The Holy Eucharist
All Saints' Day, Year A (transferred from Nov. 1)
November 5th, 2023 at 9:30 AM
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda, Rector
Deacon: The Rev. Ella Roundtree-Davis, Deacon
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
Hymn #287: For All the Saints
1. For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy Name, O Jesus, be for ever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
2. Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might:
thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight;
thou, in the darkness drear, the one true Light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
3. O may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,
fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
and win, with them, the victor's crown of gold.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
4. O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
yet all are one in thee, for all are thine.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
5. And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
and hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
6. The golden evening brightens in the west;
soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest;
sweet is the calm of paradise the blest.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
7. But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
the saints triumphant rise in bright array;
the King of glory passes on his way.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
8. From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,
through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia, Alleluia!
[Words: William Walsham How. Public Domain. Music: Sine Nomine, Ralph Vaughan Williams; by permission of Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #18303]
The Opening Acclamation
[BCP, p. 355]
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever. Amen.
A Litany for All Saints’ Day
[Adapted from Saint Augustine’s Prayer Book (2014), pp. 430-434]
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth, have mercy on us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
O God, the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the faithful, have mercy on us.
Holy Michael and Gabriel, Archangels, pray for us.
All holy angels and archangels, pray for us.
All holy orders of blessed spirits, pray for us.
Holy Abraham Isaac, and Jacob, pray for us.
Holy Sarah, Hagar, Keturah, Rebekah, Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah, pray for us.
Holy Moses, Miriam, and Aaron, pray for us.
Holy Ruth and Naomi, pray for us.
Holy David, Samuel, and Elijah, pray for us.
Holy John the Baptist, Forerunner to our Savior, pray for us.
Holy Mary, the Bearer of God, pray for us.
Holy Joseph, stepfather of our Savior, pray for us.
All holy patriarchs, matriarchs, and prophets, pray for us.
Holy Peter and Paul, pray for us.
Holy Andrew, James, and John, pray for us.
Holy Matthew: Apostle, Evangelist, and our parish's patron, pray for us.
Holy Mark and Luke, pray for us.
Holy Mary Magdalene, Junia, and Priscilla, pray for us.
All apostles, disciples, and evangelists, pray for us.
Holy Stephen, first martyr and our ancestors' patron, pray for us.
Holy Ignatius and Polycarp, pray for us.
Holy Perpetua and Felicity, pray for us.
Holy Constance and the Martyrs of Memphis, pray for us.
Holy Jonathan Daniels and Martin Luther King, Jr., pray for us.
Holy Janani Luwum and Óscar Romero, pray for us.
All holy martyrs of our God, pray for us.
Holy Gregory, Basil, and Chrysostom, pray for us.
Holy Augustine of Hippo, our ancestors' patron, pray for us.
Holy Columba, Patrick, and Brigid, pray for us.
Holy Anthony, Benedict, Francis, and Dominic, pray for us.
Holy Hildegard, Clare, and Julian, pray for us.
All holy teachers, confessors, and doctors, pray for us.
Holy Augustine and Anselm of Canterbury, pray for us.
Holy Samuel Seabury, first Episcopal bishop, pray for us.
Holy Enmegabowh, first Native American Episcopal priest, pray for us.
Holy Absalom Jones and James Theodore Holly, first Black Episcopal priest and bishop, pray for us.
Holy Frances Perkins, Harriet Bedell, Thurgood Marshall, pray for us.
Holy Pauli Murray and Barbara Harris, pray for us.
Holy Anna Alexander, patron saint of the Diocese of Georgia, pray for us.
All holy leaders of Anglicanism and The Episcopal Church, pray for us.
All holy bishops, priests, and deacons, pray for us.
All holy lay people, the hands and feet of the Body of Christ, pray for us.
All holy missionaries, evangelists, and preachers, pray for us.
All holy monks and hermits, pray for us.
All holy advocates for love, justice, and mercy, pray for us.
All holy people, saints of God, pray for us.
The Celebrant concludes:
Let us pray:
We give thanks to you, Most Holy God, for all your servants and witnesses of time past, for all the prophets, apostles, martyrs, and saints in every age and in every land. In your mercy, O God, give us, as you gave to them, the hope of salvation and the promise of eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, the first-born of many from the dead. Amen.
Hymn S280: 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, Copyright © 1985, Church Publishing, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #28331. All rights reserved.]
The Collect of the Day
[BCP, p. 357, 234]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Revelation (7:9-17)
After this I, John, 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.
Psalm 34:1-10,22
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
1 I will bless the Lord at all times; * his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
2 I will glory in the Lord; * let the humble hear and rejoice.
3 Proclaim with me the greatness of the Lord; * let us exalt his Name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me * and delivered me out of all my terror.
5 Look upon him and be radiant, * and let not your faces be ashamed.
6 I called in my affliction and the Lord heard me * and saved me from all my troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encompasses those who fear him, * and he will deliver them.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; * happy are they who trust in him!
9 Fear the Lord, you that are his saints, * for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger, * but those who seek the Lord lack nothing that is good.
22 The Lord ransoms the life of his servants, * and none will be punished who trust in him.
A Reading from the First Letter of St. John 3:1-3
See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn #437: Tell Out My Soul the Greatness of the Lord (verses 1-3)
1 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Savior shall my heart rejoice.
2 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy Name the Lord, the Mighty One
3 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
[Words: Timothy Dudley-Smith; based on The Song of Mary. Public Domain. Copyright © 1962 by Hope Publishing Company. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Music: Birmingham, from Repository of Sacred Music, Part 2, Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #01409. All rights Reserved.]
The People stand, as they are able, for the reading of the Gospel.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Matthew (5:1-12)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Hymn #437: Tell Out My Soul the Greatness of the Lord (verse 4)
4 Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children's children and forever more!
[Words: Timothy Dudley-Smith; based on The Song of Mary. Public Domain. Copyright © 1962 by Hope Publishing Company. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Music: Birmingham, from Repository of Sacred Music, Part 2, Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #01409. All rights Reserved.]
The Sermon
“Growing and Glowing in Holiness” by the Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda, Rector
On this celebration of All Saints’ Day, I want to begin by reminding us of our newly-minted mission statement: “The mission of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church is to grow and glow in grace as we work to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” We’re going to look at All Saints’ Day through the lens of this mission statement by splitting it into two parts: “Glow and grow in grace” and “restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.”
Grow and Glow in Grace
Growing and Glowing with Grace is just another way of calling us to be holy as God is holy, to become saintly. The Saints are people who spent their lives growing and glowing in God’s grace, which is growing and glowing in holiness. Grace is just the practice of holy living. The Saints dedicated themselves to growing in God’s gracious, loving ways, and therefore they glowed the light of Christ to the world around them. They glowed brightly enough that their holiness became famous and the Church remembered them long after they passed.
To get even more specific, Jesus’ teaching at the Sermon on the Mount is a beautiful summary of the path to graciousness, lovingkindness, and thus holiness. The Beatitudes are a way to grow and glow in grace.
Jesus tells us to be humble (meek), to be hungry for righteousness (justice), to be merciful, to be a peacemaker, to mourn with those who mourn, to be unafraid of persecution for righteousness’ sake. Each of these practices will help us to grow in grace, love, and holiness. When we are humble, when we seek justice, when we act with mercy, when we make peace, when we are bold for righteousness, that grace, love and holiness will glow and shine the light of Christ for the world to see.
Restore All People to Unity
The rest of our mission statement is “to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” We want to grow and glow in grace so that we can restore all people to unity. I want to draw your attention to a prayer in the BCP on page 250. This is one of the collects we use to celebrate the lives of saints, and it highlights the rest of our mission statement, which is the mission of the Church at large. The prayer reads like this:
Almighty God, by your Holy Spirit you have made us one with your saints in heaven and on earth: Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage we may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, and know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whom all our intercessions are acceptable through the Spirit, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
God has made us one with the saints in heaven and on earth. That means that we are restored to unity with God and each other in Christ. So sainthood is not just about personal holiness and prayer and doing the right thing in private. Sainthood is about glowing grace to others around us. Sainthood is about unifying people. The goal of sainthood is to help people come to love God and one another. The goal is to welcome the Holy Spirit to do that work of weaving broken and divided people back together like a quilt. A real saint is one who heals brokenness, suffering, and injustice with love and truth. The saint’s humility and hunger for righteousness and mercy and peacemaking unify people. That is growth in grace.
A Fellowship of Love and Prayer
But there is one more thing. We cannot do this work alone. We cannot become saints alone. We need one another. We need community. But we don’t just need physical community; we need spiritual community. This prayer reminds us that the saints create a “fellowship of love and prayer” (BCP, p. 250) to offer us support in our earthly pilgrimage. We are part of the eternal communion of saints, stretching backward and forward in time. We can turn to the saints for help when we need support just as we turn to a wise and faithful friend and ask them to pray for us. And the more we know about a saint’s life, the more we can know to ask them to help us with the things they are good at.
St. Stephen was a deacon and a martyr. Ask Stephen for prayer when you need strength to serve or when you need courage. St. Augustine was a bishop and a theologian. Ask Augustine to pray for you when you need to grow in knowledge and wisdom. St. Matthew was a converted tax collector, apostle to the Ethiopians, and writer of the Gospel. Ask Matthew for prayer when you need help overcoming greed or you need boldness to share the Good News. St. Anna Alexander was a deaconess, missionary, and educator. Ask Anna for prayer when you need perseverance or boldness or when you need to learn or when you need to teach.
Do you see where I’m going with this? We spend time learning about the lives of the saints for at least two reasons: (1) they are examples to encourage us in this life and (2) they are resources to help us through prayer. They offer us fellowship so that we are never alone. God sends them to be with us in times of need too. The Prayer Book teaches us that we are “aided by [the saints’] prayers, and strengthened by their fellowship, [so that] we also may be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (BCP, p. 504). The saints help us by praying for us when we ask them to.
And when we talk about this communion of saints, that’s not just the big, famous ones. It also includes “all [God’s] other righteous servants, known to us and unknown” (BCP, p. 250). That’s where All Saints’ Day meets All Souls’ Day. We ask the ancestors to pray for us; the Saints are the ancestors of all Christians, and our literal ancestors can become saints for us to call upon for aid. In addition to asking St. Mary or St. Matthew to pray for us, I can still ask my dearly departed abuela to pray for me. She was a prayer warrior in her earthly life, and I am confident that she still is in her heavenly life. By the power of the Holy Spirit, she is still part of that “fellowship of love and prayer.”
So as we meditate on All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, remember a couple of things. We are growing and glowing in grace, which means we are following the examples of the saints. We are becoming unifiers, people who draw more people to love God and love each other. And we have a “fellowship of love and prayer” that stretches beyond the grave to help us. We have many advocates who point us all to our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ himself, who wants us to live graciously, mercifully, and lovingly.
Let us pray:
"Almighty God, by your Holy Spirit you have made us one with your saints in heaven and on earth: Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage we may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, and know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whom all our intercessions are acceptable through the Spirit, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen" (BCP, p. 250).
Renewal of Baptismal Vows
[BCP, p. 292]
All standing as they are able. The Altar Party travels to the Baptismal Font with Aspergillum.
Do you reaffirm your renunciation of evil and renew your commitment to Jesus Christ?
I do.
Do you believe in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and dead.
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
I will with God’s help.
Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
I will with God’s help.
Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
I will with God’s help.
Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
I will with God’s help.
Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
I will with God’s help.
May Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and bestowed upon us the forgiveness of sins, keep us in eternal life by his grace, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
The people are sprinkled with holy water as a sign of their baptism and renewed vows.
The Prayers of the People, Form VI
[Adapted from BCP, p. 392]
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; 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 the people of Israel and the Palestinian territories, 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 Michael our Presiding Bishop, Frank our Bishop, Guillermo our Priest, Ella our Deacon, Bertice our Diaconal Intern; 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: Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Enrique Davis, Aaron Duplechien, Jr., Charles Gordon, Marva Harris, David Jones, Beverly Kemp, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Russell Nails, Jeannette Outing, Jewel Wheeler; 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, especially for all visitors to this parish, all those celebrating birthdays, especially Terry Newton (11/6), Jacqueline Bryant (11/8), Nicholas Maiorano (11/11); for those celebrating anniversaries; and for all other thanksgivings we offer now… [Silence. The People may add their own petitions.]
We will exalt you, O God our King;
And praise your Name for ever and ever.
In honor of All Souls' Day, let us pray for all who have departed from this parish in the last year: Carmelita Suzanne Maynard, Ella Marie Solomon Capers Hoskins, Bette Conner Milledge, Martha Rebecca Martin Avery, Alice Marie Dailey, Delois Copper Groover, Noel Montgomery Alexander Moore Wheeler, and Mary Laurel Bonaparte; that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom together with 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.
The Celebrant concludes with the Collect for All Souls' Day:
O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Peace
[BCP, p. 360]
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Parish Announcements
Dr. Bertice Berry's Diaconal Internship Ends Nov. 5: Dr. Bertice Berry has served faithfully as a diaconal intern with St. Matthew's, under the direction of Deacon Roundtree-Davis, since May and today, her internship has come to an end. She is a candidate for ordination to the diaconate in the Diocese of Georgia, and we expect that Bishop Logue will schedule a date for her ordination some time in the next few months. We will keep St. Matthew's posted so that we can attend and celebrate on that blessed day! We will pray for Bertice together at the end of today's worship service.
Grow and Glow in Grace Gear!: St. Matthew's is producing branded clothes and other merchandise with our new Grow and Glow in Grace mission logo! Order T-shirts for $25, embroidered Polo shirts for $40, Mugs for $15, Pens for $2 each, and more! All proceeds will go to the Building Capital Campaign (for remodeling the kitchen, preserving the stained glass windows, replacing the roof, and more)! Order forms are available in church now. Online ordering is coming soon!
Emmaus House Empty Bowl on Nov. 5: Emmaus House provides meals, showers, and laundry services to people in need in downtown Savannah. Come support their Annual Empty Bowl Fundraiser on Sunday, November 5, from 12:00 noon - 2:00 PM at Reynolds Square (in front of 18 Abercorn St, Savannah, GA 31401). St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church is a sponsor of the fundraiser. Tickets may be purchased for $20 at the door or online: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/13th-annual-empty-bowl-fundraiser-tickets-676679395287?aff=oddtdtcreator.
ECW Silver Tea Rescheduled to Nov. 11: The date for the St. Matthew’s ECW Silver Tea has been changed and will now be held on Saturday, November 11, from 4 – 6 pm.
All women of the church are members of the ECW and can host a table and invite their friends to join them. Women may host a half table and invite 3 friends or a whole table and invite 7 friends to attend. All proceeds from the tea support Episcopal Youth and Children's Services (EYCS), which provides college scholarships for youth in the Diocese of Georgia.
Diocese of Georgia Convention Nov. 9-11 in Augusta: Pray for the Diocese of Georgia and the St. Matthew’s Delegation as we go to Augusta this week for our Annual Convention. We will elect people to commissions and committees and vote on at least two resolutions (one that would extend our Companion Diocese agreement with the Diocese of the Dominican Republic and another that would formally name St. Anna Alexander the patron saint of our Diocese). St. Matthew’s Clergy Delegates are the Revs. Guillermo Arboleda and Ella Roundtree-Davis, and our Lay Delegates are Mrs. Margaret Anne Pearson, Mr. Charles McMillan, and Mrs. Racahel-Blue Jones (1st Alternate), with Mr. James Sanders as a 2nd Alternate. Learn more at https://gaepiscopal.org/convention2023/.
UTO Ingathering on Nov. 12 & Thanksgiving Resources: United Thank Offering (UTO), is a ministry of The Episcopal Church for the mission of the whole church. Through UTO, individuals are invited to embrace and deepen a personal daily spiritual discipline of gratitude and give to help the ministry of others. UTO receive these offerings and distributes 100% of what is collected to support innovative mission and ministry throughout The Episcopal Church and Provinces of the Anglican Communion. St. Matthew's will take up a special collection for UTO on Sunday, November 12. UTO also provides many free, innovative Thanksgiving resources for families and children to use at their holiday dinner: https://unitedthankoffering.com/november/.
Thanksgiving Food Basket Donations: St. Augustine’s Guild is sponsoring Thanksgiving Baskets and are seeking donations from St. Matthew’s members. Donations of goods and money will help meet the goal of at least 4 food baskets. Each basket will contain the makings of a traditional southern Thanksgiving meal: cornbread mix, or stuffing mix, bag of rice, sweet potatoes, or prepared candied yams, chicken broth, onion, celery, chicken broth, bag of greens, and a turkey.
If you want to donate money please make checks payable to St. Matthew’s Church or, if giving cash, please use the envelopes and indicate Thanksgiving Food Drive. Baskets will be delivered on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.
Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service on Nov. 21 at First Congregational: This year, First Congregational Church, 421 Habersham St, Savannah, GA 31401, will host our ecumenical Thanksgiving service on Tuesday, November 21 at 6:00 PM. (Note the change from Thanksgiving Day to the Tuesday prior.) This service is a collaborative ministry between St. Matthew's, First Congregational, Butler Memorial Presbyterian, Holy Spirit Lutheran Churches.
Mixed Greens Savannah Guest Blog: New member Jessica Marie Mathis wrote a reflection about her recent experience hosting a fundraiser for Mixed Greens Savannah at St. Matthew’s. It is available on our website: https://www.stmattsav.org/post/moving-forward-a-compassionate-response-to-injustice.
Diocesan Youth Events
Happening 108 on Nov. 17-19: Happening is a Christian experience presented by teenagers, for teenagers in grades 10-12 with the help of clergy and lay adult leadership. The Happening Weekend begins Friday evening, November 17 and continues through Sunday afternoon, November 19.
T/W/Th Evening Prayer on Zoom and Facebook: On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, St. Matthew's invites you to pray Evening Prayer with us over Zoom at 5:00 PM. If you want to be in the Zoom call, please join by 4:55 PM using the link in the e-Newsletter.
Pledge Campaign Testimonial
Joenelle Gordon, Senior Warden
2024 Pledge Campaign Oct. 15 - Nov. 19: This campaign is essential for developing an accurate operating budget for the year 2024. St. Matthew's Vestry and Leadership expect the 2024 budget to be especially tight so we appreciate any increase in giving you can offer. We will have church members speaking each Sunday about the importance of giving to support the mission and ministry of our church. On November 19, we will offer thanks to God and bless all the pledges. Paper copies of the Pledge letters, forms, and 3rd quarter giving statements (January - September 2023) were mailed to all members of the church. You may offer your pledges on paper or online at www.tinyurl.com/StMattSav2024!
The Offertory
[BCP, p. 376]
Giving to St. Matthew's:
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 to us, an offering and sacrifice to God. [Ephesians 5:2]
Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now
Lev #7: I Want To Be Ready
Refrain:
I want to be ready,
I want to be ready.
I want to be ready
To walk in Jerusalem just like John.
1 John said that Jerusalem was four-square,
Walk in Jerusalem just like John.
I hope, good Lord, I’ll meet you there,
Walk in Jerusalem just like John. O [Refrain]
2 When Peter was preaching at Pentecost,
Walk in Jerusalem just like John.
O he was filled with the Holy Ghost,
Walk in Jerusalem just like John. O [Refrain]
[Words: Traditional. Music: Negro Spiritual; arr. R. Nathaniel Dett. Arr. Copyright © 1936 Paul A. Schmitt Music Company. Copyright Assigned to Belwin Mills made in USA. International copyright secured. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission of CPP/Belwin, inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #62698.]
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow
Praise God, Praise God, Praise God!
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Circling through earth so all may grow
Vanquishing fear so all may give
Widening grace so all may live
Amen.
[Words: Eric H. F. Law, Copyright © 2015 Eric H. F. Law. Music: Old 100th, attributed to Louis Bourgeois, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission from Kaleidoscope Institute. All rights reserved.]
Requiem Prayer for All Souls' Day
[Adapted from BCP, p. 503]
This Holy Eucharist is offered to the greater glory of God and in loving memory of Carmelita Suzanne Maynard, Ella Marie Solomon Capers Hoskins, Bette Conner Milledge, Martha Rebecca Martin Avery, Alice Marie Dailey, Delois Copper Groover, Noel Montgomery Alexander Moore Wheeler, Mary Laurel Bonaparte, and all the faithful departed members of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church.
Let us pray:
Almighty God, with whom still live the spirits of those who die in the Lord, and with whom the souls of the faithful are in joy and felicity: We give you heartfelt thanks for the good examples of all your servants, especially the faithful departed of this parish, who, having finished their course in faith, now find rest and refreshment. May we, with all who have died in the true faith of your holy Name, have perfect fulfillment and bliss in your everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer B
[BCP, p. 367]
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 God 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 prays a Proper Preface
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
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.
[Music: Grayson Warren Brown, A Mass for Soulful People, Copyright © 1979 North American Liturgy Resources, Published by OCP. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #83420. All rights reserved.]
The people stand or kneel.
We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."
Therefore, according to his command, O Father,
LEV #260:
We remember his death, We proclaim his resurrection, We await his coming in glory;
[Music: Hezekiah Brinson, Jr., Copyright © 1990 Hezekiah Brinson, Jr. All Rights Reserved.]
And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.
We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with Blessed Matthew and all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.
By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
LEV #264: The Lord’s Prayer
[Compare BCP, p. 364]
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to sing,
Our Father, which 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
[Music: Albert Hay Malotte; arr. Fred Bock, Copyright © 1934 (renewed) G. Schirmer, Inc. All Rights Reserved.]
The Breaking of the Bread
Silence may be kept.
The Fraction Anthems
[BCP, p. 364]
Hymn S-152
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us!
Therefore let us keep the feast! Alleluia!
[Music: Ambrosian chant; adapt. Mason Martens, Copyright © 1971, Church Publishing, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #52588. All rights reserved.]
This Far By Faith #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.
[Music: Grayson Warren Brown; arr. Larry Adams, Copyright © 1979 Grayson Warren Brown. All rights reserved.]
The Gifts of God for the people of God.
The Distribution of Holy Communion
All baptized Christians of any denomination are invited to come forward to participate fully in Communion. Baptized children may receive at the discretion of their parents.
You may receive Communion kneeling or standing. Please extend your hands forward to receive the Body of Christ (bread). If you would like to receive the Blood of Christ (wine), the minister will take the bread from your hand and dip (intinct) it in the wine for you, then place it in your mouth. If you would only like to receive the bread, you may consume it and return to your seat.
If you need gluten-free bread for Communion, please raise your hand when you are at the altar rail.
If you would not like to receive Communion for any reason, please cross your arms over your chest, and the Priest will say a blessing over you.
If you are worshipping online, you may pray to receive spiritual communion using the following prayer:
In union, O Lord, with your faithful people at every altar of your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated, I desire to offer to you praise and thanksgiving. I remember your death, Lord Christ; I proclaim your resurrection; I await your coming in glory. Since I cannot receive you today in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, I beseech you to come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you in me, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.
LEV #10: Oh! What a Beautiful City
Refrain:
Oh! what a beautiful city,
Oh! what a beautiful city,
Oh! what a beautiful city,
Twelve gates-a to the city, Hallelujah!
1 There’s three gates in-a the East,
three gates in-a the West;
Three gates in-a the North,
and three gates in-a the South,
making it twelve gates-a to the city, a-Hallelujah. [Refrain]
2 O, my Lord built-a that day,
that was just a-fore square;
wanted all-a you sinners
to meet Him in-a the air,
’Cause He built twelve gates-a to the city, a-Hallelujah. [Refrain]
[Words: Traditional, Public Domain. Music: Negro Spiritual; arr. Irma Tillery. All Rights Reserved.]
Hymn #656: Blest are the Pure in Heart
1 Blest are the pure in heart,
for they shall see our God;
the secret of the Lord is theirs,
their soul is Christ's abode.
2 The Lord, who left the heavens
our life and peace to bring,
to dwell in lowliness with us,
our pattern and our King;
3 he to the lowly soul
will still himself impart
and for his dwelling and his throne
will choose the pure in heart.
4 Lord, we thy presence seek;
may ours this blessing be;
give us a pure and lowly heart,
a temple fit for thee.
[Words: Sts. 1 and 3, John Keble; sts. 2 and 4, William John Hall, Public Domain. Music: Franconia, melody Johann Balthasar Konig; adapt. and harm. William Henry Havergal.]
The Post-Communion Prayer
[BCP, p. 366; Enriching our Worship 2 [2000], pp. 56-57]
Let us pray.
For In-Person Worshippers:
Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. 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.
A Prayer for Those to Be Ordained
[Adapted from BCP, p. 256]
Bertice Berry stands in front of the Center Ambo and the People are invited to come forward to lay hands on her.
Let us pray:
Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts, in your divine providence you have appointed various orders in your Church: Give your grace, we humbly pray, to all who are now called to any office and ministry for your people, especially to your servant Bertice in her calling to serve as a Deacon; and so fill them with the truth of your doctrine and clothe them with holiness of life, that they may faithfully serve before you, to the glory of your great Name and for the benefit of your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Blessing of the People
[Adapted from The Book of Occasional Services 2022, p. 17]
May Almighty God, to whose glory we celebrate this festival of all the Saints, be now and evermore your guide and companion in the way. Amen.
May God, who has bound us together in the company of the elect, in this age and the age to come, attend to the prayers of all faithful servants on your behalf, as God hears your prayers for them. Amen.
May God, who has given us, in the lives of the saints, patterns of holy living and victorious dying, strengthen your faith and devotion, and enable you to bear witness to the truth against all adversity. Amen.
And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen.
Hymn #620: Jerusalem, My Happy Home
1 Jerusalem, my happy home,
when shall I come to thee?
When shall my sorrows have an end?
Thy joys when shall I see?
2 Thy saints are crowned with glory great;
they shall see God face to face;
they triumph still,
they still rejoice in that most happy place.
3 There David stands with harp in hand
as masterof the choir:
ten thousand times would one be blest
who might this music hear.
4 Our Lady sings Magnificat
with tune surpassing sweet,
and blessed martyrs' harmony
doth ring in every street.
5 Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
God grant that I may see thine endless joy,
and of the same partaker ever be.
[Words: F.B.P. Public domain. Music: Land of Rest, American folk hymn; adapt. and harm. Annabel Morris Buchanan. Copyright © by J Fischer & Bro., a division of Belwin Mills Publishing Corp. Copyright renewed. Used with Permission. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #123008]
The Dismissal
[BCP, p. 366]
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
Thanks be to God!
The Parish Prayer List
PRAYER LIST: Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Enrique Davis, Aaron Duplechien, Jr., Charles Gordon, Marva Harris, David Jones, Beverly Kemp, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Russell Nails, Jeannette Outing, Jewel Wheeler
BIRTHDAYS: Terry Newton (11/6), Jacqueline Bryant (11/8), Nicholas Maiorano (11/11)
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: N/A
FAITHFUL DEPARTED OF NOV. 2022 – NOV. 2023: Carmelita Suzanne Maynard, Ella Marie Solomon Capers Hoskins, Bette Conner Milledge, Martha Rebecca Martin Avery, Alice Marie Dailey, Delois Copper Groover, Noel Montgomery Alexander Moore Wheeler, and Mary Laurel Bonaparte
May the souls of all the departed rest in peace; and may light perpetual shine upon them. Amen.
Permissions and Credits: This service is reproduced from The Book of Common Prayer 1979 (BCP), Enriching Our Worship 1 (EOW1), The Hymnal 1982 (Hymn), Lift Every Voice and Sing II: An African American Hymnal (LEV), and other sources cited. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.
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