The Holy Eucharist
The Second Sunday in Lent (Year C)
March 13, 2022
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday, March 13, at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)
The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
The Word of God
Hymn #401: The God of Abraham Praise
[Verses 1-5]
1 The God of Abraham praise,
who reigns enthroned above;
Ancient of everlasting days,
and God of love;
the Lord, the great I AM,
by earth and heaven confessed:
we bow and bless the sacred Name
for ever blest.
2 He by himself hath sworn:
we on his oath depend;
we shall, on eagles-wings upborne,
to heaven ascend:
we shall behold his face,
we shall his power adore,
and sing the wonders of his grace
for evermore.
3 There dwells the Lord, our King,
the Lord, our Righteousness,
triumphant o'er the world and sin,
the Prince of Peace;
on Zion's sacred height
his kingdom he maintains,
and, glorious with his saints in light,
for ever reigns.
4 The God who reigns on high
the great archangels sing,
and “Holy, holy, holy,” cry,
“Almighty King!
Who was, and is, the same,
and evermore shall be:
eternal Father, great I AM,
we worship thee.”
5 The whole triumphant host
give thanks to God on high;
“Hail, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost”
they ever cry;
hail, Abraham’s Lord divine!
With heaven our songs we raise;
all might and majesty are thine,
and endless praise.
Words: Thomas Olivers, alt., Public Domain. Music: Leoni, Hebrew melody; harm. Hymns Ancient and Modern, alt. Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84523. All rights reserved.
The Penitential Order
[BCP, p. 351]
Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.
God's mercy endures forever.
The Decalogue
[BCP, p. 350]
Hear the commandments of God to his people:
I am the Lord your God who brought you out of bondage. You shall have no other gods but me. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not make for yourself any idol. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not invoke with malice the Name of the Lord your God. Amen. Lord have mercy.
Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Amen. Lord have mercy.
Honor your father and your mother. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not commit murder. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not commit adultery. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not steal. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not be a false witness. Amen. Lord have mercy.
You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor. Amen. Lord have mercy.
The Confession of Sin
[BCP, p. 352]
Jesus said, "The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29-31)
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)
Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14,16)
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.
LEV #237: Lord, Have Mercy
[BCP, p. 356]
Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Have mercy, O Lord
Words: Public Domain. Music: Avon Gillespie, Mass No. 1 in G © 1987, G.I.A. Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #09956, #51711. All rights reserved.
The Collect of the Day
[BCP, p. 357, 218]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Genesis (15:1-12, 17-18)
The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.” But the word of the Lord came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Then he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.” But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.
When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 27
[BCP, p. 617]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? * the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers came upon me to eat up my flesh, * it was they, my foes and my adversaries, who stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army should encamp against me, * yet my heart shall not be afraid;
4 And though war should rise up against me, * yet will I put my trust in him.
5 One thing have I asked of the Lord; one thing I seek; * that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life;
6 To behold the fair beauty of the Lord * and to seek him in his temple.
7 For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe in his shelter; * he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling and set me high upon a rock.
8 Even now he lifts up my head * above my enemies round about me.
9 Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation with sounds of great gladness; * I will sing and make music to the Lord.
10 Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I call; * have mercy on me and answer me.
11 You speak in my heart and say, "Seek my face." * Your face, Lord, will I seek.
12 Hide not your face from me, * nor turn away your servant in displeasure.
13 You have been my helper; cast me not away; * do not forsake me, O God of my salvation.
14 Though my father and my mother forsake me, * the Lord will sustain me.
15 Show me your way, O Lord; * lead me on a level path, because of my enemies.
16 Deliver me not into the hand of my adversaries, * for false witnesses have risen up against me, and also those who speak malice.
17 What if I had not believed that I should see the goodness of the Lord * in the land of the living!
18 O tarry and await the Lord's pleasure; be strong, and he shall comfort your heart; * wait patiently for the Lord.
A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians (3:17-4:1)
Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The People stand for the reading of the Gospel.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Luke (13:31-35)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Some Pharisees came and said to Jesus, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." He said to them, "Go and tell that fox for me, 'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.' Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
"Pray Like Psalm 27" by The Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda
Last Thursday, March 11, 2022 was the 2nd anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring the global coronavirus pandemic. Two years ago, the novel coronavirus went from being an intriguing story for international news junkies to the most significant disease anyone can remember. It went from being a footnote to being the headline. The coronavirus upended life as we know it. We’ve now been through multiple waves of COVID-19 infections, shutdowns and closures, multiple variants, church closing and re-opening, learning how to use Zoom and Facebook, vaccines and boosters, and, of course, millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths in the USA alone.
A group of people at St. Matthew’s are reading a book for Lent called This Band of Sisterhood: Black Women Bishops on Race, Faith, and the Church. This book was conceived as a series of conversations with the first five Black women to be diocesan bishops in The Episcopal Church. But the conversations all took place in 2020, so the COVID-19 pandemic shapes nearly every conversation they had in the book. The first couple of chapters happened during the spring and summer of 2020, when so much about this virus was unknown and uncertain. Reading this book has been a powerful exercise for me to reflect again upon that time. It was so disorienting and traumatic, even for those of us who did not get seriously ill or lose a loved one.
In light of all that we have been through in the last two years, I can think of fewer better scriptures for us to look at this morning than Psalm 27. Psalm 27 is a prayer written in times of distress. The psalmist paints a picture of “an army … encamp[ed] against me” in a time of “war,” as though the author is surrounded by “evildoers,” who are “my foes and my adversaries” (27:2-4). This sounds like what we are seeing on the news today in Ukraine. Or perhaps it’s like how we felt when dealing with an invisible viral pandemic and confronting the evils of systemic racism and police violence. It might describe how we felt when we were unable to unite as a country in the face of the COVID pandemic, allowing polarized partisan politics to shape our public health response. It was like we were at war with ourselves, our fellow citizens, in an effort to try to minimize disease and death. Wherever you fell in your opinions on how best to respond to the coronavirus, we can all agree that our public response was not coordinated well.
And yet, the psalmist writes, that despite these troubles, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?” (27:1). Later, the author says, “In the day of trouble [the LORD] shall keep me safe in his shelter; he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling and set me high upon a rock” (27:7). When trouble surrounds us, God is there to save. God is there to overcome our fears. God is there to lift us out of the pits of life and place us high on a safe place, to shelter us from danger. Psalm 27 is all about trusting God when things are hard, when things are difficult, and even when they are threatening. If you have felt afraid or in danger at any point in the last two years, then this psalm is for you.
And what’s beautiful about Psalm 27 is that it recognizes that trusting in God through your troubles doesn’t make those troubles disappear. It’s not as if faith erases life’s hardships; but it’s a shield, a way to overcome. So the psalm has these declarations of faith, then these descriptions of troubles, then faith, then troubles, then faith, then troubles, then faith. Back and forth it swings because that’s how life goes. In verse 8, God “lifts up my head” but the “enemies” are still “round about me.” God speaks to the psalmist’s heart in verse 11, but verse 12 is still a desperate cry for God not to abandon him. That pattern continues all the way to the end of the psalm, where the psalmist encourages us readers and hearers: “O tarry and await the LORD’s pleasure; be strong, and he shall comfort your heart; wait patiently for the LORD” (27:18).
So Psalm 27 is this very practical, very realistic prayer for us to return to. When troubles surround us, as we know they will, God is there. And the troubles may stay around, or take a new form. But God won’t leave us or forsake us. God sticks around and provides shelter and safety in the midst of our troubles. God gives us the strength we need to persevere.
In one of the chapters of This Band of Sisterhood that we’ll read next week, the bishops discuss what it has been like to lead their dioceses during a pandemic. They all talk about how difficult it has been to get people on the same page about prioritizing the health and safety of the most vulnerable, especially after masks and other safety measures became politicized. This was all happening as the national conversation shifted toward racist violence, and the bishops reckoned with that in their own lives, in their families, and in their dioceses.
At the conclusion of chapter 3, the Right Rev. Carlye J. Hughes, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark offers a closing prayer that is very similar to Psalm 27. It is a prayer of hope in the midst of real struggle, a prayer of confidence in the midst of trials, a prayer of faith when there are things that make us doubt. It’s a prayer for bishops and laypeople alike. Anyone who is desperate for help can pray a prayer like this, like the Psalm teaches us to pray.
Bishop Hughes prayed, “In the absolute craziest time that I have ever experienced, … we continue to give ourselves, our ministries, our families, our hopes, our dreams, our worries, our fears, and our challenges over to you. We know that you have called us specifically into this time; and that you have shaped us to be the people that we are at this very moment. And in all of this, we know that you have plans that will dazzle us. So, we look forward to seeing those plans and we trust you to continue to guide us” (Matthews, 37-38). With God as our light, our salvation, and our guide, whom shall we fear? God is greater than our fears, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Bibliography
Matthews, Westina, editor. This Band of Sisterhood: Black Women Bishops on Race, Faith, and the Church. New York: Morehouse Publishing, 2021.
Hymn #455: Love of God, How Strong and True
[Verses 1-4]
1 O love of God, how strong and true,
eternal and yet ever new;
uncomprehended and unbought,
beyond all knowledge and all thought.
2 O wide-embracing, wondrous Love,
we read thee in the sky above;
we read thee in the earth below,
in seas that swell and streams that flow.
3 We read thee best in him who came
to bear for us the cross of shame,
sent by the Father from on high,
our life to live, our death to die.
4 We read thy power to bless and save
e'en in the darkness of the grave;
still more in resurrection light
we read the fullness of thy might.
Words: Horatius Bonar, Public Domain. Music: Dunedin, Vernon Griffiths, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #13268 All rights reserved.
The Nicene Creed
[BCP, p. 358]
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
[Adapted from http://www.rickmorley.com/archives/1431]
Leader: Have mercy on us, O God, according to your loving kindness; in your great compassion, hear our prayers.
We pray for the whole church, all leaders and ministers, and all the holy people of God. Wash us through and through, and cleanse us from our sin. Lord
We pray for our nation, for all the nations of the earth, and for all who govern and judge, especially for Joseph our President, Brian our governor, Van our mayor, Chester the chair of our County Commission, and Ann the Superintendent of our Public Schools. Purge us from our sin, and we shall be pure.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for those who hunger, those who thirst, those who cry out for justice, those who live under the threat of terror and war, and those without a place to lay their head. Make them hear of joy and gladness, that those who are broken may rejoice.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for those who are ill, those in pain, those under stress, and those who are lonely. Give them the joy of your saving help, and sustain them with your bountiful Spirit.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
In this season of Lent, we pray for those who prepare for baptism, and we pray that we all might be given the grace and strength to repent and grow closer to you, O God. Create in us clean hearts, O God, and renew a right spirit within us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for those who have died and who have entered into the land of eternal Light and your abiding peace, especially (_____, and) those whom we remember now... Cast them not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from them.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for our Day Care staff, students, and their families, and for the people of our Parish Prayer List: Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Christine Brown, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Angie Glover, Annie Bell Greer, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Craig Maxwell, Bette Milledge, and Helen Scroggins.
We give thanks for Prentiss McMullen (3/15), Jameel Newton (3/15), and Jameel Newton (3/17) on their birthdays and those celebrating wedding anniversaries.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.
Second Sunday in Lent: Lord Jesus, you mourned over Jerusalem as a mother hen for her lost chicks; in your mercy, lead us back to you and help us find the shelter of your wings, today and always. Amen.
The Peace
[EOW1, p. 56]
The peace of Christ be always with you.
And also with you.
Parish Announcements
A. Lenten Book Study: This Band of Sisterhood (TIME CHANGE): This Lent, we will gather together to read and discuss a new book called This Band of Sisterhood: Black Women Bishops on Race, Faith, and the Church, edited by Dr. Westina Matthews. These meetings will take place at 5:30 PM over Zoom using the following schedule:
Wednesday, March 9: Introduction and Chapter 1
Wednesday, March 16: Chapter 2
Tuesday, March 22: Chapters 3 & 4
Wednesday, March 30: Chapter 5
Wednesday, April 6: Chapter 6
Wednesday, April 13: Q&A with the author, Dr. Westina Matthews
You can order this book for $14.95 via Church Publishing or Amazon. The Zoom link is available in the e-Newsletter. Sign up for the e-Newsletter at the bottom of our homepage, or reach out to the Office to get the info. If you're interested in learning more about the book, watch this webinar with the author/editor and the five bishops: https://youtu.be/BBJMAxTXp6k.
B. Youth to Sponsor Ronald McDonald House Donation Drive in Lent: Become involved in supporting the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), which provides housing and support for children and their families as they receive medical treatment at nearby hospitals. Our youth will be collecting donations to help cover these costs. Donations will be collected during Lent. They can be dropped off at the church on Wednesday between 10:00 am – 5:00 pm or Sunday before or after service. The RMHC of the Coastal Empire, based in Savannah, requests the following items for donation this spring:
Bleach
Disinfectant Wipes
Trash Bags (4, 13, and 33+ gallons)
C. CORR on 4/3 at St. Matthew's: Conversations on Relationships and Race (CORR) is a joint Christian Education course with St. Matthew’s, St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Isle of Hope United Methodist Church, and Asbury United Methodist Church. This spring, we will continue to read How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. You may purchase it from any major bookstore (such as Amazon).
Our next CORR meeting is scheduled to be in person on Sunday, April 3, 2022, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. at St. Matthew's. Please read Chapters 6-11 of Kendi’s book before the meeting.
D. 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
E. Revised COVID-19 Safety Guidelines for In-Person Worship: On June 21, the Vestry authorized revised COVID-19 Safety Guidelines for in-person worship at St. Matthew's. At the October Vestry meeting, they reaffirmed the use of these guidelines and the maintenance of this temporary Sunday worship schedule.
All people in attendance are still required to wear masks that cover the nose and mouth at all times and maintain social distancing in their assigned seating areas. Click here to read the Vestry's June 2021 COVID-19 Safety Guidelines in their entirety.
The Offertory
[BCP, p. 377]
Giving to St. Matthew's: We know that many people are feeling the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. The church is feeling it too. We still need your support to pay our staff, pay our bills, and provide for these online live streams. There are several ways to give, but the simplest are these:
Mail us a check or money order at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 1401 Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd, Savannah, GA 31415; OR
Make a secure online gift to St. Matthew’s and/or automate future gifts at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now; OR
Text “stmattsav” to 73256 to make a secure online donation through your phone.
NOTE: Donations made online (#2 or #3) through Realm incur a processing fee of about 2.5%. Please consider adding an additional 2.5% to your online gift to cover these costs.
“I appeal to you, sisters and brothers, by the mercies of God, to present yourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” [Romans 12:1]
Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now
AAHH #389: What Shall I Render
[Verses 1-2]
1 What shall I render unto God for all His blessings?
What shall I render, (Tell me) What shall I give?
God has everything; Everything belongs to Him
God has everything; Everything belongs to Him
What shall I render, Tell me what shall I give?
2 All I can render is my body and my soul
That's all I can render. That's all I can give
God has everything; Everything belongs to Him
God has everything; Everything belongs to Him
All I can render, that's all I can give
Words: Margaret Pleasant Douroux © 1975 Margaret Plesant. Music: Margaret Pleasant Douroux © 1975 Margaret Plesant; arr. Stephen Key © 2000 GIA Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #63218. All rights reserved.
AAHH #651: Doxology
[See also Hymn # 380, v. 3]
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
Words: Thomas Ken, Public Domain. Music: Old 100th, attributed to Louis Bourgeois, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84260. All rights reserved.
Eucharistic Prayer 1
[EOW1, p. 57]
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 our thanks and praise.
It is truly right, and good and joyful, to give you thanks, all-holy God, source of life and fountain of mercy …
Preface of Lent (1) [BCP, p. 379]:
Through Jesus Christ our Lord; who was tempted in every way as we are, yet did not sin. By his grace we are able to triumph over every evil, and to live no longer for ourselves alone, but for him who died for us and rose again.
Therefore, joining with Angels and Archangels and with the faithful of every generation, we lift our voices with all creation as we sing:
LEV #254:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
[Word: Public Domain. Music: Carl Maultsby, The Saint Mary Mass, © 1989 Malted Milk Music. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #00004C1989. All rights reserved.]
The people stand or kneel.
Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of the universe and giver of life. You formed us in your own image and called us to dwell in your infinite love. You gave the world into our care that we might be your faithful stewards and show forth your bountiful grace.
But we failed to honor your image in one another and in ourselves; we would not see your goodness in the world around us; and so we violated your creation, abused one another, and rejected your love. Yet you never ceased to care for us, and prepared the way of salvation for all people.
Through Abraham and Sarah you called us into covenant with you. You delivered us from slavery, sustained us in the wilderness, and raised up prophets to renew your promise of salvation. Then, in the fullness of time, you sent your eternal Word, made mortal flesh in Jesus. Born into the human family, and dwelling among us, he revealed your glory. Giving himself freely to death on the cross, he triumphed over evil, opening the way of freedom and life.
On the night before he died for us, Our Savior Jesus Christ took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his friends, and said: “Take, eat: This is my Body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
As supper was ending, Jesus 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 poured out for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.” Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:
LEV #258:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Marjorie Gabriel-Burrow © 1992 G.I.A. Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.]
Remembering his death and resurrection, we now present to you from your creation this bread and this wine. By your Holy Spirit may they be for us the Body and Blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. Grant that we who share these gifts may be filled with the Holy Spirit and live as Christ’s Body in the world. Bring us into the everlasting heritage of your daughters and sons, that with Blessed Mary, Blessed Matthew, and all your saints, past, present, and yet to come, we may praise your Name for ever.
Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to you be honor, glory, and praise, for ever and 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]
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast.
This Far By Faith (1999) #36:
O Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy and grant us peace,
we pray, O Lamb of God.
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Grayson Warren Brown, arr. Larry Adams © 1979 Grayson Warren Brown, admin. by OCP Publications. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #81590. All rights reserved.]
This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
The Gifts of God for the people of God.
LEV #89: My Jesus, I Love Thee
[Verses 1-4]
1 My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine,
For thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior are thou:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
2 I love thee because thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree,
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow:
I ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
3 I’ll love thee in life, I will love thee in death,
And praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death-dew lies cold on my brow,
“If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.”
4 In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
“If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.”
Words: William R. Featherstone, Public Domain. Music: Adoniram J. Gordon, Public Domain. All rights reserved.
The Post-Communion Prayer
[Enriching our Worship 2 [2000], pp. 56-57]
Let us pray.
For In-Person Worshippers:
Faithful God,
in the wonder of your wisdom and love
you fed your people in the wilderness with the bread of angels,
and you sent Jesus to be the bread of life.
We thank you for feeding us with this bread.
May it strengthen us
that by the power of the Holy Spirit
we may embody your desire
and be renewed for your service
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
For Online Worshippers and Those Receiving Spiritual Communion:
Faithful God,
in the wonder of your wisdom and love
you fed your people in the wilderness with the bread of angels,
and you sent Jesus to be the bread of life.
Though we cannot consume now these gifts of bread [and wine],
we thank you that we have received the sacrament of Christ’s presence,
the forgiveness of sins, and all other benefits of Christ’s passion.
By the power of the Holy Spirit,
may we embody your desire
and be renewed for your service
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
The Solemn Prayer for the People
[Adapted from The Book of Occasional Services 2018, p. 10-11]
Let us bow down before the Lord.
Keep this your family, Lord, with your never-failing mercy, that relying solely on the help of your heavenly grace, they may be upheld by your divine protection; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Dismissal
[BCP, p. 366]
Let us bless the Lord!
Thanks be to God!
The Parish Prayer List
Prayer List: Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Christine Brown, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Angie Glover, Annie Bell Greer, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Craig Maxwell, Bette Milledge, and Helen Scroggins
Birthdays: Prentiss McMullen (3/15), Jameel Newton (3/15), and Jameel Newton (3/17)
Wedding Anniversaries: N/A
Recent Deaths: N/A
May the souls of all the departed rest in peace; and may light perpetual shine upon them. Amen.
Note: This service is reproduced from The Book of Common Prayer 1979 (BCP), The Hymnal 1982 (Hymn), Lift Every Voice and Sing II: An African American Hymnal (LEV), African American Heritage Hymnal (AAHH), Wonder Love and Praise (WLP), and other sources cited. The Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.