Lysa Rodriguez
- May 26
- 14 min read

Sunday Worship on May 26, 2024

Sunday Worship without Communion

First Sunday after Pentecost B

May 26, 2024 at 9:30 AM

Presider: The Rev. Ella Roundtree-Davis, Deacon

St. Matthew's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/stmattsav

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

The Liturgy of the Word: Rite II

Hymnal #365: Come, Thou Almighty King

1 Come, thou almighty King,

help us thy Name to sing,

help us to praise.

Father whose love unknown

all things created own,

build in our hearts thy throne,

Ancient of Days.

2 Come, thou incarnate Word,

by heaven and earth adored;

our prayer attend:

come, and thy people bless;

come, give thy word success;

stablish thy righteousness,

Savior and friend.

3 Come, holy Comforter,

thy sacred witness bear

in this glad hour:

thou, who almighty art,

now rule in every heart,

and ne'er from us depart,

Spirit of power.

4 To Thee, great One in Three,

the highest praises be,

hence evermore;

thy sovereign majesty

may we in glory see,

and to eternity

love and adore.

[Words: Anon. Music: Moscow Felice de Giardini; harm, The New Hymnal, 1916, based on Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1875, and Lowell Mason.0]

The Opening Acclamation

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The Confession of Sin

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)

The Deacon or Lay Celebrant 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 Deacon or Lay Celebrant says:

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

Hymn S-280: Glory to God

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

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us pray:

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (6:1-8)

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;the whole earth is full of his glory.”

The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 29

1 Ascribe to the Lord, you gods, *

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his Name; *

worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;

the God of glory thunders; *

the Lord is upon the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; *

the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; *

the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;

6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, *

and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire;

the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; *

the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

8 The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe *

and strips the forests bare.

9 And in the temple of the Lord *

all are crying, "Glory!"

10 The Lord sits enthroned above the flood; *

the Lord sits enthroned as King for evermore.

11 The Lord shall give strength to his people; *

the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans (8:12-17)

So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ-- if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

LEV #213: Children of the Heavenly Father (verses 1-4)

1 Children of the heavenly Father

safely in his bosom gather;

nestling bird nor star in heaven

such a refuge e’er was given.

2 God his own doth tend and nourish;

in his holy courts they flourish.

From all evil things he spares them;

in his mighty arms he bears them.

3 Neither life nor death shall ever

from the Lord his children sever;

unto them his grace showeth,

he turns sorrows all he knoweth.

4 Praise the Lord in joyful numbers,

your protector never slumbers;

at the will of defender

every person must surrender.

[Words: Galatians 3:28, adapt. John Oxenham. Music: McKee, Negro Spiritual; adapt, Harry T. Burleigh. Words adapt. Copyright © 1989. Reprinted by permission of American Tract Society. Music used by permission. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84249. 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 (3:1-17)

Glory to you, Lord Christ.

There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

LEV #213: Children of the Heavenly Father (verse 5)

5 Though he giveth or he taketh,

God his children ne'er for saketh;

his loving purpose solely

to preserve them pure and holy.

[Words: Carolina Sandell-Berg, 1855; tr. Ernst W. Olson, 1925. Music: Swedish Folk Melody. Text translation copyright © board of publication, Lutheran Church in America. Reprinted by permission of Augsburg Fortress. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #50-6085. All rights reserved.]

The Sermon

by Idella Jones

The Nicene Creed

The People stand, as they are able, to recite the Creed.

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)

In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.

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; and all other civic officials; For this community, the nation, and the world;

For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.

For the just and proper use of your creation;

For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.

For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;

For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.

For all the churches in Savannah, that we may be one as you are one with the Son, and the Holy Spirit; For the peace and unity of the Church of God;

For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.

For Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; Michael, our Presiding Bishop; Frank, our Bishop; Ella our Deacon; 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: Lazola Cope, Charles Gordon, Marva Harris, Tracie Hundley, David Jones, Donald Jones, Sheila Jones, Beverly Kemp, Whitney Kennedy, Leonard Law Jr., Jessica Mathis, Sada Maxwell, John “Butch” Mitchell, Terry Newton, Altheria Maynard, Frieda McDew Shorter, Edward Vaughn, Gwendolyn Fortson Waring, 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 including: Taylor (Danni) Grant (5/27), MaKenzie Jones (5/28), Margaret Cox (5/29), Eugene Curtis (6/01); and those celebrating anniversaries including: Edward & Janice Vaughn (5/28), Jewel & Emma Benford (6/01), and those thanksgivings we offer now… Silence. The People may add their own thanksgivings.

We will exalt you, O God our King;

And praise your Name for ever and ever.

We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom, and those we remember now… Silence. The People may add their own petitions.

Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;

Who put their trust in you.

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.

The Peace

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

National Acolyte festival registration has opened: Washington National Cathedral is hosting this years national Acolyte festival on October 12th. Registration is now open, if you are looking for more information go to the dioceses website as well as the form for registration if interested.

Glow and Grow gear still available: The Capital Building Campaign is still selling tee-shirts, mugs, etc. If you are interested in purchasing, please email the church office office@st.mattsav.org.

Applications for EYCS Scholarships open: Episcopal Youth and Children's Services (EYCS) COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS College-bound students (ages 17-22) are encouraged to apply online: eycs.georgiaepiscopal.org. Deadline to Apply: May 31.

Yoga Retreat at Honey Creek: In recognition of Pentecost, join us May 17-19, 2024 for an exploration of the rhythms, gateways, and symbols that resonate within us and serve as guideposts for our journeys. Professor Emerita of Georgia Southwestern State University, Gabriele Stauf, will use guided meditations to lead participants on their own internal exploration, while Karen Kinnamon of Just Peace Yoga and Wellness will provide yoga sessions to enliven the body, focus the mind, and ignite the spirit.

No prior yoga experience is necessary to attend this retreat. Check the newsletter for more information.

Register Now for Summer Camp at Honey Creek: In less than two months, the Diocese of Georgia's 100th Summer Camp will get underway at Honey Creek. We will have daily camp activities, including arts & crafts, outdoor games, ropes course activities, kayaking, pool time, and more. In addition to every day being filled with fun camp activities, we also devote time to worship and spiritual formation. Each session has Spiritual Directors on staff that will lead a formation program in the afternoon, and we begin and end each day with worship in the Chapel of Our Savior with gorgeous views of the Creek right outside our window.

Registration for each session is open, and scholarship assistance is available.

T/W/Th Evening Prayer on Zoom Only: St. Matthew’s gathers for virtual Evening Prayer services on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 5:00 PM, but we no longer post these videos to our Facebook page. You can pray with us on Zoom using the same link as before, as found in the e-Newsletter or in the St. Matthew’s Linktree (QR Code above).

The Offertory

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.

The Presider begins the Offertory with a sentence on BCP, p. 376, or some other sentence of Scripture.

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

Hymn #362: Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty

1 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee:

Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.

2 Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,

casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;

cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,

which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

3 Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,

though the sinful human eye thy glory may not see,

only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,

perfect in power, in love, and purity.

4 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

All thy works shall praise thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;

Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.

The Doxology

Praise God, Praise God, Praise God!

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow!

Praise him all creatures here below!

Praise him above ye heavenly hosts!

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

Amen.

LEV #264: The Lord’s Prayer

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 Grace

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore. Amen.

Hymn #369: How Wonderous Great

1 How wonderous great, how glorious bright

must our creator be,

who dwells amidst the dazzling light

of vast eternity.

2 Our soaring spirits upwards rise

to reach the burning throne.

and long to see blessed

three in almighty one.

3 our reason stretches all its wings,

and climbs above the skies;

but still how far beneath thy feet

our groundling knowledge lies!

4 While all the heavenly powers conspire

eternal praise to sing,

let faith in humble notes

adore the great mysterious king.

The Dismissal

[BCP, p. 366]

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord! [Alleluia! Alleluia!]

Thanks be to God! [Alleluia! Alleluia!]

The Parish Prayer List

PRAYER LIST: Lazola Cope, Charles Gordon, Marva Harris, Tracie Hundley, David Jones, Donald Jones, Sheila Jones, Beverly Kemp, Whitney Kennedy, Leonard Law Jr., Jessica Mathis, Sada Maxwell, John “Butch” Mitchell, Terry Newton, Altheria Maynard, Frieda McDew Shorter, Edward Vaughn, Gwendolyn Fortson Waring, and Jewel Wheeler

BIRTHDAYS: Taylor (Danni) Grant (5/27), MaKenzie Jones (5/28), Margaret Cox (5/29), Eugene Curtis (6/01)

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: Edward & Janice Vaughn (5/28), Jewel & Emma Benford (6/01)

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), The Hymnal 1982 (Hymn), Lift Every Voice and Sing II: An African American Hymnal (LEV), Enriching Our Worship 1 (EOW1), The Book of Occasional Services 2022 (BOS22), and other sources cited. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.