The Holy Eucharist
The 7th Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 12C)
July 24, 2022
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday, July 24, at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)
The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
The Word of God
Hymn #410: Praise My Soul the King of Heaven
1 Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
to his feet thy tribute bring;
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
evermore his praises sing:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.
2 Praise him for his grace and favor
to his people in distress;
praise him still the same as ever,
slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Glorious in his faithfulness.
3 Father-like he tends and spares us;
well our feeble frame he knows;
in his hand he gently bears us,
rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Widely yet his mercy flows.
4 Angels, help us to adore him;
you behold him face to face;
sun and moon, bow down before him,
dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace.
Words: Henry Francis Lyte, alt., Public Domain. Music: Lauda anima, John Goss, Public Domain; desc. Craig Sellar Lang © 1971, H W Gray/Jubilate Music Group. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #72006. All rights reserved.
The Opening Acclamation
[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, 231]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Genesis (18:20-32)
The Lord said to Abraham, "How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know."
So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Then Abraham came near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" And the Lord said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake." Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." Again he spoke to him, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." He said, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it."
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 138
[BCP, p. 793]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; * before the gods I will sing your praise.
2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and praise your Name, * because of your love and faithfulness;
3 For you have glorified your Name * and your word above all things.
4 When I called, you answered me; * you increased my strength within me.
5 All the kings of the earth will praise you, O Lord, * when they have heard the words of your mouth.
6 They will sing of the ways of the Lord, * that great is the glory of the Lord.
7 Though the Lord be high, he cares for the lowly; * he perceives the haughty from afar.
8 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; * you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies; your right hand shall save me.
9 The Lord will make good his purpose for me; * O Lord, your love endures for ever; do not abandon the works of your hands.
A Reading from the Letter of Paul to the Colossians (2:6-19)
As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.
Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The People stand, as they are able, for the reading of the Gospel.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Luke (11:1-13)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial."
And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, `Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' And he answers from within, `Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
"So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
"Pray For Mercy" by the Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda
“Lord, teach us to pray,” the disciples asked Jesus (Luke 11:1). How often have we asked the same question? Maybe we’ve been struggling to pray. We can’t find the right words. We can’t even find the desire to talk to God. Maybe we’ve been angry or upset with God about something that happened in our lives. Maybe we’re just unsure about how to start. Especially if you haven’t been to church that consistently or haven’t been in a while, it can feel daunting or intimidating to pray on your own. So, Jesus teaches us to pray. But first, we get to learn a little bit from Abraham in our reading from Genesis.
But here’s the thing about Abraham: Abraham is far from a perfect person. Many of the stories about Abraham in Genesis highlight his flaws because he was a regular, flawed person like the rest of us. He didn’t always make the right choices or do the right thing, so we don’t always want to imitate Abraham. But, today’s story from Genesis is actually a positive example for us. In this passage, Abraham is negotiating with God in prayer. This isn’t meek and mild prayer. He’s arguing with God (respectfully, of course). Much like bartering in a marketplace, Abraham is willing to go back and forth to negotiate a “price” for the city of Sodom. He is trying to get God to withhold judgment from a group of people. He is asking God for mercy, not on his own behalf, but on behalf of others. And God honors his request. God wants to be merciful, so when Abraham asks for mercy, God agrees.
We learn a lesson here about prayer. Abraham teaches us to pray for merciful things. God says yes to his requests in part because they are not selfish. Abraham wants mercy and grace for others, which is in line with God’s will. So if you’re not sure where to start when you pray, just pray for God to be kind, gracious, and merciful to people. God already wants to do that, so that’s an easy place to start. Think of some people you know and care about and pray for their well being. Maybe even think of people you don’t like that much, and pray for their well being anyway. Even if I don’t love somebody, at least God does.
Similarly, Jesus teaches us to pray using the skeleton of what will become the Lord’s Prayer. The thrust of those prayers is about loving other people and caring for their welfare. First, we ask for God to “give us each day our daily bread” (not give me this day my bread). We’re bringing the community to God rather in prayer than just the individual. Next, we ask for forgiveness of our sins with a promise that we will be forgiving to other people. We’re committing to living in a merciful and gracious way through our prayers (“as we forgive those who trespass against us”). Finally, we ask for protection from trials and evil. These are fundamentally things that we know God wants. God wants us to be loving, merciful, and kind. God wants good for us. So Jesus teaches us to pray this way because we are asking for godly things.
Then we get to the part that often trips people up. When Jesus says, “ask and it will be given to you,” he does not mean that we can have anything we want just because we are Christians. Surely you already know that because we don’t actually get whatever we want. God is not a genie or Santa Claus. God does not grant us wishes when we say magic words or give us whatever is on our list just because we were nice, not naughty. Instead, God is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, the love that holds everything together. God is personal, warm, and loving. The Bible teaches us that “God is love” (1 John 4:16). That means that when we ask for things that are merciful, loving, and in line with God’s will for the world, we will receive them.
That doesn’t mean that bad things won’t happen. Bad things certainly do happen to us all the time, even when we behave well and want the right kinds of things. But, prayer is bigger than me or you. It’s a way to connect us with God. It’s talking with God, like you would talk with any friend or loved one. And just like in any other relationship, we want to speak and we want to listen. We’re trying to learn to want what God wants, to love as God loves, to be merciful as God is merciful (Luke 6:36). We’re trying to get closer to the heart of God. So if you want to pray and don’t know where to start, begin by praying for love, praying for mercy, praying for kindness in the world. And God will begin by transforming your heart, and our hearts together. “How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (Luke 11:13)! Amen.
Hymn #294: Baptized in Water, Sealed by the Spirit
1 Baptized in water,
Sealed by the Spirit,
Cleansed by the blood of Christ our King:
Heirs of salvation,
Trusting his promise,
Faithfully now God's praise we sing.
2 Baptized in water,
Sealed by the Spirit,
Dead in the tomb with Christ our King:
One with his rising,
Freed and forgiven,
Thankfully now God's praise we sing.
3 Baptized in water, Sealed by the Spirit, Marked with the sign of Christ our King: Born of one Father, We are his children, Joyfully now God's praise we sing.
Words: Michael Saward © 1982, The Jubilate Group (admin. Hope Publishing Company). Music: Point Loma, David Charles Walker © 1983 David Charles Walker. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #05181, #92473. All rights reserved.
The Nicene Creed
[BCP, p. 358]
All standing as they are able, the People pray:
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 VI, BCP, p. 92]
In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.
[Silence]
For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.
For Joseph, our president; Brian, our governor; Van, our mayor; Chester, the chair of our County Commission; and all other civic officials; For this community, the nation, and the world;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.
For the just and proper use of your creation;
For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.
For all the churches in Savannah, that we may be one as you are one with the Son, and the Holy Spirit; For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.
For Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; Michael, our Presiding Bishop; Frank, our Bishop; Guillermo our Priest; Ella our Deacon; and for all bishops and other ministers;
For all who serve God in his Church.
For the special needs and concerns of this congregation, especially for our Day Care’s staff, students, and families, and for those on our Parish Prayer List: Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Christine Brown, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Angelica Glover, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Altheria Maynard, Bette Milledge, Jewel Wheeler; and those we remember now…
Hear us, Lord;
For your mercy is great.
We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life, especially for all visitors, all those celebrating birthdays: Dena Pippen (7/25); and any other thanksgivings we offer now...
The People may add their own thanksgivings.
We will exalt you, O God our King;
And praise your Name for ever and ever.
We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom, especially for Gwendolyn Griffin-Odom (7/5/22) and those we remember now...
The People may add their own petitions.
Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;
Who put their trust in you.
The Celebrant concludes with a suitable Collect...
Confession of Sin
[BCP, p. 360]
The Deacon says
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept.
Deacon and People
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Bishop, when present, or the Priest, stands and says
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Peace
[BCP, p. 360]
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Parish Announcements
A. Georgia Rental Assistance Program Funds Now Available: The Georgia Department of Community Affairs can provide relief to landlords and tenants whose finances have been negatively impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic by bringing past due rent and utility payments current up to 18 months. To check your eligibility and submit an application, please visit GeorgiaRentalAssistance.ga.gov. For questions regarding your application, please email rentalassistance@dca.ga.gov.
B. LEM & LEV Training on 8/14: On Sunday, August 14, after worship, Deacon Davis and Fr. Arboleda will lead a training session for people interested in serving as Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEM) or Lay Eucharistic Visitors (LEV). LEM’s serve on the altar on Sundays and other holidays, assisting the priest and deacon during worship. LEV’s bring Communion to people who are sick, shut-in, or otherwise unable to attend church in person. They are equipped to provide pastoral care and prayer for people in their times of need.
Even if you have served in these roles in the past, please try to attend this training to refresh your memory and learn about changes and updates to these ministries. If you cannot attend on August 14, please contact Deacon Davis (Deacon@StMattSav.org) and Fr. Arboleda (FrGAA@StMattSav.org) to try to schedule a makeup session.
C. Office Administration Help Requested: The Rector and Parish Administrator invite volunteers to help with office administration tasks on Wednesdays from about 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM. You may call or email the office for more details. Thank you!
D. Jabbaar and Darkus Newton Married: St. Matthew's Church congratulates Mr. and Mrs. Jabbaar and Darkus Newton, who were married in Rome, GA, on Saturday, July 16, 2022. "Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder" (Book of Common Prayer, p. 428).
E. The Rev. Deacon Ella Roundtree-Davis Assigned to St. Matthew's: The Diocese of Georgia’s newest deacon is the Rev. Ella Roundtree-Davis, who Bishop Logue has assigned to St. Matthew’s in Savannah. She and her husband, Dr. Enrique Davis, recently moved to the area from the Diocese of New York, where she was ordained as a deacon in 2013. Since her ordination in the Diocese of New York, she served Trinity St. Paul's Church in New Rochelle, Christ Church in Bronxville, and Christ Church, Riverdale from 2015-2022.
Deacon Davis officially joined St. Matthew's staff on Sunday, July 10, 2022. You can contact Deacon Davis by email at Deacon@StMattSav.org.
F. Choir Rehearsals on Thursdays at 6:30 PM: Ms. Dandy and I invite you to join the choir at their new weekly rehearsal time: Thursdays at 6:30 PM. Please help contribute to our music ministry, regardless of your musical skill levels!
G. Coffee Hour Sign Up & New COVID Guidelines: St. Matthew’s Vestry agreed to update its In-Person COVID-19 Safety Guidelines on March 31, 2022. To summarize, when the CDC indicates that Chatham County has a Low or Medium “COVID-19 Community Level,” the Vestry will allow light refreshments to be served at public indoor events, provided that people continue to wear masks whenever they are not eating or drinking. When Chatham County has a High COVID-19 level, food and drink will not be allowed. Chatham County currently has a Medium COVID-19 level. You can read the guidance in all its detail here: https://www.stmattsav.org/post/new-covid-19-safety-guidelines-spring-2022.
The Vestry invites individuals and families to serve light refreshments after worship on Sundays in-person. Please sign up for upcoming dates using the poster near the kitchen in Toomer-Walker Hall.
H. T/W/Th Evening Prayer: On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, St. Matthew's invites you to pray Evening Prayer over Zoom. The video will continue to stream to Facebook Live at 5:00 PM. Please join the Zoom call by 4:55 PM. Otherwise, watch the prayer service as you have been on Facebook Live.
For security purposes, below is the Meeting ID only; please check your St. Matthew's e-Newsletter for the password (or email FrGAA@StMattSav.org to request it).
Topic: Zoom Evening Prayer
Time: 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
Join Zoom Meeting: See e-Newsletter
Meeting ID: 991 8577 8541
Passcode: See e-Newsletter
Dial by your location: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
Meeting ID: 991 8577 8541
Passcode: See e-Newsletter
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.
“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and make good your vows to the Most High." [Psalm 50:14]
OR
"Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God." [Ephesians 5:2]
Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now
LEV #153: Lord, I Have Seen Thy Salvation
1 Lord I have seen thy salvation
Lord I have seen thy salvation
Drank of thy blood, Held thy body,
Lord I have seen, Seen with my eyes,
Seen with my heart
REFRAIN:
Fell on my knees, down at the altar
Bowed down my head, Whispered a prayer
Have mercy Lord, I ′m not worthy
I believe, Yes I believe, Now I am sure
2 Lord I have heard of thy kingdom
Lord I have heard of thy promise
Looked on thy birth, cried at Calvary
Lord I have heard, Lord I have heard,
Lord I have heard [REFRAIN]
Words and Music: John D. Cooper © 1980 Dangerfield Music Co. All rights reserved.
AAHH #651: Doxology
[See also Hymn # 380, v. 3]
Praise God, Praise God, Praise God!
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]
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. …
The Celebrant sings or says a Proper Preface
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
Hymn S-130:
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: From Deutsche Messe, Franz Peter Schubert, Public Domain; arr. Richard Proulx © 1985 G.I.A. Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #93653. All rights reserved.]
The people stand or kneel.
We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."
Therefore, according to his command, O Father,
LEV #260:
We remember his death. We proclaim his resurrection. We await his coming in glory.
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Hezekiah Brinson © 1990 Hezekiah Brinson, Jr. All rights reserved.]
And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.
We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with Blessed Matthew, Blessed Stephen, Blessed Augustine, 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 Anthems
[BCP, p. 364, 407]
Hymn S-152:
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us!
Therefore let us keep the feast! Alleluia!
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Ambrosian chant; adapt. Mason Martens © 1971 Mason Martens.]
LEV #269:
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
grant us peace.
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Lena McLin, Eucharist of the Soul © 1972 General Words and Music Co. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #57436. All rights reserved.]
Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
The Gifts of God for the people of God.
AAHH #443: This Day
Give us this day our daily bread,
You said you would supply all our needs,
according to Your riches.
I have but to ask and I shall recieve.
To go from here and share
this love You gave to me;
to show someone who's lost
and help them find their way, the way to truth and faith. so they can be free like me, free like me. Lord, we need Your love Lord, we need Your peace Lord, we need your joy Thank you for this day Lord, we thank you for this day
Words and Music: Edwin Hawkins; arr. Stephen Key © 2000 GIA Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #95028, #27538. All rights reserved.
The Post-Communion Prayer
[Enriching our Worship 2 [2000], pp. 56-57]
Let us pray.
For In-Person Worshippers:
Faithful God,
in the wonder of your wisdom and love
you fed your people in the wilderness with the bread of angels,
and you sent Jesus to be the bread of life.
We thank you for feeding us with this bread.
May it strengthen us
that by the power of the Holy Spirit
we may embody your desire
and be renewed for your service
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
For Online Worshippers and Those Receiving Spiritual Communion:
Faithful God,
in the wonder of your wisdom and love
you fed your people in the wilderness with the bread of angels,
and you sent Jesus to be the bread of life.
Though we cannot consume now these gifts of bread [and wine],
we thank you that we have received the sacrament of Christ’s presence,
the forgiveness of sins, and all other benefits of Christ’s passion.
By the power of the Holy Spirit,
may we embody your desire
and be renewed for your service
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
The Blessing of the People
[Adapted from Enriching Our Worship 1, p. 71]
Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Go in peace to follow the good road 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]
Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit!
Thanks be to God!
The Parish Prayer List
PRAYER LIST: Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Christine Brown, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Angelica Glover, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Altheria Maynard, Bette Milledge, Jewel Wheeler
BIRTHDAYS: Dena Pippen (7/25)
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: N/A
RECENT DEATHS: Gwendolyn Griffin-Odom (7/5/22)
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.