The Episcopal Church
of the Holy Communion
6 Epiphany, Year A
13 February 2011
10:30 AM
Our mission is to invite all people to unity with God and
each other in Christ. We seek to fulfill this mission by
· Lively faith in worship and fellowship,
· Authentic inclusion in the work of reconciliation
and evangelism, and
· Significant outreach in service and witness.
- Adopted 24 March 2007
Order of Service page 2
Prayer List page 15
Calendar page 16
Announcements page 17
Community Ministries Opportunities page 18
Poem page 19
Welcome! Wherever you are on your journey of faith, there is a place for you here. You are invited to participate fully in worship and to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the consecrated bread and wine. Everything you need is in this Bulletin, the Book of Common Prayer, the blue Hymnal 1982, and Lift Every Voice and Sing (LEVAS). Children of all ages are always welcome at worship. Should you desire it, nursery care is available downstairs. Restrooms are located in the lounge, and also downstairs near the kitchen entrance. Many worshippers engage in quiet prayer before the service begins, so please be sensitive; and silence cell phones and pagers.
The Holy Eucharist
Prelude LEVAS 1 instrumental (Ian (violin), Will (vibes), Wes (drum),
Henry (guitar)
Entrance Hymnal 433 standing
Acclamation standing
Blessed be the one, holy and living God
Glory to God for ever and ever.
Collect for Purity
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 that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Younger worshipers, ages 4 – 10, who wish to attend Children's
Church may meet the acolyte at the right front church door.
Song of Praise Hymnal 421
Collect of the Day
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
1st Lesson Deuteronomy 30:15-20 seated
Moses said to the Hebrews in the wilderness, "Today I am giving you a choice between good and evil, between life and death. If you obey the commands of the Lord your God, which I give you today, if you love him, obey him, and keep all his laws, then you will prosper and become a nation of many people. The Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are about to occupy. But if you disobey and refuse to listen, and are led away to worship other gods, you will be destroyed — I warn you here and now. You will not live long in that land across the Jordan that you are about to occupy. I am now giving you the choice between life and death, between God's blessing and God's curse, and I call heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Choose life. Love the Lord your God, obey him and be faithful to him, and then you and your descendants will live long in the land that he promised to give your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
Thanks be to God.
Gradual Psalm 119:1-8
Happy are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in your law, O GOD!
Happy are they who observe your decrees
and seek you with all their hearts!
Who never do any wrong,
but always walk in your ways.
You laid down your commandments,
that we should fully keep them.
Oh, that my ways were made so direct
that I might keep your statutes!
Then I should not be put to shame,
when I regard all your commandments.
I will thank you with an unfeigned heart,
when I have learned your righteous judgments.
I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.
2nd Lesson 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
My friends, I could not talk to you as I talk to people who have the Spirit; I had to talk to you as though you belonged to this world, as children in the Christian faith. I had to feed you milk, not solid food, because you were not ready for it. And even now you are not ready for it, because you still live as the people of this world live.
When there is jealousy among you and you quarrel with one another, doesn't this prove that you belong to this world, living by its standards? When one of you says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos" — aren't you acting like worldly people? After all, who is Apollos? And who is Paul? We are simply God's servants, by whom you were led to believe.
Each one of us does the work which the Lord gave him to do: I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plant, but it was God who made the plant grow. The one who plants and the one who waters really do not matter. It is God who matters, because he makes the plant grow. There is no difference between the one who plants and the one who waters; God will reward each one according to the work each has done. For we are partners working together for God, and you are God's field. You are also God's building.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
Thanks be to God.
Sequence Hymnal 490 standing
Gospel Matthew 5:21-37
The holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Christ.
Jesus said, "You have heard that people were told in the past, 'Do not commit murder; anyone who does will be brought to trial.' But now I tell you: if you are angry with your brother you will be brought to trial, if you call your brother 'You good-for-nothing!' you will be brought before the Council, and if you call your brother a worthless fool you will be in danger of going to the fire of hell. So if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God.
"If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court, settle the dispute while there is time, before you get to court. Once you are there, you will be turned over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, and you will be put in jail. There you will stay, I tell you, until you pay the last penny of your fine.
"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But now I tell you: anyone who looks at a woman and wants to possess her is guilty of committing adultery with her in his heart. So if your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose one of your limbs than to have your whole body go off to hell.
"It was also said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.' But now I tell you: if a man divorces his wife for any cause other than her unfaithfulness, then he is guilty of making her commit adultery if she marries again; and the man who marries her commits adultery also.
"You have also heard that people were told in the past, 'Do not break your promise, but do what you have vowed to the Lord to do.' But now I tell you: do not use any vow when you make a promise. Do not swear by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by earth, for it is the resting place for his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not even swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. Just say 'Yes' or 'No' - anything else you say comes from the Evil One."
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon seated
Nicene Creed Prayer Book 358 standing
Prayers of the People standing or kneeling
God of Love, thank you for this day and this time to be together.
We pray for the church, for all Christians everywhere, for Wayne our bishop, for Brooke, Becky, and Emery, our clergy, and for all of us who go to church. Help church to be interesting and help us to help others.
Lord in your mercy: Hear our Prayer.
We offer prayers for a world full of pain. We pray for an end to poverty, world hunger, ethnic wars, government corruption and homelessness around the globe. We pray for peace in the Middle East. For soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families, and for all people living there. We pray for people who don’t have jobs. Help the leaders of our country to remember the poor. Protect and strengthen our president and leaders. Bring us to a time of global peace and healing. Unite us in your truth and love, and help us to show your love to others. Lord, in your mercy…
Amazing God, just as you are large and powerful, you are intimate and personal. We lift to you the concerns of our daily lives, and the burdens of our families, friends, and loved ones. We pray for those who battle cancer, and for a cure for this awful disease. We pray for families going through divorce, for teens coping with temptation, for friends who live with abuse and uncertainty, for the blind, for friends who have been hurt in car accidents. We pray for good health for the people we love.
Lord, in your mercy…
Faithful God, you remain steadfast, even when we falter.
We pray for young people. Give to all of us the courage to resist peer pressure, including the pressure not to follow Christ. Give us the courage to be who we really are, and help others to accept us just as we are. We pray for our schools, and especially that you would stop the harmful forces of alcohol and drugs. We pray for young couples and for those who have just broken up. And God we pray with all our hearts that you would send the comfort of your Spirit to “kids who feel bad when they wake up every morning.”
Lord, in your mercy...
We pray for those who have died, especially Henny White, our grandparents, uncles and aunts, people who were important to our families. Thank you for the love they shared in our family. Thank you for them. Lord, in your mercy...
Give us hearts that are open to you, and the courage to reach out to minister to those around us. Help us to love others and to love ourselves even when we fail or look stupid or feel ugly. God help us to love as you love us. Lord in your mercy...
I invite your prayers for the people you care about. Offer prayers silently or aloud. Lord in your mercy…
We pray for those celebrating birthdays this week: Maryanne Coley, Thomas Bayer, Jill Marsh, and Donna Baudendistel; Lord, in your mercy...
We pray for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Carondelet; for the Diocese of Lui; and for Uganda, and their Archbishop; Lord in your mercy...
God of Love, Inspire your Holy Spirit within us to bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self control. Help us to be people who bring joy and hope to a nervous world. All this we ask, through your Son our savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Confession Prayer Book 361 kneeling or standing
Peace: "And also with you." standing
Announcements, etc. seated
Offertory Anthem "My Maker'sWorld" - arr. Sheldon Curry
This is my Maker's world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings and 'round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Maker's world, I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
God's hand the wonders wrought.
(Asante sana Mungu. Bwana asifiwe!) (Swahili: Many thanks, God! Praise the Lord!)
This is my Maker's world, the birds their carols raise;
The morning light, the lily bright declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Maker's world; He shines in all that's fair,
in the rustling grass, I hear Him pass; God speaks to me everywhere.
(Asante sana Mungu. Bwana asifiwe!)
This is my Maker's world! Oh let me ne'er forget
that though the wrong seems oh so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Maker's world, why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King, let the heavens ring!
God reigns, let the earth be glad!
(Asante sana Mungu. Bwana asifiwe!)
Presentation of the Offering Hymnal 380:3 standing
Eucharistic Prayer standing/kneeling
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth....
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:
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.