Liturgy for Holy Eucharist

Participation in the presence of Christ

August 16, 2026

Proper 15

Welcome & Breath Prayer

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 Summary of the Law

Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ says:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind. This is the first and most important commandment. And the second is like it. ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ Everything that is written in the Law and the Prophets is based on these two commandments. (Matthew 22:37–40)

Gloria

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,

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. Amen.

First Reading

A reading from Genesis 45:1–15:

Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me; do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there, since there are five more years of famine to come, so that you and your household and all that you have will not come to poverty.’ And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them, and after that his brothers talked with him.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

We will read Psalm 133 responsively. I will read the first line up to the break. Together we will read the second line to the end of the verse.

How very good

And pleasant it is

When kindred live

Together in unity

Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is //

when brethren dwell together in unity.

It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, //

even Aaron’s beard, and went down to the edges of his clothing,

Like the dew of Hermon, //

which falls upon the hills of Zion.

For there the Lord promised his blessing, //

even life for evermore.

How very good

And pleasant it is

When kindred live

Together in unity

Second Reading

A reading from Romans 11:1–2, 29–32 (First Nations Version):

If you think that I am saying the Great Spirit has turned away from his own people in the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel), you are mistaken. I am proof that he did not. I myself am a Tribal Member, a descendant of Father of Many Nations (Abraham), from the tribe of Son of My Right Hand (Benjamin). Creator has not turned away from ones he knew ahead of time would be his people.

…

For the Great Spirit will never take back his calling and gifts once he has given them.

Here is another way to see what I am saying: In the past, you Outside Nations said no to these ways of the Great Spirit. But now, because the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) have said no to Creator’s good story, you have said yes to it, and received the mercy they turned away from. Since they have also failed the Great Spirit, they can now receive mercy from him in the same way you have. Creator has rounded up into one corral all who have failed to do what he wants, so that he can show his great kindness and mercy to everyone.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Reflection on God’s Word

Song //Sing Over Me

When I am lost inside my mind

Sing me the hope I cannot find

When my despair has left me blind

Sing me the tune I’ve left behind

Will you sing over me?

Will you sing over me?

Sing of the goodness I cannot see

Will you sing over me?

When all the grief pours through my hands

When I’ve forgotten who I am

I can’t feel anything but shame

Sing out and give me back my name

Will you sing over me?

Will you sing over me?

Sing of the goodness I cannot see

Will you sing over me?

Will you sing over me?

When I sink down beneath the fear

The weight is more than I can bear

Keep singing though I cannot hear

Someday I’ll sing for you, I swear

Will you sing over me?

Will you sing over me?

Sing of the goodness I cannot see

Will you sing over me?

Will you sing over me?

Will you sing over me?

Sing of the goodness I cannot see

Will you sing over me?

Will you sing over me?

Will you sing over me?

Will you sing over me?

The Prayers of the People

Let us pray for the Church and for the world…

Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your name may be united in Your truth, live together in Your love, and reveal Your glory in the world…

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

Inspire the witness of God’s people throughout the world, for our bishop Jeff, our priest Peter, for this gathering and for all the churches in Tulsa, and all our ministry partners. This week we pray especially for Redeemer Community Church in Atlanta, Georgia, led by the Very Rev. Canon Drew Henley. For those visiting the Abbey of the Heights this week—for Tod, for Jana, for Shelley, for Linette, for the School of Spiritual Direction.

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

Guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth for You have established peace amongst us in your Risen Son. We pray for the end of violence throughout the Middle East, in Ukraine, and in all corners of our world. Be close to the brokenhearted and all who mourn. In your good time, enable us all to stand reconciled before you. For President Trump, Governor Stitt, and Mayor Nichols—that you would give them the power to lead with wisdom, grace, and integrity…

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

For your blessing, O God, on the soil, air, water, non-human life, and all those that labor on behalf of creation. Give us wisdom and reverence to use these resources of nature rightly, that generations yet to come may continue to praise you for your bounty…

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them and love one another as He loves us, and by your Spirit who continually seeks us out, remember those absent and displaced from us. For the sick, for the elderly, for those trapped in addiction, for the lonely, for those in deep despair. We pray especially for…

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and destitute, for prisoners and captives in downtown and north Tulsa, for immigrants and refugees around the world, we pray for them to be delivered from all danger and oppression. For families who have lost loved ones this year. O Lord, give them courage and hope in their trouble and bring them the joy of your salvation. Have mercy on us for the ways that oppression, racism, discrimination, and inequality persist in society and in our lives. Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move that these divisions would be dismantled and healed and that all may live in the justice and peace of your Kingdom…

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

We commend to your mercy all who have died, born and unborn, enemy and friend, that your will for them may be fulfilled. We pray especially for… and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom…

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

(Please feel free to voice your own prayers and thanksgiving, concluding them with, “Lord, in your mercy…”)

Heavenly Father, grant these our prayers for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

The Confession and Absolution

Let us humbly confess our sins to Almighty God.

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.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who in his great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all those who sincerely repent and with true faith turn to him, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The Comfortable Words

Hear the Word of God to all who truly turn to him.

“Come to me, all you who are tired and are carrying heavy loads. I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“Here is a saying that you can trust. It should be accepted completely. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).

“But suppose someone does sin. Then we have a friend who speaks to the Father for us. He is Jesus Christ, the Blameless One. He gave his life to pay for our sins. But he not only paid for our sins. He also paid for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1–2).

The Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And with your spirit.

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise Him all creatures here below

Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Amen

The Sursum Corda

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is right, our duty and our joy, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who on the first day of the week overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life.

Therefore, we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

The Sanctus

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 Prayer of Consecration

Holy and gracious Father:

In your infinite love you made us for yourself;

and when we had sinned against you

and become subject to evil and death,

you, in your mercy, sent your only Son Jesus Christ

into the world for our salvation.

By the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary

he became flesh and dwelt among us.

In obedience to your will,

he stretched out his arms upon the Cross

and offered himself once for all,

that by his suffering and death, we might be saved.

By his resurrection, he broke the bonds of death,

trampling Hell and Satan under his feet.

As our great high priest,

he ascended to your right hand in glory,

that we might come with confidence

before the throne of grace.

On the night that he was betrayed,

our Lord Jesus Christ took bread;

and when he had given thanks, he broke it,

and gave it to his disciples, saying,

“Take, eat; this is my Body, which is given for you:

Do this in remembrance of me.”

Likewise, after supper, Jesus took the cup,

and when he had given thanks,

he gave it to them, saying,

“Drink this, all of you;

for 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 in remembrance of me.”

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and we offer you these gifts.

Sanctify them by your Word and the Holy Spirit

to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ.

Sanctify us also,

that we may worthily receive this holy Sacrament,

and be made one body with him,

that he may dwell in us and we in him.

In the fullness of time,

put all things in subjection under your Christ,

and bring us with all your saints

into the joy of your heavenly kingdom,

where we shall see our Lord face to face.

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 forever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

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

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your Name,

your Kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins

as we forgive those

who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and forever. Amen.

The Fraction

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

Therefore let us keep the feast.

The Prayer of Humble Access

We do not presume to come to this your table, O merciful Lord,

trusting in our own righteousness,

but in your abundant and great mercies.

We are not worthy so much as to gather up

the crumbs under your table;

but you are the same Lord

whose character is always to have mercy.

Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord,

so to eat the flesh of your dear Son Jesus Christ,

and to drink his blood,

that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body,

and our souls washed through his most precious blood,

and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.

The Agnus Dei

O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world;

have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world;

have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world;

grant us thy peace.

The Ministration of Communion

Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world.

Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

The Post Communion Prayer

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father,

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.

Song // Steadfast

I will build my house whether storm or drought


On the rock that does not move


I will set my hope in Your love, O Lord


And Your faithfulness will prove


You are steadfast, steadfast


By the word You spoke, all the starry host


Are called out by name each night


In Your watchful care, I will rest secure


As You lead us with Your light


You are steadfast, steadfast


You are steadfast, steadfast


I will not trust in the strength of kings


On Your promise, I will stand


I will shout for joy, I will raise my voice


Hallelujah to the Lamb


You are steadfast, steadfast


You are steadfast, steadfast


In the moment of emptiness, all was fulfilled


In the hour of darkness, Your light was revealed


In the presence of death, Your life was affirmed


In the absence of holiness, You are still God


You are steadfast, steadfast


You are steadfast, steadfast


You are steadfast, steadfast


You are steadfast, steadfast

The Blessing and Dismissal

All of our problems,

we send to the cross of Christ

All of our sins,

we send to the cross of Christ

All the devil's works,

we send to the cross of Christ

And all of our hopes,

we set on the risen Christ

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

Thanks be to God.