Celtic Evening Prayer and Communion Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 24 October 22, 2017, 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 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 Stay with us, Christ, for it is evening. Make your church bright with your radiance. Creator Spirit, come, Renew the face of the earth. Kindling Spirit, come, Inflame our waiting hearts. Anointing Spirit, come, Pour forth on us anew. You led your people by a cloud; May your Spirit lead us all today. You led your people by fire at night; May your Spirit light our way. Spirit of life, Fill our emptiness with your fullness.
Spirit of power, Stir our hearts afresh. Spirit of love, Touch us, and through us, our neighbor. Spirit of Creativity, Enable and empower the gifts you have given. Spirit of Eternity, Draw us ever deeper into your Kingdom. Spirit of God, The breath of creation is yours. Spirit of God, The groans of the world are yours. Spirit of God, The wonder of communion is yours. Spirit of God, The fire of love is yours. And we are filled. And we are filled. A Prayer for the Evening Days pass, and the years vanish, And we walk sightless among miracles. God, fill our eyes with seeing, and our minds with knowing. Let there be moments when your presence like lightning Illumines the darkness in which we walk. Help us to see, wherever we gaze, That the bush burns unconsumed; And we, clay touched by God, Will reach out for holiness and exclaim in wonder: How filled with awe is this place, And we did not know it! Here I stand, alert and open, praying that the Holy Spirit may come to me. Please be seated. A period of silence is observed.
The Holy Gospel Matthew 22:15-22 Reader A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew. The Pharisees went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax. And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, Whose head is this, and whose title? They answered, The emperor s. Then he said to them, Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor s, and to God the things that are God s. When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away. 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 Prayers for Ourselves, Others, and the World Please stand. Add your own prayers, either silently or aloud after each petition. With expectant faith we pray to the Father, confident in his love and infinite wisdom. We pray for all who work through the power of Christ in the Church today, serving the needs of the poor and healing the wounds of injustice, division, and materialism in our society. We pray for the elderly, the sick, and the lonely among us: that they may receive comfort, companionship, and care from those around them. We pray for all people: that they may seek the kingdom of God before all else. We pray for all those who have asked for our prayers, especially those whose names are written on our hearts at this moment. We pray that when we are discouraged, we may find strength in the signs of a loving and faithful God in those around us. We pray for those who have lost hope: that they may find the joy of the Holy Spirit within their hearts. We pray that we may be a sign of the love of God to all whom we meet today.
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 The Grace Celebrant Breathe in us, O Holy Spirit, that our thoughts may all be holy; Act in us, O Holy Spirit, that our works, too, may be holy; Draw our hearts, O Holy Spirit, that we love but what is holy; Strengthen us, O Holy Spirit, to defend that which is holy; Guard us then, O Holy Spirit, that we always may be holy. 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. Announcements The Holy Communion The Reverend John Jenkins The alms basin is not passed at this service, but stands in front of the Baptismal Font. The Offertory Music
Eucharistic Prayer stand. Celebrant The Lord be with you. And with your Spirit. Celebrant Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord. Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give him thanks and praise. Celebrant Therefore with the whole realm of nature around us, With earth, sea and sky, We sing to you. Celebrant With the angels and archangels who envelop us, With all the saints before us and beside us, With brothers and sisters, east and west, north and south, We sing to you. Celebrant And with our loved ones, separate from us now, who yet, in this mystery are close to us, We sing the hymn of unending praise: 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. Celebrant Blessed are you, O God, whose gift of Holy Spirit is poured out continuously on all creation, germinating the seeds of humour and hope, dancing in the pulse of life, blazing in the fires of passion. Blessed is your son, Jesus, who embodied this out-poured Spirit and thus restored to sight our ancient destiny. Fulfilling his promise not to leave his followers comfortless, he opened heaven s floodgates, raining down gifts in thunder, wind, and flame, igniting visions and dreams, filling women and men with clarity and power, and intoxicating young and old alike with longing to proclaim your uncontainable word in languages of praise. Blessed is our brother Jesus, who comes behind the doors we have closed and breathes on our fear his fearful peace; who, on the night when he was betrayed, took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said: This is my body, which is for you. Do this to remember me. Celebrant In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying: Do this, whenever you drink it, to remember me. Celebrant So, as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the mystery of our faith: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Celebrant Therefore, here in this place, we celebrate the life that was born at Bethlehem, the life that Jesus has shared among his community through the centuries, and shares with us now. Made one with him, and thus one with each other, we lay before you these gifts of bread and wine, in token of our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, for here we offer and present to you ourselves, our bodies, minds, and spirits, to be a holy and continuous sacrifice to you. Come now, O Spirit of Christ, brood over these bodily things, this bread and this wine. May they be for us your body and blood, vibrant with life, healing, renewing, and making us whole. Celebrant And draw us into your blazing heart, that as your gifts are consumed in us, we might be consumed in transfiguring love and thus become one with you, Bone of your bone, Flesh of your flesh, living our prayer and praying our life until love and fidelity embrace, peace and justice kiss, and all are free as Christ is free. 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. 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. Music during Communion
After Communion Please stand or kneel. Celebrant Let us pray. Celebrant Almighty God, you have opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Spread abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth. Celebrant Loving God, you have given us the Bread of Heaven and the Wine of eternal joy: May all whom you have called eat and drink as we have this day till at last we feast in your everlasting kingdom. We ask it through Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. 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 Please feel free to sit or depart, as you wish, during the closing music.
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. 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, of faith, and of following the way of Jesus. 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 CELEBRATE: Night on the River, Friday, October 27, 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 Ranie Neislar (rneislar@saintpauls.org). A flower workshop, sponsored by The Flower Guild, is being offered on Saturday, October 28, 9-11:30 am. More details in Fridays Weekly Postings. Please email the parish office at mailbox@saintpauls.org to register. FREE Admission; no experience needed and no obligation to join The Flower Guild. Our coat drive for Craig-Houghton Elementary continues. Donation boxes are located in the Narthex and Tyler Hall. Questions please contact Kathy Enicks at kge1726@aol.com. Come share your love of reading with our youngest students at Craig-Houghton Elementary. You can read any day, once a week or once a month. For more information, contact Kathy Enicks at kge1726@aol.com. Next Tuesday s Music Live, features a free concert by Keith Shafer, Tuesday, October 24, 12 noon. Lunch, after the concert, $12 per person, reservations required (www.tuesdaysmusiclive.com or (706) 722-3463). The Master s Table Soup Kitchen located at 702 Fenwick Street will be staffed and sponsored by Saint Paul s Church volunteers Saturday, October 28. The Prep Team works from 9-10:45 am. This is a great opportunity to get to know other parishioners while chopping, stirring, and preparing lunch for 150-250 guests. New to the Saint Paul s family in the last year? Please join us at our Fall Newcomers Party for drinks and a light supper, Sunday, October 29, 6-8 PM at the Home of Susan and George Muir. RSVP to Elisabeth Price in the parish office at mailbox@saintpauls.org. Saints Prayer List On Saints Sunday, November 5, we remember especially those in our parish family and in our families who have died in the past year. Please contact the parish office at (706) 724-2485 or mailbox@saintpauls.org if you would like to place someone special on the list. Saint Paul s Church communicates by a weekly E-newsletter. Join our email list by contacting the parish administrator, Elisabeth Price, or scan the QR on the back of this bulletin. Visit our website Saint Paul s Church is a parish 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. www.saintpauls.org Tel: 706-724-2485 Join Our E-mail List