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

The Last Sunday after the Epiphany: Year B

The Holy Eucharist in Social Distance for the Common Good

The Reverend Canon George M. Maxwell, Jr., Celebrant

The Reverend Julia B. Mitchener, 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

Toccata in C Major, BWV 564

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

The Welcome

THE WORD OF GOD

The Opening Hymn: 137

music: Wareham, melody William Knapp (1698-1768), alt; Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1875, after James Turle (1802-1892); desc. Sydney Hugo Nicholson (1875-1947) words: Latin, 15th cent.; tr. Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1861, after John Mason Neale (1816-1866), alt.

O wondrous type! O vision fair of glory that the Church may share, which Christ upon the mountain shows, where brighter than the sun he glows! With Moses and Elijah nigh th’incarnate Lord holds converse high; and from the cloud, the Holy One bears record to the only Son. With shining face and bright array, Christ deigns to manifest today what glory shall be theirs above who joy in God with perfect love. And faithful hearts are raised on high by this great vision’s mystery; for which in joyful strains we raise the voice of prayer, the hymn of praise. O Father, with th’eternal Son, and Holy Spirit, ever One, vouchsafe to bring us by thy grace to see thy glory face to face.

The Opening Acclamation

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

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

The 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.

The Collect of the Day: Last Sunday after the Epiphany

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.

All: And also with you.

Celebrant: Let us pray.

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Epistle: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Lector: A Reading from The Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians.

Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Lector: The Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.

The Gradual: Psalm 50:1-6

Plainsong Tone I.2 BCP, p. 654

1 The Lord, the God of gods, has spoken; * he has called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, perfect in its beauty, * God reveals himself in glory. 3 Our God will come and will not keep silence; * before him there is a consuming flame, and round about him a raging storm. 4 He calls the heavens and the earth from above * to witness the judgment of his people. 5 “Gather before me my loyal followers, * those who have made a covenant with me and sealed it with sacrifice.” 6 Let the heavens declare the rightness of his cause; * for God himself is judge.

The Sequence: Hymn 133

music: Elmhurst, Cary Radcliff (b. 1953) words: Latin, 10th cent.; tr. Laurence Housman (1865-1959), alt.

O Light of Light, Love given birth; Jesus, Redeemer of the earth: more bright than day your face did show, your raiment whiter than the snow. Two prophets, who had faith to see, with your elect found company; the heavens above your glory named, your Father’s voice his Son proclaimed. May all who seek to praise aright through purer lives show forth your light. To you, the King of glory, now all faithful hearts adoring bow.

The Holy Gospel: Mark 9:2-9

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

All: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Gospeler: The Gospel of the Lord.

All: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon: The Rev. Julia Mitchener

The Nicene Creed

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

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: Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world. Within the Anglican Communion of Churches, we pray for The Anglican Church of Canada. Within the Episcopal Church, we pray for the Diocese of Atlanta; Robert our Bishop; and all ministers, lay and ordained. We pray for those in this parish waiting for baptism. We pray for the newly baptized: Margaux Graham Welsh, Luna Penelope Yates, Thomas George Yates 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 those in positions of public trust, including Joe, our President; the Congress and the Courts; Brian, our Governor; and Keisha, our Mayor. We pray for those serving this country at home and abroad. Lord, in your mercy, All: Hear our prayer. Intercessor: We give thanks for the many blessings of this life. Lord, in your mercy, All: Hear our prayer. Intercessor: Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit. We pray for those on our prayer list. Let us pray, either silently or aloud, for our own needs and the needs of others. Lord, in your mercy, All: Hear our prayer. Intercessor: We commend to your mercy all who have died: Charles Bedford, David Blackburn, Larry Lee, Walker McCune, Jessie McGill, Tom Thomson Lord, in your mercy, All: Hear our prayer. Celebrant: Almighty and eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully accept the prayers of your people, and strengthen us to do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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:

Long Term Prayers: R. Huntley Allen, Penny Barnett, Edgar & Judith Beach, Perry Benton, Virginia Bicksler, Heather Clark, Sharon Crews, Lynne D’Huyvetter, Terry Dornbush, Sarah duBignon, Deborah Ellington, Dan Elson, Jenny Ham, Jane Jones, Louise Kan, Lisa Krysiak, Sandy Land, Carol McDonald, Glenn Miller, Ashley Minear, Royce Mitchell, Laura Moore, Susan Myers, Charlie Neal, Linus Nickel, Marion Palmore, Jameson Parker, Beth Pitzer, Sam Polk, Randy Pollard III, Brenda Pruitt, Garry Pryor, Rowland Radford, Rubye & Wayne Reid, Agnes Elizabeth Robertson, Louis “Skip” Schueddig, Marjorie Singley-Hall, Linda Stallcup, Tommy Truesdale, Faye Van Winkle For Family & Friends: Bettina Bass, Bella Bond, David Bond, Lynn Chandler, Andrew Clark, Vickie & Bob Coffman, Marie Corrigan, Robyn Kim Crennan, Konrad Darling, Carleton Fuller, Lamont Glover, Betsy Hunt-Pike, Cadel Ingraham, Vivian Johnson, Stephen Jones, Robin Kemp, Grace Lawson, Pete Livezey, Lauren Makhlouf, Pat Martin, Marge Massey, Michelle Maxwell, Pat McEntire, Judy McLeroy, John Mitchell, Betsy Moore, Mary Nelson, Steven Norman, Domini Re-Darling, Courtney Rosenthal, Doug Ross, James Sands, Patricia Schooley, Cindy Snell, Paul Sturtz, Caroline Southerland, Tina Susco, Yvonne Tate, Pierson Thames, Jeffrey Thomas, Wayne Thurman, Roger Traylor, Ron M. Wallace, Diane Woods, 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: Gwyneth Walker (b. 1947), Dazzling as the Sun words: Delores Dufner, OSB (b. 1939)

Dazzling as the sun, the face of Jesus on the mountain, like the face of Moses coming down from Sinai, ready, strong to lead his people out of bondage into freedom, to the promised land. Transfigured for disciples’ eyes, God’s servant who would suffer as Isaiah prophesied. Revealed in garments glistening white, the glorious Son of Man whom Daniel had foretold. Then the cloud of presence, then the voice of witness: “This is my beloved Son on whom my favor rests. Listen to him.” Hear him! Gazing on the Lord by radiant light transfigured, see the pattern of our lives: cross embraced to Easter splendor. Claim the Gospel vision wondrous: we are God’s beloved ones. Claim the transformation promised: destiny of glory. “This is my beloved Son.”

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 the mystery of the Word made flesh, you have caused a new light to shine in our hearts, to give the knowledge of your glory in the face of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

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: Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943), O nata lux words: 10th-century Latin Office hymn for Lauds on the Feast of the Transfiguration

O nata lux de lumine, Jesu redemptor saeculi, O light born of light, Jesus, redeemer of the ages, dignare clemens supplicum laudes preces que sumere. mercifully deem your supplicants’ praises and prayers worthy to accept. Qui carne quondam contegi dignatus es pro perditis. Thou who once deigned to be clothed in flesh for the sake of the lost, Nos membra confer effici, tui beati corporis. grant us to be made members of your blessed body. O nata lux de lumine, Jesu redemptor saeculi, O light born of light, Jesus, redeemer of the ages, dignare clemens supplicum laudes preces que sumere. mercifully deem your supplicants’ praises and prayers worthy to accept,

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: 618

music: Lasst uns erfreuen, melody from Auserlesene Catholische Geistliche Kirchengesang, 1623; adapt. and harm. Ralph Vauthan Williams (1872-1958) words: John Athelstan Laurie Riley (1858-1945)

Ye watchers and ye holy ones, bright seraphs, cherubim, and thrones, raise the glad strain, Alleluia! Cry out, dominions, princedoms, powers, virtues, archangels, angels’ choirs, Alleluia! O higher than the cherubim, more glorious than the seraphim, lead their praises, Alleluia! Thou bearer of the eternal Word, most gracious, magnify the Lord, Alleluia! Respond, ye souls in endless rest, ye patriarchs and prophets blest, Alleluia! Ye holy twelve, ye martyrs strong, all saints triumphant raise the song, Alleluia! O friends, in gladness let us sing, supernal anthems echoing, Alleluia! To God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, Three in One, Alleluia!

The Dismissal

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

All: Thanks be to God.

Voluntary

Toccata in G Major (No. 3 from Twelve Pieces)

Théodore Dubois (1837-1924)

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 133 music © 1982 Cary Ratcliff. Hymn 137 descant by permission of Royal School of Church Music. Hymn 618 words & music by permission of Oxford University Press. “Sanctus & Benedictus” from Craig Phillips, Festival Eucharist © 2006 Paraclete Press.