Welcome to our Communion Service.
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We meet in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
Amen
Alleluia Christ is Risen
He is Risen indeed Alleluia
Song: Come now is the time to worship https://youtu.be/NPWq8eM4lu8
Father God, we come to you because you turn doubt into hope, tears into laughter and fear into fearlessness. We come to you because on this Sunday and on every other day, we can say, ‘Jesus is alive!’ Amen.
We Say Sorry to God
Jesus Christ, risen Master and triumphant Lord,
we come to you in sorrow for our sins,
and confess to you our weakness and unbelief.
We have lived by our own strength,
and not by the power of your resurrection.
In your mercy, forgive us.
Lord, hear us and help us.
We have lived by the light of our own eyes,
as faithless and not believing.
In your mercy, forgive us.
Lord, hear us and help us.
We have lived for this world alone,
and doubted our home in heaven.
In your mercy, forgive us.
Lord, hear us and help us.
Almighty God,
who forgives all who truly repent,
have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Song: For I’m building a people of power https://youtu.be/fAVdz4a7s6s
The Collect
Risen Christ,
by the lakeside you renewed your call to your disciples:
help your Church to obey your command
and draw the nations to the fire of your love,
to the glory of God the Father.
Amen
What’s going on? I wonder how everyone is doing in week 7 of lockdown.
Let’s have a straw poll. Thumbs up if it’s good; thumbs down it not so good…
Haircuts?
Being fit?
Tidying the house or garden…
Working from home
Going to work
Not being able to work at all
Doing more on the computer
Getting on with friends or family
I guess it’s all a bit of a mixed picture. Some good and some not so great.
The Bible readings in the weeks after Easter tell us what happened next to Jesus’ followers.
Who can remember what we have heard?
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
And we can do the same- what’s a thumbs up and what’s thumbs down?
What does this tell us about what’s it like being a disciple?
First Reading: Acts 17:22-31 Read by Lin
22 Paul stood up in front of the city council and said, “I see that in every way you Athenians are very religious. 23 For as I walked through your city and looked at the places where you worship, I found an altar on which is written, ‘To an Unknown God.’ That which you worship, then, even though you do not know it, is what I now proclaim to you. 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, is Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands. 25 Nor does he need anything that we can supply by working for him, since it is he himself who gives life and breath and everything else to everyone. 26 From one human being he created all races of people and made them live throughout the whole earth. He himself fixed beforehand the exact times and the limits of the places where they would live. 27 He did this so that they would look for him, and perhaps find him as they felt around for him. Yet God is actually not far from any one of us; 28 as someone has said,
‘In him we live and move and exist.’
It is as some of your poets have said, ‘We too are his children.’
29 Since we are God's children, we should not suppose that his nature is anything like an image of gold or silver or stone, shaped by human art and skill. 30 God has overlooked the times when people did not know him, but now he commands all of them everywhere to turn away from their evil ways. 31 For he has fixed a day in which he will judge the whole world with justice by means of a man he has chosen. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising that man from death!”
Song: Spirit of the Living God https://youtu.be/ccaFnRYLTok
Gospel Reading : John 14:15-21 https://youtu.be/cB9XO2yXCtY
15 “If you love me, you will obey my commandments. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive him, because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is in you.
18 “When I go, you will not be left all alone; I will come back to you. 19 In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will see me; and because I live, you also will live. 20 When that day comes, you will know that I am in my Father and that you are in me, just as I am in you.
21 “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them.”
Sermon:
We’ve taken a great leap forward in time from Stephen’s martyrdom last week. A young man called Saul was a bystander approving of the violence. And now we’re with that same man, converted and transformed, travelling across the whole of the known world to tell people about Jesus. A huge change.
Actually Paul’s trip to Athens isn’t even his first journey.
Well this is where we are now: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/07/44/cd/0744cd001975bb5c7689353e8861873f.jpg
Paul is a totally different person.
What do we focus on?
We could reflect on God’s power at work in Paul. He was (by his own account) a pretty terrible person. A violent man, attacking other people changes into someone who really puts himself out for the good of all. He was against anyone who followed Jesus but now wholeheartedly teaches others about Jesus.
God can do amazing things, turn people’s lives round
But also lots of difficult dangerous frustrating things – What do you know about Paul’s life?
Beatings
Jail
Persecution
Hunger and thirst
Disasters
Not getting on with other Christians..
What does Paul do through all of this?
Keep going. Keep going and doing what he’s called to do. Have a look back at our first reading. What does he sound like to you?
What’s this got to do with us?
What does the gospel reading tell us?
The person who loves God and wants to follow, will receive the Holy Spirit.
Who transformed Paul? Who sustained Paul? The Holy Spirit- who is available to us today.
What we believe
Let us declare our faith in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he was buried;
he was raised to life on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures;
afterwards he appeared to his followers,
and to all the apostles:
This we have received,
and this we believe.
Amen.
This time tomorrow: Ally
Our Prayers: Led by Paula, Angela and Daniella
The Peace
The Risen Christ came and stood among
his disciples and said,
Peace be with you.
Then they were glad when they saw the Lord.
Alleluia
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Offertory Hymn: Before the Throne of God Above https://youtu.be/-50pFs0hRpg
Holy Communion https://youtu.be/DsCUT1mP4IM
The Lord is here
His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
Lord of all life,
you created the universe,
where all living things reflect your glory.
You give us this great and beautiful earth,
to discover and to cherish.
You give us happy times
and things to celebrate.
In these we taste your kingdom,
a feast for all your children.
You made us all,
each wonderfully different,
to join with the angels
and sing your praise:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord,
Holy is the Lord God Almighty: x2
Who was and is and is to come,
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord
We thank you, loving Father,
because, when we turned away,
you sent Jesus, your Son.
He gave his life for us on the cross
and shows us the way to live.
Send your Holy Spirit
that these gifts of bread and wine
may be for us Christ’s body and his blood.
On the night before he died,
when darkness had fallen,
Jesus took bread.
He gave thanks, broke it,
and shared it with his disciples, saying:
‘This is my body, given for you.
Do this to remember me.’
After they had eaten, he took the cup of wine,
gave thanks, and shared it with his disciples, saying:
‘This is my blood, poured out for you and for many,
for the forgiveness of sins.’
So Father, with this bread and this cup
we celebrate his love, his death, his risen life.
As you feed us with these gifts,
send your Holy Spirit,
and change us more and more
to be like Jesus our Saviour.
Help us, Father, to love one another,
as we look forward to that day
when suffering is ended,
and all creation is gathered in your loving arms.
And now with St Catherine and all your saints
we give you glory,
through Jesus Christ,
in the strength of the Spirit,
today and for ever.
Amen.
We continue with the words of The Lord's Prayer:
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.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen
We break this bread
to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body,
because we all share in one bread.
Every time we eat this bread
and drink this cup,
we proclaim the Lord’s death
until he comes.
Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
Prayer of spiritual communion
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits you have given me,
for all the pains and insults you have borne for me.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,
I ask you to come spiritually into my heart.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly, day by day. Amen
The Blessing
The God of peace,
who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
that great shepherd of the sheep,
make you perfect in every good work to do his will;
and the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son
and Holy Spirit be with you now
and remain with you always. Amen.
He is not here. He is risen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
In the name of Christ. Amen. Alleluia, alleluia.
Final Song: Great is thy faithfulness https://youtu.be/dTKIqmdfHSk
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