January 22, 2023
| St. Matthew’s is a parish of the Diocese of Louisiana The Rt. Rev. Shannon Rogers Duckworth, Bishop |
Coffee, Tea and Thee
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.
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
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
We Gather in the Name of God
Prelude
Hymn in Procession
God is here!
Abbott’s Leigh
Words: Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000); Music: Cyril V. Taylor (1907-1992)
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 sung three times
The Collect for Epiphany
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
We Proclaim and Respond to the Word of God
A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah 9:1-4
There will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness–
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 27:1, 5-13
Bold parts said by all, regular print by women, italics by men.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? *
the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?
One thing have I asked of the Lord; one thing I seek;
* that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life;
To behold the fair beauty of the Lord * and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe in his shelter;
* he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling and set me high upon a rock.
Even now he lifts up my head *
above my enemies round about me.
Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation with sounds of great gladness;
* I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I call;
*have mercy on me and answer me.
You speak in my heart and say, “Seek my face.”
* Your face, Lord, will I seek.
Hide not your face from me,
* nor turn away your servant in displeasure.
You have been my helper; cast me not away; do not forsake me, O God of my salvation.
A Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians 1:10-18
Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.
For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.
What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.”
Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power. For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
We greet the Gospel of Christ, singing Your love O God
Words: Anders Frostenson (1968), Trans: Fred Kaan (1929-2009); Music: Swedish
The Holy Gospel
The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ According to Matthew 4:12-23
Glory to You, O Christ.
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”
From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen.
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you Lord Christ
The Sermon
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
Loving God, we come to pray for a needy world, for broken hopes and people, for ourselves and for our nation. We pray for peace especially in those places where humanity is sacrificed for bitter and deluded principle, where the poor and helpless, the orphan and the widow are cruelly treated.
May nations be softened with compassion for the poor and oppressed; strength be given to people in the hour of trial; and witness be given to your unconditional love.
God of Mystery and Majesty, we come to you, uncertain and challenged by the times in which we live, because our world is struggling with shortages of food, unpredictable weather, and the issues around power, authority and democracy are in dispute.
May we focus on reorienting ourselves—so that we can become united in spirit, compassion, and actions for the good of all.
May we strive to listen to each other, to move away from our present ‘us’ and ‘them’ mentality, in order to work for a good, just, humane and loving society
Instill in our leaders humility, compassion, courage and wisdom so they might work for the wholeness of this great nation.
We pray for those who are anxious and worried about health care.
May all who hold positions of power, be responsible in their decisions and provide protection to the most vulnerable among us.
We pray for those who are worried about their children’s education, anxious about their own jobs, and concerned for the future of their families.
May we work for policies and laws that reflect the values and teachings of Jesus to “do unto others as you who have them do unto you.”
We pray for those whose hearts are troubled, who harbor resentment and anger, who have felt discarded or dismissed.
May divisions end, and wounds be healed, and may all follow the command of Jesus Christ to ‘love our neighbors.”
Lastly, we pray for ourselves.
In moments of silence, we ask you, O Lord, to hear our cry, even where we have no words.
Lord, hear our prayers, and if today we might be the means by which you answer the prayers of others, then may you find us eager and dedicated to fulfill your purpose, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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
Sybil Webb, Beth Drury, Rina Medina, Harvey Chauvin
We Set the Table
As the gifts of bread and wine and our offerings are brought forward
The Offertory
Jesus calls us to each other
Restoration
Words: John L. Bell (b. 1949) & Graham Maule (1958-2019); Music: 1835 , Anonymous
We Celebrate the Eucharist
The Great Thanksgiving : Eucharistic Prayer 3, Enriching Our Worship, The Episcopal Church
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 our thanks and praise.
All thanks and praise are yours at all times and in all places, our true and loving God; through Jesus Christ, your eternal Word, the Wisdom from on high by whom you created all things. You laid the foundations of the world and enclosed the sea when it burst out from the womb; You brought forth all creatures of the earth and gave breath to humankind
Wondrous are you, Holy One of Blessing, all you create is a sign of hope for our journey; And so as the morning stars sing your praises we join the heavenly beings and all creation as we sing with joy:
Glory and honor are yours, Creator of all, your Word has never been silent; you called a people to yourself, as a light to the nations, you delivered them from bondage and led them to a land of promise.
Of your grace, you gave Jesus to be human, to share our life, to proclaim the coming of your holy reign and give himself for us, a fragrant offering. Through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, you have freed us from sin, brought us into your life, reconciled us to you, and restored us to the glory you intend for us.
We thank you that on the night before he died for us Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, gave it to his friends and said: “Take, eat, this is my Body, broken for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper Jesus took the cup of wine, said the blessing, gave it to his friends and said: “Drink this, all of you: this cup is the new Covenant in my Blood, poured out for you and for all for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
And so, remembering all that was done for us: the cross, the tomb, the resurrection and ascension, longing for Christ’s coming in glory, and presenting to you these gifts your earth has formed and human hands have made, we acclaim you, O Christ: Dying, you destroyed our death. Rising, you restored our life.
Christ Jesus, come in glory
Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts of bread and wine that they may be to us the Body and Blood of your Christ.
Grant that we, burning with your Spirit’s power, may be a people of hope, justice and love. Giver of Life, draw us together in the Body of Christ, and in the fullness of time gather us with all your people into the joy of our true eternal home.
Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, we worship you our God and Creator in voices of unending praise.
Blessed are you 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.
We who are many are one body, for we all share in the 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
Tu has venido a la orilla
Pescador
Words: Cesareo Gabarain (1936-1991), Trans: Madeleine F. Marshall
The Post-Communion Prayer
God of abundance, you have fed us with the bread of life and cup of salvation; you have united us with Christ and one another; and you have made us one with all your people in heaven and on earth. Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit, that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue for ever in the risen life of Christ our Savior. 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
Will you come and follow me
Kelvingrove
Words: John L. Bell (b. 1949) and Graham Maule (b. 1956).Scottish Folk Melody
Let us go forth, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
Thanks be to God.