The Fourth Sunday After Pentecost, Jun 16, 2024

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                      

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 HymnI love thy kingdom, LordH-524

The Opening Acclamation                                                                            EOW, p.50

Celebrant     Blessed be the one, holy, and living God.

People         Glory to God for ever and ever.

The Celebrant continues                                                   BCP, p.355

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         God be with you.

People And also with you.

Celebrant         Let us pray.

The Collect of the Day

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The First Reading                                  1 Samuel 15:34-16:13

Reader A reading from the First Book of Samuel       

Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

Reader Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.

People Thanks be to God.

The Psalm      20        Exaudiat te Dominus                              BCP, p.608

1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble, *
the Name of the God of Jacob defend you;

2 Send you help from his holy place *
and strengthen you out of Zion;

3 Remember all your offerings *
and accept your burnt sacrifice;

4 Grant you your heart’s desire *
and prosper all your plans.

5 We will shout for joy at your victory
and triumph in the Name of our God; *
may the Lord grant all your requests.

6 Now I know that the Lord gives victory to his anointed; *
he will answer him out of his holy heaven,
with the victorious strength of his right hand.

7 Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, *
but we will call upon the Name of the Lord our God.

8 They collapse and fall down, *
but we will arise and stand upright.

9 O Lord, give victory to the king *
and answer us when we call.

The Second Reading                              2 Corinthians 5:6-10, [11-13], 14-17

Reader A reading from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians                             

We are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord– for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.

[Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences. We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.] For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

Reader Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.

People Thanks be to God.

The Sequence HymnAlmighty God, your word is castH-589

The Gospel                                                                                                            Mark 4:26-34

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

Gospeller         The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ according to Mark.

People Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

Gospeller         The Gospel of our Savior.

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]                                             EOW, p.53

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,

      was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary

      and became truly human.

   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,

   who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,

   who 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.

The Prayers of the People

Gracious God, open their ears to hear your word. Open our hearts to receive it and transform us. Make your Church the fertile ground in which your love can grow.

            In your mercy, Lord, hear our prayer.

Give leaders everywhere a heart for their people and the commitment to the common good. Cultivate in each of us seeds of peace and justice.

            In your mercy, Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for healing for those who suffer from any ailment, isolation, or want. We pray for a peaceful end for those who will die today. And comfort for those who mourn, especially Cheryl Myers and Lavinia Daye.

Those for whom we pray today:

Jennie, Darryl, Dennis, Jr., Selina, 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.

Sow in all of us seeds of compassion.

            In your mercy, Lord, hear our prayer.

Strengthen your image in our lives that we may reflect your goodness, your righteousness, your kingdom in all that we say or do.

In your mercy, Lord, hear our prayer.

                                                            © Church Publishing Incorporated

The 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

Celebrant

God who scatters the seed of faith, hear the prayers we offer this day and make everything new; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Confession                                                          EOW, p.19 

Celebrant         Let us confess our sins to God.

Silence may be kept.

Celebrant and People

God of all mercy, we confess that we have sinned against you, opposing your will in our lives. We have denied your goodness in each other, in ourselves, and in the world you have created. We repent of the evil that enslaves us, the evil we have done, and the evil done on our behalf. Forgive, restore, and strengthen us through our Savior Jesus Christ, that we may abide in your love and serve only your will. Amen.

The Absolution                                                          EOW, p.20

Celebrant

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

The Peace                                                                  EOW, p.56

Celebrant         The peace of Christ be always with you.

People And also with you.

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

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

The Words of Welcome                                            St. Titus’Vestry Member

Holy Communion  (Eucharistic Prayer 2)                                                     EOW, pp.62-65

The Offertory

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 SelectionRest in YouBy Ruby Mann Poole
 Duet: Janice Williams and Joy Morgan 

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 our thanks and praise.

Celebrant

We praise you and we bless you, holy and gracious God, source of life abundant. From before time you made ready the creation. Your Spirit moved over the deep and brought all things into being: sun, moon, and stars; earth, winds, and waters; and every living thing. You made us in your image, and taught us to walk in your ways. But we rebelled against you, and wandered far away; and yet, as a mother cares for her children, you would not forget us. Time and again you called us to live in the fullness of your love.

And so this day we join with Saints and Angels in the chorus of praise that rings through eternity, lifting our voices to magnify you as we sing (say):

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 the one 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 filled with your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes  in the name of the Lord, of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest. 

The Celebrant continues

Glory and honor and praise to you, holy and living God. To deliver us from the power of sin and death and to reveal the riches of your grace, you looked with favor upon Mary, your willing servant, that she might conceive and bear a son, Jesus the holy child of God.

Living among us, Jesus loved us. He broke bread with outcasts and sinners, healed the sick, and proclaimed good news to the poor. He yearned to draw all the world to himself yet we were heedless of his call to walk in love. Then, the time came for him to complete upon the cross the sacrifice of his life, and to be glorified by you.

On the night before he died for us, Jesus was at table with his friends. He took bread, gave thanks to you, broke it, and gave it to them, and said: “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

As supper was ending, Jesus took the cup of wine. Again, he gave thanks to you, gave it to them, and said: “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is poured out for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Now gathered at your table, O God of all creation, and remembering Christ, crucified and risen, who was and is and is to come, we offer to you our gifts of bread and wine, and ourselves, a living sacrifice.

Pour out your Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Body and Blood of Christ. Breathe your Spirit over the whole earth and make us your new creation, the Body of Christ given for the world you have made.

In the fullness of time bring us, with [___________ and] all your saints, from every tribe and language and people and nation, to feast at the banquet prepared from the foundation of the world.

Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to you be honor, glory, and praise, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer   (spoken at 8:30 a.m., sung at 10:30 a.m.)                          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                                                  EOW, p.69

Celebrant       This is the true bread which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

People Whoever eats this bread will live for ever.

The Fraction Anthem (Sung three times)Christ our PassoverW-865

Celebrant

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.

A Prayer for Spiritual Communion

In union, O Lord, with your faithful people at every altar or 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 HymnI am the bread of lifeH-335

The Post-Communion Prayer                                                                                EOW, p. 70

Celebrant               Let us pray.

Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image and nourishing us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood. Now send us forth a people, forgiven, healed, renewed; that we may proclaim your love to the world and continue in the risen life of Christ our Savior. Amen.

Community Announcements

                      If  your have an announcement “from the floor,” please also email it to st.titussecretary@gmail.com so that we can publicize it.

The Corporate Blessing                                                                  EOW, p. 70

Celebrant

The Wisdom of God

the Love of God

and the Grace of God

strengthen you

to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,

in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.

                                                                           (source: Celtic)

The Recessional Hymn The Church’s one foundationH-525
The Choral BenedictionThe Lord Bless You/Sevenfold AmenA-636

The Dismissal                                                          

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

People Thanks be to God.

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