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An Instructed Eucharist

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An Instructed Eucharist CHRIST CHURCH AN EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE OF EAST CAROLINA FOUNDED 1715, NEW BERN, NORTH CAROLINA Our Vision: To be a church that loves the way God Loves THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST July 21, 2019 - 10:00 AM An Instructed Eucharist When presented with an option to either “stand or kneel,” we hope you will choose the posture that is both comfortable and prayerful. Please be sure all cell phones are silenced. Restrooms are located in the Parish House, through the double doors at the front of the church and then to the left, between the kiosk and reception desk. Hearing assistance is available through our sound system on frequency 72.900mhz. Book of Common (BCP) and Hymnal pages are listed on the right. BCP: Book of Common Prayer (black), S or H: Hymnal 1982 (blue), WLP: Wonder, Love, and Praise (green), L: Lift Every Voice (red & black) Our weekly newsletter, the Messenger, is available at the entry doors. Please take one with you A NOTE ABOUT TODAY’S LITURGY… For 2,000 years, Christians of all ages have come together Sunday after Sunday (and sometimes other days of the week!) to worship God and to celebrate Jesus’ presence with us in the Holy Eucharist. Eucharist comes from a Greek word that means “thanksgiving.” Each week, we offer our thanks to God for all the things we have in our life and all the ways God loves us. The Eucharist is not something that only a priest does; it is something that we do together. It takes all of us here to help make the Eucharist happen. In other words, it’s just not the same if you’re not here. There are two parts to the Eucharist. The first is called The Word of God. The priest says a couple of opening pray- ers, we hear stories from the Bible, and we all say the Nicene Creed, which is the Church’s statement of faith. We also say prayers for ourselves, our friends, and the whole world. The second part is called The Holy Communion. This is when we take the bread and the wine and ask God to bless it and to be for God’s people “the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. “ We all receive the bread and wine and remember all the things Jesus taught us and all the ways Jesus loves us. The service usually begins with a procession to the altar or the holy table. The Altar Guild is the group of people who make the altar ready for the service. Like our dining table at our own home when we are having a special dinner, there is a cloth spread over the table and there are candles. Here the candles remind us that Christ is the Light of the World coming into our lives. There are two candlesticks on the altar, which remind us that Jesus is both Human and Divine, both perfect Man and perfect God. The procession also reminds us that the People of God, through time and history are moving toward God's Kingdom — following the Cross of Christ and bringing the Light of the Gospel into all the world. Let’s try to think of these things during the procession, remembering that we are all part of God's family the Church. The ministers — that is the clergy or priests, the acolytes, the Eucharistic Ministers, and the choir at the later service — wear vestments. Vestments cover our ordinary clothing. This helps us focus on God, and reminds us that when we are serving God, it does not matter what kind of clothes we are wearing. As the procession enters, the congregation stands. This helps all of us to remember that we are all participants in the Eucharist, offering God our prayers and praise together as one family. THE LITURGY OF THET WORD This first part of our HEARING AND RESPONDING TO HOLY SCRIPTURE service is very ancient. It comes to us from the Entrance Hymn Blessed Jesus, at thy Word H 440 Jewish synagogue and consists of prayers and Celebrant Blessed be God, Father Son and Holy Spirit. BCP 355 readings from the Bible. People And blessed be God’s Kingdom, now and forever, AMEN. They describe our lives together with God, Celebrant Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you inspiring us in our no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, Christian lives. that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. The priest who leads the service is called the Celebrant and now leads Hymn of Praise Song of Praise S 236 us in a special prayer. This Canticle 13 short prayer is called a 1. Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; COLLECT because it you are worthy of praise; glory to you. collects our thoughts for a 2. Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; particular time or season we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. of the Church's year. We sing a Song of Praise 3. Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; throughout every season on the throne of your majesty, glory to you. except Lent. This Song of 4. Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; Praise is often the Gloria. we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. It centers the service on the God we are gathered 5. Glory to you, beholding the depths; to praise in our worship. in the high vault of heaven, glory to you. 6. Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Celebrant Let us pray. The Collect of The Day We also say the Collect of Almighty and most merciful God, drive from us all weakness of body, mind, and spirit; the Day. There is a unique that, being restored to wholeness, we may with free hearts become what you intend us to Collect for each week of be and accomplish what you want us to do; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and the year. reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Please sit for the reading of the scriptures. 2 Now we are seated to The First Lesson Genesis 18:1-10a hear readings from the The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of Holy Bible. There may his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. be readings from the Old Testament, New When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to Testament or both. the ground. He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. A lay minister called a Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may Lector or Eucharistic pass on-- since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said." Minister usually reads And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three the lesson from the measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes." Abraham ran to the herd, and Holy Bible. took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Throughout most of Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; the Episcopal Church, and he stood by them under the tree while they ate. we use the New Revised Standard They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent." Then Version of the Bible. one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a Lay ministers remind son." us that we all take part Reader The Word of the Lord. in the worship of the People Thanks be to God. Church. At the end of each lesson the reader Psalm 15 Domine, quis habitabit? Respond in half verse says: “The Word of 1 LORD, who may dwell in your tabernacle? * the Lord." who may abide upon your holy hill? We reply: "Thanks be to God." 2 Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, * who speaks the truth from his heart. The word "liturgy" 3 There is no guile upon his tongue; means worshipping he does no evil to his friend; * together. So it is he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor. important that we make our responses in 4 In his sight the wicked is rejected, * a good, strong voice. but he honors those who fear the LORD. 5 He has sworn to do no wrong * and does not take back his word. 6 He does not give his money in hope of gain, * nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. 7 Whoever does these things * shall never be overthrown. Second Lesson Colossians 1:15-28 Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-- all things have been created through him and for him.
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