The Holy Eucharist
1st Sunday After Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord (Year C)
January 9, 2022
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday, January 9, at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)
The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
The Word of God
Hymn #128: We Three Kings of Orient Are
[Verses 1-5]
1. We three kings of Orient are,
bearing gifts we traverse afar,
field and fountain,
moor and mountain,
following yonder star.
REFRAIN:
O star of wonder, star of night,
star with royal beauty bright;
westward leading, still proceeding,
guide us to thy perfect light!
2. Born a King on Bethlehem's plain,
gold I bring to crown him again,
King for ever,
ceasing never
over us all to reign. [REFRAIN]
3. Frankincense to offer have I:
incense owns a Deity nigh;
prayer and praising,
gladly raising,
worship him, God Most High. [REFRAIN]
4. Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
breathes a life of gathering gloom;
sorrowing, sighing,
bleeding, dying,
sealed in the stone-cold tomb. [REFRAIN]
5. Glorious now behold him arise,
King and God and Sacrifice;
heaven sings
alleluia:
alleluia the earth replies. [REFRAIN]
Words: John Henry Hopkins, Jr., alt., Public Domain.
Music: Three Kings of Orient, John Henry Hopkins, Jr., Public Domain.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84053. 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, 214]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (43:1-7)
Thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you,
I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life.
Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you;
I will say to the north, "Give them up," and to the south, "Do not withhold;
bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth--
everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 29
[BCP, p. 620]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
1 Ascribe to the Lord, you gods, * ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his Name; * worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; * the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; * the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; * the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, * and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire; the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; * the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
8 The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe * and strips the forests bare.
9 And in the temple of the Lord * all are crying, "Glory!"
10 The Lord sits enthroned above the flood; * the Lord sits enthroned as King for evermore.
11 The Lord shall give strength to his people; * the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (8:14-17)
When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
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 (3:15-17, 21-22)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." ...
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
“Reconciling Spirit” by The Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda
This Sunday we remember the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. We’re also one week away from celebrating a baptism of our own during Bishop Logue’s visitation. But the real main character in the Baptism of Jesus story is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit falls onto Jesus in the form of a dove, showing the crowds that Jesus was God’s Son, the Beloved. The Holy Spirit shows up to bring people together. That’s the Spirit’s main role in the world.
We see this really clearly in the short passage we read from the Book of Acts. Acts takes place after the Gospels, after Jesus died, resurrected, and ascended into heaven. The fledgling Christian community is led by the apostles who used to travel with Jesus. During Jesus’ life, the apostles didn’t always get it right; they regularly misunderstood Jesus’s teachings. And throughout Acts, they are clearly still learning new lessons. This story is an example of the apostles slowly getting it right.
The Apostles and Jesus were all Jewish, mostly from the region of Galilee in the northern part of the land we now call Israel. After Jesus resurrected and ascended, the apostles moved their homebase to Jerusalem in the south. In between Galilee and Jerusalem was Samaria, the land of the Samaritans. We might remember Gospel stories about the Good Samaritan or the Samaritan woman at the well, but these stories are notable because Jews and Samaritans hated each other. It was weird that Jesus, the Jewish Rabbi, spent time traveling through Samaria, talking to Samaritans, and using Samaritans as positive examples in his stories.
There is a long history between the Jews and Samaritans of mistrust, betrayal, religious difference, xenophobia, and even war. In Jesus’ day, there was no more open combat since they were both ruled by the Roman Empire, but there was still tension. But at their core, Jews and Samaritans were very similar. Samaritans worshipped the same God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They used the same first five books of the Hebrew Bible as their Scripture (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). This might seem strange to our ears, to be fighting and hating each other over religious and cultural differences. But it wasn’t that long ago that Protestants and Catholics fought wars in Europe, or Catholics were persecuted by white supremacists like the KKK in this country. Jews and Samaritans had split apart over time, but much like Christian denominations, they had more in common than they liked to admit.
And all of that is why the Acts passage is so important. Jesus was trying to teach his disciples a different way. They weren’t supposed to keep up the walls of division between themselves and the Samaritans anymore. Jesus worked to welcome, humanize, and love the Samaritan people. And the apostles were supposed to do the same. Remember that Jesus told them before ascending into heaven, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8; emphasis added).
Now, 7 chapters later, the Holy Spirit finally nudged the apostles hard enough that they are completing that part of Jesus’ mission. They obviously didn’t want to minister to the Samaritans. They waited a while to get around to this. Long enough that people had heard the Good News, got baptized, started to form communities, but still had never met their bishops (the apostles). Earlier, Acts tells us that none of the apostles went to Samaria to preach. Instead, St. Philip, one of the first deacons, went there to share the Good News of Jesus. He took initiative to preach, teach, heal the sick, and mentor the new Christians there until they could form their own church. (Later, Deacon Philip was the one who baptized the Ethiopian man, spreading the Gospel to Africa, so he’s a very important person in the Bible!)
But finally in this passage, the apostles get it. They follow Jesus’ lead and Philip’s lead and the Holy Spirit’s direction, and they visit the new church in Samaria. The Holy Spirit then filled these new disciples when Peter and John laid hands on them. Now, this isn’t because Peter and John had magic powers. No apostle or bishop has magic powers. God acts when God decides to. But it seems clear here that the Holy Spirit showed up to affirm the love, community, and reconciliation that were happening between the Jewish and Samaritan Christians (Kirk). Because the Jewish apostles were laying aside their hatred and enmity toward the Samaritans, the Holy Spirit moved. Because they injected love where there used to be hate, God was there. The ancient Latin hymn reminds us, “Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est,” which means, “Where charity and love are, God is there.”
That’s all to say that baptism is this powerful symbol of the Holy Spirit being with us in love. The Holy Spirit shows us love, fills us with love, and spreads love between people. And importantly, the Holy Spirit spreads love between enemies, between rival communities, and helps to grow friendship where there used to be hatred. When we baptize in the present (like we will next Sunday), we are continuing that tradition of replacing hate with love. That’s the Holy Spirit’s biggest role in our lives. We are inviting the Holy Spirit to do that powerful healing ministry, tearing down divisions, and “restor[ing] all people to unity with God and each other in Christ” (BCP, p. 855). Amen.
Bibliography
Kirk, J. R. Daniel. “Commentary on Acts 8:14-17.” Working Preacher. Blog. Published December 2021. Accessed 6 January 2022. https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/baptism-of-our-lord-3/commentary-on-acts-814-17-4
WLP #724: People Look East
[Verses 1-5]
1. People, look east. The time is near Of the crowning of the year. Make your house fair as you are able, Trim the hearth and set the table. People, look east and sing today: Love, the guest, is on the way.
2. Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare, One more seed is planted there: Give up your strength the seed to nourish, That in course the flower may flourish. People, look east and sing today: Love, the rose, is on the way.
3. Birds, though you long have ceased to build, Guard the nest that must be filled. Even the hour when wings are frozen God for fledging time has chosen. People, look east and sing today: Love, the bird, is on the way.
4. Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim One more light the bowl shall brim, Shining beyond the frosty weather, Bright as sun and moon together. People, look east and sing today: Love, the star, is on the way.
5. Angels, announce with shouts of mirth Christ who brings new life to earth. Set every peak and valley humming With the word, the Lord is coming. People, look east and sing today: Love, the Lord, is on the way.
Words: Eleanor Farjeon © 1957 Eleanor Farjeon; reprinted by permission of Harold Ober Associates, Inc.
Music: Besançon Carol, Public Domain; harm. John L. Hooker © 1997 John L. Hooker.
Reprinted with permission under ONELICENSE #210912. 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 Janice Hunter-Malafonte (1/9), Charles McMillan (1/11), and Willie Mae Tennerson (1/15) on their birthdays, and 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, Christine Brown, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Annie Bell Greer, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Craig Maxwell, and Helen Scroggins.
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 Peace
[BCP, p. 360]
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Parish Announcements
A. Epiphany Chalk Blessings: Following an ancient tradition, we are providing a way to bless all of the homes in our parish in the new year and the Epiphany Season. We will provide blessed chalk for you to bring home and mark the front door to your home. Traditionally, the chalking is done above the lintel and takes this form: 20+C+M+B+22 - The letters are the abbreviation for the Latin phrase "Christus mansionem benedicat" - "Christ bless this house" (A second meaning and mnemonic device is Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar traditional names for the Magi). The + signs represent the cross, and 20-22 is the year.
Blessed chalk will be available at church until the end of Epiphany Season on Shrove Tuesday (March 1, 2022). If you would like us to mail or drop off chalk to your home, please contact Fr. Arboleda or another member of the church.
B. Bishop Visitation and Baptism on 1/16/22: The Right Rev. Frank Logue, Bishop of Georgia, will hold his annual visitation to St. Matthew's on Sunday, January 16, 2022. On that day, we will celebrate the baptism of Blair Berksteiner.
Holy Baptism is available to anyone at any age who has not already been baptized. Confirmation or Reception is available for teens and adults who would like to make a mature commitment to The Episcopal Church. Baptisms can be performed on almost any Sunday or feast day based on your family's schedule. Confirmations, Receptions, and Renewals of Baptismal Vows must take place when a Bishop is present. If you are interested in taking any of these next steps in your faith journey, please contact Fr. Arboleda by cell phone or email (FrGAA@StMattSav.org).
C. MLK Day Parade & Eucharist on 1/17/22 POSTPONED: The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Day Association, Inc., has postponed the Savannah Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade indefinitely due to rising COVID-19 cases. When and if the public health indicators improve and the parade is rescheduled, St. Matthew's and the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia intend to participate. We will keep you updated as this situation develops.
D. Annual Meeting on 1/23/22: The 2022 Annual Parish Meeting with Presentation of 2021 Reports will take place on Sunday, January 23, 2022. We will begin the meeting at 10:45 AM in the nave, shortly after worship ends. We will hold the meeting both in person and over Zoom, so that even if you cannot attend in person, you can participate. We will provide the Zoom details via the e-Newsletter.
If you or your organization have a report to provide for the Annual Parish Report, please send it to Office@StMattSav.org by Tuesday, January 18.
If you would like to stand for election to the Vestry, or nominate another church member to do so, please contact Fr. Arboleda at FrGAA@StMattSav.org by Tuesday, January 18.
E. CORR on 1/23 at St. Thomas’ Church: 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. In January, we will begin to read a new book called How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. This is a great opportunity to join the group if you are interested but could not make the meetings in the fall.
Our next CORR meeting will be on Sunday, January 23, 2022, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church (2 St Thomas Ave, Savannah, GA 31406). Please read the Introduction and Chapters 1-2 of Kendi’s book before the meeting. You may purchase it from any major bookstore (such as Amazon).
E. 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
F. 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.
Alleluia! Unto us a child is born: O come, let us adore Him! Alleluia! [BCP, p. 43]
Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now
Hymn #135: Songs of Thankfulness and Praise
[Verses 1-4]
1. Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord, to thee we raise,
manifested by the star to the sages from afar;
branch of royal David's stem in thy birth at Bethlehem;
anthems be to thee addressed, God in man made manifest.
2. Manifest at Jordan's stream, Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;
and at Cana, wedding-guest, in thy Godhead manifest;
manifest in power divine, changing water into wine;
anthems be to thee addressed, God in man made manifest.
3. Manifest in making whole palsied limbs and fainting soul;
manifest in valiant fight, quelling all the devil's might;
manifest in gracious will, ever bringing good from ill;
anthems be to thee addressed, God in man made manifest.
4 Manifest on mountain height, shining in resplendent light,
where disciples filled with awe thy transfigured glory saw
When from there thou leddest them steadfast to Jerusalem
cross and Easter Day attest God in man made manifest
Words: Sts. 1-3, Christopher Wordsworth, Public Domain; st. 4, F. Bland Tucker © 1985, Church Publishing, Inc.
Music: Salzburg, melody Jakob Hintze, harmony Johann Sebastian Bach, Public Domain.
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,
We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;
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.
Hymn #512: Come, Gracious Spirit
[Verses 1-4]
1 Come, gracious Spirit, heavenly Dove,
with light and comfort from above;
be thou our guardian, thou our guide
o'er every thought and step preside.
2 The light of truth to us display,
and make us know and choose thy way;
plant holy fear in every heart,
that we from thee may ne'er depart.
3 Lead us to Christ, the living way,
nor let us from his precepts stray;
lead us to holiness, the road
that we must take to dwell with God.
4 Lead us to heaven, that we may share
fullness of joy for ever there;
lead us to God, our final rest,
to be with him for ever blest.
Words: Simon Browne, alt., Public Domain.
Music: Mendon, adapt. and harm. Lowell Mason, Public Domain.
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 Epiphany Chalk
[The Book of Occasional Services 2018, p. 167]
People may mark the doorway with symbols in chalk blessed with this prayer:
Loving God, bless this chalk which you have created, that it may be helpful to your people; and grant that through the invocation of your most Holy Name that we who use it in faith to write upon the door of our home the names of your holy ones Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, may receive health of body and protection of soul for all who dwell in or visit our home; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Traditionally, the chalking is done above the lintel and takes this form: 20+C+M+B+22 - The letters are the abbreviation for the Latin phrase "Christus mansionem benedicat" - "Christ bless this house" (A second meaning and mnemonic device is Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar traditional names for the Magi). The + signs represent the cross, and 20-22 is the year. [See the example below]
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, Christine Brown, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Annie Bell Greer, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Craig Maxwell, and Helen Scroggins
Birthdays: Janice Hunter-Malafonte (1/9), Charles McMillan (1/11), and Willie Mae Tennerson (1/15)
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.
Image Credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/587719820100111688/