Welcome to our Communion Service.
We meet in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
Amen
Alleluia Christ is Risen
He is Risen indeed Alleluia
Intro: https://youtu.be/qShsio3O6MY
Hymn: See what a morning - https://youtu.be/-Qlc0UIRkBk
Father God, we come to you because you turn doubt into hope, tears into laughter and fear into fearlessness. We come to you because on this Sunday and on every other day, we can say, ‘Jesus is alive!’ Amen.
Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed
for us.
Let us therefore rejoice by putting
away all malice and evil
and confessing our sins
with a sincere and true heart.
Like Mary at the empty tomb,
we fail to grasp the wonder of your presence.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Like the disciples behind locked doors,
we are afraid to be seen as your followers.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Like Thomas in the upper room,
we are slow to believe.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Almighty God,
who forgives all who truly repent,
have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All Amen.
Song: King of Kings and Lord of Lords - https://youtu.be/91r2ZVQyZkA
The Collect
Risen Christ,
for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred:
open the doors of our hearts,
that we may seek the good of others
and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace,
to the praise of God the Father. Amen
Gospel Reading: John 20:19-31
Alleluia alleluia
I am the first and the last, says the Lord
I was dead
And behold I am alive for evermore.
Alleluia
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you O Lord
John 20:19-31 - https://youtu.be/aOG_OyvWNDQ
The Disciples
Jesus’ friends and followers had locked themselves in a quiet room; it was late at night and they were afraid…they had heard the news that Jesus was alive from Mary and the other women but all the same, they were scared. Then Jesus suddenly appears and says
“Peace be with you”
He shows them his scars and breathes the Holy Spirit onto them.
Have a chat with those next to you on the sofa- or here live in the service?
How do you relate to this?
What brings us peace when we’re really frightened?
What did Jesus do that reassured his friends?
Thomas
Poor old Thomas always getting bad press. He’s not be there when Jesus appears to the others – and he’s not about to believe something he hasn’t seen for himself.
What do you think about Thomas’ attitude?
Is he a realist? A sceptic?
What would we need to convince us if we were in that room?
What evidence have we got to help us believe?
Song: Blessed Assurance Jesus is mine - https://youtu.be/yuyf1YQvcwY
Second Reading: Acts 2:22-33
22 “Listen to these words, fellow Israelites! Jesus of Nazareth was a man whose divine authority was clearly proven to you by all the miracles and wonders which God performed through him. You yourselves know this, for it happened here among you. 23 In accordance with his own plan God had already decided that Jesus would be handed over to you; and you killed him by letting sinful men crucify him. 24 But God raised him from death, setting him free from its power, because it was impossible that death should hold him prisoner. 25 For David said about him,
‘I saw the Lord before me at all times; he is near me, and I will not be troubled. 26 And so I am filled with gladness, and my words are full of joy. And I, mortal though I am, will rest assured in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me in the world of the dead; you will not allow your faithful servant to rot in the grave. 28 You have shown me the paths that lead to life, and your presence will fill me with joy.’
29 “My friends, I must speak to you plainly about our famous ancestor King David. He died and was buried, and his grave is here with us to this very day. 30 He was a prophet, and he knew what God had promised him: God had made a vow that he would make one of David's descendants a king, just as David was. 31 David saw what God was going to do in the future, and so he spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah when he said,
‘He was not abandoned in the world of the dead; his body did not rot in the grave.’ 32 God has raised this very Jesus from death, and we are all witnesses to this fact. 33 He has been raised to the right side of God, his Father, and has received from him the Holy Spirit, as he had promised. What you now see and hear is his gift that he has poured out on us.
What a transformation! This account is a few weeks or months later.
What differences do you see in Peter and the others?
Frightened to Joy-filled
Confused to Convinced
Hiding to Sent out
Timid to Empowered.
How could the Easter story make a difference to us? What more do we need to be transformed?
As a response to the readings, we declare our faith together.
What we believe
Let us declare our faith
in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he was buried;
he was raised to life on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures;
afterwards he appeared to his followers,
and to all the apostles:
This we have received,
and this we believe.
Amen.
Our Prayers: Led by Margaret
The Peace
The Risen Christ came and stood among
his disciples and said,
Peace be with you.
Then they were glad when they saw the Lord.
Alleluia
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Song: When I Survey the wondrous Cross - https://youtu.be/4_fvFfPqjO4
Holy Communion: https://youtu.be/lh9n1JlnZr8
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 thanks and praise.
And now we give you thanks
because through him you have given us eternal life and delivered us from the bondage of sin and the fear of death
into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Father, you made the world and love your creation.
You gave your Son Jesus Christ to be our Saviour.
His dying and rising have set us free from sin and death.
And so we gladly thank you,
with saints and angels praising you, and saying:
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 praise and bless you, loving Father,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord;
and as we obey his command,
send your Holy Spirit,
that broken bread and wine outpoured
may be for us the body and blood of your dear Son.
On the night before he died he had supper with his friends
and, taking bread, he praised you.
He broke the bread, gave it to them and said:
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;
do this in remembrance of me.
When supper was ended he took the cup of wine.
Again he praised you, 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.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
So, Father, we remember all that Jesus did,
in him we plead with confidence his sacrifice
made once for all upon the cross.
Bringing before you the bread of life and cup of salvation,
we proclaim his death and resurrection
until he comes in glory.
Dying you destroyed our death,
rising you restored our life:
Lord Jesus, come in glory.
Lord of all life,
help us to work together for that day
when your kingdom comes
and justice and mercy will be seen in all the earth.
Look with favour on your people,
gather us in your loving arms
and bring us with St Catherine and all the saints
to feast at your table in heaven.
Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory are yours, O loving Father,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
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.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Every time we eat this bread
and drink this cup,
we proclaim the Lord’s death
until he comes.
Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
Father of all,
we give you thanks and praise,
that when we were still far off
you met us in your Son and brought us home.
Dying and living, he declared your love,
gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory.
May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life;
we who drink his cup bring life to others;
we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world.
Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us,
so we and all your children shall be free,
and the whole earth live to praise your name;
through Christ our Lord.
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
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you now
And remain with you always.
Amen
Final Song: Rescuer - https://youtu.be/leh-4fCc5MI
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia.
Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He has given us new life and hope.
He has raised Jesus from the dead.
God has claimed us as his own.
He has brought us out of darkness.
He has made us light to the world.
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia.