Join us in person or live-streamed at 10AM or find our recorded service at your convenience. Details on our Worship page. Service words are below.
Prelude: Spirit Open My Heart
Acknowledgement
Welcome
Gathering Hymn: 576 CP For the Healing of the Nations
For the healing of the nations, God, we pray with one accord;
for a just and equal sharing of the things that earth affords.
To a life of love in action help us rise and pledge our word.
Lead us, Father, into freedom; from despair your world release,
that, redeemed from war and hatred, all may come and go in peace.
Show us how through care and goodness fear will die and hope increase.
All that kills abundant living, let it from the earth be banned:
pride of status, race, or schooling, dogmas that obscure your plan.
In our common quest for justice, may we hallow life’s brief span.
You, Creator God, have written your great name on humankind;
for our growing in your likeness, bring the life of Christ to mind;
that by our response and service earth its destiny may find.
The Gathering
Joyful praise is God’s promise
Music and song will gladden hearts in worship
Inspiration from the scriptures, is God’s promise
Through our listening and reflection, God’s word will come alive
Faith community friendship, is God’s promise
As we build each other up, Christ’s family will prosper
The Loving Spirit, is God’s promise
The Spirit will lead us to the peace that nothing can destroy.
The Holy Spirit is our helper, encourager, comforter, peace-bringer
The Spirit will guide us when we can not find the way, support us when the future seems bleak, be present when losses hit home and break through hostilities with loving power. Amen
Together we pray the Collect (Prayers for an Inclusive Church (2009) alt.)
Holy One, you breathe the word of love and the promise of new creation into the secret places of our lives. Teach us the costly way of fearless love and priceless peace; through Jesus Christ, who dwells in us. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (16:9-15)
During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us.
Listen for the leading of the Spirit Thanks be to God
Psalm 67 Refrain: Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
O God, be merciful to us and bless us, show us the light of your countenance and come to us. Let your ways be known upon earth, your saving health among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide all the nations upon earth. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has brought forth its increase; may you, O God our God, bless us. May you bless us, and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of you.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
A Reading from the Revelation to John (21:10, 22-22:5)
And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.
I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honour of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practises abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever.
Listen for the leading of the Spirit Thanks be to God
Gradual Hymn: Peace I Leave
Chorus: Peace I leave with you, my friends,
Peace the world cannot give.
Peace I leave with you, my friends,
So that your joy be ever full. Creator’s love I come to give, To be the hope for all of us. Chorus Take my words of life to heart, And you will live with hope and joy. Chorus
The Lord be with you And also with you
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John (14:23-29)
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I am coming to you.” If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.
The Gospel of Christ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
Homily
Affirmation of Faith (source: Steve Garnaas-Holmes, Unfolding Light)
We believe in the God of grace. We follow the Teacher of Love. We live by the Spirit of mercy. We trust God’s healing of the world.
When people spread fear and division, when evil, injustice and oppression thrive, no political revolution, program or platform will save us, but only a people transformed by grace and light, and a bold and sustained outbreak of gentleness.
We will stand up to cynicism, hate and indifference, and blanket this world with compassion, calm and mercy. We will proclaim the truth against all resistance. We will meet fear and hate with healing. We will obstruct the progress of injustice with our prayers, our words and our bodies. We will infest the world with grace and love.
We pray for open hearts and a spirit of deep listening. We pray for courage to enter the wounds of the world; for a spirit of peace to face violence with nonviolence; for patience to answer darkness with light. We pray for humility to offer ourselves as the first to be changed. We pray for one another, for we are one Body. We devote ourselves to sacrifice and discipline.
Giving thanks for the great spirit of grace
already breathing in us, already rising,
in hope and love, as the gentle people of God,
we go forth. Amen
Prayers of the People
In peace let us pray to the Lord, saying,
Lord, have mercy
The Peace
God makes peace within us. Let us claim it.
God makes peace between us. Let us share it.
Let us greet another as a sign of God’s peace.
The peace of God is here… to stay. Thanks be to God.
Offertory Hymn: 578 CP O Healing River
O healing river, send down your waters,
send down your water upon this land.
O healing river, send down your waters,
and wash the blood from off the sand.
This land is parching, this land is burning,
no seed is growing in the barren ground.
O healing river, send down your waters,
O healing river, send your waters down.
Let the seed of freedom awake and flourish,
let the deep roots nourish, let the tall stalks rise.
O healing river, send down your waters,
O healing river, from out of the skies.
Prayer over the Gifts
God of glory, accept all we offer you this day, and bring us to that eternal city of love and light, where Christ is King. We ask this in his name Amen
Eucharistic prayer (Anglican Eucharistic Liturgies p. 249)
Is the Creator with us? God is!
Is Christ among us? Christ is!
Is the Spirit here? The Spirit is!
This is our God.
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer
We are God’s people.
We are redeemed
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.
Almighty God, it is right and our joy at all times and in all places to give you thanks and praise through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
You raised Jesus to life triumphant over death; you exalted him in glory.
By his victory over death, the reign of sin is ended,
a new age has dawned, a broken world is restored and we are made whole once more.
In Jesus, you have made us a holy people by sending upon us you holy and lifegiving Spirit.
And so, with all the angels and saints in heaven
we lift our voices to praise your holy and glorious name:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of power and might Heaven and Earth of your glory are full Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest. Blessed is one who comes in the name of the Lord
Blessed is one who comes in the name of the Lord
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of power and might Heaven and Earth of your glory are full Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest.
God of love by your word you created this world
and from your love for all your creatures
you sent your only Son Jesus Christ to this earth;
by his death on the cross and his resurrection you opened up for us the way of salvation.
We follow the word of the Lord and offer this sacrifice of thanks and praise,
send your Holy Spirit upon this bread and wine,
and grant that it may become the sacrament
of the new covenant of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
On the night he was arrested, Christ took bread and
after offering a prayer of thanksgiving, broke it and gave it to the disciples saying,
“Take, eat: this is my body which is given for you;
Do this in remembrance of me.”
He also took the cup, and after offering a prayer of thanksgiving,
gave it to the disciples saying,
“Drink this, 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 in remembrance of me.”
Therefore Lord, we offer before you this bread of life and cup of salvation;
we remember Jesus Christ’s offering of himself made once for all upon the cross;
and until he comes again in glory we proclaim the death and resurrection of Jesus.
By the death of Christ, death is no more;
By the resurrection of Christ, new life is won;
Lord Jesus, come in glory.
Lord of life, assist us we beseech you,
to gather the strength to practise justice and mercy in this world
until the coming of the kingdom of God.
Look again with grace upon your people
and gather us in your love so that
we can all come together with all your saints in the heavenly feast.
Through Christ, with whom and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours, almighty God, forever and ever. Amen
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 and 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 forever. Amen.
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.
The Communion
These are the Gifts of God for the people of God
Thanks be to God
Communion Hymns:
All That I Can Do
When the Father sent his Son
to live with us, our lives to mend
placed his love upon the altar
that with him we might ascend.
Refrain:
And all that I can do is thank God
All that I can do is pray
All that I can do is lift my hands
to sing God’s praise.
Lord, the blessed life you give me,
and the holy road you choose,
lead me all the way to Cal’vry
and I’ll only follow you. Refrain
Lord, I only want your blessing
while I’m sitting at your feet.
Nothing in this world can woo me
from your holy seat. Refrain
Spinning Blue Planet
This is the moment, Creation’s first glance,
light plays with darkness, and chaos with Dance,
Spirit with matter forms heaven, forms earth
Creation continues God’s breath gives dust birth.
This is the calling, Creation’s first fire,
to journey in search of God’s deepest desire.
Smashing the idols of priv’ledge and wrong,
in exodus freedom our spirits belong.
This earthbound journey, Creation’s first song,
from Genesis gardens to sad Babylons.
Lost in the rhythms of power, or pride,
Seeking the music only mercy provides.
This is the Mystery: How life becomes whole!
Bread—broken body; Wine—poured out soul!
Come, seed your lives, grow like grapes; grow like grain
The Vine will connect you, Love’s rising again.
Prayer after Communion
God, you restored us to life by raising Jesus from death. May we who receive this sacrament always be strengthened to do your will, in the name of Jesus Christ the risen Lord. Amen
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
The Blessing
Announcements
Closing Hymn: Shall We Gather at the River
Shall we gather at the river, where bright angel feet have trod;
with its crystal tide forever flowing by the throne of God?
Refrain: Yes, we’ll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river;
gather with the saints at the river that flows by the throne of God.
Ere we reach the shining river, lay we every burden down;
grace our spirits will deliver, and provide a robe and crown. Refrain
Soon we’ll reach the shining river, soon our pilgrimage will cease,
soon our happy hearts will quiver with the melody of peace. Refrain
The Dismissal
Know the peace of God
And confront our fears, be ready to forgive, speak for truth and justice.
Know the peace of God
We will follow Christ who brings lasting peace. Alleluia
Postlude: Blind Man
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