The Holy Eucharist
The 2nd Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 7C)
June 19, 2022
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday, June 19, at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)
The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
The Word of God
Hymn #372: Praise to the Living God
[Verses 1-4]
1 Praise to the living God! All praised be his Name
who was, and is, and is to be, for ay the same.
The one eternal God ere aught that now appears:
the first, the last, beyond all thought his timeless years!
2 Formless, all lovely forms declare his loveliness;
holy, no holiness of earth can his express.
Lo, he is Lord of all. Creation speaks his praise,
and everywhere above, below, his will obeys.
3 His Spirit floweth free, high surging where it will:
in prophet's word he spake of old: he speaketh still.
Established is his law, and changeless it shall stand,
deep writ upon the human heart, on sea, on land.
4 Eternal life hath he implanted in the soul;
his love shall be our strength and stay while ages roll.
Praise to the living God! All praised be his Name
who was, and is, and is to be, for aye the same.
Words: Medieval Jewish liturgy; tr. Max Landsberg and Newton M. Mann, Public Domain. Music: Leoni, Hebrew melody; harm. Hymns Ancient and Modern (1875), Public Domain. 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, 230]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; 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 the Prophet Isaiah (65:1-9)
I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek me.
I said, "Here I am, here I am," to a nation that did not call on my name.
I held out my hands all day long to a rebellious people,
who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices;
a people who provoke me to my face continually,
sacrificing in gardens and offering incense on bricks;
who sit inside tombs, and spend the night in secret places;
who eat swine's flesh, with broth of abominable things in their vessels;
who say, "Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you."
These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.
See, it is written before me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay;
I will indeed repay into their laps their iniquities and their ancestors' iniquities together,
says the Lord;
because they offered incense on the mountains and reviled me on the hills,
I will measure into their laps full payment for their actions.
Thus says the Lord:
As the wine is found in the cluster, and they say, "Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,"
so I will do for my servants' sake, and not destroy them all.
I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah inheritors of my mountains;
my chosen shall inherit it, and my servants shall settle there.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 22:18-27
[BCP, p. 611]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
18 Be not far away, O Lord; * you are my strength; hasten to help me.
19 Save me from the sword, * my life from the power of the dog.
20 Save me from the lion's mouth, * my wretched body from the horns of wild bulls.
21 I will declare your Name to my brethren; * in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
22 Praise the Lord, you that fear him; * stand in awe of him, O offspring of Israel; all you of Jacob's line, give glory.
23 For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty; neither does he hide his face from them; * but when they cry to him he hears them.
24 My praise is of him in the great assembly; * I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship him.
25 The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and those who seek the Lord shall praise him: * "May your heart live for ever!"
26 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, * and all the families of the nations shall bow before him.
27 For kingship belongs to the Lord; * he rules over the nations.
A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians (3:23-29)
Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise.
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 (8:26-39)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus and his disciples arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me" -- for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.
Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
"Jesus the Emancipator" by the Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda
Juneteenth marks a pivotal moment in American history. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing enslaved people in the Confederacy, on January 1, 1863. But while the U.S. Civil War raged on, Confederate states didn’t actually free any slaves until the Union made them. White Confederate leaders tried to suppress the news of the Emancipation Proclamation from the people they enslaved. The war ended in the spring of 1865, but the Union still had to take control of the former Confederate states. Texas was the westernmost rebellious state, farthest from the Union. In a time before phones, internet, and breaking news alerts on your smartphone, it took a while for news to travel. It wasn’t until June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger and his Union Army troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, that the enslaved African people of that state learned that they were free.
Slavery was built into the fabric of the United States from before it was even an independent nation. The end of slavery in 1865 did not undo that horrible, centuries-old legacy. We are still dealing with the aftereffects of slavery and racism in this country, but it is still important to celebrate the progress that has been made. So today we celebrate Juneteenth as a day of freedom, as Black Independence Day. Juneteenth has been celebrated in Black communities (especially in Texas) since 1866, but it’s finally gotten more attention from Americans of other races in the last few years. The U.S. made Juneteenth a federal holiday last year (so hopefully you all have the day off from work tomorrow, and if you don’t complain to your bosses). This summer, the General Convention of the Episcopal Church is expected to add Juneteenth to our church’s calendar of feasts -- it’s long overdue!
But today, despite Juneteenth being an “ordinary” Sunday in the Church calendar, our readings from Galatians and Luke are very appropriate for the occasion. Because unfortunately, slavery was also a major part of the societies that wrote the Bible for us. More unfortunately, the Bible does not explicitly ban slavery. But passages like these help us to understand that slavery is completely and utterly immoral, antithetical to God’s purposes for humanity, and incompatible with Christianity. So we celebrate Juneteenth as patriotic Americans who believe in civic ideals like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, equal justice under the law. But we also celebrate it as faithful Christians who believe that all human beings are created in the image of God, worthy of dignity and Christ-like love.
First, we read Galatians 3:28-29, in which St. Paul says, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise.” The Church in Galatia was conflicted. There was in-fighting between people of different ethnicities, genders, and social classes. Now, back then, slavery wasn’t racialized (slaves weren’t all Black or darker-skinned and free people weren’t all White or lighter-skinned). But these divisions continued to pop up in church and create problems. People treated each other better or worse based on their social status, failing to see each other as equals through Christ. Can you imagine something like that happening in church? (Of course you can.) So, Paul reminds these people that God does not honor our human divisions. God doesn’t elevate some over others because of how they were born, what they look like, what language they speak, or how much money they have. All of us are one in Christ Jesus, all unified by our Creator, all woven together in a beautiful tapestry by the Holy Spirit.
And this helps make sense of the strange story we read from the Gospel of Luke. Jesus and his followers were traveling on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, where Jews were in the minority. Gerasenes was a pluralistic part of the Roman Empire, where people of different ethnicities and religious beliefs lived side by side. So traveling there as a miracle-working Jewish rabbi was already a bit strange. He met a man there who was living in a form of slavery. This man was possessed by a Legion of demons who enslaved his soul and body, forcing him to behave erratically and dangerously. And his neighbors didn’t know what to do with him besides lock him up. He literally wore shackles and chains (Luke 8:29).
Jesus could have ignored this man. He could have written him off. He could have just moved along and left him in his state of suffering. He was probably not Jewish, and the easy thing to do would have been to treat this demon-possessed man as “other,” as “not my people,” as “not my responsibility.” But Jesus spoke with him. He showed compassion. He released him from his spiritual bondage to the demons, and therefore from his physical bondage. He brought freedom where there had been slavery. Like he promised earlier in the Gospel, Jesus “proclaim[ed] good news to the poor,” “freedom for the prisoners” and he “set the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18, NIV). On this day, for this man, Jesus was an abolitionist.
Now freedom wasn’t free. It came at the cost of that herd of pigs (swine) that drowned in the lake. And if you’ve ever farmed, you can understand why the owners of those pigs were so mad. Pigs are big, expensive animals to feed and raise. They don’t really do any work on farms, so we just raise them to eat them when they’re big enough. That means Jesus’ work of freedom had an economic impact on the community. People lost money when the demon-possessed man was emancipated. And, unsurprisingly, people behaved selfishly. They were more mad about losing money than they were joyful that their brother was restored to good health and soundness of mind. They loved their profits more than they loved their neighbor. So “all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear” (Luke 8:37).
And Jesus left. But not without doing one more thing. The man who was freed from the Legion of demons wanted to join Jesus as one of his traveling followers. But instead, Jesus made him an evangelist, someone who spreads the good news. Evangelism isn’t complicated. Jesus simply told him, “Declare how much God has done for you” (Luke 8:39). Just tell people about the good things God has done for you. God liberated him, freed him from slavery, gave him spiritual, physical, and mental healing.
God is doing the same thing now. God worked wonders to end the abominable institution of slavery. And God worked to end Jim Crow. We pray that God is at work among people of good will today to end mass incarceration, police brutality, gender- and sex-based violence, and more. God is our liberator. Juneteenth is our reminder that liberation isn’t just a metaphor or a nice thing to believe. It’s real. God really can bring healing, wholeness, and freedom in your life where you need it. And God really can transform human systems and institutions. May God continue that work in us today. May we rejoice in our freedom and work as liberators for all those who remain in bondage. And may we declare to others what God has done and is still doing for us. Amen.
LEV #1: Lift Every Voice and Sing
[Verses 1-3]
1 Lift ev’ry voice and sing,
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us;
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun
Of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.
2 Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chast’ning rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over away that with tears has been watered;
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered;
Out from the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
3 God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who hast by thy might,
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee;
Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee,
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God, true to our native land.
Words: James Weldon Johnson © 1921 Edward B. Marks Music Company. Music: J. Rosamond Johnson © 1921 Edward B. Marks Music Company. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #85147. All rights reserved.
The Nicene Creed
[BCP, p. 358]
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
[Adapted from https://faithinformed.org/resources/juneteenth-liturgy and https://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Juneteenth_observance_0619.pdf (Copyright © 2019 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)]
As we celebrate this Juneteenth holiday, we offer prayers for ourselves and the world.
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son. Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred that infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and, through our struggle and confusion, work to accomplish your purposes on earth; so that, in your good time, every people and nation may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Guide those entrusted with authority in our nation to support the changes needed to promote healing in an authentic, responsible, and peaceful manner,
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Out of the darkness we cry to you, O God. Enable us to find in Christ the faith to trust your care even in the midst of pain. Assure us that we do not walk alone through the valley of the shadow of death, but that your light is leading us into life.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
O God, where hearts are fearful and constricted, grant courage and hope. Where anxiety is infectious and widening, grant peace and reassurance. Where impossibilities close every door and window, grant imagination and resistance. Where distrust twists our thinking, grant healing and illumination. Where spirits are daunted and weakened, grant soaring wings and strengthened dreams.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
O God, call us into a deeper relationship with you to be your church for the sake of the world. Help us to see with new eyes the injustices within church and society. Call us to have a loving heart that respects and uplifts the humanity and dignity of every person; open our ears to listen to and learn from the experiences of all people of color. Open our mouths to speak up and speak about injustices. Join us with others to work for racial justice, equity, and inclusion for all people.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for the special needs and concerns of this congregation, especially for our Day Care, for all fathers and father figures, for all visitors to this parish, and for those on our Prayer List: Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Christine Brown, Jacqueline Bryant, Tiffany Smith Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Angie Glover, Annie Bell Greer, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Altheria Maynard, Bette Milledge, Helen Scroggins, and Chad Stephens; and for Teresa Blue-Clemons (6/20), Kailey Holly (6/20), Crystal Watts (6/21), Jeannette Outing (6/21), Frieda Shorter (6/24), and King Ahmad Scott (6/24) on their birthdays.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom, especially our enslaved ancestors, victims of racial terrorism, all victims of violence, Aniyah Hayes, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Vestavia Hills, AL, and those we remember now…
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
The celebrant adds a concluding collect.
Almighty God, you rescued your people from slavery in Egypt, and throughout the ages you have never failed to hear the cries of the captives; We remember before you our sisters and brothers in Galveston, Texas who on this day received the glad tidings of their emancipation; Forgive us for the many grave sins that delayed that liberating word; Anoint us with your Spirit to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Confession of Sin
[BCP, p. 360]
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
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. Home Repair Service Projects on June 25: The Savannah Convocation of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia is organizing a service project in collaboration with The City of Savannah's Housing and Neighborhood Services Department. The Home Assistance Repair Program For Homeowners provides necessary repairs to low income homeowners to maintain the safety and decency of homes in our City. Materials and supervision are provided by the City, but most of the labor is provided by volunteers like you! Please join us for this way to give back to our City.
We will hold the service day on Saturday, June 25, 2022. The work day will begin at 9:00 AM and end at 4:00 PM. Registration for work volunteers is now closed, but please let us know if you would like to support the project in other ways, such as helping to provide bag lunches.
B. St. Peter's and St. Matthew's Go Bananas on 6/30!: On Thursday, June 30, St. Peter's Episcopal Church has invited St. Matthew's to share a block of tickets available for the Savannah Bananas baseball game. Tickets are now sold out. More details about where to meet on June 30 will follow soon.
C. 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!
D. Georgia Runoff Elections on 6/21: Primary Runoffs for the State of Georgia, and some local county elections are being held on Tuesday, June 21. If you have not already voted early, please make a plan to vote on Tuesday. The Savannah Morning-News has this helpful article with information about where and how to vote: https://www.savannahnow.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/06/19/savannah-chatham-county-ga-runoff-election-2022-when-polls-open-ballot-voting/7646939001/
E. 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.
F. 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
A Blessing Over Fathers for Father’s Day
O Lord our God, creator of heaven and earth, through your Son Jesus Christ you have revealed yourself as a heavenly Father to all of your children. Bless, we pray, all earthly fathers and father figures. Strengthen them to nurture, protect, and guide the children entrusted to their care. Instill within them the virtues of love and patience. May they be slow to anger and quick to forgive. And through the ministrations of your Holy Spirit, may all fathers be strong and steadfast examples of faithfulness, responsibility, and loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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 #78: Blessed Be The Name
[Verses 1-3]
1 Blessed be the name! Blessed be the name!
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
Blessed be the name! Blessed be the name!
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
2 Jesus is the name! Jesus is the name!
Jesus is the name of the Lord!
Jesus is the name! Jesus is the name!
Jesus is the name of the Lord!
3 Worthy to be grand! Worthy to be grand!
Worthy to be grand is the Lord!
Worthy to be grand! Worthy to be grand!
Worthy to be grand is the Lord!
Words: Psalm 72:19, Public Domain. Music: Camp Meeting Melody, arr. Ralph E. Hudson, Public Domain. 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 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 Anthem
[BCP, p. 364, 407]
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 #256: The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power
[Verses 1-2]
1 The blood that Jesus shed for me Way back on Calvary The blood that gives me strength from day to day It will never lose its power
REFRAIN: It reaches to the highest mountain And it flows to the lowest valley The blood that gives me strength from day to day It will never lose its power
2 It soothes my doubts and calms my fears And it dries all my tears The blood that gives me strength from day to day It will never lose its power [REFRAIN]
Words and Music: Andraé Crouch © 1966, 1994 Manna Music, Inc.; arr. Nolan Williams, Jr. © 2000 GIA Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #39704. 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, Tiffany Smith Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Angie Glover, Annie Bell Greer, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Altheria Maynard, Bette Milledge, Helen Scroggins, and Chad Stephens
BIRTHDAYS: Teresa Blue-Clemons (6/20), Kailey Holly (6/20), Crystal Watts (6/21), Jeannette Outing (6/21), Frieda Shorter (6/24), and King Ahmad Scott (6/24)
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: N/A
RECENT DEATHS: Aniyah Hayes (6/16/2022)
May the souls of all the departed rest in peace; and may light perpetual shine upon them. Amen.
Note: This service is reproduced from The Book of Common Prayer 1979 (BCP), The Hymnal 1982 (Hymn), Lift Every Voice and Sing II: An African American Hymnal (LEV), African American Heritage Hymnal (AAHH), Wonder Love and Praise (WLP), and other sources cited. The Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.
Image Credits: https://hria.org/2021/06/17/juneteenth/