A Message from Chuck & Joani
for Palm Sunday
April 5, 2020
The Rt. Reverend Susan Goff, Bishop of Virginia, in response to the spread of Covid-19, has temporarily halted public worship.
According to the CDC,
and
public health officials, social distancing
is the most effective method to stem the spread of the virus, and the best way to protect the most vulnerable in our community.
But worship can happen wherever you are. With the gift of technology, here is "Emmanuel at Home Morning Prayer" for Palm Sunday, including links to:
- Scripture, lectionary readings of the day
- The Passion according to Saint Matthew, in parts, followed by
- Silent or musical reflection
- Music with lyrics, including Bach's St. Matthew's Passion
- “EEC Sunday School at Home” Holy Week materials for children
- Offertory, with link to e-giving, to support Emmanuel's many ministries, to the parish and to the community.
- "Emmanuel at Home Coffee Hour" via Zoom, 11:30 a.m. Sunday (Zoom now requires two step login. Details below.)
- Pastoral care contact info for the clergy.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. "At Home" versions of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday will be coming to your inboxes. Maundy Thursday is an adaptation of a new service from the Scottish Episcopal Church. Good Friday is a Taize Way of the Cross complete with art, links to music and a Spotify playlist. Easter Sunday will include the
"Emmanuel Virtual Hymn Sing"
and a festive "Zoom Coffee Hour."
The online Sunday liturgy is sent out noon Saturdays. To add or delete someone from the prayer list email
Nancy Dupree.
And for “announcements” check your Thursday inbox, for Emmanuel’s weekly e-news.
“Emmanuel at Home” follows the ancient practice of Jewish and monastic tradition, which the Episcopal Church has long observed of daily prayer: morning; noon; evening; and night. The service can be led by anyone and can be celebrated anywhere. It is particularly suited to those Sundays, when as a congregation we are unable to gather. So, (possibly even at 8:00 or 10:30 a.m.) gather round your kitchen or dining room table, gather in your living room and celebrate God’s good news.
And to help keep the Body of Christ connected, though we are apart, please, send photos of you and your family worshiping in your “home church” to
Joani
. They will be posted to Emmanuel's Facebook page and Instagram (@emmanuel.at.home.) (Photos with children’s faces require parent’s consent, so please include that in your email.)
Morning Prayer: Rite II
Palm Sunday
The service continues with these sentences from Scripture.
Holy Week
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:6
Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow which was brought upon me, whom the Lord hath afflicted.
Lamentations 1:12
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 us 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
.
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
Canticle: The Third Song of Isaiah
Isaiah 60:1-3, 11a, 14c, 18-19
Surge, illuminare
Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.
For behold, darkness covers the land;
deep gloom enshrouds the peoples.
But over you the Lord will rise,
and his glory will appear upon you.
Nations will stream to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawning.
Your gates will always be open;
by day or night they will never be shut.
They will call you, The City of the Lord,
The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Violence will no more be heard in your land,
ruin or destruction within your borders.
You will call your walls, Salvation,
and all your portals, Praise.
The sun will no more be your light by day;
by night you will not need the brightness of the moon.
The Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.
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.
Canticle: A Song of Praise
Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34
Benedictus es, Domine
Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers;
you are worthy of praise; glory to you.
Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name;
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.
Glory to you in the splendor of your temple;
on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.
Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim;
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.
Glory to you, beholding the depths;
in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.
Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.
Amen.
Silent reflection may follow,
or
or
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.
Turning our hearts to God who is gracious and merciful, we pray for the church, the world and all in need.
God of mercy, unbind all held captive by anxiety, worry, pain and illness in these uncertain times especially Ruth, Lynne, Christian, the Berry family, Val, Eric, Wilfred, Doug, Carol, Tom, Joanne, Loretta, Clark, Elizabeth, Bonnie, Ralph, Barrett, Jennifer, Laura, Delaram, Macey, Abby, Cindy, Evan, Jonathan,Tom, Greg, Mike, Shari, Joe, Liam, Nancy, Stewart, Leslie, Peggy, Katie, David, Fred, Peter, Chanelle, Larry, Donnie, Beth, Ginny, Kayla, Shirley and Bob. Uphold those living with mental illness, struggling with addiction, victims of violence and survivors of abuse. We pray especially for all impacted by the spread of the corona virus. Sustain and support public health officials, doctors, nurses, medical personnel, hospital staff and healthcare workers, first responders, and research scientists working towards finding effective treatment and a vaccine.
Amen.
God of Love, you are all compassion. Today we celebrate the life, grace and witness of your beloved daughter Alyce Carole Schaaf and beloved son Donald Lindsay. As we mourn their loss, we lift up in prayer their families and loved ones: Kim & Laura Catalano and John Vanore. Welcomed by angels and archangels, and by those who have gone before them, into that kingdom where sorrow and pain are no more, we give thanks that your faithful servants now restin peace and rejoice in life everlasting.
Amen.
God of compassion, bind your faithful people into one body. Keep us connected in these disruptive times to our Emmanuel community worshiping at home; to family, friends, neighbors and coworkers. Keep us mindful of the parts of the body that are most vulnerable: the elderly; the sick; the homeless and the hungry; children without classrooms and missing meals at school; the isolated; the undocumented, immigrants and refugees; those with no sick leave; the uninsured; struggling businesses; service workers, gig-workers and the unemployed.
Amen.
God, servant Lord, watch over all who protect the public health and safety of your people. Uphold and support all who continue to go to work each day to keep open important essential services. We pray and give thanks especially for police; firefighters; utility and sanitation workers; online teachers; metro, cab and ride-share drivers; postal service workers; grocery store employees; food service workers; delivery people; truck drivers; nursing home staff; pharmacists and veterinarians. And any others on your hearts and minds.
Amen.
God of the nations, the corona virus knows no political boundaries. Inspire the best in our government leaders to speed care wherever there is need, to share medical expertise and to pool critical resources for the health and welfare of all.
Amen
.
God of life, you are our resurrection. We pray for lives taken by the corona virus, and for all who grieve for them. May the weight of their loss enliven our commitment to protect the lives and health of family, neighbors, and strangers, near and far.
Amen.
God of hope, we pray for all who live and serve in harm’s way throughout the world especially Jamie, Jim, Byron, Devin, Michael and Ben; and for service members called to duty across the country aiding in efforts to combat Covid-19.
Amen.
God of the good news, in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer we pray for the congregations, clergy and staff of St. Paul's, Ingham in Shenandoah, St. George's, Pine Grove in Stanley, Ware in Gloucester and Clarke Parish in Berryville. We pray especially for our partner parish Ste. Croix in Léogâne, Haiti and for Emmanuel’s refugee ministry with the Latifi family.
Amen.
Here you may add your own prayers for family, community, church and world.
A Collect for Palm Sunday.
Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for Sundays
O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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 Guidance
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are
ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for Mission
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.
The Offertory
Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:2
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 for ever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20,21
Let us bless the Lord.
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.
