The Holy Eucharist
The Fourth Sunday in Lent (Year C)
March 20, 2022
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday, March 27, at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)
The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
The Word of God
Hymn #467: Sing My Soul His Wondrous Love
[Verses 1-4]
1 Sing, my soul, his wondrous love,
who, from yon bright throne above,
ever watchful o'er our race,
still to us extends his grace.
2 Heaven and earth by him were made;
all is by his scepter swayed;
what are we that he should show
so much love to us below?
3 God, the merciful and good,
bought us with the Savior's blood,
and, to make salvation sure,
guides us by his Spirit pure.
4 Sing, my soul, adore his Name! Let his glory be thy theme: praise him till he calls thee home; trust his love for all to come.
Words: Anonymous, alt., Public Domain. Music: St. Bees, John Bacchus Dykes, Public Domain. 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, 219]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Joshua (5:9-12)
The Lord said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt." And so that place is called Gilgal to this day.
While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 32
[BCP, p. 624]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
1 Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, * and whose sin is put away!
2 Happy are they to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, * and in whose spirit there is no guile!
3 While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, * because of my groaning all day long.
4 For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; * my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, * and did not conceal my guilt.
6 I said," I will confess my transgressions to the Lord." * Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.
7 Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in time of trouble; * when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.
8 You are my hiding-place; you preserve me from trouble; * you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
9 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go; * I will guide you with my eye.
10 Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; * who must be fitted with bit and bridle, or else they will not stay near you."
11 Great are the tribulations of the wicked; * but mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord.
12 Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord; * shout for joy, all who are true of heart.
A Reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (5:16-21)
From now on, 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. If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
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 (15:1-3, 11b-32)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."
So Jesus told them this parable:
"There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands."' So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe--the best one--and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate.
"Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.' Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, 'Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!' Then the father said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'"
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
"Ambassadors for Christ" by the Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda
All of today’s readings this morning are about forgiveness and reconciliation. Reconciliation is a big word that means fixing a broken relationship; it means repairing a breach. These readings are about being restored and reconnected to healthy, loving relationships -- with God and with other people. And critically, they are about the connection between our reconciliation with God and our reconciliation with each other.
St. Paul puts it most simply: “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us” (2 Cor 5:18-19). God reconciled us and therefore we are called to reconcile with others. Paul says that the ministry of reconciliation is God’s own ministry. It’s because God moves first toward us that we have the ability to move toward one another. God gives us the grace and the power to heal our relationships with each other through Christ. (That doesn’t mean that Christians are the only ones who can reconcile. It just means that reconciliation is a gift from God, whether or not people acknowledge it.)
So reconciliation is a key to Christian life. Then, St. Paul calls us “ambassadors for Christ, since God is making [God’s] appeal through us” (2 Cor 5:20). What does it mean for us to be ambassadors? What do ambassadors do? Ambassadors are sent from one nation to another to represent their home nation’s interests. They work through friendships and negotiations. They advocate for peace and prosperity between different groups. And ambassadors always know that they are somewhat removed from the place where they work. The US ambassador to Ukraine (Kristina Kvien), for instance, plays a very important role right now in working with a country at war, but the ambassador is not Ukrainian; she is an American citizen. The Ukrainian ambassador to the USA (Oksana Markarova) lives here, but she is a Ukrainian citizen, not an American one.
Likewise, St. Paul writes elsewhere that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). Regardless of our nationality, when we stepped into the waters of baptism, we took on a new citizenship. We became new creations. We became citizens of heaven and ambassadors of Christ. We have a responsibility to advocate for Christ’s interests on earth. We are called to use our friendships and relationships to speak for peace, justice, fairness, forgiveness, and reconciliation. We speak for those things because they are Jesus’ goals in the ministry of reconciliation.
According to the Book of Common Prayer, “The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ” (p. 855). That becomes our mission statement as ambassadors for Christ in the world. Restoring unity is just another way of talking about reconciliation. St. Paul reminds us that in Christ everyone is made a new creation. We are given the chance to reset, to restart, to reconcile. God’s creative act gives us the juice we need to try to work toward healing with each other.
But here’s the hard part about human reconciliation: relationships are messy. Sometimes people do awful things to each other. Sometimes we’re mad at each other for good reason. And forgiveness isn’t easy when you’ve been hurt really badly or still feel unsafe around someone because they’ve broken your trust.
That’s why reconciliation cannot be separated from repentance. Repentance is admitting you are wrong and trying to change. So, repentance is the path toward reconciliation. We aren’t able to control how other people behave; we cannot make them repent. But we can work on humbling ourselves. Especially during Lent, we are going to practice self-reflection, self-honesty, and confession of sin. That means saying sorry for what we’ve done wrong both to God and to our neighbor. And then, we work to fix broken relationships to move from repentance to reconciliation (in something like a two-step process). It’s simple to understand but really difficult to do.
In real life, it’s not usually that simple. True reconciliation depends on forgiveness and repentance. Without repentance, forgiveness is a lot harder to pull off. In today’s parable about the prodigal son, the younger prodigal son takes a journey that involves repentance. He realizes that he was done wrong, confesses it to his father, and asks for help. The father forgives him with open arms. But the father wasn’t the only one he wronged. The older son doesn’t forgive his brother and resents his father for welcoming him home. In order to achieve reconciliation in their family, the brothers need a mediator like the father who is willing to humble himself to get in the middle of their conflict and work to bring them together. Interestingly, the story ends unresolved. We don’t even get to see the brothers speak to each other. We’re not sure where they land and if they ever forgive each other.
And that’s like Lent too. The ministry of reconciliation isn’t finished. It’s ongoing. It’s still the church’s primary task and mission. There are plenty of distractions, plenty of things (even good things) that we would rather do than work at reconciliation. But Jesus reminds us that we are his ambassadors. And our first calling as a church is to be reconciled to God and to one another (so far as we can control it). That’s why St. Matthew’s Church exists, why the Diocese of Georgia exists, why any Church institution exists. We are here to spread love, unity, and reconciliation. May God help us stay focused on this task above all others. Amen.
Hymn #690: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
[Verses 1-3]
1 Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
hold me with thy powerful hand;
bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.
2 Open now the crystal fountain,
whence the healing stream doth flow;
let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through;
strong deliverer, strong deliverer.
be thou still my strength and shield,
be thou still my strength and shield.
3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside;
death of death, and hell's destruction,
land me safe on Canaan's side;
songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to thee,
I will ever give to thee.
Words: William Williams, tr. Peter Williams, alt., Public Domain. Music: Cum Rhondda, John Hughes. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #97969. 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, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
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, Tiffany 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 Craig J. Maxwell (3/27) and Jordyn Jones (3/29) on their birthdays and for Fr. Charles and Evalena Hoskins (4/1) on their wedding anniversary.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.
Fourth Sunday in Lent: Gracious God, you love all people like a Parent and accept us equally as your children; help us to avoid the foolishness of the prodigal son and the jealousy of his older brother, and give us grace and encouragement in our times of need, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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
Choir Selection: Yes, Lord, Yes!
[The Celebration Hymnal (1997), #601]
Words and Music: Lynn Keesecker © 1983, Manna Music. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #23767. 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 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 (2) [BCP, p. 379]:
You bid your faithful people cleanse their hearts, and prepare with joy for the Paschal feast; that, fervent in prayer and in works of mercy, and renewed by your Word and Sacraments, they may come to the fullness of grace which you have prepared for those who love you.
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.
Hymn #343: Shepherd of Souls, Refresh and Bless
[Verses 1-4]
1 Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless
thy chosen pilgrim flock
with manna in the wilderness,
with water from the rock.
2 We would not live by bread alone,
but by thy word of grace,
in strength of which we travel on
to our abiding place.
3 Be known to us in breaking bread,
and do not then depart;
Saviour, abide with us, and spread
thy table in our heart.
4 Lord, sup with us in love divine,
thy Body and thy Blood,
that living bread, that heavenly wine,
be our immortal food.
Words: James Montgomery, alt., Public Domain. Music: St. Agnes, melody John Bacchus Dykes, Public Domain; harm. Richard Proulx © 1985, 1986, GIA Publications, Inc.. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #13273. 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.
Look mercifully on this your family, Almighty God, that by your great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore; 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, Tiffany 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: Craig J. Maxwell (3/27) and Jordyn Jones (3/29)
Wedding Anniversaries: Fr. Charles and Evalena Hoskins (4/1)
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.