Seventh Sunday of Easter (Ascension) May 16, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.

 
Seventh Sunday of Easter (Ascension)
May 16, 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.
 
Hear, O Israel
Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
This is the first and the great commandment.
The second is like it:
Love your neighbour as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these.
 
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 246: Hail, Thou Once Despised Jesus
 
The Collect of the Day
Let us pray,
Almighty God,
your Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven
that he might rule over all things as Lord.
Keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit
and in the bond of his peace,
and bring the whole of creation
to worship at his feet,
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: Luke 24:44-53
The Lord be with you.
                And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
                Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
The Gospel of Christ.
                Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Sermon
 
The Prayers of the Community
In peace let us pray to God incarnate, our creator and companion, saying: Alleluia! Risen and ascended Lord.
 
You are free, Lord, your Ascension has set you free: free from the usual human constraints; free from the limits of time and space; free to be with us now, in our worship and fellowship; free to be with us always; for in your freedom, you have bound yourself to us:
Alleluia! Risen and ascended Lord.
 
We pray, Lord, for those who need to feel you close, who need the assurance of your love, the encouragement of your Spirit. We pray for your whole people as we journey in faith.
Alleluia! Risen and ascended Lord.
 
We pray for those who are persecuted, or discriminated against, or mocked because of their faith or race or colour. Help us see you in one another.
Alleluia! Risen and ascended Lord.
 
We pray for those who are imprisoned, or tortured, or exiled, because they have struggled and spoken out for the rights of their people.
Alleluia! Risen and ascended Lord.
 
We pray for those who are hungry because of the selfishness and apathy of the world. We pray in this time of financial turmoil, for those who have lost jobs, those who struggle to pay bills, and those who have the power to affect positive change.
Alleluia! Risen and ascended Lord.
 
We pray for those who are filled with guilt, or who are broken-hearted, we pray for the absolution and remission of our sins and offences. Cleanse our hearts of prejudice and selfishness and inspire us to hunger and thirst for what is right.
Alleluia! Risen and ascended Lord.
 
We pray for those who are fed up, or afraid, or in discomfort, or who are ill. We pray for 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.
Alleluia! Risen and ascended Lord.
 
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! Risen and ascended Lord.
 
We pray for those who are numbed, or who are angry, because of their grief. We pray for all who suffer from COVID-19 and its variants. We give thanks for health care workers, front line and essential workers, and our courage and fortitude in the face of our fatigue. Lord, give us strength…
Alleluia! Risen and ascended Lord.
 
Be with us Lord: in all our daily struggles as we seek to follow you.
Be with us Lord: in our periods of doubt and despair;
Be with us Lord: in our love, forgiveness and mercy;
Be with us Lord: so that we may live in your love, and peace, and understanding. 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 405: Alleluia No. 1
 
Prayer Over the Gifts
Let us pray,
Eternal God,
our Saviour Jesus Christ
has promised to be with us until the end of time.
Accept all we offer you this day,
and renew us in his transfigured life;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
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; we give you thanks and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, who after his glorious resurrection appeared to his disciples, and in their sight ascended into heaven to prepare a place for us; that where he is, there we might also be, and reign with him in glory. Therefore we praise you with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn 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
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.
 
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:
486: Love Divine
Anthem: Psalm 47
 
The Sending Forth of the Community
Prayer after Communion
Let us pray,
Eternal Giver of love and power,
your Son Jesus Christ has sent us into all the world
to preach the gospel of his kingdom.
Confirm us in this mission,
and help us to live the good news we proclaim;
through Jesus Christ our 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
May God,
who in Christ gives us a spring of water welling up to eternal life,
perfect in you the image of his glory;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
 
Hymn 378: Crown Him with Many Crowns
 
The Scattering (Mark 4:20)
Alleluia! God forth into the world
rejoicing in the power of the risen Lord
Thanks be to God. Alleluia!