Altar Window, VTS Immanuel Chapel
‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong...Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Matthew 20: 13-16
A Message from Chuck & Joani
Last March, The Rt. Reverend Susan Goff, Bishop of Virginia, in response to the spread of Covid-19, called the Diocese to a "fast from public worship." As a way of loving our neighbor and protecting the most vulnerable, Emmanuel continues to pray and sing digitally at home. With the Bishop's permission, outdoor Morning Prayer also has begun at the VTS Chapel Garden (Registration is required.) Online and outdoor worship will continue in tandem, with Zoom Coffee Hour at 11:30 a.m. providing fellowship for all.
Emmanuel at Home Morning Prayer, along with scripture, music and an offertory, includes two homilies, one for adults and one for children (text, audio & video.)
The homilist for today's service is The Rev. Joani Peacock and features hymns: "All Creatures of Our God & King", "Dwelling Place", and "If Ye Love Me."
Also included is piano performance by Ryan Fitch, "Amazing Grace/How Great Thou Art."
To add or remove a name from the prayer list, please, email Nancy Dupree. For “announcements” check your Thursday inbox, for Emmanuel’s weekly e-news.
Though we worship apart, we are still One Body, in communion with Christ and one another. Feel free to share with family and friends!
Morning Prayer: Rite II
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Ordinary Time
The service continues with these sentences of Scripture.
Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling.
Psalm 43:3
The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.
Habakkuk 2:20
Confession of Sin
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept.
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.
Prayer of acceptance for God's forgiveness of our sins.
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 in eternal life. Amen.
The Invitatory
Lord, open our lips. And our mouths shall proclaim your praise. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him.
Venite Psalm 95:1-7
Come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the caverns of the earth,
and the heights of the hills are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands have molded the dry land.
Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee,
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!
The Lessons
Exodus 16:2-15
The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.” So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”
Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’“ And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’“
In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
Canticle: The First Song of Isaiah Ecce, Deus
Isaiah 12:2-6
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.
Matthew 20:1-16
Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
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 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.
Prayers of Intercession
Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your minsters with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
Confident in God's love, we pray for the church, the world and all who are in need.
Generous God, you make the last first, and the first last. Inspire us to take up the Gospel's challenge and equip us for service and ministry in your name. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Generous God, nothing of the earth, the sky, and the sea, is outside of your concern. In your mercy, shield and protect first responders, residents, business owners, and all who are impacted by the devastating wildfires in the Northwest and the multiple storms brewing in the Gulf and the Atlantic. Uphold and comfort all who grieve the loss of land, lives, and livelihoods. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Generous God, help us to break down barriers in our community, enable us to see the reality of racism and bigotry, and hatred in all its forms. Free us to challenge and uproot all forms of racism from ourselves, our society and our world. We pray especially for the just resolution of senseless shootings; for those killed and injured in the protests; for the police officers shot in Los Angeles and the safety of law enforcement; and for the restoration of calm and the cessation of violence across the nation. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Jewish Prayer of Mercy
Generous G-d, full of mercy, who dwells in the heights, provide a sure rest upon the Divine Presence's wings for your beloved daughter Ruth Bader Ginsberg, who passed away on the Eve of Rosh Hashanah. Therefore, the Master of Mercy will protect her forever, from behind the hiding of his wings, and will tie her soul with the rope of life. The Everlasting is her heritage, and she shall rest peacefully upon his lying place, and let us say. Amen.
Generous God, we uplift in prayer little Elijah Evan, born early to Tom and Katie Sibley. Enfold this family with your grace. Be ever present in the hearts and hands of all who continue to care for him, that daily Elijah grow in health and wholeness, knit together in your love. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Generous God, surround with your healing grace: Seth, Christian, the Berry family, Eric, Wilfred, Doug, Carol, Tom, Loretta, Elizabeth, Bonnie, Ralph, Barrett, Jennifer, April, Cindy, Timothy, Tom, Joe, Christa, Liam, Tony, June, Nancy, Jeff, Leslie, Peggy, Sally, Katie, Bucky, David, Peter, Erica, Chanelle, Larry, Beth, Doug, Bill, Enco, Macey, and the Rector-Jones family. Uphold those living with mental illness, struggling with addiction, victims of violence and survivors of abuse, and all impacted by Covid-19. Watch over all who provide comfort, care, hope and support in the fields of medicine, research, public health, and pastoral care. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Generous God, open our hearts to the concerns of the elderly, homeless and the hungry; children and youth at-risk returning to school; the isolated and the undocumented; minority communities, immigrants and refugees; the institutionalized and incarcerated; those with no sick leave and the uninsured; struggling businesses, service workers, and the unemployed. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Generous God, help us to honor all who keep open essential services: medical personnel and healthcare providers; hospital workers and home caregivers; first responders, paramedics and EMT's; utility, sanitation and custodial workers; teachers and counselors; metro, cab and ride-share drivers; airline and railroad personnel; grocery store staff and food service workers; postal service employees, delivery people and truck drivers; nursing home staff, pharmacists and veterinarians. We give thanks especially for the bravery of Kate, Chris, and Jacob and lifting up to God any others on your hearts and minds. We pray, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Generous God, shield from danger all who live and serve in harm’s way throughout the world; uplifting Jim, Byron, Devin, Michael and Ben; and for service members called to duty across the country aiding efforts to combat Covid-19. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Generous God, we mourn the tragic loss of 197,000+ souls in our country who have perished from Covid-19. Gather them into your kingdom, Lord, and comfort all who grieve for them. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Generous God, inspired by your unconditional love, we seek your guidance. Regardless of how the coming election turns out, help us to not hold hate, disdain, or ridicule for those who voted differently than ourselves. Whether we are pleased or upset about the outcome, we will seek to understand the concerns and aspirations of those who voted differently and will look for opportunities to work with people with whom we disagree. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Based on the Braver Angels' "With "Malice Toward None" pledge.)
Generous God, in the Anglican Cycle of Prayer we pray for the Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer we pray for the congregation, staff and clergy of St. John's and St. Paul's in West Point, St. Stephen's in Heathsville and St. Matthew's in Sterling. We pray especially for our partner parish Ste. Croix in Léogâne, Haiti and for Emmanuel’s refugee ministry with the Latifi family. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Here you may add your own prayers for family, community, church and world.
The Collects
A Collect for Grace
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day. Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for Schools
Eternal God, bless all preschools, schools, colleges and universities, as they wrestle with how best to serve their students, parents, and families and protect their faculty and staff, reopen their campuses and teach online. May they remain lively places for sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom; and grant those who teach and learn may find you to be the source of all truth; through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Amen.
A Prayer of Julian of Norwich
In you, Father almighty, we have our preservation and our bliss. In you Christ, we have our restoring and our saving. You are our mother, brother, and savior. In you, our Lord, the Holy Spirit, is marvelous and plenteous grace. You are our clothing; for love you wrap us and embrace us. You are our maker, our lover, our keeper. Teach us to believe that by your grace all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. Amen.
The Offertory
Let us with gladness present the offerings and oblations of our life and labor to the Lord. Amen.
The General Thanksgiving
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 ourselves 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.
Concluding Prayer
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church and in Christ Jesus forever and even. Amen.
Ephesians 3: 20, 21
Go in peace. Remember the poor.
We Are Here for You
Emmanuel Church is a community of faith which seeks to nurture and support individuals and families in every stage of life and circumstances. If you or a member of your family needs pastoral care please reach out to Chuck or Joani via email.
