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 Holy Eucharist Rite II:  Eucharistic Prayer A
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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.

Prelude
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 Welcome 

HYMN 546 Awake my soul
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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.
 
Gloria:
 
Glory to God in the highest,
   and peace to God's people on earth.
 
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
   we worship you, we give you thanks,
   we praise you for your glory.
 
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
   have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
   receive our prayer.
 
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
   Jesus Christ,
   with the Holy Spirit,
   in the glory of God the Father.  Amen.

Collect of the Day
 
Celebrant               God be with you.
People                  And also with you.
Celebrant               Let us pray.

O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

The Lessons 

The First Reading: Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 read by Jan Hyer

The king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. On the second day, as they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, “What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have won your favor, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me-- that is my petition-- and the lives of my people-- that is my request. For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have held my peace; but no enemy can compensate for this damage to the king.” Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who has presumed to do this?” Esther said, “A foe and enemy, this wicked Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen.

Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, “Look, the very gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, stands at Haman's house, fifty cubits high.” And the king said, “Hang him on that.” So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the anger of the king abated.
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Mordecai recorded these things, and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, enjoining them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same month, year by year, as the days on which the Jews gained relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and presents to the poor.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 124  read by Judy Carter

     1 If the Lord had not been on our side, *
          let Israel now say;

     2 If the Lord had not been on our side, *
          when enemies rose up against us;

     3 Then would they have swallowed us up alive *
          in their fierce anger toward us;

     4 Then would the waters have overwhelmed us *
          and the torrent gone over us;

     5 Then would the raging waters *
          have gone right over us.

     6 Blessed be the Lord! *
          he has not given us over to be a prey for their teeth.

     7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; *
          the snare is broken, and we have escaped.

     8 Our help is in the Name of the Lord, *
          the maker of heaven and earth.

James 5:13-20 read by DiAnn Ray
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Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.

My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner's soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Hymn 666 Out of the depths
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The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Mark 9:38-50

People             Glory to you, Lord Christ.

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John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.
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“For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

The Gospel of the Lord
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People               Praise to You, Lord Christ.

Homily                 The Rev. 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 II  read by Faith Laskaris

In the course of the silence after each bidding, the People offer their own prayers, either silently or aloud.
 
I ask your prayers for God’s people throughout the world; for our Bishops Alan and Carol; for Julia, our Bishop-Elect, for this gathering; and for all ministers and people.
Pray for the Church.
 
Silence
 
I ask your prayers for peace; for goodwill among nations; and for the well‑being of all people.
Pray for justice and peace.
 
Silence
 
I ask your prayers for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, and those in prison.
Pray for those in any need or trouble, especially Aquinnah, Aya and her family, Ann Marie, Becky, Bryan E., Sarah & Richard, Debbie and Alan, Deanna, Bill, Deborah & Marcia, Eileen, Garrett, Jeremiah, Joe, Judy B., Kathy, Kim, Kay, Lloyd, Lucy, Lorraine & Richard, Lydia, Lyric, Margaret, Mark & Donna, Mary & Gregg, Maureen M., Nancy & Paul, Pat, Paul, Phyllis, Ralph, Richard, Ruben, Shauna, Suzanne, William

​Silence
 
I ask your prayers for all who seek God, or a deeper knowledge of God.
Pray that they may find and be found by God.
 
Silence
 
I ask your prayers for the departed and their families, especially Fala Freeman, Susan Murphy, Shelagh Rohlen, & Jeff Spear;
 
For all those killed in Ukraine, all those killed in the Middle East, all those killed because of oppression, gun violence, hatred, war, or the color of their skin.
Pray for those who have died.
 
Silence
 
Members of the congregation may ask the prayers or the thanksgivings of those present
 
I ask your prayers for_____________.
 
I ask your thanksgiving for________________.
 
Silence
 
Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been honored.
Pray that we may have grace to glorify Christ in our own day.
 
Silence
The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.
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The Confession of Sin
 
Celebrant
 
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
 
Silence may be kept
 
Celebrant 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.
 
The Bishop when present, or the Priest, stands and says
 
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.
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The Peace

Celebrant     The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People        And also with you.

Announcements

Hymn 135 Songs of thankfulness and praise
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If you would like to make an online donation or Pledge to Grace church, you may use the QR code at the left  to be brought to our donations page.  Thank you for your generosity and support!


The Doxology: Hymn 380 v 3
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The Holy Communion

The Great Thanksgiving
The people stand, as able. The Celebrant faces them and says
 
                             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           It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
 
Through Jesus Christ our great High Priest; in whom we are built up as living stones of a holy temple, that we might offer before you a sacrifice of praise and prayer which is holy and pleasing in your sight.
 
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:
 
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.
 
The people remain standing, as able.
 
Celebrant Holy and gracious God: 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.
 
Celebrant           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 God, now and for ever. Amen.
 
As our Savior Christ has taught us,                        
so we pray,                         
 
People and Celebrant
 
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.
        Forgive us our sins
           as we forgive those
           who sin against us.
        Save us from the time of trial,
           and deliver us from evil.
        For the kingdom, the power,
           and the glory are yours,
           now and for ever. Amen.
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The Breaking of the Bread
 
The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread.
 
A period of silence is kept.
 
Then may be sung or said
 
Celebrant    Alleluia.  Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People       Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia.
 
Celebrant 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.
 
Leader  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 LEVAS 154 Taste and see
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Celebrant  Let us pray.
 
Almighty and everliving God,
we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food
of the most precious Body and Blood
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;
and for assuring us in these holy mysteries
that we are living members of the Body of your Son,
and heirs of your eternal kingdom.
And now, Father, send us out
to do the work you have given us to do,
to love and serve you
as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.
To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
 
Blessing
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Hymn 524 ​I love thy kingdom, Lord
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Dismissal

​Leader         ...
People        Thanks be to God.
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Postlude

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September Birthdays
Robert Kelly, James Norton, Bryan Garrison, Jan Hyer, Deborah Koines, Zoe Hoehn,
Bill Cini & Bruce Harris
Anniversaries
Karen Huff & Kathy Morris, The Revd’s Storm Swain & Stephen Harding​
Please email [email protected] to update or include yours!
 
Sunday Prayers

Michael, our Presiding Bishop; Sean, our presiding Bishop Elect, Alan and Carol, our Bishops;
Julia, our Bishop Elect
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, Kamala, our Vice 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; The People of Pine Ridge

For our planet
All those affected by climate change
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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, Garrett, Jeremiah, Joe, Judy B., Kathy, Kim, Kay, 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:  
Fala Freeman, Susan Murphy, Shelagh Rohlen, & Jeff Spear
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All those killed in Ukraine, all those killed in the Middle East
 All those killed because of oppression, gun violence, hatred, war, or the color of their skin.

Tell us how we did!  Please fill out the form on our Survey page by clicking here or by scanning the QR Code below:
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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
Director of Music:  Wes Nagy
​Pianist:  Molly Sturges
Cellist:   Jan Hyer
Bookkeeper:  David Smith
Vestry
Sr. Warden:  Jennifer Haynes
Jr. Warden: Bryan Garrison
Clerk:  Betsy Holcomb
 
Vestry:  Teri Culletto, Karen Huff, Lew Laskaris, 
Ginger Martin Duarte, Maranda Post

​ASSISTING IN OUR WORSHIP
 
Videographer & Curator: Karen Huff
Zoom Hosts:  The Rev’d Ribbons Harris & Karen Huff
Hospitality: Lorraine Clark, Joan Merry & members of the parish
Readers and Intercessors: Teri Culletto, Carolyn Eddy, Ribbons Harris,
Jennifer Haynes, John Hickey, Karen Huff, Faith Laskaris, 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 Hadyn, 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 • 34 Woodlawn Avenue • Vineyard Haven MA 02568
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www.graceepiscopalmv.org • 508 693-0332