Sixth Sunday of Easter (Rogation) May 9, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.

 
Sixth Sunday of Easter (Rogation)
May 9, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.
St. Paul’s Parish, Charlottetown, PEI
 
The Gathering of the Community
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.
 
O Lord, how manifold are your works!
in wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
You renew the face of the earth.
 
All of them look to you
to give them their food in due season.
You renew the face of the earth.
 
You give it to them; they gather it;
you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.
You renew the face of the earth.
 
May the glory of the Lord endure for ever;
may the Lord rejoice in all his works.
You renew the face of the earth.
 
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
You send forth your Spirit, O Lord;
you renew the face of the earth.
 
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 Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
Hymn 429: For the Beauty of the Earth
 
The Collect of the Day
Let us pray,
Merciful God,
you have prepared for those who love you
riches beyond imagination.
Pour into our hearts such love toward you,
that we, loving you above all things,
may obtain your promises,
which exceed all that we can desire;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
 
The Proclamation of the Word
The Holy Gospel: John 15:9-17
The Lord be with you.
               And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
               Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another."
The Gospel of Christ.
               Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Sermon
 
An Affirmation of Faith
Let us declare our faith in God.
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.
cf Ephesians 3
 
The Prayers of the Community
In peace let us pray to God, who makes, sustains and renews all things, saying:
Alleluia! Lord, hear our prayer.
 
Heavenly God, we pray for the Church – that we may be faithful to our baptism. And on this Mother’s Day we give thanks for our mothers, for all women and all those who have mothered and nurtured us.  With the dawn of each day, may we be awakened to the beauty of the earth and rejoice in the wonder and diversity of creation in all its forms.
Alleluia! Lord, hear our prayer.
Lord of life, all living things depend on the good quality of air, soil, and water: may your wisdom guide us as we care for the environment. Forgive us our sins; deliver us from selfishness and greed; help us to share the rich resources of the world gladly and justly, in the cause of stability and peace among peoples.
Alleluia! Lord, hear our prayer.
Lord of mercy, we bring before you all those who are affected by shortages of safe drinking water. We pray for people enduring extreme weather of hurricanes, floods, droughts or wildfires. Help us understand the effects of the changing weather patterns on our planet.
Alleluia! Lord, hear our prayer.
Lord of abundant life, we give thanks for the harvest of the seas and keep our fishers safe; may we cherish the good things you have created and stop polluting oceans, rivers and lakes. Help us maintain the biodiversity of our fragile planet. Strengthen our resolve to protect marine, animal, insect and plant life.
Alleluia! Lord, hear our prayer.
Lord of creation, you have placed us on the earth to care for it and call us to be co-workers with Christ your Son. Bless this planting season. We thank you for the vastness of the universe and we pray for all scientists who extend the boundaries of our knowledge. We give thanks for healthcare and frontline workers as we endure this pandemic.
Alleluia! Lord, hear our prayer.
Lord of healing, having shared our human nature and suffered, as we do, we hold before you all those we know who are ill at home or in the hospital, especially…
-         
… and others we may name out loud or in our hearts…
-         
… that they may know your love, forgiveness and presence. And we pray for those who have died in your peace and whose faith is known to you alone, remembering especially,
-         
… that they may share in the risen life of Christ.
Alleluia! Lord, hear our prayer.
Lord of the universe, you have made us from the stuff of creation. May we tread lightly upon this earth and be innovative in the development of renewable energy and green technology. By your grace, may we live our days wisely and sustainably.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
 
A Rogation Blessing
Blessed are you, giver of life, you put your creation in our care.
Forgive our carelessness and waste, renew our hearts and renew the earth.
 
We pray with gratitude for the wilderness and hinterland;
We thank you for the gifts which we discover in the earth,
and pray that our miners may labour in safety.
 
We pray with gratitude for the sea; teeming with abundant life.
May those who move upon the face of the waters rejoice in its beauty;
and find safety in its perils, and give the fisheries a bountiful catch.
 
We pray with gratitude for the farming industry.
May the pastures be rich for grazing,
may the fields be covered with grain, produce and bees.
Bless those who work in the fields with favourable weather.
 
We pray with gratitude for the tourism and service sectors;
that everyone will be kept safe and in good health.
Be with your people wherever they work;
may those who carry on the industries and commerce of this land be responsive to your will;
and may all of us, find joy in what we do and a just return for our labour.
 
All this we pray, in the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen.
 
The Peace
Alleluia! The peace of the risen Christ
be always with you
               and also with you. Alleluia!
Announcements
 
The Celebration of the Holy Eucharist
Hymn 504: Jesu, Jesu
Prayer Over the Gifts
Let us pray,
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 4
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 right to give you thanks and praise, O Lord, our God, sustainer of the universe, you are worthy of glory and praise.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
 
At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home; by your will they were created and have their being.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
 
From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill; you made us the stewards of creation.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
 
But we turn against you, and betray your trust; and we turn against one another. Again and again you call us to return. Through the prophets and sages you reveal your righteous law. In the fullness of time you sent your Son, born of a woman, to be our Saviour. He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities. By his death he opened to us the way of freedom and peace.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
 
Therefore we praise you, joining with the heavenly chorus, with prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and with those in every generation who have looked to you in hope, to proclaim with them your glory, in their unending hymn:
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.
 
Blessed are you, Lord our God, for sending us Jesus, the Christ, who on the night he was handed over to suffering and death, took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, gave it to his friends, and said, “Take this, and eat it: this is my body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
 
In the same way, after supper, he took the cup of wine; he gave you thanks, 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.”
Glory to you for ever and ever.
 
Gracious God, we recall the death of your Son Jesus Christ, we proclaim his resurrection and ascension, and we look with expectation for his coming as Lord of all the nations. We who have been redeemed by him, and made a new people by water and the Spirit, now bring you these gifts. Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon this offering of your Church, that we who eat and drink at this holy table may share the divine life of Christ our Lord.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
 
Pour out your Spirit upon the whole earth and make it your new creation. Gather your Church together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom, where peace and justice are revealed, that we, with all your people, of every language, race, and nation, may share the banquet you have promised;
 
through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, all honour and glory are yours, creator of all.
Glory to you for ever 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. 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 (# 4)
“I am the bread which has come down from
heaven,” says the Lord.
Give us this bread for ever.
“I am the vine, you are the branches.”
May we dwell in him, as he lives in us.
 
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.
 
Giving of Communion
The gifts of God for the people of God.
               Thanks be to God.
 
Hymn-during-communion:
207: At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing
 
The Sending Forth of the Community
Prayer after Communion
Let us pray,
Father, you restored us to life
by raising your Son 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.
 
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
God the Father,
by whose glory Christ was raised from the dead,
strengthen you to walk with him in his risen life;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
 
Hymn 218: Rejoice, Angelic Choirs, Rejoice
 
The Scattering (Mark 4:20)
Alleluia! God forth into the world
rejoicing in the power of the risen Lord
Thanks be to God. Alleluia!