Services

St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church

GOING FORWARD IN FAITH

“With An Attitude Of Gratitude, We Give Time, Talent and Treasure”

All Services Cancelled

Through March 31st, 2020

March 29, 2020

Fifth Sunday in Lent

Service Video

The Rev. James Dahlin

Visitors

We are a welcoming community, open to people of all races, young and old, gay and straight, those who are rich or poor of varying educational levels, suburban or urban. We are a diverse multi-racial congregation of approximately 130 members with a proud Afro-Anglican heritage and history. Our liturgy and music draw from African-American and traditional Anglican sources. Read More...

Church Groups

We invite you to participate in our Church Groups; Sunday School, The Choir, Blessing Team - Stewardship, ECW (Episcopal Church Women), Book Club * New, Saint Monnica's Guild. SASS (St. Augustine's Seniors with Spirit), Social Justice Committee, One Good Meal Food ministry (Started in 2011) Pastoral Care, Prayer Group. Read More...

Media

Photo Gallery, Podcast-Sermons Visit...

Hello Church Family,

Dear St. Augustine’s Quarantined Church Family!

I greet you in the name of Christ the King on this, the Feast Day of the Annunciation when the news of the Incarnation came to Mary.

I pray for each of you every week. I hope this time of ’Shelter in Place’ has provided opportunities to slow down and pray. For example, I enjoy watching sports. Now that there are no sports, I’m trying to use this time to do ‘Centering Prayer’. I sit in a comfortable position and start an eight-minute timer. I breathe in and think, “Lord Jesus Christ” and slowly breathe out saying, “Have mercy on me.”

A great prayer to start your day in these strange times:

“This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit of Jesus. Amen.”

Health update: I had a phone consultation with my health care provider. Whatever I have is very mild and I just need continued rest and lots of fluids. I am feeling much better! Thank you for your prayers and concerns. I am on the upside and feel good! If you feel symptoms, please contact your health care provider.

Here is the playlist from last Sunday's virtual service. Watch whichever one you need:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmTOa_aKNHI6bppZjugPy1DwYAgwo_JF8

Evening Prayer (6 PM): Monday and Wednesday at this number (425) 436-6377‬. When prompted type 628527#

Using this link (where it says ’select office’ choose Evening Prayer): https://dailyoffice.app

(or use a Book of Common Prayer page 115)

Morning Prayer (7 AM): Tuesday and Thursday at the same number (425) 436-6377‬. When prompted type 628527#

Using this link (where it says ’ select office’ choose Morning Prayer): https://dailyoffice.app

(or use a Book of Common Prayer page 80)

Confirmation Class: Sunday, Mar 29 at 9 am via Zoom or Conference Call. I will send out the details tomorrow or Friday for the class. Anyone who wishes to join the Confirmation Class on Sunday morning at 9am is free to participate. I’m still working on the details. Thank you for your patience.

May God Bless us all during these strange times,

Rev. Jim

The Holy Eucharist

Call to Worship

"We Have Come Into His House” Levas II, #245

1 We have come into His house and gathered in His name to worship Him; x 2

We have come into His house and gathered in His mane to worship Christ, the Lord,

Worship Him, Christ the Lord.

2 So forget about yourself and concentrate on Him and worship Him; x 2

So forget about yourself and concentrate on Him and worship Christ, the Lord,

Worship Him, Christ the Lord.

3 Let us lift up holy hands and magnify His name and worship Him; x 2

Let us lift up holy hands and magnify His name and worship Christ, the Lord,

Worship Him, Christ the Lord.

Processional Hymn

" Hark the Glad Sound” HYMNAL #71

The Opening Sentence (The people standing)

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

People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever. Amen.

The Collect for Purity

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you, no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Gloria LEVAS #243

Glory, Glory, hallelujah, Lord we praise your Holy name,

Glory, Glory hallelujah, Lord we praise your Holy name.

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father,

we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God,

Glory, Glory, hallelujah, Lord we praise your Holy name,

Glory, Glory hallelujah, Lord we praise your Holy name.

You take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us;

You are seated at the right hand of the Father: Receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.

Glory, Glory, hallelujah, Lord we praise your Holy name,

Glory, Glory hallelujah, Lord we praise your Holy name. Amen.

Collect

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Celebrant: Let us pray.

Continue... Ministry of the word.

The Collet

The Ministry of the Word

The First Reading

A READING FROM THE BOOK OF Exodus 17: 1-7

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

The Word of the Lord

Congregation: Thanks be to God

Psalm

Psalm 95

Venite, exultemus

1 Come, let us sing to the Lord; *
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.

3 For the Lord is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.

4 In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *
and the heights of the hills are his also.

5 The sea is his, for he made it, *
and his hands have molded the dry land.

6 Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

7 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!

8 Harden not your hearts,
as your forebears did in the wilderness, *
at Meribah, and on that day at Massah,
when they tempted me.

9 They put me to the test, *
though they had seen my works.

10 Forty years long I detested that generation and said, *
"This people are wayward in their hearts;
they do not know my ways."

11 So I swore in my wrath, *
"They shall not enter into my rest."

The Epistle

A READING FROM THE BOOK OF Romans 5: 1-11

Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person-- though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

The Word of the Lord

Congregation: Thanks be to God

Sequence Hymn

“The King Shall Come” HYMNAL

The Gospel

The Holy Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, according to John.

Congregation: Glory to You, Lord Christ

John 4: 5-42

Jesus came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.

A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!” The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”

Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” They left the city and were on their way to him.

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Surely no one has brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.”

”The Gospel of the Lord"

Congregation: Praise to you, Lord Christ

Download Sermon Third Sunday in Lent

Sermon March-22-2020 - 4th Sunday in Lent

These strange times continue and we pray for the eyes to see God’s Blessings in the midst of everything going on around us. Please take this virus seriously and be wise while also calmly Resting in God’s Love and Grace.

Ben Flint recorded videos of music we sing every Sunday and I went in this morning and recorded parts of the service, including a Sermon for today. This is my first time using YouTube and it’s taking a little longer to upload than I realized (turns out, it takes 28 minutes to upload a 15 minute sermon!). I hoped to send this email out by 10 am (our usual Sunday service time), but that won’t be the case. Next Sunday, I hope to have them uploaded by 9 am!

We made these videos in parts so you can either watch them in the order of the ‘Playlist’ labeled Fourth Sunday in Lent, or you can watch the parts that speak to you today.

Listen to Sermon for Sunday, March 22nd

Sermon March-15-2020 - 3rd Sunday in Lent

"John 4 - The Samaritan woman at the well and the Living Water" Rev. James Dahlin

Dear St. Augustine’s Family,

Happy Sunday!

The Vestry has formed a ‘Phone Tree’ and you should have received a phone call. We are going to use this to stay connected while we can’t meet in person for church. I hope each of you received a phone call from myself or another vestry member. If you did not, please email me with an updated phone number and other contact information!

I am looking into ways to LiveStream church next Sunday. Unfortunately, I don’t have things in place to do that this morning. I’m hoping to still do Morning Prayer by Conference Call this Tuesday and Thursday morning at 7 am. For today, I’m attaching my sermon. I hope it still edifies in written format!

God Bless you all during this time. Please continue to pray for our church community, our broader community, and the world!

Download Sermon 3 Lent

Rev. Jim Dahlin

Sunday, Nov 3, 2019

"Money and the Kingdom of God" Rev. James Dahlin

A look at the story of Zacchaeus through the lens of the Exodus story and the economy of God.

Listen here...

Sunday, Oct 20, 2019

"Importance of Prayer" Rev. James Dahlin

We discuss the need for prayer and the different ways we can pray, learning from the parable of Luke 18:1-8 with the persistent widow and the unjust judge.

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Sunday, Oct 13, 2019

"Worshipping God in the Beauty of Creation" Rev. James Dahlin

We worship God with our bodies in a particular place. Different places evoke different responses. Sometimes it’s nice to shake things up and try a new place.

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Sunday, Oct 6, 2019

"Increase our Faith" Rev. James Dahlin

A fully embodied faith, including all of life’s ups and downs.

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Sunday, September 29, 2019

"The rich man and Lazarus" Rev. James Dahlin

A reflection on ways we’re self-centered and ways we feel we’re not good enough and how to navigate the middle.

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Sunday, September 22, 2019

"The Language of Greed" Rev. James Dahlin

How do we remain faithful to our faith while living in a land fluent in the language of greed?

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Sunday, September 15, 2019

"How do you stay faithful" Rev. James Dahlin

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus tells the parable of the 99 faithful sheep and seeking after the one who is lost. Oftentimes, we find ourselves among 99 who are lost. How do we stay faithful in the midst of people who live according to a different narrative? Answer: we receive formation among the 99 faithful and immerse ourselves in the Story of God.

Listen here...

Sunday, September 9, 2019

"Take up the cross" Rev. Davidson Bowen

Whoever does not carry the cross cannot be my disciple. The cross is love. Love should never be burdensome. It was love that took Jesus to the cross. It was love that kept him on the cross.

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August 18, 2019

"Jesus says, I came to bring fire to the earth, I wish it was already kindled"

Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” We’re getting close to the fire season in California and when people start mentioning fire, everyone gets twitchy and nervous. My husband and I did when the Oakland Hills fire of 1991 hit. We had to evacuate like everyone else, thousands of others but Thank God, the fire came only 25 feet from our house. We were luckier than many people in Santa Rosa or Paradise, CA.

We usually think of Jesus as the Prince of Peace – but here he says he is the Bringer of Fire and Division. The fire of the Holy Spirit which divides the wheat from the chaff – truth from lies, integrity from corruption, inclusion v. expulsion, love vs. hate. We need this fire today more than ever. Sometimes it seems like Nature is fighting hard to get our attention. Each year, she sends us hundred-year floods, high tides, tornadoes, fires, and droughts, hoping we’ll get the message. The trouble is that sometimes the task of solving the environmental crisis we’re in - just like the divisions and problems made by our current administration, seem too overwhelming – too big to handle by ourselves. And they are. Many of us saw and hear Bishop Michael Curry’s fabulous sermon at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Windsor chapel last year. He said: Someone once said that Jesus began the most revolutionary movement in human history. A movement grounded in the unconditional love of God for the world…”Then he quoted the Jesuit paleontologist and mystic, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: “Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides, and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.” But to harness that fire, each one of us needs to be fired by the Holy Spirit. Someone once said, “Christianity isn’t taught – it’s caught.” Jesus came to set us on fire – and then teach us how to be Fire Bringers. To set God’s world ablaze with His Love. This is the only way we can tackle the big problems that beset us – problems of the environment and those that threaten our Democracy. These things are way too big to tackle alone. Only as Fire Bringers can we do it together. It all starts with each one of us.

Listen here...

June 23, 2019

"Challenges of false profits"

The Old Testament is full of drama and intrigue. This is especially true with the story of the Prophet Elijah, King Ahab and Queen Jazabell in the 19th chapter of 1st Kings. It is a story of the battle between good and evil, the true God and the false gods of false prophets. It is a story of wanting to give up after fighting for so long and God saying, "don't give up. The battle is not over. Get up and eat, otherwise, the journey will be too much for you". As we face the current battles whatever they might be, we need the food that only God can give that will prepare us for the journey ahead. The Old Testament is full of drama and intrigue. This is especially true with the story of the Prophet Elijah, King Ahab and Queen Jazabell in the 19th chapter of 1st Kings. It is a story of the battle between good and evil, the true God and the false gods of false prophets. It is a story of wanting to give up after fighting for so long and God saying, "don't give up. The battle is not over. Get up and eat, otherwise, the journey will be too much for you". As we face the current battles whatever they might be, we need the food that only God can give that will prepare us for the journey ahead.

Listen here...

June 2, 2019

"Keeping your eyes on the prise, hold on!"

We are faced with many challenges in life, most of all what we will stand for and believe in. We have to keep always our eyes on what is right and true. For us, "keeping our eyes on the prize" Our prize is Jesus. If we keep our eyes focused on Jesus and his calling on our lives we can face the challenges that confront us.

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May 26, 2019

"Do You Want To Be Healed?"

John 5:1-9 A man who apparently was lame sat at the gate and pool called Bethzatha for thirty-eight years waiting to get in the holy waters to be healed. For thirty-eight years he sat there just waiting. Just waiting and perhaps begging for a few coins. Jesus appeared and asked him the question "do you want to be healed?" The implication was "do you REALLY want to be healed" Jesus saw through his response and just said to him"Stand up, take your mat and walk." The question is, do we really want to be healed from the things that block us from the fullness of life? Or do we just make excuses as the man did sitting by the pool?

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May 19, 2019

"What's Love got to do With It?"

Two themes in today's readings from Acts and the gospel.

The first is that the church should be open fully to all who commit to receiving the Holy Spirit and following the way of Jesus. This was Peter's vision given by the Holy Spirit and affirmed by Jesus's own actions during his life.

Second, Jesus gave us a new commandment in John 13:34, "Love one another as I have loved you." This was directed at the disciples as they prepared to lead the Christian movement. They were called to live their lives as Jesus did. Sacrificing their lives for the sake of the Kingdom of God and loving one another in community.

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May 05, 2019

How is it that the Lord wants to use me?

The Readings for this Sunday from Acts 9:1-20 and the Gospel of John, 21:1-19, talk about how God used Paul and Peter to build the new Christian movement after the Resurrection of Jesus. He took two very "human" individuals who at first looked like they would be the last persons Jesus would choose to build the church and turned them into the two top leaders in all of early Christendom. The question is, will we let God use us in any way that God needs to extend the love and grace of Jesus? God can use you. Heed His call.

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April 21, 2019

The Question Is

Two major significant events in the Christian year, Christmas and Easter. Christmas celebrates Jesus coming into the world and God's effort to reach us. Easter celebrates God giving us the opportunity for a new life, one free of sin and with the example of the life of Jesus to live by. Some say we couldn't have Easter without Christmas and that certainly is true. The question is, would Christmas have any real meaning without Easter? With Christmas, Jesus came into the world. With Easter, Jesus changed the world!

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April 14, 2019

The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ According to Luke

No one knew the plan or the outcome. Not the disciples. Not his friends or family. Not the religious or political leadership. Only Jesus and God knew. Only Jesus and His Father knew that he would give his life for the redemption of humankind.

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Sermon: April 7, 2019

"I'll Get To That"

John Maxwell wrote that "Today matters. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not promised. What you do today matters. It will impact your tomorrows." Mary knew that she only had Jesus a little time more and that she had to anoint him in preparation for his death. She could not say "Oh, I will get to that!" She had to act today. Today matters.

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Sermon: March 31, 2019

Jesus wants you to come home..

We have a tendency to want to go it on our own. To say, we don't need the Father. That is the story of the Prodigal Son. He wanted to spread his wings and to live outside of the relationship with his father. It did not go well for him.

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Sermon: March 30, 2019

A Tribute to Guy H. Williams

A son of St. Augustines for sixty-nine years. A true servant of God and the community.

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Sermon: March 24, 2019

What does God have to do to get our attention...

Moses, one of the great patriarch of our faith was reluctant to accept God's call to lead His people out of Egypt into the Promised Land. He made five excuses as to why someone else could do a better job.

But God got his attention by saying, "I will provide all you need and will be with you to get the task done." Will you respond to God's call upon your life?

Listen here...

Sermon: March 17, 2019

Overcoming fear at a time of adversity...

Abram, the patriarch of the three great world religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, was an example of how God responds to those who trust and obey him.

If more followers would trust and obey God, a lot of the problems we face would be solved.

Listen here...

Sermon: March 4, 2019

A change is gonna come.

As Jesus was transfigured and spoke to the Elders on the mountain top, he was prepared for the most important part of his journey. His father said, "listen to him". As we move forward in the Lenten season, let us pay close attention to Jesus' words so that we know the steps we need to take to be true followers of our Lord.

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Sermon: February 24, 2019

God has a way of interrupting us.
So it was not you who sent me here but God!

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Sermon: February 17, 2019

What God asks of you.

Jesus calls us to live into a new attitude of being in relationship to God. A life based on hope, respect, and remembrance of that which is good.

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Sermon: February 10, 2019

A discussion of Paul's essential statement of the Christian faith and grace from 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.

It would be easy to overlook the importance of Paul's message in his transitional section of 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. It is, however, the earliest written record of the core Christian belief that Christ died for our sins and that together with his resurrection, constitutes the foundation of our faith. Paul explains the humility of his own apostolic ministry by claiming that "I am what I am by grace."

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February 3, 2019

I will thank you because I am marvelously made - Feb 2, 2019

We should not limit God and we should not let others limit God's power in us. Because God made us all, we are all marvelously made.

Click to listen to the sermon.

December 30, 2018,

Breaking Through The Darkness To Bring Us Into The Light - Dec 30, 2018

When we are separated from God, we live in darkness. Jesus coming into the world broke through that darkness so that we might see and experience once and for all what living in the light really means. The light brings hope and the power to change. It is up to us to embrace the light. Click to hear Sermon

December 25, 2018, Christmas Day:

With God, all things are possible

The season of Advent asked the question "How can this be? The Christmas response is "with God, all things are possible." Like Joseph, Mary, the Shepards, and the three Wise Men say "yes" to God. In your life say "yes" to God as God says "yes" to wanting to be with us. Click to hear Sermon

December 24, 2018, Christmas Eve

Don't be afraid, for all things are possible with God.

Fear can stop us from doing a lot of things. The Christmas story says that we should not be afraid, for God is with us.

"How can this be" "God is with you." Click to hear Sermon

The Rev. Dr. Kwasi A. Thornell

December 9, 2018, Sunday

"Where are the words of comfort that will give us peace this Christmas season?" Lay your burdens down. Click to hear Sermon

Ed Stewart

Romans 13:11—12 November 27, 2016

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. It is a time when we as a faith community look to the future. However, Advent always causes me to think about the Holy Land, the place where Jesus was born, and the place where he would become known as the Messiah. Last January I was in the Holy Land, as part of a group of 12 students from my seminary. We traveled through Jordan, Israel, Read more...

Letter from Fr. Thornell OCTOBER 7. 2016

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am deeply sorry for not being able to share in the fellowship of the St. Augustine’s family this morning. Although I am not in the hospital, I am experiencing neck and back pain that has prevented me from being there. Hopefully, after my surgery tomorrow morning, I will be ok and be able to enjoy being with you again soon. Read more...

The Rev. Dr. Kwasi A. Thornell September 8, 2016

Ephesians 4:25-5:1

St. Paul is again in his letter to the Ephesians community, writing about how to create the new community as people of faith and followers of Christ. He is saying to them that they most envision a world that is created in the image of what Christ would want the Christian community to become. Read more...

Easter Message March 27, 2015

St. Augustine’s Easter

This story never ceases to amaze me. Why is it that we believe this story? Really? Why is it that thousands upon thousands of people, from one end of the earth to the other, north, south, east and west, in every country, town, city, rural village, there are countless believers of this story about the risen Lord, the Lord who got up. And, and, it has been this way for over two thousand years. This blessed event when God’s love story for humankind crescendos into a triumphant symphonic explosion of power of the Almighty! Read more...

December 12, 2015

Sisters and Brothers, Seasons Greetings!

I wanted to take this opportunity to write you a short message as we celebrate together Christmas and look forward to the New Year. As we all know, the year 2015 was a challenging year for St. Augustine’s However, Read more...

The Nicene Creed

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:

by the power of the Holy Spirit

he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary and was made man.

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 and the Son.

With the Father and the Son, he is worshiped and glorified.

He 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 Continue...

The Prayers of the People Form 1

BCP, 383

Sit or Kneel

Leader

With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.”

For the peace from above, for the lovingkindness of God and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the world, for the welfare of the holy Church of God, and for the unity of all peoples, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For our Bishop, and for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For our President, for the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For this city of Oakland, for every city and community, and for those who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For seasonable weather, and for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For those who travel on land, on water, or in the air [or through outer space], let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and the suffering, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute, for prisoners and captives, and for all who remember and care for them, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

We pray for the special needs and concerns of this congregation, and those named now:

Mary Borders, Auta Boykins, JoAnn Campbell, Maria Campbell, Joan Daniels, Olivia Davis, Nicole Ennix, Kelem Fabrice, Barbara Fuller, Blanche Gaines, Alfred Gilpin, Andrea Green, Kenneth Hart, Nathaniel Hickman, Sylvester Hodges, Monica Costa-Holmes, Joan Moreno, Moira Nichols, Janell Norwood, Deborah Ramseur, Joetta Jones-Redmond, Robert Rosales, Art Shanks, Elaine Simmons.

The People may add their own names

We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom.

Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;

Who put their trust in you.

Celebrant

We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.

Leader and People

Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; in your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone; and so uphold us by your Spirit that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Absolution

Almighty God, have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

Life Celebrations, Thanksgivings, and New Friends

The Peace

All stand. The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People And also with you.

continue...

The Holy Communion

Offertory Sentence

Offertory Hymn

“The Night That Christ Was Born”

Doxology

Hymnal #380, vs 3

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly host:

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

The Great Thanksgiving

Eucharistic Prayer B

Eucharistic Prayer D

Celebrant: The Lord 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 God thanks and praise.

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

Fountain of life and source of all goodness, you made all things and fill 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,

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.

We acclaim you, holy Lord, glorious in power. 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 loved 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 he took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper he took the cup of wine; and 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 his 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 pray to 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.

And grant that we may find our inheritance with the Blessed Virgin Mary, with Augustine and Monica and 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, in the unity of the

Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. AMEN.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to sing,

The Lord's Prayer LEVAS II, #264

Our Father, which 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 debts as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.

Fraction Anthem

“Make Us One Lord”

Make us one, Lord, make us one

Holy Spirit make us one, let your love flow

So the world will know, we are one in you.

Invitation

The Communion

Communion Hymn

Prayer of Thanksgiving Continue...

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Let us pray.

Celebrant and People

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 forever. Amen.

Hymn

Let the church say Amen! / Let the church say Amen!

God has spoken. / Let the church say Amen! (Repeat entire hymn x2)

Announcements...

Recessional Hymn

“Rise Up Shepherd and Follow” LEVAS II #24

The Blessing

Dismissal

Let us go forth in the name of Christ.

People Thanks be to God. Alleluia, Alleluia.

St. Augustines Episcopal Church

Address

525 29th Street Telegraph Ave.
Oakland CA 94609
Phone: 510-832-6462
Fax: 510-832-6464

Litany of Thanksgiving

Let us give thanks to God our Father for all his gifts so freely bestowed upon us.

For the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and sky and sea.

We thank you, Lord.

For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women,

revealing the image of Christ,

We thank you, Lord.

For our daily food and drink, our homes and families, and our friends,

We thank you, Lord.

For minds to think, and hearts to love, and hands to serve,

We thank you, Lord.

For health and strength to work, and leisure to rest and play,

We thank you, Lord.

For the brave and courageous, who are patient in suffering

and faithful in adversity,

We thank you, Lord.

For all valiant seekers after truth, liberty, and justice,

We thank you, Lord.

For the communion of saints, in all times and places,

We thank you, Lord.

Above all, we give you thanks for the great mercies and

promises given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord;

To him be praise and glory, with you, O Father, and the

Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Life Celebrations, Thanksgivings, and New Friends

The Peace

All stand. The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People And also with you.

Processional Hymn “Blessed Assurance” LEVAS II #184

The Collect ( Insert - Contemporary )

The Lord be with you.

People And also with you.

Celebrant Let us pray.

The Ministry of the Word

The Old Testament Joel 2:1-2,12-17

After each Lesson the reader says

Reader The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

Psalm 103

The Epistle 2 Corinthians 5:20B-6:10

Sequence Hymn “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There is Something About that Name

LEVAS II #107

The Gospel Matthew 6:1-6,16-21

The Holy Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, according to Matthew.

Congregation: Glory to You, Lord Christ

After the Gospel, the reader says

Reader The Gospel of the Lord.

People Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon The Rev. Dr. Kwasi Thornell

The Bidding BCP 264-265

Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.

Silence is then kept for a time, all kneeling.

Blessing of the Ashes BCP 265

Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth: Grant that these ashes may be to us a sign of our mortality and penitence, that we may remember that it is only by your gracious gift that we are given everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Imposition of Ashes

Please approach the altar and kneel

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Once ashes are imposed, please return to your pew and kneel

Psalm 51: 1-18 (read in unison) BCP 266-267

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; *v in your great compassion blot out my offenses.

2 Wash me through and through from my wickedness * and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions, * and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against you only have I sinned * and done what is evil in your sight.

5 And so you are justified when you speak * and upright in your judgment

6 Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, * a sinner from my mother's womb.

7 For behold, you look for truth deep within me, * and will make me understand wisdom secretly.

8 Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.

9 Make me hear of joy and gladness, * that the body you have broken may rejoice.

10 Hide your face from my sins * and blot out all my iniquities.

11 Create in me a clean heart, O God, * and renew a right spirit within me.

12 Cast me not away from your presence * and take not your holy Spirit from me.

13 Give me the joy of your saving help again * and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.

14 I shall teach your ways to the wicked, * and sinners shall return to you.

15 Deliver me from death, O God, * and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness, O God of my salvation.

16 Open my lips, O Lord, * and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

17 Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice; * but you take no delight in burnt-offerings.

18 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; * a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

The litany of Penitence BCP 267-269

The Celebrant and People together, all kneeling

Most holy and merciful Father: We confess to you and to one another, and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth, that we have sinned by our own fault in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

The Celebrant continues

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.

Have mercy on us, Lord.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us. We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved your Holy Spirit.

Have mercy on us, Lord.

We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness: the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience of our lives,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation of other people,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our anger at our own frustration, and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts, and our dishonesty in daily life and work,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our negligence in prayer and worship, and our failure to commend the faith that is in us,

We confess to you, Lord.

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done: for our blindness to human need and suffering, and our indifference to injustice and cruelty,

Accept our repentance, Lord.

For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors, and for our prejudice and contempt toward those who differ from us,

Accept our repentance, Lord.

For our waste and pollution of your creation, and our lack of concern for those who come after us,

Accept our repentance, Lord.

Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us; Favorably hear us, for your mercy is great. Accomplish in us the work of your salvation,

That we may show forth your glory in the world.

By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord, Bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

The Priest stands and, facing the people, says

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desires not the death of sinners, but rather that they may turn

from their wickedness and live, has given power and commandment to his ministers to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins. He pardons and absolves all those who truly repent, and with sincere hearts believe his holy Gospel.

Therefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do on this day, and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy, so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Peace

All stand.

The Celebrant says to the people

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People And also with you.

The Holy Communion

Please stand

Offertory Sentence

Offertory Anthem “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” LEVAS II #136

Eucharistic Prayer A

The people remain standing. Celebrant says

The Lord 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 him thanks and praise.

Celebrant

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and every

where to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of

heaven and earth.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and

Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever

sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

Celebrant and People

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.

The people stand or kneel.

Celebrant

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us

for yourself; and, when we had fallen into sin and become

subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus

Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human

nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the

God and Father of all.

He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself,

in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole

world.

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our

Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks

to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take,

eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the

remembrance of me.”

After supper he took the cup of wine; and 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.”

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Celebrant and People

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

Celebrant

We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in

this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death,

resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.

Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the

Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new

and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully

receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy,

and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints

into the joy of your eternal kingdom.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ. By him, and

with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor

and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to sing,

The Lord's Prayer LEVAS II, #264

Our Father, which 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 debts

as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,

forever. Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread BCP 364

The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread.

A period of silence is kept. Then the Celebrant says

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

Therefore let us keep the feast.

The Celebrant says

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.

Communion Hymn “Breathe on Me Breath of God” HYMNAL #508

Prayer After Communion BCP 366

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.

Post Communion Hymn “Lord, I Want to be a Christian” LEVAS II #138

The Prayer Over the People

Grant, most merciful Lord, to your faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The Rev. Dr. Gayle Fisher-Stewart

The Rev. Dr. Gayle Fisher-Stewart spent 20 years working as a police officer for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department. She joined the department in 1972, four years after riots destroyed parts of the city following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. At the time African-Americans made of 70 percent of the people living in the nation’s capital; at the same time, the police department was overwhelmingly white and police-community relations were strained. Fisher-Stewart’s decision to join the police force baffled friends and family. The department had a bad reputation, she said, and “my friends weren’t happy because some of them had had negative interactions with police here in D.C.”

She currently serves as the associate rector of Calvary Episcopal Church where she is the founder of the Center for the Study of Faith in Justice. The Center was founded with a grant from the Episcopal Evangelism Society. In describing her work which gained her the 2016 EES Director’s Award, the Board of Directors wrote:

“She brought over forty years’ experience as an active police officer, as a consultant to law enforcement agencies, and as a university-level teacher of criminal justice to her call to ordained ministry. She completed the Anglican Studies program at Virginia Theological Seminary in 2015; while there, the civil unrest in Ferguson, MO inspired her to dream of a church that is known for its interest in justice, and to apply for an Evangelism for the 21st Century grant to establish the Center at Calvary. She has worked tirelessly to host forums about race, social justice, inequality, and policing. She has established a network of partnerships between the Center and the diocese, local nonprofits, and national policing organizations.”

The Renewal of Baptismal Vows

Celebrant

Do you reaffirm your renunciation of evil and renew your commitment to Jesus Christ?

People I do.

Celebrant Do you believe in God the Father?

People I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

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

People 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.

Celebrant Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?

People 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.

Celebrant

Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?

People I will, with God's help.

Celebrant

Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?

People I will, with God's help.

Celebrant

Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?

People I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant

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

People I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant

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

People I will, with God's help.

Celebrant

May Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and bestowed upon us the forgiveness of sins, keep us in eternal life by his grace, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Presentation of the Candidate for Baptism

The candidate for Holy Baptism will now be presented.

We present Simone Alice Cobb to receive the Sacrament of Baptism.

Will you be responsible for seeing that the child you present is brought up in the Christian faith and life?

Parents and God Parents: I will with God’s help.

Will you by your prayers and witness help this child to grow into the full
stature of Christ?

Parents and God Parents: I will with God’s help.

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

Parents and God Parents: I renounce them.

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

Parents and God Parents: I renounce them.

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

Parents and God Parents: I renounce them.

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

Parents and God Parents: I do.

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

Parents and God Parents: I do.

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

Parents and God Parents: I do.

Will you who witness these vows to all in you power to support this person in her life in Christ?

People: We will.

Let us join with this person who is committing herself to Christ and renew our own baptismal Covenant.

The Baptismal Covenant

Celebrant Do you believe in God the Father?

People I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

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

People 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.

Celebrant Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?

People 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.

Celebrant Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship,

in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers ?

People I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin,

repent and return to the Lord?

People I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?

People I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons,

loving your neighbor as yourself?

People I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant Will you strive for justice and peace among all people,

and respect the dignity of every human being?

People I will, with God’s help.

Prayers for the Candidate

Celebrant

Let us now pray for this person who is to receive the Sacrament of new birth.

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