8:00 Service June 26: Third Sunday after Pentecost
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. If you would like to receive communion today, after the service of morning prayer, please speak to one of the seminarians leading services.
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.
Opening Sentences
Please rise in body or in spirit.
Thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, "I dwell in the high and holy place and also with the one who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite." Isaiah 57:15
O God, let our mouth proclaim your praise. And your glory all the day long.
Song of Praise
Venite Psalm 95:1-7
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 to the Lord a shout with psalms.
For you 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 the Lord 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 Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20
I will cry aloud to God; *
I will cry aloud, and God will hear me.
In the day of my trouble *
I sought the Lord;
my hands were stretched out by night and did not tire; *
I refused to be comforted.
I will remember your works, O Lord, *
and call to mind your wonders of old time.
I will meditate on all your acts *
and ponder your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy; *
who is so great a god as our God?
You are the God who works wonders *
and have declared your power among the peoples.
By your strength you have redeemed your people,*
the children of Jacob and Joseph.
The waters saw you, O God;
the waters saw you and trembled; *
the very depths were shaken.
The clouds poured out water; the skies thundered; *
your arrows flashed to and fro;
the sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lit up the world; *
the earth trembled and shook.
Your way was in the sea, and your paths in the great waters, *
yet your footsteps were not seen.
You led your people like a flock *
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Praise to the holy and undivided Trinity, one God: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Readings
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 set calendar for what will be read when. The translation used at Holy Communion is the Common English Bible translation.
The First Reading
please be seated
A Reading from the second book of Kings (2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14)
When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on. Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.
Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Canticle:
Please rise in body or in spirit.
A Song to the Lamb Dignus es Revelation 4:11;5:9-10,13
Splendor and honor and royal power *
are yours by right, O God Most High,
For you created everything that is, *
and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *
for with your blood you have redeemed for God, From every family, language, people, and nation, *
a royal priesthood to serve our God.
And so, to the One who sits upon the throne, *
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *
for ever and for evermore.
A Reading from the Gospel according to Luke (Luke 9:51-62)
Please be seated.
As the time approached when Jesus was to be taken up into heaven, he determined to go to Jerusalem. He sent messengers on ahead of him. Along the way, they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival, but the Samaritan villagers refused to welcome him because he was determined to go to Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to consume them?" But Jesus turned and spoke sternly to them, and they went on to another village.
As Jesus and his disciples traveled along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, " Foxes have dens and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Human One has no place to lay his head." Then Jesus said to someone else, " Follow me." He replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, " Let the dead bury their own dead. But you go and spread the news of God's kingdom."
Someone else said to Jesus, "I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say good-bye to those in my house." Jesus said to him, " No one who puts a hand on the plow and looks back is fit for God's kingdom."
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Canticle
Please rise in body or in spirit.
A Song of Jerusalem Our Mother
Isaiah 66:10-14
Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her *
all you who love her,
Rejoice, rejoice with her, *
all you who mourn over her,
That you may drink deeply with delight *
from her comforting breast.
For thus says our God, *
“I will extend peace to her like a river,
the wealth of nations like an overflowing stream.
“You shall nurse and be carried on her arm,
and you shall nestle in her lap.
“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; *
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
“You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice, *
you shall flourish like the grass of the fields.”
The Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
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 the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I 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 Lord’s Prayer
Please pray in the language of your heart.
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 Prayers
God-in-community, you created humankind in your image and blessed us with the capacity to love. As we celebrate Pride, we thank you for the gift of diverse sexualities and gender identities, especially those of our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer siblings, which reflect your multi-faceted likeness.
God of power, send your Spirit to lead your Church. We repent of the harm done to our LGBTQ+ siblings, and recommit ourselves to making your church a place of refuge and fulfillment for all people. We pray for bishops, clergy, and all those who minister in your name.
We have returned from a place beyond hope; We have returned from wastelands of despair; We have come to reclaim our heritage; We have come to redeem our honor.
God of wisdom, we ask your guidance for all who bear the authority of government throughout the world, this nation, and our neighborhoods. Inspire us to create communities of justice and inclusion.
I seek no conquest, no wealth, no power, no revenge.
God who, in Jesus, came among us as one who heals, we ask you to bring reconciliation and healing wherever there is division, sickness, and sorrow. We pray for all those affected by the coronavirus pandemic, from this city to the farthest reaches of your creation.
I have been enslaved, yet my spirit is unbound.
God of creation, we thank you for the gifts of gender and sexuality. We pray for all who live under the threat of violence, oppression, and intimidation from their families, neighbors, or the state. Open our hearts and our minds to your creative brilliance and help us to transgress the boundaries that prevent us from honoring your goodness in one another.
I have been cast aside, but I sparkle in the darkness.
God of harmony, we thank you for the gift of this community in all its diversity. Inspire the Church of the Holy Communion to continue the work you have called us to do to repent the sins of the past, to repair their effects in the present, and to recognize the intersections of identity which are used to empower or oppress. Equip us to practice love, equity, and justice.
I seek only discovery of the illimitable heights and depths of my own being.
God of life, we pray for all who have died, especially those who dared to envision a world of radical inclusion, and who worked actively to dismantle racism, sexism, and heteronormativity, that in the glorious company of the saints they may find rest eternal.
I have been slain but live on in the rivers of history.
Officiant O God, you created us in your image and blessed us with the capacity to love. Accept the prayers of your people. Teach us to fully and radically love all your children as their true and whole selves and lead us with courage to continually advocate for people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions, just as your Holy Spirit advocates for us. In the name of Jesus, your beloved, we pray. Amen.
The Peace
The Peace is then exchanged. Please do not approach people outside your household. A wave, a peace sign, or a “smize” (a smile with your eyes) will do.
The peace of Christ be always with you. And also with you
Welcome & Announcements:
The seminarians give this week’s announcements. 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
The Collect
Please rise in body or in spirit.
Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Concluding Sentence
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21
Procession
The in-person congregation is invited to stand as the leaders exit and reverence the altar.
Please make your way outside as soon as you can after the service. Our guidelines allow folks who are vaccinated to remove their masks outdoors. (Please keep them on indoors). You are welcome to join us for light refreshments and fellowship on the front lawn, weather permitting.
Service Leaders
Officiants: Josephine Ezenwa and Loretta Go, Seminarians
Notes on the Service
The Prayers are adapted from Prayers written for Pride Month celebrations at Trinity Wall Street in New York. The responses are from Pauli Murray’s “Psalm of Deliverance” and “Prophecy” in the poetry collection Dark Testament. Murray, a pioneer for queer folks and Black women in the church, was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church, a priest, poet, and early Civil Rights leader.
