Lysa Rodriguez
- Oct 29
- 24 min read

Sunday Worship on October 29, 2023

Updated: Nov 2

The Holy Eucharist

22nd Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 25A)

October 29, 2023 at 9:30 AM

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

Deacon: The Rev. Ella Roundtree-Davis, Deacon

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

The Holy Eucharist: Rite II

Hymn #680: O God Our Help in Ages Past

1 O God, our help in ages past,

our hope for years to come,

our shelter from the stormy blast,

and our eternal home:

2 under the shadow of thy throne

thy saints have dwelt secure;

sufficient is thine arm alone,

and our defense is sure.

3 Before the hills in order stood,

or earth received her frame,

from everlasting thou art God,

to endless years the same.

4 A thousand ages in thy sight

are like an evening gone;

short as the watch that ends the night

before the rising sun.

5 Time, like an ever-rolling stream,

bears all our years away;

they fly, forgotten, as a dream

dies at the opening day.

6 O God, our help in ages past,

our hope for years to come,

be thou our guide while life shall last,

and our eternal home.

[Words: Issac Watts; alt. para. of Psalm 90:1-5. Public Domain. Music: St. Anne, melody att. William Crft, alt. harm. William Henry Monk. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84147]

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:

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 the Book of Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. The Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord’s command. He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigor had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.

Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17

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

1 Lord, you have been our refuge * from one generation to another.

2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or the land and the earth were born, * from age to age you are God.

3 You turn us back to the dust and say, * "Go back, O child of earth."

4 For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past * and like a watch in the night.

5 You sweep us away like a dream; * we fade away suddenly like the grass.

6 In the morning it is green and flourishes; * in the evening it is dried up and withered.

13 Return, O Lord; how long will you tarry? * be gracious to your servants.

14 Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; * so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

15 Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us * and the years in which we suffered adversity.

16 Show your servants your works * and your splendor to their children.

17 May the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us; * prosper the work of our hands; prosper our handiwork.

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians 2:1-8

You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Hymn #609: Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life (verses 1-4)

1 Where cross the crowded ways of life,

where sound the cries of race and clan,

above the noise of selfish strife,

we hear thy voice, O Son of Man.

2 In haunts of wretchedness and need,

on shadowed thresholds dark with fears,

from paths where hide the lures of greed,

we catch the vision of thy tears.

3 The cup of water given for thee

still holds the freshness of thy grace;

yet long these multitudes to see

the true compassion of thy face.

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 (22:34-46)

Glory to you, Lord Christ.

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: “What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”’?

If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?” No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Hymn #609: Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life (verse 5)

4 O Master, from the mountain side,

make haste to heal these hearts of pain;

among these restless throngs abide,

O tread the city's streets again;

5 till all the world shall learn thy love,

and follow where thy feet have trod;

till glorious from thy heaven above,

shall come the city of our God.

The Sermon

“Love is the Answer” by the Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda, Rector

In last week’s Gospel story, Jesus spoke about paying taxes when the Pharisees and Herodians tried to test him. They tried to entrap Jesus, to get him to say something that would get him canceled. But instead he outsmarted them by teaching us about the image of Caesar on a coin and the image of God on every one of us.

This week, just a few verses later, the Pharisees tried to test Jesus again. They said, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” (Matthew 22:35). The test was that they asked him to rank or order God’s Law. They wanted him to dig himself into a hole. They wanted to accuse him of blasphemy again. They wanted him to say that God’s Word is not all equally important. They wanted to scandalize him. They hoped that he would give a foolish answer. They hoped that his wisdom was not equal to that of the biblical prophets. You may remember that the Prophet Micah summarized the law with three commands: “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

But it turns out that Jesus is wise. He is the very Word and Wisdom (Sophia) of God. According to Jesus, God’s Word is not all the same. There is a greatest and first commandment. “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt 22:37-40).

Jesus was able to be even more succinct than Micah. He gave less than three commands, but, notice that there still isn’t one greatest commandment. You need two. And you need these two, pulled from different books of the Law. One from Deuteronomy 6:5 and the other from Leviticus 19:18.

What is Jesus doing here with Scripture? Pulling pieces together from far away places is not always easy or natural. But what is the connection? Love! Love! Love! Jesus says that love is what holds all of the law and prophets together. Jesus says that love is what holds the universe together. Because as the Apostle John reminds us, “God is love, and those who remain in love remain in God and God remains in them” (1 John 4:16b).

We use Love to interpret scripture. We use Love to interpret tradition. We use Love to interpret our reason and experiences. We use Love to make decisions about our church’s work and mission. We use Love to tackle ethical and moral problems in everyday life. Love is the answer. Love is the final law. When in joy, choose love. When at peace, choose love. When in doubt, choose love. When in need, choose love. That love, which comes from God is what makes the Church the Church. Love is what unites us to people from all faiths or no faith at all to do good works in the world. That godly love is what can heal the hatred and divisions that divide us and drag us down.

It is this godly Love that has led our Episcopal Church to make changes over the years to the way we do things. Yesterday, in the “Why We Are Apart” seminar, we told many stories about how Anglican and Episcopal churches conspired to enslave, deceive, miseducate, and oppress African people for centuries. Episcopalians continued to support Jim Crow segregation outside and inside the church for decades after emancipation. But, Dr. Bertice reminded us that while The Episcopal Church used to be a leader in oppression, it is becoming a leader in liberation. Love is at the center of our denomination’s turn away from the racial caste system and toward something closer to God’s dream for humanity.

Godly love led our Episcopal Church to embrace the leadership of women in both lay and ordained ministry. 100 years ago, the closest that women could come to formal leadership was as “deaconesses,” which were considered lower than deacons, priests, and bishops. (That’s why we don’t use that title anymore.) Despite these impediments, deaconesses did amazing ministry in the Church, even planting new congregations and schools like St. Anna Alexander did in Pennick and Brunswick. Even in the 19th century, lay women were usually the most successful fundraisers for church projects and ministries.

But in the 1960s and 1970s, the Spirit was pushing our Church to do more. Women were being called to study in seminaries and pursue ordination as full deacons, and later as priests and bishops. In 1967, the General Convention allowed women to become deacons, but not priests or bishops. In an act of civil disobedience, on July 29, 1974, a group of bishops in Philadelphia agreed to ordain eleven women deacons to be priests. They became known as the Philadelphia Eleven and their witness to God’s love moving differently in the world pushed The Episcopal Church to formally allow women to be ordained as priests and bishops beginning in 1977. (In preparation for the 50th anniversary of that 1974 ordination, a group of Episcopalians has just released a documentary called Philadelphia Eleven that we will have a chance to watch at the Diocesan Convention in August in two weeks.)

These two examples have to do with Love because there are some Bible verses that talk about ordained leaders being “men” of good character, etc. Many Christians have used those verses as iron-clad rules. Folks argued that people should be separated by race, that Women should be barred from leadership, that gay and lesbian people should be barred from leadership. But this focus on rules ignores the greatest commandment, to love God and love neighbor and identify love when you see it. Some of the most faithful and loving clergy and lay people that I know are women, gay, lesbian, and transgender. Many mainstream Christians would say that we are wrong to celebrate their gifts, that the Bible is on their side, but we choose to listen to love.

Our Church has decided to read the Bible differently. Jesus didn’t interpret the Bible the mainstream way when love was on the table. He healed and performed miracles on the sabbath. He allowed his disciples to pick grain on the sabbath. He touched lepers and unclean sick people. He forgave a woman “caught in the act of adultery.” There are biblical commandments we could point to in every one of those cases that say on the surface that Jesus did the wrong thing. But Jesus never sinned. He chose to obey the command to love even when it bumped up against religious tradition.

The Episcopal Church has decided to focus on the great commandments of love, on doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. Like God’s word to St. Peter in Acts, we have chosen not to call unclean anything that God has made clean (Acts 10:15). Because God’s love shines through despite the labels we place on people, despite the dividing walls of hostility that we build between each other. God’s Holy Spirit of love and Christ Jesus who is our peace tear down those barriers between Jew and Gentile, Black and white, slave and free, men and women, gay and straight, and more.

These examples are lessons for us. We don’t have it all right. There are forms of bias, oppression, and hatred that we may not see yet. They are there, but we are still blind to them. That’s why we pray that God will help us to grow and glow in grace, to grow and glow in love. We pray for the ability to widen the circle of belonging and grow the reach of godly love in this community.

Let us pray:

Gracious God, you are always near to us and you never leave us without your peace, which passes all understanding: We give you thanks for inspiring us to seek your will for St. Matthew’s Church through Strategic Planning and Pledging. Send your life-giving Holy Spirit among us and help us to grow and glow in your grace as we prepare for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead of us; through Jesus Christ our Good Shepherd and Savior. Amen.

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, 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; 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 Eulalee Dandy (10/28), Yavonne Taylor (10/29), and Misha Taylor (11/4); 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!

JUST Annual Assembly & Candidates Forum on Oct. 30: JUST (Justice Unites Savannah Together) will host its Annual Assembly with a Mayoral and City Council Candidates Forum on Monday, October 30, 2023, from 7:00-9:00 PM at First Presbyterian Church, 520 Washington Ave, Savannah, GA 31401. All are welcome to attend. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about our interfaith justice ministry and the candidates in the upcoming local elections (Tuesday, November 7, 2023).

ECW Silver Tea on Nov. 4: The St. Matthew’s ECW Silver Tea will be held on Saturday, November 4, from 4 – 6 pm. All women of the church are members of the ECW and can host a table and invite their friends to join them. Women may host a half table and invite 3 friends or a whole table and invite 7 friends to attend. All proceeds from the tea support Episcopal Youth and Children's Services (EYCS), which provides college scholarships for youth in the Diocese of Georgia. The next planning meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 24, at 5:30 in Toomer Walker Hall.

Emmaus House Empty Bowl on Nov. 5: Emmaus House provides meals, showers, and laundry services to people in need in downtown Savannah. Come support their Annual Empty Bowl Fundraiser on Sunday, November 5, from 12:00 noon - 2:00 PM at Reynolds Square (in front of 18 Abercorn St, Savannah, GA 31401). St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church is a sponsor of the fundraiser. Tickets may be purchased for $20 at the door or online: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/13th-annual-empty-bowl-fundraiser-tickets-676679395287?aff=oddtdtcreator.

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.

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

AAHH #299: Blessed be the Name

[Refrain]

Blessed be the name! Blessed be the name!

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Blessed be the name! Blessed be the name!

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

1 All praise to God who reigns above

in majesty supreme, Who gave His Son

for all to die, that He might all redeem! [Refrain]

2 His name above all names shall stand,

exalted more and more, He's seated at Gods

right own hand, where angel hosts adore. [Refrain]

3 Redeemer, Savior, friend of all,

once ruined by the fall, Thou hast devised

salvation's call, For Thou hast died for all. [Refrain]

4 His name shall be the Counsel or

the mighty Prince of Peace, Of all earth's kingdoms

conqueror, whose reign shall never cease! [Refrain]

[Words: Verses, William H. Clark; Refrain, Ralph E. Hudson. Music: Blessed Name, LM with refrain; Ralph E. Hudson; Arr. by Nolan Williams © 2000, GIA Publications Inc. Copyright © 2016 by HAL LEONARD CORPORATION. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #271266. 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.

Hymn #336: Come With Us, O Blessed Jesus

1 Come with us, O blessed Jesus,

with us evermore to be; and through leaving now

thine altar, let us nevermore leave thee.

Be thou one with us forever, in our life

thy love divine our own flesh

and blood has taken and to us

thou givest thine.

2 Come with us, O mighty Savior,

God from God, and Light from Light;

thou art God, thy glory veiling,

so that we may bear the sight.

Now we go to seek and serve thee,

through our work as love divine

our own flesh and blood has taken,

and to us thou givest thine.

3 Come with us, O King of glory,

by angelic voices praised; in our hearts

as in thy heaven, be enraptured anthems raised.

Let the mighty chorus ever sing its glad

exultant songs; let its hymn be heard

forever peace for which creation longs.

[Words: John Henry Hopkins Jr, Charles P. Price; Sts 2-3 © 1982 Charles P Price . © 1982, Church Publishing, Inc. Music: Werde munter, Johann Schop; arr. and harm Joann Sebastian Bach. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #85626 ]

Hymn #508: Breathe On Me, Breath of God

1 Breathe on me, Breath of God,

fill me with life anew,

that I may love what thou dost love,

and do what thou wouldst do.

2 Breathe on me, Breath of God,

until my heart is pure,

until with thee I will one will,

to do or to endure.

3 Breathe on me, Breath of God,

till I am wholly thine,

till all this earthly part of me

glows with thy fire divine.

4 Breathe on me, Breath of God,

so shall I never die;

but live with thee the perfect life

of thine eternity.

[Words: Edwin Hatch, Public Domain. Music: Nova Nita, Lister R. Peace. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #50547]

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 #551: Rise Up, Ye Saints of God

1 Rise up, ye saints of God!

Have done with lesser things,

give heart and soul and mind and strength

to serve the King of kings.

2 Rise up, ye saints of God!

His kingdom tarries long;

Lord, bring the day of truth and love

and end the night of wrong.

3 Lift high the cross of Christ!

Tread where his feet have trod;

and quickened by the Spirit's power,

rise up, ye saints of God!

[Words: William Pierson Merrill; words used by permission of The Presbyterian Outlook, Richmond VA. Music: Festal Song, William H. Walter.]

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: Eulalee Dandy (10/28), Yavonne Taylor (10/29), Misha Taylor (11/4)

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: N/A

RECENT DEATHS: N/A

May the souls of all the departed rest in peace; and may light perpetual shine upon them. Amen.

Permissions and Credits: This service is reproduced from The Book of Common Prayer 1979 (BCP), Enriching Our Worship 1 (EOW1), The Hymnal 1982 (Hymn), Lift Every Voice and Sing II: An African American Hymnal (LEV), and other sources cited. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.

Image Credits: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/5602/aureus-coin-portraying-emperor-tiberius#

Sunday Worship on October 29, 2023

The Holy Eucharist

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

The Holy Eucharist: Rite II

Hymn #680: O God Our Help in Ages Past

The Opening Acclamation

The Collect for Purity

Hymn S280: Glory to God

The Collect of the Day

A Reading from the Book of Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17

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

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians 2:1-8

Hymn #609: Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life (verses 1-4)

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Matthew (22:34-46)

Hymn #609: Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life (verse 5)

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

AAHH #299: Blessed be the Name

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

Hymn #336: Come With Us, O Blessed Jesus

Hymn #508: Breathe On Me, Breath of God

The Post-Communion Prayer

For In-Person Worshippers:

For Online Worshippers and Those Receiving Spiritual Communion:

The Blessing of the People

Hymn #551: Rise Up, Ye Saints of God

The Dismissal

The Parish Prayer List

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