Our Mission Welcome to The Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, a welcoming and diverse community seeking to walk in the way of Jesus and to reveal Christ’s reconciling love in our city, nation, and world.

Pandemic Precautions Continue: Up-to-date vaccination is required for everyone eligible. Windows are open. In the spirit of protecting the most vulnerable members of the congregation, we ask that you attempt to distance, especially if asked. We ask that all members of the congregation respect others’ choices about masking. Please refrain from coming to church if you are sick or experiencing any new symptoms.

Communion: All are welcome to receive. When it comes time, please follow the directions of the ushers. Walk past the chalice bearer to return to your pew from the other side. If you would like to receive wine you may either “sip” or hand your wafer to the chalice bearer, who will “intinct” (dip) for you. If you would prefer not to receive, simply cross your arms across your chest and the minister will give you a blessing. Gluten free wafers are available, on request from the minister.

Donations: We welcome donations to support the work of Holy Communion, whether a payment on a pledge or simply an offering. You can also text GIVE to (833) 864-5384 or give any time on our website holycommunion.net/give

Accessibility: Our entrances have auto-open buttons, and our elevator is ADA compliant. Both the downstairs restrooms and one of the upstairs restrooms are accessible. Priority seating is provided for caretakers of small children and those with mobility needs. If you have any questions about signage, please ask an usher. Hearing assistance devices are available from the welcome table. Just ask an usher.

Get Involved: If you begin by filling out a “Connect Card” by hitting “Next Steps” on the button on any page. You can also use the Connect Cards in the pews to update your information, request prayers, or to ask a question. Turn them in to the wooden offering box in the entryway.

The congregation is invited to say the words together in bold. If you are worshiping with us from home, to prepare for worship, you may want to place a candle or two in the place where you worship, to light during the opening prayer.

Prelude

A musician plays as the candles are lighted and the people gather for prayer.

Welcome

If you are new to us, consider filling out our “get connected” form, let us get to know you better.

Entrance Hymn Alleluia, Sing to Jesus The Hymnal 1982 #460

The congregation is invited to rise in body or spirit.

Opening Dialogue and Collect of the Day

please rise in body or in spirit

Blessed be the one, holy, and living God.
Glory to God for ever and ever.
There is one Body and one Spirit;
There is one hope in God’s call to us;
One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism;
One God and Maker of all

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

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Collect for Purity

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.

The Lessons

We hear the stories of the experience of God from our spiritual ancestors. Following an ancient pattern originally from Jewish synagogue worship, readings follow a calendar shared by Christians around the globe.

1st Lesson Please be seated. Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

The Lord God proclaims: I myself will search for my flock and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out the flock when some in the flock have been scattered, so will I seek out my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered during the time of clouds and thick darkness. I will gather and lead them out from the countries and peoples, and I will bring them to their own fertile land. I will feed them on Israel’s highlands, along the riverbeds, and in all the inhabited places. I will feed them in good pasture, and their sheepfold will be there, on Israel’s lofty highlands. On Israel’s highlands, they will lie down in a secure fold and feed on green pastures. I myself will feed my flock and make them lie down. This is what the Lord God says. I will seek out the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the wounded, and strengthen the weak. But the fat and the strong I will destroy, because I will tend my sheep with justice.
So the Lord God proclaims to them: I will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. You shove with shoulder and flank, and with your horns you ram all the weak sheep until you’ve scattered them outside. But I will rescue my flock so that they will never again be prey. I will even judge between the sheep! I will appoint for them a single shepherd, and he will feed them. My servant David will feed them. He will be their shepherd. I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be their prince. I, the Lord, have spoken.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Psalm 70
Please join in the refrain as it is sung.

1 Come, let us sing to the Lord; *
let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before the presence of the Lord with thanksgiving *
and raise a loud shout to God with psalms.
Refrain

3 For you, O Lord, are a great God, *
and a great sovereign above all gods.
4 In your hand are the caverns of the earth, *
and the heights of the hills are yours also.
5 The sea is yours, for you made it, *
and your hands have moulded the dry land.
Refrain

6 Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 For you are our God,
and we are the people of your pasture and the sheep of your hand. *
Refrain

2nd Lesson Ephesians 1: 15-23

A Reading from the first letter to the church in Ephesus.

Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, this is the reason that I don’t stop giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s powerful strength. God’s power was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God’s right side in the heavens, far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future. God put everything under Christ’s feet and made him head of everything in the church, which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Gospel Procession Celtic Alleluia

Please rise in body or in spirit

The Gospel Matthew 15:31-46
The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, Lord Christ.

“Now when the Human One comes in his majesty and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his majestic throne. All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them from each other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right side. But the goats he will put on his left.
“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who will receive good things from my Father. Inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world began. I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’
“Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
“Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me, you who will receive terrible things. Go into the unending fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels. I was hungry and you didn’t give me food to eat. I was thirsty and you didn’t give me anything to drink. I was a stranger and you didn’t welcome me. I was naked and you didn’t give me clothes to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t do anything to help you?’ Then he will answer, ‘I assure you that when you haven’t done it for one of the least of these, you haven’t done it for me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment. But the righteous ones will go into eternal life.”

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

The Sermon:

Please be seated, at the invitation of the preacher.

Denise Carpenter

Statement of Faith
Please rise in body or in spirit.

As children of God let us rise in body or in spirit and affirm our faith.

We believe in God, creator of heaven and earth.

We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of our sister Mary; Baptized by John the Baptist, filled with the Holy Spirit: to preach the kingdom of God to the poor, to heal the sick, to receive those who have been cast out, to revive Israel for the salvation of the nations, and to have mercy upon all people. Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of God, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Prayers of the People

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; in the Diocese of Missouri we pray for the Rt. Rev. Deon K. Johnson, Eleventh Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri.

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.

The Peace

The peace of Christ be always with you.
And also with you.

You are invited to greet those around you by saying “Peace be with you” or simply “Peace.”

Welcome & Announcements:

Announcements are shared. You may be seated.

See Announcements

Offering We welcome donations to support the work of Holy Communion, whether a payment on a pledge or simply an offering. Plates will be passed. You can also give on our website or by texting GiveHoCO to (833) 864-5384

Offertory Anthem Poor Wayfarin’ Stranger arr. Greg Gilpin
Please rise in body or in spirit when the ushers bring forward the gathered offering.

Offertory Hymn
There is Enough

A Prayer for Stewardship

Gracious and everlasting God, the giver of all good gifts, you have blessed us and our parish abundantly. Grant us the hope to dream and the courage to live into our possibilities. Make us faithful stewards, both for the provision of our necessities and for the relief of those who are in need. Bless the efforts of our Annual Giving this year to extend the work of the spiritual renewal in our church and community of faith. Through Jesus Christ, who gave all of himself, we offer this prayer. Amen.

Eucharistic Prayer

The second part of the liturgy moves to the Table. As we remember Jesus’ last supper with his disciples, we gather in a way Christians have for millennia.
Please rise, in body or in spirit.

The Lord be with you
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 God thanks and praise.

The presider offers thanks to God for the grace and mercy made available to us in Christ. In response all say:

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 Celebrant continues.

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.

The presider concludes with prayer for the Holy Spirit to sanctify the bread and wine, and the gathered congregation.

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.

The Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray in the way Christ taught us, and in the language of our hearts.

Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo, santificado sea tu Nombre,
venga tu reino,
hágase tu voluntad,
en la tierra como en el cielo.

Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día.
Perdona nuestras ofensas,
como también nosotros perdonamos
a los que nos ofenden.
No nos dejes caer en tentación
y líbranos del mal.

Porque tuyo es el reino,
tuyo es el poder, y tuya es la gloria,
ahora y por siempre. Amén

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

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

Administration of the Sacrament

All are welcome to receive. When it comes time, please maintain a distance of greater than 6 feet in a single file line up to the front. Please come to the priest on the side of the church where you are sitting. Make your way down the side aisle to return to your seat. Under the bishop’s order, wine is not available at this time. If you would rather receive a blessing, please come forward to the altar rail during communion and cross your arms across your chest. Gluten free wafers are available, on request, from the minister.

Communion Anthem: We Live in Hope arr. Richard Garland

Music During Communion

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus Lift Every Voice & Sing #136

Prayer for Spiritual Communion

This prayer of Spiritual Communion is offered in the online bulletin for those who cannot join us in person. It was written by parishioner Bob Lewis.

Gracious and Loving God, on this day we are not able to gather around your table to celebrate your presence in the sacrament of bread and wine. We are not able to share your peace with one another.

Nevertheless, we lift up our hearts, we join with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven as we proclaim you holy and receive you into our hearts by faith.

Strengthen our love for you. Help us offer our sacrifice with all your faithful people, that we may restore health and wholeness to one another and to all your creation. Give us patience and hope as we long for the day when we can gather and break bread together again. Through Christ our Savior. Amen.

Post Communion Prayer

All are invited to rise or to kneel in body or in spirit.

God of abundance, you have fed us with the bread of life and cup of salvation; you have united us with Christ and one another; and you have made us one with all your people in heaven and on earth.

Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit, that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue forever in the risen life of Christ our Savior. Amen.

The Blessing

The Presider concludes with a prayer of blessing for the congregation.

Exit Hymn Jesus Shall Reign Where’er the Sun The Hymnal 1982 #544

Please rise, in body or in spirit.

The Dismissal Our worship has ended, our service in the world continues.

Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
Thanks be to God.

Postlude
The organist or another musician plays music as the candles are extinguished.

Service Leaders:

Preacher: Denise Carpenter
Presider: The Rev. Martie Metzler
Deacon: The Rev. Chester Hines
Crucifer: William Kelly
Chalice Bearer: Kari Potts, Marlene O’ Brien

Reader: Ryan Freedle, Elizabeth Hines
Intercessor: Mary Waters
Announcements: Heidi Volkl
Usher: Susan Norris
Video Producer: Scott Ferguson, Markie Jo Crismon
Guest Organist: Ruth Tweeten