Grace Church of Martha's Vineyard
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The Second Sunday after the Epiphany

​Grace Episcopal Church, Martha’s Vineyard
 
January 15, 2023 at 10:00 am


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.

Welcome
 
Throughout the service, the people joining via zoom remain muted, but join in the responses in bold in the bulletin.​

Hymn Lift Every Voice and Sing (LEVAS) 12 Come we that love the Lord
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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
 
Celebrant
 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 S277
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The Collect of the Day

​Celebrant        God be with you.
People             And also with you.
Celebrant        Let us pray.
 
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.
The Lessons

The First Reading: Isaiah 49:1-7

Listen to me, O coastlands,
     pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The Lord called me before I was born,
     while I was in my mother's womb he named me.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
     in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
     in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, “You are my servant,
     Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
But I said, “I have labored in vain,
     I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the Lord,
     and my reward with my God.”

And now the Lord says,
     who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
     and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the sight of the Lord,
     and my God has become my strength--
he says,
     “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
     and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
     that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Thus says the Lord,
     the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
     the slave of rulers,
“Kings shall see and stand up,
     princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
     the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

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

​Psalm 40: 1-2, read by John Hickey  
​
1  I waited patiently upon the Lord; *
   he stooped to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay; *
   he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
   a song of praise to our God; *
   many shall see, and stand in awe,
   and put their trust in the Lord.
4 Happy are they who trust in the Lord! *
   they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods.
5 Great things are they that you have done, O Lord my God!
   how great your wonders and your plans for us! *
   there is none who can be compared with you.
6 Oh, that I could make them known and tell them! *
   but they are more than I can count.
7 In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure *
   (you have given me ears to hear you);
8 Burnt-offering and sin-offering you have not required, *
   and so I said, "Behold, I come.
9 In the roll of the book it is written concerning me: *
   'I love to do your will, O my God;
   your law is deep in my heart."'
10 I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation; *
   behold, I did not restrain my lips;
   and that, O Lord, you know.
11 Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart;
   I have spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance; *
   I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the great congregation.

12 You are the Lord; do not withhold your compassion from me; *
​   
let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ever.

The Second Reading: read by Faith Laskaris

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

P
aul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:


Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind-- just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you-- so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

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

Hymn 707 Take my life and let it be
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The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John (1:29-42) 

People    Glory to you, Lord Christ

John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
​

The Gospel of the Lord.
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 VI, read by Mardi Moran 
 
The Leader and the 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 Michael, our Presiding Bishop; for Alan and Carol, 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 loving‑kindness 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
 
Celebrant        The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People             And also with you.

Announcements

Hymn 490 I want to walk as a child of the light
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​The Doxology

​Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

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:

Sanctus S124 Holy, holy, holy Lord
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Celebrant       
And so, Father, 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 oureyes 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


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.
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.
The Breaking of the Bread
Celebrant            Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
People                 Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
Agnus Dei  S161  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 each one of us that God sent God’s Only-Begotten Son into the world for all of us.
 
[Silence is kept]

Celebrant:  The gifts of God for the people of God.

Hymn LEVAS 64 I love to tell the story
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Postcommunion Prayer
 
Celebrant and People
 
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 118 Brightest and best of the stars of the morning
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Dismissal
 Leader      Go in peace to serve the Lord.
People       Thanks be to God.

Sunday Prayers
Michael, our Presiding Bishop; Alan and Carol, our Bishops
Stephen, Storm, and Sharon, our Priests
The Very Reverend Amy McCreath & the Cathedral Congregation of St. Paul
The Manna Community
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
 
The people of Ukraine; the people of Iran
All Refugees
 
For our planet
All those affected by climate change
​
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
 
We pray for all those who are sick with Covid-19; the Flu, or RSV and those who are caring for them

Those working to address racial injustice
 
The Campers, Counselors, and Staff of Camp Jabberwocky; The People of Pine Ridge
 
Andy, Becky Luce, Bill & Marie, Bob & Lydia
Christine & Richard, Deanna, Debbie and Alan,
Gerry, Ginger, Jackie, Janice, Jeff,
The Landry family,
Lester & Betsy, Lyric
Margaret, Mark, Maureen Mullen, Sarah
Bill, Deborah & Marcia
 
Pat, Paul, Phyllis, Ralph, Shauna White Smith,
Suzanne Goldstein, Tara, Ted, Tyler, William
 
Those who have died and their families:  
John Silva, Riley, Robert Clark, David Duarte,
Milka Babac, Peter Freeman
 
All those killed because of oppression, gun violence,
hatred, or the color of their skin

​Notice of the 2023 Annual Parish Meeting 
 
The Annual Parish Meeting of Grace Church will be held on Sunday, January 22nd, after the 10am service.  There will be one service that Sunday, in order that we may gather as one to conduct the business of the Parish.  Lunch will be offered – please contact Lorraine Clark or Joan Merry for suggestions on what to bring. 
 
The Agenda includes the approval of the Minutes of our last Annual Parish Meeting; approval of the Reports of Committees; the 2023 Budget; and the election of New Vestry Officers and Members.  

GRACE CHURCH
Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts
(508) 693-0332

Rector:
Priest Associates:

​Parish Administrator:
​Director of Music:
Sexton:

Cellist:
Bookkeeper:
The Reverend Stephen Harding
The Rev'd Sharon Eckhardt
The Rev'd Dr. Storm Swain
Heather Raveling
​Wes Nagy

Christopher Berry
Jan Hyer
​David Smith
Vestry

Warden: Lorraine Clark
Treasurer: Jon Bates
Clerk of the Vestry: Deborah Medders
​

​Vestry Members:
Glenn Alberich, Fala Freeman, Bryan Garrison, Jennifer Haynes, Karen Huff

​ASSISTING IN OUR WORSHIP
 
Videographer & Curator: Karen Huff
Zoom Hosts:  The Rev’d Ribbons Harris & Karen Huff

Hospitality: Lorraine Clark, Joan Merry
Readers:  John Hickey, Faith Laskaris, Mardi Moran

Intercessor:  The Rev’d Ribbons Harris
Singers:  Abby Bates, Rev. Sharon Eckhardt, David Grey,
Rev. Stephen Harding,
 ​John Hickey, Sarah Ream, Trudy Russell
​
Ushers:  Lorraine Clark, Bebee Green
PO Box 1197 • 34 Woodlawn Avenue • Vineyard Haven MA 02568
​
www.graceepiscopalmv.org • 508 693-0332
  • WELCOME
    • Contact Us
  • Leadership
  • Annual Report 2023
  • Online Sunday Services at Grace
    • The Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany February 5, 2023
    • Fourth Sunday After the Epiphany January 29, 2023
    • Sung Compline
    • Third Sunday after the Epiphany January 22, 2023
    • The Second Sunday after the Epiphany, January 15, 2023
  • Church and Faith
    • Our Three-Year Plan
    • Weddings
    • Mission of Grace and Who We Are
    • History of Grace Church
  • Climate Change
  • Photographs
  • 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 and More
    • Community Suppers
    • Summer Lobster Rolls
  • Playground
  • The Tisbury Connection