Monday, April 17, 2017

An Ordo for Easter 2 (RCL Easter 2A, 23 April 2017)

During Easter Saint Faith's is using an alternative set of readings from the Hebrew scriptures with an accompanying psalm.  This alternative lectionary was developed by the English Language Liturgical Consultation and is available by clicking here.

The Second Sunday of Easter
23 April 2017

The Gathering of the Community

Gathering Music

Announcements

Opening Hymn

‘Through the Red Sea Brought at Last’  Common Praise #226

Introductory Responses

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

May his grace and peace be with you.
May he fill our hearts with joy.

The Hymn of Praise

‘Glory, in the Highest Glory’  Common Praise #366

The Collect of the Day

Let us pray.

O God,
our beginning and our end:
accept our doubts, heal our desire for certainty
and, by your Spirit’s gentle touch,
make us a people forgiven and forgiving;
through Jesus Christ, the Giver of Peace.  Amen. [i]

The Proclamation of the Word

The First Reading

A reading from Exodus (15.1-11).

            15.1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:  “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.  2 The Lord is my strength and my might, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.  3 The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.

            4 “Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he cast into the sea; his picked officers were sunk in the Red Sea.  5 The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone.  6 Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power — your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy.  7 In the greatness of your majesty you overthrew your adversaries; you sent out your fury, it consumed them like stubble.  8 At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up, the floods stood up in a heap; the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.  9 The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.  I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’  10 You blew with your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

            11 “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?  Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in splendour, doing wonders?”

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.

The Psalm

Psalm 111 with refrain from Songs for the Holy One.

Refrain (sung twice):  With all our hearts we praise you, O Holy One.

1 Hallelujah!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, *
            in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the deeds of the Lord! *
            They are studied by all who delight in them.
3 O Lord, your work is full of majesty and splendour, *
            and your righteousness endures for ever.
4 You make your marvellous works to be remembered; *
            you are gracious and full of compassion.

Refrain:  With all our hearts we praise you, O Holy One.

5 You give food to those who fear you; *
            you are ever mindful of your covenant.
6 You have shown your people the power of your works *
            in giving them the lands of the nations.
7 The works of your hands are faithfulness and justice; *
            all your commandments are sure.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever, *
            because they are done in truth and equity.

Refrain:  With all our hearts we praise you, O Holy One.

9 You send redemption to your people;
you commanded your covenant for ever; *
            holy and awesome is your name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; *
            those who act accordingly have a good understanding;
            the praise of the Lord endures for ever.

Refrain:  With all our hearts we praise you, O Holy One.

The Second Reading

A reading from the First Letter of Peter (1.3-9).

            1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  6 In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith — being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire — may be found to result in praise and glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.  8 Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.

Hymn before the Gospel

‘Jesus Is Risen from the Grave’  Common Praise #232 vv. 1, 7

The Gospel

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John (20.19-31).
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

            20.19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”  20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”  22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

            24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.  25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.”  But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

            26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them.  Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”  27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it in my side.  Do not doubt but believe.”  28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”  29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

            30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.  31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

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

Hymn after the Gospel

‘Jesus Is Risen from the Grave’  Common Praise #232 vv. 1, 4

The Homily

The Nicene Creed

Let us confess our faith, as we say,

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,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary
and became truly human.
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,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,
who 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 Community

Intercessions, Petitions and Thanksgivings

The Exchange of the Peace

May the peace of the risen Christ be always with you.
And also with you.

The Holy Communion

Offertory Hymn

‘We Walk by Faith, and Not by Sight’  Common Praise #244

Prayer over the Gifts

Let us pray.

Blessed are you, O God, ruler of heaven and earth.
Day by day you shower us with blessings.
As you have raised us to new life in Christ,
give us glad and generous hearts,
ready to praise you and to respond to those in need,
through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen. [ii]

The Thanksgiving at the Table

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 our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, for the glorious resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the true Paschal Lamb who gave himself to take away our sin, who in dying has destroyed death, and in rising has brought us to eternal life.  And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures, and with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

You are holy, you are whole. 
You are always ever more
than we ever understand.
You are always at hand.
 
Blessed are you coming near.
Blessed are you coming here
to your church in wine and bread,
raised from soil, raised from dead.

You are holy, you are wholeness,
you are present. 
Let the cosmos praise you, Lord!

Sing hosanna in the highest! 
Sing hosanna!  Sing hosanna to our God! [iii]

Blessed are you, O God of the universe.  Your mercy is everlasting and your faithfulness endures from age to age.

Praise to you for creating the heavens and the earth.  Praise to you for saving the earth from the waters of the flood.  Praise to you for bringing the Israelites safely through the sea.  Praise to you for leading your people through the wilderness to the land of milk and honey.  Praise to you for the words and deeds of Jesus, your anointed one.  Praise to you for the death and resurrection of Christ.  Praise to you for your Spirit poured out on all nations.

In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:  Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.  Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying:  This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.  Do this for the remembrance of me.

With this bread and cup we remember our Lord’s passover from death to life as we proclaim the mystery of faith:  Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.

O God of resurrection and new life:  Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these gifts of bread and wine.  Bless this feast.  Grace our table with your presence.  Come, Holy Spirit.

Reveal yourself to us in the breaking of the bread.  Raise us up as the body of Christ for the world.  Breathe new life into us.  Send us forth, burning with justice, peace, and love.  Come, Holy Spirit.

With the ever-blessed virgin Mary, blessed Joseph, blessed Faith and your holy ones of all times and places, with the earth and all its creatures, with sun and moon and stars, we praise you, O God, blessed and holy Trinity, now and forever.  Amen. [iv]

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
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. [v]

The Breaking of the Bread

Lord, we died with you on the cross.
Now we are raised to new life.
We were buried in your tomb.
Now we share in your resurrection.
Live in us, that we may live in you.

These are the gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.

Communion

The Hymn after Communion

‘Dear Lord, We Long to See Your Face’  Common Praise #516

The Sending Forth of the Community

Prayer after Communion

Let us pray.

Father,
we have seen with our eyes
and touched with our hands the bread of life.
Strengthen our faith,
so that we may grow in love for you
and for each other;
through Jesus Christ, the risen Lord.  Amen. [vi]

Glory to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever.  Amen.

Closing Hymn

‘Now the Green Blade Rises’  Common Praise #237

Dismissal

The Deacon sends the Community forth with an appropriate Dismissal.




[i] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects for Years A, B & C and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion’ 2016, 22.

[ii] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 64 alt.

[iii] Evangelical Lutheran Worship #525.

[iv] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 111.

[v] Songs for a Gospel People #12.

[vi] The Book of Alternative Services (1985), 337 alt.

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