The Sixth Sunday of Easter

May 5, 2024 8:00 am

Prelude:

Opening Welcome & Announcements

Processional Hymn: #204 Now the green blade riseth

Opening Acclamation and Collect for Purity

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

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: S-278

Collect of the Day

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

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Word of God

First Lesson:  Acts 10:44-48

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.

Psalm 98

1 Sing to the Lord a | nëw | song, *

for | he has • done | marve•lous | things.

2 With his right hand and his | holy | arm *

has he | won for • him|self the | victory.

3 The Lord has made | known his | victory; *

his righteousness has he openly | shown • in the | sight • of the | nations.

4 He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the | house of | Israel, *

and all the ends of the earth have seen the | victo•ry | of our | God.

5 Shout with joy to the Lord | all you | lands; *

lift up your | voice, re|joice, and | sing.

6 Sing to the | Lord • with the | harp, *

with the | harp • and the | voice of | song.

7 With trumpets and the | sound of • the | horn *

shout with joy be|fore the | King, the | Lord.

8 Let the sea make a noise and | all that • is | in it, *

the lands and | those who | dwell there|in.

9 Let the rivers | clap their | hands, *

and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord when he | comes to | judge the |earth.

10 In righteousness shall he | judge the | world *

— | and the | peoples • with | equity.

Second Lesson: 1 John 5:1-6

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.

Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.

Sequence Hymn: #194 Jesus lives!

The Gospel:  John 15:9-17

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

Jesus said to his disciples, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”

Gospeller: The Gospel of the Lord. People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Homily: The Rev. Todd Blackham

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

Let us offer our intentions and prayers to our resurrected Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Risen Christ, we ask that you give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous, and all for your love’s sake. 
Hear us and be with us, Risen Lord. 

Risen Christ, you have called each of us by name into relationship with you, pour out the Holy Spirit upon us that we might desire more deeply to be your whole-life disciples for the world.
Hear us and be with us, Risen Lord.

Risen Christ, create in us the hunger and thirst to be with you. 
Hear us and be with us, Risen Lord.

Risen Christ, we surrender ourselves to you. By the power of the Holy Spirit, transform us into reflections of yourself that we might become like you in every aspect of our lives.
Hear us and be with us, Risen Lord.

Risen Christ, we offer you our lives, animated by the Holy Spirit, so that you might bless the world through us as we strive to live like you in the world.
Hear us and be with us, Risen Lord.

I invite your petitions and intercessions on behalf of others and the world.

Almighty God, in this Easter season, as we celebrate with joy the triumph of your Son Jesus Christ over sin and death, we pray for grace to be continually at work within us, that we might become whole-life disciples––to be with, become like, and life like Jesus in our everyday lives––bearing witness to our resurrection hope in word and deed. For this and all the cares and concerns we lift up before you, we pray: Amen.

The Holy Communion

The Peace and Offertory Sentence

Offertory Music: Be Thou My Vision - arr. Bob Chilcott

Doxology

The Great Thanksgiving

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 him thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. 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 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:

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:
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. 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 forever. AMEN.

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

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant breaks Bread; silence is kept.

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

Invitation to Communion

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 Music

If Ye Love Me - Philip Wilby

Post-Communion Prayer

Let us pray.

Eternal God, heavenly Father,
you have graciously accepted us as living members
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ,
and you have fed us with spiritual food
in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.
Send us now into the world in peace,
and grant us strength and courage
to love and serve you
with gladness and singleness of heart;
through Christ our Lord.Amen.

The Blessing

May the author of life, the risen Lord Jesus, pour out the Holy Spirit upon you this day so that you will live a new resurrected life all of your days, and on the last day rise to eternal life in God’s kingdom. And the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be with you and remain with you always.

The Dismissal

Recessional Hymn: #191 Alleluia, alleluia! Hearts & voices heavenward raise

Dismissal & Closing Announcements

Postlude:

Musicians for Today’s Service:
Dan Dufford, Director of Music
Sarah Kanyok, cantor