The Holy Eucharist
19th Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 22A)
October 8, 2023 at 9:30 AM
Celebrant: The Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda, Rector
Deacon & Preacher: The Rev. Ella Roundtree-Davis, Deacon
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
The Holy Eucharist: Rite II
Hymn #537: Christ for the World We Sing
1 Christ for the world we sing!
The world to Christ we bring
with loving zeal;
the poor and them that mourn,
the faint and overborne,
sin-sick and sorrow-worn,
whom Christ doth heal.
2 Christ for the world we sing!
The world to Christ we bring
with fervent prayer;
the wayward and the lost,
by restless passions tossed,
redeemed at countless cost,
from dark despair.
3 Christ for the world we sing!
The world to Christ we bring
with one accord;
with us the work to share,
with us reproach to dare,
with us the cross to bear,
for Christ our Lord.
4 Christ for the world we sing!
The world to Christ we bring
with joyful song;
the newborn souls, whose days,
reclaimed from error's ways,
inspired with hope and praise,
to Christ belong.
[Words: Samuel Wolcott, Public Domain. Music: Moscow, melody Felice de Giardini, harm. The New Hymnal (1916), based on Hymns Ancient and Modern (1875) and Lowell Mason, Public Domain. 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.
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.
[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, 234]
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Exodus (20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20)
Then God spoke all these words:
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work.
Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 19
Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, * and the firmament shows his handiwork. 2 One day tells its tale to another, * and one night imparts knowledge to another. 3 Although they have no words or language, * and their voices are not heard, 4 Their sound has gone out into all lands, * and their message to the ends of the world. 5 In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun; * it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber; it rejoices like a champion to run its course. 6 It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens and runs about to the end of it again; * nothing is hidden from its burning heat. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul; * the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent. 8 The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart; * the commandment of the Lord is clear and gives light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever; * the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, * sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb. 11 By them also is your servant enlightened, * and in keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can tell how often he offends? * cleanse me from my secret faults. 13 Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion over me; * then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, * O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians (3:4b-14)
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn #552: Fight the Good Fight With All Thy Might (Verses 1-3)
1 Fight the good fight with all thy might,
Christ is thy strength and Christ thy right;
lay hold on life, and it shall be
thy joy and crown eternally.
2 Run the straight race through God's good grace,
lift up thine eyes and seek his face;
life with its way before us lies,
Christ is the path and Christ the prize.
3 Cast care aside, lean on thy Guide;
his boundless mercy will provide;
trust, and thy trusting soul shall prove
Christ is its life and Christ its love.
[Words: John Samuel Bewley Monsell, alt., Public Domain. Music: Pentecost, William Boyd, Public Domain. All rights reserved.]
The People stand, as they are able, for the reading of the Gospel.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Matthew (21:33-46)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Hymn #552: Fight the Good Fight With All Thy Might (Verse 4)
4 Faint not nor fear, his arms are near;
he changeth not, and thou art dear;
only believe, and thou shalt see
that Christ is all in all to thee.
[Words: John Samuel Bewley Monsell, alt., Public Domain. Music: Pentecost, William Boyd, Public Domain. All rights reserved.]
The Sermon
by the Rev. Ella Roundtree-Davis, Deacon
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 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, 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 Kendra McAllister (10/9), Joseph Robinson (10/9), Regina Robinson (10/9), St. Clair Fraser (10/12), Jocelyn Poole Wheeler (10/14), and Tawanna Green (10/14); for those celebrating anniversaries; we thank you, God, for the birth of Kherpri Ra El Berry, grandson of Bertice Berry, last Sunday; 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 The Rev. Dr. Clarence "Teddy" Williams, and those we remember now... [Silence. The People may add their own petitions.]
Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;
Who put their trust in you.
The Celebrant concludes with the following or some other suitable Collect:
Almighty and eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully accept the prayers of your people, and strengthen us to do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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
Adult Christian Education Hour Starts TODAY: Beginning on October 8, Fr. Arboleda, Deacon Davis, and others will hold a weekly Christian Education after Sunday worship and the "Coffee Minute," from about 11:00 AM - 12:00 noon. The goal of this time is for adults to engage more deeply in their faith through conversations about a variety of spiritual and educational topics.
St. Francis' Day Pet Blessing TODAY: Bring your beloved pets to St. Matthew's from 4:00 - 4:30 PM on Sunday, October 8, for an outdoor pet blessing service in honor of St. Francis' Day (October 4). St. Francis of Assisi (c. 1181 - 1226) famously blessed animals and celebrated all of God's creation during his ministry. The service will take place on the front lawn at the corner of MLK Jr Blvd and W Anderson Street. Please bring all animals on leashes or in crates.
Lysa Rodriguez is our New Parish Administrator: The Rector, Wardens, and Vestry are pleased to announce that we have hired a new Parish Administrator named Lysa Rodriguez (she/her; pronounced LIE-suh). Lysa's regular office hours will be Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. She will being working at St. Matthew's on Tuesday, October 10, 2023.
The daughter of a Lutheran (ELCA) pastor, Lysa is a recent SCAD graduate who liked Savannah so much that she decided to stay. Originally from Daytona Beach, FL, Her degree is in writing because she has had a passion and natural gift in writing since she was little. She wants to let her writing take her wherever she is needed so she can share it with others. Outside of writing and reading, she loves a good sci-fi or horror movie and she can talk people’s ears off about space, sharks, and music. Her friends and family call her "the human jukebox" because she seems to know every song that comes on the radio. She calls herself an eclectic individual who is shy on the surface with an easily excitable personality. In her words, "I greatly look forward to working with and serving this community!"
2024 Pledge Campaign Oct. 15 - Nov. 19: We will launch the 2024 Pledge Campaign on October 15, 2023. This campaign is essential for developing an accurate operating budget for the year 2024. 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.
St. Matthew’s at the SSU Homecoming Parade on Oct. 21: St. Matthew’s will have a walking unit in the Savannah State University Homecoming Parade on Saturday, October 21 at 9:00 AM. More details to come.
“Why We Are Apart” Symposium on Oct. 28: Sociologist Dr. Bertice Berry is organizing an educational symposium at St. Matthew’s called “Why We Are Apart: The Slave Bible and the Church in Black and White.” This event will take place on October 28 from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM and feature presentations by St. Matthew’s Rector, Deacon, and Music Director, Dr. Berry, and local historian Hermina Glass-Hill. This event is free and open to the public, both in-person and online. To participate online via Zoom please register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jiSaCp3GSLulkWcd5o2Fhg
Diocesan Youth Events
New Beginnings on Oct. 20-22: New Beginnings, an event for youth in grades 7-9, will take place October 20-22. This event, which helps middle schoolers and young high schoolers center themselves in who they are as God’s beloved children, even in the middle of all the calls on their time, energy, and attention.
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]
Giving to St. Matthew's:
Mail us a check or money order at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 1401 Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd, Savannah, GA 31415; OR
Make a secure online gift to St. Matthew’s and/or automate future gifts at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now; OR
Text “stmattsav” to 73256 to make a secure online donation through your phone.
NOTE: Donations made online (#2 or #3) through Realm incur a processing fee of about 2.5%. Please consider adding an additional 2.5% to your online gift to cover these costs.
Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself to us, an offering and sacrifice to God. [Ephesians 5:2]
Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now
LEV #114: Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit
REFRAIN:
Ev’ry time I feel the spirit, moving in my heart, I will pray,
Ev'ry time I feel the spirit, moving in my heart, I will pray.
1 Upon the mountain my Lord spoke,
out of his mouth came fire and smoke.
All around me looked so fine,
asked my Lord if all was mine. [Refrain]
2 Jordan river chilly and cold,
chills the body but not the soul.
There ain’t but one train runs this track,
runs to heaven and runs right back. [Refrain]
[Words and Music: Traditional, Negro Spiritual, Public Domain. 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.
[Words: Eric H. F. Law, Copyright © 2015 Eric H. F. Law. Music: Old 100th, attributed to Louis Bourgeois, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission from Kaleidoscope Institute. All rights reserved.]
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;
[Music: Hezekiah Brinson, Jr., Copyright © 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 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.
[Music: Albert Hay Malotte; arr. Fred Bock, Copyright © 1934 (renewed) G. Schirmer, Inc. All Rights Reserved.]
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!
[Music: Ambrosian chant; adapt. Mason Martens, Copyright © 1971, Church Publishing, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #52588. All rights reserved.]
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.
[Music: Grayson Warren Brown; arr. Larry Adams, Copyright © 1979 Grayson Warren Brown. All rights reserved.]
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 #313: Let Thy Blood in Mercy Poured
1. Let thy Blood in mercy poured,
let thy gracious Body broken,
be to me, O gracious Lord,
of thy boundless love the token.
REFRAIN:
Thou didst give thyself for me,
now I give myself to thee.
2. Thou didst die that I might live;
blessed Lord, thou cam'st to save me;
all that love of God could give
Jesus by his sorrows gave me. [Refrain]
3. By the thorns that crowned thy brow,
by the spear-wound and the nailing,
by the pain and death, I now
claim, O Christ, thy love unfailing. [Refrain]
4. Wilt thou own the gift I bring?
All my penitence I give thee;
thou art my exalted King,
of thy matchless love forgive me. [Refrain]
[Words: John Brownlie, Public Domain. Music: Jesus, meine Zuversicht, melody Johann Cruger; harm. after the Chorale Book for England (1863), Public Domain. All rights reserved.]
Hymn #642: Jesus the Very Thought of Thee
1 Jesus, the very thought of thee
with sweetness fills the breast;
but sweeter far thy face to see,
and in thy presence rest.
2 No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
nor can the memory find,
a sweeter sound than Jesus' Name,
the Savior of mankind.
3 O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
to those who fall, how kind thou art:
how good to those who seek!
4 But what to those who find? Ah, this
nor tongue nor pen can show;
the love of Jesus, what it is,
none but who love him know.
5 Jesus, our only joy be thou,
as thou our prize wilt be;
in thee be all our glory now,
and through eternity.
[Words: Latin, 12th cent.; stanza 5, Latin, 15th cent.; tr. Edward Casual, alt., Public Domain. Music: St. Agnes, melody John Bacchus Dykes, Public Domain; harm. Richard Proulx, Copyright © 1985 GIA Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #13273. All rights reserved.]
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 #598: Lord Christ, When Thou First Cam'st to Earth
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 thy peace,
by which alone we choose thee.
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. Music: Mit Freuden zart, melody from "One pastourelle gentle" (1529); adapt. Pseaumes cinquante de David (1547), and Kirchengeseng darinnen die Heubtartickel des Christlichen Glaubens gefasset (1566), Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #47737. All rights reserved.]
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, Jeannette Outing, Jewel Wheeler
BIRTHDAYS: Kendra McAllister (10/9), Joseph Robinson (10/9), Regina Robinson (10/9), St. Clair Fraser (10/12), Jocelyn Poole Wheeler (10/14), Tawanna Green (10/14); thanksgiving for the birth of Kherpri Ra El Berry, grandson of Bertice Berry (10/1/2023)
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: N/A
RECENT DEATHS: The Rev. Dr. Clarence "Teddy" Williams (9/28/2023)
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.
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