Peoples Prelude
Bell
Welcome
Bell
Silence
Opening statement:
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land 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.
Christ 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 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
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
Presider Let us give thanks to God
People It is right to offer our thanks and praise.
Presider We praise you and we bless you, holy and gracious God, source of life abundant. From before time you made ready the creation. Your Spirit moved over the deep and brought all things into being: sun, moon, and stars; earth, winds, and waters; and every living thing.
You made us in your image, and taught us to walk in your ways. But we rebelled against you, and wandered far away; and yet, you would not forget us. Time and again you called us to live in the fullness of your love.
And so this day we join with Saints and Angels in the chorus of praise that rings through eternity, lifting our voices to magnify you as we sing (say):
All
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one
who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
The Presider continues
Glory and honor and praise to you, holy and living God.
To deliver us from the power of sin and death and to reveal the riches of your grace, you looked with favor upon Mary, your willing servant, that she might conceive and bear a son, Jesus the holy child of God.
Living among us, Jesus loved us.
He broke bread with outcasts and sinners, healed the sick, and proclaimed good news to the poor.
He yearned to draw all the world to himself yet we were heedless of his call to walk in love.
Then, the time came for him to complete upon the cross the sacrifice of his life, and to be glorified by you.
On the night before he died for us, Jesus was at table with his friends.
He took bread, gave thanks to you, broke it, and gave it to them, and said:
“Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.”
As supper was ending, Jesus took the cup of wine. Again, he gave thanks to you, gave it to them, and said: “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is poured out for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins.
Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Now gathered at your table, O God of all creation, and remembering Christ, crucified and risen, who was and is and is to come, we offer to you our gifts of bread and wine, and ourselves, a living sacrifice.
Pour out your Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Body and Blood of Christ. Breathe your Spirit over the whole earth and make us your new creation, the Body of Christ given for the world you have made.
In the fullness of time bring us, with all your saints,
from every tribe and language and people and nation, to feast at the banquet prepared from the foundation of the world.
Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to you be honor, glory, and praise, for ever and ever.
All AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer
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 Breaking of the Bread
The Priest breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept, then:
Presider Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
People Therefore, let us keep the feast.
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 IV
Psalm 119:9-16
9 How shall young ones cleanse their ways? *
By keeping to your words.
10 With my whole heart I seek you; *
let me not stray from your commandments.
11 I treasure your promise in my heart, *
that I may not sin against you.
12 Blest are you, O God; *
instruct me in your statutes.
13 With my lips will I recite *
all the judgments of your mouth.
14 I have taken greater delight in the way of your decrees *
than in all manner of riches.
15 I will meditate on your commandments *
and give attention to your ways.
16 My delight is in your statutes; *
I will not forget your word.