Sunday Worship on November 13, 2022
Updated: Nov 28, 2022
The Holy Eucharist
The 23rd Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 28C)
November 13, 2022 at 9:30 AM
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The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
Hymn #371: Thou, Whose Almighty Word
1 Thou, whose almighty Word
chaos and darkness heard, and took their flight; Hear us, we humbly pray,
and, where the Gospel’s day sheds not its glorious ray,
Let there be light!
2 Thou, who didst come to bring on Thy redeeming wing healing and sight. Health to the sick in mind, sight to the inly blind, now to all human-kind, Let there be light!
3 Spirit of truth and love, life giving, holy Dove, speed forth Thy flight! Move on the waters' face bearing the gifts of grace, and, in earth’s darkest place, Let there be light!
4 Holy and blessed Three, glorious Trinity, wisdom, love, might! boundless as ocean’s tide, rolling in fullest pride, through the world far and wide, Let there be light!
[Words: John Marriott, alt., Public Domain. Music: Moscow, Felice de Giardini; harm. The New Hymnal, based on Hymns Ancient and Modern, and Lowell Mason, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.]
The Opening Acclamation
[BCP, p. 355]
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!
And blessed be God's kingdom, now and forever! Amen!
A 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 S-280: 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.
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Robert Powell © 1985, Church Publishing, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #28331. All rights reserved.]
The Collect of the Day
[BCP, p. 357, 236]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Malachi 4:1-2a
See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 98
[BCP, p. 727-728]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
1 Sing to the Lord a new song, * for he has done marvelous things.
2 With his right hand and his holy arm * has he won for himself the victory.
3 The Lord has made known his victory; * his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.
4 He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, * and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
5 Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands; * lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.
6 Sing to the Lord with the harp, * with the harp and the voice of song.
7 With trumpets and the sound of the horn * shout with joy before the King, the Lord.
8 Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, * the lands and those who dwell therein.
9 Let the rivers clap their hands, * and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord,
when he comes to judge the earth.
10 In righteousness shall he judge the world * and the peoples with equity.
A Reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians 3:6-13
Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, and we did not eat anyone's bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn #598: Lord Christ, When First Thou Cam'st to Earth (Verses 1-3)
1 Lord Christ, when first thou cam’st to earth,
upon a cross they bound thee,
and mocked thy saving kingship then
by thorns with which they crowned thee;
and still our wrongs may weave thee now
new thorns to pierce that steady brow,
and robe of sorrow round thee.
2 O aweful Love, which found no room
in life where sin denied thee,
and, doomed to death,
must bring to doom the powers which crucified thee,
till not a stone was left on stone,
and all those nations’ pride,
o’er thrown, went down to dust beside thee!
3 New advent of the love of Christ,
shall we again refuse thee,
till in the night of hate and war
we perish as we lose thee?
From old unfaith our souls release
to seek the kingdom of they peace,
by which alone we choose thee.
[Words: Walter Russell Bowie, alt., Copyright © 1966 Abingdon Press, by permission of the family of Walter Russell Bowie. Music: Mit Freuden zart, melody from "Une Pastourelle gentille," adapt. Pseaumes cinquante de David, and Kirchengeseng darimnen die Heubtartickel des christlichen Glaubrens gefasset, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #47737. 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 Luke 21:5-19
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, "As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down."
They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?" And he said, "Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, `I am he!' and, `The time is near!' Do not go after them.
"When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.
"But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls."
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Hymn #598: Lord Christ, When First Thou Cam'st To Earth (Verse 4)
4 O wounded hands of Jesus,
build in us thy new creation;
our pride is dust, our vaunt is stilled,
we wait thy revelation:
O love that triumphs over loss,
we bring our hearts before thy cross,
to finish thy salvation.
[Words: Walter Russell Bowie, alt., Copyright © 1966 Abingdon Press, by permission of the family of Walter Russell Bowie. Music: Mit Freuden zart, melody from "Une Pastourelle gentille," adapt. Pseaumes cinquante de David, and Kirchengeseng darimnen die Heubtartickel des christlichen Glaubrens gefasset, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #47737. All rights reserved.]
The Sermon
"Ubuntu" by The Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda, Rector
“Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right” (2 Thess 3:13).
Today we are coming to the end of our 2023 Pledge Campaign. We have invited you, our members, to communicate with church leadership about your intentions and goals for 2023. Our pledge forms ask about your involvement in various ministries, about your participation in worship (whether in-person or online), and about your financial contributions to our common life. All of this is intentional. The common stewardship refrain is “time, talents, and treasure.” All of these parts of ourselves are connected. God is concerned with our whole being — not just our thoughts, not just our feelings, not just our intentions, not just our words, not just our actions, but all of it together, the whole person. And, likewise, all of us are connected to one another. All of us depend on each other.
I imagine that all of you have heard of Ubuntu, which comes from a Zulu proverb meaning, “a person is a person through other people” (Ifejika). In other words, my humanity depends on yours. Desmond Tutu, the late Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, once wrote, “Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you cannot exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can’t be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality—Ubuntu—you are known for your generosity.”
I spent this weekend with several others from St. Matthew’s at the Diocese of Georgia’s Annual Convention. One of the many gifts of our annual conventions is the ability to reconnect with friends from other places and share ideas with one another. Our Conventions are a reminder of our parish’s interconnectedness with the Diocese and the whole Church. In fact, when I was at the Convention, a friend from Christ Church Savannah brought this lesson about Ubuntu to my attention.
Every one of us in the room or watching this video needs each other to make up St. Matthew’s. And St. Matthew’s needs Christ Church and the rest of the Diocese of Georgia. And the Diocese of Georgia needs the rest of the Dioceses of The Episcopal Church. And The Episcopal Church needs the rest of the Anglican Communion. And the Anglican Communion needs the people of every other Christian Church, from every denomination. And we Christians need the rest of humanity, whatever religion they practice. And humanity needs the earth, air, plants, and animals, the sun, moon, and stars, and everything else in God’s good Creation. None of us is independent. We are all interdependent. A person is a person through other people.
Psalm 98 is one example from Scripture of this teaching. The psalmist calls on faithful people to “sing to the Lord a new song” (98:1). But then we call on other parts of Creation to worship God with us: all “lands” (98:5, 8), the “sea” (98:8), the “rivers,” and the “hills” (98:9). The whole earth joins us in praising God because God made it all and we all depend on one another. Just as God has entrusted the people of this community to be stewards of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, God entrusted humankind to be stewards of the earth. Not only is it in our collective self-interest to protect and preserve the earth, but God commands it. God loves the land, water, plants, and animals, almost as much as God loves us.
But to answer that call, we need to remember our interdependence. We need to remember the spirit of Ubuntu. We might say, a creature is a creature through other creatures. St. Paul talks about this interconnectedness in the context of a church community. We need to work together for the good of the community. We cannot take anything for granted. We must never grow “weary in doing what is right” for our common good (2 Thess 3:13). This is tricky because at the end of the day, we rely on God to provide. None of us can fix church problems or community problems by working the hardest. But we can be the hands and feet of Christ to one another. God can use us to answer one another’s prayers, to show God’s love in a time of need.
Our interdependence, our Ubuntu, is especially important now in this COVID-19, post-2020 reality. Our community has changed. Our methods of gathering together have changed. For many of us, online church has taken the place of in-person church. And I don’t want to come across as judging anyone for watching our live-stream; we provide it for a reason. But there is a key component missing if we never get to fellowship together in-person. The individual misses out on the blessings of the whole church, and the whole misses out on the blessings of those individuals. We all need each other. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I miss seeing all of your faces, and there are some of you watching that I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting in person. We need each other to be whole.
And all of that circles back to why pledging to give to the church matters. Pledging is a way of pitching in for the community. It’s a way of proclaiming that I am a part of this whole. It’s a way of acknowledging that my humanity depends upon yours and yours and yours and yours. Again, in Archbishop Tutu’s words, “when you have this quality—Ubuntu—you are known for your generosity.” May God make us generous people in giving to this church and to this neighborhood. May St. Matthew’s Church continue to be a people known for our generosity because we love and depend on our neighbors and we love and depend on our God. Amen.
Bibliography
Ifejika, Nkem. “What does ubuntu really mean?” The Guardian. Published 28 September 2006. Accessed 12 November 2022. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2006/sep/29/features11.g2.
Tutu, Desmond. Quoted in Clinton Foundation, “The Spirit of Ubuntu,” published 14 July 2012, accessed 12 November 2022, https://stories.clintonfoundation.org/the-spirit-of-ubuntu-6f3814ab8596. See also https://www.azquotes.com/quote/1074278.
Hymn #628: Help Us, O Lord, To Learn The Truths
1 Help us, O Lord, to learn
the truths your word imparts:
to study that your laws may be
inscribed upon our hearts.
2 Help us, O Lord, to live
the faith which we proclaim,
that all our thoughts and words and deeds
may glorify your name.
3 Help us, O Lord, to teach
the beauty of your ways,
that yearning souls may find the Christ,
and live a life of praise.
[Words: William Watkins Reid, Jr., alt., Copyright © 1959 The Hymn Society in the US & Canada. Music: St. Ethelwald, William Henry Monk, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #11650. All rights reserved.]
The Nicene Creed
[BCP, p. 358]
All standing as they are able, the People pray:
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
[Adapted from Form VI, BCP, p. 392]
In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.
[Silence]
For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.
For Joseph, our president; Brian, our governor; Van, our mayor; Chester, the chair of our County Commission; and all other civic officials; For this community, the nation, and the world;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.
For the just and proper use of your creation;
For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.
For all the churches in Savannah, that we may be one as you are one with the Son, and the Holy Spirit; For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.
For Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; Michael, our Presiding Bishop; Frank, our Bishop; Guillermo our Priest; 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: Anita Arboleda-Silva, Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Angelica Glover, Jordan Jones Green, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Benjamin Jones, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Bette Milledge, Jeffrey Miller, John "Butch" Mitchell, Jeanette Outing, and Jewel Wheeler, and those we remember now…
Hear us, Lord;
For your mercy is great.
We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life, especially for all visitors, those celebrating birthdays: Terry Newton (11/6), Jacqueline Bryant (11/8), Nicholas Maiorano (11/11), Mattie Blake (11/12), Beryl Dandy (11/12), General Cope (11/15), Timothy Rhett (11/16), Anthony Carrington (11/17), and Cory Taylor (11/19); those celebrating wedding anniversaries and any other thanksgivings we offer now...
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, especially for those we remember now...
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 a suitable Collect...
Confession of Sin
[BCP, p. 360]
The Deacon says
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept.
Deacon and People
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Bishop, when present, or the Priest, stands and says
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Peace
[BCP, p. 360]
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Parish Announcements
Click here to sign up for our e-Newsletter
2023 Pledge Campaign ENDS TODAY: On October 16, we launched our 2023 Pledge Campaign, inviting members of our church to plan for giving of their time, talent, and treasure in the coming year. Completing a pledge helps our church leadership plan for the parish budget and set ministry priorities for 2023 and beyond.
Recently we mailed the 2023 Pledge Letter, paper copies of the 2023 Pledge Form, and 2022 3rd Quarter Giving Statements (January 1 - September 30) to every member’s address we have on file. Click here to read the 2023 Pledge Letter. Click here to read the 2023 Giving Brochure.
You may submit paper copies of the 2023 Pledge form in the ballot box in Toomer-Walker Hall or you can complete your pledge online.
The Pledge Campaign ends today with a Blessing of the Pledges after the Offertory!
Report from Diocesan Convention: The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia just completed its 201st Convention in Savannah. The Convention opened with a beautiful sung Evening Prayer service at St. Matthew’s on Thursday night. Our church had four delegates to the Convention: the Revs. Guillermo Arboleda and Ella Roundtree-Davis as Clergy Delegates and Ms. Charlotte “Toni” Blue and Ms. Sheila Jones as Lay Delegates (Mrs. Margaret Anne Pearson and Mrs. Frieda Shorter served as Alternate Lay Delegates). Among our accomplishments, we passed the 2023 Diocesan Budget, passed major revisions to the Diocese’s Constitution and Canons, elected people to several Diocesan committees, and elected the Diocese of Georgia’s Clergy and Lay Deputies to the 2024 General Convention of The Episcopal Church. Our own Toni Blue was elected for a four-year term to the Standing Committee of the Diocese (like the Diocese’s Vestry) and the Rev. Kelly Steele was elected as a Deputy to the General Convention and the Chair of Georgia’s Deputation. Congratulations to them!
ECW Silver Tea Fundraiser Thank You! The ECW thanks the 80+ women who attended this year's Harvest Silver Tea. It was a huge success. Ann Hudson, long time ECW member, donated a handmade full size bed quilt that is being raffled as part of the tea fundraiser. All proceeds from the tea and raffle will benefit the EYCS College Scholarship Fund. To date more than 19 St. Matthew's youth have received scholarships from the EYCS. Next year three St. Matthew's youth will be eligible for scholarships.
There is still time to donate to the ECYS College Scholarship Fund. You can either purchase a raffle ticket ($15 each or 2 for $25) or by check for any amount made out to St. Matthew's; in the memo put EYCS. We will announce the total amount raised after the raffle ends on November 30, 2022.
Thank you St. Matthew's women for making this event a great success!
Strategic Planning Information Session Today: Stay after church today for an information session about Strategic Planning. The Vestry has just agreed to hire a church consultant to guide us through a Strategic Planning Process in 2023. The Rector and Vestry are now recruiting a Strategic Planning Team of 4-6 dedicated people who will learn from the consultant, do research on our church and city, plan the public listening sessions, and liaison with the Vestry.
Beforehand, this meeting is an opportunity to learn about the importance of strategic planning in general and hear from the Rector and Vestry about why we are committing to this process. Because this is such an important new initiative for us, we will livestream the session to Facebook so that our online-only congregants can participate as well.
CORR's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Movie Theater Outing Today: As part of CORR, our ongoing partnership with St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, Isle of Hope United Methodist Church, and Asbury United Methodist, we are going to the movies! To follow up on our discussions about race, colonialism, and Black sovereignty, we will go to NCG Cinema (3001 Skidaway Rd, Savannah, GA 31404) to watch Marvel Studios' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, directed by Ryan Coogler, today, at 2:30 PM. Afterward, we will go to dinner at Tubby's Tank House (2909 River Dr, Thunderbolt, GA 31404) to discuss the film.
Thanksgiving Day Ecumenical Service on 11/24: As part of our local ecumenical fellowship, Butler Memorial Presbyterian Church will host a Thanksgiving Day worship service at 11:00 AM. Their address is 603 West Victory Drive, Savannah, GA. Please let Fr. Arboleda know if you plan to attend and are interested in reading a Scripture lesson.
Gospel of Luke Bible Study on Wednesdays: Deacon Davis and Fr. Arboleda currently host a weekly Zoom Bible Study at 5:30 PM on Wednesdays after Evening Prayer. The group uses the same Zoom link as Evening Prayer (see e-Newsletter). This fall, the Bible Study will focus on the Gospel of Luke.
The Bible Study group is considering changing the time and format of the meeting. We are conducting a survey to find out if there is a day and time that works better for more people to meet for Bible Study and whether people prefer to continue meeting on Zoom or start to gather in person. Take the survey here: https://forms.gle/TQhWPsBZVrLDzrXB7
COVID-19 Safety Guidelines: On August 24, the Vestry adopted new, simplified COVID-19 Safety Guidelines. Masks will still be required for all who attend in-person worship services and events. To read the new guidelines in full, click here: https://www.stmattsav.org/post/new-covid-19-safety-guidelines-august-2022.
T/W/Th Evening Prayer: On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, St. Matthew's invites you to pray Evening Prayer over Zoom. The video will continue to stream to Facebook Live at 5:00 PM. Please join the Zoom call by 4:55 PM. Otherwise, watch the prayer service as you have been on Facebook Live.
For security purposes, below is the Meeting ID only; please check your St. Matthew's e-Newsletter for the password (or email FrGAA@StMattSav.org to request it).
Topic: Zoom Evening Prayer
Time: 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
Join Zoom Meeting: See e-Newsletter
Meeting ID: 991 8577 8541
Passcode: See e-Newsletter
Dial by your location: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
Meeting ID: 991 8577 8541
Passcode: See e-Newsletter
Pledge Campaign Testimonial
Rachael Blue Jones, Junior Warden
The Offertory
[BCP, p. 376]
Giving to St. Matthew's: We know that many people are feeling the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. The church is feeling it too. We still need your support to pay our staff, pay our bills, and provide for these online live streams. There are several ways to give, but the simplest are these:
Mail us a check or money order at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 1401 Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd, Savannah, GA 31415; OR
Make a secure online gift to St. Matthew’s and/or automate future gifts at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now; OR
Text “stmattsav” to 73256 to make a secure online donation through your phone.
NOTE: Donations made online (#2 or #3) through Realm incur a processing fee of about 2.5%. Please consider adding an additional 2.5% to your online gift to cover these costs.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’" [Acts 20:35]
Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now
Pledge online at: https://tinyurl.com/StMattSav2023
LEV #185: Blessed Quietness
1 Joys are flowing like a river, Since the comforter has come; He abides with us forever, Makes the trusting heart His home.
REFRAIN: Blessed quietness, holy quietness, What assurance is my soul, On the stormy sea, Jesus speaks to me, And the billows cease to roll.
2 Bringing life and health and gladness All around this heav’nly guest, Banished unbelief and sadness, Chang’d our weariness to rest. [Refrain]
3 Like the rain that falls from heaven, Like the sunlight from the sky, So the Holy Ghost is given, Coming on us from on high. [Refrain]
4 See, a fruitful field is growing, Blessed fruit of righteousness; And the streams of life are flowing In the lonely wilderness. [Refrain]
5 What a wonderful salvation, When we always see His face, What a perfect habitation, What a quiet resting place. [Refrain]
[Words: Marie P. Ferguson. Music: W.S. Marshall; arr. J. Jefferson Cleveland and Verolga Nix. Arr. Copyright © 1981 Abingdon. Reprinted from Songs of Zion by permission. Printed with permission under ONE LICENSE #59011. All rights reserved.]
AAHH #651: Doxology
[See also Hymn # 380, v. 3]
Praise God, Praise God, Praise God!
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
[Words: Thomas Ken, Public Domain. Music: Old 100th, attributed to Louis Bourgeois, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84260. All rights reserved.]
The Blessing of the Pledges
[Adapted from a prayer by the Rt. Rev. Greg Rickel, Bishop of Olympia]
Gracious and loving God, giver of all that is good and true and beautiful and life-giving. These pledges represent our sweat, they represent our lives, they represent our dreams. The pledges which we make on paper or online are but tokens of the awesome gifts that have been given to us and they are pledged in thanksgiving for all we have received, for all we have been inspired to be, for all we are challenged to become, in this place.
May they be the first fruits of all we have and not what we have left over, so that we may live out as closely as possible how you give to us. May we see them as our offering to you, sacred, holy, yet earthy, filled with possibilities. May we hold this image in our hearts and minds so as we watch our offerings each week come to your table, we can see our very selves being part of this offering: it is us on the table, living sacrifices to you. Bless us as we give of our time, talent, and treasure now, in 2023, and beyond. Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer B
[BCP, p. 367]
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 sings or says 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:
Hymn S-130:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
[Word: Public Domain. Music: From A Community Mass, Richard Proulx © 1971, 1977 GIA Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #00216. 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.
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Hezekiah Brinson © 1990 Hezekiah Brinson, Jr. All rights reserved.]
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, Blessed Stephen, Blessed Augustine, and all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.
By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer
[BCP, p. 364]
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Fraction Anthems
[BCP, p. 364, 407]
Hymn S-152:
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us!
Therefore let us keep the feast! Alleluia!
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Ambrosian chant; adapt. Mason Martens © 1971 Mason Martens.]
LEV #269:
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
grant us peace.
[Words: Public Domain. Music: Lena McLin, Eucharist of the Soul © 1972 General Words and Music Co. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #57436. All rights reserved.]
Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
The Gifts of God for the people of God.
AAHH #233: I Gave My Life For Thee (Choir Selection)
1 I gave My life for thee,
My precious blood I shed,
That thou might'st ransomed be,
And quickened from the dead;
I gave, I gave My life for thee -
What hast thou giv'n for Me?
I gave, I gave My life for thee -
What hast thou giv'n for Me?
2 My Father's house of light,
My glory-circled throne
I left, for earthly night,
For wand'rings sad and lone;
I left, I left it all for thee -
Hast thou left aught for Me?
I left, I left it all for thee -
Hast thou left aught for Me?
3 I suffered much for thee,
More than thy tongue can tell,
Of bitt'rest agony,
To rescue thee from hell;
I've borne, I've borne it all for thee -
What hast thou borne for Me?
I've borne, I've borne it all for thee -
What hast thou borne for Me?
4 And I have brought to thee,
Down from My home above,
Salvation full and free,
My pardon and My love;
I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee -
What hast thou brought to Me?
I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee -
What hast thou brought to Me?
[Text: Frances R. Havergal, Public Domain. Tune: Kenosis, Philip P. Bliss, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #73350. All Rights Reserved.]
The Post-Communion Prayer
[Enriching our Worship 2 [2000], pp. 56-57]
Let us pray.
For In-Person Worshippers:
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.
We thank you for feeding us with this bread.
May it strengthen us
that by the power of the Holy Spirit
we may embody your desire
and be renewed for your service
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
For Online Worshippers and Those Receiving Spiritual Communion:
Faithful God,
in the wonder of your wisdom and love
you fed your people in the wilderness with the bread of angels,
and you sent Jesus to be the bread of life.
Though we cannot consume now these gifts of bread [and wine],
we thank you that we have received the sacrament of Christ’s presence,
the forgiveness of sins, and all other benefits of Christ’s passion.
By the power of the Holy Spirit,
may we embody your desire
and be renewed for your service
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
The Blessing of the People
[Adapted from Enriching Our Worship 1, p. 71]
Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Go in peace to follow the good road and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.
The Dismissal
[BCP, p. 366]
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
Thanks be to God!
The Parish Prayer List
PRAYER LIST: Anita Arboleda-Silva, Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Angelica Glover, Jordan Jones Green, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Benjamin Jones, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Bette Milledge, Jeffrey Miller, John "Butch" Mitchell, Jeanette Outing, and Jewel Wheeler
BIRTHDAYS: Terry Newton (11/6), Jacqueline Bryant (11/8), Nicholas Maiorano (11/11), Mattie Blake (11/12), Beryl Dandy (11/12), General Cope (11/15), Timothy Rhett (11/16), Anthony Carrington (11/17), and Cory Taylor (11/19)
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. The Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.
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