GRACE CHURCH OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD

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  • WELCOME
  • Contact Us
  • 2024 Evaluation Form
  • Leadership
  • Parish Calendar
  • Online Sunday Services at Grace
    • 06.22.25 Second Sunday after Pentecost
    • 06.15.25 Trinity Sunday
    • 06.08.25 Day of Pentecost
    • 06.01.25 Seventh Sunday of Easter
    • 05.25.25 Sixth Sunday of Easter
  • Church and Faith
    • African American Heritage Trail
    • Our Three-Year Plan
    • Weddings
    • History of Grace Church
  • Praise and Sweat Classes
  • Climate Change
  • Donate
  • Liturgies to Say at Home
    • Spiritual Communion
    • Morning Prayer
    • Daily Devotions
    • Noonday Prayer
    • Evening Prayer
    • Compline for nightly use
    • The Angelus
    • BCP Services
  • Lobster Rolls and More
    • Summer Lobster Rolls
    • Community Suppers
  • Playground
  • Photographs
  • The Tisbury Connection

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The Baptism of our Lord

The Holy Eucharist: Rite II, Prayer C 

​All music printed by permission in accordance with ONE LICENSE, License #A-734784.   Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with License #A-734784.
All rights reserved.

Hymn 126  The people who in darkness walked
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Opening Sentences

Celebrant              Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People                 And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever, Amen.

The Collect for Purity

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.

Celebrant   Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.
Gloria S277
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Collect of the Day
 
Celebrant            The Lord be with you.
People                And also with you.
Celebrant            Let us pray.
 
Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

The Lessons 

The First Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7 read by Betsy Holcomb
 
Thus says the Lord,
     he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
     I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
     and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
     and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
     the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
     Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
Because you are precious in my sight,
     and honored, and I love you,
I give people in return for you,
     nations in exchange for your life.
Do not fear, for I am with you;
     I will bring your offspring from the east,
     and from the west I will gather you;
I will say to the north, "Give them up,"
     and to the south, "Do not withhold;
bring my sons from far away
     and my daughters from the end of the earth--
everyone who is called by my name,
     whom I created for my glory,
     whom I formed and made."

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

Psalm 29 read by Faith Laskaris

1 Ascribe to the Lord, you gods, *
          ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his Name; *
          worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
          the God of glory thunders; *
          the Lord is upon the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; *
          the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; *
          the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;

6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, *
          and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire;
          the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; *
          the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

8 The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe *
          and strips the forests bare.

9 And in the temple of the Lord *
          all are crying, "Glory!"

10 The Lord sits enthroned above the flood; *
          the Lord sits enthroned as King for evermore.

11 The Lord shall give strength to his people; *
          the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.

Acts 8:14-17 read by Michelle Lynch

When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

The Word of the Lord
 
Thanks be to God

Hymn 398 I sing the almighty power of God
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The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (3:15-17, 21-22)
People             Glory be to thee, O Lord. 
​

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

The Gospel of the Lord
 
People               Praise be to thee, O Christ.

Homily                                                        The Rev'd Stephen Harding

The Nicene Creed
 
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  Form VI (BCP p. 392), read by Kim Garrison

The Leader and People pray responsively
 
In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.
 
Silence
 
For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.
 
For this community, the nation, and the world;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.
 
For the just and proper use of your creation;
For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
 
For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.
 
For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.
 
For Sean, our Presiding Bishop; for Julia, our Bishop(s); and for all bishops and other ministers;
For all who serve God in God’s Church.
 
For the special needs and concerns of this congregation.
 
Silence
 
The People may add their own petitions
 
Hear us, Lord;
For your mercy is great.
 
We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life.
 
Silence
 
The People may add their own thanksgivings
 
We will exalt you, O God our King;
And praise your Name for ever and ever.
 
We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom.
 
Silence
 
The People may add their own petitions
 
Lord, let your lovingkindness be upon them;
Who put their trust in you.
​

The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.

The General Confession
 
Celebrant            Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
 
Silence may be kept.
 
All say together
 
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
 
Celebrant            Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

The Peace
 
All stand. The Celebrant says to the people
 
Celebrant   The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
People        And also with you.

Anno​uncements

Hymn 124   What star is this
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The Holy Communion
​

Eucharistic Prayer C


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 God thanks and praise.
Celebrant             God of all power, Ruler of the Universe, you are worthy of glory and
                             praise.
 
Glory to you for ever and ever.
 
At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home.
By your will they were created and have their being.
 
From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill. You made us the rulers of creation. But we turned against you, and betrayed your trust; and we turned against one another.
Have mercy, Lord, for we are sinners in your sight
 
Again and again, you called us to return. Through prophets and sages you revealed your righteous Law. And in the fullness of time you sent your only Son, born of a woman, to fulfill your Law, to open for us the way of freedom and peace.
By his blood, he reconciled us. By his wounds, we are healed.
 
And therefore we praise you, joining with the heavenly chorus, with prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and with all those in every generation who have looked to you in hope, to proclaim with them your glory, in their unending hymn:
​
S130 Holy, holy, holy
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Celebrant            And so, God, we who have been redeemed by him, and made a new people by water and the Spirit, now bring before you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.
 
On the night he was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, 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, gave thanks, 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.”
 
Remembering now his work of redemption, and offering to you this sacrifice of thanksgiving,
We celebrate his death and resurrection, as we await the day of his coming.
 
Lord God of our Fathers and Mothers; God of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob, Leah, and Rachel; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: Open our eyes to see your hand at work in the world about us. Deliver us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for renewal. Let the grace of this Holy Communion make us one body, one spirit in Christ, that we may worthily serve the world in his name.
Risen Lord, be known to us in the breaking of the Bread.
 
Accept these prayers and praises, Father, through Jesus Christ our great High Priest, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, your Church gives honor, glory, and worship, from generation to generation.  Amen.

As our Savior Christ has taught us, we now pray,

The Lord’s Prayer
                                                                                    
Our Father in heaven,
    hallowed be your Name,
    your kingdom come,
    your will be done,
        on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,

    as we forgive those
        who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,

    and the glory are yours,
    now and for ever. Amen.
​
The Breaking of the Bread
 
Celebrant   Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People      Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.


S164 Agnus Dei  Jesus, Lamb of God
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Prayer for Spiritual Communion
All say together
 
In union, O Lord with the faithful at every altar of Your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated, we desire to offer You praise and thanksgiving.  We present to you our souls and bodies with the earnest wish that we may always be united to you.  And since we can not now receive you sacramentally, we beseech you to come spiritually into our hearts. We unite ourselves to you, and embrace you with all the affections of our souls. Let nothing ever separate you from us. May we live and die in your love. Amen.
​

 The Leader continues
 
Let us spend a few moments reflecting on the fact that God so loved one of us that God sent God’s Only-Begotten Son into the world for us.
 
Silence
 
Celebrant            The gifts of God for the People of God
​

Hymn 121 Christ, when for us you were baptized
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The Post Communion Prayer
 
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.

                                                                
Blessing

​Hymn 686  Come thou font of every blessing
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Dismissal
​

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January Birthdays and Anniversaries
Theo Swain-Harding, Annabelle Brothers, Hester Boxill, Thomas Mullen,
Bernadine Prygrosky & Ella DaSilva

Anniversaries
Jo Ann & Brian Murphy

Please email [email protected] to update or include yours!

 
Sunday Prayers

Sean, our Presiding Bishop; Julia, our Bishop
Stephen, Storm, and Sharon, our Priests
The Very Reverend Amy McCreath & the Cathedral Congregation of St. Paul
The Manna Community, The Diocese of Rio Grande Border Ministries
The Cape & Islands Deanery
 
Joe, our President, Donald, our President Elect
The Members of Congress; Maura our Governor, and all our elected officials
Pray for Our Country
 
For peace in the Middle East
For the people of Ukraine; the people of Iran; All Refugees
The Campers, Counselors, and Staff of Camp Jabberwocky; The People of Pine Ridge

For our planet
All those affected by climate change
All those affected by the fires in Los Angeles
​
All Staff of the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital
Our Vineyard EMS, Fire and Police Departments
All the Members of the New York City Fire Department
 
Those working to address racial injustice

            Aquinnah, Aya and her family, Ann Marie, Becky, Bryan E., Sarah & Richard, Debbie and Alan, Deanna, Bill, Deborah & Marcia, Eileen, Gail, Garrett, Joe, Judy B., Kathy, Kim, Kay, Libby, Lloyd, Lucy, Lorraine & Richard, Lydia, Lyric, Margaret, Mark & Donna, Mary & Gregg, Maureen M., Nancy & Paul, Pat, Paul, Phyllis, Ralph,
Richard, Ruben, Shauna, Suzanne, Tony & William
 
Those who have died and their families:  
Jim Norton, Jay Wilbur

 All those killed because of oppression, gun violence, hatred, war, or the color of their skin.
 


GRACE CHURCH
Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts
(508) 693-0332
                                        Rector:                                    The Reverend Stephen Harding
                                        Priest Associates:                   The Rev’d Sharon Eckhardt
                                                                                         The Rev’d Dr. Storm Swain
                                       Parish Administrator:             Heather Raveling
                                       Pianist:                                     Molly Sturges
                                       Cellist:                                       Jan Hyer
                                       Bookkeeper:                            David Smith

Vestry Officers:
Senior Warden: Jennifer Haynes
Junior Warden: Bryan Garrison

Clerk of the Vestry: Betsy Holcomb
​

​Vestry Members:
Karen Huff, Lew Laskaris, Maranda Post

ASSISTING IN OUR WORSHIP

Videographer & Curator: Karen Huff
Zoom Hosts:  The Rev’d Ribbons Harris & Karen Huff
Hospitality: Lorraine Clark, Bebee Green & members of the parish
Readers and Intercessors: Judy Carter, Teri Culletto, Carolyn Eddy, Kim Garrison,
David Grey, Ribbons Harris, Jennifer Haynes, John Hickey, Betsy Holcomb, Karen Huff, Jan Hyer, Faith Laskaris, Michelle Lynch, Maranda Post & DiAnn Ray
Eucharistic Ministers: Abby Bates, Judy Carter, Carolyn Eddy,
Jennifer Haynes & DiAnn Ray
Singers:  Abby Bates, Rev. Sharon Eckhardt, David Grey,  Rev. Stephen Harding, Michael Haydn, John Hickey, Betsy Holcomb, Jan Hyer
Ushers:  Lorraine Clark and BeBee Green
We invite you to join us! Please email [email protected] 


PO Box 1197 • 24 Woodlawn Avenue • Vineyard Haven MA 02568
​
www.graceepiscopalmv.org • 508 693-0332