November 15 - 6:00pm

November 15, 2020

Opening Acclamation

Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.

The Celebrant continues

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 the Father, the Spirit, the Son, Chip Wilson

Blessed be the Name of the Lord. If it’s not about love, it’s not about God. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Please stand.

The Collect of the Day

Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People
And also with you. 
Celebrant
Let us pray.

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. People Amen.

The Word of God

The First Reading, Zephaniah 1:7,12-18

The People sit.

Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is at hand; the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, he has consecrated his guests. At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the people who rest complacently on their dregs, those who say in their hearts, “The Lord will not do good, nor will he do harm.” Their wealth shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them. The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter, the warrior cries aloud there.

That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. I will bring such distress upon people that they shall walk like the blind; because they have sinned against the Lord, their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath; in the fire of his passion the whole earth shall be consumed; for a full, a terrible end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.

Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.

The Gradual, Psalm 90:1-8, 12

Lord, you have been our refuge * from one generation to another.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or the land and the earth were born, * from age to age you are God.

You turn us back to the dust and say, * “Go back, O child of earth.”

For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past * and like a watch in the night.

You sweep us away like a dream; * we fade away suddenly like the grass.

In the morning it is green and flourishes; * in the evening it is dried up and withered.

For we consume away in your displeasure; * we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation.

Our iniquities you have set before you, * and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.

So teach us to number our days * that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

The Second Reading, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.

Crossover, Chip Wilson

I was stranded in the heat of the desert, until I finally found Jordan’s Ford

I found a place where I can cross over, closer to the Lord

If I forget about the Holy Gospel, that will surely be my greatest loss

I found a place where I can cross over, closer to the cross

I’m over on the gospel shore

Washed in the words of the Lord

I found a place where I can cross over, closer to the Lord

I was washed in the river of Jordan, and it shook me to the core

I found a place where I can cross over, closer to the Lord

My feet are in the salty Dead Sea, But my mind is set on Galilee

I’m looking for a place where I can cross over, closer to the Lord

The Sea is salty and rough, but I’ll be climbing Mount Zion soon enough

I’ll find a place where I can crossover, closer to the Lord

Two cousins by the river banks

Showed me the way, so thanks

I found a place where I can crossover, closer to the Lord

I was standing on the banks of the river, over on the gospel shore

I found a place where I can cross over, closer to the Lord

Please stand for the Holy Gospel.

The Holy Gospel, Matthew 25:14-30

Deacon The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus said, “It is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.

For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

Deacon The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon, by The Reverend E. Gary Taylor

Please stand.

The Nicene Creed

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 VI

The Leader and People pray responsively

Leader In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.

Leader For all people in their daily life and work; 
People
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those  who are alone.

Leader For this community, the nation, and the world;
People For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.

Leader For the just and proper use of your creation;
People For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.

Leader For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
People For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.

Leader For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
People
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.

Leader For Michael our Presiding Bishop, Morris our Bishop; and for all bishops and other ministers;
People For all who serve God in his Church.

Leader For the special needs and concerns of this congregation.

We ask healing comfort for Bill Beachy, Walker Beery, Katie Bourg,  Linda Diaz, Norris Fant, G.G. Griswold, Kirk Groome, Nancy Haslett,  Teresa Kelleher, Medora Monogold, Michael Nestor, Manon Prizgintas, Joan Rogers, Mary Nell Watters and others you would name.

Leader Hear us Lord;
People For your mercy is great.

We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life especially for those who celebrate birthdays and anniversaries this week.

We pray for our Stewardship Board, Trinity Loaves and Fishes and all of  our mission partners, especially Eden House and Loaves and Fishes Africa. We pray for all those who are affected by the hurricanes and fires and wind  storms and for the first responders who are working toward recovery and prevention.

We pray especially for our Seminarian, Carrie Wright and those in  discernment. In the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana we pray for St. Michael and All Angels Church in Baton Rouge and for the Worldwide Anglican Communion. 

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good  time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your  heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Leader We will exalt you, O God our King; 
People
And praise your Name for ever and ever.

Leader We pray for all who have died, especially Edward Ernest Hucke and Sam Boney, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom and for victims of violence in our city, Lloyd Ferrier, Kimberly Knockum, and Roderick Atkinson.

Leader Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;
People Who put their trust in you.

Leader We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.

The Confession of Sin

The People stand or kneel.

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word or 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.

The Peace

Announcements

The Holy Communion

The Great Thanksgiving (Prayer B)

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 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.

The Celebrant proceeds with the Proper Preface.

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:

Sanctus

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 People stand or kneel.

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,

Celebrant and People 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.

The Lord's Prayer

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

The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread.

Celebrant Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.

A Prayer of Spiritual Communion

Celebrant In communion with those who are participating online, and cannot physically receive the  Sacrament, we pray:

O my Jesus, I believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament, and, since I cannot at this time receive communion, I pray you to come into my heart. I unite myself with you and embrace you with all my heart, my soul, and my mind. Let nothing separate me from you; let me serve you  in this life until, by your grace, I come to your glorious kingdom and unending peace. Amen.

The Invitation

Celebrant The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died and was raised for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

The Communion of the People

Please note that Communion distribution will be very different for the foreseeable future. As you approach the altar area, everyone must use the hand sanitizer station before receiving communion. The consecrated hosts will be in a paper cup on the altar. As you approach the altar, please take one paper cup. Once you have consumed the host, you will place the paper cup in the receptacle located near the altar. 

Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning, Afro-American Spiritual

The Post Communion Prayer

All stand.

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.

The Blessing

The Dismissal   

Celebrant Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
People Thanks be to God.