GRACE CHURCH OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD

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  • WELCOME
  • Contact Us
  • 2024 Evaluation Form
  • Leadership
  • Parish Calendar
  • Online Sunday Services at Grace
    • 03.08.26 Third Sunday in Lent
    • 03.01.26 Second Sunday in Lent
    • 02.22.26 First Sunday in Lent
    • 02.15.26 The Last Sunday After the Epiphany
  • 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
  • Community Suppers
    • Community Suppers
    • Summer Lobster Rolls

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The Holy Eucharist: A Penitential Order: Rite One

​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.

Welcome
Hymn 401 The God of Abraham praise
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Celebrant              Bless the Lord who forgiveth all our sins.
People                 God’s mercy endureth for ever. 

Celebrant
 
Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ saith: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 22:3740
 
Celebrant   Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.
 
Silence may be kept
 
Minister and People
 
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              The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Kyrie S86
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Collect of the Day
 
The Celebrant says to the people
                               The Lord be with you.
People                  And with thy spirit
Celebrant               Let us pray.
 
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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The Lessons 

The First Reading:  Genesis 12:1-4a read by John Hickey
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The Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him.

The Word of the Lord.
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People        Thanks be to God

Psalm 121, read by Ribbons Harris

     1 I lift up my eyes to the hills; *
          from where is my help to come?

     2 My help comes from the Lord, *
          the maker of heaven and earth.

     3 He will not let your foot be moved *
          and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.

     4 Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel *
          shall neither slumber nor sleep;

     5 The Lord himself watches over you; *
          the Lord is your shade at your right hand,

     6 So that the sun shall not strike you by day, *
          nor the moon by night.

     7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; *
          it is he who shall keep you safe.

     8 The Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in, *
          from this time forth for evermore.

The Second Reading: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 read by Jan Hyer
​

What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness.

For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.

For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”) —in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

The Word of the Lord
 
Thanks be to God

Hymn LEVAS 184 Blessed assurance
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The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John (3:1-17)
People             Glory be to you, O Lord. 
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There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
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“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

The Gospel of the Lord
 
People               Praise to you, Lord.

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, led by Betsy Holcomb
​

Let us pray for the whole state of Christ’s Church and the world.
 
After each paragraph of this prayer, the People may make an appropriate response, as directed.
 
Almighty and everliving God, who in thy holy Word hast taught us to make prayers, and supplications, and to give thanks for all men: Receive these our prayers which we offer unto thy divine Majesty, beseeching thee to inspire continually the Universal Church with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord; and grant that all those who do confess thy holy Name may agree in the truth of thy holy Word, and live in unity and godly love.
 
Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all bishops and other ministers especially Sean, our presiding Bishop, Julia, Ian, and Mary, our Bishops, that they may, both by their life and doctrine, set forth thy true and lively Word, and rightly and duly administer thy holy Sacraments.
 
And to all thy people give thy heavenly grace, and especially to this congregation here present; that, with meek heart and due reverence, they may hear and receive thy holy Word, truly serving thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life.
 
We beseech thee also so to rule the hearts of those who bear the authority of government in this and every land especially Donald, our President, that they may be led to wise decisions and right actions for the welfare and peace of the world.
 
Open, O Lord, the eyes of all people to behold thy gracious hand in all thy works, that, rejoicing in thy whole creation, they may honor thee with their substance, and be faithful stewards of thy bounty.
 
And we most humbly beseech thee, of thy goodness, O Lord, to comfort and succor Sarah & Richard, Chelsea, Debbie and Alan, Bill, Deborah, Jen B., Judy B., Kathy, Lorraine & Richard, Margaret, Mark & Donna, Mary & Gregg, Maureen M., Nancy, Pat, Paul, Suzanne, Janet, Corby, Molly, Lorraine S. and her family, James and his family, Jon, Rhonda, John, Newton and his family, Howard Leonard Jr & his family, Luiza and Wayne and all those who, in this transitory life, are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity.
 
Additional petitions and thanksgivings may be included here.
 
And we also bless thy holy Name for all thy servants departed this life in thy faith and fear especially Lewis Waring, Renee Nicole Good, and Alex Pretti, beseeching thee to grant them continual growth in thy love and service; and to grant us grace so to follow the good examples of all thy saints, that with them we may be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom.
 
Grant these our prayers, O Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake, our only Mediator and Advocate. 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.

Then the Ministers and People may greet one another in the name of the Lord.
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Anno​uncements

Hymn 142   Lord, wo throughout these forty days
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The Holy Communion

The Great Thanksgiving

S122 Lift up your hearts
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Eucharistic Prayer 1

Then, facing the Holy Table, the Celebrant proceeds
 
It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God.
 
Because thou didst send thy beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.
 
Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name; evermore praising thee, and saying,
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S122 Holy, holy, holy
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The people kneel or stand.
 
Then the Celebrant continues
 
All glory be to thee, Almighty God, our heavenly Father, for that thou, of thy tender mercy, didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption; who made there, by his one oblation of himself once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memory of that his precious death and sacrifice, until his coming again.
 
For in the night in which he was betrayed, he took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat, this is my Body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
 
Likewise, after supper, he took the cup; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of this; for this is my Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins. Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.”
 
Wherefore, O Lord and heavenly Father, according to the institution of thy dearly beloved Son our Savior Jesus Christ, we, thy humble servants, do celebrate and make here before thy divine Majesty, with these thy holy gifts, which we now offer unto thee, the memorial thy Son hath commanded us to make; having in remembrance his blessed passion and precious death, his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension; rendering unto thee most hearty thanks for the innumerable benefits procured unto us by the same.
 
And we most humbly beseech thee, O merciful Father, to hear us; and, of thy almighty goodness, vouchsafe to bless and sanctify, with thy Word and Holy Spirit, these thy gifts and creatures of bread and wine; that we, receiving them according to thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ’s holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood.
 
And we earnestly desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; most humbly beseeching thee to grant that, by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we, and all thy whole Church, may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion.
 
And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, our selves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee; humbly beseeching thee that we, and all others who shall be partakers of this Holy Communion, may worthily receive the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ, be filled with thy grace and heavenly benediction, and made one body with him, that he may dwell in us, and we in him.
 
And although we are unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto thee any sacrifice, yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offenses, through Jesus Christ our Lord; By whom, and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honor and glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, world without end.  Amen.
 
And now, as our Savior Christ hath taught us, we are bold to say,

The Lord's Prayer    

People and Celebrant
 
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.     
   

The Breaking of the Bread
 
The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread.
 
A period of silence is kept.

Then may be sung or said
​ 
Celebrant     Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People        Therefore let us keep the feast.

Agnus Dei  S 160  
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The People join in saying this prayer
 
We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy. Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.
 
Facing the people, the Celebrant may say the following Invitation
 
The Gifts of God for the People of God.  Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
​
Prayer for Spiritual Communion

Leader and People
 
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 loves each one of us that God sent God’s Only-Begotten Son into the world for all of us.
​

Hymn 467 Sing my soul
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After Communion, the Celebrant says
 
Let us pray.
 
The People join in saying this prayer
 
Almighty and everliving God, we most heartily thank thee for that thou dost feed us, in these holy mysteries, with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and dost assure us thereby of thy favor and goodness towards us; and that we are very members incorporate in the mystical body of thy Son, the blessed company of all faithful people; and are also heirs, through hope, of thy everlasting kingdom. And we humbly beseech thee, O heavenly Father, so to assist us with thy grace, that we may continue in that holy fellowship, and do all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end.  Amen.
 
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​
Blessing

​Hymn 302  Father we thank thee
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Dismissal

                        Celebrant            Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
People          Thanks be to God.


​​

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March Birthdays
Gus Harris, Kennedy Garrison, Michael Haydn, Abby Bates, Karen Huff, Dianne Norton, Faith Stimson, Polly Simpkins, Marco Daniels, Maureen Mullen
Anniversaries
Ken & Donna Griffen
Please email [email protected] to update or include yours!
 
Sunday Prayers
Sarah, the Archbishop of Canterbury
Sean, our Presiding Bishop; Julia, Ian, and Mary our Bishops
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 Borderland Ministries
The Cape & Islands Deanery
 
Donald, our President
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

For our planet
All those affected by Monday’s storm
​
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

         Sarah & Richard, Chelsea, Debbie and Alan, Bill, Deborah, Jen B., Judy B., Kathy, Lorraine & Richard, Margaret, Mark & Donna, Mary & Gregg, Maureen M., Nancy, Pat, Paul, Suzanne, Janet, Corby, Molly, Lorraine S. and her family, James and his family, Jon, Rhonda, John,
Newton and his family, Howard Leonard Jr & his family, Luiza and Wayne

Those who have died and their families, especially
Lewis Waring, Renee Nicole Good, and Alex Pretti
 
 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
                                       Cellist:                                       Jan Hyer
                                       Bookkeeper:                            David Smith

Vestry Officers:
Senior Warden: Jennifer Haynes
Junior Warden: 
Liz DaSilva
Treasurer: Andrea Wong–Monteiro
Clerk of the Vestry: Kim Garrison
​

​Vestry Members:
Anna Cotton, Gary Eckhardt,
Donna Griffen, Betsy Holcomb, Karen Huff,
Faith Laskaris, Rori Peters, Deborah Koines -Alt
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ASSISTING IN OUR WORSHIP

A/V Wizards: Selden Griffen, Betsy Holcomb, Gary Eckhardt,
& The Rev’d Dr. Storm Swain
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, 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, Judy Carter, Rev. Sharon Eckhardt, David Grey,
Donna Griffen,
Rev. Stephen Harding, John Hickey, Betsy Holcomb, Jan Hyer
Ushers:  Lorraine Clark and BeBee Green

We welcome you to join us! Please email [email protected]​

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