The 6th Sunday after Pentecost, July 20
Welcome to The Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, a welcoming and diverse community seeking to walk in the Way of Jesus and to reveal Christ’s reconciling love in our city, nation, and world.
Get Involved: If you fill out a “Let’s Get Connected Card” found in your pew, or at the Welcome Table by the door where you came into the church, we’d be glad to keep you up to date with all that’s happening at Holy Communion. Or, simply scan the QR code below to visit holycommunion.net where you can share your contact information, find a worship bulletin, read the latest news, and more.
Communion: “These are the gifts of God for the people of God.” At Church of the Holy Communion, we believe that it is Christ himself who invites us to meet him in the bread and the cup. Though it is known by many names - Communion, Mass, Holy Eucharist, The Lord’s Supper, the Sacrament of the Altar - it is the means by which Christ’s real presence abides with us by faith. Therefore, all are welcome to receive. When it comes time for Communion, please follow the directions of the Greeters. The bread is offered to all, with gluten free wafers available, upon request, from the minister. If you would like to receive the wine, you may either drink from the cup, or intinct (dip) the wafer in the wine. Likewise, it is acceptable to receive only the bread, if for personal or health reasons you prefer to not consume wine. Those not receiving Communion, may also come forward. Indicate to the minister that you do not wish to receive Communion by simply crossing your arms across your chest, and the minister will offer a prayer for God’s blessing in your life.
Children in Worship: Kids are expected and encouraged to participate in worship! The Pray Ground (the carpeted area at the front of the Sanctuary) is open for those in need of some wiggle room. Kids not in the Pray Ground, are asked to stay in the pews with their caregivers during worship. Children are welcome to help with greeting and passing the offertory plate; speak with a Greeter, if interested!
Accessibility: “Priority Seating” is provided for caretakers of those with mobility needs. Our entrances have auto-open buttons, and our elevator is ADA compliant. Both the downstairs restrooms and one of the upstairs restrooms are accessible.
Hearing Assistance: Hearing assistance devices are available from the welcome table. If you have any questions, just ask a Greeter.
Donations: We welcome donations to support the mission and ministry of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion. Monetary donations can be placed in the offering plate that will be passed during the service, put in the wooden offering box found at the Welcome Table, by scanning the QR code below, or by electronic donations set up through your bank or on the church website, holycommunion.net. Thank you!
Prelude
Welcome
Opening Hymn SEE INSERT
Opening Acclamation Please rise in body or spirit.
Blessed be the one, holy, and living God.
Glory to God for ever and ever.
The Celebrant continues
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.
Song of Praise Sung at 10:30. God Welcomes All
Liturgy of Word
Collect of the Day SEE INSERT
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
First Lesson Please be seated. SEE INSERT
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm Spoken in unison. SEE INSERT
Second Lesson SEE INSERT
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Sequence Hymn Over My Head
The Holy Gospel SEE INSERT
Please remain standing, in body or spirit.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to [ ____ ].
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Sermon
Nicene Creed Spoken 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,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
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,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who 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.
Prayers of the People
Deacon Let us pray for the Church and for the world.
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.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
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 good.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation,
that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others
and to your honor and glory.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
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.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or
spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and
bring them the joy of your salvation.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
We commend to your mercy all who have died, that your will
for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share
with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.
Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles, "Peace I give to
you; my own peace I leave with you:" Regard not our sins,
but the faith of your Church, and give to us the peace and
unity of that heavenly City, where with the Father and the
Holy Spirit you live and reign, now and for ever.
Amen.
Peace Please rise in body or in spirit.
The peace of Christ be always with you.
And also with you.
You are invited to greet those around you by saying “Peace be with you” or simply “Peace.”
Welcome and Announcements Please be seated for a few brief announcements.
On the third Sunday of the month, we remember birthdays for the month, and invite those celebrating birthdays to come forward, as one of the clergy offers prayers and blessings.
O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we pray, on your servants [ ___ ] as they begin another year. Grant that they may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen their trust in your goodness all the days of their lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Offertory Sentence
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present yourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1
Offertory Anthem SEE INSERT
Offertory Hymn
Please rise in body, or in spirit, and sing (10:30) as the Greeters bring forward our financial offering.
There is Enough
The Liturgy of the Table
Eucharistic Prayer Please remain standing, in body or spirit.
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Lift up your hearts.
People We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give our thanks and praise.
We praise you and we bless you, holy and gracious God,
source of life abundant.
From before time you made ready the creation.
Your Spirit moved over the deep
and brought all things into being:
sun, moon, and stars;
earth, winds, and waters;
and every living thing.
You made us in your image,
and taught us to walk in your ways.
But we rebelled against you, and wandered far away;
and yet, as a mother cares for her children,
you would not forget us.
Time and again you called us
to live in the fullness of your love.
And so this day we join with Saints and Angels
in the chorus of praise that rings through eternity,
lifting our voices to magnify you as we sing (say):
Spoken at both services.
Celebrant and People
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Glory and honor and praise to you, holy and living God.
To deliver us from the power of sin and death
and to reveal the riches of your grace,
you looked with favor upon Mary, your willing servant,
that she might conceive and bear a son,
Jesus the holy child of God.
Living among us, Jesus loved us.
He broke bread with outcasts and sinners,
healed the sick, and proclaimed good news to the poor.
He yearned to draw all the world to himself
yet we were heedless of his call to walk in love.
Then, the time came for him to complete upon the cross
the sacrifice of his life,
and to be glorified by you.
On the night before he died for us,
Jesus was at table with his friends.
He took bread, gave thanks to you,
broke it, and gave it to them, and said:
“Take, eat:
This is my Body, which is given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.”
As supper was ending, Jesus took the cup of wine.
Again, he gave thanks to you,
gave it to them, and said:
“Drink this, all of you:
This is my Blood of the new Covenant,
which is poured out for you and for all
for the forgiveness of sins.
Whenever you drink it,
do this for the remembrance of me.”
Now gathered at your table, O God of all creation,
and remembering Christ, crucified and risen,
who was and is and is to come,
we offer to you our gifts of bread and wine,
and ourselves, a living sacrifice.
Pour out your Spirit upon these gifts
that they may be the Body and Blood of Christ.
Breathe your Spirit over the whole earth
and make us your new creation,
the Body of Christ given for the world you have made.
In the fullness of time bring us,
with [___________ and] all your saints,
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
to feast at the banquet prepared
from the foundation of the world.
Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
to you be honor, glory, and praise,
for ever and ever.
AMEN.
Lord’s Prayer
Celebrant
And now, as our Savior
Christ has taught us,
we are bold to say,
Pray in the language of your heart.
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.
Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo, santificado sea tu Nombre, venga tu reino, hágase tu voluntad, en la tierra como en el cielo. Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día. Perdona nuestras ofensas, como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden. No nos dejes caer en tentación y líbranos del mal. Porque tuyo es el reino, tuyo es el poder, y tuya es la gloria, ahora y por siempre. Amén.
The Breaking of the Bread
God of promise, you have prepared a banquet for us.
Happy are those who are called to the Supper of the Lamb.
The gifts of God for the people of God.
Communion Hymns SEE INSERT
The congregation is invited to join in the singing of communion hymns at 10:30.
Post Communion Prayer Please rise in body, or in spirit.
Let us pray.
God of abundance,
you have fed us
with the bread of life and cup of salvation;
you have united us
with Christ and one another;
and you have made us one
with all your people in heaven and on earth.
Now send us forth
in the power of your Spirit,
that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world
and continue forever
in the risen life of Christ our Savior. Amen.
Sending of Lay Eucharistic Visitors
At various times, Lay Eucharistic Visitors take the consecrated bread and wine to those who cannot physically be present for worship. When we do so, the following prayer may be offered:
Deacon We send you forth, bearing these holy gifts, that those to whom you go may share with us in the Body and Blood of Christ our Savior.
People We who are many are one body, because we all share one bread, one cup.
The Blessing
Recessional Hymn SEE INSERT
Dismissal
Deacon Go in Peace, to love and serve the Lord!
People Thanks be to God.
Postlude
Cover Art: First Icon, Christ Consider the Lilies by Kelly Latimore
Music used and reprinted with permission under OneLicense #A-704988 and WorshipCast License #13476
Staff
The Rev. Earl Mahan, Rector
call 314-721-7401 x303 text 314-669-6231
emahan@holycommunion.net
The Rev. Julie Graham, Associate Rector
call 314-721-7401 x302 text 314-886-7594
The Rev. Chester Hines, Deacon
call 314-367-7332 chinesj@charter.net
Darcy Brainard, Parish Administrator
call 314-721-7401 x301
Mary Chapman, Director of Music
Earl Naylor, Organist
Jim Kern, Financial Administrator
Vestry
Fran Caradonna, Senior Warden
Joe Donahou, Junior Warden
Kellie McCoy, Treasurer
Pat Redington, Secretary
Rebecca Comas
Heidi Volkl
Andrew Wasson
Tim Anderson
Rudy Walz
Gloria Grenwald
INSERT:
The Sixth Sunday After Pentecost, July 20
Processional Hymn: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty H390
Offertory Anthem: Beautiful Savior by Rob Gardner
Communion Hymns: You are Near L16
Recessional Hymn: Surely it is God Who Saves Me H679
The Collect
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
First Lesson: Genesis 18:1-10a
The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to 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. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on-- since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said." And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes." Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent." Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son."
Psalm 15 Spoken in unison at both services.
1 Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *
Who may abide upon your holy hill?
2 Those who lead a blameless life and do what is right, *
who speak the truth from their heart.
3 There is no guile upon their tongue;
they do no evil to a friend; *
they do not heap contempt upon a neighbour.
4 In their sight the wicked are rejected, *
but they honour those who fear the Lord.
They have sworn to do no wrong *
and do not take back their word.
5 They do not give their money in hope of gain,
nor do they take a bribe against the innocent. *
Those who do 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. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him-- provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.
I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. I became its servant according to God's commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
The Gospel: Luke 10:38-42
As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."
Announcements
More information on upcoming events can be found at holycommunion.net
Birthday Sunday: Receive your July birthday blessing TODAY at 10:30 worship during the announcements, and stay for birthday goodies in in the lounge afterwards!
Guest Preacher - Andrew Wasson: On Sunday, 27, enjoy preaching at both services from Andrew Wasson, who will be speaking on the phrase “we are bold to say,” which references the Lord’s Prayer. Join us and learn about the ways in which Jesus teaches us to pray, how we are taught to pray by the Church, and we can forge our own paths to prayer. How is prayer essential in our life and relationship with God?
Respect MO Voters Discussion: Join Holy Communion member Lisa Hummel, and other members of the Respect Missouri Voters Coalition on Sunday, August 3 at 9 am in the lounge. This coalition is organizing to get a state constitutional amendment to keep lawmakers from overriding voter initiatives. Visit respectmovoters.org for more information.
Back to School Night: We are pleased to announce that Holy Communion will have a table at the annual University City National Night Out/Back-to-School Rally event on Tuesday, August 5 from 5 - 7 p.m. at Centennial Commons (7210 Olive Blvd, 63130). This event is created in conjunction with the University City Police Department in observance of National Night Out. The theme is "Safe at School, Safe at Home."
We need 4-6 people to set out our swag, sit at the table, and answer questions about HoCo! You’ll get some of our swag at the end of the event! Email Hilarie Hunt at hihunt7@yahoo.com or Julie Graham at jgraham@holycommunion.net.
Guest Preacher Rev. Loretta Go: On Sunday, August 10, come see Rev. Loretta Go preach at both services, and learn more about the Diocese’s Recovery Ministry and how you can get involved!
Guest Preacher Gary Spiller: On Sunday, August 24, Gary Spiller, Executive Director of Student Services at University City School District, will preach at both services.
Thank You from the Hines Family: “I have been trying to think of words that express the deep gratitude and blessedness that Chester and I feel as recipients of your concern as we face(ed) the challenges of the tornado. Your support, kindness and love shown was so uplifting and will always be remembered. Our hearts are full. Know that God is definitely allowing us to see blessings through the storm.” Elizabeth Hines
Servers
Preacher: The Reverend Julie Graham
Celebrant: The Reverend Earl Mahan
Deacon: The Reverend Chester Hines
Music Director: Mary Chapman
Guest Organist: Cheryl Foster
Singers: Scott Lunte, Haley Benson, & Debbie Lunte
Readers: Maryanne Angliongto (8), Barbara Robinson (10:30)
Announcements: Rudy Walz (10:30)
Greeters: Michael Salsich (8), Carol Schmidt (10:30)
Crucifer: William Kelly
Chalice Bearers: Karen Payne (8), Marlene O’Brien (10:30)
Streamers: Lucas Kerbs, Aris Diaz