The Holy Eucharist
The 4th Sunday of Easter (Year C)
May 8, 2022
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday, May 8, at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)
The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
The Word of God
Hymn #522: Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
[Verses 1-4]
1 Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for his own abode;
on the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
thou may'st smile at all thy foes.
2 See! the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint, when such a river
ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
never fails from age to age.
3 Round each habitation hovering,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a covering,
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from their banner,
light by night, and shade by day;
safe they feed upon the manna
which he gives them when they pray.
4 Blest inhabitants of Zion,
washed in the Redeemer's blood!
Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
makes them kings and priests to God.
'Tis his love his people raises
over self to reign as kings:
and as priests, his solemn praises
each for a thank-offering brings.
Words: John Newton, alt., Public Domain. Music: Austria, Franz Joseph Haydn, Public Domain; desc. Michael E. Young © 1979, GIA Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #12787. All rights reserved.
The Opening Acclamation
[BCP, p. 355]
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
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, 225]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Acts (9:36-43)
Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, "Tabitha, get up." Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 23
[BCP, p. 612]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
1 The Lord is my shepherd; * I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures * and leads me beside still waters.
3 He revives my soul * and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; * for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; * you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over.
6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, * and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
A Reading from the Revelation to St. John the Divine (7:9-17)
I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing,
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might
be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat;
for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
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. John (10:22-30)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one."
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
"The Work of the Lord Cannot Be Destroyed" by the Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda
Jesus said, ““No one will snatch [my sheep] out of my hand” (John 10:28b).
Two weeks ago, I went to a retreat in Connecticut for Hispanic ministers in The Episcopal Church. We learned about and discussed a lot of culturally specific parts of our lives and ministries. Many of us are recent immigrants or connected to recent immigrants. Many of us don’t fit neatly into Black and White racial categories that dominate American conversations about race.
One of the speakers talked about the need for Latinos and Latinas (Latinx people) to reconcile with our tri-racial identities. We are a blend of White, Black, and Native peoples, regardless of our skin color. And we carry parts of all three cultures (Spanish, West African, and Indigenous) in our own blended cultures. So we spent time learning more about pre-colonial Indigenous cultures and West African cultures, the things we mostly didn’t learn about in school or even church, because they can be so White-culture-dominant.
We learned a beautiful Yoruba chant that has become a popular Christian hymn, so you may already be familiar with it. Yoruba is a language spoken by people in Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and other West African countries. According to legend, this song was originally written and sung by enslaved West African people while they were being trafficked on ships across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. People from many tribes and ethnic groups knew Yoruba language and were able to join together in this song to assert their common humanity and dignity.
The chant is: Ise Oluwa Ko le baje O, which roughly translates to “The work of the Lord cannot be destroyed.” These people -- our ancestors -- resisted the brutal, dehumanizing treatment they received from their enslavers -- who may also be our ancestors. Despite the heartbreak and tragedy, the pain and suffering, they were not broken. They did not give up. They held onto hope because they knew their God. Whether they were Christian or not (many of them already were in Africa), they believed in Jesus’ promise from today’s Gospel: “No one will snatch [my sheep] out of my hand” (John 10:28b). The image of God in all of us is permanent. The stamp of the Creator cannot be erased. No amount of pain, suffering, or hardship can wipe that out in us.
The Ise Oluwa chant is traditional, and, if the stories about its origins in the slave trade are true, it dates back a few hundred years. In the early 1900s, Thomas Ekundayo Phillips, a Nigerian Anglican Christian, took this text and wrote musical arrangements for it to be sung by choirs and played with western instruments like the organ and piano. On today’s online program, I’ve included a video of a Nigerian choir singing this beautiful song. I’ll also sing it through a couple of times here for us. The words are included here in the online program if you’d like to hum or sing along. Remember that the words mean, “The work of the Lord cannot be destroyed.”
Ise Oluwa Ko le baje O
Ise Oluwa Ko le baje O
Ko le baje O
Ko le baje O
Ise Oluwa Ko le baje O
Jesus said, “No one will snatch [my sheep] out of my hand” (John 10:28b). The work of the Lord cannot be destroyed. And we, God’s sheep, are the work of the Lord. We are God’s good Creation, and we cannot be destroyed by any evil that comes our way. God’s love for us is greater than any force of evil. God loves us and holds us in those Almighty hands, protecting us from any enemy that comes our way. That doesn’t mean that this life is without hardship. This hope on its own did not end the subjugation and enslavement of African peoples. But it does mean that those hardships will never have the final word. It gives us a compass, a North Star to fix our eyes on. Because we are all God’s good creatures, we work to pursue justice on earth as it is in heaven. We know in our core that we deserve dignity and respect. No evil thing we experience can change that we are sheep in Jesus’ flock.
And this is a reminder that good and evil are not in an eternal struggle; they are not equal and opposite forces. Goodness is greater than evil in every respect. God is greater than the forces of death and hell. The Resurrection of Jesus is our proof and our hope that life is greater than death, love is greater than hate, and God’s goodness is greater than every evil thing. No one will snatch us out of Jesus’ hand. The work of the Lord cannot be destroyed. Ise Oluwa Ko le baje O! Amen!
[Verses 1-4]
1 My faith looks up to thee,
Thou lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away;
O let me from this day
Be wholly thine.
2 May thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire;
As thou hast died for me,
O may my love to thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be
A living fire.
3 While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn today,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away;
Pure, warm, and changeless be
A living fire.
4 When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove,
O bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul.
Words: Ray Palmer, Public Domain. Music: Lowell Mason, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONELICENSE #LMGM2537. 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
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/149]
On this day when we honor our mothers, let us offer our prayers to Jesus, the son of Mary, saying, “Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer.”
Because on this earth we are all sons and daughters of Eve, let us pray for the whole world and the Church Universal, that we might behold each other as brothers and sisters.
Lord in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.
As Rebecca gave birth to Jacob, and in so doing she gave birth to a whole nation, let us pray for our own nation, and for all in authority.
Lord in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.
As Rachel’s son Joseph was mistreated, beaten, and wrongly jailed, we pray for all in this world who are in trouble of any kind. We pray for the poor, the hungry, the imprisoned, and the victims of war and all who live in terror’s wake.
Lord in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.
As Hannah, the mother of Samuel, went to the House of the Lord to pray with earnest integrity, we earnestly pray for those in this community, and especially for Antonio Blake (5/8), Idella Jones (5/10), and Ahmad Taylor (5/14) on their birthdays, and for those celebrating wedding anniversaries.
Lord in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.
As Naomi took Ruth into her home, we pray for those who act as surrogate, spiritual mothers. We pray with gratitude for all those who give the gift of love and nurturing.
Lord in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.
As Sarah rejected her stepchild Ishmael, we pray for all who have been deeply wounded by mothers or mother figures. May they all find love and healing by and through the power of your Holy Spirit.
Lord in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.
As Elizabeth gave birth in old age, and as she saw her son John the Baptist carried off to persecution, we pray for all those who are sick, those who are suffering, and those with any need, especially 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, Helen Scroggins, and Paulette Sibert.
Lord in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.
And, as the Blessed Virgin Mary stood by the cross and watched her son die, we pray for the dead and the dying, especially. . .
Lord in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.
Then, the Celebrant adds this concluding collect.
Lord Jesus, who wishes to gather your people as a mother hen gathers together her brood, we offer our prayers to you. Accept our gratitude for all who mother, bless all who mother, and give all mothers your comfort and strength. And help all of us, brothers and sisters, to be your family on earth, as we shall be in Heaven. Amen.
The Peace
[EOW1, p. 56]
The peace of Christ be always with you.
And also with you.
Parish Announcements
A. JUST Nehemiah Action Report: Justice Unites Savannah Together (JUST) held its 2nd Annual Nehemiah Action (and 1st ever in-person) on Monday, May 2, 2022 at the Johnny Mercer Theatre. Almost 400 people from over 20 different congregations (17 from St. Matthew's) attended to demonstrate to our public officials that we care about solving injustices in our community.
Through JUST's public negotiations, City Manager Jay Mulder committed to include at least $2 million in the 2023 City Budget for Savannah's Affordable Housing Trust Fund and to allocate a higher percentage of those funds to people earning less than the area median income. Then, Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones committed to seek additional funds for the Early Intervention Program and develop a plan for a central criminal database for our County. In both cases, our work isn't finished. JUST will continue to meet with these and other officials to ensure that they follow through on their commitments.
The next major JUST event is the Annual Celebration Picnic on June 13 from 6:00-8:00 PM at a location to be announced soon.
B. Altar Guild Meeting on 5/12 at 11 AM: There will be a meeting of the Altar Guild on Thursday, May 12 at 11:00 AM. Fr. Arboleda will pray for and encourage the guild, provide some training, and field questions. This is a great opportunity for people to join or re-engage with the Altar Guild. If you are interested in Altar Guild and cannot make this meeting, please tell me and/or Joenelle Gordon, the Guild Chairperson, so we can schedule something with you.
C. Home Repair Service Projects on June 18 and 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 two service days on Saturday, June 18, and Saturday, June 25, 2022. You may sign up to work on one or both. Each day will begin at 8:00 AM and end at 4:00 PM. Lunch will be provided. We are gathering volunteers from all the Episcopal parishes in and around Savannah. We will assign people to teams of 8-10 volunteers per house that needs repair. You will find out your work location and volunteer team 1-2 weeks before your work date.
Please register at https://forms.gle/d7gR6qAbUEbRmThcA on or before May 31, 2022.
D. EYCS Scholarship Applications due May 31: The Diocese of Georgia offers scholarships to college students through Episcopal Youth & Children's Services (EYCS). Applicants must be active members of a parish in the Diocese of Georgia, 22 years of age or younger, and enrolled in undergraduate education in the 2022-2023 school year. Applications are due May 31, 2022. Learn more and apply online here: http://eycs.georgiaepiscopal.org/?page_id=11.
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 Low 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. Book of Sermons: Della Jones and Sandra Mitchell are looking for parishioners interested in serving on a committee to compile sermons and identify artwork for a book of Fr. Guillermo Arboleda’s sermons. This proposed book project would become a historical document for St. Matthew's and may be sold in the future at a modest price to raise funds for the parish.
If you are interested in serving on this committee, please contact either Della Jones or Sandra Mitchell. The first meeting will be held during the week following Easter. Date and time to be determined.
G. 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
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.
“On this day the Lord has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” [Psalm 118:24]
Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now
LEV #76: Jesus in the Morning
[Verses 1-5]
1 Jesus, Jesus, Jesus in the morning
Jesus in the noontime;
Jesus, Jesus,
Jesus when the sun goes down!
2 Praise Him, Praise Him, Praise Him in the morning
Praise Him in the noontime;
Praise Him, Praise Him,
Praise Him when the sun goes down!
3 Love Him, Love Him, Love Him in the morning
Love Him in the noontime;
Love Him, Love Him,
Love Him when the sun goes down!
4 Serve Him, Serve Him, Serve Him, in the morning
Serve Him in the noontime;
Serve Him, Serve Him,
Serve Him when the sun goes down!
5 Jesus, Jesus, Jesus in the morning
Jesus in the noontime;
Jesus, Jesus,
Jesus when the sun goes down!
Words: Traditional, Public Domain. Music: Negro Spiritual, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #92238. 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]
It is truly right, and good and joyful, to give you thanks, all-holy God, source of life and fountain of mercy …
Preface of Easter [BCP, p. 379]:
But chiefly are we young to praise you for the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; for he is the true Paschal Lamb, who was sacrificed for us, and has taken away the sin of the world. By his death he has destroyed death, and by his rising to life again he has won for us everlasting life.
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 Anthems
[BCP, p. 364]
Hymn S-152:
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Ambrosian chant; adapt. Mason Martens © 1971 Mason Martens, Church Publishing, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #87673. All rights reserved.]
Hymn S-167:
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Mode 6 melody; adapt. Mason Martens © 1971 Mason Martens, Church Publishing, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #52588. All rights reserved.]
The Gifts of God for the people of God.
Hymn #341: For the Bread Which You Have Broken
[Verses 1-4]
1 For the bread which you have broken,
for the wine which you have poured,
for the words which you have spoken,
now we give you thanks, O Lord.
2 By this pledge, Lord, that you love us,
by your gift of peace restored,
by your call to heaven above us,
hallow all our lives, O Lord.
3 As our blessed ones adore you,
seated at our Father's board,
may the Church still waiting for you
keep love's tie unbroken, Lord.
4 In your service, Lord, defend us;
in our hearts keep watch and ward,
in the world to which you send us
let your kingdom come, O Lord.
Words: Louis F. Benson, alt., © 1999, Lorenz Publishing. Music: Omni die, melody from Gross Catolisch Gesangbuch (1631); harm. William Smith Rockstro, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #80309. 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 Easter Blessing
[Adapted from The Book of Occasional Services 2018, p. 13]
The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in God's sight; 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]
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thanks be to God! Alleluia! Alleluia!
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, Helen Scroggins, and Paulette Sibert
BIRTHDAYS: Antonio Blake (5/8), Idella Jones (5/10), and Ahmad Taylor (5/14)
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.