Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
- Aug 29, 2020
- 19 min read

Sunday Worship on August 30, 2020

Updated: Aug 30, 2020

The Holy Eucharist: The Liturgy of the Word

13th Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 17, Year A) August 30, 2020

Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/

Sunday at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)

Preface

I am posting this worship service online because we at St. Matthew's Church in Savannah are unable to gather together in person this week. Due to the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) outbreak, public health officials recommend avoiding large gatherings of people to avoid spreading the illness to more vulnerable people. Therefore, under the guidance of the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, the Vestry has decided to keep our church building closed to all in-person gatherings.

At 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, I will broadcast the following worship service using Facebook Live at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav. After the service concludes, you can re-watch it at any time.

Today's service is the Liturgy of the Word (or the first part of the Holy Eucharist service we use on normal Sundays). This is for use at home while watching the live stream or reading the prayers when you cannot physically attend worship. Lay people may read the entirety of this service as printed.

May God protect you from this virus and protect the most vulnerable among us. May we be God’s hands and feet of compassion and service to all in need during this time. Amen.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda

The Word of God

Hymn #450: All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name

1 All hail the power of Jesus' Name!

Let angels prostrate fall;

bring forth the royal diadem,

and crown him Lord of all!

bring forth the royal diadem,

and crown him Lord of all!

2 Crown him ye martyrs of our God,

who from his altar call:

praise him whose way of pain ye trod,

and crown him Lord of all!

praise him whose way of pain ye trod,

and crown him Lord of all!

3 Hail him, the Heir of David's line,

whom David Lord did call,

the God incarnate, Man divine,

and crown him Lord of all!

the God incarnate, Man divine,

and crown him Lord of all!

4 Ye heirs of Israel's chosen race,

ye ransomed of the fall,

hail him who saves you by his grace,

and crown him Lord of all!

hail him who saves you by his grace,

and crown him Lord of all!

5 Sinners, whose love can ne'er forget

the wormwood and the gall,

go, spread your trophies at his feet,

and crown him Lord of all!

go, spread your trophies at his feet,

and crown him Lord of all!

6 Let every kindred, every tribe,

on this terrestrial ball,

to him all majesty ascribe,

and crown him Lord of all!

to him all majesty ascribe,

and crown him Lord of all!

Words: Edward Perronet, Public Domain.

Opening Sentences

[BCP, p. 355]

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

And blessed be his 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 in the Highest

[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.

The Collect of the Day

[BCP, p. 357, 233]

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us pray:

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

A Reading from Jeremiah (15:15-21)

O Lord, you know; remember me and visit me, and bring down retribution for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance do not take me away; know that on your account I suffer insult. Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts. I did not sit in the company of merrymakers, nor did I rejoice; under the weight of your hand I sat alone, for you had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail. Therefore, thus says the Lord: If you turn back, I will take you back, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall serve as my mouth. It is they who will turn to you, not you who will turn to them. And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the Lord. I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 26:1-8

[BCP, p. 616]

Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).

1 Give judgment for me, O Lord, for I have lived with integrity; * I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.

2 Test me, O Lord, and try me; * examine my heart and my mind.

3 For your love is before my eyes; * I have walked faithfully with you.

4 I have not sat with the worthless, * nor do I consort with the deceitful.

5 I have hated the company of evildoers; * I will not sit down with the wicked.

6 I will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord, * that I may go in procession round your altar,

7 Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving * and recounting all your wonderful deeds.

8 Lord, I love the house in which you dwell * and the place where your glory abides.

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans (12:9-21)

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

LEV #136: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

1 I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; no turning back, no turning back.

2 Though no one join me, still I will follow; though no one join me, still I will follow; Though no one join me, still I will follow; no turning back, no turning back.

3 The world behind me, the cross before me; the world behind me, the cross before me, the world behind me, the cross before me; no turning back, no turning back.

Words: Anonymous, ascribed to an Indian Prince; as sung in Garo, Assam; Public Domain

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Matthew (16:21-28)

Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon

“What Kind of Kingdom Do We Want to Live in?” by the Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda

As many of you know, I’m a pretty big sports fan, and I especially love the NBA playoffs. So I was disappointed when I learned that I wouldn’t be able to see any games on Wednesday night. The 2020 season restart in the so-called Bubble in Orlando, FL, has been remarkably fun and entertaining to watch. Plus, there have been no new cases of COVID-19, which is another impressive feat on the NBA’s part. But my disappointment at not seeing a few basketball games isn’t the real story here.

In an event that transcended sports media and was featured by nearly every major news organization, on Wednesday, August 26, the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team decided not to play its playoff game against the Orlando Magic. The players sat out in protest of the Kenosha, WI, Police’s brutal shooting of Jacob Blake. I’m recording today’s sermon on Thursday, so this story will have surely developed by Sunday. As of now, every game on Wednesday and Thursday has been postponed and the NBA players are in talks about what practical change they seek in order to stop law enforcement’s extrajudicial assaults and killings, especially against Black people. They are attempting to leverage their considerable fame, wealth, and talent to push billionaire owners, corporations, and sponsors to put pressure on local, state, and federal politicians.

I’m not a politician, political scientist, or economist. I don’t know what strategy they ought to employ to effect real and lasting change. I don’t know if this is going to work. But I’m proud of these men (and their female counterparts in the WNBA) for using their platform to do something. These athletes have seen something wrong in society, they are mourning the injury and loss of so many sisters and brothers, and they are taking a stand. They are demonstrating the type of moral leadership that has been so lacking from politicians on both sides of the aisle this year. Something must be done. Not slogans, not t-shirts, but actual change that saves lives.

What does any of this have to do with the Gospel? Well, a lot.

The key question at the center of the civil unrest that we have seen for the last few months (and on and off throughout much of American history) is this: What kind of kingdom do we want to live in? What kind of nation do we deserve to live in?

That’s the conversation that we hear between Jesus and Peter in Matthew 16. The first part of this discourse began in last week’s Gospel story. (I like to consider these two together as Matthew 16:13-28.) In verse 16, Peter triumphantly declares that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” We have used these terms in a religious context for so long that we often forget that they had very concrete political meanings in the 1st century.

“Messiah,” which is the same as “Christ”, means “Anointed One.” When a new king arose to power, there was a coronation ceremony, where they would be crowned for the first time. This ceremony also involved anointing, that is, pouring oil over the new monarch’s head. This was a symbol of God’s (or many gods’) blessing and sanction of the ruler.

Similarly, the Roman Emperors, the Caesars, began to take on the title “Son of God” by Jesus’ lifetime. Rome only became an empire about one generation before Jesus was born, so the institution was still pretty new. But by the time Jesus was an adult in the 30s AD, Emperors Augustus and Tiberius had both used the title “son of God” or “son of a god.”

So when Peter gives Jesus the title Messiah/Christ and Son of the Living God, he isn’t just talking about theology and spirituality. He’s talking about the sort of authority Jesus has over their lives. Caesar is not their true king and ruler; Jesus is. God has come among us to show us the way of life, not just in our private religious spheres, but in every area of public life too. Caesar is not Lord. Jesus is Lord.

With those political titles come lots of assumptions. That’s why verses 21-28 are so important. Before the apostles get the wrong idea about what kind of King and Lord Jesus plans to be, he has to set the record straight. 1st-century Roman rule was harsh and domineering. Rome maintained its massive empire through military conquest, colonization, forced assimilation, and a severe police state. Roman soldiers were stationed in every conquered city to supervise and subjugate the colonists, who were often non-citizens.

Peter speaks from the point of view of one of those oppressed peoples, who are daily trampled underfoot by the Roman Empire. So when Jesus begins to say “that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised,” Peter is disturbed (Matt 16:21). Peter believes he is part of a political revolution to overthrow Caesar and free Israel from colonial bondage.

Peter takes Jesus aside to rebuke him, to correct him because apparently Jesus is confused about the mission. In Brian McLaren’s paraphrase, Peter says, “Jesus, you are the Son of God. You don’t get crucified; you crucify. You don’t get tortured and arrested; you torture and arrest” (as quoted in Nuechterlein). Strong rulers impose violence and punishment, and if Jesus wants to be a true ruler, he needs to stop talking about getting crucified. It’s inconceivable.

Peter, like us most of the time, is limited by a small imagination. He can only conceive of God’s rule in human terms. He is imagining Jesus like a new political administration taking office after an election (or war). All that changes is who rules not how we rule. But Jesus isn’t planning to just put new people in power and let them play favorites with their own friends and kin. It’s not just a reversal of authority. Then it’s still fundamentally Caesar’s Kingdom.

Jesus wants a re-imagination of how authority works. In God’s Kingdom, might does not make right. God rules through self-sacrificial love, through true equity and justice, through mercy for all sinners and peace without fear. Jesus is not just talking about the coming day of judgment. (There are parts of human society that can only truly be repaired through God’s direct action on the last day.) He is also giving us a bold, transformative vision for a world where fear and violence do not have the last word -- a world where no one is arrested, no one is tortured, and no one is crucified.

So when we see fear and violence and state-sanctioned domination run rampant, we should be asking ourselves if that’s the kind of nation we want to live in. Do we want to live in Caesar’s Kingdom or God’s?

We can’t make God’s Kingdom come through human efforts (human beings are too flawed for that), but we can “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being” (BCP, p. 305). That is our cross to bear -- to be willing to put our lives on the line to protect others, to give justice and peace. We Christians can answer that baptismal call not only personally, but also societally. And we can partner with people of goodwill (those who share our faith and those who don’t) who also want to live in a less brutal, less punitive society.

I pray that our leaders will work for real changes and real solutions to the police brutality and racism that afflict our country. And I pray that if they don’t, we’ll hold them accountable. Because though Jesus willingly suffered death on our behalf, nobody else ever deserves to be crucified. Amen.

Bibliography

Nuechterlein, Paul. “Proper 17 (Aug. 28-Sept. 3) - YEAR A” Girardian Reflections on the Lectionary. Accessed 27 August 2020. Revised 26 August 2020. http://girardianlectionary.net/reflections/year-a/proper17a/.

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 & Confession of Sin

[Adapted from Form VI, BCP, p. 392]

In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.

Silence, about 5 seconds.

For all people in their daily life and work;

For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.

For Donald, our president; Brian, our governor; Van, our mayor; Al, 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 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, Zavier Bradley, Raleigh Bryant, Christine Brown, Mark Case, Genella Chamberlain, Annie Colbert, Lazola Cope, Alice Dailey, Beryl Dandy, Mark Dashiell, Brittany Dawson, Imani Ferguson, Ruby Fernandez, Harry Frazier, Gary Gordon, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Enoch Henderson, Charles E. Hines, Kenneth Howard, Terri Howard, Dale Hundley, Jared Hundley, Tracy Hundley, Milinda James, Alvin Jenkins, Dana Jenkins, Frances T. Jones, Lori Jones, Robert L. Jones, Sr., Ronald Jones, Tonya Jones, Whitney Kennedy, Leonard Law, Jr., Ryan Lovett, Tammie Lovett, Joan Maty, Craig Maxwell, Sada Maxwell, Carmelita Maynard, Viola Maynard, Bette Milledge, Hollie Moultrie, Patricia Murry, Russell Nails, Dorothy Neal, Glenzy Payne, Robert Payne, Dison Washington Slaughter, James Small, Gwendolyn Smith, Willie Stephens, Gisele Walton, Lori Ward, Gertrude Washington, Noel Wheeler, and Dean Williams; 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 Margo Jackson (8/30), Jason Carrington (8/31), Caroline Banks (9/3), and Leonard Law (9/3) on their birthdays; for Fr. DeWayne and Keshia Cope (9/2) on their wedding anniversary; and other blessings 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, [especially _____,] that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom, and 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 or a suitable Collect.

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

The Peace

[BCP, p. 360]

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Announcements

A. Bookkeeper to Resign: Mrs. Donna Garrison, who has served as our Parish Bookkeeper for over two years, will resign from her post effective in mid-September (Date TBD). Her husband, the Rev. Jeff Garrison, has accepted a new call to two yoked Presbyterian churches in southwestern Virginia. (He has been the pastor of Skidaway Presbyterian for several years.) The Garrisons will move in mid-September.

The Rector and Vestry will release a job description for a replacement bookkeeper soon. If you know someone (who is not a member of St. Matthew's) who you think will be a good fit for this part-time job, please share her/his name with Fr. Arboleda.

In the meantime, you may send a note of thanks to Mrs. Garrison by email (since they are moving homes over the next few weeks).

B. Voter Education Webinar on 9/2: The Georgia Office of Secretary of State and St. Matthew's Episcopal Church invite you to an online Voter Education Webinar on Wednesday, September 2, at 6:00 PM. The meeting will be held via Facebook Live. This event is open to the public, so please invite your friends! https://www.facebook.com/events/216118126505548/

In this webinar, we will:

Learn about requesting and completing absentee ballots during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Receive instructions on in-person voting with new voting machines
Be invited to apply for part-time jobs as poll workers.
Hold a live Q&A with Sharyl Sutton, Voter Education Coordinator for the Georgia Office of Secretary of State.

In this webinar, we will not:

Express partisan support for any candidate
Be discouraged from exercising our right to vote.

"For freedom Christ has set us free"

~ Galatians 5:1 ~

C. St. Matthew's Sends Masks to Dominican Episcopal Schools: In July, the Rt. Rev. Moisés Quesada Mota, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Dominican Republic, issued a call to its partner dioceses in the USA for reusable face masks. The Dominican Diocese has 22 parochial schools that serve about 8,000 students and these children need masks to combat the coronavirus pandemic. A group of St. Matthew's members and friends answered this call last week by shipping nearly 200 handmade masks to the Dominican Development Group for distribution to the local parishes and schools. Many thanks to Avis Glover, Michelle Hale, MJ Harris, Sandra Mitchell, Margaret Pearson, Evadne Roberts, and others for their contributions to this project!

D. Weekly Worship Schedule: St. Matthew's Church building remains closed to in-person worship and all non-essential activities due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Vestry will monitor the public health data to determine when is the appropriate time to begin the Diocesan Phase 1 Re-Gathering Plan. We will maintain online worship options for the foreseeable future on Facebook Live video and in writing on our Blog. Many other updates are available via the Facebook page.

The worship schedule is as follows:

Sundays - 9:30 Worship (You can find all of the upcoming Sunday and Holiday readings at http://www.lectionarypage.net.)
Tuesdays - 5:00 Evening Prayer
Wednesdays - 5:00 Evening Prayer
Thursdays - 5:00 Evening Prayer

E. Virtual Coffee Hour Today: We will hold a virtual "Coffee Hour" over Zoom today (August 30), and again on every other Sunday at 10:30 AM. (Thank you to Mrs. Rachael Blue-Jones who is donating a professional Zoom login to the church for our use.)

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: St. Matthew's Coffee Hour

Time: Aug 30, 2020 10:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Meeting ID: 825 7251 1175

Passcode: SEE e-NEWSLETTER

Dial by your location

+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

Meeting ID: 825 7251 1175

Passcode: SEE e-NEWSLETTER

F. New Parish e-Newsletter: Check your email and read it if you haven't yet. If you did not receive it, then please go to our homepage (www.stmattsav.org) and scroll to the bottom of the page, where you can enter your email to sign up. The e-Newsletter includes our preliminary financial reports for the first two quarters of 2020 (January 1 - June 30). They are available via our new e-Newsletter.

G. Become a Video Reader or Singer: St. Matthew's is pre-recording Sunday services to ensure higher quality video and audio for our worshippers at home. This provides a new opportunity for church members to be a part of the service! Mrs. Pearson and I will reach out to parishioners about recording themselves reading Scripture lessons and/or the Prayers of the People for use in these Sunday videos. If you want to get involved, please email me about your interest at FrGAA@StMattSav.org.

H. Giving to St. Matthew's: Many people are feeling the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis, including the church. We still need your support to pay our staff, pay our bills, and provide for these online live streams. If you pledged a donation in 2020 and are able, please continue making those contributions. If you have not pledged, please consider donating to St. Matthew’s now and in the future. 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.

The Offertory

[BCP, p. 377]

“Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2)

Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now

LEV #31: Lead Me to Calvary

1 King of my life I crown thee now,

Thine shall the glory be;

Lest I forget thy thorn-crowned brow,

Lead me to Calvary.

Refrain:

Lest I forget Gethsemane,

Lest I forget thine agony,

Lest I forget thy love for me,

Lead me to Calvary.

2 Show me the tomb where thou wast laid,

Tenderly mourned and wept;

Angels in robes of light arrayed

Guarded thee whilst thou slept. [Refrain]

3 Let me like Mary, through the gloom,

Come with a gift to thee;

Show to me now the empty tomb,

Lead me to Calvary. [Refrain]

4 May I be willing, Lord, to bear

Daily my cross for thee;

Even thy cup of grief to share,

Thou hast borne all for me. [Refrain]

Words: Jennie Evelyn Hussey, Public Domain.

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 Blessing & Dismissal

[Romans 12:9-10, 12-13; BCP, p 366]

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. And the Blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be with you now and remain with you forever. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord!

Thanks be to God!

Permissions: 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. Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture readings and quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible

Cover Image: An Orthodox icon of Jesus Christ and a statue of Caesar Augustus: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/teachingnonviolentatonement/2017/12/advent-choice-caesar-christ/

Sunday Worship on August 30, 2020

The Holy Eucharist: The Liturgy of the Word

Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/

Sunday at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)

Preface

The Word of God

Hymn #450: All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name

Opening Sentences

The Collect for Purity

Hymn S 280: Glory to God in the Highest

The Collect of the Day

A Reading from Jeremiah (15:15-21)

Psalm 26:1-8

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans (12:9-21)

LEV #136: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Matthew (16:21-28)

The Sermon

The Nicene Creed

The Prayers of the People & Confession of Sin

The Peace

Announcements

The Offertory

Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now

LEV #31: Lead Me to Calvary

The Lord’s Prayer

The Blessing & Dismissal

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