Peoples Prelude
Bell
Welcome
Bell
Silence
Opening statement:
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of all the lands on which we meet today, and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge particularly the Eno, the Shakori, the Occaneechi, the Tutelo, and the Cheraw, the First Peoples of what is now The Triangle of North Carolina, whose descendants are now citizens of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation.
Silence
Bell
Penitential Order
Presider Blessed be the God of our salvation:
All Who bears our burdens and forgives our sins.
A period of silence is kept.
Jesus said, “The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel:
The Lord your God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love
your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:29-31
Confession [from Enriching Our Worship]
Presider Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
After a short silence for reflection, all pray together:
All 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.
Absolution [from The Book of Common Prayer]
Presider 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.
All Amen.
Lord, have mercy.
Christi have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Collect of the Day
Presider The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Presider Let us pray.
The presider prays the Collect of the day, and in response, the people say: Amen.
The Lessons
A Reading
At the end of the reading, the lector says, “Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people,” to which the people respond, “Thanks be to God.”
The Psalm (see psalms below)
The Gospel (the people are invited to stand as they are able)
Before the reading of the Gospel
Presider The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to…
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
After the reading of the Gospel
Presider The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
A Homily
The Prayers of the People
Leader Let us now offer our prayers and thanksgiving to God.
Before we pray together, let us, in silence, ask the Spirit to bring to our consciousness those things for which we should pray.
After a time of silence the Leader continues:
Creator and Redeemer, help us now to pray. We offer our respect and give thanks for the Traditional Custodians and Elders who have walked this land, for those who may be interred in this land and their descendants among us today. Help us to honor the truth and to seek the peace, justice, recompense and reconciliation you desire for all of your people. Help us to listen compassionately, to speak humbly and to act justly. Give us wisdom, patience and courage to work together for healing and hope.
Silence
Leader Lord in your mercy
People Hear our prayer.
Leader Let us pray for the Church and for the world. Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world.
Silence
Leader Lord in your mercy
People Hear our prayer.
Leader Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another and serve the common good.
Silence
Leader Lord in your mercy
People Hear our prayer.
Leader Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.
Silence
Leader Lord in your mercy
People Hear our prayer.
Leader Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us.
Silence
Leader Lord in your mercy
People Hear our prayer.
Leader Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation.
Silence
Leader Lord in your mercy
People Hear our prayer.
Leader We commend to your mercy all who have died, that your will for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.
Silence
Leader Lord in your mercy
People Hear our prayer.
The Presider adds a concluding Collect:
O God our Maker, who ignites stars and births planets, God who shapes the earth, forming its soils and cycling its waters, God who breathes all life into being when we cannot: Breathe through us here and now as we gather our prayers together. Attach us to this earth you have made, for we are dust bound, here today and gone tomorrow. Make us eager to share in the work of love, grief, and reparation during our short days. This we pray so that by your Spirit moving between, through, and among us, the strained relationships of this more-than-human world might be rewoven toward your justice, the dispossessed custodians of this land might be restored what is theirs, and your earth and all her life might flourish as you dream. Through Jesus Christ who teaches us what it means to live and the Holy Spirit who animates that life among us now, one God, before beginning and after end. Amen. (written for The Advocate, Lent 2021)
The Peace
Presider The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
Presider Let us share a sign of Christ’s peace with one another.
THE EUCHARIST
The table is prepared
Presider Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation: through your goodness we have this bread to set before you, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life.
People Blessed be God forever.
Presider Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation: through your goodness we have this wine to set before you, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become for us the cup of salvation.
People Blessed be God forever. (Offertory Prayer, Didache 3rd Century)
The Great Thanksgiving
Presider God the Creator is here.
People God’s Spirit is with us.
Presider Lift up your hearts
People We lift them to God the Creator
Presider Let us give thanks to God
People It is right to offer our thanks and praise.
Presider: God the Creator, our Great Spirit, from the depths of our hearts we give you thanks. We say thank you, now and forever. From the place of the rising sun in the East, to the South where the warm winds blow, from the West where the soft rain comes, to the coldness of the North. We unite with all creation from the four directions to join in the everlasting thanksgiving and praise for the gift of Jesus Christ.
With hearts lifted, we join with the angels, the guardian spirits, the saints, and all our ancestors as we say
All: Holy, holy holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Presider: O Great Spirit, our Creator from whom all holiness comes, we come before you again today.
Just as in generations past, we come to worship you and acknowledge your greatness. We marvel at your creation.
You sent Jesus into creation because people had turned away from you and no longer loved each other, bringing death and destruction. Sharing our living and dying, Jesus opened our eyes and our hearts to understand that we are all relatives and that you are our Great Spirit the Creator.
Stretching out his arms upon the cross, he became a perfect offering for all, uniting in beauty all that is, with all that has been, and with all that ever will be.
On the night Jesus was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread, gave thanks to you, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take eat, this is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper Jesus took the cup of wine; gave thanks, 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 we proclaim the mystery of faith:
ALL: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Presider: In this ceremony which Jesus gave us, we celebrate our salvation. In our offering of praise and thanks, we stand in the memory, strength, and love of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. Remembering, we make our offering.
By your Holy Spirit, make our gifts holy, so that they may be spiritual food and drink. + Make us holy, so that we respectfully receive this feast and serve you in each other.
(Eucharistic Prayer revised version from the Liturgy of St. John’s, Red Lake, MN)
United in Christ with all who stand before you on earth and heaven, we worship you, God the Creator, our Great Spirit, in songs and dance of infinite praise. Blessing, honor and glory be yours, here and everywhere, now and for ever. Amen. (adapted from NZ Maori PB)
Presider As our Savior Christ has taught us we now pray.
All Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name,
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
Now and for ever. Amen.
The Fraction
Presider: Behold what you are
People: May we become what we receive
Post Communion Prayer
Presider Let us Pray
All
O God of our ancestors,
God of our people,
before whose face the human generations pass away:
We thank you that in you we are kept safe for ever,
and that the broken fragments of our history
are gathered up in the redeeming act of your dear Son,
remembered in this holy sacrament of bread and wine.
Help us to walk daily in the Communion of Saints,
declaring our faith in the forgiveness of sins
and the resurrection of the body.
Now send us out
in the power of your Holy Spirit
to live and work for your praise and glory. Amen.
Blessing
Announcements
Sending Forth
Presider Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power,
the glory, the splendor, and the majesty:
for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom:
and you are exalted as head over all. 1 Chronicles 29.11
People Thanks be to God.
Psalter for Lent
Lent Two:
Psalm 22:22-30
22 May all who fear you, O God, give praise; *
may the offspring of Israel stand in awe and all of Jacob’s line give glory.
23 For you do not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty;
neither do you hide your face from them; *
but when they cry to you, you hear them.
24 My praise is of you in the great assembly; *
I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship you.
25 The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek you shall praise you: *
“May your heart live for ever!”
26 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to you, *
and all the families of the nations shall bow before you.
27 For yours is the royal power, O God; *
you rule over the nations.
28 To you alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship; *
all who go down to the dust fall before you.
29 My soul shall live for you; my descendants shall serve you; *
they shall be known as the Lord’s for ever.
30 They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn *
the saving deeds that you have done.
Lent Three
Psalm 19
1 The heavens declare your glory, O God, *
and the firmament shows your handiwork.
2 One day tells its tale to another, *
and one night imparts knowledge to another.
3 Although they have no words or language, *
and their voices are not heard,
4 Their sound has gone out into all lands, *
and their message to the ends of the world.
5 In the deep you have set a pavilion for the sun; *
it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
6 It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again; *
nothing is hidden from its burning heat.
7 Your law, O God, is perfect and revives the soul; *
your testimony is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.
8 Your statutes are just and rejoice the heart; *
your commandment is clear and gives light to the eyes.
9 The fear of you is clean and endures for ever; *
your judgments are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, *
sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.
11 By them also is your servant enlightened, *
and in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can tell how often one offends? *
cleanse me from my secret faults.
13 Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me; *
then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be acceptable in your sight, *
O God, my strength and my redeemer.
