Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
- Mar 26
- 27 min read

Sunday Worship on March 26, 2023

The Holy Eucharist

The Fifth Sunday in Lent (Year A)

March 26, 2023 at 9:30 AM

Celebrant and Preacher: The Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda

Deacon: The Rev. Ella Roundtree-Davis

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

The Holy Eucharist: Rite II

Hymn #512: Come, Gracious Spirit, Heavenly Dove

1 Come, gracious Spirit, heavenly Dove,

with light and comfort from above;

be thou our guardian, thou our guide

o'er every thought and step preside.

2 The light of truth to us display,

and make us know and choose thy way;

plant holy fear in every heart,

that we from thee may ne'er depart.

3 Lead us to Christ, the living way,

nor let us from his precepts stray;

lead us to holiness, the road

that we must take to dwell with God.

4 Lead us to heaven, that we may share

fullness of joy for ever there;

lead us to God, our final rest,

to be with him for ever blest.

The Penitential Order

[BCP, p. 351]

Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.

His mercy endures for ever.

The Decalogue (Ten Commandments)

[BCP, p. 350]

Hear the commandments of God to his people:

I am the Lord your God who brought you out of bondage. You shall have no other gods but me. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not make for yourself any idol. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not invoke with malice the Name of the Lord your God. Amen. Lord have mercy.

Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Amen. Lord have mercy.

Honor your father and your mother. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not commit murder. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not commit adultery. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not steal. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not be a false witness. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor. Amen. Lord have mercy.

The Comfortable Words

[BCP, p. 351]

The Celebrant reads one of the following sentences.

Jesus said, "The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord your God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:29-31

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8,9

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. Hebrews 4:14,16

Confession of Sin

[BCP, p. 352]

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, Lord, have mercy,

Christ, have mercy, Christ, have mercy, Christ, have mercy,

Lord, have mercy, Lord, have mercy, Lord, have mercy,

The Collect of the Day

[BCP, p. 357, 167]

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 37:1-14

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act,” says the Lord.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 130

[BCP, p. 784-785]

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

1 Out of the depths have I called to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice; * let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.

2 If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss, * O Lord, who could stand?

3 For there is forgiveness with you; * therefore you shall be feared.

4 I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; * in his word is my hope.

5 My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, * more than watchmen for the morning.

6 O Israel, wait for the Lord, * for with the Lord there is mercy;

7 With him there is plenteous redemption, *

and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:6-11

To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law-- indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

LEV #112: Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest (Verses 1-3)

1 Come, Holy ghost, Creator blest,

And in our hearts take up thy rest;

Come with thy grace and heav’nly aid

To fill the hearts which thou hast made.

2 O Comforter, to thee we cry,

Thou heav’nly gift of God most high;

Thou fount of life, and fire of love,

And sweet anointing from above.

3 O Holy Ghost, through thee alone,

Know we the Father and the Son;

Be this our firm unchanging creed,

That thou dost from them both proceed.

[Words: Veni, Creator Spiritus; attr. Rabanus Maurus; tr. Edward Caswell, alt. Music: Lambillotte, LM; with repeat; Louis Lambillotte, SJ; harm. Richard Prouix. Harm. Copyright © 1992 G.I.A. Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #106680. 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 John 11:1-45

Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.” After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

LEV #112: Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest (Verse 4)

4 Praise we the Lord, Father and Son,

And Holy Spirit with them one;

And may the Son on us bestow

All gifts that from the Spirit flow.

The Sermon

"Wait for the Lord" by the Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda, Rector

“I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; * in his word is my hope. My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, * more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, wait for the Lord, * for with the Lord there is mercy” (Psalm 130:4-5).

It’s the 5th Sunday in Lent. Believe it or not, we’re in the home stretch. Next Sunday is Palm Sunday, then Holy Week, and two Sundays from now is Easter Day. If you don’t work for the Church, the Lent and Easter calendar may not be at the top of your mind right now, and that’s alright. But, once again, Lent is an invitation into deeper fellowship with God and with your neighbor. It’s an invitation to renew your love for both. And these Bible passages remind us that Lent is also an invitation into waiting and patience.

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” It’s usually used when talking about romantic relationships or friendships. The idea is that being apart from something, waiting for it, makes you love and appreciate it more. Even though this is a common enough bit of wisdom, it’s also very counter-cultural. Waiting is not really the American way or the modern way. Our society is all about instant gratification.

In my lifetime, I’ve seen a lot of this change (people older than me can relate even more). When I was growing up, if I had a question about some fact in the works, I had to look in the dusty old Encyclopedia Britannica in my abuelo’s house, or I had to go to the library. And sometimes, the answer wouldn’t be there and I just wouldn’t know. Then when the internet became more popular, I could search for things on Google when I was at school or at home (using slow dial-up internet that stopped the house phone from working). Eventually, the internet got faster, and a little more than a decade ago, the internet started working on cell phones so that knowledge from all over the world is sitting here at my fingertips all the time. If I want to find out some fact, I can search it and it pops up right here, usually in just a few seconds. Soon, it seems like Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is going to revolutionize how humans acquire information once again. There’s no need to wait. It’s all here for me now.

The same is true of things we want to buy. We’re no longer limited by the inventory of our local stores. Many of us can order things online with 2-day, 1-day, or even same-day shipping. For a brief time during the pandemic lockdown, all those nearly-instant deliveries became even more widespread and essential to protect ourselves (often at the cost of many delivery people’s health and safety). If I want something in America, I can usually get it. We learn to “have it our way” in nearly every area of consumer life.

But the world doesn’t really work that way, and we know it. We’re not in total control of everything around us. We cannot have every thing we want, and even if we did, that wouldn’t make us happy. We cannot control what happens to other people. We cannot control when we live or die. We cannot control the truly important things in our social and spiritual lives. Instead, we are dependent on God, whether we want to admit it or not.

So, though the Church has evolved and will keep evolving with the times, church communities intentionally move at a slower pace. The Church follows the rhythms of times and seasons. We practice weird things like fasting and abstaining from things we like during the 40 days of Lent. We have to wait for Jesus to reach Jerusalem and be crucified. Then we have to wait three days for him to rise again. You can d go into any grocery store and get all the Easter candy you want right now, but in church we are waiting until the morning of April 9 to bring our true celebration. Similarly, in December, Advent reminds us to wait for Jesus’s birth at Christmas and wait for his coming again (no matter when the 24-hour Christmas station begins playing). As a Church, we must “wait for the Lord” (Psalm 130:3).

Waiting isn’t just about how and when we celebrate holidays. And waiting isn’t always fun. Mary and Martha experienced this when they sent for Jesus to come and heal their brother Lazarus. At the very least, they wanted Jesus to see Lazarus again before he died. But he waited for two extra days before leaving where he was. By the time Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead for four days. Mary and Martha waited and waited until they thought it was too late. But, even though the sisters were grieving, even though they didn’t like it, Jesus arrived to them just on time. In God’s good time, Lazarus was brought back to life. He showed us that Jesus’ promises are true. We will all “rise again in the resurrection on the last day” because Jesus is “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:24-25).

But in order for us to join Jesus in his resurrection, we must join him in death. We, like Thomas, must be willing to “go” and “die with him” (John 11:16). I’m speaking mostly metaphorically, of course. During Lent, we practice waiting for the time when our fast is over. Traditionally, we wait for certain celebrations like baptisms and weddings. We wait for the joy of Easter to remind ourselves that God is the source of our hope and mercy. Every breath we take and every good and joyful thing we experience is a gift from God. And when we encounter sorrow and grief, when we face the troubles of the world, we trust that God will set things right. Like Mary and Martha, it may not be on our timeline. We may have to wait. But we wait with faith and hope because God is faithful and trustworthy. We wait knowing that God is loving and just, that God will set right every wrong on earth.

There is a beautiful song by a French composer named Jacques Berthier called “Wait for the Lord”. It’s a chant that was written for an ecumenical Christian community in Taizé, France, in the 1980s. The song’s lyrics are simple: “Wait for the Lord whose day is near. Wait for the Lord. Keep watch. Take heart.” As we wait for the Lord Jesus to rise again, take heart. Be strong and courageous. Keep loving your neighbor as you love yourself. Know that God loves you and will never leave or forsake you.

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.

Hymn S106: The Prayers of the People, Form I

[See also BCP, p. 383]

With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying "Lord, have mercy."

For the peace from above, for the loving-kindness of God, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the world, for the welfare of the Holy Church of God, and for the unity of all peoples, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For our Frank our Bishop, and for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For Joseph our President, for the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For the City of Savannah, for every city and community, and for those who live in them, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For those who travel on land, on water, in the air, or through outer space, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and the suffering, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For our Parish Prayer List: Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Jacqueline Bryant, Teresa Blue Clemons, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien, Jr., Marva Harris, Tracy Outing Hundley, Beverly Kemp, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Jeannette Outing, Deacon Ella Roundtree-Davis, Jewel Wheeler, and Alton Wright; let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For Craig J. Maxwell (3/27) and Jordyn Jones (3/29) on their birthdays; let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute, for prisoners and captives, and for all who remember and care for them, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, and for all the departed, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For deliverance from all danger, violence, oppression, and degradation, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

That we may end our lives in faith and hope, without suffering and without reproach, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

Defend us, deliver us, and in your compassion protect us, O Lord, by your grace. Lord, have mercy.

In the communion of Blessed Matthew and of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to Christ our God. To you, O Lord our God.

The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.

O Lord our God, accept the fervent prayers of your people; in the multitude of your mercies, look with compassion upon us and all who turn to you for help; for you are gracious, O lover of souls, and to you we give glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

The Peace

[BCP, p. 360]

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Parish Announcements

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

SCAD Honey Bees Concert at St. Matthew's on 3/26 at 11 AM: Savannah College of Art and Design provides complimentary performances in local churches to showcase their students and alumni's talent while connecting with the community. One of SCAD's ensembles, called the Honey Bees, will perform at St. Matthew's on Sunday, March 26, at 11:00 AM. Stick around for the free concert and invite your friends to come!

SPT Currency Inventories on 3/26: After the concert on March 26, members of the St. Matthew's Strategic Planning Team will hold discussion groups for 45-minutes with any church members interested in contributing to our conversations. Three different groups will take an "inventory" of how St. Matthew's is currently expressing one of the holy currencies. There will be groups focused on the Currency of Relationship, the Currency of Wellness, and the Currency of Gracious Leadership. Please attend whichever group you are most interested in discussing.

Strategic Planning Congregational Meeting #2 on 3/29: St. Matthew's Strategic Planning Team invites YOU to attend the second Strategic Planning Congregational Meeting, called "St. Matthew's Present: Understanding Who We Are Now." This meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 29 in Toomer-Walker Hall from 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM. It will begin with a catered meal and feature engaging presentations and activities led by our Strategic Planning Team and Fr. Bill Cruse from the Kaleidoscope Institute.

Mark your calendars for the 3rd meeting on Saturday, 4/29/23, from 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM (with a barbecue to follow).

Holy Week & Easter Schedule: Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, April 2, 2023, and ends with Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023. See below for the complete worship schedule:

April 2, Palm Sunday (The Sunday of the Passion): Liturgy of the Palms and Holy Communion with Choir at 9:30 AM
April 3, Monday in Holy Week: Holy Communion (no music) at 6:00 PM
April 4, Tuesday in Holy Week: Holy Communion (no music) at 6:00 PM
April 5, Wednesday in Holy Week: Holy Communion (no music) at 6:00 PM; Final Wellness Wednesday Bible Study to follow
April 6, Maundy Thursday: Foot Washing, Holy Communion with Choir, Agapé Meal, and Stripping of the Altar at 6:00 PM in Toomer-Walker Hall
April 7, Good Friday: Stations of the Cross at 12:00 noon
April 7, Good Friday: Good Friday Worship with Communion from the Reserved Sacrament at 6:00 PM
April 8, Holy Saturday: Holy Saturday Worship at 9:30 AM; Decorating the Church for Easter to follow
April 9, Easter Day: Ecumenical Easter Sunrise at 6:00 AM in Butler Presbyterian Memorial Church, 603 W. Victory Dr, Savannah, GA 31405
April 9, Easter Day: Holy Communion with Choir at 9:30 AM

Easter Lilies & Altar Decorations: This Easter, parishioners are offered an opportunity to give thanks for blessings and to remember loved ones by donating flowers, or donating toward the purchase of altar decorations (Hangings, Veil, and Burse). If you intend to make a donation, please complete the following information and place the form in the collection plate, in the Parish office, or give to an Altar Guild member.

Checks and money orders should be made out to St. Matthew's Episcopal Church. Please give the names of those to be remembered by emailing the church office at Office@StMattSav.org or submitting a form provided to the church office. Please submit all names by Wednesday, April 5, 2023. If you have any questions, please call Joenelle Gordon, Chair of the Altar Guild, at (912) 352-4745 or the Parish Administrator at (912) 234-4440.

Lilies: $15
Red Veil: $150
Red Burse: $163
Red Pulpit/Lectern Hanging (x3): $315 each, $945 total
White Pulpit/Lectern Hanging: $315 each
Green Pulpit/Lectern Hanging: $315 each
Purple Pulpit/Lectern Hanging: $315 each

Confirmation & Episcopal Refresher Class: This spring, Fr. Arboleda will teach an eight-session course to prepare people for Confirmation, Reception, or Renewal of Baptismal Vows. This course is also open to anyone in the church who wants a "refresher" on fundamental Episcopal beliefs and practices. Confirmations and Renewals of Baptismal Vows will take place on Sunday, May 28, 2023, the Day of Pentecost, when Bishop Frank Logue will conduct his annual visitation to St. Matthew's. Each session of the class will take place after Sunday worship from about 11:15-12:15.

Confirmation & Episcopal Refresher Class Schedule

April 2: Other Sacraments (Marriage, Confession, Anointing, & Burial)
April 23: Using The Book of Common Prayer
May 7: Faith Outside the Church
May 21: Faith Inside The Episcopal Church

This is a space for learning and growth. In these classes, we will listen carefully to one another and honor each other as siblings, even if we disagree. We will not shame anyone for asking questions, not knowing something, or sharing their honest beliefs.

Wellness Wednesdays in Lent: Every Wednesday in Lent will be Wellness Wednesday! We will gather for worship, food, and discussion about finding wellness in our community. Using tools from Kaleidoscope Institute, such as Holy Currencies, we will reflect on Bible passages relating Wellness to Time & Place, Relationships, Gracious Leadership, Truth, and Money. March 29 will be our second Strategic Planning Congregational Meeting in place of the usual programming. Below is the weekly schedule. Even if you miss worship, you can still come!

5:00 - 5:30 Evening Prayer
5:30 - 6:00 Dinner
6:00 - 7:00 Wellness Bible Reflections

There is a sign-up sheet in the parish hall for individuals or groups who want to prepare a simple meal for each of the Wednesdays.

JUST's Nehemiah Action on Monday, 4/24 at First African Baptist Church (23 Montgomery Street, Savannah, GA 31401) from 6:15-9:00 PM. We will provide transportation from St. Matthew's to FAB to avoid downtown parking. JUST's 2023 problem areas of focus are Affordable Housing and Public Education. We will have more details soon about our proposed solutions.

TEDxSavannah 2023 on 5/25: Fr. Guillermo has been selected as a speaker at this year's TEDxSavannah event on Thursday, May 25, 2023, from 12:30-5:30 PM at the Fine Arts Auditorium at Georgia Southern University, Armstrong Campus. Fr. Guillermo cannot share publicly about the topic of his talk before the event, but this year's theme is "Connection." Tickets are available now at https://tedxsavannah.com for $50, but St. Matthew's can purchase them for a discounted rate of $40 (or $36 if we buy 10 or more). Please sign up on the bulletin board in Toomer-Walker Hall or email the office if you would like to attend and we can order them in bulk.

New Doxology for Strategic Planning: At the end of the offertory, we will begin singing different lyrics to the “Doxology” hymn. This is the hymn we sing while the people’s offerings are brought forward to the altar. These lyrics were written by the Rev. Dr. Eric Hung Fat Law, the founder of Kaleidoscope Institute, with whom we are consulting for our strategic planning process.

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:

Mail us a check or money order at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 1401 Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd, Savannah, GA 31415; OR
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“I appeal to you, sisters and brothers, by the mercies of God, to present yourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” [Romans 12:1]

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LEV #114: Every Time I Feel The Spirit

REFRAIN:

Ev’ry time I feel the spirit, moving in my heart, I will pray,

Ev'ry time I feel the spirit, moving in my heart, I will pray.

1 Upon the mountain my Lord spoke,

out of his mouth came fire and smoke.

All around me looked so fine,

asked my Lord if all was mine. [Refrain]

2 Jordan river chilly and cold,

chills the body but not the soul.

There ain’t but one train runs this track,

runs to heaven and runs right back. [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 A

[BCP, p. 361]

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord; who was tempted in every way as we are, yet did not sin. By his grace we are able to triumph over every evil, and to live no longer for ourselves alone, but for him who died for us and rose again.

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.

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all. He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, 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 we proclaim the mystery of faith:

LEV #258:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.

Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

LEV #264: The Lord’s Prayer

[BCP, p. 364]

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

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name,

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

The Fraction Anthems

[BCP, p. 364, 407]

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us!

Therefore let us keep the feast!

LEV #270:

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.

LEV#149: In Remembrance of Me

1 In remembrance of Me eat this bread

In remembrance of Me drink this wine

In remembrance of Me pray for the time

When God's own will is done

2 In remembrance of Me heal the sick

In remembrance of Me feed the poor

In remembrance of Me open the door

And let your sister and brother in, let him in

Let him in.

Take eat and be comforted, drink and remember too

That this is my body and precious blood shed for you

Shed for you

3 In remembrance of Me search for truth

In remembrance of Me always love

In remembrance of Me don't look above

Do this in remembrance of Me

But in your heart, Look for GOD

Do this in remembrance of Me

The Post-Communion Prayer

[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 Solemn Prayer over the People

[Adapted from The Book of Occasional Services 2018, pp. 10-11]

The Deacon says

Let us bow down before the Lord.

The Celebrant prays

Look down in mercy, Lord, on your people who kneel before you; and grant that those whom you have nourished by your Word and Sacraments may bring forth fruit worthy of repentance; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hymn #457: Thou Art The Way, To Thee Alone

1 Thou art the Way, to thee alone

from sin and death we flee;

and all who would the Father seek,

must seek him, Lord, by thee.

2 Thou art the Truth, thy word alone

true wisdom can impart;

thou only canst inform the mind

and purify the heart.

3 Thou art the Life, the rending tomb

proclaims thy conquering arm;

and those who put their trust in thee

nor death nor hell shall harm.

4 Thou art the Way, the Truth, the Life:

grant us that way to know,

that truth to keep, that life to win,

whose joys eternal flow.

The Dismissal

[BCP, p. 366]

Let us bless the Lord!

Thanks be to God!

The Parish Prayer List

PRAYER LIST: Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Jacqueline Bryant, Teresa Blue Clemons, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien, Jr., Marva Harris, Tracy Outing Hundley, Beverly Kemp, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Jeannette Outing, Deacon Ella Roundtree-Davis, Jewel Wheeler, and Alton Wright

BIRTHDAYS: Craig J. Maxwell (3/27) and Jordyn Jones (3/29)

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: N/A

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://davidlgray.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/raisinglazarus.jpg

Sunday Worship on March 26, 2023

The Holy Eucharist

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

The Holy Eucharist: Rite II

Hymn #512: Come, Gracious Spirit, Heavenly Dove

The Penitential Order

The Decalogue (Ten Commandments)

The Comfortable Words

Confession of Sin

LEV #235: Lord, Have Mercy

The Collect of the Day

A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 37:1-14

Psalm 130

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:6-11

LEV #112: Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest (Verses 1-3)

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to John 11:1-45

LEV #112: Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest (Verse 4)

The Sermon

The Nicene Creed

Hymn S106: The Prayers of the People, Form I

The Peace

Parish Announcements

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The Offertory

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

LEV #114: Every Time I Feel The Spirit

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

Eucharistic Prayer A

LEV #264: The Lord’s Prayer

The Fraction Anthems

LEV#149: In Remembrance of Me

The Post-Communion Prayer

For In-Person Worshippers:

For Online Worshippers and Those Receiving Spiritual Communion:

The Solemn Prayer over the People

Hymn #457: Thou Art The Way, To Thee Alone

The Dismissal

The Parish Prayer List

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