The Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple

THE PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD IN THE TEMPLE

Christ Church Woodbury, NJ 2 February 2020 10:00 in the Morning

Good morning and welcome to Christ Church Visitors or newcomers to our congregation are invited to fill out a Voice from the Pew card and place it in the offering plate. Do take a moment to introduce yourself to the clergy at the door and to sign our guest book located within the vestibule (porch). We are glad that you are here!

Christ Church has a bright and welcoming nursery which is open during the 10:00 AM service. Parents are equipped with pagers. An usher or greeter will be happy to escort you to the nursery.

Safety Precaution

As a safety precaution, we respectfully request that all children needing to leave the Nave for any reason be accompanied by a parent. Also, in respect for those who are focused on the liturgical rite and ceremony, please exit and enter the Nave through the front door, and during the singing of a hymn.

As a measure of preserving the sanctity that resides within this holy space, we ask that you do not bring food or drink into the Nave.

Let quietness and reverence characterize your entrance into the House of God

The Flowers are placed on the altar this week to the glory of God:

and In Loving Memory of:

Jenny M. Eells Jayne A. Eells

Rest eternal grant unto her, O Lord; And let light perpetual shine upon her. May her soul, and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ In The Temple

The Blessing of Candles, Procession of Lights & Solemn Mass

Today’s feast is sometimes known as the Purification of Saint Mary the Virgin, sometimes as Candlemas. In the Eastern Church it has been called the Meeting of Christ with Simeon. Such a variety of names is sufficient testimony to the wealth of spiritual meaning that generations of Christians have discovered in this small incident.

The title “The Presentation” reminds us of the Jewish law (Exodus 13:2; 22:29), in which every firstborn son had to be dedicated to God in memory of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt, when the firstborn sons of the Egyptians died and those of Israel were spared.

When Mary placed her small son into the arms of Simeon, it was the meeting of the Old and New Dispensations. The old sacrifices, the burnt offerings and oblations, were done away; a new and perfect offering had come into the temple. God had provided himself a lamb for the burnt offering (Genesis 22:8), his only Son. The offering was to be made once for all on the cross. At every Eucharist those who are in Christ recall that sinless offering and unite “themselves, their souls and bodies” with the self- oblation of their Lord and Savior.

The service follows the order in this booklet

Prelude: Adagio, from Sonata Op. 65 No. 1 ...... Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

The Blessing of the Candles All are assembled within the Nave with candles in hand. The people stand as the Celebrant and Thurifer approach the Nave

The Blessing of Incense:

Celebrant

Lord God Almighty, in whose presence the heavenly host, whose ministrations are of spirit and fire, stand trembling: vouchsafe to behold, bl+ess, and san+ctify this creature O of incense, that all weakness, and all the wiles of the enemy may as its perfume ascends be put to flight, and be driven far from us, the work of thy hand, whom thou hast redeemed with the precious blood of thy Son. Hear us O Lord, for the sake of the same thy Son, Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Greeting:

Blessing of Candles:

Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And with thy spirit. Celebrant Let us pray.

God, fount and source of all light, who as on this day didst show the Light to lighten the Gentiles unto Simeon the righteous: We humbly entreat thee, that thou wouldest O vouchsafe to hallow these candles with thy benediction, receiving the vows of thy people, who, bearing them, are come together for the praise of thy Name; insomuch that, by the path of virtues, they may be worthy to attain the unfailing Light, even the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth God, world without end. Amen.

The People raise their unlit candles, and the Celebrant blesses them and the other candles for use in the church for the year, with holy water and incense. During the singing of the Canticle, the People’s candles are lit.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, bl†ess these candles at our supplication: pour forth upon them O Lord, by the power of thy holy Cr†oss, thy heavenly blessing, that by O them the darkness of mankind may be dispelled; and as in blessing they have received the sign of the holy Cross, grant that in whatsoever places they shall be kindled or placed, the prince of darkness with all his hosts, trembling and afraid, may be driven out and flee away, and presume no more to trouble or vex those who serve thee, Almighty God. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

Canicle ...... Nunc dimittis

thy

thee

thy

Music: Song I, Orlando Gibbons (1585-1625)

Collect: Celebrant

God our Father, source of all light, who on this day didst reveal to the aged Simeon thy Light which enlighteneth the nations: Fill our hearts with the light of faith; that we who O bear these candles may walk in the path of goodness, and come unto the Light that shineth for ever, even Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.

The Solemn Procession of Lights

Procedamus in Pace

Processional Hymn ...... Regent Square

1. In his Temple now behold him; 3. Jesus, by thy Presentation, see the long-expected Lord! Thou who didst for us endure, Ancient prophets had foretold him; make us see thy great salvation, God hath now fulfilled his word. seal us with thy promise sure; Now to praise him his redeem’ed and present us in thy glory shall break forth with one accord. to thy Father cleansed and pure.

2. In the arms of she who bore him, 4. Prince and Author of salvation, Virgin pure, behold him lie, be thy boundless love our theme! while his age’ed saints adore him, Jesus, praise to thee be given ere in perfect faith they die: by the world thou didst redeem, Alleluia! Alleluia! with the Father and the Spirit, Lo th’Incarnate God most high. Lord of majesty supreme.

Music: Henry Thomas Smart (1813-1879) Words: Henry J. Pye (1825-1903) and William Cooke (1821-1894)

Introit Antiphon ...... Suscepimus, Deus, misericordiam tuam (Mode I)

Cantor

e have received, O God, thy loving-kindness in the midst of thy temple: according to thy Name, O God, so is thy praise unto the world’s end; thy right hand is full of W righteousness.

Gloria in excelsis………………………………………….... Healey Willan (1880-1968)

Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And with thy spirit. Celebrant Let us pray.

lmighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts, A by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

All are seated. All extinguish their candles. The First Lesson ...... Malachi 3:1-4

Lector A reading from the Book of Malachi.

hus says the Lord, "Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in T whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? "For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right offerings to the LORD. Then the 8

offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.

Lector The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God. the people remain seated Gradual Psalm 84 Quam dilecta!...... C.H.H. Parry (1848-1918)

1 O HOW amiable are thy dwellings, * thou LORD of hosts!

2. My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the LORD; * my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.

3. Yea, the sparrow hath found her an house, and the swallow a nest, where she may lay her young; * even thy altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.

4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; * they will be alway praising thee.

5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; * in whose heart are thy ways.

6. Who going through the vale of misery use it for a well; * and the pools are filled with water.

7. They will go from strength to strength, * and unto the God of gods appeareth every one of them in Sion.

8. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; * hearken, O God of Jacob.

9. Behold, O God our defender, * and look upon the face of thine anointed.

10. For one day in thy courts * is better than a thousand.

11. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, * than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness.

12. For the LORD God is a light and defence; * the LORD will give grace and worship; and no good thing shall he withhold from them that live a godly life.

13. O LORD God of hosts, *

blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

The Second Lesson…………………………………………………… Hebrews 2:14-18

Lector A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Hebrews

ince therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, S the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. For surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Lector The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God.

the people standing Sequence Hymn 517 ...... Brother James’s Air

The Holy Gospel ...... Luke 2:22-40

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. People Glory be to thee, O Lord.

nd when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the A Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel."

And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed." And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phan'u-el, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

The Gospel of the Lord. People Praise be to thee, O Christ. the people are seated The Sermon ...... Father Burgess the people standing The Nicene Creed ...... BCP 327

The Prayers of the People:

Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess thy Name may be united in thy truth, live

together in thy love, and reveal thy glory / in the world.

Lord, in thy mer - cy Hear our prayer.

Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another, and serve the / common góod. Silence