Welcome! The Choral Eucharist On The First Sunday In Lent Together With The Great Litany

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1 104 Union Street South Concord, North Carolina Office Phone: Office Fax: Web Site: Growing in Christ Through Worship, Learning, Fellowship, and Service February 14, :00 a.m. in the Nave Welcome! The Choral Eucharist On The First Sunday In Lent Together With The Great Litany The Introduction To Today s Liturgy... On this first Sunday in Lent, the church s liturgy is designed to catch our attention, facing us with the most important issues of Christian commitment and living. Today s scriptures present us with our solidarity with one another in Christ, and with God s people through the ages. We are part of a people with a story to tell and a song to sing. That story s beginning is recounted in the first reading today in the form of the ancient Israelite confession of faith. This is not read as an interesting account of the salvation of strangers. It is the story of God s first action in our salvation. We are a part of that people, having become members in our baptism. We are to begin our own story by remembering Abraham, our first ancestor in the faith, and by recounting the story of our brothers and sisters in the faith who were saved from Egyptian slavery. The reading from Romans affirms our unity with the people of faith in all ages, regardless of status or race or culture. Finally, in the story of the Lord s testing (temptation) we see Jesus as the beginning of the new Israel. The old Israel, in its wilderness wandering, failed these three tests temptations to use God merely as a means for acquiring food and power and riches. The scriptures Jesus quotes against Satan come from those three times in the story of Israel s wilderness experience. Israel s failure, which is part of our story, is turned around in Jesus and becomes a saving triumph for Israel, for us who are made one Body in Christ in Baptism and Eucharist, and for those who are preparing to be baptized at Easter. Saint James is a house of prayer where all people can come to know the compassionate heart of Jesus. We are a diverse community of progressive Christians where you can belong before you believe. At Saint James the beauty of ancient worship and traditional spiritual practices transform contemporary lives. Join us as together we discover the sacred in the heart of the city. Our worship includes ancient and contemporary symbols and practices along with preaching and music to inspire you to follow Jesus in your daily life. We welcome both the spiritual seeker and seasoned disciple to find their home in God with us. If you are looking for a spiritual home or just exploring the life of faith, we hope you will walk with us on that journey THE FIRST of discovery. SUNDAY IN LENT Page 1 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

2 Welcome! We welcome everyone on this Lord s Day to the liturgy of Holy Eucharist. To all who are spiritually weary and seek rest; to all who mourn and long for comfort; to all who struggle and desire victory; to all who sin and need a Savior; to all who are strangers and want fellowship; to all who hunger and thirst after righteousness; and to all who will come, this parish opens wide her doors and offers welcome in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! Newcomers and visitors, we hope that you will feel at home in this place and in this liturgy. Ushers are available in the narthex during the liturgy should you have any questions or concerns. If you are a visitor or guest, please be sure and sign the guestbook located in the Narthex and introduce yourself to the Pastor or to an usher so that we can extend to you a warm welcome. Although there are customary postures (such as standing and kneeling) in Lutheran worship, you are invited to be seated at any point, according to your needs and comfort. Saint James offers two weekly worship services. The 10:00 a.m. Sunday Choral Eucharist is held in the Nave and the 12:05 Wednesday Mid-week Eucharist is held in the Chapel. The Eucharist is celebrated weekly during both worship services. This Service Leaflet contains all of today s hymns and liturgy. Children are most welcome in worship at Saint James Church. Special age-appropriate bulletins are available from the ushers. For those who desire it, nursery care is provided on the first floor of the Education Building. Invitation to Communion: All baptized Christians who seek God and desire a deeper, stronger life in Christ are invited to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. The Pastor will bring the sacrament to persons in the pews who are unable to come forward. Please advise an usher if you wish the pastor to do so. The First Aid Kit and the Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) are located outside the church office door, immediately behind the sanctuary. Fire Extinguishers are located in the Sacristy and in the Narthex. If you are interested in membership to this parish or desire a call from the Pastor, please indicate this to an usher or to the Pastor. Restrooms are available on the first and second floors of the Education Building. About the Liturgy During Lent he liturgy in Lent has as its central concern the T preparation of the church for the main event of Easter: Christian initiation. Lent itself came into being as the time of final preparation for those chosen for Holy Baptism, at a time when all Baptisms were done at Easter. The candidates, who had been in an intense period of training for Christian living lasting three years in most cases were solemnly admitted as candidates at the beginning of Lent. They, their sponsors, and the whole church spent that period in prayer and fasting, additional instruction, and performing works of mercy in preparation for the Baptisms at the Easter Vigil. It was also a period in which those who had been excommunicated for serious sin did penance in order to be restored to communion at Easter. O n the Sundays in Lent, much of the festive nature of the liturgy is missing and the music is restrained. The decoration of the building and the use of color is reduced and restrained. The word Alleluia is missing from the liturgy. But above all, the Word of God read in the liturgies has a different focus. It is the reading from the Old Testament which sets the theme rather than the reading from the Gospel. These passages are our story and our hope. They are the heritage of the people of God, and they were fulfilled in the dying and rising of Jesus. In Jesus the cross becomes the tree of life and the flood becomes the saving waters of Baptism. These passages are fulfilled in Baptism, when we are joined with Jesus in his death and resurrection. They are relived and celebrated in the Eucharist, when we are made one with him and he in us; when we are remade into the Body of Christ. ent is not a gloomy time, a sad time, or a L depressing time for those who are remembering what God has done for them. Our self-examination, which reveals our sin, prepares us to recognize our need for God. Then we gather Sunday by Sunday in the liturgy where our story as the people of God reminds us that God has met and still meets our need. Our fasting and self-denial give us the resources with which we can join Christ in his struggle against evil and death. Joining him in that struggle, we also join him in his victory. THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 2 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

3 The Preparation for Worship All worshipers are invited to remain reverently silent before the service, and to join fervently in prayer, enthusiastically in praise, and heartily in song during the service. We gather together for an intimate communion with our Lord. He comes to us, speaks to us, and blesses us through his Word and Sacrament. We come to him and speak to him in prayer and praise and thanksgiving. This liturgy is the recurring moment of high splendor in our earthly lives, a God-given foretaste of the heavenly life to come. Out of respect for the liturgy we are about to celebrate and those sitting around you, help us create sacred space by powering down your cell phones and electronic devices. The season of Lent is a time of prayer, fasting, and self-examination in preparation for the celebration of the resurrection of the Lord at Easter. As we prepare our hearts and minds for worship this morning, you are invited to meditate on the words of Psalm 51 and to pray silently the Prayer of Preparation. THE SILENT PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP Psalm 51: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. Personal prayer in preparation for worship: Prepare my heart, O God, to accept your Word. Silence in me any voice but your own, that hearing, I may also obey your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. THE PARISH NOTICES/COLLECT FOR BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK The Liturgy begins with the music of the organ. The organ voluntary is a veil drawn reverently between the cares of the week and the time of worship where all are welcome to experience the presence of God with the people of God. Through its power and brilliance may you feel the majesty and glory of God, and in its quietness, His peace. THE OPENING VOLUNTARY WER NUR DEN LIEBEN GOTT, BWV 647 Johann Sebastian Bach ( ) If you but trust in God to guide you The stand THE OPENING ACCLAMATION In the name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The grace, mercy, and peace of God be with you all. And also with you. Lent is the church's journey to Easter and the saving waters of rebirth. With the church throughout the world, we journey with catechumens who are preparing for baptism at the Easter Vigil. For those of us already baptized, we continue our baptismal journey of conversion, daily dying to sin that we might walk in newness of life. Our procession today is in the spirit of the Israelites, as they journeyed through the wilderness to the promised land. As we begin our Lenten pilgrimage, we join with the universal church, supported by the saints of all times and places. We journey from slavery to freedom, from darkness to light, from death to life. Let us go forth in joy, for the goal of our journey is the new life of the resurrection, which will renew the world, the church, and our lives. THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 3 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

4 The Entrance Rite The Holy Spirit gathers us in unity on the first day of the week, the day of Christ s resurrection The remain standing In place of the Processional Hymn today, The Great Litany is said in procession to the Chancel. The Great Litany is said to be the first prayer composed in the English language (i.e. not an English translation from another language) for use in public worship. It is used in worship at various times and seasons, but is most frequently experienced during the season of Lent because of its distinctly penitential nature. In many churches, as here, it is chanted or said in procession. THE GREAT LITANY, SAID IN PROCESSION Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. O Christ, hear us. In mercy hear us. God, the Father in heaven, have mercy on us. God, the Son, redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. Be gracious to us. Spare us, good Lord. Be gracious to us. Spare us, good Lord. From all sin, from all error, from all evil; from the cunning assaults of the devil; from an untimely death: Good Lord, deliver us. From war, bloodshed, and violence; from corrupt and unjust government; from sedition and treason: Good Lord, deliver us. From epidemic, drought, and famine; from fire and flood, earthquake, lightning and storm; and from everlasting death: Good Lord, deliver us. By the mystery of your incarnation; by your holy birth: Help us, good Lord. By your baptism, fasting, and temptation; by your agony and bloody sweat; by your cross and suffering; by your death and burial: Help us, good Lord. By your resurrection and ascension; by the gift of the Holy Spirit: Help us, good Lord. In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death; and in the day of judgment: Save us, good Lord. Though unworthy, We implore you to hear us, Lord our God. THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 4 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

5 To rule and govern your holy catholic Church; to guide all servants of your Church in the love of your Word and in holiness of life; to put an end to all schisms and causes of offense to those who would believe; and to bring into the way of truth all who have gone astray: We implore you to hear us, good Lord. To beat down Satan under our feet; to send faithful workers into your harvest; to accompany your Word with your Spirit and power; to raise up those who fall and to strengthen those who stand; and to comfort and help the fainthearted and the distressed: We implore you to hear us, good Lord. To give to all nations justice and peace; to preserve our country from discord and strife; to direct and guard those who have civil authority; and to bless and guide all our people: We implore you to hear us, good Lord. To behold and help all who are in danger, need, or tribulation; to protect and guide all who travel; to preserve and provide for all women in childbirth; to watch over children and to guide the young; to heal the sick and to strengthen their families and friends; to bring reconciliation to families in discord; to provide for the unemployed and for all in need; to be merciful to all who are imprisoned; to support, comfort, and guide all orphans, widowers, and widows; and to have mercy on all your people: We implore you to hear us, good Lord. To forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to reconcile us to them; to help us use wisely the fruits and treasures of the earth, the sea, and the air; and graciously to hear our prayers: We implore you to hear us, good Lord. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, we implore you to hear us. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; give us peace. Amen. O Christ, hear us. In mercy hear us. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 5 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

6 The sit The Opening Versicles (exchanges between and ) are chosen according to the season. The words of Saint Paul, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (from 2 Corinthians 13-14) form the Apostolic Greeting because they come from the Apostle Paul himself, who gave a similar greeting in his correspondence with churches. In this way we recognize ourselves as fellow apostles and are reminded that God, the Holy Trinity, forms us and shapes us into disciples and unites us in baptism. THE OPENING VERSICLES AND APOSTOLIC GREETING Blessed be the God of our salvation, Who bears our burdens and forgives our sins, Who creates us in love, And redeems us in mercy. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you. The Collect is a short prayer which gathers or collects the thoughts and prayers of the entire Church as they apply to the theme of the day. THE COLLECT OF THE DAY Let us pray. O Lord God, you led your people through the wilderness and brought them to the promised land. Guide us now, so that, following your Son, we may walk safely through the wilderness of this world toward the life you alone can give, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. THE MESSAGE FOR YOUNG DISCIPLES THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 6 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

7 The Liturgy of the Word God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song The First Reading is generally from the Old Testament and is intentionally related to the Gospel reading of the day. THE OLD TESTAMENT READING Deuteronomy 26:1-11 The annual harvest festival, called the feast of Weeks, provides the setting for this reading. This festival celebrates the first fruits of the produce of the land offered back to God in thanks. In this text, worshipers announce God s gracious acts on behalf of Israel. Lector Lector A reading from Deuteronomy, the twenty-sixth chapter. W hen you have come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, 2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. 3 You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, Today I declare to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us. 4 When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the LORD your God, 5you shall make this response before the LORD your God: A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. 6 When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, 7 we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors; the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; 9 and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O LORD, have given me. You shall set it down before the LORD your God and bow down before the LORD your God. 11 Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. The Second Reading usually comes from one of the letters (epistles) in the New Testament. In the early church, letters from the apostles began to be read along with the custom of reading Scripture. THE EPISTLE READING Romans 10:8b-13 Paul reminds the Christians at Rome of the foundation of their creed, the confession of faith in the risen Christ as Lord. Lector Lector A reading from Romans, the tenth chapter. T he word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to shame. 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13 For, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 7 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

8 The Gospel reading centers on the life and works of Jesus and is the theme for the day. We stand during the reading from the Gospel as a sign of respect for the words of Jesus and to manifest an eagerness and attentiveness to hear the good news. It is here that we see God in the flesh among us. THE HOLY GOSPEL Saint Luke 4:1-13 After being filled with the Holy Spirit at his baptism, Jesus is led in the wilderness. Through his responses to the temptations of the devil he defines what it means to be called the Son of God. Gospeller Gospeller The Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke, the fourth chapter. Glory to you, O Lord. J esus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. 3 The devil said to him, If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread. 4 Jesus answered him, It is written, One does not live by bread alone. 5 Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And the devil said to him, To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours. 8 Jesus answered him, It is written, Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him. 9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written, He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you, 11 and On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone. 12 Jesus answered him, It is said, Do not put the Lord your God to the test. 13 When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time. The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. The sit THE SERMON The Reverend Tony Bradshaw, Senior Pastor The stand We have heard God s Word to us. Now we respond by confessing what we believe. The Apostles Creed is the oldest of the creeds we use in worship and is based upon the teachings of the apostles. The word Creed comes from the Latin Credo which means, I believe! THE APOSTLES CREED God has made us his people through our Baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 8 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

9 The kneel or sit as able The Prayers of the are another response to the Word of God. They are intercessions (prayers) for the whole state of Christ s Church and the world. In obedience to Christ s commands, we offer intercessions for the universal Church, the nations and all in authority, the welfare of the world, the concerns of our local parish, those who suffer or are in any need, and for the faithful departed. THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray for the church, those in need, and all of God's creation. The sing the following refrain two times. Intercessor Intercessor Intercessor Intercessor Intercessor Intercessor The stand Break down and mend divisions within your church, Holy One. Bring together rich and poor, homeless and housed, and those who hold differing political views as the one body of Christ. Unite us in worship of you. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Sustain citrus groves and orchards, divine Gardener. Provide rich soil and water in due season for an abundant harvest. Help us share the fruit of your harvest with all people. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Raise up peacemakers, almighty God. In nations ravaged by war, pour out your Spirit of wisdom on their leaders. Equip them to respond with your mercy and justice. Make peace flourish in all the world. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Protect all who flee oppression, eternal Father. Grant refuge on their journey. Provide shelter as there is need. Turn the hearts of those who oppress. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Teach us to love as you love, gracious Lord. Open us to encounter our enemies as our neighbors. Give us courage to trust in your redeeming love and proclaim your gospel to all people. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Show all people your salvation, Alpha and Omega. Bring us to eternal joy with all the saints who have gone before us. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Into your hands, gracious God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. The peace that passes all understanding is Christ s gift to us. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we share a gesture of God s peace with one another as a sign that we are united as one family with God at the table of the Lord. THE PEACE The peace of the Lord be with you always. And also with you. THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 9 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

10 The Liturgy of the Eucharist God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ The sit We have listened to God s Word both read and preached. God has spoken to us in mercy and blessing. Now we offer to God our hearts and lives that we might be eager and strong to do his will in thought, word, and deed. THE PREPARATION OF THE ALTAR AND COLLECTION OF ALMS An offering of money is collected. Your generous contribution, together with the gifts of many others, makes possible the community of welcome, Reconciliation, and service that is Saint James Church. During this time, the table is set. After the offering is gathered, the gifts are brought forward. The pew envelopes marked Special Offering are intended for use in designating offerings beyond regular contributions. Please be sure to write on the envelope to what fund or organization this offering is intended. THE ANTHEM AT THE OFFERTORY The Parish Choir Forty days and forty nights Thou wast fasting in the wild, Forty days and forty nights Tempted and yet undefiled. Sunbeams scorching all the day, Chilly dewdrops nightly shed, Prowling beasts about thy way, Stones thy pillow, earth thy bed. Let us thine endurance share, And from earthly joys abstain, With thee watching unto prayer, Strong with thee to suffer pain. And if Satan, vexing sore, Flesh or spirit should assail, Thou, his vanquisher before, Grant we may not faint nor fail. So shall we have peace divine, Holier gladness ours shall be, Round us too shall angels shine, Such as ministered to thee. Keep, O keep us, Savior dear, Ever constant by thy side, That with thee we may appear At the eternal Eastertide. Amen. Words: G. H. Smyttan and Francis Pott Music: Harrison Oxley, b The stand THE OFFERTORY HYMN AT THE PRESENTATION THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 10 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

11 THE OFFERTORY PRAYER Let us pray. God our provider, you have not fed us with bread alone, but with words of grace and life. Bless us and these your gifts, which we receive from your bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The words Sursum Corda comes from the Latin and means Lift up your hearts. This Preface (a reciprocal prayer between and ) serves to remind us of God s action coming to us, our thoughts ascending to God, and that the Lord is truly present with us in this service of thanksgiving. THE SURSUM CORDA 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. The Proper Preface directs our attention to different occasions in the life of our Lord and the Church. THE PROPER PREFACE OF THE LORD S DAY It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ. You call your people to cleanse their hearts and prepare with joy for the paschal feast, that renewed in the gift of baptism, we may come to the fullness of your grace. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn: The word Sanctus comes from the Latin and means Holy. In the Sanctus we are reminded of Holy Week and the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem with the multitude who sang, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest! The Sanctus is especially appropriate at this point in the liturgy, as Jesus is about to make his entrance among us in his very Body and Blood in his Supper. THE SANCTUS AND BENEDICTUS THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 11 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

12 The Eucharistic Prayer gives thanks and praise to God for God s many acts of mercy. This prayer originated in the ancient Jewish meal prayer which was customary at the time of Jesus. THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER Holy, mighty, and merciful Lord, heaven and earth are full of your glory. In great love you sent to us Jesus, your Son, who reached out to heal the sick and suffering, who preached good news to the poor, and who, on the cross, opened his arms to all. The Words of Institution, Jesus words from the Last Supper, are the words which he spoke when he instituted the Supper with His disciples in the Upper Room. With these words the bread and wine are consecrated, that is, set apart for God's use in this special meal. THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me. We affirm through the Memorial Acclamation that the risen Christ is with us now and that he will be coming again. We believe this because Jesus promised us. THE MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. The Lord s Prayer is a distinctive prayer of Christians. We are reminded that we are together in the family of God, that at this Communion table we are not many individuals, but one body brothers and sisters in the faith. Placed in our liturgy at this point, the Lord s Prayer becomes the summation of our prayers to God in blessing the Bread and Wine. THE LORD S PRAYER And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray, THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 12 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

13 The sit The Prayer of Humble Access is an ancient prayer that dates from 1548 and is still in use today. By the end of the prayer, a sense of calm is present as we experience a oneness with the Lord and become truly prepared to receive Communion. This prayer is an extremely powerful prayer to pray in anticipation of Christ s Body and Blood. THE PRAYER OF HUMBLE ACCESS This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper. We do not presume to come to your table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in your manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy to gather up the crumbs under your table. But you are the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy. Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of your dear Son Jesus Christ, and so to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen. THE INVITATION TO HOLY COMMUNION The gifts of God for the people of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving. Thanks be to God! The words Agnus Dei come from the Latin and mean Lamb of God. They are a direct reference to John the Baptist s words: Behold, the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world. As lamb s blood saved the children of Israel at Passover, so also now Christ s blood, as the Lamb of God, redeems the entire world. At this point in our liturgy we acknowledge that Christ is the one who takes away the sins of the world, and he will grant us forgiveness through the eating and drinking of his Body and Blood as we receive his holy Supper. THE AGNUS DEI Reverently we come and kneel before the altar of God, humbly to receive Christ into our lives. As he once gave himself for us on the altar of the cross, so he now gives himself to us on the altar of the Sacrament. In this way he assures us all that the blessings he won for all sinners on the cross (forgiveness, life, and salvation) belong to everyone. THE MINISTRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION All baptized Christians are welcome to Holy Communion at Saint James Church. If you desire to receive the Sacrament at the High Altar, please proceed through the Choir to approach the High Altar and kneel at the communion rail for the reception of the Blessed Sacrament. If you desire to receive the Sacrament at the Communion Station located below the pulpit in the Nave, please proceed toward the Chancel steps for the reception of the Blessed Sacrament from the Communion Assistant on the Nave level. The Sacrament is administered by the method of Intinction. Take the wafer from the Assistant then dip it in the wine. The Pastor will bring the sacrament to persons in the pews who are unable to come forward. Please advise an usher if you wish the pastor to do so. THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 13 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

14 THE MOTET AT THE COMMUNION The Parish Choir As your spirit in the desert led the Christ to dust and stone, so instill our hearts with courage now to cross where Christ has gone. Let us cross into the wilderness so to walk where Christ has gone. As your fire and cloudy pillar Israel s tribes to Canaan led, may your Presence be our comfort, may your manna be our bread. Let us cross into the wilderness with God s manna as our bread. Though wild beasts may lurk in shadow, and dire thirst may sear and sting. You have promised living waters waiting for us at the spring. Let us cross out of the wilderness to the waters of the spring. Through the narrow gate now draw us, past all empire s pull and strife, where beyond our fear and clinging stands the threshold of new life. Let us cross out of the wilderness to the threshold of new life. God of Desert, God of Promise, you have bid us journey on through the days of dust and darkness to the rising dawn. Let us cross out of the wilderness to the rising of the dawn. Words: Susan Palo Cherwien Music: Michael D. Costello THE HYMN AT THE COMMUNION After the Choir has communed and returned to their places, Verse 1 will be repeated. THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 14 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

15 The Sending God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world The stand After all have communed, we offer our joyous and prayerful thanks to God. THE EUCHARISTIC BLESSING The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. Amen. This Concluding Prayer thanks God for the gift of communion and recognizes that it inspires and empowers us to live out our Christian mission in the world. THE POSTCOMMUNION COLLECT Let us pray. Merciful God, accompany us on our journey through these forty days of Lent. Renew in us the gift of baptism, that we may provide for those who are poor, pray for those in need, fast from self-indulgence, and above all that we may find our treasure in the life of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. With the assurance of the Lord s blessing resting upon us, and his strengthening presence accompanying us, we are ready to depart in peace. We move out of the church into the larger liturgy of our daily life, ready to be a blessing to others and to do God s will. THE BLESSING The blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the (+) Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen. The Liturgy concludes overleaf. Please feel free to take your Service Leaflet with you. However, if you would prefer to discard your leaflet, please recycle it by placing it in one of the recycling bins which are located by the doors outside the Chapel, by the front doors in the Narthex, outside the Parish Office, or by the back door at the portico entrance. THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 15 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA

16 THE HYMN AT THE PROCESSION THE DISMISSAL Go in peace. Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God! THE CLOSING VOLUNTARY WER NUR DEN LIEBEN GOTT, BWV 642 Johann Sebastian Bach ( ) If you but trust in God to guide you THE LITURGY HAS ENDED; THE SERVICE BEGINS! Finally, brethren, farewell. Be complete. Be of good comfort. Be of one mind. Live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Corinthians 13:11-14 THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT Page 16 SAINT JAMES CHURCH, ELCA