The Seventh Sunday of Easter, May 12, 2004

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.

Prelude                       Prelude in C                                            J.S. Bach

                        Amazing Grace                            by J. Newton, arr. S. Woods

The Bidding Prayer                                                  BCP, p.833

Almighty God, who poursout on all who desire it the spirit of grace and of supplication: Deliver us, when we draw near to you, from coldness of heart and wanderings of mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections we may worship youin spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Processional Hymn                   Crown Him with many crowns                H-494

The Opening Acclamation                                      BCP, p. 355

Celebrant         Alleluia. Christ is risen.

People The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia. 

The Celebrant 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]                                          L-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

Celebrant         The Lord be with you.

People And also with you.

Celebrant         Let us pray.

The Collect of the Day

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

First Reading                                                    Acts 1:15-17, 21-26                                                                                                 

Reader            A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said, “Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus– for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry. So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us– one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.” So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Reader The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

The Psalm      1           Beatus vir qui non abii                             BCP, p.585

1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, *
nor lingered in the way of sinners,
nor sat in the seats of the scornful!

2 Their delight is in the law of the Lord, *
and they meditate on his law day and night.

3 They are like trees planted by streams of water,
bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; *
everything they do shall prosper.

4 It is not so with the wicked; *
they are like chaff which the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes, *
nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, *
but the way of the wicked is doomed.

Second Reading                                                                1 John 5:9-13

Reader A reading from the first letter of John

If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Reader The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

Sequence Hymn       Hail! Once despised Jesus                      H-492

                                                                                  Verses 1-3

The Gospel                                                                                                         John 17:6-19

Then, all standing as able, the Leader reads the Gospel, first saying

Gospeller         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

People Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus prayed for his disciples, “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.”

Gospeller         The Gospel of the Lord.

People Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon                                                   The Rev. Valerie J. Mayo                

We will maintain a brief silence to allow for reflection.

The Nicene Creed   [Please stand as you are able]                                              BCP, p. 358

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

Open our eyes to the wonder of the life you have given us: the creatures with whom we share this planet, the endless horizons, the intricate working of our bodies, the tenderness and complexity of human relationships.

            Amen, merciful God, amen.

Open our hearts to the ways that we have hurt each other, that we may turn toward each other in love and turn closer together to you.

            Amen, merciful God, amen.

Open our ears to the cries of those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit. We pray for those whose lives include hunger, financial insecurity, violence; whose homes are threatened by natural disasters; whose bodies ache with pain and whose lives are in the balance; who live in war zones, poverty, or fear.

We pray especially for:

Julius, Lauriette, Ray, LaFayette, Howard, Geri, Fred, and all the Williams family; Selina, Lyn, Greg, William, Maria, The St. Augustine’s University Community, Elijah, Marissa, Margo, Charles, Ethel, Brian, Terrence, 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, and Pam.

We also pray for Williette Adorkor, her husband K. Jeffries, their daughter Williette, and the Adorker family; and Herbert Jefferson, brother-in-law of Dwight and Marguerite Peebles, and his wife, Jennie.

The Lord bless us and keep us.

            Amen, merciful God, amen.

Open our lives to the path of righteousness, and align our vision with your vision of the world – created by you, redeemed by you, enlivened by your Spirit, and reconciled to you at the last.

            Amen, merciful God, amen.

                                                                                © Church Publishing Incorporated

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.

The Concluding Collect                                                       BCP, p.395

Almighty God, by your Holy Spirit you have made us one with your saints in heaven and on earth: Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage we may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, and know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whom all our intercessions are acceptable through the Spirit, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

The Confession                                                         BCP, p.360  

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept.

Celebrant 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.

Celebrant

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                                                                             BCP, p.360

Celebrant         The peace of the Lord be always with you;

People And also with you.

Celebrant         Let us share the peace with one another and especially with our guests.

The Celebrant and People may greet one another in the name of the Lord.

The Words of Welcome                                                            Vestry Member

Holy Communion  (Eucharistic Prayer D)                                                BCP, pp.372-375

The Offertory Sentence                                                               Ephesians 5:2

Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.

The Offertory

[On the second Sunday of each month, the loose plate collection supports the Rector’s Discretionary Fund, which is used to provide our neighbors with assistance with their rent or utility bills.]

The Offertory Hymn      Faith of our Mothers                                      Arr. S. Woods

                             Isabella Clinton, Guest Harpist      

The Great Thanksgiving (standing)

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 truly right to glorify you, Father, and to give you thanks; for you alone are God, living and true, dwelling in light inaccessible from before time and for ever.

Fountain of life and source of all goodness, you made all things and fill them with your blessing; you created them to rejoice in the splendor of your radiance.

Countless throngs of angels stand before you to serve you night and day; and, beholding the glory of your presence, they offer you unceasing praise. Joining with them, and giving voice to every creature under heaven, we acclaim you, and glorify your Name, as we proclaim,

The 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

We acclaim you, holy Lord, glorious in power. Your mighty works reveal your wisdom and love. You formed us in your own image, giving the whole world into our care, so that, in obedience to you, our Creator, we might rule and serve all your creatures. When our disobedience took us far from you, you did not abandon us to the power of death. In your mercy you came to our help, so that in seeking you we might find you. Again and again you called us into covenant with you, and through the prophets you taught us to hope for salvation.

Father, you loved the world so much that in the fullness of time you sent your only Son to be our Savior. Incarnate by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, he lived as one of us, yet without sin. To the poor he proclaimed the good news of salvation; to prisoners, freedom; to the sorrowful, joy. To fulfill your purpose he gave himself up to death; and, rising from the grave, destroyed death, and made the whole creation new.

And, that we might live no longer for ourselves, but for him who died and rose for us, he sent the Holy Spirit, his own first gift for those who believe, to complete his work in the world, and to bring to fulfillment the sanctification of all.

When the hour had come for him to be glorified by you, his heavenly Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end; at supper with them he 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.”

Father, we now celebrate this memorial of our redemption. Recalling Christ’s death and his descent among the dead, proclaiming his resurrection and ascension to your right hand, awaiting his coming in glory; and offering to you, from the gifts you have given us, this bread and this cup, we praise you and we bless you.

Celebrant and People

We praise you, we bless you,
we give thanks to you,
and we pray to you, Lord our God.

The Celebrant continues

Lord, we pray that in your goodness and mercy your Holy Spirit may descend upon us, and upon these gifts, sanctifying them and showing them to be holy gifts for your holy people, the bread of life and the cup of salvation, the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ.

Grant that all who share this bread and cup may become one body and one spirit, a living sacrifice in Christ, to the praise of your Name.

Remember, Lord, your one holy catholic and apostolic Church, redeemed by the blood of your Christ. Reveal its unity, guard its faith, and preserve it in peace.

Remember all who minister in your Church.

Remember all your people, and those who seek your truth.

Remember those who helped decorate our church in your name this Easter, as they honored their loved ones, both those in their lives and those in their hearts.

Remember all who have died in the peace of Christ, and those whose faith is known to you alone; bring them into the place of eternal joy and light.

And grant that we may find our inheritance with all the saints who have found favor with you in ages past. We praise you in union with them and give you glory through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, all honor and glory are yours, Almighty God and Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen..

The Lord’s Prayer   (spoken at 8:30 a.m., sung at 10:30 a.m.)                            BCP, p.364

                                                                                           L-264

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 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.

The Fraction Anthem           Lamb of God                                             L-270

A Prayer for Spiritual Communion

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.

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.

The 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.

The Bread and cup are given to the communicants with these words:

The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven. Amen

The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation. Amen.

Celebrant         All are welcome to the Lord’s table. Won’t you come?

The Communion Hymn              Come to the Feast            Arr. James E. Moore, Jr.

The Post-Communion Prayer                                                                                 BCP, p.366

Celebrant               Let us pray.

Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food
of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son,
and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.
To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Community Announcements                                             

If you have an announcement “from the floor,” please also email that announcement to st.titussecretary@gmail.com so that we can follow up and promote the information elsewhere.

The Corporate Blessing                                                                     BOS, p.15

The Celebrant says

The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.

The Recessional Hymn        Alleluia! Sing to Jesus                                H-460

                                                                              Verses 1 and 2

The Choral Benediction                   The Lord Bless You/Sevenfold Amen                 A-636                                      

The Dismissal                                                                     BCP, p. 366        

Celebrant       Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit. Alleluia, Alleluia.

People Thanks be to God. Alleluia, Alleluia.