The Holy Eucharist
The Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ
August 6, 2023 at 9:30 AM
Guest Celebrant & Preacher: The Very Rev. William Willoughby, III
Deacon: The Rev. Ella Roundtree-Davis, Deacon
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
Hymn #427 – When Morning Gilds the Skies
1 When morning gilds the skies, my heart, awaking, cries, may Jesus Christ be praised! When evening shadows fall, this rings my curfew call, may Jesus Christ be praised! 2 When mirth for music longs, this is my song of songs: may Jesus Christ be praised! God's holy house of prayer hath none that can compare with: Jesus Christ be praised! 3 No lovelier antiphon in all high heaven is known than, Jesus Christ be praised! There to the eternal Word the eternal psalm is heard: may Jesus Christ be praised! 4 Ye nations of mankind, in this your concord find: may Jesus Christ be praised! Let all the earth around ring joyous with the sound: may Jesus Christ be praised! 5 Sing, suns and stars of space, sing, ye that see his face, sing, Jesus Christ be praised! God's whole creation o'er, both now and evermore shall Jesus Christ be praised!
[Words: German, ca; tr. Robert Seymour Bridges, alt. Copyright © 1978, Oxford University Press. Music: Laudes Domini, Joseph Barnby. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #72041. All rights reserved.]
The Opening Acclamation
[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 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 © 1985, Church Publishing, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #28331. All rights reserved.]
The Collect of the Day
[BCP, p. 357, 243]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
O God, who on the holy mount revealed to chosen witnesses your well-beloved Son, wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistening: Mercifully grant that we, being delivered from the disquietude of this world, may by faith behold the King in his beauty; who with you, O Father, and you, O Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Exodus 34:29-35
Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 99
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
1 The Lord is King; let the people tremble; * he is enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth shake.
2 The Lord is great in Zion; * he is high above all peoples.
3 Let them confess his Name, which is great and awesome; * he is the Holy One.
4 "O mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; * you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob."
5 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God and fall down before his footstool; * he is the Holy One.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call upon his Name, * they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; * they kept his testimonies and the decree that he gave them.
8 O Lord our God, you answered them indeed; * you were a God who forgave them, yet punished them for their evil deeds.
9 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God and worship him upon his holy hill; * for the Lord our God is the Holy One.
A Reading from the Second Letter of St. Peter 1:13-21
I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to refresh your memory, since I know that my death will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn #7 – Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies (Verses 1 & 2)
1 Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true, the only Light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise!
Triumph over shades of night;
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Daystar, in my heart appear!
2 Dark and cheerless is the morn
unaccompanied by thee;
joyless is the day’s return
till thy mercy’s beams I see,
as they inward light impart,
glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
[Words: Charles Wesley. Music: Ratisbon, melody from Geystiche gesangk Buchleyn; adapt. Att. William Henry Havergal; harm. William Henry Havergal; alt. Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #97757. 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 Luke 9:28-36
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” —not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Hymn #7 – Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies (Verse 3)
3 Visit then this soul of mine! Pierce the gloom of sin and grief! Fill me, radiancy divine; scatter all my unbelief; more and more thyself display, shining to the perfect day.
[Words: Charles Wesley. Music: Ratisbon, melody from Geystiche gesangk Buchleyn; adapt. Att. William Henry Havergal; harm. William Henry Havergal; alt. Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #97757. All rights reserved.]
The Sermon
by the Rev. William Willoughby, III
The Nicene Creed
[BCP, p. 358]
All standing as they are able, the People pray:
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, 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 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, William our Guest Celebrant; 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: Mary Bonaparte, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien, Jr., Marva Harris, David Jones, Beverly Kemp, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Jeannette Outing, and 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 Deacon Ella Roundtree-Davis (8/6), Timryl Rhett (8/7), Irene Dixon (8/7), RaSheen Jones (8/7), and DeAndre Wesley Scott (8/8); for those celebrating anniversaries this week especially Lee & Margaret Anne Pearson (8/6); and for those 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.
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.
The Celebrant concludes with the following or some other suitable Collect:
Almighty and eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully accept the prayers of your people, and strengthen us to do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession of Sin
The Deacon says
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept. All pray together, kneeling, as they are able,
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Bishop, when present, or the Priest, stands and says:
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Peace
[BCP, p. 360]
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Parish Announcements
Locking of Toomer Walker Hall at 9:45 am, Sundays
Due to safety concerns expressed to the Vestry by numerous congregation members, the Vestry unanimously voted that beginning Sunday, August 6, 2023, the parking lot door into Toomer Walker Hall will be locked at 9:45 am. Worshippers coming after that time are asked to use the front entrance to the Church.
We ask for everyone's support and cooperation for the safety of us all.
Iconography Workshop to be Offered at St. Augustine of Canterbury: St. Augustine of Canterbury in Augusta is offering an iconography workshop August 17-19 with renowned iconographer Peter Pearson.
St. Matthew's Anniversary Dinner Cruise: Celebrate St. Matthew's anniversary aboard the Savannah Riverboat Cruise on Friday, September 22, 2023. This evening dinner cruise will be set to sail at 6:00 pm from River Street in Downtown Savannah. Attire is casual. Contact Paulette Sanders or Evadne Roberts to purchase tickets. The cost per ticket is $120, and you have the option to begin paying for your ticket(s) now.
Be sure to invite family and friends to enjoy this glorious evening!
St. Anna Alexander Pilgrimage September 22-24: Racial Justice Georgia, the diocesan racial justice and healing ministry, invites you to attend this year’s St. Anna Alexander pilgrimage on the weekend of September 22-24. The lone Black deaconess in the Episcopal Church, the only person from the diocese recognized as a saint, St. Anna selflessly pursued a ministry of teaching, preaching, and community work for decades in the early 20th century, despite the confinements of Jim Crow. Centered in the Brunswick area, the pilgrimage immerses you in her world and concludes with a special service at Good Shepherd, Pennick, the church she established and faithfully served. This year we’re excited to have St. Timothy’s choristers from the Diocese of Atlanta performing music they have created for the pilgrimage. The pilgrimage begins Friday evening and concludes Sunday afternoon.
To register or for more information, please contact RacialJusticeGA@gaepiscopal.org
Registration open for Cursillo #127: Registration for both team and participants for Cursillo #127 is now open! Cursillo (pronounced ‘kur-see-yo’) is a Spanish word meaning ‘little’ or ‘short course’. This is the name given to the Short Course in Christianity which first developed after World War II with Roman Catholic men. The short course has now been given to men and women around the world and, in the process has assisted generations of Christians to more faithfully follow Jesus in their daily lives. There is no real secret here, just the basics of the faith with an emphasis on how would you like to live it out in your life.
Cursillo begins on a Thursday evening and ends the following Sunday evening. During those three days the participants engage in listening to talks given by priests and lay people, and small table discussions, while worshiping and playing together.
The next Cursillo weekend will be held at Honey Creek September 7-10, 2023.
T/W/Th Evening Prayer on Zoom Only: During Fr. Guillermo's sabbatical, weekday Evening Prayer services will be available on Zoom only (no Facebook live-stream) and entirely lay-led. You can access the Zoom call using the same link we normally use in the e-Newsletter.
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 #221 – This Little Light of Mine
1 This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. 2 Ev’ry where I go, I’m gonna let it shine, Ev’ry where I go, I’m gonna let it shine, Ev’ry where I go, I’m gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. 3 Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let it shine, Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let it shine, Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
[Words: Traditonal. Music: Negro Spiritual; arr. Horace Clarence Boyer. Arr. Copyright 1992 Horace Clarence Boyer. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #01998. All rights reserved.]
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.]
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,
We remember his death, We proclaim his resurrection, We await his coming in glory;
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.
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 Breaking of the Bread
Silence may be kept.
The Fraction Anthems
[BCP, p. 364]
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us!
Therefore let us keep the feast! Alleluia!
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.
[Words: Traditional. 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
The ushers will direct people to leave their pews to receive Communion at the altar rails. 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 ask the Priest when you are at the altar rail.
All baptized Christians are welcome to receive Communion in this church, regardless of age or denominational background. 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 148 – I’m a-Going to Eat at the Welcome Table
1 I’m a-going to eat at the welcome table, I’m a-going to eat at the welcome table, some of these days. I’m a-going to eat at the welcome table, I’m a-going to eat at the welcome table, some of these days.
2 I’m a-going to feast on milk and honey, I’m a-going to feast on milk and honey, some of these days. I’m a-going to feast on milk and honey, I’m a-going to feast on milk and honey, some of these days.
3 I’m a-going to fly all around in heaven, I’m a-going to fly all around in heaven, some of these days. I’m a-going to fly all around in heaven, I’m a-going to fly all around in heaven, some of these days.
4 I’m a-going to wade cross Jordan’s river, I’m a-going to wade cross Jordan’s river, some of these days. I’m a-going to wade cross Jordan’s river, I’m a-going to wade cross Jordan’s river, some of these days.
[Words: Traditional. Music: Negro Spiritual; arr. Carl Diton, from 36 South Carolina Spirituals. Arr. Copyright © 1930 G. Schirmer, Inc. Used by Permission. All rights reserved.]
WLP #812 – I, The Lord of Sea and Sky
1 I, the Lord of sea and sky
I have heard my people cry All who dwell in dark and sin My hand will save I, who made the stars of night I will make their darkness bright
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
[Refrain]
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night I will go, Lord, if you lead me I will hold your people in my heart 2 I, the Lord of snow and rain I have borne my people's pain I have wept for love of them They turn away
I will break their hearts of stone
Give them hearts for love alone
I will speak my words to them
Whom shall I send? [Refrain]
3 I, the Lord of wind and flame I will tend the poor and lame
I will set a feast for them
My hand will save
Finest bread I will provide 'Til their hearts be satisfied I will give my life to them
Whom shall I send? [Refrain]
[Words: Daniel L. Schutte. Music: Daniel L Schutte. Copyright 1981, Daniel L. Schutte; and New Dawn Music. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #5514. All rights reserved.]
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.
The Blessing of the People
Hymn #595 – God of Grace and God of Glory
1 God of grace and God of glory, on thy people pour thy power; crown thine ancient Church’s story; bring her bud to glorious flower. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour, for the facing of this hour. 2 Lo! the hosts of evil round us scorn thy Christ, assail his ways! From the fears that long have bound us free our hearts to faith and praise: grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the living of these days, for the living of these days. 3 Cure thy children’s warring madness, bend our pride to thy control; shame our wanton, selfish gladness, rich in things and poor in soul. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal, lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal. 4 Save us from weak resignation to the evils we deplore; let the gift of thy salvation be our glory evermore. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, serving thee whom we adore, serving thee whom we adore.
[Words: Harry Emerson Fosdick, alt. by permission. Music: Mannheim, melody from Vierstimmiges Choralbuck, harmn., Lowell Mason. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #97297. All rights reserved.]
The Dismissal
[BCP, p. 366]
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
Thanks be to God!
The Parish Prayer List
PRAYER LIST: Mary Bonaparte, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien, Jr., Marva Harris, David Jones, Beverly Kemp, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Jeannette Outing, and Jewel Wheeler
BIRTHDAYS: Deacon Ella Roundtree-Davis (8/6), Timryl Rhett (8/7), Irene Dixon (8/7), RaSheen Jones (8/7), and DeAndre Wesley Scott (8/8)
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: Lee & Margaret Anne Pearson (8/6)
RECENT DEATHS: N/A
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.
Image Credits: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/142989356896348037/