8:00 Service May 15th: Fifth Sunday in Easter
You will find our live stream on our homepage, on Facebook (where you can interact with others watching with comments), and on Youtube.
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.
Things are different right now. The pandemic means we are keeping things simple, short, and safe. We also now require vaccination, for those who are eligible. You must be free of COVID-related symptoms, close contact, and not have positive tests to attend. There are a few other ground rules. Read our full guidelines here.
Distancing: As much as we wish we could greet one another, out of love for our neighbor we have to stay distanced. Please maintain 6 or more feet from other households at all times. Consider sending a text, a message on Facebook, or even writing a letter or email to someone who could use some peace. A wave, a peace sign, or a “smize” (a smile with your eyes) will do.
Masks: If test positivity rates stay below 3%, masks will be optional for the vaccinated at services with singing. If transmission increases, we will re-institute the mask requirement. Please check with clergy or ushers, or listen for verbal announcements for more details. We thank you for respecting our guidelines and your neighbors in this transitional time.
Communion: 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 communion minister on the side of the church where you are sitting. Make your way down the side aisle to return to your seat. Wine is not available at this time. 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
Wheelchair 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.
Hearing Assistance: Hearing assistance devices are available from the welcome table. Just ask an usher.
Get Involved: If you begin by filling out a “Connect Card” at the Welcome Table or online, we’d be glad to keep you up to date with all that goes on here. You can also use the Connect Cards to update your information, request prayers, or to ask a question. Turn them in to the wooden offering box in the entryway. The Rector’s Pilgrimage class will start meeting soon, for new members.
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.
Welcome
A priest welcomes the congregation. If you are new to us, consider filling out our “get connected” form, let us get to know you better.
Opening Acclamation
Please rise in body or spirit
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Collect of the Day
The Lord be with you
And also with you
Let us pray.
Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. 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.
A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles Acts 11:1-18
The apostles and the brothers and sisters throughout Judea heard that even the Gentiles had welcomed God’s word. When Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him. They accused him, “You went into the home of the uncircumcised and ate with them!”
Step-by-step, Peter explained what had happened. “I was in the city of Joppa praying when I had a visionary experience. In my vision, I saw something like a large linen sheet being lowered from heaven by its four corners. It came all the way down to me. As I stared at it, wondering what it was, I saw four-legged animals—including wild beasts—as well as reptiles and wild birds. I heard a voice say, ‘Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!’ I responded, ‘Absolutely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ The voice from heaven spoke a second time, ‘Never consider unclean what God has made pure.’ This happened three times, then everything was pulled back into heaven. At that moment three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying. The Spirit told me to go with them even though they were Gentiles. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered that man’s house. He reported to us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is known as Peter. He will tell you how you and your entire household can be saved.’ When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as the Spirit fell on us in the beginning. I remembered the Lord’s words: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, then who am I? Could I stand in God’s way?”
Once the apostles and other believers heard this, they calmed down. They praised God and concluded, “So then God has enabled Gentiles to change their hearts and lives so that they might have new life.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 148 read responsively, by verse
Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from the heavens; *
praise God in the heights.
Praise the Lord all you angels; *
sing praises, all you heavenly host.
Praise the Lord, sun and moon; *
sing praises, all you shining stars.
Praise the Lord, heaven of heavens, *
sing praises, you waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord; *
who gave the command and they were created,
who made them stand fast for ever and ever, *
who gave them a law which shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth, *
you sea-monsters and all deeps;
fire and hail, snow and fog, *
tempestuous wind, doing God’s will;
mountains and all hills, *
fruit trees and all cedars;
wild beasts and all cattle, *
creeping things and wingèd birds;
sovereigns of the earth and all peoples, *
princes and all rulers of the world;
young men and young women, *
old and young together.
Let them praise the name of the Lord, *
whose name only is exalted,
whose splendour is over earth and heaven.
The Lord has raised up strength for this people *
and praise for all loyal servants,
the children of Israel, *a people who are near to the Lord.
Hallelujah!
The Gospel John 13:31-35
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Human One has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify the Human One in himself and will glorify him immediately. Little children, I’m with you for a little while longer. You will look for me—but, just as I told the Jewish leaders, I also tell you now—‘Where I’m going, you can’t come.’
“I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon:
Please be seated, at the invitation of the preacher.
The Rev. Canon Whitney Rice
The Prayers of the People
The Leader and People pray responsively. Please rise, or kneel, in body or in spirit.
With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Alleluia, hear our prayer.”
For the peace of the world, for the welfare of the holy Church of God, and for the unity of all peoples. God of glory,
Alleluia, hear our prayer.
For Michael, our Presiding Bishop; for Deon, our Bishop and for all clergy. We pray for those in formation for holy orders in our parish: Meg, David, Loretta, Josephine and Janice; for all who serve God in the church, for our partners in mission in El Salvador; we pray for the people and ministry of Christ Episcopal Church in Rolla (1877). We pray for Mary, their Rector; and Schelly, their Deacon. In our companion Diocese of Puerto Rico, we pray for the people and ministry of Parroquia San Andrés, Apóstol, in Mayagüez, and Luis, their Rector. God of glory,
Alleluia, hear our prayer.
For all who are in authority, and all who govern in the nations of the world; God of glory,
Alleluia, hear our prayer.
For this city of St. Louis, for every city and community and those who live in them; for those celebrating a birthday this week; especially Mary Bass, Leanna Baudendistel, Dan Ellis, Kenneth Oliff and Chris Padgett, and for those celebrating an anniversary this week, God of glory,
Alleluia, hear our prayer.
For our rector, Mike Angell, and his family, especially Ellis and Silas, and for our congregation in our time apart from one another. God of glory,
Alleluia, hear our prayer.
For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it. God of glory,
Alleluia, hear our prayer.
For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and the suffering, especially Barbara Pummill, Barbara Wallace, and Terrie Wallace. God of glory,
Alleluia, hear our prayer.
For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute, for prisoners and captives, and for all who remember and care for them. God of glory,
Alleluia, hear our prayer.
For all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, and for all the departed, God of glory,
Alleluia, hear our prayer.
That we may end our lives in faith and hope, without suffering and without reproach. God of glory,
Alleluia, hear our prayer.
You are invited to add your own prayers, silently or aloud.
In the communion of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to Christ our God.
To you, O Lord our God.
The Peace
Alleluia! Christ has been raised from the dead. The peace of Christ be always with you.
And also with you.
Please do not approach people outside your household. A wave, a peace sign, or a “smize” (a smile with your eyes) will do.
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
Presentation of the Offering
Please rise, in body or in spirit.
All things come of thee, O Lord.
And of thine own have we given thee.
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 up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
The presider offers our thanks to God for the grace and mercy made available to us in Christ. In response we 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 presider gives thanks to God for the reconciling work of Christ’s passion and resurrection and remembers Jesus’ last supper with his disciples. The people are invited to respond to the words:
The presider concludes with prayer for the coming of God’s reign.
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. AMEN.
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.
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 is with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Eternal God, you have graciously accepted us as living members of 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 Savior. Amen.
The Blessing
Go forth into the world in peace. Be of good courage. Hold fast to that which is good. Render to no one evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honor all people. And the blessing of the Triune God, Eternal Majesty, Incarnate Word, and Abiding Spirit rest upon you this day and remain with you forever. Amen.
The Dismissal
Alleluia, Alleluia. Let us go forth in the name of Christ the Lord.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, Alleluia!
Service Leaders
Preacher: The Rev. Whitney Rice
Presider: The Rev. Julie Graham
Deacon: The Rev. Chester Hines
Reader: Donna Baudendistel
Usher: Earl Bonds
