The Holy Eucharist
3rd Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 6B, Track 2)
June 13, 2021
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday, June 13, at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)
The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
The Word of God
Hymn #525: The Church's One Foundation
[Verses 1-2, 5]
1 The Church's one foundation
is Jesus Christ her Lord;
she is his new creation
by water and the word:
from heaven he came and sought her
to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her,
and for her life he died.
2 Elect from every nation,
yet one o'er all the earth,
her charter of salvation,
one Lord, one faith, one birth;
one holy Name she blesses,
partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses,
with every grace endued.
5 Yet she on earth hath union
with God, the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion
with those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
like them, the meek and lowly,
on high may dwell with thee.
Words: Samuel John Stone, Public Domain.
Music: Aurelia, Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Public Domain.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84174. 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, 230]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Ezekiel (17:22-24)
Thus says the Lord God:
I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of a cedar; I will set it out.
I will break off a tender one from the topmost of its young twigs;
I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.
On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it,
in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit, and become a noble cedar.
Under it every kind of bird will live; in the shade of its branches will nest winged creatures of every kind.
All the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord.
I bring low the high tree, I make high the low tree;
I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.
I the Lord have spoken; I will accomplish it.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 92:1-4, 11-14
[BCP, p. 720]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
1 It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, * and to sing praises to your Name, O Most High;
2 To tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning * and of your faithfulness in the night season;
3 On the psaltery, and on the lyre, * and to the melody of the harp.
4 For you have made me glad by your acts, O Lord; * and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands.
11 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, * and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon.
12 Those who are planted in the house of the Lord * shall flourish in the courts of our God;
13 They shall still bear fruit in old age; * they shall be green and succulent;
14 That they may show how upright the Lord is, * my Rock, in whom there is no fault.
A Reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (5:6-17)
We are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord-- for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences. We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Mark (4:26-34)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”
He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
"Birds in God's Tree” by Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
Birds live in trees. You probably already knew that. But, if you’re like me, you might not have ever thought about why they live in trees. Birds can fly so they could live anywhere, right? Well, not exactly.
Because most birds fly, they must be small and light. Their bones are hollow to keep their weight low enough to get off the ground. If they lived on the ground, they would be relatively easy prey for bigger, faster animals. So trees provide safety from harm. Trees provide shelter, where birds can nest and raise their young. Trees provide food in the form of fruit, nuts, and sap. They even provide water for small birds when raindrops pool on leaves. So naturally, birds live in trees.
And that is the image Jesus chooses to use in this week’s reading from the Gospel of Mark. The Kingdom of God is like the tiny mustard seed that grows up into a large shrub (or tree), big enough “that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade” (Mark 4:32).
The Kingdom of God is like a tree where all the birds can gather to find their food, water, shelter, and safety. In the Kingdom of God, all God’s creatures can gather round for their sustenance. We can all come together in harmony. We can all find what we need, like the bird that finds its home in a tree. Jesus gives us these kinds of images in order to share God’s vision for the world. Whenever Jesus talks about the Kingdom or Reign of God, we get a glimpse into God’s heart, God’s truest desire for creation. In this case, we see that God wants all of us to live together in harmony and for all of our needs to be met.
And that’s a beautiful image, but it’s not the whole story. The parables of Jesus are illustrations, object lessons that help us understand one aspect of a given subject. So the Kingdom of God isn’t only the comforting place of rest and respite, the tree where all the birds dwell. It is that, but it’s also the tree that the Prophet Ezekiel describes in the Old Testament lesson.
That tree will also house “every kind of bird … in the shade of its branches” (Ezekiel 17:23). But this tree welcomes God’s creatures by establishing equity and fairness: “All the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord. I bring low the high tree, I make high the low tree; I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I the Lord have spoken;
I will accomplish it.” (Ezekiel 17:24).
In order for the birds of the air to live together in harmony, they need to be on relatively equal footing. That does not mean they have to all be the same. Their diversity and differences are God’s gift. But it means that no one bird can hoard all the nuts and seeds and fruit. No one bird can kick all the other birds out or attack their young. No one bird can eat the other birds. They have got to establish some sense of justice in order to live in the community that God desires.
The Kingdom of God is among us when we live like these birds, sharing and caring for one another, as God intended. We all don’t need to be the same or look the same or act the same. Differences are to be celebrated. God wants all the birds of the air to live under this great tree. But we also cannot live with dramatic inequality and expect to be in line with God’s purposes. It’s not okay for some to be treated with dignity and respect while others are scorned and oppressed. It’s not okay for some to be über-rich while others starve.
So some of the birds will have to adapt their behaviors in order for this community to work. The great birds of prey will need to get used to eating nuts and seeds and berries again. The small birds that were prey will need to remember what it’s like not to live in constant fear. Under these great branches, in God’s tree, they are safe and sound because the great have been brought low and the low have been made great.
As we look at the world around us, it’s clear that we are not living into God’s Kingdom purposes. The world is full of inequity in ways that are truly shameful. The Spirit of God speaks to us through the scriptures this morning, reminding us that that’s not the way it ought to be. Our calling, our vocation as a Christian people is to share the Good News in word and deed. So it matters that we continue to strive for justice and equity among all of God’s children, for ourselves and for those less fortunate than ourselves.
That’s part of why JUST (Justice Unites Savannah Together) is such an important ministry to us. It’s a new coalition of worshipping communities working together to make Savannah a more just place to live. We are working to allocate funding to provide more affordable housing in the City of Savannah so fewer people live on the street. We are working to end cash bail in Chatham County so that people aren’t imprisoned just because they don’t have enough money. These are small steps, but they are headed in the direction of God’s justice, striving to make our city a closer reflection of God’s vision for the world: that great mustard tree where all “the birds of the air can make nests in its shade” (Mark 4:32). Amen.
Bibliography
Mayntz, Melissa. "Attract Birds by Adding Trees to Your Landscaping." The Spruce. Published 2 October 2019. Accessed 10 June 2021. https://www.thespruce.com/trees-that-attract-birds-386407.
Hymn #613: Thy Kingdom Come, O God!
[Verses 1-4]
1 Thy kingdom come, O God!
Thy rule, O Christ begin!
Break with thine iron rod
the tyrannies of sin!
2 Where is thy reign of peace,
and purity, and love?
When shall all hatred cease,
as in the realms above?
3 When comes the promised time
that war shall be no more,
oppression, lust, and crime
shall flee thy face before?
4 We pray thee, Lord, arise,
and come in thy great might;
revive our longing eyes,
which languish for thy sight.
Words: Lewis Hensley, alt., Public Domain.
Music: St. Cecilia, Leighton George Hayne, Public Domain.
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, Jacquelyn Bryant, Christine Brown, Genella Chamberlain, Taylor Blue, Annie Colbert, Ana Columna, Lazola Cope, Alice Dailey, Beryl Dandy, Mark Dashiell, Brittany Dawson, Roland Dixon, Imani Ferguson, Ruby Fernandez, Harry Frazier, Karin Garcia, Colin Gentle, Yvonne 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, especially for all visitors to this parish, for Juray Brown (6/15) and Herbert Scroggins (6/17) on their birthdays, and those people and things 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 #165: Higher Ground
[Verses 1-4]
1 I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”
REFRAIN:
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith, on heaven’s table land;
A higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
2 My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim is higher ground. [REFRAIN]
3 I want to live above the world,
Though satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught a joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground. [REFRAIN]
4 I want to scale the utmost height,
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,
“Lord, lead me on the higher ground.” [REFRAIN]
Words: Johnson Oatman, Jr., Public Domain.
Music: Charles H. Gabriel, 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 #59: My Heavenly Father Watches Over Me
[Verses 1-4]
1 I trust in God wherever I may be,
Upon the land or on the rolling sea;
For come what may,
from day to day,
REFRAIN:
My heav’nly Father watches over me.
I trust in God, I know He cares for me,
On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea;
Though billows roll,
He keeps my soul,
My heavn’ly Father watches over me.
2 He makes the rose an object of His care,
He guides the eagle through the pathless air;
And surely He
remembers me, [REFRAIN]
3 I trust in God, for, in the lion’s den,
On battlefield, or in the prison pen;
Through praise or blame,
through flood or flame, [REFRAIN]
4 The valley may be dark, the shadows deep,
But oh, the shepherd guards His lonely sheep;
And through the gloom,
He’ll lead me home, [REFRAIN]
Words: W. C. Martin, Public Domain.
Music: Charles H. Gabriel, arr. J. Jefferson Cleveland and Verolga Nix, Public Domain.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #95064. 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. In-Person Worship Open to the Public: In consultation with the Diocese of Georgia, the Vestry of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church has approved a plan for holding in-person worship services that are open to the public beginning on Sunday, June 6. Click here to read the Vestry's 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. JUST Celebration "Picnic" - 6/21 @ 6:30 PM: Join Justice Unites Savannah Together (JUST) for its annual Justice Ministry Celebration Picnic at Lake Mayer Community Park on Monday, June 21, at 6:30 PM. Bring chairs and food for your party to eat at this outdoor meeting celebrating the work we have accomplished in 2020-2021. This meeting will feature a biblical reflection, awards for participating congregations, relationship building, and a pitch to invest in JUST's future ministry. Please come and plan to bring a friend!
Stay up to date and learn more by liking JUST's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thejustorganization.
C. Emmaus House Paper Goods Drive: Emmaus House provides hot meals, showers, and laundry to the community five days per week in downtown Savannah. Last week, they asked the community to donate paper goods to support their work. Several church members have already answered the latest call by giving this month.
Emmaus House seeks:
Bottled water
Takeout boxes
Cutlery packets
Grocery bags
Aluminum foil
Paper towels
Laundry detergent
Dish detergent
Bleach
Latex gloves
Bring any and all donations directly to Emmaus House at 18 Abercorn St, Savannah, GA 31401 between 7:00 AM - 1:00 PM Mondays to Fridays.
Or, bring donations to St. Matthew's and we will deliver them to Emmaus House on your behalf.
D. Father's Day Virtual Coffee Hour 6/20 at 11 AM: We will hold a virtual "Coffee Hour" (fellowship hour) over Zoom on Sunday, June 20 at 11:00 AM and celebrate Father's Day together. Check the e-Newsletter for Zoom information.
Beginning June 6, Virtual Coffee Hours will continue to be held every two weeks, but the time will change to 11:00 AM, to allow for adequate transition time after in-person worship ends.
E. 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
F. “Trip Around the World” Quilt Raffle: The Quilter's Guild, through St. Matthew's ECW, is raffling a "Trip Around the World" Quilt to benefit St. Matthew's Building Renovation Fund. This fund supports major extra-budgetary building improvement projects, such as painting, replacing the sound system, replacing the oven in Toomer-Walker Hall, etc.
This beautiful, jewel-toned quilt measures 103"x90" and will fit a queen-sized bed. This machine-stitched quilt in tones of deep violet amethyst, blue sapphire, green emerald, blue topaz, and green peridot will enhance any bedroom.
The winner will be announced on September 30, 2021. Winners do not need to be present to win. In addition to the grand prize of the "Trip Around the World '' quilt, there will be interim raffles of seasonal quilt-type projects for no additional ticket purchase. Interim winners will still be eligible for the grand prize.
The next interim drawing will be announced in late June in time for Independence Day (July 4).
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, Jacquelyn Bryant, Christine Brown, Genella Chamberlain, Taylor Blue, Annie Colbert, Ana Columna, Lazola Cope, Alice Dailey, Beryl Dandy, Mark Dashiell, Brittany Dawson, Roland Dixon, Imani Ferguson, Ruby Fernandez, Harry Frazier, Karin Garcia, Colin Gentle, Yvonne 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, 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: Juray Brown (6/15) and Herbert Scroggins (6/17)
Wedding Anniversaries: N/A
Recent Deaths: Raleigh Bryant (12/18/20)
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.