2/18/21

February 21, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.

Holy Eucharist
St. Paul’s Parish, Charlottetown, PEI
Lent 1
February 21, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.
 
Gathering of the Community
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with you all.
And also with you.
 
Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.
His mercy endures for ever.
 
Almighty God,
to you all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from you no secrets are hidden.
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
Confession and Absolution
Dear Friends in Christ, as we prepare for the Paschal Feast, continuing in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers, let us make ready our hearts
to renew the covenant of our baptism.
 
Let us bow before our Creator and Redeemer.
 
The presider continues,
Let us ask God to bring to light the things now hidden in darkness, and to disclose to us the true purposes in our hearts. And most especially, let us remember the covenant of our baptism and test our hearts and conscience to know how faithfully... we have persevered in resisting evil, and whenever we fell into sin, have repented and returned to the Lord.
 
Silence is kept.
 
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us,
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your name. Amen.
 
Almighty God have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
Hymn 175: Forty Days and Forty Nights
 
The Collect of the Day
Let us pray,
Almighty God, whose Son fasted forty days in the wilderness, and was tempted as we are but did not sin, give us grace to discipline ourselves in submission to your Spirit, that as you know our weakness, so we may know your power to save; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
 
The Proclamation of the Word: The Gospel: Mark 1:9-15
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Sermon
 
Prayers of the People
Today, at the conclusion of Family Violence Prevention Week we pray that we will continue to learn to connect in ways that are caring, patient and kind, as we pray saying,
hear our prayer.
May we reach out to each other – past the challenges of distance and masks and videoconferencing technology – to touch each other's hearts and to check in on one other, especially those who are lonely or suffering or at risk of violence. May peace begin at home and radiate through our relationships to our communities and the wider world. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
May each of us and all our neighbours, friends, family, and familiar strangers, know that we are all worthy of love and care. May we understand deeply that no one deserves to live in fear or violence. May we work to dismantle the systems of power, control, and oppression that teach that some are worth less because of gender, race, age, or ability. May all people live with dignity, with equity. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for victims and survivors of family violence, for healing within themselves and restoration with their communities. We strive for justice. We act for peace. We invest in systems that believe and build and strengthen. May we listen without judgement and support all who have experienced harm from abuse and violence – not only to survive but to thrive. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for the helping professionals, working with victims and survivors; for first responders and shelter workers and counsellors; for doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers; for workers in the justice system; and for faith leaders and others, that they will be nurtured in their communities and that they will be kept well and safe. We pray that they will feel our gratitude for their essential work as witnesses and people who care, helping to heal our broken world with their work and attention. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
May those who use or have used violence in their relationships and inflected harm turn their hearts and change. May they recognize the harm they have caused and desire to be accountable, repair harm where it is possible, and prevent future harm to others. May they find the strength to be gentle, letting go of power and control. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
We ask for awareness among ourselves – as neighbours, friends, families, and co-workers – to notice signs of family violence; for the courage to check in and to take action to help. We are committed to learning the signs and risk factors for family violence and to support those who educate and raise awareness of how we can safely and effectively intervene and offer help. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
We also pray this day for all who are ill, that you will raise up the sick and return them to wholeness, free the human family from the coronavirus and speed the distribution of the vaccines. We pray for those we know who are ill at home or in the hospital, especially:
-         
And for others we may name out loud or in our hearts…
-         
that they may experience the healing and renewing touch of Jesus. We pray for those who have died in your peace, remembering especially:
-         
that they may see your glory, and we ask you to comfort those who mourn. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
God of the wilderness, your Son battled with the powers of darkness and grew closer to you in the desert: help us to use these forty days to grow in wisdom and prayer, so that we may witness to your saving love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
 
Announcements
 
Hymn 397: Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness
 
The Celebration of the Eucharist
The Prayer over the Gifts
Let us pray,
God our refuge and our strength, receive all we offer you this day, and through the death and resurrection of your Son transform us to his likeness. We ask this in his name. Amen.
 
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer 3
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.
Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth, because you bid your faithful people to cleanse their hearts and to prepare with joy for the paschal feast; that reborn through the waters of baptism and renewed in the eucharistic mystery, we may be more fervent in prayer and more generous in the works of love. Therefore we raise our voices to you in praise to proclaim the glory of your name.
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.
We give thanks to you, Lord our God, for the goodness and love you have made known to us in creation; in calling Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Saviour and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
 
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, a death he freely accepted, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: this is my body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
 
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “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. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
 
Therefore, Father, according to his command,
we remember his death,
we proclaim his resurrection,
we await his coming in glory;
 
and we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.
 
We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts, that they may be the sacrament of the body of Christ and his blood of the new covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we, made acceptable in him, may be sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
 
In the fullness of time, reconcile all things in Christ, and make them new, and bring us to that city of light where you dwell with all your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation;
 
by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours, almighty Father, now and for 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. 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.
 
The Breaking of the Bread
We break this bread,
Communion in Christ’s body once broken.
Let your Church be the wheat
which bears its fruit in dying.
If we have died with him,
we shall live with him;
if we hold firm,
we shall reign with him.
 
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 your peace.
 
The gifts of God for the People of God.
               Thanks be to God.
 
Communion
 
Hymn 646: Spirit Divine, Attend Our Prayers (versus 1-4)
 
Anthem: Lead Me, Lord
 
Prayer after Communion
Let us pray
Faithful God, in this holy bread you increase our faith and hope and love. Lead us in the path of Christ who is your Word of life. We ask this in his name. Amen.
 
The doxology
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.
 
Blessing
May the God of mercy transform you by his grace,
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
 
Hymn 631: The Kingdom of God Is Justice and Joy
 
The Scattering
Go forth in the name of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
 

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