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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: From all that dwell below the skies The Hymnal 1982, #380
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 [spoken without refrain at 8:30 am, sung at 10:30 am] 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.
The word of the Lord came to me: What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.
Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.
Reader The Word of the Lord
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 25 Ad te, Domine, levavi 1-8
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
my God, I put my trust in you; *
let me not be humiliated,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
2 Let none who look to you be put to shame; *
let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.
3 Show me your ways, O Lord, *
and teach me your paths.
4 Lead me in your truth and teach me, *
for you are the God of my salvation;
in you have I trusted all the day long.
5 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, *
for they are from everlasting.
6 Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; *
remember me according to your love
and for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.
7 Gracious and upright is the Lord; *
therefore he teaches sinners in his way.
8 He guides the humble in doing right *
and teaches his way to the lowly.
Second Reading Philippians 2: 1-13
Reader A Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians
If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death–
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Reader The Word of the Lord
People Thanks be to God.
Sequence Hymn Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless The Hymnal 1982, #343
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.
When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.
After the Gospel the Deacon says
The Gospel of the Lord
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon The Rev. Stephen Elkins-Williams
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
Brothers and sisters, in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Humbly, then, let us approach our God, saying, “To will and work for your good pleasure, O Lord, enable us.”
Christ Jesus, strengthen our tongues to declare you as Lord of our lives. May we, your Church, glorify your Heavenly Parent in word and deed.
To will and work for your good pleasure,
Oh Lord, enable us.
Christ Jesus, by your birth in human likeness you blessed all of creation. Remind us that your feet have trod our soil and tasted our waters. Give us the will to care for this precious planet.
To will and work for your good pleasure,
Oh Lord, enable us.
Christ Jesus, you rule the world with love and compassion. Give to our local leaders compassion and vision that the people of our region might live as neighbors, looking out for each other’s interests.
To will and work for your good pleasure,
Oh Lord, enable us.
Christ Jesus, you became obedient to the point of death that we might have abundant life. Work marvels in the lives of the sick and sorrowful. May they recount to generations the wonderful deeds you have done in their lives.
We pray especially for: Bill, Melvin, Carolyn, 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 also pray for Ahmed-Larry Partee and his family.
The congregation is invited to share their petitions, followed by silence.
To will and work for your good pleasure,
Oh Lord, enable us.
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
Deacon Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
silence
Deacon and People BCP page 360
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: Trust and Obey LEVAS II, #205
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:
| Sanctus [spoken at 8:30 am] 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. | LEVAS II #255 [sung at 10:30 am] 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 (spoken at 8:30 am, sung at 10:30 am) BCP page 364
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 Come, thou fount of every blessing The Hymnal 1982, #686
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
The Celebrant says
The Lord bless you and keep you. Amen.
The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. Amen.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. Amen.
The Lord God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the holy and undivided Trinity, guard you, save you, and bring you to that heavenly City, where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you forever. Amen
Recessional Hymn Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing The Hymnal 1982, #344
The Dismissal BCP page 36
Celebrant Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
People Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
Announcements
St. Titus’ Parish Office is staffed from 8:00 a.m. until 12:45 p.m., Monday – Thursday. Please call us at 919-682-5504 if you need to reach a minister or the Parish Administrator.
Today we welcome back The Rev. Stephen Elkins-Williams to St. Titus’. He is a priest associate at St. Stephen’s, and was Rector of the Chapel of the Cross from 1985 to 2015. He and his wife, Betsy, raised two sons and now cherish four grandchildren. During his tenure, he particularly relished celebrating the 30th anniversary in 2007 of Pauli Murray’s first Eucharist in the chapel there, as well as the strong sister parish relationship with St. Paul AME.
Today is also the kickoff of St Titus’ 2024 Stewardship Campaign. The theme for this year is “Renewal and Revitalization,” where you are asked to reflect on what you are able to give to the church – whether it be your time, your talent, or your treasure. The pledge materials are in the mail now, and we look forward to your response.
St. Titus’ celebrates National Night Out on Tuesday, October 3rd from 4:30-7:30pm at the church. National Night Out is a community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. We’ll have games, food, and fun as we share information about our communities and learn ways to keep each other safe. This is a great way to get to know your neighbors and staff members from the City of Durham. All are welcome!
Food and Hospitality are needed for the Duke students and the broader community who worship at the Episcopal Center at Duke on Sundays at 5 p.m. It’s easy to do, especially if a group of people divides up the courses. Plan to stay and enjoy the meal with the students after the service. If you are interested in helping out with food or serving on October 1, November 15, or December 3, contact either Willette Crews (wilettec@legalaidnc.org) or Deacon Sarah Woodard (sarah.woodard@duke.edu).
On Halloween (October 31), St. Titus’ invites its family, friends, and neighbors to “Trunk or Treat” from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Get into the Halloween spirit by dressing up — we have prizes for all categories of costumes. All are welcome!
Please bring School Supplies to support our C.C. Spaulding Elementary School students. Suggestions include pens, pencils, notebook paper, binders, clips, Kleenex, and snacks.
Help support NCCU students by contributing to our Cookie Drive. Bring a package of store-bought cookies to St. Titus’ and we’ll deliver them to the campus.
The September edition of The Titusian, St. Titus’ monthly newsletter, is now available. Read it on our website (www.sttitusdurham.org) or call the office at 919-682-5504 or email st.titussecretary@gmail.com to request a copy.
Please consider hosting a Coffee Hour immediately following each service at St. Titus’. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish. Sign up in the notebook in the church Narthex.
2024 Church Year Calendars will soon be available for $5. These are 8×14” wall calendars with tear-off monthly pages which list all Feasts, Sundays, and Holy Days. Please call or email the Parish Administrator to reserve your copy (see next page).
Rector Search Update: The Rector search committee has submitted the name of a candidate to be the next priest of St Titus. Our wardens are in communication with Bishop Rodman’s office and we will make an announcement once the Diocese finalizes the search process
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.
There are several ways you can submit your information:
1. Send it in an email to the parish administrator at st.titussecretary@gmail.com.
2. Mail it to the church office at 400 Moline St., Durham, NC 27707.
3. Fill out the information when you come to church on Sunday (forms will be available).
4. Go to the announcement on our website sttitusdurham.org, fill out and submit online.
Sign up for The Titusian, St. Titus’ monthly newsletter, on the St. Titus’ homepage: sttitusdurham.org, or by emailing the parish administrator.
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.
St. Titus' Episcopal Church 