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Holy Eucharist Rite II
July 2, 2023 8:30 am & 10:30 am
Please join the worship by following the liturgy (program) in this bulletin. We encourage you to use the time before worship to pray and invite the presence of the Holy Spirit to keep you centered and focused on what God may be saying to you. After worship, we invite you to pray for God’s strength to help you face and meet the demands of the world from this moment and in the days to come.
Opening Hymn: The Church’s one foundation Hymnal 1982 #525
The Opening Acclamation BCP Page 355
Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
The Collect for Purity BCP page 355
The Celebrant then continues
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 we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Glory to God LEVAS II #243
Refrain: Glory, Glory, hallelujah,
Lord we praise your Holy name,
Glory, Glory hallelujah,
Lord we praise your Holy name.
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to His people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Refrain
You take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us;
You are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Refrain
Collect of the Day BCP page 228
The celebrant says to the people
The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Let us pray.
Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
First Reading Genesis 22: 1-14
Reader A reading from the book of Genesis
God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.
When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord
called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham looked up and
saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
Reader The Word of the Lord
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 13 Usquequo, Domine?
1 How long, O LORD?
will you forget me for ever? *
how long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long shall I have perplexity in my mind,
and grief in my heart, day after day? *
how long shall my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look upon me and answer me, O LORD my God; *
give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;
4 Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” *
and my foes rejoice that I have fallen.
5 But I put my trust in your mercy; *
my heart is joyful because of your saving help.
6 I will sing to the LORD, for he has dealt with me richly; *
I will praise the Name of the Lord Most High.
Second Reading Romans 6:12-23
Reader A reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans
Do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human
terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.
When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Reader The Word of the Lord
People Thanks be to God.
Sequence Hymn O Master, let me walk with thee Hymnal 1982 #660
Then, all standing as able, the Deacon reads the Gospel, first saying
Deacon The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
The Gospel Matthew 10:40-42
Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple– truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
After the Gospel the deacon says
The Gospel of the Lord
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon The Rev. Dr. Alicia Alexis
We will maintain a brief silence to allow for reflection.
The Nicene Creed BCP page 358
[Please stand as you are able.]
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayers of the People
The intercessor says,
Brothers and sisters, present yourself to God as those who have been brought from death to life. And with humble hearts, pray to the Lord, saying,
“Look upon us;
answer us, O Lord our God.”
Lord God, you have freed your Church from sin: sanctify us that we may be wholly dedicated to you and your purposes.
Silence
Look upon us;
Answer us, O Lord our God.
Incarnate God, help us to welcome Christ by welcoming the other. Give us eyes to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Silence
Look upon us;
Answer us, O Lord our God.
Righteous God, just as you provided a ram for Abraham, you have given us all we need. Encourage us to share what we have so that all may have their needs met.
You are invited to add your thanksgivings, followed by silence
Look upon us;
Answer us, O Lord our God.
O Lord, we put our trust in your mercy. We pray you make joyful the hearts of our neighbors – especially the displaced and sorrowful.
Silence
Look upon us;
Answer us, O Lord our God.
O Lord, answer those who cry out in their pain. Comfort those who feel forgotten. Give peace to those who are perplexed and grieving.
We pray especially for: Tyna, Dennis, Marjorie, Ama, Dorothy, Lawrence, Ann, Murphy, Karen, Derek, Walter, Vivian, Danita, Lionell, Vincent, Howard, Sydney, Carol, Robert, Beverly, Harmon, Cedric, Allen, Damon, Chuck, Pam, and Denise.
We pray for all those who are celebrating birthdays and anniversaries during the month of July.
You are invited to add your petitions, followed by silence
Look upon us;
Answer us, O Lord our God.
Gracious God, your free gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord: Bless and keep the dying and the dead.
Silence
Look upon us;
Answer us, O Lord our God.
A Prayer to End Gun Violence
God of Justice, help us, your church, find our voice. Turn us from the worship of power. Give us courage to confront our false gods and to protest the needless deaths caused by gun violence.
Help us rise above our dread that nothing can be done and grant us the conviction to advocate
for change. For your dream of a world where children are safe and all of us live together
without fear, Loving God, make us instruments of your peace. Amen.
A Prayer for a Rector Search
Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a rector for this parish, that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Concluding Collect
The Celebrant says,
Almighty God, to whom our needs are known before we ask, help us to ask what accords with your will; and those good things which we dare not, or in our blindness cannot ask, grant us for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Confession BCP page 360
Deacon Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
silence
Deacon and People
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Absolution BCP page 360
The celebrant stands and says:
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in
eternal life. Amen.
The Peace
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you;
People And also with you.
The Minister and People may greet one another in the name of the Lord.
Welcome and Announcements
The Holy Communion
Offertory Sentence
Ascribe to the Lord the honor due his Name; bring offerings and come into his courts. Ps 96:8
Offertory Solo: Amazing Grace Janice Williams, soloist
The Great Thanksgiving (Eucharistic Prayer A) BCP page 361
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Lift up your hearts.
People We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Celebrant
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
For you are the source of light and life, you made us in your image, and called us to new life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
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:
LEVAS II #255
Holy, holy, holy, holy,
holy Lord God of hosts,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in
the name of the Lord, of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Then the Celebrant continues
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself; and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
The Memorial Acclamation
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Celebrant and People
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
The Celebrant continues
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.
Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.
All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ. By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray,
The Lord’s Prayer
BCP page 364
The Celebrant says
As our Savior Christ has taught us we are bold to say
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
Celebrant Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
The Priest invites the people to 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.
Administration of Communion
At the time of communion, you are invited to come forward and receive the bread and wine. The priest will place a wafer in your hand. You may then receive wine either by direct consumption from a chalice (Common Cup), or you may give the wafer to the Eucharistic minister who will dip the wafer in the wine and place the wafer on your tongue. You may also still come forward to receive a blessing. Simply cross your arms over your chest before the priest for the blessing. After receiving communion or a blessing, you may return to your seat.
Communion Hymn Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless Hymnal 1982 #343
For those of you who are participating in this celebration of Holy Eucharist from a different location, we invite you to pray with these words during the distribution of the holy sacrament:
A Prayer for Spiritual Communion
In union, O Lord, with your faithful people at every altar of your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated, I desire to offer to you praise and thanksgiving. I remember your death, Lord Christ; I proclaim your resurrection; I await your coming in glory. Since I cannot receive you today in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, I beseech you to come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you in me, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.
Post-communion Prayer BCP page 365
The Celebrant says
Let us pray.
The celebrant and people say together
Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessing BCP page 366
The Celebrant says
Go forth into the world in peace. Be of good courage. Hold fast to that which is good. Strengthen the fainthearted. Support the weak. Comfort the afflicted. Be patient with all, but make no peace with oppression. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen.
Recessional Hymn Where cross the crowded ways of life Hymnal 1982 #609
The Dismissal BCP page 36
Deacon Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
People Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
Announcements
Important information from the St. Titus’ Vestry: Please mark your calendars for Sunday, July 9. There will be only one service that day at 9:30, followed by an important Parish Meeting. Again, we will only have one service at 9:30 am. The meeting will immediately follow the service.
The Union of Black Episcopalians will hold its 55th Annual Business Meeting and Conference in Montgomery, Alabama from July 24 – July 26, 2023. The theme is So Flows Our River: NIA – Purpose, IMANI – Faith, and UMOJA – Unity. Registration is open. You may log onto the website to learn more: ube.org. Rev. Alicia Alexis from St. Titus will be attending this conference.
Clergy Conference took place Wednesday, June 28 – June 29, 2023. The Clergy Conference aims to provide collegial interaction from those who work together as members of the same diocese. This is also a time for prayer, getting updates, connecting with old and new colleagues, strengthening relationships, and some down time to enjoy the beauty of the area/fellowship. Deacon Sarah and Rev. Alicia Alexis attended the Conference. I ask your continued prayers for Sarah and me, and all clergy of the Diocese as we carry out the work of God’s church here on earth.
Rector Search Update: The Rector Search Committee recently completed two weeks of interviews with some very qualified and exciting priests. We are now in the process of inviting one or two of those candidates to meet in person. If all goes as planned, we will be prepared to recommend a name to be the next Rector of St. Titus Episcopal Church to the vestry at the next meeting on July 16th. Please continue to remember our new priest in your prayers. Thank you for your support of our committee. God bless you!
St. Titus’ Church Gives Thanks for the Ministry of Kaye Saunders
The people of St. Titus’ give thanks for the ministry of Kaye Saunders. She has served as parish administrator since March, 2023. Kaye is the Music Director and Organist at St. Luke, where she returns to accept a full-time position with benefits. We give thanks for her ministry here at St. Titus’ and we wish her and her family Godspeed as she enters this new chapter of her life. Kaye’s last day is July 6, 2023.
Gracious God, we thank you for the work and witness of your servant Kaye, who has enriched this community and brought gladness and joy to your people; now bless and preserve her at this time of transition. Guide and protect her all the days of her life. And make her an instrument of your peace. (Adapted from the Diocese’ Please Note).
St. Titus’ Announces Ms. Betsy Sprouse as New Parish Administrator
Please join Rev. Alicia in welcoming Betsy Sprouse, our new parish administrator who will officially join the staff/our community as parish administrator, starting Monday, July 10, 2023. She comes with a background in the Episcopal Church, with high levels of organizational skills, communication, teamwork, and proficiency with computers and applications. Betsy has the experience, energy, training, and passion we have sought to support our thriving congregation. She has a gentle sense of humor and her ministry of service to others shines through with faithfulness and love. We are thrilled!
Almighty God, by your grace alone we are accepted and called to your service. Strengthen us, especially Betsy by your Holy Spirit and make us worthy of our calling, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Taken from the Book of Alternative Services).
Telling Our Stories
We give thanks to Cheryl Myers, Senior Warden, and Lionel Parker, Junior Warden for recording stories of St. Titus’ at St. Augustine on June 28, 2023. Telling Our Stories is a project that all of the African American parishes in our Diocese seek to answer the following questions. To learn more about the project, you may contact Cheryl Myers and or Lionel Parker.
Gun Violence Prevention: Season of Pentecost
In his Pentecost Sunday sermon, Canon Greg Jacobs announced that the Episcopal Peace Fellowship has declared that the entire season of Pentecost (May 28-December 3) will be devoted to efforts to prevent gun violence in our communities. (A link to his sermon is available on our website, sttitusdurham.org.)
Recognizing gun violence as a crisis threatening our entire nation, the bishops of our diocese issued a pastoral letter declaring:
“More than ever before, it seems we are responding almost weekly to news of another mass shooting. Anytime violence happens anywhere, at a church or other house of worship, a school, a grocery store, a concert, we feel the pain, the horror and the outrage in a deep and personal way. A steady drumbeat of gun violence is unfolding with increasing frequency, an alarming and consistent threat to personal and public safety.
We cannot allow the volume and frequency of these events to leave us feeling numb and powerless…It is time to step outside our comfort zone. It is time to put our thoughts and prayers into action. It is time to bear witness in the public square that our country’s tolerance of inaction to this violence is itself a form of collusion with such violence. This is our call as followers of Jesus. This is what it means to become a disciple, making a difference.”
– from the Bishops’ Pastoral Letter (June 26, 2022)
As a first step, a diocesan Taskforce on Gun Violence Prevention has been convened to promote education, action, and advocacy in our congregations in the wake of this public health epidemic. Heeding the call of the Holy Spirit, St. Titus’ will seek to promote awareness and empower our members to become actively engaged in reducing, preventing, and ultimately ending gun violence in our community.
As an outward and visible sign of our commitment, we now have orange ribbons available at church and we ask our parishioners to wear them throughout the Pentecost season. The color orange has been adopted by the gun violence prevention movement as it is the color used by hunters to prevent themselves and others.
In the following weeks and months, we will provide educational resources to promote awareness of gun violence as well as resources to equip St. Titus’ members to take effective action in our community and to advocate for meaningful change in our gun laws. St. Titus’ has long promoted efforts to protect and enrich the lives of our children. Gun violence has put our children at unimaginable risk. We must do all that we can to assure them of a future where they can be safe and secure.
A Request from St. Titus’ Communications Committee: As we prepare for the coming of a new rector, we would like to have an updated database of St. Titus’ parishioners that contains current, accurate information. We need your participation to make this happen.
Please provide the following information for each person in your household or family: name, address, phone number(s), email, birthday, anniversary if applicable. At this stage, the information will be for St. Titus’ internal use only so will be kept confidential.
There are several ways you can submit your information:
Support St. Titus’: If you would like to support our ministries you can make an online donation here by following the QR code or by visiting our homepage: sttitusdurham.org. You can also mail or hand-deliver a check to St. Titus’ at 400 Moline St., Durham, NC, 27707. Thank you.
Stay in Touch: To sign up to receive weekly email announcements from St. Titus’, email the parish administrator at st.titussecretary@gmail.com.
Sign up for The Titusian, St. Titus’ monthly newsletter, on the St. Titus’ homepage: sttitusdurham.org, or by emailing the parish administrator.
Have you been to St. Titus’ Webpage lately? Come visit at sttitusdurham.org. You’ll find information about worship, ministries, our history, and opportunities to serve. St. Titus’ website parish calendar, viewable on the site, is being regularly updated now and includes St. Titus’ services and other happenings. If you have an event or meeting to schedule on the calendar, or an announcement you would like to post on the St. Titus’ website, please contact the parish administrator at st.titussecretary@gmail.com. And don’t forget to visit our Facebook page too! (You do not have to have a Facebook account to stop by.)
COVID-19 Precautions at St. Titus’: The Diocese is now in Stage 4 of COVID-19 precautions, but transmission rates are still high, and many in our community are vulnerable.
• Wearing a mask is now optional, but is still encouraged. Wearing a mask is a means of health precaution. Masks are available in the narthex.
• During the Passing of the Peace, please continue to remain in place and offer a sign of Peace to those around you.
• Social distancing is no longer required; however, we ask you to be respectful of others who are at high risk for severe illness.
• Hand Sanitizer is still available throughout the building.
• If you are feeling unwell for any reason, please stay home and view the service on the Facebook live stream
St. Titus' Episcopal Church 