Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
- Sep 3, 2023
- 25 min read

Sunday Worship on September 3, 2023

The Holy Eucharist

14th Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 17A)

September 3, 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 #450 – All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name

1 All hail the power of Jesus' Name! Let angels prostrate fall; bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him Lord of all! bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him Lord of all! 2 Crown him ye martyrs of our God, who from his altar call: praise him whose way of pain ye trod, and crown him Lord of all! praise him whose way of pain ye trod, and crown him Lord of all! 3 Hail him, the Heir of David's line, whom David Lord did call, the God incarnate, Man divine, and crown him Lord of all! the God incarnate, Man divine, and crown him Lord of all! 4 Ye heirs of Israel's chosen race, ye ransomed of the fall, hail him who saves you by his grace, and crown him Lord of all! hail him who saves you by his grace, and crown him Lord of all! 5 Sinners, whose love can ne'er forget the wormwood and the gall, go, spread your trophies at his feet, and crown him Lord of all! go, spread your trophies at his feet, and crown him Lord of all! 6 Let every kindred, every tribe, on this terrestrial ball, to him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all! to him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all!

[Words: Edward Perronet, alt. Music: Coronation, Oliver Holden, alt.; desc. Michael E. Young. Copyright 1979, G.I.A. Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under One License # 125941. 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.

The Collect of the Day

[BCP, p. 357, 233]

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us pray:

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; 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 Exodus 3:1-15

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’“ God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’:

This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 105, 1-6, 123-26, 45c

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

1 Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; * make known his deeds among the peoples.

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, * and speak of all his marvelous works.

3 Glory in his holy Name; * let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

4 Search for the Lord and his strength; * continually seek his face.

5 Remember the marvels he has done, * his wonders and the judgments of his mouth,

6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, * O children of Jacob his chosen.

23 Israel came into Egypt, * and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham.

24 The Lord made his people exceedingly fruitful; * he made them stronger than their enemies;

25 Whose heart he turned, so that they hated his people, * and dealt unjustly with his servants.

26 He sent Moses his servant, * and Aaron whom he had chosen.

45 Hallelujah!

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 12:9-21

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Hymn #248 – To The Name Of Our Salvation (Verses 1-3)

1 To the Name of our salvation laud and honor let us pay, which for many a generation hid in God's foreknowledge lay; but with holy exultation we may sing aloud today. 2 Jesus is the Name we treasure; Name beyond what words can tell; Name of gladness, Name of pleasure, ear and heart delighting well; Name of sweetness, passing measure, saving us from sin and hell. 3 'Tis the Name that whoso preacheth speaks like music to the ear; who in prayer this Name beseecheth sweetest comfort findeth near; who its perfect wisdom reacheth, heavenly joy possesseth here. [Words: Latin; tr. Hymns Ancient and Modern. Music: Oriel, Caspar Ett. 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 Matthew 16:21-28

Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Hymn #248 – To The Name Of Our Salvation (Verse 4)

4 Therefore we, in love adoring, this most blessed Name revere, holy Jesus, thee imploring so to write it in us here that hereafter, heavenward soaring, we may sing with angels there.

The Sermon

"God is Still With Us" by the Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda, Rector

Today we continue our “back to basics” sermon series about the Book of Exodus. Last week, we focused on Shiphrah and Puah, the midwives who feared God more than Pharaoh and saved the lives of many Hebrew baby boys. One of those babies was named Moses. He grew up in a unique position because he was an Israelite in a time and place when most Israelites were enslaved. But he also got adopted as an infant by the princess, so he was raised in Pharaoh’s household. He understood Egyptian politics better than most, but he still had a heart for his siblings in bondage.

Between last Sunday’s reading and today’s, there is a short story about how Moses first left Egypt (Exodus 2:11-25). He saw an Egyptian beating up a Hebrew slave, and Moses could not stand to see this cruelty and abuse. So he attacked the Egyptian oppressor, and wound up killing him. The word got out that Moses was a murderer, so he had to flee Egypt to avoid getting locked up or worse. He ran away east to a place called Midian, outside the borders of the Egyptian kingdom. There he met a priest named Jethro. Moses helped Jethro’s daughters care for their father’s sheep and they all became friendly. Moses married Jethro’s daughter Zipporah and had a son named Gershom.

So for a few years, Moses lived a relatively comfortable life in the desert as a shepherd. He had a family and enough freedom to be happy. But the rest of the Israelites were still enslaved back in Egypt. Exodus 2:23b-25 tells us, “The Israelites groaned under their slavery, and cried out. Out of the slavery their cry for help rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and God remembered [God’s] covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looked upon the Israelites and God took notice of them.”

This leads right into today’s passage at the beginning of the third chapter of Exodus. Today’s theme is simple: God is still with us. In this portion of Exodus, we learn how Moses went from herding sheep in exile to becoming the leader of Israel and bringing them out of Egyptian slavery. God famously meets Moses by speaking to him through a burning bush that never burns up (Exod 3:3). Exodus has already reminded us that God did not abandon the people of Israel. God continued to hear their cries for help. God noticed. God remembered. God promised to be faithful to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Egyptian enslavement and tyranny were not going to get in the way of God’s promises coming true.

So when Moses approaches the burning bush, God points back to the covenant promises, saying, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses recognized God’s power by taking off his sandals and bowing his face to the ground. He expressed his awe and reverence (a.k.a. fear) for God. Then God explains the purpose of this vision in Exodus 3:7-10. “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt … and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey … So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

God sent Moses to lead the people out of Egypt. God stayed with the people. God saw their misery and oppression and God would not ignore it. God did not sit idly by while the people suffered. God intervened. But Moses thought God was making a mistake. He couldn’t be the one. He wasn’t good enough. A few verses later, we’ll read that he didn’t even know God’s Name. Moses thought his hot-headed history disqualified him from being useful to God or anyone else. What could God do with a murderer? He was unworthy. But God chose the man who did not ignore the suffering of others. God chose the man who intervened and tried to save his brother. God chose a man in Moses who was passionate about justice and doing the right thing (even if he got carried away sometimes). God would set things right. God would be the Savior of all. The people of Israel would become free.

Moses doubted. Moses didn’t want to do it and didn’t believe that he could. “Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ [God] said, ‘I will be with you’” (Exodus 3:11-12a). Freeing people from slavery is scary. It’s not easy. It requires fighting against powerful, violent forces. Those forces will double down on their violence when they sense any defiance. Becoming the leader of the Israelite liberation movement put Moses in a dangerous position. He had already fled to escape murder charges, and answering this call would be the opposite of keeping a low profile. He would be face to face with the new Pharaoh, confronting him about his oppressive ways and calling him to “Let my people go!”

But what is the antidote to Moses’ fear? “I will be with you.” God’s presence is the healing balm he needs. God didn’t leave the Israelites when they were enslaved. God didn’t leave Moses when he killed a man and ran away. God wouldn’t leave Moses when he went before Pharaoh, afraid to speak because of his stutter. And God won’t leave us. God’s constant refrain in our lives is “I will be with you.”

Remember that that is one of Jesus’ biblical titles: Immanuel means “God with us.” Jesus is proof that “God with us” is not just an empty slogan. It’s an ever-present reality. The Holy Spirit is our Immanuel to this very day. The light stays on in the sanctuary to remind us that by the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ is present in the bread and wine of the Eucharist.

When you feel downtrodden or oppressed (like the Israelites), God is with you. When you feel guilty and unworthy of love (like Moses), God is with you. When you run away from family, community, or even the church (like Moses), God is with you. When you don’t feel qualified for God’s call on your life (like Moses), God is with you. When we are unsure of the next steps and we wish we could talk to God in a burning bush instead of searching blindly for God’s will, God is actually still with us. These stories from the Exodus are here to remind us of who God is, who God loves, and thus the fact that God will never leave us nor forsake us. God is perfectly reliable even when people are unreliable. God is with us today and always.

Let us pray… 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 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; 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, for all those harmed by Hurricane Idalia, and for those on our Parish Prayer List: Mary Bonaparte, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Enrique Davis, Aaron Duplechien, Jr., Marva Harris, David Jones, Beverly Kemp, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Jeannette Outing, and 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 Caroline Banks (9/3), Leonard Law (9/3), Kathy Robinson (9/6), and Liam Clemons (9/7); for those celebrating anniversaries especially General & Lazola Cope (9/6), and those 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

Vestry Meeting Rescheduled to Thursday, 9/7: Due to Fr. A’s illness and the effects of Hurricane Idalia, St. Matthew’s rescheduled its August Vestry meeting to Thursday, September 7 at 5:30 PM. All church members are welcome to attend, listen, ask questions, and make comments (i.e., seat and voice without vote).

Daughters of The King Fall Assembly, 9/15-9/16: Daughters of The King Fall Assembly will be held at beautiful Honey Creek in Waverly Georgia, Friday, Sep 15 (4:00 pm) to Saturday, Sep 16 (2:00 pm), 2023.

St. Matthew's Anniversary Dinner Cruise: Celebrate St. Matthew's anniversary aboard the Savannah Riverboat Cruise on Friday, September 22, 2023. This evening dinner cruise will be set to sail at 6:00 pm from River Street in Downtown Savannah. Attire is casual. Contact Paulette Sanders or Evadne Roberts to purchase tickets. The cost per ticket is $120; some of these funds will contribute toward the 170th Anniversary celebration in 2025. You may begin paying for your ticket(s) now or simply sign up and pay later. Be sure to invite family and friends to enjoy this glorious evening!

Note from the Anniversary Committee: The deadline to sign up for tickets for the dinner cruise is September 3.

8-Week Free Yoga at White Bluff Presbyterian Church

You are invited to join Plasha Yoga at White Bluff Presbyterian Church for eight weeks of free yoga during the months of September and October. This is a wonderful opportunity to begin this Fall season by practicing self-care and connecting with others through yoga practice. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Please bring your own yoga mat and something for hydration.

WHEN: TUESDAYS@ 5:30PM (BEGINNING 9/5/2023)

WHERE: Education Building at White Bluff Presbyterian Church,

10710 White Bluff Road

ALD Fun Walk! Saturday, September 16 at 9:00 AM. Please do not forget to support Aaron, Jr. by purchasing a t-shirt Also, see your newsletter for additional opportunities to support Aaron, Jr.

St. Anna Alexander Pilgrimage September 22-24: Racial Justice Georgia, the diocesan racial justice and healing ministry, invites you to attend this year’s St. Anna Alexander pilgrimage on the weekend of September 22-24. The lone Black deaconess in the Episcopal Church, the only person from the diocese recognized as a saint, St. Anna selflessly pursued a ministry of teaching, preaching, and community work for decades in the early 20th century, despite the confinements of Jim Crow. Centered in the Brunswick area, the pilgrimage immerses you in her world and concludes with a special service at Good Shepherd, Pennick, the church she established and faithfully served. This year we’re excited to have St. Timothy’s choristers from the Diocese of Atlanta performing music they have created for the pilgrimage. The pilgrimage begins Friday evening and concludes Sunday afternoon.

To register or for more information, please contact RacialJusticeGA@gaepiscopal.org

Diocesan Youth Events

New Beginnings: 10/20 - 10/22: 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: 11/17 - 11/19: 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.

Registration open for Cursillo #127: Registration for both team and participants for Cursillo #127 is now open! Cursillo (pronounced ‘kur-see-yo’) is a Spanish word meaning ‘little’ or ‘short course’. This is the name given to the Short Course in Christianity which first developed after World War II with Roman Catholic men. The short course has now been given to men and women around the world and, in the process has assisted generations of Christians to more faithfully follow Jesus in their daily lives. There is no real secret here, just the basics of the faith with an emphasis on how would you like to live it out in your life. Cursillo begins on a Thursday evening and ends the following Sunday evening. During those three days the participants engage in listening to talks given by priests and lay people, and small table discussions, while worshiping and playing together. The next Cursillo weekend will be held at Honey Creek September 7-10, 2023.

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

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 #159 – Lift Him Up

1 How to reach the masses, those of ev’ry birth, For an answer Jesus gave the key; “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, Will draw all men unto Me.” Refrain: Lift the precious savior up, Lift the precious savior up, Still He speaks from eternity: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, Will draw all men unto Me.” 2 Oh! the world is hungry for the living bread, Lift the Savior up for them to see; Trust Him and do not doubt the words that He said, “I’ll draw all men unto Me.” [Refrain] 3 Don’t exalt the preacher, don’t exalt the pew, Preach the gospel simple, full and free; Prove Him and you will find that promise is true, “I’ll draw all men unto Me.” [Refrain] 4 Lift Him up by living as a Christian ought, Let the world in you the Savior see; Then all will gladly follow Him who once taught, “I’ll draw all men unto Me.” [Refrain]

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.

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,

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.

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 Breaking of the Bread

Silence may be kept.

The Fraction Anthems

[BCP, p. 364]

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

The ushers will direct people to leave their pews to receive Communion at the altar rails. 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 ask the Priest when you are at the altar rail.

All baptized Christians are welcome to receive Communion in this church, regardless of age or denominational background. If you would not like to receive Communion for any reason, please cross your arms over your chest, and the Priest will say a blessing over you.

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

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

LEV #144 – I Can Hear My Savior Calling

1 I can hear my Savior calling, I can hear my Savior calling, I can hear my Savior calling, “Take thy cross and follow, follow me.” Refrain: Where He leads me I will follow, Where He leads me I will follow, Where He leads me I will follow, I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way. 2 I’ll go with Him through the garden, I’ll go with Him through the garden, I’ll go with Him through the garden, I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way. [Refrain] 3 I’ll go with Him through the judgement, I’ll go with Him through the judgement, I’ll go with Him through the judgement, I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way. [Refrain] 4 He will give me grace and glory, He will give me grace and glory, He will give me grace and glory, And go with me, with me all the way. [Refrain]

LEV #93 – Give Thanks to the Lord

[Refrain]

Give thanks to the Lord

for He is so good,

His mercy endures forever (forever)

Give dures forever (forever)

1 To Him alone who does mighty wonders,

Who by His understanding made the heavens. [Refrain]

2 He made the sun to govern the daytime,

The moon and stars to govern o’er the nighttime. [Refrain]

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

LEV #136 - I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

1 I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back, no turning back!

2 Though no one join me, still I will follow, Though no one join me, still I will follow, Though no one join me, still I will follow, No turning back, no turning back!

3 The world behind me, the cross before me, The world behind me, the cross before me, The world behind me, the cross before me, No turning back, no turning back!

[Words: Ascribed to an Indian Prince; as sung in Garo, Assam. Music: Indian Folk Melody; arr. Norman Johnson. Arr. Copyright © 1963 Singspiration Music. All rights. Used by permission of Benson Music Group, Inc.]

The Dismissal

[BCP, p. 366]

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!

Thanks be to God!

The Parish Prayer List

PRAYER LIST: Mary Bonaparte, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Enrique Davis, Aaron Duplechien, Jr., Marva Harris, David Jones, Beverly Kemp, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Jeannette Outing, and Jewel Wheeler

BIRTHDAYS: Caroline Banks (9/3), Leonard Law (9/3), Kathy Robinson (9/6), and Liam Clemons (9/7)

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: General & Lazola Cope (9/6)

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:

Sunday Worship on September 3, 2023

The Holy Eucharist

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The Holy Eucharist: Rite II

Hymn #450 – All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name

The Opening Acclamation

The Collect for Purity

Hymn S280: Glory to God

The Collect of the Day

A Reading from the Book of Exodus 3:1-15

Psalm 105, 1-6, 123-26, 45c

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

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 12:9-21

Hymn #248 – To The Name Of Our Salvation (Verses 1-3)

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to Matthew 16:21-28

Hymn #248 – To The Name Of Our Salvation (Verse 4)

The Sermon

The Nicene Creed

The Prayers of the People, Form VI

Confession of Sin

The Peace

Parish Announcements

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

The Offertory

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

LEV #159 – Lift Him Up

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

Eucharistic Prayer B

The Lord’s Prayer

The Breaking of the Bread

The Fraction Anthems

The Distribution of Holy Communion

LEV #144 – I Can Hear My Savior Calling

LEV #93 – Give Thanks to the Lord

The Post-Communion Prayer

For In-Person Worshippers:

For Online Worshippers and Those Receiving Spiritual Communion:

The Blessing of the People

LEV #136 - I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

The Dismissal

The Parish Prayer List

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