Celtic Evening Prayer and Communion

Transcription

1 Celtic Evening Prayer and Communion Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 24 October 21, 2018, at Half-Past Five o clock in the Evening Welcome. We are aware that many who attend this service come from other churches and faith traditions, and we are delighted to have many who consider Saint Paul s to be their second church home. The mixture of faith traditions represented at this service makes up a community we especially cherish. We are glad you are here. Prelude Keith Shafer, Piano In order to prepare for worship and allow for private prayer, we ask that silence be observed upon entering and that you turn off cell phones. At the sound of the bell, all stand. Opening Celebrant Lord Jesus, as God s Spirit came down and rested upon you, May the same Spirit rest on us, Bestowing his sevenfold gifts. First, grant us the gift of understanding, By which your precepts may enlighten our minds. Second, grant us counsel, by which we may follow in your footsteps on the path of righteousness. Third, grant us courage, by which we may ward off the enemy s attacks. Fourth, grant us knowledge, by which we can distinguish good from evil. Fifth, grant us piety, by which we may acquire compassionate hearts. Sixth, grant us fear, by which we may draw back from evil and submit to what is good. Seventh, grant us wisdom, that we may taste fully the life-giving sweetness of your love.

2 Prayer for the Evening Creator God who breathed this world into being, who is discernible within the harmony of nature, the perfection of a butterfly s wing, the grandeur of a mountain range, the soaring eagle and humming bird, thank you for this world which you have created. Thank you for summer sun, which reminds us that your creative breath is still alive and active. Thank you for the warmth of your love, sustaining this world, your garden. grant to us light. grant to us peace. grant to us rest. grant to us grace. grant to us joy. Amen. Please be seated. A period of silence is observed. The Holy Gospel Mark 10:35-45 Reader A reading from the Gospel according to Mark. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to Jesus and said to him, Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. And he said to them, What is it you want me to do for you? And they said to him, Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory. But Jesus said to them, You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They replied, We are able. Then Jesus said to them, The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared. When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.

3 Reader May your Spirit light up your Word and illumine our hearts, O Lord. Thanks be to God. A period of silence is observed after the reading. Reflection The Reverend John Jenkins A period of silence is observed. Music for Meditation Enfolding by John Bell (Iona Abbey Music Book) Kathleen Chandler, Vocalist God to enfold you, Christ to uphold you, Spirit to keep you in heaven s sight: so may God grace you, heal and embrace you, lead you through darkness into the light. Prayers for Ourselves, Others, and the World Please stand. Celebrant Let us pray for the Church and the world. Father It s that picture of God the Father as potter Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are the work of your hand. May we, through your creative power, demonstrate our true potential. It s that picture of a father welcoming home the prodigal son, arms open wide ready to accept, embrace and enfold. May we know the warmth and abiding love of your embrace. It s that picture of Jesus standing in the river, as God announces to the universe that This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. May we understand our own worth, and that of our neighbor in your eyes. It s that picture of Jesus walking to a lonely place to be quiet and be at one with His Heavenly Father. May we find place in our lives to be quiet, to be close to you. It s that picture of God s own Son in the Garden of Gethsemene showing perfect obedience: Yet not as I will, but as you will. Grant us the strength to be obedient to your will, even when it hurts. Son Lord Jesus, Son of God, Saviour of the world, Lord Jesus, Light in this dark World, illuminate our hearts and minds;

4 Lord Jesus, Bread of Life, feed us in those times of emptiness and hunger; Lord Jesus, Water of Life, flow through our hearts and into our lives; Lord Jesus, may ours be fruitful lives as branches and shoots of the one True Vine; Lord Jesus, Servant King, may we understand the true meaning of service; Lord Jesus, for whom death could claim no victory, May we live in the knowledge and assurance of Your Resurrection. Spirit Holy Spirit, giver of life, creative breath of God through whom this world was breathed into existence and is sustained, Spirit of Truth and Wisdom through ages past and present who guides God s people into all Truth, Holy Spirit, Counsellor, sent by the Father, convicting, comforting, guiding and reassuring, Holy Spirit, enabler of your servants and prophets through the ages, source of authority, wisdom and power, Holy Spirit, indwelling presence of God, empowering the lives of the apostles at Pentecost and the Church today, Let us now name before God those for whom we offer our personal prayers, either silently or aloud. Celebrant Lord, you have called us to serve you. Add your intercessions silently or aloud. Grant that we may walk in your presence: your love in our hearts, your truth in our minds, your strength in our wills, until, at the end of our journey, we know the joy of our homecoming and the welcome of your embrace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

5 The Healing Service Celebrant Almighty God, who inspired your servant Luke the physician to set forth in the Gospel the love and healing power of your Son: Graciously continue in your Church this love and power to heal, to the praise and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. are invited to come forward to receive the laying on of hands and anointing with oil in prayer for healing for yourself, for others, for our world. Additional Prayers of Intercession and Thanksgiving Please sit. During the instrumental music and anytime hereafter, you may come forward to light votives as a symbol of your prayers. After lighting a votive, please fully extinguish the lit taper and return it to the holder. Music for Meditation Ms. Chandler Slane (Iona Abbey Music Book) Beach Spring God beyond knowledge, yet close to us here, our touchstone, our lodestar in faith and in fear; your presence we know in the dark before dawn as courage is kindled and hope is reborn. God without limits, yet sharing our flesh, you speak for the silenced, release the oppressed, and call us to follow, in all things to prove the tools of your spirit, the signs of your love. Lord, to your purpose our living we pledge: to go beyond comfort and stand at life s edge, to love and to live without safety, and so to shape and inhabit your Kingdom of hope. The Grace Celebrant Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. The Peace Celebrant Christ, the Good Shepherd, bind us with a bond of love that cannot be broken. My sisters and brothers, the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you. greet one another in the name of the Lord. Welcome and Announcements The Reverend John Jenkins

6 The Holy Communion The alms basin is not passed at this service, but stands in front of the Baptismal Font. The Offertory Music Gatehouse by John Bell (Iona Abbey Music Book) Ms. Chandler Among us and before us, Lord, you stand with arms outstretched and bread and wine at hand. Confronting those unworthy of a crumb, you ask that to your table we should come. Who dare say No, when such is your resolve our worst to witness, suffer and absolve, our best to raise in lives by God forgiven, our souls to fill on earth with food from heaven? Who dare say No, when such is your intent to love the selves we famish and resent, to cradle our uncertainties and fear, to kindle hope as you in faith draw near? Who dare say No, when such is your request that each around your table should be guest, that here the ancient word should live as new Take, eat and drink all this is meant for you. No more we hesitate and wonder why; no more we stand indifferent, scared or shy. Your invitation leads us to say Yes, to meet you where you nourish, heal and bless. - Michael Forster Eucharistic Prayer stand. Celebrant We are the body of Christ. His Spirit is with us. Celebrant Let us lift up our hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. Celebrant Indeed thanks and praise erupt from our lips, O Lord, for you pour out your Spirit upon us, arousing us with visions and dreams and intoxicating us with an uncontainable fervor to proclaim your truth in the language of praise. things were created when you sent forth your Spirit and filled the earth with your wonders. You breathed into us and we rose from the dust. The face of the earth came alive. In these last days your son, Jesus Christ, came among us. Speaking your words and doing your works, he revealed the truth of who you are. Crucified by those who would usurp your name, he was raised to glory by your life-giving power. Having secured our adoption as your children and commissioned us to continue his works, he poured out your Holy Spirit on us, setting our hearts ablaze with a passion for peace, and firing our tongues with everlasting songs of joy. Therefore with all the saints and every creature in heaven and earth we praise you, saying: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

7 Celebrant Holy indeed are you, O God, and holy is your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who on the night he was betrayed to his death, took bread, and after thanking you (as even now we thank you, O God, for this bread), he broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, Take, eat. This is my body, given for you. After the meal was done, Jesus took the cup, the cup of blessing, and after giving you thanks and praise, passed it to his disciples, saying, Take and drink, all of you. This is my blood, the blood of a new covenant for the forgiveness of sin, poured out for many. As oft as you do this, do it in remembrance of me. Loving God, we rejoice in the gift of your grace, remembering Christ s life and death, proclaiming his resurrection, waiting in hope for his coming again. Grant that, in prayer and thanksgiving, we may so offer ourselves to you that our lives may proclaim the mystery of faith. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Celebrant Send O God, your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts, that they may be the body and blood of Christ Jesus for us, and that we may be his people, salt and light to the world. Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory is yours, God most holy, now and forever. Amen. Celebrant Because you are one with us, O Christ, make us one with you as we pray the prayer you taught us. The Lord s Prayer 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 A period of silence is observed when the bread is broken. The Invitation to the Lord s Table Celebrant This is the table, not of the Church, but of the Lord. It is made ready for those who love him and for those who want to love him more. So, come, you who have much faith and you who have little, you who have been here often and you who have not been here long, you who have tried to follow and you who have failed. Come, because it is the Lord who invites you. It is his will that those who want him should meet him here. You are welcome to be seated until you come forward to receive. When you receive the consecrated bread, you may consume it and then move to one of the cups of consecrated wine.

8 The Communion Music Jesus calls us (Isle of Lewis folk melody) Ms. Chandler Jesus calls us here to meet him as, through word and song and prayer, we affirm God s promised presence, where his people live and care. Praise the God who keeps his promise, praise the Son who calls us friends, praise the Spirit who, among us, to our hopes and fears attends. Jesus calls us to confess him Word of Life and Lord of, sharer of our flesh and frailness, saving all who fail and fall. Tell his holy human story, tell his tales that all may hear, tell the world that Christ in glory came to earth to meet us here. Jesus calls us to each other: found in him are no divides. Race and class and sex and language, such are barriers he derides. Join the hands of friend and stranger, join the hands of age and youth, join the faithful and the doubter in their common search for truth. Jesus calls us to his table, rooted firm in time and space, where the church in earth and heaven finds a common meeting place. Share the bread and wine, his body, share the love of which we sing, share the feast for saints and sinners, hosted by our Lord and King. After Communion Please stand or kneel. Celebrant Let us pray. God of abundance, you have fed us with the bread of life and cup of salvation; you have united us with Christ and one another; and you have made us one with all your people in heaven and on earth. Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit, that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue for ever in the risen life of Christ our Savior. Amen. The Blessing Celebrant The blessing of God and the Son be yours, The blessing of the perfect Spirit be yours, The blessing of the Three be pouring for you, Mildly and generously, Hour by hour, More and more, And for ever. Amen. The Dismissal Go out into the world in peace, have courage, hold on to what is good, return no one evil for evil, strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering, honor everyone, love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit. Thanks be to God. Music for Meditation Keith Shafer, Piano Please feel free to sit or depart, as you wish, during the closing music.

9 Welcome To Saint Paul s Church We are glad you are here. No matter who you are, no matter where you come from, and no matter where you are on the journey of life you are welcome in this church. We invite you to participate in our worship service, or simply observe, as you wish. We hope you will find Saint Paul s to be a place of refreshment and renewal, where you experience the presence of the risen Christ. We have been serving Christ in this location for over two hundred sixty years. The monuments in our church and the graves in our churchyard reflect the conflicts and complexities of our nation s and our city s history. While our building is old and beautiful, our mission is contemporary and forward moving. Here you will find a people very much connected with the questions and struggles of modern life and faith and of following the way of Jesus. We are a community called to serve those in need in our city, in our nation, and around the world. Here you will find ministries with and for children, youth, parents, seniors, singles, and families in all configurations and stages of life. We invite you to share your contact information on a visitor s card, located in each pew. Hand it to one of our clergy, an usher, or place it in the offering plate. Parish Announcements 6:30 pm Fall Primetime Party (Adults 50+) Join us tonight at the home of Susan and George Muir for our semiannual Primetime party. $5 per person at the door. Bring an appetizer to share. Need directions? Address and directions are available from an usher or the Vestry person of the day. Coats for Kids at Hornsby Elementary and Middle School begins today. PLEASE help keep our young friends warm this winter! Many students at Hornsby will NEED coats and jackets when the weather cools off. We can use heavy coats, lightweight jackets, fleece jackets, and sweatshirt jackets, plus boys and girls gloves, mittens, and hats. sizes are needed: children s sizes 6-16 and adult sizes S, M, L, & XL. New and gently used are accepted. Cash donations are happily accepted, too. Donation boxes will be located in the Narthex and in Tyler Hall. For questions, please contact Kathy Enicks at kge1726@aol.com. Tuesday s Music Live 31st season continues Tuesday, October 23, at 12 noon, with a free concert by Ensemble Chaconne. Lunch, catered by Sugar South Catering, is available after the concert by advance reservation. The cost is $12 per person. Reservations at or by calling the Box Office at (706) CELEBRATE: Night on the River, Friday, October 26, 6:30-9 pm The Creation Care Team invites the parish to celebrate God s good creation with an evening of locally sourced music, food, drink, and creatures (the human kind)! NO COST to attend & WE URGE YOU TO INVITE GUESTS, but we do ask you to RSVP your expected attendance number to Katherine Ferrara (ktf560@gmail.com). Call Katherine at (706) if you need more details or would like to make a donation or volunteer to support the event. More information about these announcements and other events is available in Friday s Weekly Postings, including registration and contact information. A copy is available on our website or join our list by signing up on the website, scaning the QR on the back of this bulletin, or contacting the parish administrator, Elisabeth Price at mailbox@saintpauls.org. Visit our website Saint Paul's Church is a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia. The Church is open for prayer daily 9 am 3 pm, Monday - Thursday, & 9 am 12 pm, Friday. The Church Office and Parish House are closed Saturdays as well as Sunday afternoons. Tel: Join Our List