Sunday, February 20, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. 7th Sunday after Epiphany

St. Paul’s Parish, Charlottetown, PEI
Sunday, February 20, 2022, at 10:00 a.m.
7^th Sunday after Epiphany
The Holy Eucharist
 
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.
 
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 379: Rejoice the Lord is King
 
The Collect of the Day
Let us pray.
Almighty God, your Son revealed in signs and miracles the wonder of your saving love. Renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your mighty power; 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 Gospel: Luke 6:27-38
 
Sermon
 
The Prayers of the People
Gracious God, you have blessed us with a Vision to show your Transforming Love and Justice in Action. Be with us this day as we bring our prayers to you, saying: Hear our prayer.
 
We are committed to this Vision and to our Mission: to be a Christ-Centered Community living out our Baptismal Covenant with Joy and Thanksgiving. We are called to worship together with creativity, and to be renewed and redeemed through the Sacraments, the teaching of the apostles, music and prayer. God of love:
               Hear our prayer.
 
We are called to show hospitality to all and to be the loving community that seeks and serves Christ in all persons. We are called to advocate for justice and peace among all people, and to bring an end to poverty. God of love:
               Hear our prayer.
 
We hold before you those we know who are ill, either at home or in the hospital, especially…
-         
…and for others, we may name out loud or in our hearts…
-       
God of love:
               Hear our prayer.
 
We pray for those who have died, remembering especially
-       
… that they may live forever in your presence. And be a comfort to all who mourn. God of love:
               Hear our prayer.
 
We pray for all those with Covid-19, for their health and strength and be with those who care for them. We pray for the wisdom of government leaders in these challenging times. And we pray that we do not lose sight of the need for reconciliation with First Nations peoples across Canada; God of love:
               Hear our prayer.
 
On this Sunday, a day known as Freedom Sunday, we pray for people without freedom because of human trafficking. We pray for people who are trafficked; May they find freedom from fear and harm and courage to live in hope. God of love:
               Hear our prayer.
 
We pray for people who traffick others; May they find freedom from greed and violence and courage to live with justice. God of love:
               Hear our prayer.
 
We pray for people who work to prevent trafficking; May they find freedom from threats and courage to live in peace. God of love:
               Hear our prayer.
 
O God most holy, in Jesus Christ you have laid a foundation upon which to build our lives and we look to him for wisdom and strength to fulfill our Vision and Mission. We pray this in his name and for his sake. 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
 
Offertory 614: Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive
 
The Celebration of the Eucharist
The Prayer over the Gifts
Let us pray,
Merciful God, accept all we offer you this day. Lead us to love you with all our heart, and to love all people with your perfect love. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
 
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer 1
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 indeed right that we should praise you, gracious God, for you created all things. You formed us in your own image: as your children you created us. When we turned away from you in sin, you did not cease to care for us, but opened a path of salvation for all people. You made a covenant with Israel, and through your servants Abraham and Sarah gave the promise of a blessing to all nations. Through Moses you led your people from bondage into freedom; through the prophets you renewed your promise of salvation. Therefore, with them, and with all your saints who have served you in every age, we give thanks and 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 God, source of life and goodness, all creation rightly gives you praise. In the fullness of time, you sent your Son Jesus Christ, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all. He healed the sick and ate and drank with outcasts and sinners; he opened the eyes of the blind and proclaimed the good news of your kingdom to the poor and to those in need. In all things he fulfilled your gracious will.
 
On the night he freely gave himself to death, 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.”
 
Gracious God, his perfect sacrifice destroys the power of sin and death; by raising him to life you give us life for evermore.
 
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
 
Recalling his death, proclaiming his resurrection, and looking for his coming again in glory, we offer you, Father, this bread and this cup. Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts, that all who eat and drink at this table may be one body and one holy people, a living sacrifice in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
 
Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory is 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
 “I am the bread of life,” says the Lord.
“Whoever comes to me will never be hungry;
whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
happy are they who trust in him!
 
The Communion
The gifts of God for the People of God.
Thanks be to God.
 
Hymns-during-communion
86: More than We Can Ask or Imagine
555: O God of Bethel, By Whose Hand
 
Prayer after Communion
Let us pray,
Gracious God, in the eucharist we celebrate your love for us and for all people. Grant that strengthened by these holy gifts, we may show your love in our lives, and know its fulfilment in your presence. We ask this in the name of 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
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
 
Hymn 371: To God Be the Glory
 
The Scattering
Go forth in the name of Christ.
Thanks be to God.