The Great Vigil of Easter
Saturday, April 16, at 8:00 pm
The form for this service can also be found in The Book of Common Prayer, page 285. Spoken responses are in bold typeface.
The Service of Light
The Kindling of the New Fire
As evening descends, a fire is kindled. The priest addresses the people and says
Dear friends in Christ: On this most holy night, in which our Lord Jesus passed over from death to life, the Church invites her members, dispersed throughout the world, to gather in vigil and prayer. For this is the Passover of the Lord, in which, by hearing his Word and celebrating his Sacraments, we share in his victory over death.
The priest blesses the new fire, saying
Let us pray.
O God, through your Son you have bestowed upon your people the brightness of your light: Sanctify this new fire, and grant that in this Paschal feast we may so burn with heavenly desires, that with pure minds we may attain to the festival of everlasting light; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Blessing of the Paschal Candle
The priest marks the Paschal Candle, saying
Christ yesterday and today, the Beginning and the End. Alpha and Omega. His are the times and ages. To him be glory and dominion through all ages of eternity. Amen.
The priest places five nails of incense into the Candle, saying
Through his holy and glorious wounds may Christ the Lord guard and preserve us.
The priest lights the Paschal Candle from the new fire, saying
May the light of Christ, gloriously rising, dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.
The Procession into the Church
The priest bears the Candle and leads the procession, while the people follow. Individual candles are offered to the people at the church door, which are then lit from the Paschal Candle.
During the procession, the priest pauses three times, singing
Priest The light of Christ.
People Thanks be to God.
The Paschal Candle is censed, and the Exsultet begins.
The Exsultet
The people remain standing as the priest chants
Rejoice now, heavenly hosts and choirs of angels, and let your trumpets shout Salvation for the victory of our mighty King.
Rejoice and sing now, all the round earth, bright with a glorious splendor, for darkness has been vanquished by our eternal King.
Rejoice and be glad now, Mother Church, and let your holy courts, in radiant light, resound with the praises of your people.
All you who stand near this marvelous and holy flame, pray with me to God the Almighty for the grace to sing the worthy praise of this great light; through Jesus Christ his Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Priest The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Priest
It is truly right and good, always and everywhere, with our whole heart and mind and voice, to praise you, the invisible, almighty, and eternal God, and your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; for he is the true Paschal Lamb, who at the feast of the Passover paid for us the debt of Adam’s sin, and by his blood delivered your faithful people.
This is the night, when you brought our fathers, the children of Israel, out of bondage in Egypt, and led them through the Red Sea on dry land.
This is the night, when all who believe in Christ are delivered from the gloom of sin, and are restored to grace and holiness of life.
This is the night, when Christ broke the bonds of death and hell, and rose victorious from the grave.
How wonderful and beyond our knowing, O God, is your mercy and loving-kindness to us, that to redeem a slave, you gave a Son.
How holy is this night, when wickedness is put to flight, and sin is washed away. It restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to those who mourn. It casts out pride and hatred, and brings peace and concord.
How blessed is this night, when earth and heaven are joined and man is reconciled to God.
Holy Father, accept our evening sacrifice, the offering of this candle in your honor. May it shine continually to drive away all darkness. May Christ, the Morning Star who knows no setting, find it ever burning—he who gives his light to all creation, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
The priest says
Let us hear the record of God’s saving deeds in history, how he saved his people in ages past; and let us pray that our God will bring each of us to the fullness of redemption.
The candles are extinguished. The people sit during the Lessons and Hymns, and stand during the Collects.
First Lesson: Genesis 1:1-2:4a, The Story of Creation
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 143 from LEVAS II: “Wade in the Water”
Refrain: Wade in the water,
wade in the water, children,
Wade in the water,
God’s a-gonna trouble the water.
1. See that host all dressed in white,
God’s a-gonna trouble the water.
The leader looks like the Israelite,
God’s a-gonna trouble the water.
Refrain
2. See that band all dressed in red,
God’s a-gonna trouble the water.
Looks like the band that Moses led,
God’s a-gonna trouble the water.
Refrain
The people stand and the priest says Let us pray. (Silence)
O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The people sit.
Second Lesson: Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21, Israel’s deliverance at the Red Sea
As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, ‘Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” But Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground. Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.”
The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. At the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.” So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great work that the Lord did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. And Miriam sang to them:
“Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.”
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn: “Go down, Moses”
1. When Israel was in Egypt’s land,
let my people go;
Oppressed so hard they could not stand,
let my people go.
Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt’s land;
Tell old Pharaoh to let my people go.
2. The Lord told Moses what to do,
let my people go;
To lead the children of Israel through,
let my people go.
Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt’s land;
Tell old Pharaoh to let my people go.
The people stand and the priest says Let us pray. (Silence)
O God, whose wonderful deeds of old shine forth even to our own day, you once delivered by the power of your mighty arm your chosen people from slavery under Pharaoh, to be a sign for us of the salvation of all nations by the water of Baptism: Grant that all the peoples of the earth may be numbered among the offspring of Abraham, and rejoice in the inheritance of Israel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The people sit.
Third Lesson: Isaiah 55:1-11, Salvation offered freely to all
Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.
See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Choral Responsive Psalm
See now, he is the God of my salvation I have trust now and no longer fear, for the Lord is my strength, my song, he is my salvation, he is my salvation. Refrain
Give thanks to the Lord, call his name aloud proclaim his deeds, proclaim his deeds, proclaim his deeds, proclaim his deeds to the people. Refrain
Sing of the Lord for he has done marvelous things, Let them be made known to the whole world. Cry out for joy and gladness, you dwellers in Zion, for great in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel. Refrain
The people stand and the priest says Let us pray. (Silence)
O God, you have created all things by the power of your Word, and you renew the earth by your Spirit: Give now the water of life to those who thirst for you, that they may bring forth abundant fruit in your glorious kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The people sit.
Fourth Lesson: Ezekiel 36:24-28, A new heart and a new spirit
Say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
The people stand and the priest says Let us pray. (Silence)
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who are reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Choral Anthem: “Sicut Cervus” Palestrina
Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum,
ita desiderat anima mea ad Te, Deus.
As the hart is a-thirst for streams of clear running water,
so do I long for thee with my whole being, O Lord my God.
The Renewal of Baptismal Vows
The people stand, and the priest says
Through the Paschal mystery, dear friends, we are buried with Christ by Baptism into his death, and raised with him to newness of life. I call upon you, therefore, now that our Lenten observance is ended, to renew the solemn promises and vows of Holy Baptism, by which we once renounced Satan and all his works, and promised to serve God faithfully in his holy Catholic Church.
Priest Do you reaffirm your renunciation of evil and renew your commitment to Jesus Christ?
People I do.
Priest Do you believe in God the Father?
People
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
Priest Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
People
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Priest Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
People
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Priest Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
People I will, with God’s help.
Priest Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
People I will, with God’s help.
Priest Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
People I will, with God’s help.
Priest Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
People I will, with God’s help.
Priest Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
People I will, with God’s help.
The priest concludes the Renewal of Vows as follows
May Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and bestowed upon us the forgiveness of sins, keep us in eternal life by his grace, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
The First Eucharist of Easter
Priest ✠ Alleluia. Christ is risen.
People The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
Bells are rung, the lights are raised, and the candles on the Altar are lit from the Paschal Candle.
Gloria: “Glory to God in the highest”
Salutation and The Collect of the Day
Priest The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Let us pray.
O God, who made this most holy night to shine with the glory of the Lord’s resurrection: Stir up in your Church that Spirit of adoption which is given to us in Baptism, that we, being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Epistle: Romans 6:3-11
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Alleluia
The choir sings the Alleluia, then all repeat it.
The Gospel: Luke 24:1-12
Priest The ✠ Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Luke.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women who had come with Jesus from Galilee came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
Priest The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Sermon: The Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople
Let all those who are devout and lovers of God enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival.
Let all loyal servants come in and rejoice in the joy of their Lord.
Let all those who have wearied themselves in fasting enjoy now the recompense.
Let all those who have labored from the first hour receive today their just wages.
Let all those who have come after the third hour celebrate the feast with thankfulness.
Let all those who have arrived after the sixth hour have no doubts, for they will suffer no loss.
Let all those who have delayed until the ninth hour draw near without hesitation.
Do not let those who have arrived even at the eleventh hour fear their delay; for the Master is gracious and receives the last, even as the first; he gives rest to those that come at the eleventh hour, just as to those who have labored from the first. He has mercy on the last and cares for the first; he rewards the one, and is gracious to the other. He both honors the work and praises the intention.
Enter all of you, therefore, into the joy of our Lord, and, whether first or last, enjoy your reward. O rich and poor, dance together for joy! You that exercised self-control and you that were negligent celebrate the day! You that have fasted and you that have not fasted rejoice today! The table is full; all of you feast on it! The calf is fatted; let no one go away hungry! Let all partake of the banquet of faith. Let all enjoy the riches of goodness.
Let no one lament his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one mourn his transgressions, for pardon has dawned from the grave.
Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free.
He has annihilated death by submitting to it! He descended into Hell and took Hell captive! He embittered it when it tasted his flesh!
When Isaiah foresaw this, he cried out:
Hell was embittered
People: It was embittered.
when it met you below.
Hell was embittered
People: It was embittered.
for it was abolished!
Hell was embittered
People: It was embittered.
for it was mocked!
Hell was embittered
People: It was embittered.
for it was destroyed!
Hell was embittered
People: It was embittered.
for it was stripped of its power!
Hell was embittered
People: It was embittered.
for it was bound in chains!
It took a body and encountered God!
It took earth and met heaven!
It took what it saw but crumbled before what it had not seen!
O death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory?
Christ is risen,
People: Truly, he is risen.
and you are overthrown!
Christ is risen,
People: Truly, he is risen.
and the demons are fallen!
Christ is risen,
People: Truly, he is risen.
and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen,
People: Truly, he is risen.
and life has dominion!
Christ is risen,
People: Truly, he is risen.
and not one dead remains in a tomb!
For Christ, being raised from the dead, has become the First-fruits of those who slept.
To him belong glory and might unto ages of ages. Amen.
The Prayers of the People: Form III
The Leader and People pray responsively
Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church;
That we all may be one.
Grant that every member of the Church may truly and humbly serve you;
That your Name may be glorified by all people.
We pray for all bishops, priests, and deacons;
That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacraments.
We pray for all who govern and hold authority in the nations of the world;
That there may be justice and peace on the earth.
Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake;
That our works may find favor in your sight.
Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble;
That they may be delivered from their distress.
Give to the departed eternal rest.
Let light perpetual shine upon them.
We praise you for your saints who have entered into joy;
May we also come to share in your heavenly kingdom.
Let us pray for our own needs and those of others.
Celebrant
Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles, “Peace I give to you; my own peace I leave with you:” Regard not our sins, but the faith of your Church, and give to us the peace and unity of that heavenly City, where with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, now and for ever. Amen.
The Peace
Priest The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
The ministers and the people greet one another in the name of the Lord, saying “He is risen!”
Greeting & Welcome
The Holy Communion
The Celebrant introduces the Offertory with a sentence of Scripture, and the people sit.
The Altar is prepared with the elements of Holy Communion.
To give an offering, choose one of the following:
Text: message 73256 with the phrase saintpauls $X (insert an amount in place of X)
Check: mail your offering to St. Paul’s Church, 84 E Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901
Offertory Anthem: “Christ the Lord is Risen Again!” John Rutter
Christ the Lord is risen again,
Christ hath broken every chain.
Hark, the angels shout for joy,
singing evermore on high,
Alleluia!
He who gave for us his life,
who for us endured the strife,
is our Paschal Lamb today;
we too sing for joy, and say Alleluia!
He who bore all pain and loss
comfortless upon the cross,
lives in glory now on high,
pleads for us, and hears our cry: Alleluia!
Now he bids us tell abroad
how the lost may be restored,
how the penitent forgiven,
how we too may enter heaven. Alleluia!
Thou, our Paschal Lamb indeed,
Christ, today thy people feed;
take our sins and guilt away:
that we may all sing for ay,
Alleluia!
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer A
Priest The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Lift up your hearts.
People We lift them to the Lord.
Priest Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give him thanks and praise.
The priest continues
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. But chiefly are we bound to praise you for the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; for he is the true Paschal Lamb, who was sacrificed for us, and has taken away the sin of the world. By his death he has destroyed death, and by his rising to life again he has won for us everlasting life. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
The priest continues
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, 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 stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and 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.”
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Priest and People
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
The priest continues
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.
Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.
All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
People and Priest
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
The priest breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.
Celebrant Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia
Priest The Gifts of God for the People of God.
Spiritual Communion: Act of Reception
During Communion, you are invited to say the following prayer form for receiving Spiritual Communion. Know that the grace of God is made present in your heart, even though the Sacrament is not received with the mouth.
In union, blessed Jesus, with the faithful gathered at every altar of your Church where your blessed Body and Blood are offered this day, I long to offer you praise and thanksgiving, for creation and all the blessings of this life, for the redemption won for us by your life, death, and resurrection, for the means of grace and the hope of glory.
I believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament, and, since I cannot at this time receive communion, I pray you to come into my heart. I unite myself with you and embrace you with all my heart, my soul, and my mind. Let nothing separate me from you; let me serve you in this life until, by your grace, I come to your glorious kingdom and unending peace. Amen.
Come Lord Jesus, and dwell in my heart in the fullness of your strength; be my wisdom and guide me in right pathways; conform my life and actions to the image of your holiness; and, in the power of your gracious might, rule over every hostile power that threatens or disturbs the growth of your kingdom, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Communion Anthem: “Joy is Come!” Andrew Carter
Joy is come! Eastertide!
Sing we all far and wide,
See the stone rolled aside,
Christ our Lord is risen,
Bursting from his prison,
Let the sound, sound, sound
Ring around, round, round,
And the song now rebound:
Christ the Lord is risen!
Joy is come! Easter Day!
Join the dance, homage pay,
Christ the Lord lights our way,
From the tomb now breaking,
Satan’s power shaking.
Let the song, song, song,
Echo long, long, long,
Shout it loud, sing it strong:
Christ the Lord is risen!
Joy is come! Easter morn!
With your Lord greet the dawn,
He endured crown of thorn
And bitter nailing, Faithful and unfailing.
Tidings tell, tell, tell,
Chant it well, well, well,
Risen Christ in us dwell,
O’er the cross prevailing.
Easter joy may we bring,
Welcome, Lord, heaven’s King
Winter turns into spring,
Darkness overtaking,
And our spirits waking.
Praises flow, flow, flow.
Voices grow, grow, grow,
Sounding far ‘Gloria in excelsis Deo!
In excelsis Deo!
Hymn 184: “Christ the Lord is Risen Again”
Refrain: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Christ, our Paschal Lamb indeed,
Christ, today your people feed.
Alleluia!
1. Christ the Lord is risen again!
Christ has broken every chain!
Now through all the world it rings
that the Lamb is King of kings.
Alleluia!
Refrain
2. He who gave for us his life,
who for us endured the strife,
takes our sin and guilt away
that with angels we may say:
Alleluia!
Refrain
3. He who bore all pain and loss
comfortless upon the cross
is exalted now to save,
wresting victory from the grave.
Alleluia!
Refrain
Postcommunion Prayer
Priest Let us pray.
Priest and People
Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Easter Blessing
The priest blesses the people with these words
The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.
The Dismissal
Priest Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit. Alleluia, alleluia.
People Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
Postlude: “Carillon” Louis Vierne
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Organist: W. Edward McCall
Eucharistic Minister: Christopher McCall
Lectors: Nancy Gifford-Humphreys, John Black, David Taylor, George Wiemann
Acolyte: Madeleine Moore
Ushers: Michael Kelly, George Wiemann
Altar: St. Paul’s Altar Guild
Flowers: Lisa Farina, Kay Johnson, Susan Roberts
A/V: Emery Kohut, Liam Kelly
Choir: George Achilles, Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, John Capps, Carol Fox, Melanie Moyer, Shelley Reed, Robert Risch, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, Anne Shute, Jim Shute, Caitlin Stein, Marian Wentworth
Online giving is available through Realm E-Giving and PayPal. We thank you for your generous giving to St. Paul’s.
Easter Music Memorials & Thanksgivings
In Memory Of:
Ira L. and Frances C. Adams
Chauncey Alcott
Dwight Alcott
Robert Benton
Emmy Brancato
Harry Duce
Ruth and Frank Gouch
Gregory Kelly
Jenepher and Edward Kelly
Kristen Kelly
Amelia LaRosa
Frank LaRosa
Michelle Laughlin
P. Hodge Laughlin, Jr.
Paula Laughlin
Frank Selby
Joseph G. and Anne H. Shute
Ryan P. Shute
Robert Stoveken
EASTER Flower MEMORIALS & THANKSGIVINGS
In Memory Of:
Jane Alcott
Verna Benton
Mary Caldarola
Michael Caldarola
Reverend Edward Chinn
Margo and Al Cox
The DeTato and Buckner families
Leigh Ellis
Fr. Edward Garrigan
William Fitch Hamilton
Herbert C. Harbort, Jr.
Helen F. Holderness
Thomas W. Holderness
Hugh G. and Helene Hutchison
Hugh M. Hutchison
Christopher Howell Johnson
Lillian and Herbert Johnson
Catharine and William Kappauf
Mary Ann Kelley
Robin Libby
Rose Libby
Loved ones of Catherine Wehmeyer
Helmut and Lisa Lutter
Arthur J. McGill
Betty Jane M. McGill
Edward L. McGill, Sr.
Helen, Lauris, Lillian, and Roy Olson
Fr. Robert C. Smith
Paul Sullivan
Deborah Howard Taylor
Todd Welter
Marion Worrell
