The Holy Eucharist: The Liturgy of the Word
23rd Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 27, Year A) November 8, 2020
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
Sunday at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)
Preface
I am posting this worship service online because we at St. Matthew's Church in Savannah are unable to gather together in person this week. Due to the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) outbreak, public health officials recommend avoiding large gatherings of people to avoid spreading the illness to more vulnerable people. Therefore, under the guidance of the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, the Vestry has decided to keep our church building closed to all in-person gatherings.
At 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, I will broadcast the following worship service using Facebook Live at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav. After the service concludes, you can re-watch it at any time.
Today's service is the Liturgy of the Word (or the first part of the Holy Eucharist service we use on normal Sundays). This is for use at home while watching the live stream or reading the prayers when you cannot physically attend worship. Lay people may read the entirety of this service as printed.
May God protect you from this virus and protect the most vulnerable among us. May we be God’s hands and feet of compassion and service to all in need during this time. Amen.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
The Word of God
Hymn #11: Awake My Soul and With the Sun
1 Awake, my soul, and with the sun
thy daily stage of duty run;
shake off dull sloth, and joyful rise
to pay thy morning sacrifice.
2 Lord, I my vows to thee renew;
disperse my sins as morning dew.
guard my first springs of thought and will,
and with thyself my spirit fill.
3 Direct, control, suggest, this day,
all I design, or do, or say;
that all my powers, with all their might,
in thy sole glory may unite.
4 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host:
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Words: Thomas Ken, alt.; Public Domain.
Music: Morning Hymn, melody François Hippolyte Barthélémon; harm. The Church Hymnal for the Church Year (1917); Public Domain.
Opening Sentences
[BCP, p. 355]
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And blessed be his 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 S 280: Glory to God in the Highest
[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 #77081. All rights reserved.
The Collect of the Day
[BCP, p. 357, 235]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from Wisdom of Solomon (6:12-20)
Wisdom is radiant and unfading,
and she is easily discerned by those who love her,
and is found by those who seek her.
She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.
One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty,
for she will be found sitting at the gate.
To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding,
and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care,
because she goes about seeking those worthy of her,
and she graciously appears to them in their paths,
and meets them in every thought.
The beginning of wisdom is the most sincere desire for instruction,
and concern for instruction is love of her,
and love of her is the keeping of her laws,
and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality,
and immortality brings one near to God;
so the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 70
[BCP, p. 585]
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
1 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me; * O Lord, make haste to help me.
2 Let those who seek my life be ashamed and altogether dismayed; * let those who take pleasure in my misfortune draw back and be disgraced.
3 Let those who say to me "Aha!" and gloat over me turn back, * because they are ashamed.
4 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; * let those who love your salvation say for ever, "Great is the Lord!"
5 But as for me, I am poor and needy; * come to me speedily, O God.
6 You are my helper and my deliverer; * O Lord, do not tarry.
A Reading from the First 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 #620: Jerusalem, My Happy Home
1 Jerusalem, my happy home,
when shall I come to thee?
When shall my sorrows have an end?
Thy joys when shall I see?
2 Thy saints are crowned with glory great;
they see God face to face;
they triumph still, they still rejoice
in that most happy place.
3 There David stands with harp in hand
as master of the choir:
ten thousand times would one be blest
who might this music hear.
4 Our Lady sings Magnificat
with tune surpassing sweet,
and blessed martyrs' harmony
doth ring in every street.
5 Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
God grant that I may see
thine endless joy, and of the same
partaker ever be!
Words: F. B. P., alt.; Public Domain
Music: Land of Rest, American folk hymn; adapt. and harm. Annabel Morris Buchanan; Public Domain.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84117. All rights reserved.
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.
The Sermon
“Keep Awake” by the Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda
Today’s Gospel story is about waiting -- waiting and staying ready. Jesus tells a story about ten women waiting for the start of a wedding, waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom. For some reason, they don’t know when the wedding is supposed to start. Or maybe the groom is late. But either way, they begin their evening ready for the party and holding lamps. I imagine that the sun is coming down and they need the lamps to light the way for the procession. But half of them don’t bring extra oil. They end up waiting longer than expected and those five young women run out.
For the lamp to run out of oil, they must have been waiting for a few hours. Remember, that they are all ready for a wedding, so they are dressed to the nines, hair done, heels on, and everything. It’s hard to stand around and wait when you don’t know how long you’ll be on your feet. The five bridesmaids who Jesus calls foolish did not bring enough supplies for the long wait. They were unprepared for how long it would take to reach their goal and enter the party. So they leave to get more oil and they miss the bridegroom’s arrival.
The message at the end of the story is simple. Be ready. “Keep awake, therefore for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matt 25:13). On the surface, this parable is an allegory for the church as we wait for Jesus to return to us in the Day of Judgment. But it applies to all kinds of other waiting as well. Especially when we read it alongside the Wisdom of Solomon 6, we see that our patience and preparedness are deeply tied to moral wisdom.
“To fix one’s thought on [wisdom] is perfect understanding, and one who is vigilant on [wisdom’s] account will soon be free from care, because she [wisdom] goes about seeking those worthy of her, and she graciously appears to them in their paths, and meets them in every thought” (Wisdom 6:15-16).
If you seek wisdom, God will grant it. But you must seek it and stay vigilant on wisdom’s account. You must be persistent and relentless in your pursuit of godly wisdom. Wisdom is a gift from the Holy Spirit, and it’s a gift we need to cultivate and nurture it so it will grow. Wisdom is the ability to tell right from wrong and to make difficult decisions. Wisdom helps drive us to keep awake and wait patiently for God’s good timing to act. Wisdom helps us maintain our focus on godly virtues like love, mercy, and justice, even when the world around us is full of chatter and distractions.
The Diocese of Georgia’s Convention is happening this Friday and Saturday, so I’m filming this week’s sermon a little earlier than normal, on Wednesday. As of right now, our nation is waiting. We still don’t know who has won each of the many political positions that were up for grabs on Election Day. We’re waiting to see who the President will be in January. But as we wait, our call is to stay ready, to “keep awake” (Matt 25:13).
No matter the results of this election, it’s the church’s job to stand for justice for all. We have worked hard to defend our own communities. But we must also defend the rights of every other community. Jesus’ call to love our neighbor does not end if somebody has a different skin color or speaks a different language or does not have a home or does not have a job or is not a citizen in our country. No matter what line we might be able to draw between ourselves, God transcends them all. God’s love is greater than all our human differences. Being politically engaged Christians means looking out for the interests of all people, not just our own.
So as we enter a new political era in our country, Jesus is calling us to keep awake. Keep searching for wisdom. Keep thinking critically about what powerful people say and do. Don’t be so comfortable in the mainstream political camps that our attitude becomes warlike. The us-them mentality sows hatred and discord, but it also makes us blind to the mistakes and problems of our temporary political allies. Keep discerning between right and wrong, no matter who the messenger is.
The American political process does not end on Election Day. It begins anew. Even if candidates we like enter office, it’s our job as citizens to put pressure on them to keep their campaign promises and act on behalf of all. We have to use the political power and sway that we have in order to pursue wise, just policies that benefit the least powerful and privileged among us.
That’s what it means to “keep awake” and “seek wisdom.” We don’t let our guard down. We don’t assume that our work of loving and defending neighbors is ever done. It takes constant vigilance. It takes a lifetime of desiring and loving wisdom because wisdom helps us to discern between good and evil.
I know we are all tired of the political rhetoric and ads. We’re tired from the work we have done to organize this community and accomplish whatever goals we may have accomplished. But Jesus is calling us to “keep awake.” Because we are also sick and tired of injustice, sick and tired of people getting locked up or killed, sick and tired of dishonesty and deceit from those in power.
If we are wise enough to see through the political and social haze, we know that our struggle is not over no matter who sits in the White House, the halls of Congress, the Governor’s Mansion, or City Hall. All leaders must be held accountable for the great power with which they have been entrusted. That takes patience and a love for wisdom, justice, and mercy. That takes staying awake, staying vigilant, and staying relentless.
Here’s some Good News: we may be tired, but God is not. In the words of the Prophet Isaiah, “Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:30-31). May God be our wisdom and our strength as we keep awake and wait. Amen.
The Nicene Creed
[BCP, p. 358]
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 & Confession of Sin
[Adapted from Form VI, BCP, p. 392]
In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.
Silence, about 5 seconds.
For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.
For Donald, our president; Brian, our governor; Van, our mayor; Al, the chair of our County Commission; Ann, the Superintendent of our Public Schools, 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; 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: Martha Avery, Zavier Bradley, Raleigh Bryant, Christine Brown, Mark Case, Genella Chamberlain, Annie Colbert, Lazola Cope, Alice Dailey, Beryl Dandy, Mark Dashiell, Brittany Dawson, Imani Ferguson, Ruby Fernandez, Harry Frazier, Gary Gordon, Amanda Green, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Enoch Henderson, Charles E. Hines, Kenneth Howard, Terri Howard, Dale Hundley, Jared Hundley, Tracy Hundley, Milinda James, Alvin Jenkins, Dana Jenkins, Frances T. Jones, Lori Jones, Robert L. Jones, Sr., Ronald Jones, Tonya Jones, Whitney Kennedy, Leonard Law, Jr., Ralph Lovett, Ryan Lovett, Tammie Lovett, Marcus Marzen, Joan Maty, Craig Maxwell, Sada Maxwell, Carmelita Maynard, Bette Milledge, Hollie Moultrie, Patricia Murry, Russell Nails, Dorothy Neal, Glenzy Payne, Robert Payne, Dison Washington Slaughter, James Small, Gwendolyn Smith, Willie Stephens, Lori Ward, Gertrude Washington, Anthony Watts, and Noel 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 Jacqueline Bryant (11/8), Nicholas Maiorano (11/11), Mattie Blake (11/12), and Beryl Dandy (11/12) on their birthdays; and for other blessings we remember 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, [especially ___] 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.
We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.
Silence may be kept.
Leader and People:
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; in your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone; and so uphold us by your Spirit that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Celebrant concludes with an absolution or a suitable Collect.
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.
Announcements
A. 2021 Pledge Campaign: Saturday, October 24 was the launch of our 2021 Pledge Campaign with the Appreciation and Stewardship Kickoff Dinner To-Go! If you have not received a Stewardship Goodie Bag, please contact Fr. Arboleda at FrGAA@StMattSav.org or by cell to arrange for a pickup or delivery time.
This campaign is the Vestry’s opportunity to check in with different members and your opportunity to reconsider your commitments to St. Matthew’s in the coming year. Pledges are now available online (see below). Physical copies were distributed at the A.S.K. Dinner To-Go and will be mailed to other members. All pledges are due by November 22, when we will bless the pledges and give thanks for God’s many blessings!
Many thanks to the Vestry (and especially our Senior Warden, Toni Blue) for organizing our A.S.K. Dinner To-Go. The Vestry also thanks Anthony Blue for the St. Matthew's grocery bags, Rachael Blue-Jones and Teresa Blue-Clemons for the bookmarks and DVD's, Paul Berksteiner and Jonathan Newton for grilling the chicken, and Evalena Hoskins and Evadne Roberts baking the cakes.
B. Fr. Arboleda Called As Missioner of Racial Reconciliation & Healing: The Bishop of Georgia and St. Matthew's Vestry have called Fr. Arboleda to serve the Diocese in a one-quarter time capacity. Fr. Arboleda will continue to serve as Rector of St. Matthew's with three-quarters of his work time. The focus of this new call will be on public policy research and advocacy across Georgia and developing antiracism training for clergy and laity of the Diocese.
Last week, The Savannah Morning News and The Savannah Tribune published an op-ed by Fr. Arboleda that was co-signed by many local clergy. We want the Georgia Secretary of State and Chatham County Board of Elections to commit to counting every vote in this year's election, no matter how long it takes to count and certify these results. Read it here: https://www.savannahtribune.com/articles/count-every-vote-an-open-letter-to-the-chatham-county-board-of-elections/.
C. Diocese of Georgia Convention 11/6-7: The Diocese of Georgia held its 199th annual convention this weekend. This was the first-ever all-virtual Convention in our Diocese's history. Many thanks to St. Matthew's delegates and alternate delegates: Fr. Guillermo Arboleda (Clergy), Mrs. Idella Jones (Lay), Ms. Evadne Roberts (Lay), Mrs. Juray Brown (Lay Alternate), and Mrs. Rachael Blue-Jones (Lay Alternate).
Learn more here: https://gaepiscopal.org/convention2020/
D. Wednesday Evening Prayer via Zoom: On Wednesdays in November, Fr. Arboleda will invite parishioners to pray Evening Prayer with him over Zoom. The video will still stream to Facebook Live at 5:00 PM, but we'll see more faces and hear more voices. To join the Zoom call, click the link below at 4:45 PM on Wednesday. Otherwise, watch the prayer service like you have been on Facebook Live. If this goes well, we will expand to Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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: Wednesday Evening Prayer
Time: Nov 4, 2020 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Every week on Wed, 3 occurrence(s)
Nov 4, 2020 05:00 PM
Nov 11, 2020 05:00 PM
Nov 18, 2020 05:00 PM
Meeting ID: 937 2001 5885
Passcode: SEE e-NEWSLETTER
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,93720015885#,,,,,,0#,,684049# US (Germantown)
Dial by your location: +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
Meeting ID: 937 2001 5885
Passcode: SEE e-NEWSLETTER
E. New Bookkeeper Job Description: St. Matthew's Episcopal Church is seeking a dedicated and self-motivated person to fill our open Bookkeeper position. The purpose of this role is to support the parish’s financial administration through reporting on the state of its finances faithfully, accurately, and regularly. This job is part-time for approximately 5-10 hours of work per week. Relevant accounting experience is preferred. The salary is negotiable based on experience.
If you are interested in the position, please email a cover letter and resume to Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda at FrGAA@StMattSav.org.
F. “Trip Around the World” Quilt Raffle: The Quilter's Guild, through St. Matthew's ECW, is raffling a "Trip Around the World" Quilt to benefit St. Matthew's Building Renovation Fund. This fund supports major extra-budgetary building improvement projects, such as painting, replacing the sound system, replacing the oven in Toomer-Walker Hall, etc.
This beautiful, jewel-toned quilt measures 103"x90" and will fit a queen-sized bed. This machine-stitched quilt in tones of deep violet amethyst, blue sapphire, green emerald, blue topaz, and green peridot will enhance any bedroom.
The winner will be announced on September 30, 2021. Winners do not need to be present to win. In addition to the grand prize of the "Trip Around the World '' quilt, there will be interim raffles of seasonal quilt-type projects for no additional ticket purchase. Interim winners will still be eligible for the grand prize. The first interim drawing will be December 15, 2020.
Tickets are $15 each. Please make donations in $15 increments. Tickets may be purchased by:
Mailing a check to St. Matthew's with "Quilt Raffle" in the memo line; OR
Expect your raffle tickets to be returned to you by mail or email within 5-7 business days of receipt. Direct any questions to office@stmattsav.org.
G. “Women in Genesis” Sundays at 11:00: This Christian Education course for teens and adults will be held virtually on Sunday mornings from 11:00 AM - 12:00 noon for 6 weeks from October 18 - November 22. (Note that this course runs parallel to the Diocesan Godly Play for children, listed below.)
This course will survey the women of Genesis, the first book in the Old Testament / Hebrew Bible. While the Bible is predominantly written by men and through patriarchal, male biases, women are featured more often than is commonly known. The Rev. Dr. Wilda Gafney’s seminal work Womanist Midrash offers ancient and modern commentary on the women of Israel’s scriptures, highlighting their oft-neglected experiences, perspectives, and lessons for today.
Learn more and register at https://tinyurl.com/WomeninGenesis.
H. Children’s Godly Play @ 11 AM: This Sunday the Diocese will continue a series of virtual Godly Play offerings. Godly Play is a Montessori-based curriculum that focuses on telling stories using physical materials and allowing participants to play and work with the stories at their own level.
Learn more by visiting the Diocese of Georgia Facebook page (see below) and subscribing to From the Field (https://gaepiscopal.org/from-the-field/). Please contact Canon Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org for the Zoom link and with your questions.
Diocese of Georgia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgiaepiscopal/
I. EYCS Scholarship Fundraiser: EYCS (Episcopal Youth and Children's Services) is a Diocese of Georgia scholarship fund that any college-bound Episcopal youth can apply for. We presently have two students who are benefitting from the fund, and we hope to have more in the future!
Due to COVID-19 the ECW is unable the hold its annual Silver Tea, a fundraiser with the proceeds going towards EYCS. In order to continue our support to the EYCS fund, we are asking for your support.
Please mail checks or money orders to St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, make them payable to "St. Matthew's ECW," and write "EYCS" on the memo line. If you prefer to give online, you may donate directly to the Diocese of Georgia via http://eycs.georgiaepiscopal.org (Click the “Donate” button at the bottom of the page).
The last date for contributions is November 30. Please contact Mrs. Georgette Kelley or Mrs. Evalena Hoskins for more information. If you give online, please inform Mrs. Kelley and Mrs. Hoskins so they know that St. Matthew’s members have contributed.
J. Virtual Coffee Hour 11/8 with SAIJM Q&A: We will hold a virtual "Coffee Hour" over Zoom next Sunday (November 8), and again on every other Sunday at 10:30 AM. (Thank you to Mrs. Rachael Blue-Jones who is donating a professional Zoom login to the church for our use.)
On November 8, St. Matthew's Justice Ministry Team Leaders will hold a Q&A about Savannah Area Interfaith Justice Ministry and the stories we have collected in our Sacred Conversations. Come with open ears and hearts to learn about this new initiative to bring positive change to our city!
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: St. Matthew's Coffee Hour
Time: Nov 8, 2020 10:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 825 7251 1175
Passcode: SEE e-NEWSLETTER
Dial by your location
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 825 7251 1175
Passcode: SEE e-NEWSLETTER
K. Giving to St. Matthew's: Many people are feeling the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis, including the church. We still need your support to pay our staff, pay our bills, and provide for these online live streams. If you pledged a donation in 2020 and are able, please continue making those contributions. If you have not pledged, please consider donating to St. Matthew’s now and in the future. 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.
The Offertory
[BCP, p. 377]
“Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for 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 has made a way
And He never failed me yet
That's why we've... (Refrain)
Words & Music: Albert A. Goodson © 1963, 1991, 1993 MANNA MUSIC, INC.; harm. Richard Smallwood © 1963, 1981, 1993 MANNA MUSIC, INC.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #22180. All rights reserved.
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 Blessing & Dismissal
[Enriching Our Worship 1, p. 71; BCP, p 366]
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 may God’s blessing be with you always. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord!
Thanks be to God!
Permissions: 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), African American Heritage Hymnal (AAHH) and other sources cited. Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture readings and quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible