Seventh Sunday of Easter - 24 May 2020
Click here if you want to download the service sheet, or just follow from this page.
The Cenacle, traditional location of the Upper Room in Jerusalem
We are in between times - Ascension has happened, and Pentecost is to come. The disciples are waiting together in the upper room – a bit like a first century lockdown – as they have been instructed to do so by Jesus. They are waiting for the coming of the Spirit, as are we in these nine days.
Opening Voluntary
Our opening voluntary is Nimrod, from the Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar. Click on the link to listen before the service begins.
Light a candle to prepare yourself, and pray that your heart will be ready to receive God’s Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Our service begins as it normally would at 9.30am. Please click on the link, and make the responses yourself. If you would like to sing along to the hymn the words are below.
Opening Hymn and Welcome
The beginning of the service can be accessed from the youtube clip. Please join in with the responses, and hymns.
Hail the day that sees him rise. Alleluia!
Glorious to his native skies. Alleluia!
Christ, awhile to mortals given. Alleluia!
Enters now the highest heaven. Alleluia!
There the glorious triumph waits. Alleluia!
Lift your heads, eternal gates. Alleluia!
Christ hath vanquished death and sin. Alleluia!
Take the King of glory in. Alleluia!
Lord, though parted from our sight. Alleluia!
Far above yon azure height. Alleluia!
Grant our hearts may thither rise. Alleluia!
Seeking thee beyond the skies. Alleluia!
Priest
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All
Amen
Priest
The Lord be with you.
All
And also with you
Priest
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
All
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Confessing our sins
We have not always lived our lives as we might have done. We have done wrong and hurt others. Let’s seek God’s forgiveness. We pray together:
All:
Almighty God, our 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.
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.
The priest gives the absolution, and we respond. Amen.
Praising God’s glory
We sing to praise God’s glory. Please join in with Jonathan
Glory be to God in heaven,
peace to those who love him well;
on the earth let all his people
speak his glace, his wonders tell:
Lord, we praise you for your glory,
mighty Father, heaven’s king;
hear our joyful adoration
and accept the thanks we bring.
Only Son of God the Father,
Lamb who takes our sin away,
now with him in triumph seated -
for your mercy, Lord, we pray:
Jesus Christ, most high and holy,
Saviour, you are God alone
in the glory of the Father
with the Spirit: Three-in-One!
The priest prays the Collect – the prayer for the day
Readings
David reads the first reading, which is Acts 1.6-14. We stand for the Gospel of the Day, which is John 17.1-11.
Homily
Mthr Helen preaches on the disciples in the Upper Room. Please click on the link to hear her sermon.
Creed
Let’s remind ourselves of the beliefs of the Christian faith
All
We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family
in heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith,
and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us
with power from on high.
We believe in one God;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Prayers
Mary leads our intercessions today.
The Peace
Let’s share the peace! Click on the youtube clip for the next part of the service
As the altar is prepared, we sing our offertory hymn.
The head that once was crowned with thorns
is crowned with glory now;
a royal diadem adorns
the mighty victor’s brow.
The highest place that heav’n affords
is his, is his by right,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
and heaven’s eternal light.
The joy of all who dwell above,
the joy of all below,
to whom he manifests his love,
and grants his name to know.
To them the cross, with all its shame,
with all its grace is given;
their name an everlasting name,
their joy the joy of heaven.
They suffer with the Lord below,
they reign with him above;
their pofit and their joy to know
the mystery of his love.
The cross he bore is life and health,
though shame and death to him;
his people’s hope, his people’s wealth,
their everlasting theme.
The Eucharistic Prayer
We now come to the heart of the mass, the prayer of consecration. Please join in with singing or saying the responses. Click on this link. As the altar is prepared, we will hear Catherine singing This Joyful Eastertide.
Priest
The Lord be with you
All
And also with you
Priest
Lift up your hearts.
All
We lift them to the Lord.
Priest
All
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
The Acclamation:
Priest
Great is the mystery of faith.
All
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
The Sanctus and Benedictus (Sanctus means ‘holy’, Benedictus means ‘blessed’):
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.
The Agnus Dei (which means ‘Lamb of God’)
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, Grant us peace.
This is a prayer for you to say at the point at which you would be receiving the bread and wine. You are making a spiritual communion in place of a sacramental communion, as that is not possible at this time.
In union, O Lord with the faithful at every altar of your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is celebrated, I desire to offer you praise and thanksgiving. I present to you my soul and body with the earnest wish that I may always be united to you. And since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, I ask you to come spiritually into my heart. I unite myself to you, and embrace you with all the affections of my soul. Let nothing ever separate you from me. May I live and die in your love. Amen.
Song
As we reflect on our spiritual communion, Josh sings for us the song 'There is a Redeemer'.
There is a Redeemer, Jesus, God’s own Son.
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One.
Thank you, O my Father, for giving us your Son;
and sending your Spirit till the work on earth is done.
Jesus, my Redeemer, name above all names,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, O for sinners slain.
When I stand in glory, I will see his face,
and there I’ll serve my King forever, in that holy place.
The Blessing and Regina Coeli
Please click on this link for the end of the service. If you would like to sing along with the Regina Coeli, please do! Regina coeli means ‘Queen of Heaven’ and is sung in Eastertide. In it we rejoice with Mary in the resurrection of her son Jesus.
All
Joy to thee, O Queen of Heaven. Allelulia!
He whom thou wast meet to bear. Alleluia!
As he promised hath arisen. Alleluia!
Pour for us to God thy prayer. Alleluia!
Priest
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, Alleluia!
All
For the Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
The priest prays the collect.
Jonathan’s closing voluntary, is JS Bach’s Toccata in D Minor