May 8th, 2022 | 10:00 a.m. | The Fourth Sunday of Easter

The Word of God

Opening Hymn     Glorious things of thee are spoken                              Hymnal  522

Opening Acclamation

Alleluia.  Christ is risen.  The Lord is risen indeed.  Alleluia.

The Collect for Purity (together)

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.

Gloria

     1   Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.  Refrain 

     2   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. Refrain

     3   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! Amen!   Refrain

The Collect of the Day

The Lord be with you.  And also with you.  Let us pray.

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 

The First Reading     Acts 9:36-43

Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.   The Word of the Lord.  Thanks be to God.

Psalm 23 (in unison)

The Lord is my shepherd; * I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures * and leads me beside still waters.  He revives my soul * and guides me along right pathways for his Name’s sake.  Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; * for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; * you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over.  Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, * and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The Second Reading     Revelation 7:9-17

I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”  And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”  Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.  They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”  

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation     Celtic Alleluia   (The People will sing the refrain before and after the verse.)

The Gospel     John 10:22-30

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

At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”  

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon                                                                                               The Rev. Lisa Green

A period of silence follows the sermon.

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.

The Prayers of the People

Prayer Leader:  Gathered before the throne of the Lamb, let us pray for the needs of the flock of God throughout the world.

For the holy churches in every place, and for the unity of all.  Glory and praise to you, O living God.

For this holy assembly and for all who gather in the name of the risen Christ. Glory and praise to you, O living God.  For all illumined by the light of Christ.  Glory and praise to you, O living God.

For Susan, our Bishop, Lisa, our priest, and all who minister in Christ, and for all the holy people of God. Glory and praise to you, O living God.  For the world and its leaders, our nation and its people.  Glory and praise to you, O living God. For all those in danger and need, the sick and the suffering, the strayed and the lost, and those who care for them. Glory and praise to you, O living God. For those who walk in death’s dark valley.  Glory and praise to you, O living God.

For ourselves, our families, and those we love.  Glory and praise to you, O living God.  

Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as Christ loves us.  We pray for Mary, Kay, Ricardi, Clare, Byron, Warren, Alana, for St. Vincent’s School, Haiti, and for an end to the pandemic. We pray for the dying, all those who have died, and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.  Glory and praise to you, O living God. 

Please add your own intentions, silently or aloud.

Remembering our most glorious and blessed Virgin Mary, blessed Martin, and all the saints, let us offer ourselves and one another to the living God through Christ. To you, O Lord.

Celebrant:   Blessed are you, God our Father, whose Son lay down his life to take it up again. Hear the prayers we offer for every need, and make us one through your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Peace & Announcements

The peace of the Lord be always with you.  And also with you.

The Holy Communion

The Offertory Anthem     Shepherd me, O God                                                                                     

The Offering of Gifts     Take, O take  

Take, O take me as I am; summon out what I shall be, set your seal upon my heart and live in me.

The Great Thanksgiving     Eucharistic Prayer 1, Enriching Our Worship

The Lord be with you.  And also with you. 

Lift up your hearts.  We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.  It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is truly right, and good and joyful, to give you thanks, all-holy God, source of life and fountain of mercy, but chiefly are we bound to praise you for the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; for he is the true Paschal Lamb, who was sacrificed for us, and has taken away the sin of the world. By his death he has destroyed death, and by his rising to life again he has won for us everlasting life.  Therefore, joining with Angels and Archangels and with the faithful of every generation, we lift our voices with all creation as we sing:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power, God of 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.  Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of the universe and giver of life. You formed us in your own image and called us to dwell in your infinite love.  You gave the world into our care that we might be your faithful stewards and show forth your bountiful grace. But we failed to honor your image in one another and in ourselves; we would not see your goodness in the world around us; and so we violated your creation, abused one another, and rejected your love. Yet you never ceased to care for us, and prepared the way of salvation for all people. Through Abraham and Sarah you called us into covenant with you. You delivered us from slavery, sustained us in the wilderness, and raised up prophets to renew your promise of salvation. Then, in the fullness of time, you sent your eternal Word, made mortal flesh in Jesus. Born into the human family, and dwelling among us, he revealed your glory. Giving himself freely to death on the cross, he triumphed over evil, opening the way of freedom and life.

On the night before he died for us, Our Savior Jesus Christ took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his friends, and said: “Take, eat: This is my Body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”   

As supper was ending, Jesus 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 poured out for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.” Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:  Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Remembering his death and resurrection, we now present to you from your creation this bread and this wine. By your Holy Spirit may they be for us the Body and Blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. Grant that we who share these gifts may be filled with the Holy Spirit and live as Christ’s Body in the world. Bring us into the everlasting heritage of your daughters and sons, that with Martin and all your saints, past, present, and yet to come, we may praise your Name for ever.  Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to you be honor, glory, and praise, for ever and ever. AMEN.

The Lord’s Prayer  (contemporary words)  

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.  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.

The Breaking of the Bread

Alleluia.  Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.  Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia.

All are invited to the Lord’s table.  Wafers and wine are to the left (for sipping only, not intinction) and Communion kits containing both bread and wine are to the right.

Communion Hymn     The Summons  

     1   Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?

         Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?

         Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known,

         Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

     2   Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?

         Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?

         Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?

         Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

     3   Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?

         Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?

         Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen,

         And admit to what I mean in you and you in me?

     4   Will you love the ‘you’ you hide if I but call your name?

         Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?

         Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around,

         Through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?

     5   Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.

         Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.

         In your company I’ll go where your love and footsteps show.

         Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

The Post-Communion Prayer

God of abundance, you have fed us with the bread of life and cup of salvation; you have united us with Christ and one another; and you have made us one with all your people in heaven and on earth. Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit, that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue for ever in the risen life of Christ our Savior. Amen.

The Blessing

Closing Hymn     Ye watchers and ye holy ones                            Hymnal  618

The Dismissal

Alleluia, Alleluia.  Let us go forth in the name of the risen Christ.  Thanks be to God.  Alleluia, Alleluia.