The Martyrs of Mother Emanuel Church
The Charleston church shooting was a mass shooting on June 17, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina, in which nine African Americans were killed during a Bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Among those people who were killed was the senior pastor, state senator Clementa C. Pinckney; three victims survived. This church is one of the oldest black churches in the United States, and it has long been a center for organizing events which are related to civil rights. The morning after the attack, police arrested Dylann Roof in Shelby, North Carolina; the 21-year-old white supremacist had attended the Bible study before he committed the shooting. He was found to have targeted members of this church because of its history and stature. In December 2016, Roof was convicted of 33 federal hate crime and murder charges. On January 10, 2017, he was sentenced to death for these crimes. Roof was separately charged with nine counts of murder in the South Carolina state courts. In April 2017, Roof pleaded guilty to all nine state charges in order to avoid a second death sentence, and was sentenced to life imprisonment for each. He will receive automatic appeals of his death sentence, but may eventually be executed by the federal justice system. Wikipedia
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/wjjyctts
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; whom should I dread?
When those who do evil draw near, they stumble and fall. Psalm 27
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires, known,
and from whom 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.
Music: https://tinyurl.com/ycn4djk5
O Lord, open my lips.
And my mouth will declare your praise.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
make haste to help me, O Lord.
Glory be 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.
Praise to you, O Christ, Alleluia!
HYMN: Shirley Erena Murray ©
Tune: Song 1 https://tinyurl.com/2947d6v6
1 O God, we bear the imprint of your face:
the colors of our skin are your design,
and what we have of beauty in our race
as man or woman, you alone define,
who stretched a living fabric on our frame
and gave to each a language and a name.
2 Where we are torn and pulled apart by hate
because our race, our skin is not the same,
while we are judged unequal by the state
and victims made because we own our name,
humanity reduced to little worth,
dishonored is your living face on earth.
3 O God, we share the image of the One
whose flesh and blood are ours, whatever skin;
in Christ’s humanity we find our own,
and in his family our proper kin:
Christ is the brother we still crucify,
his love the language we must learn, or die.
PSALMS
Psalm 89 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ydygwbyj)
1 My song shall be alway of the loving kindness of the Lord *
with my mouth will I ever be shewing thy truth
from one generation to another.
2 For I have said, Mercy shall be set up for ever *
thy truth shalt thou stablish in the heavens.
3 I have made a covenant with my chosen *
I have sworn unto David my servant;
4 Thy seed will I stablish for ever *
and set up thy throne from one generation to another.
5 O Lord, the very heavens shall praise thy wondrous works *
and thy truth in the congregation of the saints.
6 For who is he among the clouds *
that shall be compared unto the Lord?
7 And what is he among the gods *
that shall be like unto the Lord?
8 God is very greatly to be feared in the council of the saints *
and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him.
9 O Lord God of hosts, who is like unto thee *
thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side.
10 Thou rulest the raging of the sea *
thou stillest the waves thereof when they arise.
11 Thou hast subdued Egypt, and destroyed it *
thou hast scattered thine enemies abroad with thy mighty arm.
12 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine *
thou hast laid the foundation of the round world, and all that therein is.
13 Thou hast made the north and the south *
Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy Name.
14 Thou hast a mighty arm *
strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
15 Righteousness and equity are the habitation of thy seat *
mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
16 Blessed is the people, O Lord, that can rejoice in thee *
they shall walk in the light of thy countenance.
17 Their delight shall be daily in thy Name *
and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast.
18 For thou art the glory of their strength *
and in thy loving-kindness thou shalt lift up our horns.
19 For the Lord is our defence *
the Holy One of Israel is our King.
20 Thou spakest sometime in visions unto thy saints, and saidst *
I have laid help upon one that is mighty;
I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
21 I have found David my servant *
with my holy oil have I anointed him.
22 My hand shall hold him fast *
and my arm shall strengthen him.
23 The enemy shall not be able to do him violence *
the son of wickedness shall not hurt him.
24 I will smite down his foes before his face *
and plague them that hate him.
25 My truth also and my mercy shall be with him *
and in my Name shall his horn be exalted.
26 I will set his dominion also in the sea *
and his right hand in the floods.
27 He shall call me, Thou art my Father *
my God, and my strong salvation.
28 And I will make him my first-born *
higher than the kings of the earth.
29 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore *
and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
30 His seed also will I make to endure for ever *
and his throne as the days of heaven.
31 But if his children forsake my law *
and walk not in my judgements;
32 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments *
I will visit their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges.
33 Nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him *
nor suffer my truth to fail.
34 My covenant will I not break,
nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips *
I have sworn once by my holiness, that I will not fail David.
35 His seed shall endure for ever *
and his seat is like as the sun before me.
36 He shall stand fast for evermore as the moon *
and as the faithful witness in heaven.
37 But thou hast abhorred and forsaken thine Anointed *
and art displeased at him.
38 Thou hast broken the covenant of thy servant *
and cast his crown to the ground.
39 Thou hast overthrown all his hedges *
and broken down his strong holds.
40 All they that go by spoil him *
and he is become a reproach to his neighbours.
41 Thou hast set up the right hand of his enemies *
and made all his adversaries to rejoice.
42 Thou hast taken away the edge of his sword *
and givest him not victory in the battle.
43 Thou hast put out his glory *
and cast his throne down to the ground.
44 The days of his youth hast thou shortened *
and covered him with dishonour.
45 Lord, how long wilt thou hide thyself, for ever *
and shall thy wrath burn like fire?
46 O remember how short my time is *
wherefore hast thou made all men for nought?
47 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death *
and shall he deliver his soul from the hand of hell?
48 Lord, where are thy old loving-kindnesses *
which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
49 Remember, Lord, the rebuke that thy servants have *
and how I do bear in my bosom the rebukes of many people;
50 Wherewith thine enemies have blasphemed thee, and slandered the footsteps of thine Anointed *
Praised be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 89 (Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-89-KH.mp3)
I will sing of the LORD’s love forever,
tell your faithfulness to all generations.
Say “His love is established forever,
and his faithfulness set in the heavens.”
With my chosen one I made a covenant;
I have sworn to David My servant,
“I’ll establish your seed forever,
build your throne to all generations.”
I will establish his children forever,
and his throne like the days of heaven
LORD, the heavens will praise your wonders;
in the holy assembly Your faithfulness.
Who is like the LORD in the skies?
Or among the sons of the mighty?
A God greatly feared in the holy court,
and awesome above all around him?
O LORD God of hosts, who is like you?
Mighty LORD, surrounded by faithfulness.
You master the sea in its swelling,
when its waves rise up You still them;
Crushing Rahab like one who is slain;
with your strong arm scatter your foes
The heavens are yours, the earth also,
the world and all it contains,
Creating both north and south,
Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.
I will establish his children forever,
and his throne like the days of heaven
Your arm is strong, your hand mighty,
and your right hand is exalted.
Right and just the foundation of your throne;
love and truth proceed before you.
Blessed are they who know joyful shouting!
LORD, they walk by the light of your face.
In your name they’ll rejoice all day,
by your righteousness they are lifted.
For you are the glory of our strength,
by your favor our horn is exalted.
For our shield belongs to the LORD,
and our king to the Holy One of Israel.
Saying once to your saints in a vision,
“I will help a mighty one;
From the people I’ll lift up a chosen one;
then I found my servant, David.”
I will establish his children forever,
and his throne like the days of heaven
I anointed him with my holy oil,
my hand was set, and my arm gave strength.
His foe will not deceive him,
nor the son of wickedness hurt him;
I will crush his foes before him,
and strike all those who hate him.
Faithfulness and love will be with him;
in My name his horn will be lifted.
I will set his hand on the sea,
and his right hand on the rivers.
He will cry to me, ‘You are my Father;
my God, my rock of salvation.’
I will make him as my firstborn,
the highest of kings on the earth.
I will bear my love for him always,
my covenant shall be confirmed.
I will establish his children forever,
and his throne like the days of heaven
If his sons forsake my law,
not walking in my judgments;
If they violate my statutes,
not keeping my commandments,
I will punish their sins with the rod,
their iniquity with stripes;
but I will not break off my love,
nor will I betray my faithfulness.
I will not break off my covenant,
change the utterance of my lips
Once I have sworn by my holiness,
unto David I will not lie
His descendants shall last forever,
his throne like the sun before Me.
Like the moon established forever,
and the witness in the sky is faithful.
I will establish his children forever,
and his throne like the days of heaven
But you cast off and reject him,
full of wrath against your anointed.
You have spurned your servant’s covenant,
and profaned his crown in the dust.
You have broken down all his walls;
you have brought his strongholds to ruin.
All who pass his way now plunder him;
he’s become a reproach to his neighbors.
You exalt the hand of his enemies;
you have made his foes rejoice.
You turn back the edge of his sword,
and have not let him stand in the battle.
You have made his glory to cease,
and have cast his throne to the ground.
You have shortened the days of his youth;
you have covered him over with shame.
How long, O LORD will you hide yourself?
Will your anger burn like fire?
Remember the span of my life;
you create sons of men for such vanity
What man can live and not see death?
Spare his soul from Sheol’s power?
Lord, where are your former graces,
which you swore to David in faithfulness?
I will establish his children forever,
and his throne like the days of heaven
Lord, remember your servant’s reproach;
my heart bears from the nations,
with which your foes reproach, O LORD,
the steps of your anointed.
I will establish his children forever,
and his throne like the days of heaven
Blessed be the LORD, forever! Amen and Amen.
PRAYER
Remember us, gracious God,
when we cannot see your way and purpose,
and renew in us the joy of your kingdom of light and life.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: 1 Kings 21:17-29
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria; he is now in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. You shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: Have you killed, and also taken possession?’ You shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood.’
Ahab said to Elijah, ‘Have you found me, O my enemy?’ He answered, ‘I have found you. Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, I will bring disaster on you; I will consume you, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. Also concerning Jezebel the Lord said, “The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of Jezreel.” Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat; and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the air shall eat.’
(Indeed, there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel. He acted most abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites.)
When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about dejectedly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: ‘Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster on his house.’
HYMN: Psalm 1; para. Psalter, 1912, alt.
Tune: Winchester Old https://tinyurl.com/4ff7atz9
1 How blest are they who, fearing God,
from sin restrain their feet,
who will not with the wicked stand,
who shun the scorner’s seat.
2 How blest are they who make God’s law
their treasure and delight,
and meditate upon that word
with gladness day and night.
3 Their lives are nourished like a tree
set by the river’s side
its leaf is green, its fruit is sure:
so all their works abide.
4 The wicked, like the driven chaff,
are blown across the land;
they shall not gather with the just,
nor in the judgment stand.
5 The LORD will guard the righteous well,
their way to him is known;
the way of sinners, far from God,
shall surely be o’erthrown.
Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:1-11
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Surely we do not need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you, do we? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all; and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Such is the confidence that we have through Christ towards God. Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Now if the ministry of death, chiselled in letters on stone tablets, came in glory so that the people of Israel could not gaze at Moses’ face because of the glory of his face, a glory now set aside, how much more will the ministry of the Spirit come in glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, much more does the ministry of justification abound in glory! Indeed, what once had glory has lost its glory because of the greater glory; for if what was set aside came through glory, much more has the permanent come in glory!
HYMN: Daniel Iverson ©
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/upfxyr8z
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me;
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me;
break me, melt me, mould me, fill me;
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Reading: John 8:41b-51
They said to Jesus, ‘We are not illegitimate children; we have one father, God himself.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word. You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.’
The Jews answered him, ‘Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?’ Jesus answered, ‘I do not have a demon; but I honour my Father, and you dishonour me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge. Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.’
CANTICLE Revelation 15:3-4
(Setting: Peter La Grand https://tinyurl.com/wvxnqrj)
You alone are holy
You alone are holy
Great and marvelous are your deeds
For you alone are holy
Who will not fear you O Lord?
And bring glory to your name
Just and true are you ways
King of the ages
…
All nations will come and worship you
For you alone are holy
…
All your righteous ways have been seen
For you alone are holy
THE PRAYERS PWC
Send forth your strength, O God;
establish what you have wrought in us.
Uphold all those who fall
and raise up those who are bowed down.
Open the eyes of the blind
and set the prisoners free.
Sustain the orphan and widowed
and give food to those who hunger.
Grant them the joy of your help again
and sustain them with your Spirit.
Giver of peace, judge the peoples
and take all nations for your own.
(Plainsong Mode 2: https://tinyurl.com/yctqq8cf)DL
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread;
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 for ever. Amen.
God of peace,
you command us to love one another
and live in peace with our neighbors.
Yet, because of our closed minds,
prejudice, and suspicion of difference,
we frequently choose violence and war,
we discriminate against minorities and the marginalized,
we suppress basic human rights,
we contribute to conflict amongst ethnic and religious groups.
We pray for wisdom and humility.
Empower us by your Spirit
to embrace one another and walk peacefully together. Amen. BCW18
Music: https://tinyurl.com/y9efvwm5
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen. 2 Cor. 13:14
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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
BCW18 The collect is from Book of Common Worship (2018), Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.
PWC PRAY WITHOUT CEASING: Morning and Evening Prayer for the Seasons of the Church Year Prepared by The Rev’d Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett on behalf of The Liturgy Task Force of the Anglican Church of Canada, May 2016.
The scripture readings are from the The New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Edition, The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language version of Psalm 89 is by Karl Kohlhase http://www.k4communications.com/karl/index.html
Musical links are usually either to artists’ albums posted on Spotify or to recordings made available at smallchurchmusic.com. Audio stripped from YouTube videos is footnoted accordingly above.
Compilation © 2022 Stephen T. Benner. All links worked at the time they were created, but I cannot accept responsibility for their content or any damage resulting from their use. The linked content is under the control of the respective content creators and is subject to change at any time. Any copyright texts included in this compilation are provided for non-commercial purposes related to study or worship. Please contact the respective copyright holders for permission to use the texts in other contexts.
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