Easter 5 2021 Bishop Andy Doyle

Blessed be God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

There is one body in God's call to us.

Oops, sorry.

So there you go.

We're just everything, anything, and we start it over and then I'll say my part.

There is I was like, I have to say that.

There's one body and one spirit.

One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

Almighty God, you all hearts.

All the spirit.

And from you.

And worthily sanctified and fully through Christ our Lord.

The Lord be with you.

Let us pray.

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life.

Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life.

That we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life.

Through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Please be seated for our first lesson.

A reading from Acts.

An angel of the Lord said to Philip, Get up and go toward the south, to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.

This is a wilderness road.

So he got up and went.

Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury.

He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home.

Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

Then the spirit said to Philip, Go over to this chariot and join it.

So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah.

He asked, Do you understand what you are reading?

He replied, How can I unless someone guides me?

And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.

Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this.

So he does not open his mouth.

In his humiliation, justice was denied him.

Who can describe his generation?

For his life is taken away from the earth.

The eunuch asked Philip, About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this?

About himself or about someone else?

Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus.

As they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, Look, here is water.

What is to prevent me from being baptized?

He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away.

The eunuch saw him no more and went on his way, rejoicing.

But Philip found himself at Azotis, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to God's people.

A reading from Psalm 22.

We'll read responsively at the half-verse.

My praise is of God in the great assembly.

I will look upon my house and pray praise to those who worship the Lord.

The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and those who seek the Lord shall give praise.

All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to God.

For sovereignty belongs to the Lord.

To the Lord alone, all who sleep in the earth bow down and worship.

My descendants shall serve the Lord.

They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn.

Beloved, let us love one another because love is from God.

Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

Whoever who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

God's love was revealed among us in this way.

God sent his only son into the world so that we might live through him.

In this is love.

Not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another.

No one has ever seen God.

If we love one another, God lives in us and this love is perfected in us.

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us because he has given us of his spirit.

And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his son as the Savior of the world.

God abides to those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God and they abide in God.

So we have known and believed the love that God has for us.

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.

Love has been perfected among us in this, that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.

That fear has to do with punishment.

And whoever fears not reach perfection in love, we love because he first loved us.

Those who say I love God and hate their brothers and sisters are liars.

For those who do not love a brother or a sister whom they have seen cannot love God whom they have not seen.

The commandment we have is from him, is this.

Abide in me, as I abide in you.

Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.

I am the vine.

You are the branches.

Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.

Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers.

Such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and will be done for you.

My father is glorified by this that you all bear much fruit and become my disciples.

The gospel of the Lord.

Heavenly Father, I humbly beseech you to see before you a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, and a sinner of your own redeeming.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

It is perhaps an odd thing to hear in church this Sunday, in part because we've all been working so very hard to get back in.

But the book of Acts is very clear.

Go out, it says.

Probably took months to plan, a lot of money, and he too knew the dangers of going on the road, the only road by which he could get there.

Once he got to Jerusalem, it's important to understand that he was not allowed into the most religious areas of the city because of his body.

Yet the eunuch went away.

He went to Jerusalem to worship.

At least he could be closer than he was if he was in Ethiopia.

So he was faithful.

The eunuch is now on his way home.

He is wealthy because, well, we would have known that he was wealthy because he worked for the court, but we also know that he's wealthy because he has a scroll to read.

He can read and is reading.

He's seated in the chariot, which probably means the chariot's moving.

Probably that he had a driver.

So he's making his way down the road.

And Philip is told, as he sees him, to join him.

And so he probably, I want you to imagine your mind, runs up to the chariot.

So here is the image, the chariot and the eunuch and driver traveling along this deserted road in the wilderness, Philip running beside it, and he hears the man reading aloud.

Well, that's partly because we know that people didn't read to themselves until the 17th century.

The man is reading Isaiah, Philip knows.

And so this is his moment.

He says, Do you know what you're reading?

Perhaps the scroll was new, perhaps he liked it, even though the eunuch didn't understand it.

The powerful and wealthy man realizes this is an important moment for himself, I imagine, and he invites Philip to get in the chariot.

Come up to a higher place.

Philip gets in, and the eunuch begins to pepper him with questions.

Similar to today's, you know, Christianette hour, I imagine.

Maybe not as tough.

Philip does what Jesus does, though, on the road to Emmaus in every resurrection account, Philip simply opens the scriptures to the eunuch.

He tells them what is happening about God's story, the deliverance of God's people, but also the deliverance that Christ undertakes through crucifixion and resurrection for all people.

And as they travel, they come to water.

And it is the eunuch who says, not Philip, the eunuch who says, Why can't I be baptized?

The eunuch stops the chariot, the eunuch goes into the water, Philip joins him there, and Philip takes, is then immediately taken away.

Goes somewhere else.

Or the mission takes him.

Now, there are here a few important missional practices, I think.

We, as part of God's community, are invited to go like Philip.

We are invited to go into the wilderness, outside the comfort of our home and the comfort of our home church.

We are invited to meet others, no matter who they are, where they're from, how they appear.

And even if they're headed away from us, we are invited to run alongside.

We're invited to walk with them in their pilgrimage wherever they are going.

To be curious about them, where they're from, what have they been up to?

What are they reading?

We are to listen to them and we are to wait to be invited to share the gospel of grace.

So oftentimes I think Christians think we're supposed to go out and just start telling people stuff.

But this gives us a different idea.

We're supposed to wait and walk, in other words, to have a friendship, a relationship, then to allow the conversation to bubble up from that.

And then we should always be ready to baptize, not only to offer the grace and love that's in us, but willing to invite others to come and be baptized if they are eager.

We're reminded that in this passage that no formation is needed for baptism.

No formation at all.

Baptism is free.

Baptism is about you believing that God loves you and the church saying, God loves you, so we will baptize you.

That's what baptism does.

It doesn't require you to receive some kind of mindful acceptance of all 39 articles and the commandments and all that.

It just says, Do you believe God loves you?

And if you do, then what's baptize you and confirm that God loves you as the church?

This is our work.

Now there are lots of other models of evangelism recorded in Scripture.

There's no question about that.

This is one form, but it does mean that we should ask ourselves, what does it mean for us?

It would be easy to think that this is simply about what it means for us living our church lives, but I want to argue that it's really just about us and how we live our life, how we walk with others, how we befriend them, how we are ready to offer ourselves and our experience of the loving God.

That's what 1 John tells us is to see that God loves and that anybody who loves is God, that that's connected deeply, and to be willing to go into the wilderness.

And I will tell you, probably the more uncomfortable you feel, the more you are likely on the right road.

That's the story of Philip, you see.

Sometimes we think it's supposed to be easy, right?

Sometimes we think, oh, this should be just flow.

It shouldn't be uncomfortable.

No, it's uncomfortable.

You're gonna go someplace with somebody you probably never expected to be in line with.

At the grocery store, at the Chick-fil-A, I don't know where it's gonna happen, at a friend's house.

As soon as COVID's over, a whole world's gonna open up for you.

And are you ready?

Are you ready for the discomfort that God's inviting you into?

To share the gospel of grace, to be revelation yourself.

In this particular mission and paradigm, we may invite, but we also need to wait.

And wait for those in our lives to desire, to desire a confirmation of God's love for them.

And that's when we can talk about baptism.

In fact, it's one of the most important things that I ask those who can answer for themselves.

Do you desire to be baptized?

Philip has merely revealed the gospel of grace to the eunuch.

That's all.

Do you believe in God's love?

Do you trust in him?

Do you want to live a life where you won't do any evil?

These are the questions.

We need formation, no question about it.

Especially as we consider how we might make our witness.

The reality of growing in faith and our own understanding of the work, of the mission itself, of the service of evangelism, how to help take care of others.

But I would suggest our message from Acts invites us to be curious about our mission, to be mindful.

It suggests that healthy ministries and healthy mission always involves going out and bearing witness to the love that's in you.

Waiting for people to be curious, just as you are curious about them.

And to understand that going and baptizing are the primary pieces of work that the church undertakes.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

As we approach the sacrament of new birth together as a congregation, I'm going to ask that our uh baptismal candidates, their parents and godparents, stand in place.

I'll come to you for the lines, and because we're doing a lot today.

So if you'll stand in place, I'll I'll come to you for the presentation, and then when we're and then we'll come up when it's time.

The candidates for holy baptism will now be presented.

I present Christopher John Kern to receive the sacrament of baptism.

Christopher, do you desire to be baptized?

I present Julian Joseph Clark to receive the sacrament of baptism.

Will you be responsible, parents and godparents, family members, for seeing that the child Julian is brought up in the Christian faith and life?

With God's help, thanks be to God.

Will you, by your prayer and witness, help Julian to grow into the full stature of Christ?

This is for everybody in the room, quite honestly.

This is an opportunity for us all to get in on this together.

Do you renounce Satan and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God?

Do you renounce the evil powers of this world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God?

Do you renounce all sinful desires that draw you from the love of God?

Do you turn to Jesus Christ, return to Jesus Christ, and accept him as your Savior?

Do you put your whole trust in his goodness and love?

Do you promise to follow and obey him as your Lord?

This is again for everybody.

Will you perish at St.

Thomas, family and friends, known or unknown?

Will you who have witnessed these vows do all in your power to support Christian, Christopher and Julian in their lives in Christ?

So the candidates for confirmation and reception and reaffirmation will now be presented.

And I'm just going to ask you, confirmants, please stand in place for now and we'll call you to the rail when it's time.

Confirmants for confirmation, reception and reaffirmation.

So, Bishop, I present to you Richard Gadetti, Elisa Medina O'Neill, Amber Patrick, and Landon Waidle for confirmation.

Wonderful.

And for reception.

I present to you Ann Hasselmo, Glaciella Cavula, and Tim Cavula to be received into this communion.

And for reaffirmation.

I present to you Ned and Jean Ewing, Darlene Hunter, and Julia Triple.

Thank you.

And will you who witness the vows of these who are to be reaffirmed, uh, will you support them in their life in Christ?

We will.

We will.

Thank you.

So let us join with those who are committing themselves to Christ and renew our own baptismal covenant.

Do you believe in God the Father?

Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

The Holy Spirit.

Will you proclaim by word and example the good news of God and Christ?

Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?

And will you strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being?

Then let us now pray for these persons who are to receive the sacrament of new birth and for those who have renewed their commitment to Christ.

Deliver them, O Lord, from the way of sin and death.

Open their hearts to your grace and truth.

Fill them with your holy and life-giving spirit.

Keep them in the faith and communion of your holy church.

Teach them to love others in the power of the Spirit.

Send them into the world in witness to your love.

Bring them to the fullness of your peace and glory.

Grant, O Lord, that all who are baptized into the death of Jesus Christ, your Son, may live in the power of his resurrection and look for him to come again in glory, who lives and reigns now and forever.

Amen.

The Lord be with you.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

We thank you, Almighty God, for the gift of water.

Over it, the Holy Spirit moved in the beginning of creation.

Through it, you led the children of Israel out of their bondage in Egypt into the land of promise.

In it, your son Jesus received the baptism of John and was anointed by the Holy Spirit as the Messiah, the Christ to lead us through his death and resurrection from the bondage of sin into everlasting life.

We thank you, Father, for the water of baptism.

In it we are buried with Christ in his death.

By it we share in his resurrection.

Through it we are reborn by the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, in joyful obedience to your Son, we bring into his fellowship those who come to him in faith, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Now sanctify this water, we pray you by the power of your Holy Spirit.

That those who here are cleansed from sin and born again may continue forever in the risen life of Jesus Christ our Savior.

To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit be all honor and glory now and forever.

Amen.

Christopher and Margaret, will you come, please?

Come on around behind with me.

Christopher, I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Let's sing Christopher into the family of God.

If you want to, come on up, we can have a bullpen.

Oh my gosh.

Oh my sorry to wake you up.

Oh my goodness.

Okay.

There we go.

Julian, I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Julian, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as God's very own forever and ever.

Let's sing Julian into the family of God.

Heavenly Father, we thank you that by water and the Holy Spirit you have bestowed upon these your servants the forgiveness of sin and have raised them to the new life of grace.

Sustain them, O Lord, in your Holy Spirit, give them an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to persevere, the Spirit to know and to love you, and the gift of joy and wonder in all your works.

Amen.

Let us welcome the newly baptized together.

We receive you into the household of God, confess the faith of Christ crucified, proclaim his resurrection, and share with us in his eternal priesthood.

Almighty God, we thank you that by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ, that you have overcome sin and brought us to yourself, and that by the sealing of your Holy Spirit you have bound us to your service.

Renew in these your servants the covenant you made with them at their baptism, and send them forth in the power of that spirit to perform the service that you set before them through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

So I'm going to have our comprehensions come first.

So Richard, Elisa, Amber, and Landon.

And just come up here and you can kneel just right across the altar here with plenty of space for everybody.

And then I'll just I'll be the one who moves.

That way you don't have to worry about time.

Eliza, right?

Elisa.

I knew it was different, and I wanted to make sure I got her Elisa.

Defend, O Lord, your servant Elisa, with your heavenly grace, that she may continue yours forever.

And daily increase in your Holy Spirit more and more until she comes to your everlasting kingdom.

Amen.

Defend, O Lord, your servant Richard with your heavenly grace, that he may continue yours forever.

And daily increase in your Holy Spirit more and more until he comes to your everlasting kingdom.

Amen.

And you are landed.

Said that right?

Okay, good.

Defend, O Lord, your servant, Landon, with your heavenly grace.

That he may continue yours forever and daily increase in your Holy Spirit more and more until he comes to your everlasting kingdom.

Amen.

Defend, O Lord, your sermon Amber with your heavenly grace.

And she may continue yours forever and daily increase in your Holy Spirit more and more until she comes to your everlasting kingdom.

Amen.

Nice to meet you.

Now I'm going to call the candidates for reception.

So Ann, Tim, Graciela.

Okay, now you two, we're going to do this a little differently.

So you hold up, and you two come over here to me.

And Tim, we're going to get you to give that to Graciela.

Did I say that right?

Graciela.

Okay.

Tim, let me have your hands here.

We do this one differently.

Tim, we recognize you as a member of Christ's one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

And we receive you into the fellowship of this committee.

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you forevermore.

Okay, now we're a trade back.

Graciella, give me those hands.

Graciella, we recognize you as a member of Christ One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

And we receive you into the fellowship of this communion.

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless God and uphold you now in the past.

Welcome.

Thank you for that.

Okay.

We recognize you as a member of Christ One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

And we receive you into the fellowship of this communion.

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless preserve, and guide you right now and always.

Amen.

And now I will present to you the candidates for reaffirmation.

So Jean and Ned, Darlene and Julia.

All right.

No, you're just right here.

This is good.

You don't have to kneel.

You already did that.

All right here.

Good.

Okay.

Now help me.

No name tag, so help me.

Ned, Ned, let me have your hand.

Same thing as every time.

Ned, the Holy Spirit has become a good work in you.

May the Holy Spirit continue to uphold you the service of Christ.

Darling sugar.

Julia?

The Holy Spirit has been gone to that point.

The Holy Spirit to hold you service of Christ.

The amazing thing about reaffirmations is when you look in people's eyes and you know it's well lived.

And to come forward and ask for a reaffirmation and saying those words, I don't know each of your story, but God is amidst your life and doing something powerful.

And so what a blessing to be a part of that today.

Thank you.

I don't know if you all know this.

Normally, when we do confirmation, when you're standing behind the confirmands, your family stands with you.

I don't know if you know this, you're all standing.

Thank you for standing behind our confirmands for those who have reaffirmed their vows for those who were received.

Exactly.

You bear witness to the promises of supporting them in a very real and embodied way.

Now, the confirmation service and baptism all concludes with this last prayer before we have our service at the table.

It is a blessing prayer.

It's called a paternal blessing.

And it's meant for me to convey to you God's blessing upon everybody that's reaffirmed their vows.

All of you did that together.

We all renounced Satan, we all said the blessings.

And so really, it is a blessing for all of you.

And just simply invite you to do what we do in our church when we receive a blessing, which is to bow our heads.

Almighty and ever living God, let your fatherly hand ever be over these your servants.

Let your Holy Spirit ever be with them.

And so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of your word that they may serve you in this life and dwell with you in the life to come through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

Thank you.

Just for a second here, I know that Mike has some announcements for you.

It's good to be with you today.

My name, in case you don't know, my name is Andy Doyle.

I'm the bishop of the Diocese of Texas.

That job requires that I'm in a different church every Sunday, all across 57 counties.

And so I travel a lot.

I was here last about five years ago.

And so it's good to be back with you.

I was telling everybody on Sunday school this morning that my favorite thing is being with everybody on Sunday who loves the church enough to baptize, confirm, and like it's always this great affirmation of the wonderful thing that we as Episcopalians are as community, and what a gift that is to me in my own life and ministry.

So I am excited about being with you, even in this weird state of being in the presence and online.

I want to say, just before I turn it over to Mike, how grateful I am for you all.

You've got a school here, you've got a church.

It's hard work to navigate this pandemic, to keep people safe, to undertake leadership that basically nobody likes.

You know?

I can't wait to get out of these mass.

Oh my gosh, right?

We'd probably get an amen in the Episcopal Church for that.

But we're gonna make it.

We're gonna get on the other side.

We're gonna get there safely.

We will not have any community spread.

That's the kind of care that we've taken.

That's an amazing thing.

Have we lost people?

We've lost a lot of dear ones to this disease and this diocese.

Some churches more than others.

It's been rather tragic, actually.

But I'm grateful for you for your stewardship, your commitment to this church, for leaning in instead of leaning out, uh, for believing that if we stuck together across all of our divides, we actually could make it through this.

What a gift that is.

Not just to me, but I say that as a bishop.

That's a gift to the church.

That's a gift that ensures this church will be there in the future.

And I've been proud to join with you and make sure that we had resources to partner with you on your uh online stuff, on your technology, but also to help underwrite some of your budget.

We've been happy to do that.

But it's because of you and the people uh that you are.

And so what a what gratitude I have for you today.

Truly, thank you.

Mike?

Thank you.

Welcome to our visitors and guests.

You may not have known you were coming to a wonderful day, and here you are.

And um we would be most grateful.

In the room right behind us, we call the Narthex.

On these two little tables are some cards that say welcome.

And if you're new to this or you haven't done this before, we would ask if you just fill one of those out and drop it in the basket so we have a record of your visit.

Thanks for worshiping with us today.

Um, there are a few announcements I'd I'd like to make known.

Um, some of these are already in your mind, but um good things to celebrate.

Yesterday we did the most creative uh use of our portachet yet.

It was raining, so we distributed food under the portico.

And on a rainy day, still serving 75 vehicles that represent more than 350 people was amazing.

And what you may not know is that there were five children doing this.

What I love about it is these parents of these children said, we want our children to serve and nobody else will let them.

Thank you for mentoring children in the right way.

It was beautiful to behold, absolutely beautiful.

Um, couple announcements just to make known that are upcoming for us.

Um, reminder that this Wednesday we're starting our book study of Dolores Williams' book, uh, Sisters in the Wilderness.

Uh, Dolores Williams was uh the beginning of something called a womanist read.

If you're not sure of that term, that's black feminism.

Uh it's very different from white feminism.

So if you're interested in learning more about Sisters in the Wilderness and uh womanism, we'll start this on Wednesday from 9 to 10 in the morning.

And if you can't make it, we record these and put them on the YouTube channel, and uh we're able to interact questions and comments through email as well and bring everybody together as best as we can.

It's a four-week study, and again, it begins this Wednesday at 9.

Um, I want to raise uh to your attention a couple of things uh to celebrate as well.

Number one, you you all may not know this.

Uh, some of you were there, some of you weren't.

It is tremendously delightful as a clergy person that a bishop will take time on an open forum and answer whatever questions people choose to ask.

And people chose to ask rather difficult questions this morning.

Uh thank you for agreeing to that.

It was lovely to be a part of.

We have another delightful celebration, and I am really grateful I was able to be there in person.

Many of you realize what an honor it is to have Garmin Ashby at our parish because, among other things, he's a fellow in the Royal Society of Music, but as of Friday, he is also Episcopal High School's Teacher of the Year.

Uh so huge congratulations to Garmin.

Um, one other update as a reminder, um, it would be my personal pleasure to reconnect with you or connect with the first time.

So I continue to try to make home visits outside.

You can come to my house.

I would be grateful to have time with you and your family.

It's called a non-essential clergy visit.

But it's very important to me.

So please do take me up on it.

I've done about 35 of these, and I look forward to doing several more as we roll on through the summer so that we can reconnect after a tough year.

The best way to do that is call or email or just let me know at the door and we'll we'll figure something out.

Continue to walk in love.

As Christ first loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.

Descend with all your gracious house.

Oh calm grace.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is truly right to glorify you, Father, and to give you thanks, for you alone are God, living and true dwelling and light and accessible from before time and forever.

Fountain of life and source of all goodness.

You made all things and filled them with your blessing.

You created them to rejoice in the splendor of your radiance.

Countless throngs of angels stand before you to serve you night and day, and beholding the glory of your presence, they offer you unceasing praise.

Joining with them and giving voice to every creature under heaven, we acclaim you and glorify your name as we sing.

Your mighty works reveal your wisdom and love.

You formed us in your own image, giving the whole world into our care, so that in obedience to you, our Creator, we might rule and serve all your creatures.

When our disobedience took us far from you, you did not abandon us to the power of death.

In your mercy you came to our help, so that in seeking you we might find you.

Again and again you called us into covenant with you, and through the prophets you taught us to hope for salvation.

Father, you love the world so much that in the fullness of time you sent your only Son to be our Savior.

Incarnate by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, he lived as one of us, yet without sin.

To the poor, he proclaimed the good news of salvation.

To prisoners, freedom.

To the sorrowful, joy.

To fulfill your purpose, he gave himself up to death and rising from the grave destroyed death and made the whole creation new, and that we might live no longer for ourselves, but for him who died and rose for us.

He sent the Holy Spirit his own first gift for those who believe to complete his work in the world, and to bring to fulfillment the sanctification of all.

When the hour had come for him to be glorified by you, his heavenly Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end, at supper with them.

This is my body which is given for you, and do this for the remembrance of me.

After supper, he took the cup of wine.

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.

Father, we now celebrate this memorial of our redemption, recalling Christ's death and descent among the dead, proclaiming his resurrection and ascension to your right hand, awaiting his coming in glory and offering to you from the gifts you have given us.

This bread and this cup, we praise you and we bless you.

We praise you, we bless you, we give thanks to you, and we praise you, Lord our God.

Lord, we pray that in your goodness and mercy your Holy Spirit may descend upon us, and upon these gifts, sanctifying them and showing them to be holy gifts for your holy people.

The bread of life and the cup of salvation, the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ.

Grant that all who share this bread and cup may become one body and one spirit, a living sacrifice in Christ to the praise of your name.

Remember, Lord, your one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, redeemed by the blood of your Christ, reveal its unity, guard its faith, and preserve it in peace.

Remember Michael, our presiding bishop, Hector, Jeff, and Kay, our bishops, and in the diocesan cycle of prayer, St.

Albans, Houston, St.

James, Houston, and St.

Luke the Evangelist of Houston, the priests in their communities and in our own.

Mike, Craig, Jim, Bill, and Lillian, and all who minister in your church.

Remember all your people.

Those especially who seek the truth.

Remember Chris and Sean and Jerome and Mark and Janice and Leslie.

Remember all who have died.

The peace of Christ.

And those whose faith is known to you alone, bring them into the place of eternal joy and light.

Grant that we may find our inheritance.

With all the saints who have found favor with you in ages past, we praise you in union with them and give you glory through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, all honor and glory are yours, Almighty God and Father, and the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever.

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 forever and ever.

Amen.

The Eucharist, both bread and wine by intention, if you choose, will begin here in this section.

If you'd like to receive the Eucharist or blessing, please come to the aisle closest to your right.

We'll come down in socially distanced intervals and return to your seat on the far side.

Oh, do you need other things?

No, but that's okay.

We'll do it when we get there.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

The body of Christ the Brad.

The body of Christ the Brad of Heaven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Heaven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Heaven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Heaven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Heaven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Heaven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Heaven.

The body of Christ, the Bread of Heaven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Heaven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Heaven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Heaven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Heaven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Haven.

The body of Christ Christ, the Brad of Haven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Haven.

The body of Christ the Brad of Haven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Haven.

The body of Christ, the Brad of Haven.

Eternal God, Heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as the living members of the Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food and 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.

Do not pray for easy lives, but pray instead to be stronger people for the living of life.

Do not pray for work or ministry that's equal to your gifts and talents, but instead pray for the gifts and talents that are needed for the work and ministry that's before you.

For when you pray this way, you see the work and the ministry will not be the miracle.

But instead you will be the miracle.

And every day you shall wonder at the grace and mercy and power and love that has come from God through you and to the world.

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be upon you and remain with you this day and forevermore.

Amen.