Holy Eucharist Rite II
July 9, 2023 9:30 a.m.
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: Jesus shall reign where’er the sun Hymnal 1982 #544
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.
O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; 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 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
Reader A reading from the book of Genesis
The servant said to Laban, “I am Abraham’s servant. The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys. And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given him all that he has. My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; but you shall go to my father’s house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.’
“I came today to the spring, and said, ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will only make successful the way I am going! I am standing here by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also” —let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’
“Before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her water jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels. Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms. Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to obtain the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so that I may turn either to the right hand or to the left.”
And they called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will.” So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “May you, our sister, become thousands of myriads; may your offspring gain possession of the gates of their foes.” Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. Now Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb. Isaac went out in the evening to walk in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, and said to the servant, “Who is the man over there, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
Reader The Word of the Lord
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 45: 11-18 Eructavit cor meum
11 “Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; *
forget your people and your father’s house.
12 The king will have pleasure in your beauty; *
he is your master; therefore do him honor.
13 The people of Tyre are here with a gift; *
the rich among the people seek your favor.”
14 All glorious is the princess as she enters; *
her gown is cloth-of-gold.
15 In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; *
after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.
16 With joy and gladness they are brought, *
and enter into the palace of the king.
17 “In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; *
you shall make them princes over all the earth.
18 I will make your name to be remembered
from one generation to another; *
therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever.”
Second Reading Romans 7:15-25a
Reader A reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans
I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Reader The Word of the Lord
People Thanks be to God.
Sequence Hymn The Lord my God my shepherd is (verses 1-3) Hymnal 1982 #663
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 11:16-19, 25-30
Jesus said to the crowd, “To what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,
‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.’
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
After the Gospel the deacon says
The Gospel of the Lord
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon The Rev. Deacon Sarah Woodard
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,
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! With grateful hearts we pray to our Loving God, saying,
“We thank you, Father;
you hear the voice of your beloved.”
Loving God, you call your Church “my love” and “my beauty.” Look upon your Church with eyes of great compassion and love. May we generously share the love with which we have been so greatly blessed.
You are invited to add your thanksgivings, followed by silence
We thank you, Father;
You hear the voice of your beloved.
Loving God, you have blessed our nation with great freedoms. Grant us, and all the people of this land, the grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace.
Silence
We thank you, Father;
You hear the voice of your beloved.
Loving God, all that you have created tells of your love for us. May flowers and birds, but even more so our human relationships, remind us of your great care and presence.
Silence
We thank you, Father;
You hear the voice of your beloved.
Loving God, you promise to give rest to all those who carry heavy burdens. Lift up those who are weighed down by the burdens of violence, depression, and despair.
Silence
We thank you, Father;
You hear the voice of your beloved.
Loving God, your Son Jesus revealed your heart to be gentle and humble. We pray for those who have restless souls. We pray that all the sorrowful and the suffering may find their rest in you.
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
We thank you, Father;
You hear the voice of your beloved.
Loving God, you rescue us from death. We pray that all who have died, especially those who strived for freedom and peace, may come to know that heavenly comfort you have prepared for us.
Silence
We thank you, Father;
You hear the voice of your beloved.
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 Hymn: Walk together children AAHH #541
Traditional Spiritual, arr. Evelyn Simpson-Curenton, b. 1953. Copyright 2000, GIA Publications, Inc. Used with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-727550. All rights reserved.
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 This day AAHH #443
Tune: Edwin Hawkins, arr. Stephen Key, © 2000 GIA Publications, Inc. Text: Edwin Hawkins. Used with permission through ONE LICENSE #A-727550. All rights reserved.
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 Love divine, all loves excelling Hymnal 1982 #657
The Dismissal BCP page 36
Deacon Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
People Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
Announcements
There will be an important congregational meeting today immediately following the 9:30 service. Please plan on attending if you are able.
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.
St. Titus’ gives 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’ welcomes Ms. Betsy Sprouse as our new parish administrator. Please join us in welcoming Betsy Sprouse, 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.
The Diocesan Clergy Conference took place Wednesday, June 28 – June 29, 2023 in Winston-Salem. 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. We ask your continued prayers for Sarah and Rev, Alicia, 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 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!
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 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.)