Processional: Hymnal #393

Praise Our Great and Gracious Lord

1 Praise our great and gracious Lord,
call upon his holy Name;
raising hymns in glad accord,
all his mighty acts proclaim:
how he leads his chosen
unto Canaan's promised land,
how the word we have heard
firm and changeless still shall stand.

2 God has given the cloud by day,
given the moving fire by night;
guides his Israel on their way
from the darkness into light.
God it is who grants us
sure retreat and refuge nigh;
light of dawn leads us on:
'tis the Dayspring from on high.

Opening Sentence p.76

Leader: Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and repents of evil.   Joel 2:13

Collect for Lent 2 p.218
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.

Confession of Sin p.79

Leader: Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of Almighty God our heavenly Father, to set forth his praise, to hear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and on behalf of others, those things that are necessary for our life and our salvation. And so that we may prepare ourselves in heart and mind to worship him, let us kneel in silence, and with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.

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.

Leader: (Kneeling) Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

The Invitatory and Psalter p.80

Leader: Please stand.

Leader: Lord, open our lips.

People: And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Leader and People:

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.

Leader: The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. Come let us adore him.

JubilatePsalm 100 p.82

Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *
    serve the Lord with gladness
    and come before his presence with a song.

Know this: The Lord himself is God; *
    he himself has made us, and we are his;
    we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise; *
    give thanks to him and call upon his Name.

For the Lord is good;
his mercy is everlasting; *
    and his faithfulness endures from age to age.

The Response is Psalm 121

We will pray the Psalm in unison.

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.

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.

A Reading from the Book of Genesis (12:1-4a)

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

Thanks be to God

Canticle 9 The First Song of Isaiah p.86

Leader and People:

Surely, it is God who saves me; *

I will trust in him and not be afraid.

For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, *

and he will be my Savior.

Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *

from the springs of salvation.

And on that day you shall say, *

Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;

Make his deeds known among the peoples; *

see that they remember that his Name is exalted.

Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *

and this is known in all the world.

Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *

for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.

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.

A reading from the Second Letter to the Romans (4:1-5, 13-17)

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

Canticle 15 The Magnificat p.91

Leader and People:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed: *

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him *

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm, *

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things, *

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers, *

to Abraham and his children for ever.

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.

Gradual: Hymnal #440

Blessed Jesus at Thy Word

1 Blessed Jesus, at thy word
we are gathered all to hear thee.
Let our hearts and souls be stirred
now to seek and love and fear thee.
By your gospel pure and holy,
teach us, Lord, to love thee solely.

2 All our knowledge, sense, and sight
lie in deepest darkness shrouded,
till thy Spirit breaks our night
with the beams of truth unclouded;
thou alone to God canst win us;
thou must work all good within us.

3 Glorious Lord, thyself impart!
Light of Light, from God proceeding,
open thou our ears and heart,
help us by thy Spirit's pleading.
Hear the cry thy church upraises;

hear and bless our prayers and praises.

The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ according to John 3:1-17

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.

“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.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Reflections

The Apostles' Creed p.96

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.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried.

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 of the People - Form II, p.385

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 Bishop(s)  ; 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.

Silence

I ask your prayers for all who seek God, or a deeper
knowledge of him.
Pray that they may find and be found by him.

Silence

I ask your prayers for the departed [especially ].
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
[especially  whom we remember today].
Pray that we may have grace to glorify Christ in our own day.

Silence

The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.

Leader: Almighty and eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully accept the prayers of your people, and strengthen us to do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer #50 for Birthdays

O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we
pray, on your servant N. as he begins another year. Grant
that he may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen his
trust in your goodness all the days of his life; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer #54 for those we Love

Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to thy
never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come,
knowing that thou art doing for them better things than we
can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer #18 for our Country

Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage:

We humbly beseech you that we may always prove ourselves a

people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will. Bless our land

with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save

us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and

arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and

fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of

many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those

to whom in your Name we entrust the authority of government, that

there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through

obedience to your law, we may show forth your praise among the

nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with

thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in you

to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Offertory: Choir Anthem

Doxology:
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host:
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

The Peace

Leader: The peace of the Lord be always with us.

People:And also with you.

Announcements

The Lord’s Prayer

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.

Fraction Anthem: Hymnal #S 156

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; 
therefore let us keep the feast.

Communion from the Reserved Sacrament

Leader: Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; 
People: therefore let us keep the feast.

Fraction  p. 407

Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)

(People respond antiphonally)
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:

have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:

have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:

grant us peace.

Leader: 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.

Leader: The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Communion: Hymnal #337

And Now, O Father, Mindful of Our Love

1 And now, O Father, mindful of the love
that bought us, once for all, on Calvary's tree,
and having with us him that pleads above,
we here present, we here spread forth to thee,
that only offering perfect in thine eyes,
the one true, pure, immortal sacrifice.

2 Look Father, look on his anointed face,
and only look on us as found in him;
look not on our misusings of thy grace,
our prayer so languid, and our faith so dim:
for lo! between our sins and their reward,
we set the passion of thy Son our Lord.

3 And then for those, our dearest and our best,
by this prevailing presence we appeal;
O fold them closer to thy mercy's breast!
O do thine utmost for their souls' true weal!
From tainting mischief keep them pure and clear,
and crown thy gifts with strength to persevere.

4 And so we come; O draw us to thy feet,
most patient Savior, who canst love us still!
And by this food, so awesome and so sweet,
deliver us from every touch of ill:
in thine own service make us glad and free,
and grant us nevermore to part from thee.

Post-Communion Prayer BCP pg. 365
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.

The General Thanksgiving p.101

Leader and People:

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to 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 love in 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 you in 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.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom p.102

Leader and People:

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

Blessing p.102

All standing in silence the Leader, dismisses them with these words

Leader: Let us bless the Lord

People: Thanks be to God.

Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

Recessional: Hymnal #473

Lift High the Cross

Refrain:
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
till all the world adore his sacred Name.

1. Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
the hosts of God in conquering ranks combine. [Refrain]

2. Each newborn servant of the Crucified
bears on the brow the seal of him who died. [Refrain]

3 O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
as thou hast promised, draw the world to thee. [Refrain]

4 So shall our song of triumph ever be:
praise to the Crucified for victory. [Refrain]

Dismissal