Welcome and Opening

 

 

THE WORD OF GOD

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Opening Hymn

The Hymnal 1982 #401                          “The God of Abraham Praise”   

 

1 The God of Abraham praise,
  who reigns enthroned above;
  Ancient of everlasting days,
  and God of love;
  the Lord, the great I AM,
  by earth and heaven confessed:
  we bow and bless the sacred name
  for ever blest.

2 God by himself hath sworn:
  we on his oath depend;
  we shall, on eagles-wings upborne,
  to heaven ascend:
  we shall behold his face,
  we shall his power adore,
  and sing the wonders of his grace
  for evermore.

3 There dwells the Lord, our King,
  the Lord, our Righteousness,
  triumphant o'er the world and sin,
  the Prince of Peace;
  on Zion's sacred height
  his kingdom he maintains,
  and, glorious with his saints in light,
  for ever reigns.
 
4 The God who reigns on high
  the great archangels sing,
  and “Holy, holy, holy,” cry,
“Almighty King!
  Who was, and is, the same,
  and evermore shall be:
  eternal Father, great I AM,
  we worship thee.”

5 The whole triumphant host
  give thanks to God on high;
“Hail, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost”
  they ever cry;
  hail, Abraham’s Lord divine!
  With heaven our songs we raise;
  all might and majesty are thine,
  and endless praise.

 

Entrance

                                                                                                                                                   

Celebrant   Praise to the holy and undivided Trinity, one God:

All              as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever.  Amen.

 

Song of Praise                 

LEVAS #215                                                       “Great Are You, O Lord”         

                                                   Gerald Henderson vs. 1,2,5  Nelson-Amaker vs 3,4

 

Vs.1     God our Father, we adore you, magnify you.

            God our Father, we adore you, magnify you. Great are you, O Lord.

 

Vs. 2    Heav’n and earth proclaim your power, show your glory.

            Heav’n and earth proclaim your power, show your glory.                          

            Great are you, O Lord.

 

Vs. 3    Jesus, Savior, we adore you, magnify you.

            You’ve redeemed the whole creation, how we love you.                                   

            Great are you, O Lord.

 

Vs. 4   Holy Spirit, we adore you, magnify you.

           Holy Spirit, rise within us, flow forth from us.                                              

           Great are you, O Lord.

 

Vs. 5   Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.                                         

           Great are you, O Lord.

 

The Collect of the Day                                                                                     

Leader                The Lord be with you.

Response           And also with you.

Celebrant            Let us pray. 

                            O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that                              are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and                                  reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.    Amen. 

 

First Reading:  Hosea 5:15-6:6
   Thus says the Lord: “I will return again to my place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face. In their distress they will beg my favor: ‘Come, let us return to the Lord; for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his appearing is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the earth.’ What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early. Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have killed them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”  

             

Lector   The Word of the Lord

All         Thanks be to God.

 

Psalm 50:7-15     Read responsively by half verse  

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7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak:
   "O Israel, I will bear witness against you; *
   for I am God, your God.

8 I do not accuse you because of your sacrifices; *
   your offerings are always before me.

9 I will take no bull-calf from your stalls, *
   nor he-goats out of your pens; 

10 For all the beasts of the forest are mine, *
   the herds in their thousands upon the hills.

11 I know every bird in the sky, *
   and the creatures of the fields are in my sight.

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, *
   for the whole world is mine and all that is in it. 

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13 Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls, *
   or drink the blood of goats?

14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving *
   and make good your vows to the Most High.

15 Call upon me in the day of trouble; *
   I will deliver you, and you shall honor me."

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Second Reading:  Romans 4:13-25
   The promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.
   For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”) —in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So numerous shall your descendants be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith “was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.  

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Lector   The Word of the Lord

All        Thanks be to God

 

Praise Before the Gospel  

LEVAS # 108    “Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus”  
                       Louisa M.R. Stead, William J. Kirkpatrick
 

1 ’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just to take Him at His word.
   Just to rest upon His promise,
   Just to know, “Thus saith the Lord.”

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Refrain 
  Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
  How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er!
  Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
  O for grace to trust Him more!

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2 O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just to trust His cleansing blood.
   Just in simple faith to plunge me
  ’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!  Refrain

3 Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just from sin and self to cease.
   Just from Jesus simply taking
   Life and rest and joy and peace. Refrain 

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4 I’m so glad I learned to trust thee,
   Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
   And I know that thou art with me,
   Wilt be with me to the end. Refrain

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The Holy Gospel:  Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

Deacon    The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew

All            Glory to you, Lord Christ. 

                     

    As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.”  And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
   While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread throughout that district.

Deacon   The Gospel of the Lord.

All           Praise to you, Lord Christ.

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Gospel Acclamation 

Halle, Halle, Halle-lujah. Halle, Halle, Halle-lujah.

Halle, Halle, Halle-lujah. Hallelujah, Hallelujah! 

 

Sermon                                                                                                             The Rev. Canon Anne-Marie Jeffery            

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Declaring Our Faith: 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, only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, 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. 

 

Admitting Our Wrongdoing: Confession

Deacon     Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

 

Admitting Our Wrongdoing: Confession

 

All      Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word                 and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.             In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be;             that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God.  Amen.

 

Absolution/Forgiveness of Sin

 

Celebrant    May the God of love and power

                    forgive you and free you from your sins,

                    heal and strengthen you by his Spirit,

                    and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord.  Amen.

  

The Prayers of the People

The person appointed leads the prayers. The People's responses are in bold type.

 

We pray for God to fill us with his Spirit.

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Generous God,

We thank you for the wisdom of your Holy Spirit.

Please make us wise to hear your voice and understand your will.

Lord, come to bless us  and fill us with your Spirit.

 

We thank you for the power of your Holy Spirit.

We ask that we may be equipped to serve you well.

Lord, come to bless us and fill us with your Spirit.

 

We thank you for the peace of your Holy Spirit.

Please keep us confident of your love wherever we are.

Lord, come to bless us and fill us with your Spirit.

 

We thank you for the strength of your Holy Spirit.

We ask to be able to endure and prevail in turmoil

and against the spiritual forces of wickedness.

Lord, come to bless us and fill us with your Spirit.

 

We thank you for the healing of your Holy Spirit.

Please bring reconciliation and wholeness

where there is division, sickness and sorrow.

Lord, come to bless us and fill us with your Spirit.

 

We thank you for the gifts of your Holy Spirit.

We ask you to equip us for the work to which you call us.

Lord, come to bless us and fill us with your Spirit.

 

We thank you for the fruit of your Holy Spirit.

Please reveal in our lives the character of Jesus.

Lord, come to bless us  and fill us with your Spirit.

 

We thank you for the breath of your Holy Spirit,

given us by the risen Lord.                                                                                                    

We ask you to keep the whole Church, living and departed,

in the joy of eternal life.

Lord, come to bless us and fill us with your Spirit. 

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A Prayer for Doctors, Nurses and other Medical Personnel         
Remembering especially the staff of Doctors’ Community Hospital: Sanctify, O Great Physician, all those whom you have called to the study and practice of medicine, to battling disease and injury, to managing health care, and to patient care. Strengthen them each day by your life-giving Spirit; shoulder their burdens; protect them and their families by the power of your Name.  Return to them thirty, sixty, or one hundredfold what they are sacrificially giving.  By their ministries may the sick be made well, the health of the community be promoted and your creation be blessed; through the might of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

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A Prayer for the Human Family
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. 

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Concluding Collect
God our rock and refuge: keep us safe in your care and strengthen us with your grace, that we may pray to you faithfully and love one another boldly, following the example of Jesus, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives for ever and ever. Amen. 

  

Welcome and Blessing of Visitors

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The Peace

Celebrant   May the peace of Christ be with you always.

All              And also with you.

 

                                                                              THE HOLY COMMUNION 

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Thanking God with Our Offerings

African Praise Choruses

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The Doxology                                                                                                                        LEVAS #56                     
                     Praise God from whom all blessings flow. 
                     Praise him all creatures here below. 
                     Praise him above ye heavenly host: 
                     Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  Amen.  
                                                          

Celebrant    God of all life, Savior of the poor, receive with our offering 
                    gratitude for your goodness, penitence for our pride, and 
                    dedication to your service, through  Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

 

The Great Thanksgiving:                                    

Church of the Province of the West Indies, Prayer B

 

Celebrant          The Lord be with you

                           And also with you.

Celebrant           Lift up your hearts.

                           We lift them to the Lord.

Celebrant           Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.    

                           It is right to give God thanks and praise.

 

Celebrant           It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty,                             everlasting God. For by water and the Holy Spirit you have made us a new people in Jesus Christ our                               Lord,  to show forth your glory in all the world. 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:    

 

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.

 

Celebrant         Holy and gracious Father, all creation rightly gives you praise. All life, all holiness, comes from you                                   through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,  whom you sent to share our human nature,  to live and die                             as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all. We therefore bring you these gifts, and                             we ask you to make them holy by the power of your Spirit, that they may become the Body and                                       Blood of your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, who offered Himself in obedience to your will, the Perfect                             Sacrifice for all humankind.

 

                           On the night He was betrayed, He took bread, and when He had given thanks to you, He broke it and                             gave it to his disciples and  said: "Take this and eat it: 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.”

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Response          Christ Jesus is Lord.  He has set us free from the law of sin

                           and death:  In his name alone is our salvation.

 

Celebrant           Father, calling to mind the death your Son endured for our salvation; his glorious resurrection and                                  ascension; his continual intercession for us in heaven; and looking for his coming again in glory, we                                offer you, in thanksgiving, this holy and life-giving sacrifice.  Look with favor on your Church’s                                            offering, and grant that we who eat these holy gifts may be filled with your Holy Spirit, become one                                body in Christ, and serve you in unity, constancy and peace.

 

                            May Christ make us a perpetual offering to you and enable us, in communion with  the whole                                          company of heaven, to share in the inheritance of your saints. With Him, and in Him, and through                                  Him, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship you, Father Almighty, with all who stand before you                              in earth and heaven in songs of everlasting praise:

 

Response all     Blessing and honor and glory and power be yours for ever and ever.  Amen.    

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The Lord’s Prayer    sung                      African-American Heritage Hymnal #664 

 

 1 Our Father, which art in heaven,
  Hallowed-a be Thy name.
  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,
  Hallowed-a be Thy name.

2 Done on earth as it is in heaven,
  Hallowed-a be Thy name.
  Give us this day our daily bread,
  Hallowed-a be Thy name. 

3 And forgive us all our debts,
  Hallowed-a be Thy name.
  As we forgive our debtors,
  Hallowed-a be Thy name.

4 Lead us not into temptation,
  Hallowed-a be Thy name.
  But deliver us from evil,
  Hallowed-a be Thy name.

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5 Thine is the kingdom, the pow'r,

       and the glory,
  Hallowed-a be Thy name.
  For ever, and ever,
  Hallowed-a be Thy name.

6 Amen, amen, amen,
  Hallowed-a be Thy name.
  Amen, amen, amen, amen.
  Hallowed-a be Thy name.

  Hallowed-a be Thy name.     

 

The Breaking of the Bread

The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.

 

All                 Though we are many, we are one Body, 
                      because we all share in one Bread.
Celebrant     Some among us are not able to receive Holy Eucharist today, 
                      but all of us have come to worship you.
                      Feed the hunger of their hearts, we pray, with a special blessing.

Celebrant     The gifts of God for the people of God.
All                Our souls will feast and be satisfied,                                                 
                     and we will sing glad songs of praise to God.
                     Let us together receive heavenly food.
 

All baptized Christians are welcome to share the Communion table with us.

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Communion Hymns 

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LEVAS # 67,               “I Love the Lord, He Heard My Cry”       Richard Smallwood

                                                                                                                     words slightly altered

1  I love the Lord, who heard my cry
  and pitied ev’ry groan.
  Long as I live and troubles rise,
  I’ll hasten to God’s throne.

 

2  I love the Lord, who heard my cry
  and chased my grief a-way.
  O let my heart no more despair
  while I have breath to pray.

 

The Hymnal 1982 #341 “For the Bread Which You Have Broken”  

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1 For the bread which you have broken,
   for the wine which you have poured,
   for the words which you have spoken,
   now we give you thanks, O Lord. 

2 By this promise that you love us,
   by your gift of peace restored,
   by your call to heaven above us,
   hallow all our lives, O Lord. 

3 With the saints who now adore you
   seated at the heavenly board,
   may the church still waiting for you
   keep love's tie unbroken, Lord. 

4 In your service, Lord, defend us;
   in our hearts keep watch and ward;
   in the world to which you send us
   let your kingdom come, O Lord. 

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Postcommunion Prayer      altered from Common Worship © 2000 Church of England)

 

Gracious God, lover of all,

in the Eucharist we are one family in Christ your Son,

one in the sharing of his Body and Blood

and one in the communion of his Spirit:

help us to grow in love for one another

and come to the full maturity of the Body of Christ.

We make our prayer through your Son our Savior. Amen.

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COMMUNITY NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Blessing and Dismissal      from Common Worship © 2000 Church of England                    

 

Holy Spirit, sent by the Father, ignite in us your holy fire;

strengthen your children with the gift of faith,

revive your Church with the breath of love,

and renew the face of the earth, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The blessing of Almighty God, Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier                                                                          

be with you and remain with you today and always.  Amen.             

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Deacon   Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All           Thanks be to God.

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Closing Hymn 

The Hymnal 1982 #522      "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken" 
 

1 Glorious things of thee are spoken,
  Zion, city of our God;
  he whose word cannot be broken
  formed thee for his own abode;
  on the Rock of Ages founded,
  what can shake thy sure repose?
  With salvation's walls surrounded,
  thou may'st smile at all thy foes.

2 See! the streams of living waters,
  springing from eternal love,
  well supply thy sons and daughters
  and all fear of want remove.
  Who can faint, when such a river
  ever will their thirst assuage?
  Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
  never fails from age to age. 

3 Round each habitation hovering,
  see the cloud and fire appear
  for a glory and a covering,
  showing that the Lord is near.
  Thus deriving from their banner,
  light by night, and shade by day,
  safe they feed upon the manna
  which he gives them when they pray.

4 Blest inhabitants of Zion,
  washed in the Redeemer's blood!
  Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
  makes them kings and priests to God.
  'Tis his love his people raises
  over self to reign as kings:
  and as priests, his solemn praises
  each for a thank-offering brings.

 

 

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Copyright Notice 

All music reprinted under CCLI License #2897260 and One License #A-723933