August 30, 2020 The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

St. Alban's proclaims to all, through word and deed, the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

August 30, 2020 The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

9:00 AM CDT Morning Prayer, Rite II

via Facebook Live and YouTube

2

Prelude Menuet gothique (Suite gothique) Léon Boëllmann (1862-1897)

Hymn The Church's one foundation Hymnal 525

MORNING PRAYER - 9:00 AMRite II, according to the Book of Common Prayer (BCP)

3

Words: Samuel John Stone (1839-1900)Music: Aurelia, Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810-1876)

Opening Sentence

Officiant I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord." Psalm 122:1

THE INVITATORY AND PSALTER

All stand.

Officiant Lord, open our lips.People And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Officiant and PeopleGlory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

4

The Venite and Psalm are said by all in unison.

Venite Psalm 95:1-7 Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.

Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!

Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26 Confitemini Domino

1 Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; * make known his deeds among the peoples.

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, * and speak of all his marvelous works.

3 Glory in his holy Name; * let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

4 Search for the Lord and his strength; * continually seek his face.

5 Remember the marvels he has done, * his wonders and the judgments of his mouth,

6 OoffspringofAbrahamhisservant,* O children of Jacob his chosen.

5

23 Israel came into Egypt, * and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham.

24 The Lord made his people exceedingly fruitful; * he made them stronger than their enemies;

25 Whose heart he turned, so that they hated his people, * and dealt unjustly with his servants.

26 He sent Moses his servant, * and Aaron whom he had chosen. Hallelujah!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

All sit.

THE LESSONS

The First Lesson Exodus 3:1-15

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

6

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’“ God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’:

This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.

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

All stand.

Gloria in Excelsis Hymnal S-280

7

All sit.

Children's Sermon

8

The Second Lesson Matthew 16:21-28

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

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

The Sermon The Rev. Neal McGowan

Please stand and affirm our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.

9

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth; I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. HesufferedunderPontiusPilate, wascrucified,died,andwasburied. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE PRAYERS

The people stand or kneel

Officiant The Lord be with you.People And also with you.Officiant Let us pray.

Officiant and People

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.

10

Suffrages A

Officiant Show us your mercy, O Lord;People And grant us your salvation.Officiant Clothe your ministers with righteousness;People Let your people sing with joy.Officiant Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;People For only in you can we live in safety.Officiant Lord, keep this nation under your care; People And guide us in the way of justice and truth.Officiant Let your way be known upon earth;People Your saving health among all nations.Officiant Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;People Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.Officiant Create in us clean hearts, O God;People And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

Collect of the Day

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all good-ness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Collect in a time of PandemicO most mighty and merciful God, in this time of grievous sickness, we flee unto thee for succour. Deliver us, we beseech thee, from our peril; give strength and skill to all those who minister to the sick; prosper the means made use of for their cure; and grant that, perceiving how frail and uncertain our life is, we may apply our hearts unto that heavenly wisdom which leadeth to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

11

The people may offer their own intercessions and thanksgivings.Parish Announcements & Offertory

During the Offertory, as an act of gratitude and worship, we joyfully respond to God’s gift to us in Jesus Christ by giving an offering to the Lord. To give online, visit stalbanswaco.org/give. Read about more ways to give on page 16 of this bulletin.

Anthem I got me flowers (Five Mystical Songs) Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) I got me flowers to strew thy way; I got me boughs off many a tree: But thou wast up by break of day, And brought'st thy sweets along with thee.

The Sunne arising in the East. Though he give light, and th'East perfume; If they should offer to contest With thy arising, they presume.

Can there be any day but this, Though many sunnes to shine endeavour? We count three hundred, but we misse: There is but one, and that one ever.

12

The General Thanksgiving

Officiant and PeopleAlmighty God, Father of all mercies,we your unworthy servants give you humble thanksfor all your goodness and loving-kindnessto us and to all whom you have made.We bless you for our creation, preservation,and all the blessings of this life;but above all for your immeasurable lovein the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,not only with our lips, but in our lives,by giving up our selves to your service,and by walking before youin holiness and righteousness all our days;through Jesus Christ our Lord,to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Officiant Let us bless the Lord. People Thanks be to God.

OfficiantThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Hymn All praise to thee, for thou, O King divine Hymnal 379

13

Words: F. Bland Tucker (1895-1984)Music: Engelberg, Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)

Organ Voluntary Toccata (Suite gothique) Léon Boëllmann (1862-1897)

All music reprinted under Church Copyright License #11024469All music broadcast under Church Copyright Solutions License #12099

14

TODAY'S WORSHIP MINISTERSOfficiantPreacher

Organist & Director of MusicSoloistLectors

Video AssistantAudio Assistant

The Rev. Aaron M. G. ZimmermanThe Rev. Neal McGowanEugene LaveryGlenn BealsRebekah Stille, Valda RispoliStephanie DrumRobert Mattson

ALTAR FLOWERS

The flowers on the altar are given by Duane McGregor to the glory of God and in honor of her daughter, Leigh Clark's, birthday.

15

Getting Connected at St. Alban's

Pastoral CarePrayerLists: St. Alban’s maintains a published prayer list, a confidential prayer list (shared only with clergy and pastoral staff) and a prayer list for those on active military duty and their families. To add someone to a prayer list, please secure permission from the person to be added and then contact Hilary at (254) 752-1773 ext. 1002. Hilary needs at least the first name of the person being listed as well as your name and contact information. Individuals remain on our prayer lists for one month unless the request is renewed.

Celebrating birthdays

*denotes active military service

We have been asked to pray forJimmy Pancerella*Hunter Herbert*

Kenneth Scattergood*Joe Bozarth, IV*Blake Bostick*Michael Field*Jerrod Elliott*Vance Jones*Dorothy StehrPaul Murphy

Caroline McGinleyTom Gallagher

Alfred MackenzieCarlos Sanchez

Local Mission PartnersCedar Ridge Elementary

The CovereVision

Mission Waco

Kehl FamilyGilbert C

Kody BrownDoug Wililams

Sue ClairElizabeth B. Holderfield

Anders FamilyRob Cullwell

Randy WilhoitJim Gravier

Lucia Zimmerman

Josh RitterJared DanfordKristin Mercer

Jim Hardie

Cameron HensleyGary DodgenJohn Burton

Jennifer Richie

Celebrating anniversariesDavid & Jerrie CallanDale & Caren Hollis

16


PARISH FINANCIAL UPDATES

Giving regularly towards your 2020 pledge for our ministry budget is more vital than ever. Thank you for your faithful support. You can give in three ways:

• Make a gift online• Mail in a check • Drop a check in the church office mailbox

If you’re a regular giver, please consider setting up automated online giving through your bank or through our online giving option. If you make a gift online, please include your name in the form. Your name is required to apply your payment to the correct contribution statement. If you have questions about online giving, contact our Business Manager, Nancy Bennett, at [email protected] or visit www.stalbanswaco.org/giving.

2020 Giving Update August Pledged: $73,976 - August Received: $70,030

Year-to-date Pledged: $591,808 - Year-to-date Received: $520,122

Thank you for your continued financial support of St. Alban’s!

(Each month's total pledges received includes monies towards 2020 pledges which were paid in 2019. The total amount is $64,450 or $5,370 per month.)

17


Holy Communion is now offered on campus every Wednesday at 8 AM and noon in the shade of the porte-cochère outside the new Welcome Center. Visitwww.stalbanswaco.org to RSVP.• All in attendance will need to wear masks and stand or sit in a socially distanced

manner under the porte-cochère. • If you would like to sit, please bring your own lawn chair. • Please bring your own masks.If you would prefer to make your reservations by phone, please call 254-752-1773.

18


Join us on Sunday, September 13, at 5:30 PM on Facebook Live and YouTube for a livestreamed service of Choral Evensong to launch the 2020/21 Sacred Arts Series. The St. Alban’s Chamber Choir, directed by Eugene Lavery, will sing Richard Ayleward’s Preces and Reponses¸ George Dyson’s Evening Service in C minor, and David Hogan’s O gracious light.

19


The Rector's Bible Study resumes Wednesday, September 9 online via YouTube and Facebook. This semester we'll be reading Luke's gospel. Grab your Bible and join us!

20


21


"Why can't I just show up on Sunday and run my life for the week on a spiritual high? Why did God wire me in such a way that I need grace every day?"

Thursday, September 3, join us at 7 PM to pause and embrace not only our need for grace, but the good news that renewal is found in the means of grace.

The Rev. Dr. Justin Holcomb is an Episcopal priest (serving as the Canon for Vo-cations in the Diocese of Central Florida) and teaches theology and apologetics at Gordon-Conwell-Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary. In addition to being a gifted speaker, he is the author and editor of dozens of books, articles, and other publications. Sandra McKracken is a prolific songwriter, modern-day hymn writer, and record producer, bringing grace and clarity to her soulful, folk-gospel sound.

Sandra will lead us in music and Justin will teach, grounding the grace we need in music and Scripture. Invite a friend, join us as a family, and use this time to recap-ture a vision that the steadfast love of God for you never ceases.

Watch your email for a Zoom link coming soon! (If you need help subscribing to our emails, contact [email protected].)

22


23

WhatistheSt.Alban'sChoristerProgram?The St. Alban's Chorister Program offers first-rate vocal training for children/youth in grades K–12 in a nurturing Christian environment. Rooted in the excellence of the Anglican musical tradition, the Chorister Program develops each child's musicianship to the fullest, and also nurtures invaluable life skills of team work, leadership, discipline, and self-confidence. Based in the rigorous and acclaimed Royal School of Church Music Voice for Life training program, the Chorister Program has a current enrollment of 19 with space for more. Investing in the future of church music today, the St. Alban's Chorister Program is dedicated to giving children the training and opportunities that allow them to participate fully as leaders in the ministry of music at St. Alban's.

TheSt.Alban'sChoristerPrograminatimeofpandemicThe Chorister Program will adhere to Episcopal Diocese of Texas pandemic safety guidelines. Rehearsals will be held primarily outdoors and all singers will be physically distanced six-feet apart. Performances will be recorded and included in the live-streamed Sunday services.


24


25

Children's Chapel

26

Children's Chapel

27

Getting Connected at St. Alban'sCOVID-19 Information and Resources

For the latest updates on our response to the coronavirus, please visit stalbanswaco.org. There you can find links to our livestreams, schedule updates, and more. In light of the clergy's continuing conversations with city leaders and the medical community and Waco, our parish has adopted a phased approach to re-gathering.

For St. Alban’s, this means:• We have in-person outdoor services of Holy Communion on Wednesdays at

8 AM and 12 PM. Those attending must RSVP via the website and must wear masks.

• We cannot provide a concrete return date to Sunday morning inperson worship. • We will re-gather following the phased approach recently unveiled by Bishop

Doyle which builds on guidelines from the White House and CDC.

1. Our offices are closed and staff members will be working from home. If you need to talk with a staff member, email or phone is the best way to reach them. A staff email directory is available at www.stalbanswaco.org/staff.2. If you would like to meet with a staff member, please do so via phone or video conference (via Zoom).3. Until further notice, all public worship services and church gatherings have been suspended excepting Wednesday Eucharist. 4. Worship & teaching will continue via livestream. Small groups are meeting via Zoom video conferences. 5. We will communicate with you regularly via email, social media, and our website. The rector will send an email update every Friday. Email [email protected] to be added to the email list. 6. For weddings, baptisms, and funerals, we are required to follow the City’s restriction of gatherings to 10 people or fewer. Please contact the rector with questions about these services.

Additional Information• Stay informed at cdc.gov and waco-texas.com• Please let us know if you have pastoral needs or financial difficulties. We are here

to help.• We are continuing to pay our hourly workers to ensure we can rapidly return to

regular worship when that becomes possible.• If you are able to deliver groceries or run errands for parishioners, contact

Deacon Alberto Melis at [email protected]. • While some church expenses are decreasing at this time, others are not. Our

vestry is monitoring our church finances closely. Thank you for your continued faithful giving to St. Alban’s.

• A COVID-19 relief fund has been established. Just select “COVID-19” from the funds listed in our online giving platform or write “COVID-19” on the memo line of your check.

• Please pray. Here is a prayer for all those affected by Coronavirus: Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy. Sustain and support the anxious, be with those who care for the sick, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may find comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

28


From the Rector: On Not Celebrating Holy Communion on Sundays

For the time being, Morning Prayer will continue to be the liturgy for our Sunday worship services. In doing so, we are following the guidance of the Bishop of Texas, who wrote to the clergy of the Diocese that Morning Prayer is "the most appropriate act of worship given physical distancing." Thus, St. Alban's will not conduct services of Holy Eucharist via Livestream.

The Anglican understanding of Holy Communion, following our understanding of the real fleshly incarnation of our Lord, is that it is an in-person meal shared by real people who eat and drink the elements. This requires three things: the gathered congregation, an ordained person to lead the prayers, and the bread and wine. Since it is not possible to have these things during this time, we will wait. When we can come together again with all these things, we will assuredly "Celebrate the Feast"--and what a celebration it will be!

In the meantime, perhaps this time without the Eucharist will help us remember the many ways God's people have experienced times of exile. They have found, as we are finding again, that God is present with us even when (and sometimes especially when) we are in hard places. As baptized people, Christ is with you and Christ is in you. He is with you now, fully, and always. You can experience that now in reading his Holy Word. And it is confirmed in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. To not celebrate Holy Communion does not make Jesus Christ any less alive. His resurrection stands.


Documents

August 30, 2020 The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost