The Holy Eucharist
9th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 12B, Track 2)
July 25, 2021
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday, July 25, at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)
The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
The Word of God
Hymn #546: Awake, My Soul, Stretch Every Nerve
[Verses 1-4]
1 Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve,
and press with vigor on;
a heavenly race demands thy zeal,
and an immortal crown,
and an immortal crown.
2 A cloud of witnesses around
hold thee in full survey;
forget the steps already trod,
and onward urge your way,
and onward urge your way.
3 'Tis God's all-animating voice
that calls thee from on high;
'tis his own hand presents the prize
to thine aspiring eye,
to thine aspiring eye.
4 Then wake, my soul, stretch every nerve,
and press with vigor on;
a heavenly race demands thy zeal,
and an immortal crown,
and an immortal crown.
Words: Philip Doddridge, Public Domain.
Music: Stroë, George Frideric Handel, adapt. Melodia Sacra (1815), Public Domain.
All rights reserved.
Opening Sentences
[BCP, p. 355]
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And blessed be God's 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 (Gloria in Excelsis)
[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, 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 Second Book of Kings (4:42-44)
A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing food from the first fruits to the man of God: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, “Give it to the people and let them eat.” But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” So he repeated, “Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” He set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 145:10-19
[BCP, p. 802]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
10 All your works praise you, O Lord, * and your faithful servants bless you.
11 They make known the glory of your kingdom * and speak of your power;
12 That the peoples may know of your power * and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; * your dominion endures throughout all ages.
14 The Lord is faithful in all his words * and merciful in all his deeds.
15 The Lord upholds all those who fall; * he lifts up those who are bowed down.
16 The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord, * and you give them their food in due season.
17 You open wide your hand * and satisfy the needs of every living creature.
18 The Lord is righteous in all his ways * and loving in all his works.
19 The Lord is near to those who call upon him, * to all who call upon him faithfully.
A Reading from the Letter to the Ephesians (3:14-21)
I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
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. John (6:1-21)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”
When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
"God Gave the Growth” by Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
This morning we heard two Bible stories about God taking the little bit people could offer and providing for what they needed. In 2 Kings, a man from Baal-shalishah brings bread and grain to the prophet Elisha, and God multiplies the gift so that it feeds a hundred people. The man collected the “first fruits” of his yearly harvest, the first batch of barley and grain that was edible, and instead of saving it for himself and his loved ones or selling it at a premium, he brought it to the prophet to support his ministry. Even Elisha didn’t keep the food, but shared it with the community. The man made a sacrifice out of faith in God’s provision, and God provided. God honored that offering and made sure they all had enough.
In the more famous story from the Gospel, a boy brought five loaves of bread and two fish to the disciples and Jesus multiplied it to feed over 5000 people. Among 5000 people, you would think someone would have thought to pack lunch. I’m sure some of them ate quietly, maybe sharing with their immediate neighbors, but there wasn’t enough food for the whole crowd. Only that boy came forward to Andrew and offered what he had in hopes that it would help everyone else. Jesus honored this humble sacrifice, and provided enough for everybody.
In both of these instances, the people don’t offer enough to satisfy everyone’s needs. They don’t have enough. But they are generous with what they do have. They are willing to give something away for the benefit of others. God recognizes the value of their sacrificial giving and God makes sure that it becomes enough. As St. Paul writes to the Corinthians, “God gave the growth” and the people were satisfied (1 Corinthians 3:6).
How have we seen God work like that in our own lives? When have we seen God do more with less? When has God taken our little and made it big?
I think we see God working like that all the time. Sometimes, it’s relational. We send a text, make a phone call, write a card, or drop off a meal and it’s just what that person needed to feel our love. You knew they were going through a hard time, and you wanted to make sure you knew that you cared. It made their day even though it didn’t take a lot of effort. You offer a little bit and God makes it grow into something more meaningful.
Sometimes, it’s about vulnerability. We open up about something small or ask just the right question, and then someone else feels like they can lay their burdens down. They can share what hasn’t been shared and release what has been weighing on them. We offer a little bit of ourselves and, by God’s grace, we grow closer to one another in our bonds of love and affection. We create the time and space for real, honest conversation and God blesses that effort, growing it into more than enough.
Sometimes, it’s financial. A bunch of people give whatever amount they can toward a project and it all comes together. That’s exactly how it came together when we upgraded the internet in the church a few months ago to make our live-stream videos more stable. The same can be said for many other projects around the church. Everybody pitched in something and God made sure we had enough. “God gave the growth” (1 Cor 3:6).
Over and over again in our life at St. Matthew’s, we see this happening. We’ve all got a lot going on. We don’t always feel like we can give our all to someone or something, even when it’s related to the church. But still, God multiplies our efforts. God takes the little bit we can muster and grows it into something greater than the sum of our parts. As Ephesians says, “by the power at work within us, [God] is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). Or as one of my Sunday School teachers from when I was growing up used to say, “Do your best, and God will do the rest.”
We serve an awesome and powerful God. And more importantly, we serve a loving and gracious God. God knows our needs, concerns, strengths, and weaknesses. God knows that sometimes my best isn’t enough all on its own. That’s why God gives us the community of the church. We work together hand in hand to accomplish more than we could ever ask for or imagine on our own. God’s grace grows and multiplies the loaves and fishes that we have to offer, and we have enough.
This is not a call to sit back and relax or rest on our laurels. But it is a reminder that God’s good purposes for our lives are bigger than any one of us. Grace means that you don’t have to do it alone, and you don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Instead, if we are willing to be generous with our blessings, those blessings will grow and multiply. Praise God from whom all blessings flow, and praise God for the blessings that grow as they pass between us all. Amen.
Bibliography
Law, Eric H. F. Holy Currencies: 6 Blessings for Sustainable Missional Ministries. St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2013.
Hymn #422: Not Far Beyond the Sea
[Verses 1-3]
1 Not far beyond the sea,
Nor high above the heavens,
But very high thy voice, O God, is heard.
For each new step of faith we take
Thou hast more truth and light to break
Forth from thy Holy Word
2 Rooted and grounded in thy love,
With saints on earth and saints above
We join in full accord:
To know the breadth, length, depth, and height,
The crucified and risen might
Of Christ the Incarnate Word.
3 Help us to press on toward that mark,
And, though our vision now is dark,
To live by what we see.
So, when we see thee face to face,
Thy truth and light our dwelling place
For evermore shall be.
Words: George B. Caird, alt., © 1982 George B. Caird.
Music: Cornwall, Samuel Sebastian Wesley.
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
[BCP, p. 392, Form VI]
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; Ann, the Superintendent of our Public Schools, 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; 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, Donald Baynes, Ronald Baynes, Shirley Clinton Bonaparte, Zavier Bradley, Myrtle Brow-Hollis, Christine Brown, Quinton Bruce, Jacquelyn Bryant, Genella Chamberlain, Taylor Blue, Annie Colbert, Lazola Cope, Alice Dailey, Beryl Dandy, Mark Dashiell, Brittany Dawson, Roland Dixon, Imani Ferguson, Ruby Fernandez, Harry Frazier, Karin Garcia, Colin Gentle, Angie Glover, Charles Gordon, Amanda Green, Jocelyn Bryant Harden, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Enoch Henderson, Charles E. Hines, Kenneth Howard, Terri Howard, Anne Hudson, Lucy Hugging, Dale Hundley, Jared Hundley, Tracy Hundley, Janice C. Jackson, Milinda James, Alvin Jenkins, Dana Jenkins, David Jones, Frances T. Jones, Lori Jones, Robert L. Jones, Sr., Whitney Kennedy, Leonard Law, Jr., Ralph Lovett, Ryan Lovett, Tammie Lovett, Marcus Marzen, Joan Maty, Craig Maxwell, Sada Maxwell, Altheria Maynard, Carmelita Maynard, Barbara McCary, Bette Milledge, John "Butch" Mitchell, Hollie Moultrie, Patricia Murry, Russell Nails, Dorothy Neal, Jabbaar Newton, Jameel Newton, Glenzy Payne, Robert Payne, Willie Mae Robinson, Paul Rockwell, Helen Scroggins, Dison Washington Slaughter, James Small, Gwendolyn Smith, Willie Stephens, Gon Trimble, Ed Vista, Lori Ward, Gertrude Washington, and Noel Wheeler; and those we remember now…
Silence. The People may add their own petitions.
Hear us, Lord;
For your mercy is great.
We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life; for all visitors to this parish; for Dena Pippen (7/25) on their birthday; and for any other thanksgivings we remember now.
Silence. 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 those we remember now...
Silence. The People may add their own petitions.
Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;
Who put their trust in you.
We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.
Silence may be kept.
Leader and People:
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; in your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone; and so uphold us by your Spirit that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Celebrant concludes with an absolution:
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of 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: 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; see BCP, p. 376]
Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now
LEV #132: Certainly, Lord
[Verses 1-4]
1 Have you got good religion?
Cert’nly, Lord!
Have you got good religion?
Cert’nly, Lord!
Have you got good religion?
Cert’nly, Lord!
Cert’nly, cert’nly, cert’nly, Lord!
2 Have you been redeemed?
Cert’nly, Lord!
Have you been redeemed?
Cert’nly, Lord!
Have you been redeemed?
Cert’nly, Lord!
Cert’nly, cert’nly, cert’nly, Lord!
3 Have you been to the water?
Cert’nly Lord!
Have you been to the water?
Cert’nly Lord!
Have you been to the water?
Cert’nly Lord!
Cert’nly, cert’nly, cert’nly, Lord!
4 Have you been baptized?
Cert’nly Lord!
Have you been baptized?
Cert’nly Lord!
Have you been baptized?
Cert’nly Lord!
Cert’nly, cert’nly, cert’nly, Lord!
Words: Traditional, Public Domain.
Music: Negro Spiritual, Public Domain.
All rights reserved.
Eucharistic Prayer A
[BCP, p. 361]
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. ...
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 #255:
Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts
Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest!
[Words: Public Domain; Music: Grayson Warren Brown, A Mass for a Soulfoul People © 1979 North American Liturgy Resources. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #98299. All Rights Reserved.]
The people stand or kneel.
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, 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 we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom. All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: 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]
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!
The Gifts of God for the people of God.
LEV #154: Taste and See
[Verses 1-3]
REFRAIN:
Taste and see. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord
O taste and see. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord, of the Lord.
1 I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise shall always be on my lips;
my soul shall glory in the Lord;
for he has been so good to me. (REFRAIN)
2 Glorify the Lord with me.
Together let us all praise his name.
I called the Lord and he answered me;
from all my troubles he set me free. (REFRAIN)
3 Worship the Lord all you people.
You’ll want for nothing if you ask.
Taste and see that God is good;
in him we need put all our trust. (REFRAIN)
Words: James E. Moore, Jr., adapted from Psalm 34, © 1983, GIA Publications, Inc.
Music: James E. Moore, Jr., © 1983, GIA Publications, Inc.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #00155. 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 (i.e., 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
[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.
Parish Announcements
A. 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. Changes include:
Up to 100 people are now allowed in the church at a time (increased from 70)
People may stay in the building for up to 1.5 hours (increased from 1 hour)
One-way foot traffic floor arrows are removed and no longer necessary
Congregational singing is now allowed
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.
For now, we will maintain the current worship schedule: one Sunday service at 9:30 AM. We will reevaluate and consider the congregation's feedback in the late summer or early fall, once we have tried this out for a few months. Note that even if you do not feel comfortable attending, in person, we will continue to live-stream services to Facebook permanently.
B. Christian Education Survey Results: Thanks to all those who participated in the Christian Education Survey! We reached a consensus to study Hallelujah, Anyhow!: A Memoir by the Right Rev. Barbara C. Harris (1930-2020), the first woman and first Black woman ordained as a bishop in the Anglican Communion. There was less clear consensus on the meeting time and format, but we will continue to meet at 5:30 PM on Wednesdays via Zoom.
We will hold our first meeting on Wednesday, August 18, at 5:30 PM. The Zoom information and required reading schedule will be featured in the e-Newsletter closer to the start date. For now, you can purchase Bishop Harris' book from Amazon or Church Publishing for about $16. (If you need help ordering the book, you may contact the Office Manager at office@stmattsav.org or (912) 234-4440.)
C. UBE Virtual Revival 7/27-7/30: The Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) is hosting a Virtual Revival on July 27-30, 2021. There is a fee to register for the seminars and lectures throughout each day. However, all the evening worship services are free to "attend" on Facebook and YouTube. The worship services begin at 7:00 PM each night and feature preachers such as the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, the Rev. Otis Moss III (Trinity UCC, Chicago), and the Rt. Rev. Shannon McVean-Brown (Bishop of Vermont). Learn more at: https://ube2021revival.weebly.com
D. Parish Prayer List: In an effort to improve communication about the parish prayer list, the Office Manager and Rector will launch a new format for collecting names beginning in August:
With the exception of members we know to be chronically sick and/or shut-in, the prayer list will reset every month.
If you would like a loved one to be prayed for publicly, please send the request to Office@StMattSav.org and/or FrGAA@StMattSav.org.
After one month, each name will be automatically removed from the list unless it is requested again.
This will help ensure that the list is as accurate and succinct as possible. You may begin sending names for August now.
E. Virtual Coffee Hour on Hiatus: Since our return to in-person worship gatherings, there has been less interest and engagement in the virtual coffee hour. For now, we will place this ongoing event on hold. Please let us know if you have any feedback on how to better meet the congregation's need for fellowship at this time. Direct all feedback to Fr. Arboleda at FrGAA@StMattSav.org.
F. T/W/Th Evening Prayer via Zoom: On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, Fr. Arboleda invites you to pray Evening Prayer with him over Zoom. The video will continue to stream to Facebook Live at 5:00 PM. Please join the Zoom call by 4:50 PM. Otherwise, watch the prayer service as you have been on Facebook Live.
For security purposes, below is the Meeting ID only; please check your St. Matthew's e-Newsletter for the password (or email FrGAA@StMattSav.org to request it).
Topic: Zoom Evening Prayer
Time: 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
Join Zoom Meeting: See e-Newsletter
Meeting ID: 991 8577 8541
Passcode: See e-Newsletter
Dial by your location: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
Meeting ID: 991 8577 8541
Passcode: See e-Newsletter
G. “Trip Around the World” Quilt Raffle: The Quilter's Guild, through St. Matthew's ECW, is raffling a "Trip Around the World" Quilt to benefit St. Matthew's Building Renovation Fund. This fund supports major extra-budgetary building improvement projects, such as painting, replacing the sound system, replacing the oven in Toomer-Walker Hall, etc.
This beautiful, jewel-toned quilt measures 103"x90" and will fit a queen-sized bed. This machine-stitched quilt in tones of deep violet amethyst, blue sapphire, green emerald, blue topaz, and green peridot will enhance any bedroom.
The winner will be announced on September 30, 2021. Winners do not need to be present to win. In addition to the grand prize of the "Trip Around the World '' quilt, there will be interim raffles of seasonal quilt-type projects for no additional ticket purchase. Interim winners will still be eligible for the grand prize.
Tickets are $15 each. Please make donations in $15 increments. Tickets may be purchased by:
Mailing a check to St. Matthew's with "Quilt Raffle" in the memo line; OR
Expect your raffle tickets to be returned to you by mail or email within 5-7 business days of receipt. Direct any questions to office@stmattsav.org.
The 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, Donald Baynes, Ronald Baynes, Shirley Clinton Bonaparte, Zavier Bradley, Myrtle Brow-Hollis, Christine Brown, Quinton Bruce, Jacquelyn Bryant, Genella Chamberlain, Taylor Blue, Annie Colbert, Lazola Cope, Alice Dailey, Beryl Dandy, Mark Dashiell, Brittany Dawson, Roland Dixon, Imani Ferguson, Ruby Fernandez, Harry Frazier, Karin Garcia, Colin Gentle, Angie Glover, Charles Gordon, Amanda Green, Jocelyn Bryant Harden, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Enoch Henderson, Charles E. Hines, Kenneth Howard, Terri Howard, Anne Hudson, Lucy Hugging, Dale Hundley, Jared Hundley, Tracy Hundley, Janice C. Jackson, Milinda James, Alvin Jenkins, Dana Jenkins, David Jones, Frances T. Jones, Lori Jones, Robert L. Jones, Sr., Whitney Kennedy, Leonard Law, Jr., Ralph Lovett, Ryan Lovett, Tammie Lovett, Marcus Marzen, Joan Maty, Craig Maxwell, Sada Maxwell, Altheria Maynard, Carmelita Maynard, Barbara McCary, Bette Milledge, John "Butch" Mitchell, Hollie Moultrie, Patricia Murry, Russell Nails, Dorothy Neal, Jabbaar Newton, Jameel Newton, Glenzy Payne, Robert Payne, Willie Mae Robinson, Paul Rockwell, Helen Scroggins, Dison Washington Slaughter, James Small, Gwendolyn Smith, Willie Stephens, Gon Trimble, Ed Vista, Lori Ward, Gertrude Washington, and Noel Wheeler
Birthdays: Dena Pippen (7/25)
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) and other sources cited. The Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.
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