Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
- Nov 12
- 25 min read

Sunday Worship on November 12, 2023

Updated: Nov 14

The Holy Eucharist

24th Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 27A)

November 12, 2023 at 9:30 AM

Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda, Rector

Deacon: The Rev. Ella Roundtree-Davis, Deacon

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

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The Holy Eucharist: Rite II

Hymn #436: Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates

1 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates;

behold, the King of glory waits!

The King of kings is drawing near;

the Savior of the world is here.

2 O blest the land, the city blest,

where Christ the ruler is confessed!

O happy hearts and happy homes

to whom this King of triumph comes!

3 Fling wide the portals of your heart;

make it a temple, set apart

from earthly use for heaven's employ,

adorned with prayer and love and joy.

4 Redeemer, come! I open wide

my heart to thee: here, Lord, abide!

Let me thy inner presence feel:

thy grace and love in me reveal.

5 So come, my Sovereign; enter in!

Let new and nobler life begin;

thy Holy Spirit guide us on,

until the glorious crown be won.

[Words: Georg Weissel; tr. Catherine Winkworth. Public Domain. Music: Truro, melody from Psalmodia Evangelica, part 2; harm Lowell Mason. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84456]

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, 234]

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us pray:

O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Reading from the Book of Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25

Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many.

“Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.” And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!” Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” The people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 78:1-7

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

1 Hear my teaching, O my people; * incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable; * I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.

3 That which we have heard and known, and what our forefathers have told us, * we will not hide from their children.

4 We will recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, * and the wonderful works he has done.

5 He gave his decrees to Jacob and established a law for Israel, * which he commanded them to teach their children;

6 That the generations to come might know, and the children yet unborn; * that they in their turn might tell it to their children;

7 So that they might put their trust in God, * and not forget the deeds of God, but keep his commandments;

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians 4:13-18

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Hymn #53: Once He Came in Blessing (verses 1-3)

1 Once he came in blessing,

All our ills redressing;

came in likeness lowly,

Son of God most holy;

bore the cross to save us,

hope and freedom gave us.

2 Still he comes within us,

still his voice would win us

from the sins that hurt us,

would to Truth convert us:

not in torment hold us,

but in love enfold us.

3 Thus if thou canst name him,

not ashamed to claim him,

but wilt trust him boldly,

nor dost love him coldly,

he will then receive thee,

heal thee, and forgive thee.

[Words: Jan Roh; tr Catherine Winkworth. Public Domain. Music: Gottes Sohn ist kommen, melody Michael Weisse. Tune: Setting © 2021 Floeter Music. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #1050P-17. 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 St. Matthew (25:1-13)

Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus said, “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Hymn #53: Once He Came in Blessing (verse 4)

4 One who thus endureth

bright reward secureth.

Come then, O Lord Jesus,

from our sins release us;

let us here confess thee

till in heaven we bless thee.

The Sermon

“Remembrance” by the Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda, Rector

We have one week left to go in the 2024 Pledge Campaign. We are about 10 days away from Thanksgiving Day. And today, we are collecting offerings for the United Thank Offering (UTO) fund. UTO is a ministry of The Episcopal Church that promotes gratitude among all people and collects funds to distribute as grants for new and creative ministries around the US and around the world. As an expression of our thanksgiving for God’s goodness to us, they encourage parishioners from around The Episcopal Church to contribute to the UTO fund on one Sunday every November. That’s today! In light of all of these occasions, I want to preach about gratitude by preaching about remembrance.

Psalm 78 teaches us to give thanks to God by calling us to remember the good things God has done. Listen to the words we prayed just a few moments ago, found on page 694 in the Book of Common Prayer: “1 Hear my teaching, O my people; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. … 3 That which we have heard and known, and what our forefathers have told us, we will not hide from their children. 4 We will recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, and the wonderful works he has done. … 6 That the generations to come might know, and the children yet unborn; that they in their turn might tell it to their children; 7 So that they might put their trust in God, and not forget the deeds of God, but keep his commandments” (Psalm 78:1, 3-4, 6-7).

We have received a message about God’s goodness. We have received the Good News of God in Christ. We have received the message of God’s love, mercy, and saving activity in the world. And it is therefore our duty, to tell the generations to come all the “praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, and the wonderful works [God] has done” (Psalm 78:4). Why do we tell these stories? The psalmist says we must recount God’s deeds to one another and to the younger generations “so that they might put their trust in God” (Psalm 78:7, emphasis added). We have a purpose and a calling. And it involves not just showing up to church and doing our routine. It involves us intentionally remembering and re-telling the good things God has done for us. We serve God because God loved us first; God acted first to save us; God is our reason for living.

We only read the first seven verses of Psalm 78 this morning, but this psalm is pretty long. It has 72 verses. You have them all in front of you in the red BCP, on pages 694-700. We’re not going to read through the whole thing today, but Psalm 78 provides a really helpful summary — a reminder — about God’s saving actions in the Old Testament. In ancient times, most people either couldn’t read or didn’t have access to a copy of the Bible. They learned the stories through praying and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. So Psalm 78 is a teaching tool to help us remember all of God’s great and powerful works in our lives. This harkens back to our sermon series on the Book of Exodus from earlier in the fall.

The people of Israel were enslaved in Egypt. They were suffering under brutal oppression. But God heard their cries and worked to save them. Through the plagues, the Pharaoh finally softened his heart long enough to let God’s people go. Then, God “split open the sea and let them pass through; [God] made the waters stand up like walls. [God] led them with a cloud by day and all the night through with a glow of fire” (Psalm 78:13-14). On the other side of the Red Sea, when the people were hungry in the desert, God “commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven. [God] rained down manna upon them to eat and gave them grain from heaven. So mortals ate the bread of angels; [God] provided for them food enough” (Psalm 78:23-25). For forty years, God “led out [God’s] people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. [God] led them to safety, and they were not afraid” (Psalm 78:52-53). Finally, God “brought them to [God’s] holy land, the mountain [of Jerusalem that God’s] right hand had won” (Psalm 78:54).

The psalmist explains that when Israel remembered these saving deeds, they received God’s blessings. But whenever they sinned and defied the commandments or became disloyal, it was because “they did not remember [God’s] power” (Psalm 78:42). Remembrance is key to faithfulness. Remembrance is key to spiritual growth. Remembrance is key to glowing with God’s grace, love, and unity. Remembrance allows us to share the Good News with people in our lives who need to hear it. Remembrance is what gives us hope. God did it then and God will do it again!

We remember that God broke chains and freed the enslaved because God still breaks chains today. We remember that God fed the hungry and provided a way where there was no way because God still feeds us and gives hope to the hopeless. We remember that God led, protected, and guided the chosen people into places of promise because God still leads us now. We remember that God came to be among us as a human being who lived, loved, and sacrificed himself to heal the world because God still loves and heals us today. We remember those things because we have experienced bondage; we have experienced hunger; we have experienced being lost and confused and unsafe; we have experienced hatred and sin-sick souls that need Jesus’ healing balm. And our neighbors have too.

We remember God’s goodness to us so that we can testify. We share God’s goodness with our children and godchildren and grandchildren. We share God’s goodness with our friends and co-workers. We share God’s goodness with our family and neighbors. We’re not just sharing this Good News in order to grow the membership or attendance at St. Matthew’s. If that happens, thanks be to God, but that’s not our driving purpose. We share what God has done because we cannot contain it. If God has made a difference in your life, if you have experienced freedom, joy, and love, then why wouldn’t you tell people about it?

At the Diocese of Georgia Convention, we listened to lectures and sermons by Dr. Lisa Kimball, a professor at Virginia Theological Seminary. She pointed us to a brilliant Black Episcopal laywoman named Verna Dozier, who became a renowned spiritual writer. She once wrote, “The important question to ask is not ‘What do you believe?’ But ‘What difference does it make that you believe?’” (Dozier, The Dream of God, p. 105).

So, we teach the scriptures and call on one another to remember the ancient stories of God’s goodness to us. That’s what we believe. But, like Psalm 78:7 tells us, we remember and we teach what we remember so that more and more of us put our trust in God (Psalm 78:7). We want to see a difference in the life of every person who sets foot through these doors. And we want that difference to glow out to affect people who may never set foot in these doors. We want you to be so moved by God’s goodness that you can’t help but show love and tell others about the life-changing love of God in your life. Maybe that will mean that our church grows in members and that would be great. But more importantly, that means that our ministry here is bearing God’s fruit. We are being faithful to the good God who has saved us and is saving us still.

So as you plan for pledging and for giving to charities like UTO or EYCS or anything else that you do, remember the difference that God has made in your life. Remember the difference that the ministry of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church has made in your life. And if you aren’t sure how to tell people what difference God has made in your life, then take some time to pray about that, to meditate on it, to write it down, to get clear. Because Growing and Glowing in Grace means that we have a testimony to share. It means practicing telling others the truth about what God has done in ancient times and right here in Savannah in 2023.

Think of the spiritual “Oh, What He’s Done for Me.” Songs like this do the same thing that Psalm 78 does. It teaches us to be thankful for the incredible gifts God has given us. It teaches us to testify to God’s goodness and love. It teaches us to glow the grace that we have received so that others may come to trust in God too. Let us sing together…

1 Oh, what He's done for me.

Oh, what He's done for me.

I never shall forget what He's done for me

3 He feeds me when I'm hungry,

That's what He's done for me.

He feeds me when I'm hungry,

I never shall forget what He's done for me.

5 He gave me a home in glory,

That's what He's done for me.

He gave me a home in glory

I never shall forget what He's done for me.

Bibliography

Dozier, Verna. The Dream of God: A Call to Return. New York: Seabury Books, 1991, 2006.
Whitfield, Bryan J. “Commentary on Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25.” Working Preacher. Accessed 8 November 2023. https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-32/commentary-on-joshua-241-3a-14-25-2.

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 the people of Israel and the Palestinian territories, and 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, Bertice our Diaconal Intern; 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: Presslyne Abraham, Toya Berry, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Enrique Davis, Aaron Duplechien, Jr., Charles Gordon, Marva Harris, David Jones, Beverly Kemp, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Renee Nails, Russell Nails, Jeannette Outing, 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 Mattie Blake (11/12), Beryl Dandy (11/12), General Cope (11/15), Timothy Rhett (11/16), Anthony Carrington (11/17); for those celebrating anniversaries; and for all other thanksgivings we offer now… [Silence. The People may add their own petitions.]

We will exalt you, O God our King;

And praise your Name for ever and ever.

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

Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;

Who put their trust in you.

The Celebrant concludes with the following or some other suitable Collect:

Almighty and eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully accept the prayers of your people, and strengthen us to do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Confession of Sin

The Deacon says

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept. All pray together, kneeling, as they are able,

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

The Bishop, when present, or the Priest, stands and says:

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

The Peace

[BCP, p. 360]

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Parish Announcements

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

Grow and Glow in Grace Gear!: St. Matthew's is producing branded clothes and other merchandise with our new Grow and Glow in Grace mission logo! Order T-shirts for $25, embroidered Polo shirts for $40, Mugs for $15, Pens for $2 each, and more! All proceeds will go to the Building Capital Campaign (for remodeling the kitchen, preserving the stained glass windows, replacing the roof, and more)! Order forms are available in church now. Online ordering is coming soon!

UTO Ingathering on Nov. 12 & Thanksgiving Resources: United Thank Offering (UTO), is a ministry of The Episcopal Church for the mission of the whole church. Through UTO, individuals are invited to embrace and deepen a personal daily spiritual discipline of gratitude and give to help the ministry of others. UTO receive these offerings and distributes 100% of what is collected to support innovative mission and ministry throughout The Episcopal Church and Provinces of the Anglican Communion. St. Matthew's will take up a special collection for UTO on Sunday, November 12. UTO also provides many free, innovative Thanksgiving resources for families and children to use at their holiday dinner: https://unitedthankoffering.com/november/.

Thanksgiving Food Basket Donations: St. Augustine’s Guild is sponsoring Thanksgiving Baskets and are seeking donations from St. Matthew’s members. Donations of goods and money will help meet the goal of at least 4 food baskets. Each basket will contain the makings of a traditional southern Thanksgiving meal: cornbread mix, or stuffing mix, bag of rice, sweet potatoes, or prepared candied yams, chicken broth, onion, celery, chicken broth, bag of greens, and a turkey.

If you want to donate money please make checks payable to St. Matthew’s Church or, if giving cash, please use the envelopes and indicate Thanksgiving Food Drive. Baskets will be delivered on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.

Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service on Nov. 21 at First Congregational: This year, First Congregational Church, 421 Habersham St, Savannah, GA 31401, will host our ecumenical Thanksgiving service on Tuesday, November 21 at 6:00 PM. (Note the change from Thanksgiving Day to the Tuesday prior.) This service is a collaborative ministry between St. Matthew's, First Congregational, Butler Memorial Presbyterian, Holy Spirit Lutheran Churches.

Mixed Greens Savannah Guest Blog: New member Jessica Marie Mathis wrote a reflection about her recent experience hosting a fundraiser for Mixed Greens Savannah at St. Matthew’s. It is available on our website: https://www.stmattsav.org/post/moving-forward-a-compassionate-response-to-injustice.

Diocesan Youth Events

Happening 108 on Nov. 17-19: Happening is a Christian experience presented by teenagers, for teenagers in grades 10-12 with the help of clergy and lay adult leadership. The Happening Weekend begins Friday evening, November 17 and continues through Sunday afternoon, November 19.

T/W/Th Evening Prayer on Zoom and Facebook: On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, St. Matthew's invites you to pray Evening Prayer with us over Zoom at 5:00 PM. If you want to be in the Zoom call, please join by 4:55 PM using the link in the e-Newsletter.

The Offertory

[BCP, p. 376]

2024 Pledge Campaign Oct. 15 - Nov. 19: This campaign is essential for developing an accurate operating budget for the year 2024. St. Matthew's Vestry and Leadership expect the 2024 budget to be especially tight so we appreciate any increase in giving you can offer. We will have church members speaking each Sunday about the importance of giving to support the mission and ministry of our church. On November 19, we will offer thanks to God and bless all the pledges. Paper copies of the Pledge letters, forms, and 3rd quarter giving statements (January - September 2023) were mailed to all members of the church. You may offer your pledges on paper or online at www.tinyurl.com/StMattSav2024!

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 #208: We’ve Come This Far By Faith

[Refrain]

We've come this far by faith, Leaning on the Lord;

Trusting in His holy word,

He's never failed me yet.

O can't turn around.

We've come this far by faith.

1 Don't be discouraged when trouble's in your life. He'll bear your burdens and move all misery and strife. That's why we've [Refrain]

2 Just the other day I heard someone say

He didn't believe in God's word; but I can truly say that God had made a way

and He never failed me yet. That's why we've [Refrain]

[Words: Albert A. Goodson. Music: Albert A. Goodson; harm. Richard Smallwood. Words and Music Copyright © 1963 MANNA MUSIC, INC. 25510 Stanford. International Copyright secured. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Harm. Copyright © 1963 MANNA MUSIC, INC. Renewed 1981by MANNA MUSIC, INC. International copyright secured. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #22180. All rights reserved.]

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

Praise God, Praise God, Praise God!

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Circling through earth so all may grow

Vanquishing fear so all may give

Widening grace so all may live

Amen.

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,

LEV #260:

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.

LEV #264: The Lord’s Prayer

[Compare 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 Breaking of the Bread

Silence may be kept.

The Fraction Anthems

[BCP, p. 364]

Hymn S-152

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

All baptized Christians of any denomination are invited to come forward to participate fully in Communion. Baptized children may receive at the discretion of their parents.

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 raise your hand when you are at the altar rail.

If you would not like to receive Communion for any reason, please cross your arms over your chest, and the Priest will say a blessing over you.

If you are worshipping online, you may pray to receive spiritual communion using the following prayer:

In union, O Lord, with your faithful people at every altar of your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated, I desire to offer to you praise and thanksgiving. I remember your death, Lord Christ; I proclaim your resurrection; I await your coming in glory. Since I cannot receive you today in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, I beseech you to come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you in me, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.

LEV #89: My Jesus, I Love Thee

1 My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine,

For thee all the follies of sin I resign;

My gracious Redeemer, my Savior are thou:

If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

2 I love thee because thou hast first loved me,

And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree,

I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow:

I ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

3 I’ll love thee in life, I will love thee in death,

And praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath;

And say when the death-dew lies cold on my brow,

“If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.”

4 In mansions of glory and endless delight,

I’ll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;

I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,

“If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.”

[Words: William R. Featherstone. Public Domain. Music: Ardoniram J. Gordon. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #94922]

LEV #87: More Love to Thee, O Christ

1 More love to thee, O Christ,

More love to thee!

Hear thou the prayer I make

On bended knee;

This is my earnest plea;

Refrain:

More love, O Christ, to Thee,

More love to thee, More love to thee!

2 Once earthly joy I craved,

Sought peace and rest;

Now thee alone I seek,

Give what is best;

This all my prayer shall be: [Refrain]

3 Then shall my every breath

Sing out your praise;

This be the only song

My heart shall raise;

This still my prayer shall be: [Refrain]

[Words: Elizabeth P. Prentiss. Public Domain. Music: William H. Doane. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #TLC-000298]

The Post-Communion Prayer

[BCP, p. 366; Enriching our Worship 2 [2000], pp. 56-57]

Let us pray.

For In-Person Worshippers:

Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

For Online Worshippers and Those Receiving Spiritual Communion:

Faithful God, in the wonder of your wisdom and love you fed your people in the wilderness with the bread of angels, and you sent Jesus to be the bread of life. Though we cannot consume now these gifts of bread and wine, we thank you that we have received the sacrament of Christ’s presence, the forgiveness of sins, and all other benefits of Christ’s passion. By the power of the Holy Spirit, may we embody your desire and be renewed for your service through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

The Blessing of the People

Hymn #690: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

1 Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,

pilgrim through this barren land;

I am weak, but thou art mighty;

hold me with thy powerful hand;

bread of heaven, bread of heaven,

feed me now and evermore,

feed me now and evermore.

2 Open now the crystal fountain,

whence the healing stream doth flow;

let the fire and cloudy pillar

lead me all my journey through;

strong deliverer, strong deliverer.

be thou still my strength and shield,

be thou still my strength and shield.

3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,

bid my anxious fears subside;

death of death, and hell's destruction,

land me safe on Canaan's side;

songs of praises, songs of praises,

I will ever give to thee,

I will ever give to thee.

[Words: William Williams; Tr. Peter Williams. Public Domain. Music: Cwm Rhondda, John Hughes. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #97969]

The Dismissal

[BCP, p. 366]

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!

Thanks be to God!

The Parish Prayer List

PRAYER LIST: Presslyne Abraham, Mary Bonaparte, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Enrique Davis, Aaron Duplechien, Jr., Charles Gordon, Marva Harris, David Jones, Beverly Kemp, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Renee Nails, Russell Nails, Jeannette Outing, Jewel Wheeler

BIRTHDAYS: Mattie Blake (11/12), Beryl Dandy (11/12), General Cope (11/15), Timothy Rhett (11/16), Anthony Carrington (11/17)

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: N/A

RECENT DEATHS: Mary Bonaparte

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 November 12, 2023

The Holy Eucharist

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The Holy Eucharist: Rite II

Hymn #436: Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates

The Opening Acclamation

The Collect for Purity

Hymn S280: Glory to God

The Collect of the Day

A Reading from the Book of Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25

Psalm 78:1-7

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

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians 4:13-18

Hymn #53: Once He Came in Blessing (verses 1-3)

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Matthew (25:1-13)

Hymn #53: Once He Came in Blessing (verse 4)

The Sermon

The Nicene Creed

The Prayers of the People, Form VI

Confession of Sin

The Peace

Parish Announcements

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

The Offertory

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

LEV #208: We’ve Come This Far By Faith

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

Eucharistic Prayer B

LEV #264: The Lord’s Prayer

The Breaking of the Bread

The Fraction Anthems

The Distribution of Holy Communion

LEV #89: My Jesus, I Love Thee

LEV #87: More Love to Thee, O Christ

The Post-Communion Prayer

For In-Person Worshippers:

For Online Worshippers and Those Receiving Spiritual Communion:

The Blessing of the People

Hymn #690: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

The Dismissal

The Parish Prayer List

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