Morning Prayer
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
243 Barrow Street, Houma, LA 70360
10:00 AM Rite II
December 18, 2022
Daily Morning Prayer: Rite Two
Opening Hymn: O Come, O come, Emmanuel
Hymn 56 vs 1,2,3
Officiant: The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
Isaiah 40:5
The Lighting of the Advent Candle
Officiant:
The first Advent candle reminds us that we long for peace. As we light the second candle we remember the prophets of old who spoke of a child to come, an unexpected liberator of the people, who would be Emmanuel, God with us. We light this candle as a symbol of the prophets who renew our faith and remind us of what may be.
People:
O God, as we travel through Advent, give us the wisdom to hear the voices of prophets today who bring to us new visions of hope.
Confession of Sin
Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of Almighty God our heavenly Father, to set forth his praise, to hear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and on behalf of others, those things that are necessary for our life and our salvation. And so that we may prepare ourselves in heart and mind to worship him, let us kneel in silence, and with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.
Silence may be kept.
Officiant and People together, all kneeling
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.
Officiant:
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.
Invitatory and Psalter
All stand
Officiant : Lord, open our lips.
People: And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Alleluia.
Venite Psalm 95:1–7 (Said in unison)
The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him.
- Come, let us sing to the Lord; *
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
- Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.
- For the Lord is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.
- In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *
and the heights of the hills are his also.
- The sea is his, for he made it, *
and his hands have molded the dry land.
- Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
- For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *
Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!
Our King and Savior now draws near: Come, let us adore him.
The Psalms Appointed (all seated)
Psalm 24
- The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, *
the world and all who dwell therein.
- For it is he who founded it upon the seas *
and made it firm upon the rivers of the deep.
- “Who can ascend the hill of the Lord? *
and who can stand in his holy place?”
- “Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, *
who have not pledged themselves to falsehood,
nor sworn by what is a fraud.
- They shall receive a blessing from the Lord *
and a just reward from the God of their salvation.”
- Such is the generation of those who seek him, *
of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
- Lift up your heads, O gates;
lift them high, O everlasting doors; *
and the King of glory shall come in.
- “Who is this King of glory?” *
“The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle.”
- Lift up your heads, O gates; lift them high, O everlasting doors; *and the King of glory shall come in.
- “Who is he, this King of glory?” *
“The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.”
Psalm 29
- Ascribe to the Lord, you gods, *
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
- Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his Name; *
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
- The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; *
the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
- The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; *
the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor.
- The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; *
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
- He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, *
and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
- The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire;
the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; *
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
- The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe *
and strips the forests bare.
- And in the temple of the Lord *
all are crying, “Glory!”
- The Lord sits enthroned above the flood; *
the Lord sits enthroned as King for evermore.
- The Lord shall give strength to his people; *
the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
- Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Lessons
First Reading
A Reading from the Letter to the Ephesians (6:10-20).
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
The Song of Zechariah (Said in unison) Luke 1: 68-79
- Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.
- He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.
- Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us.
- He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.
- This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
- Free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
- You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
- To give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.
- In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
- To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
- Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Second Reading (All Seated)
A Reading from the Gospel According to John (3:16-21).
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been one in God.”
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Canticle 21. You are God (said in unison)
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord; we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not shun the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting.
The Apostles’ Creed (Officiant and People together, all standing)
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Officiant: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Officiant: Let us pray.
Officiant and People (Please kneel)
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.
Suffrages A
V. Show us your mercy, O Lord;
R. And grant us your salvation.
V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
R. Let your people sing with joy.
V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
R. For only in you can we live in safety.
V. Lord, keep this nation under your care;
R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
V. Let your way be known upon earth;
R. Your saving health among all nations.
V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
V. Create in us clean hearts, O God;
R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
Officiant: The Collect of the Day
Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
A Collect for Sundays
O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer for Mission
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Prayer for a New Rector (Officiant and People)
Almighty God, giver of every gift we receive: look graciously on your Church, and guide those who shall discern whom God is calling to be rector for this parish. Grace us with patience, trust, and hope through the interim times of doubt and uncertainty. We pray that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us to continue, improve, expand, and reach out with our ministries to all whom we can touch; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer for the Search Committee (Officiant and People)
Dear Heavenly Father, help us fulfill the Episcopalian mission through our beliefs, thoughts, and actions.; oversee all that we do and say. Let us trust in your wisdom, guidance and grace as we move from the known to the unknown. Bring us clarity of vision, so that we may hear, comprehend, and act in accordance with your will. Help us Lord to become comfortable with the uncomfortable and trust in your love which never fails. Amen
Hymn: Come, thou long expected Jesus, Hymn 66
Prayers of the People Form IV, BCP Page 388
Pray for people on our Parish Prayer List
Andrèe, Jay, Norma, Sybil, Lydicia, Jere and Emilie, Shirley, Lona and Sidney, Earl, Bonnie, Jamie, AnnaBelle, Betty, Kim, Jane, Ursula, Randy, Earl, Gerard, Al, Matt & Miles, Stella and Legion Park School. We give thanks and pray for St. Matthew’s Episcopal School, Head of School, Thomas Souldelier, members of the Board, faculty, staff and students, our Parish Vestry and Search Committee.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Week of 12/18—12/24: Susan Niette
Rev. Spencer Lindsay and Earl Woodard
Watch over Your children, O Lord, as their days increase; bless and guide them wherever they may be. Strengthen them when they stand; comfort them when discouraged or sorrowful; raise them up if they fall; and in their heart may your peace which passes understanding abide all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The General Thanksgiving
Officiant and People
Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
A Prayer of St. Chrysostom
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
Officiant: Let us bless the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Romans 15:13
Closing Hymn: The Angel Gabriel from heaven came Hymn 265
Matthew 1:18-25
The continuing Gospel in the Christmas Story
Worship Team Schedule
| Eucharistic Ministers | Alex Ostheimer, Hildegard Blanchard |
| Ushers | Sharon Pontiff, Keith Hampton |
| Vestry Member on Duty | Rob Alexander |
| Altar Guild | Sandy Ostheimer, Karen Kelly |
| Hospitality | Linda Greenburg, Emilie Daye |
Jay C. “Jazzy J” Theriot – Developer