15.05.2020
Resources for Sunday 17 May, the Sixth Sunday of Easter
Welcome to this week’s Sunday Resources. Where there are two or more praying together, it is suggested that before commencing you decide on who will lead which parts of the service. Please note that words in bold indicate the responses and refrains at various parts of the service and words otherwise said together as a group. In today’s service, the parts to be allocated are: 1. A person to lead the Gathering of God’s People, the Apostles’ Creed and the Dismissal. 2. A person to read or sing the Psalm, Canticle and Hymns. 3. A person to read the Scriptures. 4. A person to lead the Prayers. Where there are less than four people present, roles may be combined. You can find below the full text of the service.
The Sixth Sunday of Easter (rogation Sunday)
The Gathering of God’s People
GREETING
The Lord be with you
and also with you.
Opening Hymn: CH28 “I sing the almighty power of God”(vs 1–6, altd.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6lFXCK6V5E
I sing the almighty power of God
that made the mountains rise,
that spread the flowing seas abroad,
and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained
the sun to rule the day;
the moon shines full at his command,
and all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord
that filled the earth with food;
he formed the creatures with his word
and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how thy wonders are displayed,
where’er I turn mine eye,
if I survey the ground we tread
or gaze upon the sky.
There’s not a plant or flower below
but makes thy glories known,
and clouds arise, and tempests blow,
by order from thy throne.
While all that borrows life from thee
is ever in thy care,
and everywhere that we can be,
thou, God, are present there.
Isaac Watts (1674–1748) altd.
based on Psalm 136: 5–9; James 1: 17
INTRODUCTION
We come to offer to Almighty God
our worship and praise and thanksgiving,
to confess our sins and to receive God’s forgiveness,
to hear his holy word proclaimed,
to bring before him our needs and the needs of the world,
and to pray that in the power of his Spirit
we may serve him and know the greatness of his love.
Let us confess our sins to God our Father.
Silence is kept.
CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION
Heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour
in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault;
by what we have done
and by what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name. Amen.
Merciful Lord,
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Proclaiming and Receiving the Word
Stand
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth will proclaim your praise.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Praise the Lord.
The Lord’s name be praised.
The First Reading: Acts 17: 22–31
The reading below may be read, or an audio version listened to at:
https://www.biblica.com/bible/niv/acts/17/
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
After the reading silence may be kept.
The Psalm: Psalm 66Jubilate Deo.
Listen to and sing along with this Psalm at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv_t8FDYOSU
1 O be joyful in God, all ye lands : sing praises unto the honour of his Name, make his praise to be glorious.
2 Say unto God, O how wonderful art thou in thy works : through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies be found liars unto thee.
3 For all the world shall worship thee : sing of thee, and praise thy Name.
4 O come hither, and behold the works of God : how wonderful he is in his doing towards the children of men.
5 He turned the sea into dry land : so that they went through the water on foot; there did we rejoice thereof.
6 He ruleth with his power for ever; his eyes behold the people : and such as will not believe shall not be able to exalt themselves.
7 O praise our God, ye peoples : and make the voice of his praise to be heard;
8 Who holdeth our soul in life : and suffereth not our feet to slip.
9 For thou, O God, hast proved us : thou also hast tried us, like as silver is tried.
10 Thou broughtest us into the snare : and laidest trouble upon our loins.
11 Thou sufferedest men to ride over our heads : we went through fire and water, and thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
12 I will go into thine house with burnt–offerings : and will pay thee my vows, which I promised with my lips, and spake with my mouth, when I was in trouble.
13 I will offer unto thee fat burnt–sacrifices, with the incense of rams : I will offer bullocks and goats.
14 O come hither, and hearken, all ye that fear God : and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul,
15 I called unto him with my mouth : and gave him praises with my tongue.
16 If I incline unto wickedness with mine heart : the Lord will not hear me.
17 But God hath heard me : and considered the voice of my prayer.
18 Praised be God, who hath not cast out my prayer : nor turned his mercy from me.
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.
The Second Reading: 1 Peter 3: 13–22
The reading below may be read, or an audio version listened to at:
https://www.biblica.com/bible/niv/1-peter/3/
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
After the reading silence may be kept.
Hymn before the Gospel: CH294 “Come down, O love divine”
Listen to and sing along with this Psalm at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HPKL1wOVXk
Come down, O Love divine,
seek thou this soul of mine,
and visit it with thine own ardour glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.
O let it freely burn,
till earthly passions turn
to dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
and let thy glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.
Let holy charity
mine outward vesture be,
and lowliness become mine inner clothing:
True lowliness of heart,
which takes the humbler part,
and o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.
And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
shall far outpass the power of human telling;
for none can guess its grace,
till we become the place
wherein the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.
Bianco da Siena (d. 1434)
tr. Richard F. Littledale (1833–90)
based on John 14: 16, 26
The Gospel: John 14: 15–21
The reading below may be read, or an audio version listened to at:
https://www.biblica.com/bible/niv/john/14/
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
After the reading silence may be kept.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
BENEDICTUS The Song of Zechariah Luke 1: 68–79
The Canticle may be said, or an audio version listened to and sung along with at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFjlAnBEneE
1 Blessèd be the Lord God of Israel,
for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
2 And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us
in the house of his servant David;
3 As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets
which have been since the world began;
4 That we should be saved from our enemies,
and from the hands of all that hate us,
5 To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers,
and to remember his holy covenant;
6 To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham:
that he would give us,
7 That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies
might serve him without fear,
8 In holiness and righteousness before him
all the days of our life.
9 And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest,
for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
10 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people,
for the remission of their sins,
11 Through the tender mercy of our God
whereby the day–spring from on high hath visited us,
12 To give light to them that sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
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.
Revd Abigail Sines has prepared a sermon podcast which you may listen to at:
https://www.dublinandglendaloughsermons.com/sermons/a-lightbulb-moment-abigail-sines
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Hymn of Faith: CH618 “Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCBjxVP6GWE
Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
whose trust, ever childlike, no cares could destroy,
be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.
Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
be there at our labours and give us, we pray,
your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.
Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.
Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.
The Prayers of the People
The Lord be with you and also with you.
Kneel
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
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.
Show us your mercy, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.
O Lord, guide and defend our rulers and grant our government wisdom.
Let your ministers be clothed with righteousness and let your servants shout for joy.
O Lord, save your people and bless those whom you have chosen.
Give peace in our time, O Lord, and let your glory be over all the earth.
O God, make clean our hearts within us and renew us by your Holy Spirit.
THE COLLECTS
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
God our redeemer,
you have delivered us from the power of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of your Son:
Grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life,
so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
COLLECTS AT MORNING PRAYER
O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everliving God,
we give you thanks for bringing us safely to this day:
Keep us from falling into sin or running into danger,
and in all things guide us to know and do your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Heavenly Father,
in whom we live and move and have our being:
We humbly pray that your Holy Spirit may so guide and govern us
that in all the cares and occupations of our daily life,
we may never forget your presence
but may remember that we are always walking in your sight,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A PRAYER FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS
For frontline health care workers, we thank you for their vocational call to serve us. Caring God, we also pray:
Keep them safe and healthy. Keep their families safe and healthy.
Help them to be knowledgeable about the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
Help them to stay clear–minded in the midst of the surrounding panic.
Deliver them from anxiety for their own loved ones (aging parents, children, spouses, roommates).
Give them compassion for every patient in their care.
Provide for them financially, especially if they fall ill and are unable to work.
Help Christians in health care to exhibit extraordinary peace, so that many would ask about the reason for their hope. Give them opportunities to proclaim the gospel.
God, we trust that you are good and do good. Teach us to be your faithful people in this time of global crisis. Help us to follow in the footsteps of our faithful shepherd, Jesus, who laid down his life for the sake of love. Glorify his name as you equip us with everything needed for doing your will. Amen.
PRAYERS
Let us pray that Christ’s risen life may be evident in us daily.
INTERCESSIONS
O Christ, in your resurrection
the heavens and the earth rejoice. Alleluia!
By your resurrection you broke open the gates of hell
and destroyed sin and death.
Keep us victorious over sin.
By your resurrection you raised the dead
and brought us from death to life.
Guide us in the way of eternal life.
By your resurrection you confounded your guards and executioners
and filled the disciples with joy.
Give us joy in your service.
By your resurrection you proclaimed good news to the women and apostles
and brought salvation to the whole world.
Direct our lives as your new creation.
God of mercy,
we no longer look for Jesus among the dead,
for he is alive and has become the Lord of life.
From the waters of death you raise us with him
and renew your gift of life within us.
THANKSGIVINGS
All–loving and all–powerful God,
we thank you for this season and all it means –
the assurance it brings that your love is stronger
than anything else in heaven or earth –
stronger than evil,
than all human powers,
than sorrow and suffering,
than death itself.
Accept our thanks for this day.
Accept our thanks for everything.
We thank you that in our world of so much pain and sorrow
you have shown that hope and faith is not in vain.
Your purpose is always at work,
giving meaning to our seeking and striving after good.
Accept our thanks for this day.
Accept our thanks for everything.
All–loving and all–powerful God,
accept our praise for all you have done in Christ –
a mystery before which we stand in awe,
a wonder before which we bow down in praise,
a truth in which we live and move
and have our being.
Accept our thanks for this day.
Accept our thanks for everything,
in the name of the living and risen Christ. Amen.
Closing Hymn: CH640 “Purify my heart”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwqDJpZrbrM
Purify my heart, let me be as gold and precious silver;
purify my heart, let me be as gold, pure gold.
Refiner’s fire, my heart’s one desire
is to be holy; set apart for You, Lord;
I choose to be holy, set apart for You,
my master, ready to do Your will.
Purify my heart, cleanse me from within and make me holy;
purify my heart, cleanse me from my sin, deep within.
Brian Doerksen (b. 1965)
Going Out as God’s People
May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Other Resources are:
1. The text of today’s service may be downloaded here.
2. Due to the current public health situation, Christ Church Cathedral remains closed to the public until further notice. It continues to hold Ireland, our healthcare workers, our leaders, those suffering from coronavirus, and the world in its prayers. Its worship takes place via webcam.
The Sunday Eucharist is at 11.00.
The Dean conducts daily prayer Monday–Friday:
Morning Prayer 10.00
Evening Prayer 17.00
Would you like to send in a prayer? Prayers may be emailed to abigail@christchurch.ie and as many as can be will be included in the daily prayers.
The webcam may be accessed at:
https://christchurchcathedral.ie/worship/video-stream-1/
3. Many local parishes are providing online resources via YouTube, Facebook and video conferencing. Details may be found on this website here.
4. Canon Patrick Comerford has produced a blog commenting on the Sunday readings which may be found at:
https://cmelimerick.blogspot.com/2020/05/readings-hymns-and-sermon-ideas-for_11.html
5. Fr Kieran O’Mahony, a former ecumenical Canon of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin also produces a weekly written commentary and an audio of his notes. These may be found at:
https://www.tarsus.ie/resources/000-PDFs/Easter-6A20.pdf and
https://soundcloud.com/user-679942596/easter6a20
6. At 11am on RTE1 there is a special acknowledgement of frontline healthcare workers, their patients and families. Fr Damian O’Reilly, Chaplain in St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin, celebrates Mass.
RTE News Now will have a Service of Sunday Worship at 2pm with details to follow.