Holy Eucharist for The Third Sunday after the Epiphany
The Third Sunday after the Epiphany
21 January 2024
according to the Book of Common Prayer (p. 355ff.)
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We Gather in God’s Name
Entrance Hymn: O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling (Hymnal 539)
BCP 355
The people stand as able.
Greeting
Officiant:
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People:
And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
The Collect for Purity
Officiant:
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.
Hymnal S-280
BCP 94/356
Canticle 20: Glory to God, Gloria in excelsis
Officiant and People:
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you,
we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.Lord Jesus Christ,
only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The Collect of the Day
Officiant:
The Lord be with you.
People:
And also with you.
Officiant:
Let us pray.
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
People:
Amen.
The people are seated.
We Hear God’s Word
The First Lesson: Jonah 3:1-5,10
Lector:
A reading from the book of Jonah.
The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time, saying, “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
Lector:
The word of the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 62:6-14
Nonne Deo?
6 For God alone my soul in silence / waits; *
truly, my hope is in / him.
7 He alone is my rock and my sal- / vation, *
my stronghold, so that I shall not be / shaken.
8 In God is my safety and my / honor; *
God is my strong rock and my / refuge.
9 Put your trust in him always, O / people, *
pour out your hearts before him, for God is our / refuge.
10 Those of high degree are but a fleeting / breath, *
even those of low estate cannot be / trusted.
11 On the scales they are lighter than a / breath, *
all of them to- / gether.
12 Put no trust in extortion;
in robbery take no empty / pride; *
though wealth increase, set not your heart up- / on it.
13 God has spoken once, twice have I / heard it, *
that power belongs to / God.
14 Steadfast love is yours, O / Lord, *
for you repay everyone according to his / deeds.
The Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Lector:
A reading from Paul’s first epistle to the church in Corinth.
I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
Lector:
The word of the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.
Sequence Hymn: There’s a wideness in God’s mercy (Hymnal 470)
The people stand as able.
The Holy Gospel: Mark 1:14-20
Deacon:
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
People:
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Deacon:
After John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
Deacon:
The Gospel of the Lord.
People:
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The people are seated.
A brief homily, spiritual conversation, or moment of silence may be placed here.
Silence follows the homily.
We Respond in Faith
BCP 358
The Nicene Creed
The people stand as able.
Officiant and People:
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God,
Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
Today the response to the prompt, “let us pray” is, “Lord, have mercy.” The final verse and response, as we “offer ourselves and one another to the living God through Christ,” is “To you, O Lord.”
Silence
The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.
BCP 360
Confession of Sin
Deacon:
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
The people kneel or stand as able. Silence may be kept. Officiant and People:
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Priest:
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.
People:
Amen.
The Peace
Presider:
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People:
And also with you.
We greet one another in the name of the Lord.
The people are seated.
The Announcements
We Offer Ourselves To God
The altar is prepared
The people stand as able.
Offertory Hymn: Jesus calls us; o’er the tumult (Hymnal 549)
BCP 369
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer C
Celebrant:
The Lord be with you.
People:
And also with you.
Celebrant:
Lift up your hearts.
People:
We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant:
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People:
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
The Celebrant continues:
God of all power, Ruler of the Universe, you are worthy of
glory and praise.
People:
Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant:
At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home.
People:
By your will they were created and have their being.
Celebrant:
From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill. You made us the rulers of creation. But we turned against you, and betrayed your trust; and we turned against one another.
People:
Have mercy, Lord, for we are sinners in your sight.
Celebrant:
Again and again, you called us to return. Through prophets and sages you revealed your righteous Law. And in the fullness of time you sent your only Son, born of a woman, to fulfill your Law, to open for us the way of freedom and peace.
People:
By his blood, he reconciled us.
By his wounds, we are healed.
Celebrant:
And therefore we praise you, joining with the heavenly chorus, with prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and with all those in every generation who have looked to you in hope, to proclaim with them your glory, in their unending hymn:
Hymnal S-125
Sanctus
Celebrant and People:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
The Celebrant continues:
And so, Father, we who have been redeemed by him, and made a new people by water and the Spirit, now bring before you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.
On the night he was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper, he took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Remembering now his work of redemption, and offering to you this sacrifice of thanksgiving,
Celebrant and People:
We celebrate his death and resurrection,
as we await the day of his coming.
The Celebrant continues:
Lord God of our Fathers; God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: Open our eyes to see your hand at work in the world about us. Deliver us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for renewal. Let the grace of this Holy Communion make us one body, one spirit in Christ, that we may worthily serve the
world in his name.
People:
Risen Lord, be known to us in the breaking of the Bread.
Celebrant:
Accept these prayers and praises, Father, through Jesus Christ our great High Priest, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, your Church gives honor, glory, and worship, from generation to generation.
People:
AMEN.
Hymnal S-119
BCP 364
The Lord’s Prayer
Presider:
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
Officiant and People:
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.
Hymnal S-155
The Breaking of the Bread
Presider:
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
People:
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!
Presider:
The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
pb
We Receive the Gift of God
“If a person desires to receive the Sacrament, but, by reason of extreme sickness or physical disability, is unable to eat and drink the Bread and Wine, the Celebrant is to assure that person that all the benefits of Communion are received, even though the Sacrament is not received with the mouth.” (BCP, 457)
The ministers receive the Sacrament in both kinds, and then immediately deliver it to the people. All are welcome to receive at Christ’s table. If you would prefer to receive a verbal blessing instead of communion, cross your arms over your chest to indicate this.
Communion Hymn: My God, thy table now is spread (Hymnal 321)
BCP 366
The Post-communion Prayer
Presider:
Let us pray.
People:
Almighty and everliving God,
we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food
of the most precious Body and Blood
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;
and for assuring us in these holy mysteries
that we are living members of the Body of your Son,
and heirs of your eternal kingdom.
And now, Father, send us out
to do the work you have given us to do,
to love and serve you
as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.
To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
The Blessing
Processional Hymn: Christ for the world we sing! (Hymnal 537)
1
Christ for the world we sing!
The world to Christ we bring
with loving zeal;
the poor and them that mourn,
the faint and overborne,
sin-sick and sorrow-worn,
whom Christ doth heal.
2
Christ for the world we sing!
The world to Christ we bring
with fervent prayer;
the wayward and the lost,
by restless passions tossed,
redeemed at countless cost,
from dark despair.
3
Christ for the world we sing!
The world to Christ we bring
with one accord;
with us the work to share,
with us reproach to dare,
with us the cross to bear,
for Christ our Lord.
4
Christ for the world we sing!
The world to Christ we bring
with joyful song;
the newborn souls, whose days,
reclaimed from error’s ways,
inspired with hope and praise,
to Christ belong.
BCP 366
The Dismissal
Deacon:
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.