40TH ANNIVERSARY OF PROFESSION IN VOWS IN THE
SOCIETY OF SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST
JONATHAN FONTAINE MAURY, SSJE SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 2026 — 11:00 A.M.
Prelude Entrance Hymn
Idyll and Prelude (from Nantucket Sketches) My Song is love unknown
Carson Cooman Hymnal 458 sts. 1-2, 7
Opening Acclamation Superior All Hymn of Praise
Blessed be the one, holy, and living God. Glory to God for ever and ever. A Song to the Lamb
Hymnal S 266
Collect Superior All
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Superior
Let us pray. Shed upon your Church, O Lord, the brightness of your light, that we, being illumined by the teaching of your evangelist John, may so walk in the light of your truth, that at length we may attain to the fullness of eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
THE WORD OF GOD The Lessons First Reading
Genesis 12:1-4a
Gradual: Psalm 34:1-8
BCP p. 627
Second Reading
1 John 3:1-3
The Holy Gospel
John 15:12-17
The Sermon
Prayers of the People Litanist
With all our heart and with all our mind let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.” For the whole creation, of which Christ is the Life and the unquenchable Light, let us pray to the Lord.
People
Lord, have mercy.
Litanist
For the Church of God, that it may be sanctified in the truth and healed of its brokenness and division, so that all may be one, let us pray to the Lord. For all who serve the Church as its leaders, especially Keith our Superior; Julia, our Diocesan Bishop; Ian and Mary her assisting bishops; and Rob our Bishop Visitor, let us pray to the Lord. For all those whom Christ has made his friends, who abide in him as the True Vine, that they may bear much fruit, let us pray to the Lord. For all those who have been led by the Spirit into monastic life, that they may bear faithful witness to Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life, let us pray to the Lord. For the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, that we may be inspired by the life and words of the Beloved Disciple to live in intimacy with God, in brotherly love, and with zeal for the good news of freedom and life, let us pray to the Lord. For our brother Jonathan who now rededicates his life as a Brother in our Society by renewing his vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience, let us pray to the Lord. For all those who have taught and encouraged him in the Christian way, and helped to nurture his vocation to the religious life, let us pray to the Lord. For those whom he serves in our corporate offering of worship, and in our ministry of guidance and formation by the power of the grace given to him, let us pray to the Lord
For all the departed, especially those who have gone before us as members of this Society, for our own forebears, and for those who have none to pray for them, let us pray to the Lord. For the gift of the prayers of the saints and angels to uphold us, especially For the gift of the prayers of the saints and angels to uphold us, especially the prayers of the ever-Blessed Virgin Mary, blessed John the Beloved Disciple, blessed Mary Magdalene, blessed Richard Meux Benson, our founder, and all the saints, let us pray to the Lord. That we may all come to be with Christ where he is, may see his glory and share his life for all eternity, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to Christ our God. People
To you, O Lord our God.
Presider
O Lord Jesus Christ, you became poor for our sake, that we might be made rich through your poverty: Guide and sanctify, we pray, those whom you call to follow you under the vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience, that by their prayer and service they may enrich your Church, and by their life and worship may glorify your Name. Amen.
The congregation is seated. THE EXAMINATION AND RENEWAL OF VOWS Superior
My brother Jonathan, for four decades you have lived under the vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience as a professed brother in the Society of Saint John the Evangelist. We are gathered today to share in your gratitude that Christ Jesus has sustained you in grace to remain steadfast in God’s service, and to witness your reaffirmation of these vows. Brothers, let us therefore open our hearts to Jonathan as he renews his response to God’s call.
First Brother
Jonathan, Jesus’ offering of his life on the cross was the supreme expression of his love for the Father, made in perfect freedom through the Spirit. No one took his life from him; he laid it down of his own accord. Will you continue to offer your life through the same Spirit?
Jonathan
Yes, I believe that Christ’s free self-offering is being expressed anew in my professed life.
Second Brother
Jonathan, our founder, Father Benson, taught us that the call of God in the religious life is continuous, abiding, and progressive. Continuous, because in the communion we enjoy with God in prayer and worship, the Spirit never ceases to call us into deeper union. Abiding, because the wisdom of God, communicated to us in our prayer and life, is absorbed into our hearts never to perish. Progressive, because God’s voice will come to us in the future ever new, calling us to fresh opportunities, and bringing gifts beyond what we know now. Will you continue to take this teaching to heart?
Jonathan
Yes, I affirm that my profession inaugurated a lifetime of developing response, and I reaffirm my commitment to listen to God’s further call.
Third Brother
Jonathan, the grace to surrender our lives to God through our vows has been given to us in Baptism, whereby we die with Christ and are raised with him. It is the same grace that gives the martyrs strength to submit gladly to death as witnesses of the resurrection. Do you understand your own commitment in the light of the same freedom and trust which enables martyrs to give up their lives for the greater glory of God?
Jonathan
Yes, as I continue forward in this life, I pray that the witness of the martyrs will never be far from my mind.
Superior
Jonathan, what do you seek from us, your brothers?
Jonathan
Brothers, as I pledge anew to live my whole life with you, will you be steadfast in your love and support, standing by me in weakness and suffering as well as in times of health and strength, and at the end, upholding me when I give myself up to God in death?
Brothers
We will.
Jonathan
As I offer myself anew to the Lord Jesus and the people of God in his service, will you receive all that I am, my gifts and talents as well as my brokenness and incompleteness?
Brothers
We will.
Jonathan
As I profess anew the vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience will each one of you renew his commitment from the heart?
Brothers
We will.
Superior
Jonathan, it is our joy to share the same calling from Christ and to be bound together in an enduring fellowship as a sign of God’s faithfulness. As you recommit yourself to the life of poverty, celibacy and obedience, let us kneel in silent prayer to call upon the Holy Spirit who gives us the power to be faithful to our promises.
All kneel for a period of silent prayer. Then all stand, except Jonathan, who recites the form of renewal of profession. Before the whole company of heaven and in the presence of this congregation, I, Jonathan Fontaine Maury, reaffirm the commitment I made at my profession and promise to Almighty God, and to you, my brother, the Superior of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, and to your successors in this office, that I will continue to live in the life-long observance of poverty, celibacy, and obedience, according to the Rule of this Society. Jonathan stands for the blessing. Superior
Jonathan, may God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit bless you,
Brothers
May God confirm your heart’s desire to abide in Christ always; make you a blessing to those around you; and sustain you all the days of your life, to the glory of God’s name. Amen.
The Peace
THE HOLY COMMUNION Offertory Hymn
I want to walk as a child of the light
Hymnal 490
The Great Thanksgiving
Sanctus
Hymnal S 130
Presider
…we acclaim you, O Christ:
Presider and People Dying, you destroyed our death. Rising, you restored our life. Christ Jesus, come in glory!
Presider
Presider and People
… into the joy of our true eternal home.
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymnal S 148
Fraction Anthem
Lamb of God
Hymnal S 164
Invitation to Communion Presider Behold what you are. People May we become what we receive. A Note about Holy Communion We welcome you to Holy Communion. Gluten-free bread is available; please indicate it to your server. It is not our practice to intinct (dip) the bread into the wine. If you wish to abstain from receiving from the Chalice, remember that the Church catholic has always taught that the fullness of the Sacrament is received even when only one form is received.
Post-Communion Hymn
In your mercy, Lord, you called me
Hymnal 706
Postcommunion Prayer Superior All
Let us pray. Almighty Father, we thank you for feeding us with the holy food of the Body and Blood of your Son, and for uniting us through him in the fellowship of your Holy Spirit. We thank you for calling Jonathan to devote himself to your glory in this community, and for giving him the grace to make the vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience for life. May the holy gifts we receive in this Eucharist nourish us with the grace to persevere together in your service, so that we may remain steadfast until the coming of Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Blessing and Dismissal
Postlude
Christe, der du bist Tag und Licht, BWV 1096
Johann Sebastian Bach
❖ Br. Keith Nelson, Presider Br. Geoffrey Tristram, Deacon Br. Jack Crowley, Subdeacon Ms. Leith Speiden, Preacher Br. Jamie Nelson, Litanist Mr. Carson Cooman, Monastery Organist ❖
Supplementary hymns are used by permission and licensed to be reprinted for this service by OneLicense.Net: #A-725463
Cover: Icon of the aged St. John the Evangelist, the Beloved Disciple written by Br. James Koester, SSJE
The Monastery as Sanctuary We want our Monastery to be a sanctuary for our guests and for the Brothers. Please silence your electronic devices. We also ask you not to photograph, video, or record services in the Chapel, or to photograph other guests or Brothers without their express permission.
THE SOCIETY OF SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST 980 Memorial Drive Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 617.876.3037 www.SSJE.org
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