. Those we try to demonize, God humanizes. God reminds us that they are still beloved, no matter how much harm they have caused.
That doesn’t mean that people will always get away with evil and wrongdoing. It doesn’t mean that our pain and suffering at the hands of others is meaningless. God is both loving and just, after all.
But it does mean that we should pursue justice, accountability, and restitution without vengeance and punishment. It means we should try to set things right without turning into violent oppressors in the process. It means we need to let go of the hate in our hearts and be fueled instead by a zeal for justice, freedom, and peace.
Jesus taught his disciples to love their enemies, and people acted like it was a radical new teaching. It turns out that it was a radical old teaching. The Old Testament God is the same God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. That God commanded Jonah to go and preach mercy to the people of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. That God called the disciples to “fish for people” “in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Mark 1:17; Acts 1:8). That God called the disciples to stand before judges, tribunals, kings, and rulers and defend the Good News of God in Christ. That God forgave them when they abandoned and denied Jesus leading up to his resurrection. So at least we know that our Lord practices what he preached.
This love for enemies may indeed scandalize us. It may anger and embarrass us. It’s much easier to wrap our heads around a simple notion of justice where everybody gets what they deserve, where God is like Santa Claus, doling out toys to nice children and coal to naughty ones. But God’s grace and mercy are truly for all. And we are called to be bearers of that Good News, even when it hurts. As Jonah learned, no one is too far gone for God’s mercy, not even our worst enemies. Amen.
LEV #19: Wayfaring Stranger
(Verses 1-3)
1 I’m just a poor wayfaring stranger,
I’m trav’ling through this world below;
There is no sickness, toil, nor danger,
In that bright world to which I go.
I’m going there to see my father,
I’m going there no more to roam;
I’m just a going over Jordan,
I’m just a going over home.
2 I know dark clouds will gather o’er me,
I know my pathway’s rough and steep;
But golden fields lie out before me,
Where weary eyes no more shall weep.
I’m going there to see my mother,
She said she’d meet me when I come;
I’m just a going over Jordan,
I’m just a going over home.
3 I want to sing salvations story, In concert with the blood-washed band; I want to wear a crown of glory, When I get home to that good land. I’m going there to see my brothers, They passed before me one by one; I’m just a going over Jordan, I’m just a going over home.
Words: Traditional; Public Domain.
Music: American Folk Song, Public Domain; arr. Horace Clarence Boyer, © 1992 Horace Clarence Boyer.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #62869. 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 Form IV, BCP, p. 388]
Let us pray for the Church and for the world.
Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name, may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world; especially for Michael our Presiding Bishop, Frank our Bishop, Guillermo our Priest, and all Christians in Savannah.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace; guide especially Joseph our president, Brian our governor, Van our mayor, Chester the chair of our County Commission, Ann the Superintendent of our Public Schools, and all civic officials; that we may honor one another and serve the common good.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us. Bless especially our Day Care Staff, Students, and their families, and bless Sheila Jones (1/25), Anthony Blue (1/26), and Anne Hudson (1/30) on their birthdays.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation. We pray especially the people of our Parish Prayer List: Martha Avery, Evelyn Arboleda, Charlotte Blue, Zavier Bradley, Myrtle Brow-Hollis, Jacquelyn Bryant, Christine Brown, Genella Chamberlain, Liam Clemons, Marquez Clemons, Taylor Blue Clemons, Teresa 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., Ronald Jones, Tonya Jones, 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, Paul Rockwell, Dison Washington Slaughter, James Small, Gwendolyn Smith, Courtney Watts Vista, Ed Vista, Willie Stephens, Lori Ward, Gertrude Washington, and Noel Wheeler; and all whom we remember now…
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
We commend to your mercy all who have died, especially Raleigh Bryant, Ronald Jones, [and _______], and those whom we remember now… ; that your will for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.
O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Confession of Sin
[BCP, p. 360]
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.
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: Many people are 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. 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.
“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; BCP, p. 377]
Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now
Hymn #539: O Zion, Haste
[Verses 1-3]
1 O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling,
to tell to all the world that God is Light;
that he who made all nations is not willing
one soul should fail to know his love and might.
REFRAIN:
Publish glad tidings: tidings of peace,
tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.
2 Proclaim to every people, tongue, and nation
that God, in whom they live and move, is Love;
tell how he stooped to save his lost creation,
and died on earth that all might live above. (Refrain)
3 Send heralds forth to bear the message glorious;
give of thy wealth to speed them on their way;
pour out thy soul for them in prayer victorious
till God shall bring his kingdom's joyful day. (Refrain)
Words: Mary Ann Thomson, alt.; Public Domain.
Music: Tidings, James Walch; Public Domain.
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 Blessing
[The Book of Occasional Services 2018, p. 9]
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.
Parish Announcements
[See below]
The Dismissal
[BCP, p. 366]
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Parish Announcements - 1/24/21
A. Technological & Liturgical Changes in 2021: This week, we will make some technological and liturgical changes to our live stream, which you may or may not notice while you watch. All these changes are intended to simplify the production process of these worship videos and be mindful of COVID-19 safety measures.
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 when not speaking to the camera, 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.
B. Vestry Member Term Extension Resolution Adopted: Due to the disruptive nature of the pandemic in our church's life, the Vestry considered and approved a resolution to extend its members' terms for an additional year. The Vestry extends its thanks to all members who offered feedback on this unusual decision for an unusual time. The resolution may be read in its entirety here: https://www.stmattsav.org/post/extend-the-terms-of-current-vestry-members
C. Ronald Jones Buried on Thursday, 1/21: St. Matthew's mourns the death of Mr. Ronald L. Jones, who passed away on the evening of Sunday, January 17, at the age of 68. In collaboration with Adams Funeral Services, the Jones family and St. Matthew's arranged for a graveside burial at 2:00 PM on Thursday, January 21, at Beaufort National Cemetery. The burial service was live streamed and may be viewed at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Matthew's Building Renovation Fund: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/give/building.
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 Adama 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).
The total cost of all these upgrades is approximately $5500.00. 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. Virtual Annual Meeting 1/31 @ 10:30 AM: In place of our normal Sunday Coffee Hour, which is simply a social time to fellowship with one another, we will hold our Parish Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 31, 2021. The purpose of the 2021 Parish Annual Meeting is for church members to learn the state of the congregation via 2020 reports from parish leadership and to hold annual elections. Due to the above resolution, Vestry elections are suspended at the 2021 Annual Meeting, but Convention Delegate elections shall still take place.
If you lead a committee or organization within St. Matthew's and you ordinarily submit an annual report, please send those reports by email to Office@StMattSav.org by Tuesday, January 26, 2020.
The meeting will take place over Zoom, and may be accessed by computer, smart device, or regular phone using the information below. The meeting will be recorded and shared via a private YouTube link in the e-Newsletter afterward. That means that if you miss the meeting, you can still watch it later.
Topic: Virtual Parish Annual Meeting
Time: Jan 31, 2021 10:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/92179080112?pwd=S016K1lRSlBYVitlRVBqT0JZY2RHUT09
Meeting ID: 921 7908 0112
Passcode: Annual2021
One tap mobile: +16468769923,,92179080112#,,,,*8797313155# US (New York)
Dial by your location: +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 921 7908 0112
Passcode: 8797313155
G. T/W/Th Evening Prayer via Zoom: On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, Fr. Arboleda will continue to invite parishioners to pray Evening Prayer with him over Zoom. The video will still stream to Facebook Live at 5:00 PM, but we'll see more faces and hear more voices. To join the Zoom call, click the link below at 4:45 PM on Wednesday. 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: Jan 5, 2021 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Every week on Tue, Wed, Thu, until Feb 25, 2021, 10 occurrence(s)
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
H. “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 or early March.
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.
I. The Parish Prayer List:
Prayer List: Martha Avery, Evelyn Arboleda, Charlotte Blue, Zavier Bradley, Myrtle Brow-Hollis, Jacquelyn Bryant, Christine Brown, Genella Chamberlain, Liam Clemons, Marquez Clemons, Taylor Blue Clemons, Teresa 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., Tonya Jones, 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, Paul Rockwell, Dison Washington Slaughter, James Small, Gwendolyn Smith, Courtney Watts Vista, Ed Vista, Willie Stephens, Lori Ward, Gertrude Washington, and Noel Wheeler
Birthdays: Kathleen Carrington (1/20) & Jackie Newton (1/21)
Wedding Anniversaries: Daniel & Marva Harris (1/20)
Deaths: Raleigh Bryant (12/18), Ronald Jones (1/17)
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.