2 ND SUNDAY of LENT 21 February 2016 Your descendants shall be as numerous as the stars. Silk painting by Carol Racklin-Siegel St. Mary of Mo`ili`ili 1
Videos: The Descendants of Abraham We STAND for the Silent Procession of the Cross. A LITANY OF PENITENCE follows [see insert]. We are SEATED after the Absolution for THE LESSONS Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 Brandon Padama The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, Your descendants shall be great. How can this be?!, Abram asked. I have no offspring. Your descendants shall be as numerous as the stars, the LORD replied; and I will give them the land between the Nile and the Euphrates. Psalm 27 Faith Blanchett I shall fear no one, for the LORD is my light and my salvation, who shelters me under his wings, that I may dwell in his house all the days of my life. Philippians 3:17-4:1 Elizabeth Lewin I have often told you, brothers and sisters, that many live as enemies of the Cross. Their god is their belly. Their glory is their shame. Their end is destruction; but our citizenship is in heaven; for we do not set our minds on earthly things. 2
We STAND for the Proclamation of the GOSPEL. Gospel Hymn: In Christ there is no east or west [verse 1] H529 Gospel Hymn: In Christ there is no east or west [verse 2] Sermon: The Nicene Creed Prayers of the [Insert] We KNEEL together as a community of faith in prayer. Please be SEATED for the Celebrations & Announcements. We celebrate birthdays, baptisms, anniversaries, and travel blessings! Celebrations & Announcements Peace + Gifts: Jay & Chelsey Chow The Priest proclaims The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Luke. Glory to you, Lord Christ! The Gospel: Luke 13: 31-35 After the lesson, the Priest says The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Christ! H529 Fr. Gregory+ BCP358 Intercessor: Gwynn Johnson We greet one another in the name of Christ. A song of thanksgiving is played. The gifts of bread and wine are brought to the altar. The OFFERING is brought forward and blessed. Thanksgiving Song: He Knows My Name Francesca Battistelli Communion Video: What Is Lent? 3
We STAND to celebrate Christ s presence with us. The GREAT THANKSGIVING The Eucharist is spoken rather than sung during the penitential seasons. The Lord be with you! And also with you! Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us be thankful. It is good to give thanks and praise. The recalls GOD s acts of mercy and salvation It is good to offer our thanks and praise, for GOD so loved the world that he gave us his Son, that we would walk in the light of faith rather than darkness. Therefore, we join our voices with all the angels and saints, saying: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, GOD of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are they who come in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest! The continues Holy are you Lord GOD of hosts, and blessed is your Son Jesus, who was lifted up from death to reign with you in heaven, that we would proclaim, by word and example, the good news of salvation, throughout this Lenten season. 4
The Lord s Supper is recalled. For on the night before our Lord died for us, he took bread, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat: for this is my body given for you. Do this is remembrance of me. When supper had ended, Jesus also took the cup, saying: Take and drink: for this is my blood poured out for you. Do this in remembrance of me. The Memorial Acclamation and Epiclesis is offered. Remembering your mighty acts, O LORD, and giving thanks for your Presence among us, we proclaim the mystery of faith: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again! Pour out your Spirit upon these gifts, heavenly Father. Sanctify them to be Christ s body and blood in us, that we may be his witness to the world. Therefore let us keep the feast! And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father forgive us our trespasses After the Lord s Prayer our lifts the Consecrated Bread, saying: We who are many are One Body, Congregation: For we all share One Bread. Our then lifts the Chalice, saying: We who are One Body all share One Faith, Congregation: For we all share One Cup. Our invites us to the Lord s Table. ALL who seek to love GOD and neighbor are encouraged to receive the blessed Sacrament here at Christ s Table. Communion Hymns: Dear Lord & Father by Newsong; Take my life by Bryan Duncan; and Leaning on the Everlasting Arms [page 6] 5
Leaning on the everlasting arms Text: by Anthony Showalter & Elisha Hoffman 1887 Music: by Anthony Showalter Track: Guy Penrod 2012 from the album Hymns What a fellowship, what a joy divine, Leaning on the everlasting arms; What a blessedness, what a peace is mine, Leaning on the everlasting arms. REFRAIN: Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms. Oh how sweet to walk, in this pilgrim way, Leaning on the everlasting arms; Oh how bright the path, grows from day to day, Leaning on the everlasting arms. REFRAIN What have I to dread? What have I to fear? Leaning on the everlasting arms. I have blessed peace, with my Lord so dear, Leaning on the everlasting arms. REFRAIN 6
Those who are able KNEEL as we give thanks for Christ s presence in us. Prayer of Thanksgiving [In Unison] Eternal and ever-loving GOD, you have fed us with the holy food of new and unending life in Christ Jesus. Send us now into the world in peace: to love and serve you, with gladness and singleness of heart, throughout this Lenten season. AMEN! Blessing + We STAND to walk humbly with Christ during the season of Lent. Closing Hymn: The GOD of Abraham Praise [verses 1+3] Until We Meet Again: Our sends us out into the world saying May the road rise up to meet us, and the wind be at our back! We respond Thanks be to GOD! H401 Postlude: Church Sonata in C by Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART 7
READ LENTEN REFLECTION The Common Good: Who Owns What? By The Rt. Rev. Larry Benfield Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas Deuteronomy 24:19-21: When you reap your grain in your field, you shall not go back to take what is left; or when you beat your olive trees, you shall not take what is left; or when you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not take what is left. It shall be for the immigrant, the orphan, and the widow, so that the LORD your GOD may bless you in all that you do. REFLECT In medieval England, a portion of the land was set aside as common or waste land. Common land facilitated the grazing of animals and other similar uses by the residents of a community. Waste land was where landless peasants turned to grow food for their families. Gradually, landowners began to search for more profitable ways to farm, and the common lands became private lands, a process supported in large part by the passage of legislation that enclosed the land for private use. Landowners then charged rent for those wanting to farm the land, and many farmers ultimately moved to cities to work in factories. The gradual turning of common land into private land hastened the Industrial Revolution and the rise of capitalism. Our own age has seen its versions of enclosure. There is heated discussion on whether or not parkland should be open to mineral and oil exploration undertaken by private companies. Formerly publicly held utilities are sold to private corporations. For-profit companies buy religious hospitals. Military operations are supported by independent contractors, which are often not under strict public oversight. We undertake these 21 st century variants on enclosure under the theory that private companies are more financially efficient than publicly owned institutions. In each of these instances, assets that were at one time held to be part of the common good, for the benefit of or under the control of society at large, are no longer seen as such. Is this privatization consistent with the biblical injunction to keep fields open to the immigrant, the orphan, and the widow? Christians have lived as faithful witnesses in every economic era. How do we live as faithful witnesses in this one? PRAY Almighty God, in giving us dominion over things on earth, you made us fellow workers in your creation: Give us wisdom and reverence so to use the resources of nature, that no one may suffer from our abuse of them, and that generations yet to come may continue to praise you for your bounty; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN. BCP 827 8