Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
- Dec 18, 2022
- 21 min read

Sunday Worship on December 18, 2022

The Holy Eucharist

The Second Sunday of Advent (Year A)

December 18, 2022 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 #56: O Come, O Come Emmanuel

1 O, come, O, come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel!

2 O, come, thou Wisdom from on high,

Who ordered all things mightily;

To us the path of knowledge show,

And teach us in her ways to go. [Refrain]

3 O, come, O, come, thou Lord of might,

Who to thy tribes on Sinai's height

In ancient times didst give the law,

In cloud and majesty and awe. [Refrain]

4 O, come, thou Branch of Jesse's tree,

Free them from Satan's tyranny

That trust thy mighty power to save;

And give them in victory o'er the grave. [Refrain]

5 O, come, thou Key of David, come,

And open wide your heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery. [Refrain]

6 O, come, thou Dayspring from on high,

And cheer us by thy drawing nigh;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

And death's dark shadow put to flight. [Refrain]

7 O, come, Desire of nations, bind

In one the hearts of mankind;

Bid thou sad divisions cease,

And be thyself our King of Peace. [Refrain]

[Words: Latin, ca. 9th cent.; ver. Hymnal, alt. Music: Veni, veni, Emmanuel, plainsong, Mode 1, Processional, 15th cent., adapt. Tomas Helmore. Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #62869. All rights reserved.]

The Penitential Order

[BCP, p. 351]

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

And blessed be God's kingdom, now and forever! Amen!

Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Confession of Sin

[BCP, p. 360]

The Deacon says

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept.

Deacon and People

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.

LEV #235: Lord, Have Mercy

[See also BCP, p. 356]

Lord, have mercy,

Lord, have mercy!

Christ, have mercy,

Christ, have mercy!

Lord, have mercy,

Lord, have mercy!

The Collect of the Day

[BCP, p. 357, 212]

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us pray:

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Reading from the Book of Isaiah 7:10-16

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18

[BCP, p. 702-703]

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

1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; * shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.

2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, * stir up your strength and come to help us.

3 Restore us, O God of hosts; * show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

4 O Lord God of hosts, * how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people?

5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; * you have given them bowls of tears to drink.

6 You have made us the derision of our neighbors, * and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

7 Restore us, O God of hosts; * show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, * the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.

17 And so will we never turn away from you; * give us life, that we may call upon your Name.

18 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; * show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

A Reading from Paul's letter to the Romans 1:1-7

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Hymn #66: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (Verses 1 -3)

1 Come, thou long-expected Jesus

born to set thy people free;

from our fears and sins release us,

let us find our rest in thee.

2 Israel's strength and consolation,

hope of all the earth thou art:

dear desire of every nation,

joy of every longing heart.

3 Born thy people to deliver,

born a child, and yet a king,

born to reign in us for ever,

now thy gracious kingdom bring.

[Words: Charles Wesley. Music: Stuttgart, melody from Psalmodia Sacra, oder Andachtige und Schone Gesange; adapt. and harm. William Henry Havergal, alt. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84272. 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 Matthew 1:18-25

Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,”

which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Hymn #66: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (Verse 4)

4 By thine own eternal Spirit

rule in all our hearts alone;

by thine all-sufficient merit,

raise us to thy glorious throne.

The Sermon

"The Two Emmanuels" by The Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda, Rector

Emmanuel! God is with us! This is a foundational Christian belief. Our faith depends on the belief that the little baby Jesus who was born 2000 years ago was actually God in the flesh. And our faith depends on God continuing to be with us now. God is present with us as the Holy Spirit, who lives in all Christians and moves throughout the world. Emmanuel! God is with us!

Emmanuel is a Hebrew word that simply means “God with us.” It is a title we give to Jesus because the Angel of the Lord gave it to him. Before Jesus’ birth, the Angel appeared to his adoptive father Joseph to explain that Mary was telling the truth. She was pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit, not because of any unfaithfulness. In fact, God was calling Joseph to help Mary raise this child and to name him Jesus. The name Jesus (in Hebrew, Yeshua) means “God saves.” “Ye” or “Yah” is God’s Holy Name (YHWH) and “shua” means saves. So, the Angel explains, Jesus’s purpose is to “save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

Then the Angel points back to the prophecy of Isaiah: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel” (Matthew 1:23). God promised to be with us hundreds of years before Jesus was born. We just read a portion of Isaiah containing that prophecy. But what’s really interesting is that Isaiah wasn’t only talking about the far-off Messiah. He wasn’t only speaking about a baby boy born in Bethlehem 750-ish years later. Isaiah was also talking about a baby that was born in his lifetime, a baby named Emmanuel.

This first Emmanuel was born as a sign to Ahaz, the king of Judah. In order to understand this story, you have to start reading at Isaiah 7:1. A few verses before our reading begins, the author explains that Judah and Jerusalem were in crisis. Jerusalem was preparing to be attacked by an alliance of two other nations. Their armies were marching on Jerusalem. Judah was already weakened from a recent war, so Ahaz was afraid that his armies would not be able to defend the capital city. Ahaz’s life and the lives of his people were at stake.

That’s when, “Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz” (Isaiah 7:10). This is God’s second message to the king about this topic. God promised a few verses earlier that Jerusalem will survive this war and the attackers will not. But Ahaz clearly doesn’t believe it. So God sends Isaiah to King Ahaz again to try to convince him again that God will save them — this time with a sign. The sign is that a young woman in Jerusalem gave birth to a child named Emmanuel (also spelled Immanuel) that day. By the time that child stops drinking breast milk and starts eating solid food (when “he shall eat curds and honey”), the two kings who are attacking Jerusalem will desert their land (Isaiah 7:15-16).

If you keep reading in Isaiah (see also 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28), we find out that King Ahaz didn’t listen to Isaiah’s word from the Lord. Ahaz came up with his own political solution to the invasion: he gave most of the silver and gold in God’s Jerusalem Temple to a foreign ruler with a powerful military and worshipped foreign gods (2 Kings 16:5-20). But that’s a story for a different day. The point is that Ahaz did not trust in God’s promise to save; he took matters into his own hands. Jerusalem survived, but it was because Ahaz betrayed his faith in God, not because he obeyed God. The first Emmanuel showed that God was with us, but he was ignored.

On the other hand, Jesus, the second Emmanuel, was revealed to Joseph. God spoke to him, much like God spoke to Ahaz. Joseph could have ignored the Angel’s message. He could have called off his wedding to Mary. He could have moved on with his life and abandoned this child that “wasn’t his.” But he believed in God’s sign. Joseph believed that God was miraculously with us.

Here is the other thing that the first Emmanuel teaches us. God’s salvation is not just about forgiveness of sins. It’s not only a spiritual matter. God’s salvation affects our physical, social, and political reality. Through Isaiah, God promised Ahaz that the people of Jerusalem would be safe from the coming war. God has the power to protect us from harm, to save us from suffering. In Isaiah’s time, God’s salvation came through kings and generals and other political actors. We still deal with all those powerful people. But in Jesus, the second Emmanuel, God took matters into God’s own hands.

God came to be with us as our Savior in the first Advent — Jesus’s birth on Christmas. And God promises to be with us as Righteous Judge and Ruler in the second Advent. When Jesus comes again, he will finally set things right. He will transform the world so that we all live in peace and wholeness: shalom. The sin within us and the sin out there in the world will all be healed. Our Advent hope is that, while we wait for him to make all things new and all things well, Jesus will give us some of that love, liberation, and healing right now. Emmanuel! God with us! Amen.

Hymn #73: The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns

1 The King shall come when morning dawns

and light triumphant breaks;

when beauty gilds the eastern hills

and life to joy awakes.

2 Not, as of old, a little child,

to bear, and fight, and die,

but crowned with glory like the sun

that lights the morning sky.

3 The King shall come when morning dawns

and earth's dark night is past;

O haste the rising of that morn,

the day that e'er shall last;

4 and let the endless bliss begin,

by weary saints foretold,

when right shall triumph over wrong,

and truth shall be extolled.

5 The King shall come when morning dawns

and light and beauty brings:

Hail, Christ the Lord! Thy people pray,

come quickly, King of kings.

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

[Adapted from http://theadventproject.org/Documents/adventpop.pdf, based on the "Great O Antiphons" of Advent, which inspired the lyrics to Hymn #56 - "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"]

Sisters and Brothers, as we joyfully await the full manifestation of God’s Reign in Christ, let us pray for the needs of the church and the world, saying, “Come, Lord Jesus.”

O Wisdom, you come forth from the mouth of the Most High and reach from beginning to end, mightily and sweetly ordering all things. Behold and bless your church, remembering especially Michael our presiding bishop, Frank our Bishop, Guillermo our priest, Ella our Deacon, Joenelle and Rachael our wardens, our vestry and delegates, Toni our Verger, and all leaders in this parish. Be present in ordering the life of this and every congregation.

Come, Lord Jesus!

O Adonai, God of the Covenant, ruler of the house of Israel, you appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and on Mount Sinai gave your law. Forgive us when we stray from your guidance and will.

Come, Lord Jesus!

O Root of Jesse, you stand as an emblem to humankind; before you rulers will shut their mouths, and nations bow in worship: We pray for your peace and justice in every nation and throughout the world; be present to all whose lives are ravaged by war and strife; especially we hold before you those from among us who serve their country abroad. Guide the leaders of this and every land into the paths of peace and goodwill.

Come, Lord Jesus!

O Key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel, you open and no one can shut, you shut and no one can open: Guide us in opening the doors of opportunity for the unemployed, for the homeless, for prisoners, and for all who are oppressed; and lead us in closing the doors that lead to poverty, bigotry, and injustice.

Come, Lord Jesus!

O King and Desire of the Nations, you are the cornerstone that makes us one: We lift up all who are suffering and in need, especially Anita Arboleda-Silva, Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Jordan Jones Green, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Benjamin Jones, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Bette Milledge, Jeffrey Miller, John "Butch" Mitchell, Linda Angela Odom, Jeanette Outing, Paulette Sibert, and Jewel Wheeler: Tend the sick, give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous and help us minister to them in your love.

Come, Lord Jesus!

O Dayspring, radiance of the Light Eternal and Sun of Righteousness: Shine your light on those who have died; especially Carmelita Maynard (11/26/2022), and those we now name…; bring comfort to all those who mourn.

Come, Lord Jesus!

O Emmanuel, God with us, Expected One and Savior, We give thanks for all the blessings of this life; for all who celebrate other blessings we now name silently or aloud… Make each of us ready to receive you into our hearts, to serve you in all whom we meet, and to greet you in the fullness of your glory in the day of your appearing.

Come, Lord Jesus!

The Celebrant concludes with a suitable Collect...

O Father, may your kingdom come soon and very soon; and grant that we, your servants who now live by faith, may with joy behold your Son Jesus Christ at his coming in glorious majesty: who is our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

The Peace

[BCP, p. 360]

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Parish Announcements

Click here to sign up for our e-Newsletter

Special Thanks to the John H. DeVeaux Magnanimous Order Of Knights Templar Masons for joining us for worship to honor the legacy of John H. DeVeaux (1848-1909), an accomplished departed member of this parish. The Knights Templar Commander will address the congregation in Toomer-Walker Hall after worship, before the the ECW Holiday Party.

Christmas Season Worship Schedule: During the Christmas Season (12/24/2022–01/06/2023), St. Matthew's will hold the following worship services:

Sat., 12/24 Christmas Eve: Family Holy Eucharist with Pop-up Pageant at 6:00 PM
Sun., 12/25 Christmas Day: Christmas Lessons & Carols at 9:30 AM
Sat., 12/31 New Year's Eve: Watch Night Worship at 6:00 PM ONLINE ONLY
Sun., 1/1 New Year's Day: Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus Worship at 9:30 AM
Fri., 1/6 Feast of the Epiphany: Holy Eucharist at 6:00 PM

Filming for New Year's Eve on 12/21: I will film the footage for our online only New Year's Eve worship service on Wednesday, December 21 at 12:00 noon. Please come if you are interested in reading or serving as an acolyte in the liturgy. This year, we will film the "New Year's Eve Vigil," a slightly different service than in years past because December 31 falls on a Saturday.

Final Advent Bible Study on Wednesday 12/21: The Wednesday Bible Study group is pausing its reading of the Gospel of Luke for a special, four-week Advent study. The Advent Bible Study will continue to meet over Zoom at 5:30 PM on Wednesdays after Evening Prayer. The group uses the same Zoom link as Evening Prayer (see e-Newsletter).

Strategic Planning Team Begins Process on 1/14/23: The Rector, Wardens, and Vestry appointed the following people to plan and organize our strategic planning process in collaboration with the Kaleidoscope Institute (KI). Their first meeting with the KI consultants will be on Saturday, January 14, 2023 from 10:00-2:30 in Toomer-Walker Hall. This meeting is open to any interested member of the parish, but please RSVP by Sunday, January 8, so we can order enough food for lunch. (There is some required reading, so if you're interested in attending, let one of us know so we can give you the assignment).

The Planning Team consists of Fr. Guillermo (ex officio), though he will not be the chair, and the following members. We will provide more updates in January about the team's progress.

Joenelle Gordon, Vestry Liaison
Idella Jones
Monica Gray Williams
Shaina Berksteiner
Karsten Tyson
Jayda Newton

MLK Day Parade 1/16/23: The Savannah Martin Luther King Jr Observance Day Parade is scheduled to make its triumphant return on Monday, January 16, 2023, after two years off due to the pandemic. St. Matthew’s has once again organized a walking and riding group in the parade for all the Savannah Episcopal parishes. We plan to hold a worship service and reception after the parade.

COVID-19 Safety Guidelines: On August 24, the Vestry adopted new, simplified COVID-19 Safety Guidelines. Masks will still be required for all who attend in-person worship services and events. To read the new guidelines in full, click here: https://www.stmattsav.org/post/new-covid-19-safety-guidelines-august-2022.

T/W/Th Evening Prayer: On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, St. Matthew's invites you to pray Evening Prayer over Zoom. The video will continue to stream to Facebook Live at 5:00 PM. Please join the Zoom call by 4:55 PM. Otherwise, watch the prayer service as you have been on Facebook Live.

The Offertory

[BCP, p. 376]

Giving to St. Matthew's: We know that many people are feeling the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. The church is feeling it too. We still need your support to pay our staff, pay our bills, and provide for these online live streams. There are several ways to give, but the simplest are these:

Mail us a check or money order at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 1401 Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd, Savannah, GA 31415; OR
Make a secure online gift to St. Matthew’s and/or automate future gifts at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now; OR
Text “stmattsav” to 73256 to make a secure online donation through your phone.

NOTE: Donations made online (#2 or #3) through Realm incur a processing fee of about 2.5%. Please consider adding an additional 2.5% to your online gift to cover these costs.

"In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." [Isaiah 40:3]

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

Pledge online at: https://tinyurl.com/StMattSav2023

AAHH #200 - He Came Down [Choir Selection]

He came down that we may have love;

He came down that we may have love,

Hallelujah forevermore.

[Words: Cameroon traditional. Music: Cameroon traditional; tr. and arr. by John L. Bell, Copyright © 1990, Iona Community, GIA Publication, Inc., agent. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.]

AAHH #651: Doxology

[See also Hymn # 380, v. 3]

Praise God, Praise God, Praise God!

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen.

Eucharistic Prayer D

[BCP, p. 372]

It is truly right to glorify you, Father, and to give you thanks; for you alone are God, living and true, dwelling in light inaccessible from before time and for ever. Fountain of life and source of all goodness, you made all things and fill them with your blessing; you created them to rejoice in the splendor of your radiance. Countless throngs of angels stand before you to serve you night and day; and, beholding the glory of your presence, they offer you unceasing praise. Joining with them, and giving voice to every creature under heaven, we acclaim you, and glorify your Name, as we sing,

Hymn S-125:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

Heaven and earth are full of your glory

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

The people stand or kneel.

We acclaim you, holy Lord, glorious in power. Your mighty works reveal your wisdom and love. You formed us in your own image, giving the whole world into our care, so that, in obedience to you, our Creator, we might rule and serve all your creatures. When our disobedience took us far from you, you did not abandon us to the power of death. In your mercy you came to our help, so that in seeking you we might find you. Again and again you called us into covenant with you, and through the prophets you taught us to hope for salvation.

Father, you loved the world so much that in the fullness of time you sent your only Son to be our Savior. Incarnate by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, he lived as one of us, yet without sin. To the poor he proclaimed the good news of salvation; to prisoners, freedom; to the sorrowful, joy. To fulfill your purpose he gave himself up to death; and, rising from the grave, destroyed death, and made the whole creation new.

And, that we might live no longer for ourselves, but for him who died and rose for us, he sent the Holy Spirit, his own first gift for those who believe, to complete his work in the world, and to bring to fulfillment the sanctification of all.

When the hour had come for him to be glorified by you, his heavenly Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end; at supper with them he 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."

Father, we now celebrate this memorial of our redemption. Recalling Christ's death and his descent among the dead, proclaiming his resurrection and ascension to your right hand, awaiting his coming in glory; and offering to you, from the gifts you have given us, this bread and this cup, we praise you and we bless you.

Hymn S-139:

We praise you, we bless you,

We give thanks to you,

And we pray to you, Lord our God

Lord, we pray that in your goodness and mercy your Holy Spirit may descend upon us, and upon these gifts, sanctifying them and showing them to be holy gifts for your holy people, the bread of life and the cup of salvation, the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ.

Grant that all who share this bread and cup may become one body and one spirit, a living sacrifice in Christ, to the praise of your Name.

Remember, Lord, your one holy catholic and apostolic Church, redeemed by the blood of your Christ. Reveal its unity, guard its faith, and preserve it in peace.

And grant that we may find our inheritance with the Blessed Virgin Mary, with patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, with Blessed Matthew and all the saints who have found favor with you in ages past. We praise you in union with them and give you glory through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, all honor and glory are yours, Almighty God and Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. AMEN.

The Lord’s Prayer

[BCP, p. 364]

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Fraction Anthems

[BCP, p. 364, 407]

Hymn S-152:

Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us!

Therefore let us keep the feast! Alleluia!

LEV #269:

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:

have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:

have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:

grant us peace.

Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The Gifts of God for the people of God.

Hymn #265: The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came

1. The angel Gabriel from heaven came,

his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;

"All hail," said he, "thou lowly maiden Mary,

most highly favored lady," Gloria!

2. "For know a blessed Mother thou shalt be,

all generations laud and honor thee,

thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,

most highly favored lady," Gloria!

3. Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,

"To me be as it pleaseth God," she said,

"my soul shall laud and magnify his holy Name."

Most highly favored lady, Gloria!

4. Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born

in Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,

and Christian folk throughout the world will ever say—

"Most highly favored lady," Gloria!

[Words: Basque carol; para. Sabine Baring-Gould, Public Domain. Music: Gabriel's Message, Basque carol; harm. Edgar Pittman; Copyright © 1961 B. Feldman & Co., Ltd., reproduced by permission of EMI Music. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #92642. All rights reserved.]

The Post-Communion Prayer

[BCP, p. 365; Enriching our Worship 2 [2000], pp. 56-57]

Let us pray.

For In-Person Worshippers:

Eternal God, heavenly Father,

you have graciously accepted us as living members

of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ,

and you have fed us with spiritual food

in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.

Send us now into the world in peace,

and grant us strength and courage

to love and serve you

with gladness and singleness of heart;

through Christ our Lord. 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

[Adapted from The Book of Occasional Services 2018, p. 9]

May the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you and scatter the darkness from before your path; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.

The Dismissal

[BCP, p. 366]

Let us go forth in the name of Christ!

Thanks be to God!

The Parish Prayer List

PRAYER LIST: Anita Arboleda-Silva, Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Jordan Jones Green, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Benjamin Jones, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Bette Milledge, Jeffrey Miller, John "Butch" Mitchell, Linda Angela Odom, Jeanette Outing, Paulette Sibert, and Jewel Wheeler

BIRTHDAYS: N/A

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: N/A

RECENT DEATHS: Carmelita Maynard (11/26/2022)

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:

Sunday Worship on December 18, 2022

The Holy Eucharist

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The Holy Eucharist: Rite II

Hymn #56: O Come, O Come Emmanuel

The Penitential Order

Confession of Sin

LEV #235: Lord, Have Mercy

The Collect of the Day

A Reading from the Book of Isaiah 7:10-16

Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18

A Reading from Paul's letter to the Romans 1:1-7

Hymn #66: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (Verses 1 -3)

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to Matthew 1:18-25

Hymn #66: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (Verse 4)

The Sermon

Hymn #73: The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns

The Nicene Creed

The Prayers of the People

The Peace

Parish Announcements

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The Offertory

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AAHH #200 - He Came Down [Choir Selection]

AAHH #651: Doxology

Eucharistic Prayer D

The Lord’s Prayer

The Fraction Anthems

Hymn #265: The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came

The Post-Communion Prayer

The Blessing of the People

The Dismissal

The Parish Prayer List

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