The Holy Eucharist
20th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23B, Track 2)
October 10, 2021
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday, October 10, at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)
The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
The Word of God
Hymn #680: O God, Our Help in Ages Past
[Verses 1-5]
1 O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home:
2 Under the shadow of thy throne,
thy saints have dwelt secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defense is sure.
3 Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
from everlasting thou art God,
to endless years the same.
4 A thousand ages in thy sight
are like an evening gone;
short as the watch that ends the night
before the rising sun.
5 Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
bears all our years away;
they fly, forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day.
Words: Isaac Watts, alt., para. of Psalm 90:1-5, Public Domain.
Music: St. Anne, melody att. William Croft, alt.; harm. William Henry Monk, Public Domain.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84147. All rights reserved.
Opening Sentences
[BCP, p. 355]
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And blessed be God's kingdom, now and forever. Amen.
The Collect for Purity
[BCP, p. 355]
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn S-280: Glory to God (Gloria in Excelsis)
[BCP, p. 356]
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Words: Public Domain.
Music: Robert Powell © 1985 Church Publishing, Inc.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #77081. All rights reserved.
The Collect of the Day
[BCP, p. 357, 234]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Amos (5:6-7, 10-15)
Seek the Lord and live, or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire, and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it.
Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood, and bring righteousness to the ground!
They hate the one who reproves in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks the truth.
Therefore, because you trample on the poor and take from them levies of grain,
you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins—
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and push aside the needy in the gate.
Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time; for it is an evil time.
Seek good and not evil, that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, just as you have said.
Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 90:12-17
[BCP, p. 718]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
12 So teach us to number our days * that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord; how long will you tarry? * be gracious to your servants.
14 Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; * so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
15 Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us * and the years in which we suffered adversity.
16 Show your servants your works * and your splendor to their children.
17 May the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us; * prosper the work of our hands; prosper our handiwork.
A Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (4:12-16)
The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.
Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
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. Mark (10:17-31)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’” He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”
Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
“A Sharp Knife” by Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
Hebrews invites us to think about the word of God like it is a knife or blade, “sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12). This makes me think about cooking and carving meat for a big holiday meal. If you’ve ever tried to cut up a chicken or turkey with a dull knife, you know that it’s frustrating, even dangerous. A dull knife makes you apply extra force to try to make simple cuts, and this can lead to the knife slipping and cutting something you don’t mean to cut.
The word of God is not like that. The word of God is sharp and precise. It is like a freshly sharpened and honed blade that slices effortlessly through your vegetables or around the joints of the bird you are about to feast on. The word of God cuts straight to the heart. God is able to reveal all of who we are, the good, the bad, and the ugly parts alike. The word of God can show us uncomfortable truths that we would rather ignore or avoid. That’s how the word of God guides us to repent -- that is, to change: to grow, learn, and do differently.
The hard part for us can be sorting through what is God’s word and what is just a human word. What is godly wisdom and correction, and what is negative self-talk that leads us to undue guilt and shame? What is godly encouragement, and what is human pride that leads to a fall?
In two of our scriptures this morning, the word of God speaks about money and economic practices. Jesus (the Word of God made flesh) speaks with a rich man who wants eternal life and says that he follows all the important commandments of God. But Jesus cuts him straight to the heart. Jesus sees through the man’s prideful mask to who he really is. This man has been too greedy. He has hurt others through hoarding wealth and maybe has bent the rules enough that Jesus included “do not defraud” among his list of commandments to follow (Mark 10:19). So Jesus tells him to sell what he owns and give it to the poor before following him.
Similarly, the prophet Amos accuses his hearers of greed and economic injustice. He says that they “trample on the poor”, overtax grain from poor farmers, “take a bribe, and push aside the needy in the gate” (Amos 5:11-12). He calls on them to “seek good and not evil” and to “establish justice in the gate” (5:14-15). In ancient Israel, the gate of the city walls was the place where the community elders and judges gathered to hold what we would call “trials.” The gate was like a courtroom where people could air their grievances and hope that the judges would rule fairly. Amos says that the gates have become places of injustice, where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Bribes and money, not right and wrong, were determining the winners. Amos says this must stop or God will judge them for their sins against their neighbors.
As we hear these stories today, it’s a reminder that even though we are separated from the Bible by time, distance, and cultures, the Bible continues to speak to modern problems and concerns. The details may have changed, but sin hasn’t. People are still greedy and cruel to one another. Rich and powerful people still cheat and defraud the poorer and less powerful. Even judges and courts often fail to maintain justice.
These are big, systemic problems in our society. The word of God speaks directly to those issues. But the word of God is also speaking to us, to you and me individually. We might not have the power to change the criminal justice system or the economy on our own, but if something in these scriptures tickles our conscience, we may need to listen to that. It could be the sharp knife of the word of God cutting straight to our hearts and intentions. God may be speaking truth to us about how we can repent and change our ways.
There is a fine line between guilt about something I did wrong and shame that is piled on by others. Admittedly, the church has often fallen on the wrong side of that line, pouring shame onto people to the detriment of their mental, emotional, and spiritual health. But that does not mean that the church has lost its moral voice. We must continue to call people to fair and just practices, to righteousness both individually and socially.
Without being mean about it, we must be bold enough to speak the truth in love. And we must be humble enough to listen to God’s sharp word when it speaks to us. We can name and condemn sin in the world without forgetting that we are sinners too. And we can show grace to others as we have received grace. It’s another fine line between moral boldness and moral humility, but it’s a line we walk with Jesus holding our hand: “Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Amen.
Hymn #707: Take My Life
[Verses 1-2]
1 Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move
at the impulse of thy love;
take my heart, it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.
2 Take my voice, and let me sing
always, only, for my King;
Take my intellect, and use
every power as thou shalt choose.
Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.
Words: Frances Ridley Havergal, alt., Public Domain.
Music: Hollingside, John Bacchus Dykes, Public Domain.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #97292. All rights reserved.
The Nicene Creed
[BCP, p. 358]
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
[BCP, p. 392, Form VI]
In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.
Silence.
For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.
For Joseph, our president; Brian, our governor; Van, our mayor; Chester, the chair of our County Commission; Ann, the Superintendent of our Public Schools, and all other civic officials; For this community, the nation, and the world;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.
For the just and proper use of your creation;
For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
For our neighbors experiencing homelessness, that they may find safety and shelter, and for all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.
For all the churches in Savannah, that we may be one as you are one with the Son, and the Holy Spirit; For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.
For Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; Michael, our Presiding Bishop; Frank, our Bishop; Guillermo our Priest; and for all bishops and other ministers;
For all who serve God in his Church.
For the special needs and concerns of this congregation, especially for our Day Care’s staff, students, and families, and for those on our Parish Prayer List: Martha Avery, Christine Brown, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Genelle Joseph and her children, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Craig Maxwell, Jameel Newton, Helen Scroggins; and those we remember now…
Silence. The People may add their own petitions.
Hear us, Lord;
For your mercy is great.
We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life; for all visitors to this parish; for St. Clair Fraser (10/12), Jocelyn Wheeler (10/14), Tawanna Green (10/14), and Shannon Nobles (10/15) on their birthdays; for those celebrating wedding anniversaries; and for any other thanksgivings we remember now.
Silence. The People may add their own thanksgivings.
We will exalt you, O God our King;
And praise your Name for ever and ever.
We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom, especially those we remember now...
Silence. The People may add their own petitions.
Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;
Who put their trust in you.
We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.
Silence may be kept.
Leader and People:
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; in your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone; and so uphold us by your Spirit that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Celebrant concludes with an absolution:
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Peace
[BCP, p. 360]
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
The Offertory
[BCP, p. 377]
Giving to St. Matthew's: We know that many people are feeling the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. The church is feeling it too. We still need your support to pay our staff, pay our bills, and provide for these online live streams. There are several ways to give, but the simplest are these:
Mail us a check or money order at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 1401 Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd, Savannah, GA 31415; OR
Make a secure online gift to St. Matthew’s and/or automate future gifts at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now; OR
Text “stmattsav” to 73256 to make a secure online donation through your phone.
NOTE: Donations made online (#2 or #3) through Realm incur a processing fee of about 2.5%. Please consider adding an additional 2.5% to your online gift to cover these costs.
“Walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.” [Ephesians 5:2; see BCP, p. 376]
Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now
LEV #83: Just a Little Talk with Jesus
[Verses 1-3]
1. I once was lost in sin but Jesus took me in,
And then a little light from heaven filled my soul;
It bathed my heart in love and wrote my name above,
And just a little talk with Jesus made me whole.
REFRAIN:
Now let us have a little talk with Jesus
Let us tell Him all about our troubles
He will hear our faintest cry
And He will answer by and by
Now when you feel a little prayer wheel turning,
And you know a little fire is burning,
You will find a little talk with Jesus makes it right.
2. Sometimes my path seems drear, without a ray of cheer,
And then a cloud of doubt may hide the light of day;
The mists of sin may rise and hide the starry skies,
And just a little talk with Jesus clears the way. [REFRAIN]
3. I may have doubts and fears, my eyes be filled with tears,
But Jesus is a friend who watches day and night;
I go to Him in prayer, He knows my ev’ry care.
And just a little talk with Jesus makes it right. [REFRAIN]
Words: Cleavant Derricks © 1937, 1965 Stamps-Baxter Music/BMI.
Music: Cleavant Derricks © 1937, 1965 Stamps-Baxter Music/BMI.
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 A
[BCP, p. 361]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. ...
The Celebrant adds one of the appointed prefaces.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
LEV #255:
Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts
Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest!
[Words: Public Domain; Music: Grayson Warren Brown, A Mass for a Soulfoul People © 1979 North American Liturgy Resources. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #98299. All Rights Reserved.]
The people stand or kneel.
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me." Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom. All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer
[BCP, p. 364]
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Fraction Anthem
[BCP, p. 364, 407]
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!
LEV # 269:
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
Grant us peace.
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Lena McLin © 1972-1993 General Words and Music Co., reprinted from Eucharist of the Soul. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #100355. All Rights Reserved.]
The Gifts of God for the people of God.
LEV #153: Lord, I Have Seen Thy Salvation
[Verses 1-2]
1. Lord I have seen thy salvation,
Lord I have seen thy salvation,
Drank of the blood, held the body,
Lord I have seen, seen with my eyes,
seen with my heart.
REFRAIN:
Fell on my knees, down at the altar,
Bowed down my head, whispered a prayer.
Have mercy Lord, I’m not worthy
I believe, Yes, I believe, now I am sure.
2. Lord I have heard of thy kingdom,
Lord I have heard of thy promise,
Looked on thy birth, cried at Calv’ry,
Lord I have heard, Lord I have heard,
Lord I have heard.
Words: John D. Cooper © 1980 Dangerfield Music Co.
Music: John D. Cooper © 1980 Dangerfield Music Co.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #OLOFOB377. All rights reserved.
The Post-Communion Prayer
[Enriching our Worship 2 [2000], pp. 56-57]
Let us pray.
For In-Person Worshippers:
Faithful God,
in the wonder of your wisdom and love
you fed your people in the wilderness with the bread of angels,
and you sent Jesus to be the bread of life.
We thank you for feeding us with this bread.
May it strengthen us
that by the power of the Holy Spirit
we may embody your desire
and be renewed for your service
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
For Online Worshippers (i.e., Those Receiving Spiritual Communion):
Faithful God,
in the wonder of your wisdom and love
you fed your people in the wilderness with the bread of angels,
and you sent Jesus to be the bread of life.
Though we cannot consume now these gifts of bread [and wine],
we thank you that we have received the sacrament of Christ’s presence,
the forgiveness of sins, and all other benefits of Christ’s passion.
By the power of the Holy Spirit,
may we embody your desire
and be renewed for your service
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
The Blessing
[Adapted from Enriching Our Worship 1, p. 71]
Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Go in peace to follow the good road and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.
Parish Announcements
A. 2022 Giving Campaign: The 2022 Giving Campaign is the Vestry’s opportunity to check in with different members and your opportunity to reconsider your commitments to St. Matthew’s in the coming year. Following the trend of many churches, we are updating our language around stewardship and giving to make it more straightforward and easier to understand for people who did not grow up in church. The 2022 Giving Estimate Forms (formerly called "Pledges") are now available electronically. Physical copies were distributed at the A.S.K. Dinner To-Go. Giving Estimates and Giving Campaign Letters will be mailed to all members shortly. All giving estimates are due by Sunday, November 7, when we will bless them and give thanks for God’s many blessings!
B. PREPARE TO VOTE: Prior to Election Day, November 2, confirm your registration and poll location by calling Voter Registration at (912) 790-1520 or use the MY VOTER PAGE website at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov. The voter registration deadline for this election was Monday, October 4.
ABSENTEE BALLOTS: A request for an absentee ballot may be submitted by mail, email, fax or you may complete the application in person at our office. Absentee request forms can be accepted 78 days prior to an election. Absentee ballots will be mailed between October 11-22.
EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING OCTOBER 12-29: Any eligible registered Chatham County voter desiring to vote in advance during this period may do so in-person. Saturday voting is available on October 16 and 23 and Sunday voting is on October 24.
C. Conversations on Relationships and Race (CORR): St. Matthew’s is partnering with St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Isle of Hope UMC, and Asbury UMC to hold a monthly book club and dialogue series on race and relationships that will focus on a different book about racial injustice every month. Our hope is to continue learning more about others and ourselves, while also building deeper and meaningful relationships with our greater community across the barriers of denomination and race.
Our first gathering will be held on Sunday, October 17, 4-5:30PM in person only at St. Thomas’ Church, 2 St. Thomas Ave, Savannah, GA 31406, outside under the pavilion. Light refreshments will be served. You will not need to prepare anything for this initial meeting as it will simply be a time for us to discuss logistics and get to know each other.
If you are interested, please fill out this interest form (CORR Interest Form) by Sunday, October 10 to help us better prepare.
D. Martha Avery's 100th Birthday Drive-By Celebration on 10/17: Come celebrate Martha Avery's 100th Birthday on Sunday, October 17 after church. Mrs. Avery has been a faithful member of St. Matthew's since 1947 and we want to use this occasion to express our love and gratitude for her. We will hold a drive-by birthday celebration shortly after church. Please gather in your vehicles at 11:15 AM in front of Largo-Tibet Elementary School, 430 Tibet Ave, Savannah, GA 31406. Bring some decorations for your car, such as balloons or streamers and set them up once you arrive at the school. We will drive past Mrs. Avery's home in a car procession that will loop around twice. We look forward to seeing you there!
E. Rev Up! Voter Education Day 10/28: Please join us Thursday, October 28 from 10:00-11:30 am on Zoom and learn how to make your vote count under Georgia’s new voting laws. St. Matthew's Episcopal Church will sponsor and host this event, organized by Rev Up GA!, which organizes for voters with disabilities.
REV UP GA will be sharing the stories and voting experiences of folks who are
figuring out how to vote now that we have new voting laws in Georgia. The event will have a special focus on how these laws affect voters with disabilities. Speakers at this event will include Gaylon Toottle, Vice Chairman of the Rev Up Georgia Grassroots Connectors; Jessica Mathis, Leadership Team of Rev Up Georgia Grassroots; and Vernanita Shannon of Grassroots Connectors.
Register here for this online event: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZItceyhrzMtGdCe0I970g6jtu-KKvF7mwEo
F. Care Packages for Needy Neighbors: As we all continue to struggle during the pandemic, and the neighborhood around St. Matthew's Church has been especially hard-hit. We want to respond to the immediate needs of our neighbors by building care packages we can distribute to anyone who asks for help, especially those experiencing homelessness. You can help support this initiative by donating individual size packages any or all of the following:
Gallon-size Zipper Bags
Bottled Water
Non-perishable snacks
Disposable Washcloths
Travel size First Aid Kit
Travel size Facial Tissue
Travel size Toothbrush and Toothpaste
Travel size Hand Sanitizer, 2 fl. oz.
Travel size Deodorant
Canned foods with pull tab
Packs of Gum
Thank you for your generosity! If you would like to serve our unhoused neighbors in other ways, Emmaus House is now accepting volunteers to serve breakfast on weekdays from 7:30-9:30 AM. Register today: https://www.unitedministriessavannah.org/volunteer
G. Upcoming Dates for Baptisms & Confirmations: Holy Baptism is available to anyone at any age who has not already been baptized. We would like to hold baptisms on the Eve of All Saints' Day (Sunday, October 31). We are also willing to work around you and your family's schedule to find a day for these celebrations. If you or your child would like to get baptized, please contact Fr. Arboleda by cell phone or email (FrGAA@StMattSav.org).
If you would like to be confirmed or received into The Episcopal Church, or if you would like to renew the commitment you made at confirmation, you may do so when Bishop Logue visits St. Matthew's on Sunday, January 16, 2022. Again, reach out to Fr. Arboleda to make a plan for preparing for this next step in your faith journey.
H. T/W/Th Evening Prayer via Zoom: 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
I. 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. Changes include:
Up to 100 people are now allowed in the church at a time (increased from 70)
People may stay in the building for up to 1.5 hours (increased from 1 hour)
One-way foot traffic floor arrows are removed and no longer necessary
Congregational singing is now allowed
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 Dismissal
[BCP, p. 366]
Let us go forth in the name of Christ!
Thanks be to God!
The Parish Prayer List
Prayer List: Martha Avery, Christine Brown, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Genelle Joseph and her children, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Craig Maxwell, Jameel Newton, Helen Scroggins
Birthdays: St. Clair Fraser (10/12), Jocelyn Wheeler (10/14), Tawanna Green (10/14), and Shannon Nobles (10/15)
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) and other sources cited. The Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.