10:00 AM Rite II
August 27, 2023
The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
The Liturgy of the Word
Processional Hymn: I come with joy to meet my Lord Hymn 304
The Opening Acclamation
Celebrant: Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People: And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen.
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.
In times like these you need a Savior LEVAS 71
The Collect of the Day
Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
First Lesson
Exodus 1:8-2:10
Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them. The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.” Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him. The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him, “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,” she said. Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”
Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
Psalm 124
1 If the Lord had not been on our side, *
let Israel now say;
2 If the Lord had not been on our side, *
when enemies rose up against us;
3 Then would they have swallowed us up alive *
in their fierce anger toward us;
4 Then would the waters have overwhelmed us *
and the torrent gone over us;
5 Then would the raging waters *
have gone right over us.
6 Blessed be the Lord! *
he has not given us over to be a prey for their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; *
the snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the Name of the Lord, *
the maker of heaven and earth.
Second Lesson
Romans 12:1-8
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God– what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
Cantor sings Alleluia, congregation repeats, cantor sings verse, congregation sings Alleluia
Priest: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew (16:13-20)
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.
When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Priest: The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon The Rev. Jim Morrison
The Nicene Creed (all standing)
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.
The Prayers of the People (Form III)
The Leader and People pray responsively
Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church;
That we all may be one.
Grant that every member of the Church may truly and humbly serve you;
That your Name may be glorified by all people.
We pray for all bishops, priests, and deacons;
That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacraments.
We pray for all who govern and hold authority in the nations of the world;
That there may be justice and peace on the earth.
Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake;
That our works may find favor in your sight.
Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble;
That they may be delivered from their distress.
Give to the departed eternal rest.
Let light perpetual shine upon them.
We praise you for your saints who have entered into joy;
May we also come to share in your heavenly kingdom.
Let us pray for our own needs and those of others.
Silence
The Celebrant adds a concluding prayer
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Confession of Sin
Priest 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.
Prayer of Absolution
The Priest, stands and says
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
Announcements
Birthdays and Anniversaries
The Offertory
Offertory Hymn: Feed my Lambs Natalie Sleeth
St. Matthew’s Choir
Eucharistic Prayer C
Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: 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 him thanks and praise.
Then, facing the Holy Table, the Celebrant proceeds
God of all power, Ruler of the Universe, you are worthy of glory and praise.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home.
By your will they were created and have their being.
From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill. You made us the rulers of creation. But we turned against you, and betrayed your trust; and we turned against one another.
Have mercy, Lord, for we are sinners in your sight.
Again and again, you called us to return. Through prophets and sages you revealed your righteous Law. And in the fullness of time you sent your only Son, born of a woman, to fulfill your Law, to open for us the way of freedom and peace.
By his blood, he reconciled us.
By his wounds, we are healed.
And therefore we praise you, joining with the heavenly chorus, with prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and with all those in every generation who have looked to you in hope, to proclaim with them your glory, in their unending hymn:
Celebrant and People
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.
The Celebrant continues
And so, Father, we who have been redeemed by him, and made a new people by water and the Spirit, now bring before you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.
At the following words concerning the bread, the Celebrant is to hold it,
or lay a hand upon it, and at the words concerning the cup, to hold or
place a hand upon the cup and any other vessel containing wine to be
consecrated.
On the night he was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, 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, gave thanks, 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.”
Remembering now his work of redemption, and offering to you this
sacrifice of thanksgiving,
We celebrate his death and resurrection, as we await the day of his coming.
Lord God of our Fathers: God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: Open our eyes to see your hand at work in the world about us. Deliver us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for
renewal. Let the grace of this Holy Communion make us one body, one spirit in Christ, that we may worthily serve the world in his name.
Risen Lord, be known to us in the breaking of the Bread.
Accept these prayers and praises, Father, through Jesus Christ our great High Priest, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, your Church gives honor, glory, and worship, from generation to generation. AMEN
The Great Amen S 146
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.
Fraction Anthem S 164
The Breaking of the Bread
Communion Music: Like the murmur of the dove Hymn 513 One bread, one body LEVAS 151
Post Communion Prayer
Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Recessional Hymn: The church’s one foundation Hymn 525
The Dismissal
Priest: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Wednesday Healing Mass
All are invited to gather for a brief healing service at 5pm every Wednesday in the church. The 30 min service includes a brief Bible passage, a word of encouragement, informal Eucharist, and an option for the Anointing of the Sick.
“The Lunch Bunch”
This Tuesday we invite you to gather with Fr. Jim for a fun lunch in the Parish Hall at 12 noon. We Have 10 spots available, please sign up at the church reception or send a message to Fr. Jim. This Tuesday we will serve Red beans, rice, sausage, mixed vegetable and a dessert. Plates are $6 and all proceeds support our school.
Children’s Sunday School
Sunday School is not meeting currently, but we will be back with new programing beginning October 1st. Karen Barrilleaux will serve as our coordinator for Godly Play. We are in the process of gathering Children’s Ministers to be part of team to help our children grow in faith and love. We hope to gather 6/8 adults to serve once a month. All adults will have to undergo background checks, Safe Church training and training in Children’s ministry. If you are interested in exploring this ministry, please contact Karen Barrilleaux at karen.barrilleaux@gmail.com.
Childcare
We are excited to announce that Susan Waldron will serve as our Nursery coordinator on Sundays. We are looking for volunteers to serve as helpers, if you’re interested, please contact Susan, susanhoumala@gmail.com. More details to come in the weeks ahead. Please pray for this ministry.
Go Green
We are excited to gather a team from the church to explore ways St. Matthew’s can become better stewards of the earth. We will begin with a dynamic team: Hunter and Courtney Rulf, Dana White, Emilie Daye, Joann Caillouet, and Kelly Phillips. Please keep this new born ministry in your prayers!
Save the Dates
Sept. 9th – “Rooted in Faith Family Celebration and Supper”. Celebrating Cuba with Julio and Rina Medina!!!! More details to come soon.
Sept. 17th —E.C.W. Meeting following the service.
Youth Group Meetings:
SMEC Youth Group meetings will kick off on Sunday, October 1, 2023, from 6 pm-7:30 pm. We will begin the series titled “I Am Statements” in which youth will explore Who is Jesus? It often seems like a simple question at first, but can you imagine all the ways to answer that? He was a carpenter. He was a rabbi. He was divine. His birth changed the world calendar from BC to AD. There are many ways to describe Jesus, so let’s go right to the source. In these four sessions, we will journey through the Gospel of John to learn about Jesus in His own words.
To sign up for this event, please sign up by utilizing the signup sheet at the back of the church. For any questions, please contact Mr. Brandon at brandongiroir.stmatts@gmail.com or 985-262-9575. 5th-12th grade youth are encouraged to attend! If you are interested in helping chaperone the youth meetings, please speak to Mr. Brandon at the end of the service.
Contact Information
We want to make sure we have everyone’s contact information. Please call or email the church office if you have any updates to your address or phone numbers, 985-872-5057 or erica.stmatthews@gmail.com.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Week of 8/27-9/2: Doug and Linda Greenburg
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.
Worship Team Schedule
Eucharistic Ministers Alex Ostheimer, Hildegard Blanchard,
Emilie Daye
Lectors Laura Lewis, Keith Hampton
Organist/Choirmaster John Barrilleaux
Ushers Sharon Pontiff, Keith Hampton
Vestry Member on Duty Keri Kelley
Altar Guild Sandy Ostheimer, Karen Kelly
Flower Guild Carolyn Lirette
Hospitality Debby Fortier, Shirley Use’
PARISH PRAYER LIST
Andrèe, Jay, Norma, Sybil, Lydicia, Jere, Lona & Sidney, Earl, Bonnie, Randolph, AnnaBelle, Earl, Bob, Mattie, Frank, Randolph, Terry, Liz, Janie, Charlie, Hartley, Kris & Family, JoAnne, Charlie, Benjamin, Christine, Kaye, Neva, Norma, Susan, Nathaniel, Evan, Jeannette, Abigail, and Legion Park School. We give thanks and pray for St. Matthew’s Episcopal School, Head of School, Thomas Soudelier, members of the Board, faculty, staff and students, and our Parish Vestry.