Service leaflet - January 10, 2021 (Holy Eucharist)

The First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord

8:45 A.M. and 11:15 A.M.

The Holy Eucharist in Social Distance for the Common Good

The Reverend Canon Lauren R. Holder, Celebrant

The Very Reverend Samuel G. Candler, Preacher

Grace and peace to you! We are the Body of Christ, connected spiritually and emotionally, and visually, even when we cannot gather together in person. Prepared in social distance for the common good, this liturgy honors the patterns of our tradition and is intended to facilitate our continued common prayer, as we share spiritual communion.

Voluntary

Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam, BWV 684

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

The Welcome from the Dean

THE WORD OF GOD

The Opening Hymn: 120

music: Solemnis haec festivitas, melody from Graduale, 1685; harm. Arthur Hutchings (1906-1989) words: George B. Timms (1910-1997)

The Opening Acclamation

Celebrant: Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

All: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.

Celebrant: There is one Body and one Spirit;

All: There is one hope in God’s call to us;

Celebrant: One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism;

All: One God and Father of all.

The Collect of the Day: First Sunday after the Epiphany

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.

All: And also with you.

Celebrant: Let us pray. Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

The Lesson: Genesis 1:1-5

Lector: A Reading from The Book of Genesis.

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Lector: The Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.

The Gradual: Psalm 29

Anglican chant: James Turle BCP, p. 620

1 Ascribe to the Lord, you gods, * ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his Name; * worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; * the Lord is upon the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; * the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; * the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;

6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, * and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire; the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; * the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

8 The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe * and strips the forests bare.

9 And in the temple of the Lord * all are crying, “Glory!”

10 The Lord sits enthroned above the flood; * the Lord sits enthroned as King for evermore.

11 The Lord shall give strength to his people; * the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.

The Sequence: Hymn 116

music: This Endris Night, English melody, harm. Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) words: Christian Hymnbook, 1865, alt.

The Holy Gospel: Mark 1:4-11

Gospeler: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.

All: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Gospeler: The Gospel of the Lord.

All: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon: Dean Candler

THE RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL VOWS

On this Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, we remember our own baptism and renew our commitment to Christ, as we renew our baptismal vows.

Celebrant: Do you reaffirm your renunciation of evil and renew your commitment to Jesus Christ? All: I do. Celebrant: Do you believe in God the Father? All: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. Celebrant: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God? All: I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He 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, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. Celebrant: Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit? All: 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. Celebrant: Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers? All: I will, with God’s help. Celebrant: Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? All: I will, with God’s help. Celebrant: Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ? All: I will, with God’s help. Celebrant: Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? All: I will, with God’s help. Celebrant: Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being? All: I will, with God’s help.

The Prayers of the People

We offer the concerns of our lives, with the congregation responding, “Hear our prayer.” Join us today and throughout the week in praying for all of those on our parish prayer list, found after “Parish Notices.”

Intercessor: We give you thanks, O Lord, for the gift of baptism. Give us grace, we pray, to live into the promises of our baptismal covenant, and be with all those in this parish who are preparing for baptism. Lord in your mercy, All: Hear our prayer. Intercessor: Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace. We pray for our leaders, including Donald, our President; Joe, our President-elect; the Congress and the Courts; Brian, our Governor; and Keisha, our Mayor. Lord in your mercy, All: Hear our prayer. Intercessor: Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation and help us use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory. Lord in your mercy, All: Hear our prayer. Intercessor: Comfort and heal those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation. Lord in your mercy, All: Hear our prayer. Intercessor: Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us. We pray for all those on our prayer list and for those with new or immediate concerns: Penny Barnett, David Burge, Judy McLeroy, Brenda Pruitt, Patricia Schooley, Marjorie Singley-Hall We pray for expectant parents in our community: We pray for Jeffrey Chancellor & Cameron England, their surrogate, and the baby they are expecting. Let us pray, either silently or aloud, for our own needs and those of others. Lord in your mercy, All: Hear our prayer. Intercessor: We commend to your mercy all who have died: Virginia Beach, Judith Borden, BB Brown, Edward Whiting Chapin, Rabun Jeffers, Jessie Palmer, Tommy Ripley, Jack Shields, William D. Smith, Sr., Alfonso Torres, John Wellford, Roger Williams Lord in your mercy, All: Hear our prayer. Celebrant: Grant, O Lord, that all who are baptized into the death of Jesus Christ your Son may live in the power of his resurrection and look for him to come again in glory; who lives and reigns now and forever. Amen.

The Confession

Celebrant: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept.

All: 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.

The Absolution

Celebrant: 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 Celebrant says: The peace of the Lord be always with you.

All: And also with you.

The Parish Notices

Those for whom prayers have been requested:

For Immediate Needs: Penny Barnett, David Burge, Judy McLeroy, Brenda Pruitt, Patricia Schooley, Marjorie Singley-Hall Long Term Prayers: R. Huntley Allen, Anne Bao, Edgar & Judith Beach, Perry Benton, Virginia Bicksler, Elizabeth Brannon, Michael Carrin, Heather Clark, Sharon Crews, Terry Dornbush, Sarah duBignon, Deborah Ellington, Dan Elson, Jenny Ham, Louise Kan, John Patrick Kelly, Lisa Krysiak, Sandy Land, Carol McDonald, Glenn Miller, Ashley Minear, Royce Mitchell, Laura Moore, Susan Myers, Charlie Neal, Linus Nickel, Marion Palmore, Beth Pitzer, Garry Pryor, Rowland Radford, Rubye & Wayne Reid, Agnes Elizabeth Robertson, Fred Rudolph, Louis “Skip” Schueddig, Dave Thompson, Tommy Truesdale, Faye Van Winkle, Michael Wood For Family & Friends: Bettina Bass, Bella Bond, David Bond, Lynn Chandler, Roy Eugene Chatham, Andrew Clark, Vickie & Bob Coffman, Marie Corrigan, Robyn Kim Crennan, Carleton Fuller, Lamont Glover, Marilynn Hill, Cadel Ingraham, Vivian Johnson, Stephen Jones, Robin Kemp, Grace Lawson, Pete Livezey, Lauren Makhlouf, Pat Martin, Marge Massey, Michelle Maxwell, Katie McCae, John Mitchell, Betsy Moore, Mary Nelson, Steven Norman, Dot Oscher, James Sands, John Sewell, Steve Shaw, Cindy Snell, Paul Sturtz, Caroline Southerland, Tina Susco, Yvonne Tate, Pierson Thames, Jeffrey Thomas, Wayne Thurman, Roger Traylor, Ron M. Wallace, Roslyn White, Whit A. Wright, Hollis Youngner

THE HOLY COMMUNION

The Offertory

At the time of the Offertory, you may offer whatever you have to God. Each of us has something to offer, and every one of those offerings is accepted by God. In a few minutes, when the celebrant prays the Eucharistic Prayer, God blesses all those offerings, wherever they are today.

If you would like to make a financial offering to the ministry of the Cathedral, you may do so by visiting: cathedralATL.org/contribute.

The Offertory Anthem

music: Richard Lakey, Spirit of God, descend upon my heart words: George Croly (1780-1860)

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart. Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh; Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear, To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh; Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer. Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love; One holy passion filling all my frame; The baptism of the heaven-descended dove, My heart an altar and Thy love the flame. Spirit of God, descend upon my heart.

The Great Thanksgiving

Eucharistic Prayer B, The Book of Common Prayer (BCP), p. 367

Celebrant: The Lord be with you. All: And also with you. Celebrant: Lift up your hearts. All: We lift them to the Lord. Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. All: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Celebrant: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Because in Jesus Christ our Lord you have received us as your sons and daughters, made us citizens of your kingdom, and given us the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

The Sanctus and Benedictus

Craig Phillips, Festival Eucharist

Celebrant: We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.

On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, 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; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, 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.”

Therefore, according to his command, O Father,

All: We remember his death, We proclaim his resurrection, We await his coming in glory;

Celebrant: And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.

We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,

The Lord’s Prayer

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

Celebrant: Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

All: Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.

The Communion

During these next moments of meditation, wherever you are, please receive whatever gifts God makes available to you, in whatever form God makes available to you. We share spiritual communion today.

The Meditation Music

music: Leo Nestor (1948-2019), I saw water words: Ezekiel 47:1-2, 9; I Peter 2:9

Alleluia! I saw water flowing from the right side of the temple. Alleluia! It brought God’s life and his salvation, and the people sang in joyful praise. Alleluia! You are a people God claims as his own to praise him. Alleluia! God called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Alleluia! Lord Jesus, from your wounded side flowed streams of cleansing water. Alleluia! The world was washed of all its sin, all life made new again. Alleluia!

The Postcommunion Prayer

Celebrant: Let us pray.

All: 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

The Closing Hymn: 121

music: Caithness, melody from The Psalmes of David in Prose and Meter, 1635, harm. The English Hymnal, 1906 words: F. Bland Tucker (1895-1984), rev.

The Dismissal

Deacon: Let us go forth in the name of Christ.

All: Thanks be to God.

Voluntary

Épiphanie

Gaston Litaize (1909-1991)

All music is reprinted by permission under ONE LICENSE (license number A-717455). Music from The Hymnal 1982 © Church Publishing, Inc., unless noted otherwise below: Hymn 116 music by permission of Oxford University Press. Hymn 120 words from English Praise, by permission of Oxford University Press; music by permission of Oxford University Press. “Sanctus & Benedictus” from Craig Phillips, Festival Eucharist © 2006 Paraclete Press.