Christ the King Sunday
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
| St. Matthew’s is a parish of the Diocese of Louisiana The Rt. Rev. Shannon Duckworth, Bishop |
From the Senior Warden:
Welcome to St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. What a joy it is to have you with us here today! We pray by grace you will find your soul refreshed and your spirit renewed as we hear God’s word, give thanks and receive the sacrament of Holy Eucharist.
Blessings and peace,
Dr. Rob Alexander
Senior Warden
| Dr. Rob Alexander | Senior Warden |
| David West | Music Minister |
| Courtney Rulf | Youth Christian Formation |
| Erica Polk | Office Manager |
To help everyone more fully participate in the worship service:
*A gentle reminder to please silence your cell phones.
*Your parts are printed in bold.
*Come to the Lord’s Table.
*If you wish to receive Communion: Please do come forward. (we will bring communion to you if you are unable to come forward).
*Extend your hands, palms up to receive the bread. All are welcome.
*A special bulletin (and crayons) is available for children on the table at the entrance.
Music used with permission of License CCLI:2542584
Happy Birthday Karen Bowe
Happy Anniversary Rob and Suzanne Alexander
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.
We Gather in the Name of God
Prelude
Hymn in Procession The King of Glory Comes Traditional Israeli folksong
Text: Williard F. Jabush ( 1930-2018); Arr. By Randall Debruyn, B. 1947
Blessed be the one, holy, and living God.
Glory to God for ever and ever.
The Collect for Purity
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.
Hymn of Praise Gloria
The Collect of the Day.
Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
We Proclaim and Respond to the Word of God
A Reading from the Prophet Jeremiah 23:1-6
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord. The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 46 Bold parts said by all, regular print said by women, italics said by men.
God is our refuge and strength, * a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, * and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea; Though its waters rage and foam, * and though the mountains tremble at its tumult. The Lord of hosts is with us; * the God of Jacob is our stronghold. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, * the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be overthrown; * God shall help her at the break of day. The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; * God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away. The Lord of hosts is with us; * the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, * what awesome things God has done on earth. It is God who makes war to cease in all the world; * God breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, and burns the shields with fire. “Be still, then, and know that I am God; * I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us; * the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
A Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Colossians
May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-all things have been created through and for God. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.
We greet the Gospel of Christ, singing O Christ what can it mean for us
Words: Delores Dufner, OSB (b.1939); Music: Thought by some scholars to date back to the Middle Ages, Kingsfold, is a folk tune set to a variety of texts in England and Ireland. The tune was published in English County Songs (1893), an anthology compiled by Lucy E. Broadwood and J. A. Fuller Maitland.
The Holy Gospel
The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ According to Luke
Glory to you, Lord Christ
When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. The people stood by, watching Jesus on the cross; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you Lord Christ
The Homily The Rev. Gigi Conner
We Affirm Our Faith Together
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.
We Pray for the Church and the World
Called together in the Spirit’s embrace, let us pray for the mending of God’s world. Gracious God, we give thanks for your living word that goes out and does not return empty.
May we, your church, be united in faith, witness and mission, so that we accomplish what you desire.
We pray for nations suffering the violence and hunger of war; for exiles and refugees.
Lead them to a safe home where they may live in peace.
We pray for victims and perpetrators of race-based crimes; for all victims of sexual abuse or harassment; for all who suffer sorrow, illness, or injury.
Bring them justice, healing and new life by the power of your Spirit.
We pray for those who persecute others, whose hearts are hardened to the poor, and who deny respect and dignity to those on the margins of life.
May the revelation of the Gospel strike their hearts with this truth: access to power does not mean entitlement but rather solidarity with the impoverished.
We pray for those known to us, where poor health prevents full living; where pain is a daily reality; where frailty causes bodies to falter.
May we offer comfort, encourage perseverance, and promote healing of the spirit.
We pray for those who have died: long lives well lived, and lives which to us to have ended far, far too soon.
We trust each life to you, God, and we trust that each soul finds its home in your eternal love.
And to those who mourn, who know any loss; may we help give comfort, give reassurance,
and affirm your presence in the lives of us still living.
We pray that we may be good stewards, of our lives and our resources, working to build up your kingdom here on earth, and to more fully realize that everything we have is a gift from you.
You call us to generously share these gifts with all who are in need.
We pray for the Episcopal Church, for our Presiding Bishop, Michael; for our newly consecrated Bishop, Shannon, for the priests of our diocese, and for the parishioners of St. Matthew’s Church, and for all members of the Church universal, that they may continue to be faithful to the one called King of Kings and Lord of Lords through prophetic word and action.
May we witness to the truth of God’s unbridled love for all of God’s children by doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with God.
Celebrant: Christ our Savior, for each gift we have been given, for family, friends and work, for peace and plenty, joy and laughter, lessons learned and courage granted, mercies received, hopes fulfilled, promises kept and love renewed, we give you our faithful and everlasting thanks. Amen.
A Prayer of Awareness
It is because we long for peace that we pray. It is because we hope for wholeness that we hunger. It is because we need forgiveness that we seek new beginnings. So we come entering the depths of our soul to plead for peace, to summon wholeness, to beg forgiveness of ourselves and one another and thus of YOU, Soul within our soul—Light with our longings.
From Praying with the Earth, John Philip Newell
The Confession
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor
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
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.
We Exchange the Peace
The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Announcements – Birthdays, Anniversaries
We Set the Table
As the gifts of bread and wine and our offerings are brought forward we sing
The Offertory Hymn Now bless the God of Israel Resignation
Words: Ruth C. Duck (b. 1947); Music: American Folk Melody
We Celebrate the Eucharist
The Great Thanksgiving : Eucharistic Prayer B
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God,
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
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:
A Soulful Mass Grayson Brown, B. 1948 #255 LEVAS
We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world.
In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night before he died for us, 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.”
Therefore, according to his command, O Father,
we remember his death, we proclaim his resurrection, we await his coming in glory;
And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine. We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant.
Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation. 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 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.
We Break the Bread
We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread.
The Communion of the People
All who seek God and a deeper life in Christ are welcome to receive Holy Communion.
Communion Hymn One bread, one body John B. Foley (b. 1939)
The Post Communion Prayer
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.
The Blessing
Beloved, remember that life is short, and we do not have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us. So be quick to love, quicker still to forgive. Always show kindness to strangers. And may the blessing of God Almighty, Father Son and Holy Spirit, be with you now and forever. Amen.
Hymn in Procession Lord of creation, to you be all praise! Slane
Words: John Copley Winslow (1882-1974) (alt); Music: Irish traditional melody
| This Sunday’s Altar Flowers are given to the glory of God and in honor of the 52nd wedding anniversary of Suzanne and Rob Alexander |
Sharing in the hospitality of Christ continues after this service with refreshments in the Parish Hall—go through the door to the left of the pulpit. Please do join us for conversation and coffee.
E.C.W. Bake Sale in the Parish Hall following the service.
Worship Notes
The church year has six seasons: Advent, Christ mas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost. In church the color of the vestments and hangings, the readings from the Bible and the music all change with the seasons. November 20, is Christ the King Sunday and the Last Sunday of the season of Pentecost.
The First Sunday of Advent is November 27th. Advent means “coming.” During this time we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth — God’s coming among us (Emmanuel means God with us).
On the first Sunday of Advent, the Church enters into Lectionary Year A, which focuses on the Gospel of Matthew.
What stories about the birth of Jesus appear in Matthew but not in Luke? What is included in Luke but not in Matthew? What birth stories appear in Mark or John?
In Advent our Liturgical colors change from Green to Sarum Blue (in some churches purple). This is a recovery of an ancient English tradition stemming from Salisbury Cathedral, and so it is referred to as sarum blue. (Sarum being the ancient Latin name for Salisbury.)
Since Advent is characterized by anticipation and hope — in contrast to the repentance characteristic of Lent — the color for the season should not be purple, with its mood of solemnity and somberness, but blue with its hopefulness.
