The Gathering
Christ yesterday and today,
the beginning and the end,
Alpha and Omega,
all time belongs to him,
and all ages;
to him be glory and power,
through every age and for ever. Amen.
Sisters and brothers, this is a great moment, dispersed though we are, when again we can declare that the love of God is stronger than the sin of the world and that nothing in the heights or depths can separate us from God’s love.
For this is the day when our Lord Jesus Christ was raised gloriously from the dead and so we proclaim today that
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Hymn
Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once, upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!
Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heav’nly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!
But the pains which he endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation hath procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky he’s King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!
Sing we to our God above, Alleluia!
Praise eternal as his love, Alleluia!
Praise him, all ye heav’nly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!
The Collect
Let us pray that we may reign with the risen Christ in glory.
Lord of all life and power,
who through the mighty resurrection of your Son
overcame the old order of sin and death
to make all things new in him:
grant that we, being dead to sin
and alive to you in Jesus Christ,
may reign with him in glory;
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit
be praise and honour, glory and might,
now and in all eternity.
Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn
Love’s redeeming work is done;
Fought the fight, the battle won:
Lo, our Sun’s eclipse is o’er,
Lo, he sets in blood no more.
Lives again our glorious King;
Where, O death, is now thy sting?
Dying once, he all doth save;
Where thy victory, O grave?
Hail the Lord of earth and heav’n!
Praise to thee by both be giv’n;
Thee we greet triumphant now;
Hail, the Resurrection thou!
Gospel Reading
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.
Alleluia.
He has defeated the powers of death.
Alleluia.
Jesus turns our sorrow into dancing.
Alleluia.
He has the words of eternal life.
Alleluia.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John
Glory to you, O Lord.
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
The Way of Love – Part Three
Easter Day – The victory of love
Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed alleluia!
Renewal of Baptismal Vows
As we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, we remember that through the paschal mystery we have died and been buried with him in baptism.
To follow Christ means dying to sin and rising to new life with him. Therefore I ask:
Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God?
I reject them.
Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil?
I renounce them.
Do you repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour?
I repent of them.
May the light of Christ, rising in glory,
banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.
In baptism, God calls us out of darkness into his marvellous light.
Therefore I ask:
Do you turn to Christ as Saviour?
I turn to Christ.
Do you submit to Christ as Lord?
I submit to Christ.
Do you come to Christ, the way, the truth and the life?
I come to Christ.
May God, who has given you the desire to follow Christ,
give you the strength to continue in the Way.
Prayers of Intercession
Written by Cynthia Grice
As we celebrate the new life of Resurrection let us pray to God who brings us all to life.
Risen Lord we pray that the Church may proclaim your message of hope for the world at this very difficult time. May our lives as well as our worship testify to the truth of the Resurrection.
Lord in Your Mercy,
hear our prayer.
Risen Lord we seek your peace. Peace between nations and people at this time. Peace in our dealings with each other. Peace in our hearts and homes.
Lord in Your Mercy,
hear our prayer.
Risen Lord as you appeared to Mary and the disciples come enter our homes and the homes of all people – we pray at this time for all who are helping their local communities in their time of need – for all who work in our hospitals – surgeries – all community workers – particularly those in our parish of Whitkirk and Colton.
Lord in Your Mercy,
hear our prayer.
Risen Lord walk with us through these times of suffering and pain – make us aware of one another’s needs and breathe new life and hope for those for whom we pray today;
Kath Parkinson, Ginny Camponi, Tom Heaphy, Edward Fryer, Geoffrey Rinder, Jennifer Moad, Ryan Green, Mollie Boyes, Audrey Holland and all suffering from the Covid-19 virus.
Lord in Your Mercy,
hear our prayer.
Risen Lord we pray for those who have come to the end of their earthly journey – remembering those who have recently died;
Pauline Keenan, Veronica Todd and those who have lost their lives from the covid – 19 virus.
in the years mind we remember today;
Joseph Mark Hughes and anyone we wish to remember this Easter Day – may they all rest in the peace and joy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord in Your Mercy,
hear our prayer.
Risen Lord we thank you for the precious gift of new life – may we never take it for granted but live each moment in the fullness of life that Jesus gained for us. Rejoicing in the fellowship of St Mary and all your Saints we commend ourselves and the whole of creation to your unfailing love.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The Liturgy of the Sacrament
Please stand.
The Peace
Alleluia. Christ has been raised from the dead.
The peace of the risen Lord be always with you.
and also with you.
Preparation of the Table and the taking of the Bread and Wine
Hymn
The day of resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad;
The Passover of gladness, the Passover of God!
From death to life eternal, from earth unto the sky,
Our Christ hath brought us over with hymns of victory.
Our hearts be pure from evil, that we may see aright
The Lord in rays eternal of resurrection-light;
And listening to his accents, may hear so calm and plain
His own ‘All hail’ and, hearing, may raise the victor strain.
Now let the heav’ns be joyful, and earth her song begin,
The round world keep high triumph, and all that is therein; Let all things, seen and unseen, their notes in gladness blend,
For Christ the Lord hath risen, our joy that hath no end.
Risen Lord Jesus Christ,
we believe you, and all we have heard is true.
When you break bread
may we recognise you as the fire
that burns within us,
that we may bring light to your world.
Amen.
The Eucharistic Prayer
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.
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
almighty and eternal Father,
and in these days of Easter
to celebrate with joyful hearts
the memory of your wonderful works.
For by the mystery of his passion
Jesus Christ, your risen Son,
has conquered the powers of death and hell
and restored in men and women
the image of your glory.
He has placed them once more in paradise
and opened to them the gate of life eternal.
And so, in the joy of this Passover,
earth and heaven resound with gladness,
while angels and archangels
and the powers of all creation
sing for ever the hymn of your glory:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and 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.
Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness;
grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit,
and according to your holy will,
these gifts of bread and wine
may be to us the body and blood
of our Lord Jesus Christ;
who, in the same night that he was betrayed,
took bread and gave you thanks;
he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;
do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way, after supper
he took the cup and gave you thanks;
he gave it to them, saying:
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.
Do this, as often as you drink it,
in remembrance of me.
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.
And so, Father, calling to mind
his death on the cross,
his perfect sacrifice made once
for the sins of the whole world;
rejoicing in his mighty resurrection
and glorious ascension,
and looking for his coming in glory,
we celebrate this memorial of our redemption.
As we offer you this our sacrifice
of praise and thanksgiving,
we bring before you this bread and this cup
and we thank you for counting us worthy
to stand in your presence and serve you.
Send the Holy Spirit on your people here and in their homes
and gather into one in your kingdom
all who share this one bread and one cup,
so that we, in the company of
Blessèd Mary and all the saints,
may praise and glory you for ever,
through Jesus Christ our Lord;
by whom, and with whom, and in whom,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Rejoicing in God’s new creation, let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us:
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,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Breaking of the Bread
We break this bread
to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are dispersed,
we who are many are one body,
for we have and we will
share in the one bread.
Giving of Communion
Alleluia. Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
God of Life,
who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son
to the death of the cross,
and by his glorious resurrection
have delivered us from the power of our enemy:
grant us so to die daily to sin,
that we may evermore live with him
in the joy of his risen life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Hymn
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son,
Endless is the vict’ry thou o’er death hast won;
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave-clothes where thy body lay.
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son,
Endless is the vict’ry thou o’er death hast won.
Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom.
Let the Church with gladness hymns of triumph sing,
For her Lord now liveth; death hast lost its sting.
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son,
Endless is the vict’ry thou o’er death hast won.
No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of Life;
Life is naught without thee; aid us in our strife.
Make us more than conqu’rors through thy deathless love;
Bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above.
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son,
Endless is the vict’ry thou o’er death hast won.
Blessing
God the Father, by whose love
Christ was raised from the dead,
open to you who believe
the gates of everlasting life.
Amen.
God the Son,
who in bursting from the grave
has won a glorious victory,
give you joy as you share the Easter faith.
Amen.
God the Holy Spirit,
who filled the disciples
with the life of the risen Lord,
empower you and fill you
with Christ’s peace.
Amen.
And the blessing…
The Dismissal
With the power that raised Jesus from the dead
at work within you,
go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Alleluia. Alleluia.