Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
- Jul 30
- 20 min read

Sunday Worship on July 30, 2023

The Holy Eucharist

9th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 12A)

July 30, 2023 at 9:30 AM

Guest Celebrant & Preacher: The Very Rev. William Willoughby, III

Deacon: The Rev. Ella Roundtree-Davis, Deacon

Guest Musician: Joel Morehouse

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

The Holy Eucharist: Rite II

Hymn #388: O Worship the King

1 O worship the King, all glorious above! O gratefully sing his power and his love! Our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days, pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise. 2 O tell of his might! O sing of his grace! Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space, His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, and dark is his path on the wings of the storm. 3 The earth, with its store of wonders untold, Almighty, thy power hath founded of old, hath stablished it fast by a changeless decree, and round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea. 4 Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite? It breathes in the air; it shines in the light; it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain. 4 Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, in thee do we trust, nor find thee to fail; thy mercies how tender! how firm to the end! Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!

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.

The Collect of the Day

[BCP, p. 357, 231]

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us pray:

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; 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 the Book of Genesis 29:15-28

Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” Laban said, “This is not done in our country—giving the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 128

[BCP, p. 783]

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

1 Happy are they all who fear the Lord, * and who follow in his ways!

2 You shall eat the fruit of your labor; * happiness and prosperity shall be yours.

3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house, * your children like olive shoots round about your table.

4 The man who fears the Lord * shall thus indeed be blessed.

5 The Lord bless you from Zion, * and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

6 May you live to see your children's children; * may peace be upon Israel.

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:26-39

The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Hymn #419: Lord of All Being (Verses 1-3)

1 Lord of all being, throned afar, thy glory flames from sun and star; center and soul of every sphere, yet to each loving heart how near! 2 Sun of our life, thy quickening ray sheds on our path the glow of day; star of our hope, thy softened light cheers the long watches of the night. 3 Lord of all life, below, above, whose light is truth, whose warmth is love, before thy ever-blazing throne we ask no luster of our own.

[Words: Oliver Wendell Holmes. Music: Mendon, melody from Methodist Harmonist; adapt. Lowell Mason. Copyright 1988 © Lorenz Publishing Company. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #1017592. 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 13:31-33, 44-52

Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus put before the crowds another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Hymn #419: Lord of All Being (Verse 4)

4 Grant us thy truth to make us free, and kindling hearts that burn for thee, till all thy living altars claim one holy light, one heavenly flame.

The Sermon

by the Very 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) those celebrating anniversaries this week and 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 Alice Dailey, Joseph Brown, and DeLois Groover, 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.

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

Sign up for our e-Newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/StMattSavNews

The Warren Brinson Foundation and The Spiva Law Group are giving away school supplies to children. This event will occur today, Sunday, July 30th, from 2 pm - 5 pm at 1137 Mohawk Street, Savannah.

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 Switches to 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 #140: Lord, I Want You To Touch Me

Refrain: Lord, I want you to touch me, Touch me with Thy holy love. Lord, come down and touch me. Come down from heaven above. Lord, reach out and touch me, Reach out and touch me within, Lord, let the goodness touch me, Thy touch will cleanse me from sin. 1 Some folks want treasures of silver and gold, Some want to reign with powers untold; But in my life, all that I can say, Lord, be my guide and have thine own way. [Refrain] 2 Teach me to love and teach me to pray, Grant me a light to shine day by day; Just to abide where joys never cease Will be great joy, such comfort and ease. [Refrain]

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.

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.

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.

Hymn #313: Let Thy Blood in Mercy Poured

1. Let thy Blood in mercy poured, let thy gracious Body broken, be to me, O gracious Lord, of thy boundless love the token. REFRAIN: Thou didst give thyself for me, now I give myself to thee. 2. Thou didst die that I might live; blessed Lord, thou cam'st to save me; all that love of God could give Jesus by his sorrows gave me. [Refrain] 3. By the thorns that crowned thy brow, by the spear-wound and the nailing, by the pain and death, I now claim, O Christ, thy love unfailing. [Refrain] 4. Wilt thou own the gift I bring? All my penitence I give thee; thou art my exalted King, of thy matchless love forgive me. [Refrain]

[Words: John Brownlie. Music: Jesus, meine Zuversicht, melody Johann Cruger; harm. After The Chorale Book for England. Copyright © 1992 Lorenz Publishing Company. Reprinted with permission under One License # 1018159. All rights reserved].

Hymn #488: Be Thou My Vision

1 Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; all else be nought to me, save that thou art— thou my best thought, by day or by night, waking or sleeping, thy presence my light. 2 Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word; I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord; thou my great Father; thine own may I be; thou in me dwelling, and I one with thee. 3 High King of heaven, when victory is won, may I reach heaven's joys, bright heaven's Sun! Heart of my heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

[Irish, ca; versified Mary Elizabeth Byrne; tr. Eleanor H. Hull, alt. Music: Slane, Irish ballad melody; adapt. The Church Hymnary. By permission of Oxford University Press. Reprinted with permission under One License # 227074. 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.

Invite students and educators to come forward, as they are able. Sunday School Teachers and the Altar Party can help to distribute backpacks to all who want them.

A Blessing for Students & Educators

Eternal God, father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our great teacher and savior, bless these your servants as they begin the school-year. Your Son was once himself a child learning and teaching in the temple. Grant that all who enter into places of learning as students and educators this year be filled with your grace and heavenly wisdom—that all their efforts be directed by your Holy Spirit, and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

A Prayer for Schools

O Eternal God, bless all schools, colleges, and universities, especially St. Matthew’s Day Care & Learning Center, that they may be lively centers for sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom; and grant that those who teach and those who learn may find you to be the source of all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Blessing of the People

LEV #165: Higher Ground

1 I’m pressing on the upward way, New heights I’m gaining every day; Still praying as I onward bound, “Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.” Refrain: Lord, lift me up, and let me stand By faith, on heaven’s table land; A higher plane than I have found, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground. 2 My heart has no desire to stay Where doubts arise and fears dismay; Though some may dwell where these abound, My prayer, my aim is higher ground. [Refrain] 3 I want to live above the world, Though satan’s darts at me are hurled; For faith has caught a joyful sound, The song of saints on higher ground. [Refrain] 4 I want to scale the utmost height, And catch a gleam of glory bright; But still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found, “Lord, lead me on the higher ground.” [Refrain]

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: N/A

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: N/A

RECENT DEATHS: Alice Dailey, Joseph Brown, and DeLois Groover

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://i.pinimg.com/originals/70/fa/ce/70faceb9bbae8d9161b90d124f68d223.jpg