Welcome The Rt. Rev. Thomas James Brown, Bishop of Maine
The Opening Acclamation: The Rev. Katie Holicky
Celebrant Blessed be the one, holy, and living God,
People Glory to God for ever and ever.
The Collect of the Day
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Let us pray.
Set us free, heavenly God, from every bond of prejudice and fear; that, honoring the steadfast courage of your servant Absalom Jones, we may show forth in our lives the reconciling love and true freedom of the children of God, which you have given us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Song Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing Terry Foster & Vivian Boone Words: James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938)
Music: J. Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954)
Public Domain
1. Lift ev'ry voice and sing,
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the list'ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us;
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun
Of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.
2. Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chast'ning rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over away that with tears has been watered;
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered; Out from the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
3. God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who hast by thy might,
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee;
Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee,
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God, true to our native land.
The First Reading: Isaiah 42:5-9 Lynne Boston
A reading from the prophet Isaiah
Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord, that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to God's people.
People Thanks be to God.
Song Sweet, Sweet Spirit Lorraine Bohland & Terry Foster Words:
Doris Akers (b. 1922)
Music: Doris Akers
There's a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place,
And I know that it's the Spirit of the Lord.
There are sweet expressions on each face,
And I know they feel the presence of the Lord.
Refrain:
Sweet Holy Spirit, Sweet Heavenly Dove,
Stay right here with us, filling us with your love.
And for these blessings we lift our hearts in praise;
Without a doubt we'll know that we have been revived
when we shall leave this place.
There are blessings you cannot receive
Till you know Him in His fullness, and believe.
You're the one to profit when you say,
"I am going to walk with Jesus all the way."
Refrain
If you say He saved you from your sin,
Now you're weak, you're bound, and cannot enter in,
you can make it right if you will yield;
You'll enjoy the Holy Spirit that we feel.
Refrain
The Gospel John 15:12-15 The Rev. Carol L. Huntington Deacon
The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ according to John
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father."
Deacon The Gospel of the Lord
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon Yvonne O'Neal
The Nicene Creed The Rev. Douglas Beck From Enriching Our Worship
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,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
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,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who 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.
Prayers of the People Leslie Brancart Adapted from resources offered by the Beloved Community Initiative of the Diocese of Iowa
Leader Redeeming God, in a world of violence we acknowledge our own selfishness and prejudice, which are contrary to your all-embracing love. Help us to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with Christ, in respect for all your children.
People We pray for forgiveness and redemption; we pray for help and healing.
Leader Gracious God, mindful of our own need for your forgiveness and grace, enable us to be challenging yet compassionate towards those who show bigotry and commit racist violence. May their hatred and prejudice be overcome through the strength and liberation of your redeeming love.
People We pray for forgiveness and redemption; we pray for help and healing.
Leader Caring God, your Son Jesus showed solidarity with the weak and vulnerable. Touch with your love all those who have been the victims of racist violence. Heal their wounds of body, mind and spirit and lead them on the journey to justice and reparation.
People We pray for forgiveness and redemption; we pray for help and healing.
Leader Liberating God, you offer freedom to all people. Send your Holy Spirit to strengthen the victims of racist bullying, threats, persecution, and abuse. Break the bonds of fear and isolation, and empower us in our struggle.
People We pray for forgiveness and redemption; we pray for help and healing.
Leader Loving God, we pray for our church, our communities, our nation, and the world, asking for your love to be our guide in working toward justice and peace for all who are made in your image. Be present with those who suffer and receive in glory the souls of those departed from this earthly life.
People We pray for forgiveness and redemption; we pray for help and healing.
Leader Reconciling God, help us to overcome all our ethnic divisions. Increase our understanding of how to develop a truly inclusive culture. Most of all, this day and every day, challenge us to challenge racism.
People We pray for forgiveness and redemption; we pray for help and healing.
Leader God of justice, give us voice, take away our fear; shake up our prejudices and move us to a different place, so that we may stand on common ground with those who struggle for justice.
People Teach us to love. Teach us compassion. Above all, out of love and compassion, teach us to act.
Concluding Collect The Rev. Lauren Kay Celebrant O God of freedom and justice: we celebrate this day your servant, Absalom Jones, the first person of African Ancestry ordained in The Episcopal Church. Empower us to build a world where righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne as we
pray: O Lord, move us always to be thankful for your mercies, and to act as is becoming a people who owe so much to your goodness. We ask all these blessings and mercies, only in the Name of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Confession of Sin The Rev. Lauren Kay Adapted from resources offered by the Beloved Community Initiative of the Diocese of Iowa
Celebrant Let us confess our sins against God and one another.
All Almighty God, Source of all that is, Giver of every good gift:
You create all people in your image and call us to love one another as you love us. We confess that we have failed to honor you in the great diversity of the human family.
We have desired to live in freedom, while building walls between ourselves and others.
We have longed to be known and accepted for who we are, while making judgements of others based on the color of skin, or the shape of features, or the varieties of human experience.
We have tried to love our neighbors individually while yet benefitting from systems that hold those same neighbors in oppression.
Forgive us, Holy God. Give us eyes to see you as you are revealed in all people. Strengthen us for the work of reconciliation rooted in love.
Restore us in your image, to be beloved community, united in our diversity, even as you are one with Christ and the Spirit, Holy and undivided Trinity, now and forever.
Amen.
Absolution
Celebrant Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Peace Linda Ashe-Ford and Arthur Peck-Moad The peace of the Lord be always with you
People: And also with you
The Offertory Siyahamba (Marching in the Light of God) Edited by Ellis Montes
The Great Thanksgiving The Rev. Eleanor Prior Adapted from: A Service of Holy Eucharist celebrating the Feast of Absalom Jones
Celebrant God 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 our thanks and praise.
Celebrant Blessed be your name throughout the earth, Lord God, for you have created wonders and, from the beginning, have drawn every living thing into communion with you. In the bounty of your creation you fashioned land and sea, sun and stars, plants and animals, that we might know the constancy of your love for us. In covenant life you drew a people to yourself, to give and receive love in your name. In the fullness of time you drew near to us in your Son, to bind us to you in the promise of everlasting life. In every time and every place you offer us brothers and sisters and siblings with whom to live your ways of forgiveness and grace. In every age you surround us with a great company of saints that we might be bound to one another in this world that you so love. And so with the company of earth and heaven we praise your name and join the unending hymn.
All Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Celebrant God of holy unity, you are perfectly three and perfectly one; from many, make your people one in you. Sanctify your church around the world and transform our fractures into fruitfulness. Send your Holy Spirit upon this bread and this cup, that they may be for us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; who at supper with his disciples, took bread, gave you thanks, broke the bread, and gave it to them, saying, "Take, eat: this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
After supper he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "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. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
Great is the mystery of faith:
All Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Celebrant God the one Creator of us all, you gather us in one faith, one hope, one baptism. Draw near to your children when their lives are overshadowed by what divides. Where wars have not yet ceased, come quickly. Where hostility tears apart brothers and sisters and siblings, open your path of peace. Where the relationship between your people and your creation falters, renew our awe in the wonders you have made. Where your church's diversity fails to reflect the glorious kaleidoscope of your kingdom, lead us to greater love and wider mercy than we have ever before imagined. Hasten the day when we who share Christ's body will join him in perfect and holy communion, in the everlasting embrace of the Holy Spirit, as you draw all things to yourself, now and forever. Amen.
As our Savior Christ has taught us we now pray, The Callaway Family All
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.
Celebrant We break this bread to share in the Body of Christ.
All We who are many are one body, for we all share in the one bread. Celebrant The gifts of God for the people of God.
Invitation to a Spiritual Communion Thurl Headen Written by Ben Cooke
Beloved, a spiritual communion is a personal devotional that anyone can pray, expressing their desire to receive Holy Communion in this moment, but in which circumstances impede them from actually receiving Holy Communion. Since we are now apart, let us pray:
All Christ, you invite us to your feast, setting before us your hearts bread, and your life's wine. We long with all our souls to feast with you at the Altar, to taste and see the Lord's goodness today. Since we cannot now find union at the table, grant your presence spiritually. We offer you our all; hearts, lives and souls, that we may become eternally one. Amen.
Post-Communion Prayer Lucia Elder From: A Service of Holy Eucharist celebrating the Feast of Absalom Jones
Celebrant Let us Pray.
All Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image and nourishing us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood. Now send us forth a people, forgiven, healed, renewed; that we may proclaim your love to the world and continue in the risen life of Christ our Savior. Amen.
The Blessing The Rt. Rev. Thomas James Brown, Bishop of Maine
The Dismissal The Rev. Carol L. Huntington
Deacon Let us go forth into the world in the Love of Christ.
People Thanks be to God.
Closing Hymn Lead Me, Guide Me Randy Day, organ
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Participants from across the Episcopal Diocese of Maine, and beyond: The Rt. Rev. Thomas James Brown, Bishop of Maine
Linda Ashe-Ford, St. Paul's, Brunswick
The Rev. Douglas Beck, Priest-in-Charge, St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, Dover-Foxcroft Lynne Boston, St. George's Episcopal Church, Sanford
Leslie Brancart, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Brunswick
The Callaway Family: Chris, Beth, and Ben, St. Alban's Episcopal Church, Cape Elizabeth Lucia Elder, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Rockland
The Rev. Katie Holicky*, Assistant Rector, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Brunswick The Rev. Carol L. Huntington*, Deacon (Retired), Grace Church, Bath
Thurl Headen*, Head Verger, The Cathedral Church of Saint Luke, Portland The Rev. Lauren Kay*, Priest-in-Charge, St. George's Episcopal Church, Sanford Arthur Peck-Moad, St. Paul's Brunswick
Yvonne O'Neal***
The Rev. Eleanor Prior**, Canon Pastor, The Cathedral Church of Saint Luke, Portland
*Member of the Racial Justice Council
**Chair of the Racial Justice Council
***See full bio below
Musicians:
Lorraine Bohland
Vivian Boone
Randy Day, Music Ministry Director, St. Paul's Episcsopal Church, Brunswick Terry Foster, Church Musician, St Nicholas Episcopal Church, Scarborough "Siyahamba" recording featuring Episcopalians and friends, edited by Ellis Montes All music licensed for streaming through OneLicense #A-722473
Production Team:
Worship Designers: The Rev. Katie Holicky, Assistant Rector, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Brunswick and The Rev. Lauren Kay, Priest-in-Charge, St. George's Episcopal Church, Sanford
Music Editor: Phil Gilliam-Cuffee
Project Manager: Katie Clark, Director of Communications, Episcopal Diocese of Maine Video Editor: Mark Spahr, Consultant for Social Media, Episcopal Diocese of Maine
A note about worship: As a practice of justice all black, indigenious, people of color who are not members of our Diocese have been paid a full living wage for their contributions.
About Yvonne O'Neal
Yvonne O'Neal is committed to social justice and human rights advocacy and has found a platform on One Boat: International Chaplaincy for Covid Times. Yvonne is serving her first term on the Board of Trustees of the Church Pension Fund and The Church Club of New York. She is the Lay Representative to Province II Council and chair of the New York Deputation to the 79th and 80th General Convention.
A member of the Standing Committee of the Diocese of New York, she serves on the Task Force Against Human Trafficking and the Task Force on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. She chaired the Companion Diocese Committee for nine years and the Global Mission Commission for six. Yvonne has served on the board of Episcopal Church Women and on Diocesan Council. She was a member of the Advisory Council of the Anglican Communion Office at the United Nations.
She is a member of the NGO Committee to Stop Trafficking in Persons and the Executive Committee of NGO CSW/NY. A devoted layperson, she has been involved with practically every facet of life at the Church of the Holy Trinity, where she served various vestry terms and is a warden. At the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, Yvonne is a Verger and officiates at Morning Prayer on Fridays.
Yvonne has extensive experience as a financial consultant and holds various professional designations. She holds M.A. and B.S. degrees. Yvonne completed the Women's Leadership Institute at Hartford Seminary and received the Education for Ministry (EfM) certificate from the School of Theology, The University of the South.
