THE FEAST OF ABSALOM JONES, PRIEST (1818)
Sunday, February 13, at 10:00 am
The form for this service can also be found in The Book of Common Prayer, page 355. Spoken responses are in bold typeface.
Prelude: “Prelude on ‘Liebster Jesu’” Stearns
The Word of God
Hymn 44 (LEVAS II): “Blessed Absalom”
1. Born in bondage, born in shackles,
Born stripped of all dignity,
Abs’lom Jones was bound, determined,
That he would one day be free.
Blessed Abs’lom, leads us, guides us,
In the bonds of unity.
2. Seeking to expand horizons,
Bible, primer he did find;
To each word he was attentive,
Learning, lest he fall behind.
Blessed Abs’lom, liberates us
From the prison of our mind.
3. When in Philadelphia settled,
He sought persons in great need,
Dedicated to empow’rment,
His own people did he lead.
Blessed Abs’lom, pray that we from
All indiff’rence may be freed.
4. One fine morning, while at worship,
Wrested from his knees in prayer;
He, his friends, were thus evicted:
“You no more may praise God here.”
Blessed Abs’lom, pray that we may
Stand steadfast and persevere.
Opening Acclamation
Celebrant ✠ Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Celebrant
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.
Gloria: “Glory to God in the highest”
The Collect of the Day
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Let us pray.
Set us free, heavenly Father, from every bond of prejudice and fear; that, honoring the steadfast courage of your servant Absalom Jones, we may show forth in our lives the reconciling love and true freedom of the children of God, which you have given us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
First Lesson: Isaiah 42:5-9
Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols. See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm: 126
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, *
then were we like those who dream.
2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, *
and our tongue with shouts of joy.
3 Then they said among the nations, *
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
4 The Lord has done great things for us, *
and we are glad indeed.
5 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, *
like the watercourses of the Negev.
6 Those who sowed with tears *
will reap with songs of joy.
7 Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, *
will come again with joy, shouldering their sheave
Second Lesson: Ephesians 4:1-6
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 88 (LEVAS II): “My Faith Looks Up to Thee”
1. My faith looks up to thee,
Thou lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away;
O let me from this day
Be wholly thine.
2. May thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire;
As thou hast died for me,
O may my love to thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be
A living fire.
3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn today,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away;
Pure, warm, and changeless be
A living fire.
4. When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove,
O bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul.
The Gospel: John 15:12-15
Celebrant The ✠ Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.”
Celebrant The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Alleluia
The choir sings the the Alleluias, then all repeat them.
The Sermon
The Nicene Creed Said in unison
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
Leader With all our heart, and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying “Lord, have mercy.”
For trail-blazers like Absalom Jones who don’t sit idly by when they see injustice in this world, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the leaders of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and our nation, and for all the nations of the world. For the grace to navigate the rocky waters of division and tension with wisdom, grace, and respect, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this congregation of St. Paul’s, our Diocese, The Episcopal Church, and the wider Anglican Communion, that we may choose to live kindly and walk lovingly with our brethren, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For our sister church of St. Mary’s, Sololá, in our companion diocese of Guatemala, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the sick, suffering, and those in need of support, especially Polly, Nina, Grace, Ellen, Russ, Amy, Lisa, Bill, Tamar, Joni, Renee, June, Sanjay, Holly, Andrew, Dawn, Dash, Mae, the Uhlenbrock family, Mike, Amelia, Peg, Bella, Gary, Pauline, Mary, Steve, Chris, and for those who are on our hearts, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For those who have died in the communion of God's Church, and those whose faith is known to God alone, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For all who have experienced and continue to experience the reality of racism. For Michael Brown, Emmett Till, Sandra Bland, Breonna Taylor, Martin Luther King Jr., George Floyd, Harriet Tubman, Amir Locke, Absalom Jones, the 51 trans women of color murdered in 2021, and all people of color who are dehumanized in their everyday lives, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For those shunted to the margins of society: communities of color, prisoners, the LGBT+ community, everyone living in poverty, and all other marginalized groups. For equity, acceptance, and fierce love, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.
Silence is kept.
Leader and People
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
in your compassion forgive us our sins,
known and unknown,
things done and left undone;
and so uphold us by your Spirit
that we may live and serve you in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Celebrant offers an absolution.
The Peace
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
The ministers and the people greet one another with a sign of peace.
The Holy Communion
The Celebrant begins the Offertory with a sentence of Scripture.
During the Offertory an anthem is sung, and the Altar is prepared with the elements of Holy Communion.
To give an offering, choose one of the following:
Text: message 73256 with the phrase saintpauls $X (insert an amount in place of X)
Check: mail your offering to St. Paul’s Church, 84 E Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901
Offertory Anthem: “Blessed are Those” Benjamin Harlan
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn;
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth;
and blessed are those
who thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will have mercy;
and blessed are the pure,
for they will see God.
Blessed the makers of peace,
for they are the children of God;
and blessed those who suffer
for righteousness, for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven.
Rejoice and be glad those who sow
in tears, for they will see God.
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer A
The people stand and the Celebrant sings
The Celebrant continues
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
For the wonderful grace and virtue declared in all your saints, who have been the chosen vessels of your grace, and the lights of the world in their generations.
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:
Sanctus: “Holy, holy, holy Lord”
The Celebrant continues
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, 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 we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Celebrant and People
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
The Celebrant continues
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him.
✠ Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.
All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. Amen.
Celebrant And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
The Breaking of the Bread
The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.
Celebrant Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
Fraction Anthem
Celebrant and People
Then, facing the people, the Celebrant says
Celebrant The Gifts of God for the People of God.
Spiritual Communion: Act of Reception
During Communion, you are invited to say the following prayer form for receiving Spiritual Communion. Know that the grace of God is made present in your heart, even though the Sacrament is not received with the mouth.
In union, blessed Jesus, with the faithful gathered at every altar of your Church where your blessed Body and Blood are offered this day, I long to offer you praise and thanksgiving, for creation and all the blessings of this life, for the redemption won for us by your life, death, and resurrection, for the means of grace and the hope of glory.
I believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament, and, since I cannot at this time receive communion, I pray you to come into my heart. I unite myself with you and embrace you with all my heart, my soul, and my mind. Let nothing separate me from you; let me serve you in this life until, by your grace, I come to your glorious kingdom and unending peace. Amen.
Come Lord Jesus, and dwell in my heart in the fullness of your strength; be my wisdom and guide me in right pathways; conform my life and actions to the image of your holiness; and, in the power of your gracious might, rule over every hostile power that threatens or disturbs the growth of your kingdom, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Communion Solo: “Pie Jesu ” Gabriel Faure
Melanie Moyer, Alto
Pie Jesu Domine dona eis requiem,
Dona Domine, dona eis requiem,
sempiternam requiem.
Merciful Jesus, grant unto them rest.
Grant unto them eternal rest.
Hymn 1 (LEVAS II): “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
1. Lift ev’ry voice and sing,
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith
that the dark past has taught us;
Sing a song full of the hope
that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun
Of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.
2. Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chast’ning rod,
Felt in the days when
hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for
which our fathers sighed?
We have come over away that
with tears has been watered;
We have come, treading our path
through the blood of the slaughtered;
Out from the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam
of our bright star is cast.
3. God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who hast by thy might,
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places,
our God, where we met thee;
Lest our hearts, drunk with the
wine of the world, we forget thee,
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God, true to our native land.
After Communion, the Celebrant says
Let us pray.
Celebrant and People
Eternal God, heavenly Father,
you have graciously accepted us as living members
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ,
and you have fed us with spiritual food
in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.
Send us now into the world in peace,
and grant us strength and courage
to love and serve you
with gladness and singleness of heart;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Welcome & Announcements
Blessing & Dismissal
The Celebrant blesses the people and dismisses them.
The people respond Thanks be to God.
Postlude: “Oh, for a Thousand Tongues” Manz
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Eucharistic Minister: Widgette Kelly
Acolyte: Alex Kelly
Lector: John Black
Ushers: Michael and Liam Kelly
Altar: Elizabeth Pitts, Carol Fox
Flowers: Lisa Farina, Libby Wheeler
A/V: Emma Ward
Organist: Susan Johnson
Choir: George Achilles, Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, Carol Fox, Melanie Moyer, Shelley Reed, Robert Risch, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, Anne Shute, Jim Shute, Caitlin Stein, Marian Wentworth
Online giving is available through Realm E-Giving and PayPal. We thank you for your generous giving to St. Paul’s.
Sacred Ground Workshop
St. Paul’s Social Justice Committee is excited to present Sacred Ground - a 10 session, film-based dialogue workshop on race and faith. During the workshop, we will learn about the history of marginalized races in the United States, present day tensions, and the Church’s role in helping us build Beloved Community, all through the lens of our Christian identity. Sacred Ground will begin meeting Monday, March 7 from 6-8pm. Sessions will be every other week. Please contact Mary Schappert for questions or to sign up. The workshop will be capped at 12 participants, so sign up early! Sign ups will be exclusive to St. Paul’s until Feb. 23, then we will open up registration to other churches in the area.
St. Mary’s Sololá, Guatemala
During the month of February, we will be conducting a fundraising campaign for St. Mary’s Sololá, Guatemala. The situation in Guatemala due to the pandemic, and weather-related emergencies, remains a challenge on not only education, but also on basic needs like food, water, and healthcare. Would you please consider donating during this campaign to help with this dire situation? Thank you in advance for your help and support. Questions? Contact Mary Lou Parry using the church directory.
Lenten Book Study: The Cross and the Lynching Tree
Wednesdays in Lent, at 7:00 PM, starting March 9—via Zoom
Lent is a season of preparation, and of focusing on the sorrowful mystery of Christ’s crucifixion—and how long the shadow of the cross is cast, even to our present day. This Lent at St. Paul’s, we will take up this work by reading The Cross and The Lynching Tree, by the late Dr. James Cone. From the publisher: “Both the cross and the lynching tree represent the worst in human beings and at the same time a thirst for life that refuses to let the worst determine our final meaning.” Join us for a discussion of this book over the course of five sessions via Zoom; or simply obtain a copy of the book and read it on your own. This study is initiated by the work of our Social Justice Committee, and facilitated by the Rector.
Available Flower Memorial & Thanksgiving Dates for 2022
Thank you to all parishioners who have supported our ministry through their flower memorials and thanksgivings and a special thank you to the members of this guild for their time and efforts. Without everyone’s participation the church would not be blessed with our ever-changing floral displays to liven up the church! In 2022 we have the following open dates for flower memorials and thanksgivings: February 20 and July 24.
The Flower Guild welcomes anyone interested in being a part of this ministry. You are welcome to observe any current member arrange flowers for Sunday. Please talk to any current member to find out what it’s all about. For questions, please contact Lisa Farina, Head of the Flower Guild, using the church directory.
CARING FOR FRIENDS
Caring for Friends has resumed our meal packing at the church. Our next meeting will be on Saturday, February 19 from 9:30-11:30am. We are asking for anyone who would like to cook at home to bring the food to church on the 19th to pack. Please include a list of ingredients for all meals. For everyone attending we will be social distancing and wearing masks. Casseroles with a protein source, meats like meatloaf, chicken, beef, turkey breasts with a side of rice or potatoes are some other ideas. Donations of canned goods are appreciated, especially fruits and vegetables. Hope you can make it on the 19th.
For questions, please contact George Wiemann, Mary Smith, or Myra Parker using the church directory.
Altar Flowers
Today’s flowers are given by Lisa and Joe Farina to the glory of God, wishing everyone a happy Valentine’s Day, and in thanksgiving for Nicholas James Farina’s 30th Birthday!
