8:00 Service September 4th: Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost
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.
Pandemic Precautions Continue: Vaccination is required for everyone eligible. Windows are open. There are a few other recommendations. These recommendations are in the spirit of protecting the most vulnerable members of the congregation.
Distancing: Keeping a distance of six feet or more is one tool to help limit spread.
Masks: Masks are recommended to protect your neighbor. We ask that all members of the congregation respect others’ choices about masking.
Refrain from coming if you are sick: If you are experiencing any new symptoms, if you are currently testing for COVID, or recovering from COVID, we ask that you give yourself time before coming to church in person.
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, please hand your wafer to the chalice bearer, who will “intict” for you and then hand you back the wafer. 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” in your pew, or at the Welcome Table, 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.
Season of Creation You will notice adaptations throughout our services in September as we mark the "Season of Creation" along with Christians around the world. The season culminates in the Feast of St. Francis on October 2.
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
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 Dialogue Please rise in body or spirit
This is the day the Creator has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
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.
Song of Praise Venite Order of St. Helena
Come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before God’s presence with thanksgiving,
and raise a loud shout with psalms.
For you, O God, are a great God;
you are great above all gods.
In your hand are the caverns of the earth,
and the heights of the hills are yours also.
The sea is yours, for you made it,
and your hands have molded the dry land.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee,
and kneel before God, our Maker,
For you are our God,
and we are the people of your pasture
and the sheep of your hand.
Oh, that today we would hearken to your voice!
The Lord be with you
And also with you
Let us pray.
Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for 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 Deuteronomy Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Look here! Today I’ve set before you life and what’s good versus death and what’s wrong. If you obey the Lord your God’s commandments that I’m commanding you right now by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments, his regulations, and his case laws, then you will live and thrive, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and so are misled, worshipping other gods and serving them, I’m telling you right now that you will definitely die. You will not prolong your life on the fertile land that you are crossing the Jordan River to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth as my witnesses against you right now: I have set life and death, blessing and curse before you. Now choose life—so that you and your descendants will live— by loving the Lord your God, by obeying his voice, and by clinging to him. That’s how you will survive and live long on the fertile land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors: to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 1 read in unison
1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, *
nor lingered in the way of sinners,
nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
2 Their delight is in the law of the Lord, *
and on this law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, *
bearing fruit in due season,
with leaves that do not wither; *
everything they do shall prosper.
4 It is not so with the wicked; *
they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgement comes, *
nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous.
A Reading of the Letter to Philemon Philemon 1-21
From Paul, who is a prisoner for the cause of Christ Jesus, and our brother Timothy.
To Philemon our dearly loved coworker, Apphia our sister, Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church that meets in your house.
May the grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Philemon, I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers because I’ve heard of your love and faithfulness, which you have both for the Lord Jesus and for all God’s people. I pray that your partnership in the faith might become effective by an understanding of all that is good among us in Christ. I have great joy and encouragement because of your love, since the hearts of God’s people are refreshed by your actions, my brother.
Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to command you to do the right thing, I would rather appeal to you through love. I, Paul—an old man, and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus— appeal to you for my child Onesimus. I became his father in the faith during my time in prison. He was useless to you before, but now he is useful to both of us. I’m sending him back to you, which is like sending you my own heart. I considered keeping him with me so that he might serve me in your place during my time in prison because of the gospel. However, I didn’t want to do anything without your consent so that your act of kindness would occur willingly and not under pressure. Maybe this is the reason that Onesimus was separated from you for a while so that you might have him back forever— no longer as a slave but more than a slave—that is, as a dearly loved brother. He is especially a dearly loved brother to me. How much more can he become a brother to you, personally and spiritually in the Lord!
So, if you really consider me a partner, welcome Onesimus as if you were welcoming me. If he has harmed you in any way or owes you money, charge it to my account. I, Paul, will pay it back to you (I’m writing this with my own hand). Of course, I won’t mention that you owe me your life.
Yes, brother, I want this favor from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. I’m writing to you, confident of your obedience and knowing that you will do more than what I ask. Also, one more thing—prepare a guest room for me. I hope that I will be released from prison to be with you because of your prayers.
Epaphras, who is in prison with me for the cause of Christ Jesus, greets you, as well as my coworkers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Gospel Luke 14:25-34
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus. Turning to them, he said, “Whoever comes to me and doesn’t hate father and mother, spouse and children, and brothers and sisters—yes, even one’s own life—cannot be my disciple. Whoever doesn’t carry their own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
“If one of you wanted to build a tower, wouldn’t you first sit down and calculate the cost, to determine whether you have enough money to complete it? Otherwise, when you have laid the foundation but couldn’t finish the tower, all who see it will begin to belittle you. They will say, ‘Here’s the person who began construction and couldn’t complete it!’ Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down to consider whether his ten thousand soldiers could go up against the twenty thousand coming against him? And if he didn’t think he could win, he would send a representative to discuss terms of peace while his enemy was still a long way off. In the same way, none of you who are unwilling to give up all of your possessions can be my disciple.
The Gospel of our Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Sermon
Josephine Ezenwa-Okpala
Prayers of the People
The Leader and People pray responsively. Please rise, or kneel, in body or in spirit.
Let us offer our prayers to God who gives life and breath to all creatures, saying, “God of glory, hear us.”
I ask your prayers for the mission of the church throughout the world, in the Diocesan cycle of prayer for St. Alban’s Church in Fulton, for sharing the promise of abundant life and working toward it for all.
God of glory, hear us.
I ask your prayers for our partners in El Salvador, for the leaders of the nations, and for all who make or influence decisions for the health of our planet and the well-being of its peoples. God of glory, hear us.
I ask your prayers for peace with justice around the world, especially for an end to violent competition for limited resources. God of glory, hear us.
I ask your prayers for those who suffer illness, want, or exile because of environmental degradation. God of glory, hear us.
I ask your prayers for the environmental concerns that you may lift up now, either silently or aloud.
We offer our fears, God of glory, hear us.
I ask your prayers for those who in their daily work are stewards and protectors of God’s creation in ways large and small; for gardeners, farmers, and ranchers; for rangers and park managers; for fishers and foresters; for climate scientists, ecologists, and activists, and for all who work to restore and heal our wounded Earth. God of glory, hear us.
I ask your prayers of thanksgiving for those celebrating birthdays this week: Gretchen Wilkes, John Clark, and Thomas Maddox and all those celebrating birthdays or anniversaries this week. God of glory, hear us.
I ask your prayers for the dead, especially for those holy people who taught us to marvel in all God’s works. God of glory, hear us.
We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.
Have mercy upon us, most merciful God; in your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone; and so uphold us by your Spirit that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Absolution
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. Amen.
The Peace
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.
Welcome & Announcements:
Announcements are shared. You may be seated.
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
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. There are a number of Eucharistic Prayers that we use at Holy Communion. This Prayer was developed from resources from the Anglican Church in Southern Africa by the Rev. Dr. Nina Pooley, for the season of creation.
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 our 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 presider gives thanks to God’s work and revelation in creation. The presider invites us to proclaim the mystery of faith.
So 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. The Eucharistic prayer concludes with a plea for the coming of God’s reign.
Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, in the unity of the Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, everlasting God, now and forever. 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 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.
Blessing
The presider blesses the people, and they respond: Amen.
Dismissal
Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
Thanks be to God.
Procession
Service Leaders
Preacher: Josephine Ezenwa
Celebrant: The Rev. Mike Angell
Deacon: The Rev. Chester Hines
Assisting: The Rev. Julie Graham, Loretta Go
Usher: Adam Pearson
Intercessor: Lisa Hummel
Reader: Alison Nash
Music used and reprinted with permission under OneLicense #A-704988.
