The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany St. Paul’s Church, Charlottetown, PEI February 16, 2025

 
The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
St. Paul’s Church, Charlottetown, PEI
February 16, 2025 @ 10:00 a.m.
 
Preludes: Air Jonathan Battishill; Cornet Voluntary John Travers; Adagio Alessandro Marcello
 
The 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.
 
The Collect for Purity
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.
 
381 Praise, My Soul
 
The Collect of the Day
Let us pray,
Almighty and everliving God, whose Son Jesus Christ healed the sick and restored them to wholeness of life, look with compassion on the anguish of the world, and by your power make whole all peoples and nations; 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
First Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20
A Reading From The First Letter Of Paul To The Corinthians
Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ - whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church
Thanks be to God.
 
Psalm 1
Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful! Their delight is in the law of the Lord, and they meditate on his law day and night.
Happy are they who trust in the Lord.
They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; everything they do shall prosper. It is not so with the wicked; they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
Happy are they who trust in the Lord.
Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgement comes, nor the sinner in the council of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked is doomed.
Happy are they who trust in the Lord.
 
544 Can I See Another’s Woe
 
The Holy Gospel: Luke 6:17-26
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 came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets."
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Sermon
 
Anthem: Psalm 86 Here My Voice, O Lord, When I Pray (Carl J. Nygard Jr.)
 
Prayers of the People
We pray to God whose glory fills heaven and earth, we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the resurrected one, saying: hear our prayer.
 
We pray for the Church, remembering especially our bishops, priest, deacons and all your people, that we may hear your call to new possibilities for ministry and service. We pray for this Parish, that we may share with others the joyful invitation to follow Christ. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
 
We pray that we may have wisdom and insight to know the voice of Jesus and to understand what is being asked of us. We pray for peace, that you will turn the hearts of all people with power and influence toward the road of peace and justice, so that we may let go of the violence in our hearts. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
 
We pray for those in need of our prayers: for the hungry and homeless everywhere, for agencies here on PEI that offer help, and we pray for those we know who are sick and suffering in hospitals or at home, especially:
-
…that they may know the peace and grace of abundant life in Christ. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
 
We pray for those who have died in your peace, remembering especially:
-  
… that they may rest in your peace, and we pray for all who morn. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
 
We pray that we can rejoice in the blessing associated with having just enough, as we weep for your creation and the insults directed our way because of faith; so too we heed the warning of the dangers of wealth, greed, carelessness and fleeting good publicity. May everything we do be governed by compassion. God of love,
Hear our prayer.
 
Holy God, you gather the whole universe into your radiant presence and continually reveal your Son as our Savior. Bring healing to all wounds, make whole all that is broken, speak truth to all illusion, and shed light in every darkness, that all creation will see your glory and know your Christ. Amen.
 
Confession and Absolution
Let us confess our sins, confident in God’s forgiveness.
 
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.
 
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
 
Announcements
 
This is the Day 
The Celebration of the Holy Eucharist
Prayer Over the Gifts
Let us pray,
Eternal God, you are the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers, receive all we offer you this day; turn our sickness into health and our sorrow into joy. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
 
Eucharistic Prayer 2
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.
 
We give you thanks and praise, almighty God, through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer. He is your living Word, through whom you have created all things.
 
By the power of the Holy Spirit he took flesh of the Virgin Mary and shared our human nature. He lived and died as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
 
In fulfilment of your will he stretched out his hands in suffering, to bring release to those who place their hope in you; and so he won for you a holy people.
 
He chose to bear our griefs and sorrows, and to give up his life on the cross, that he might shatter the chains of evil and death, and banish the darkness of sin and despair. By his resurrection he brings us into the light of your presence.
 
Now with all creation we raise our voices 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.
 
Holy and gracious God, accept our praise, through your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ; who on the night he was handed over to suffering and death, took bread and gave you thanks, saying, “Take, and eat: this is my body which is broken for you.” In the same way he took the cup, saying, “This is my blood which is shed for you. When you do this, you do it in memory of me.”
 
Remembering, therefore, his death and resurrection, we offer you this bread and this cup, giving thanks that you have made us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.
 
We ask you to send your Holy Spirit upon the offering of your holy Church. Gather into one all who share in these sacred mysteries, filling them with the Holy Spirit and confirming their faith in the truth, that together we may praise you and give you glory through your Servant, Jesus Christ.
 
All glory and honour are yours, Father and Son, with the Holy Spirit in the holy Church, 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.
 
Breaking of the Bread
“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.
The gifts of God for the People of God.
Thanks be to God.
 
Lamb of God [sung]
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.
 
Hymns-during-communion
SNC 229 Here Is Bread
PB 118 Holy Ground
 
The Sending Forth of the Community
PB 118 Holy Ground
 
Prayer after Communion
Let us pray,
God of tender care, in this eucharist we celebrate your love for us and for all people. May we show your love in our lives and know its fulfilment in your presence. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the 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.
 
The 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.
 
584 The Church of Christ in Every Age
The Scattering (Mark 4:20)
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.