The Fifth Sunday of Easter
Sunday, May 15, at 10:00 am
The form for this service can also be found in The Book of Common Prayer, page 355. Spoken responses are in bold typeface.
Prelude: “Rose Window” Gordon Young
The Entrance Rite
Hymn 457: “Thou art the Way, to thee alone”
1. Thou art the Way, to thee alone
from sin and death we flee;
and all who would the Father seek,
must seek him, Lord, by thee.
2. Thou art the Truth, thy word alone
true wisdom can impart;
thou only canst inform the mind
and purify the heart.
3. Thou art the Life, the rending tomb
proclaims thy conquering arm;
and those who put their trust in thee
nor death nor hell shall harm.
4. Thou art the Way, the Truth, the Life:
grant us that way to know,
that truth to keep, that life to win,
whose joys eternal flow.
Opening Acclamation
Priest ✠ Alleluia. Christ is risen.
People The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
Gloria: “Glory to God in the highest”
The Collect of the Day
Priest The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Let us pray.
Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
First Lesson: Acts 11:1-18
Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I replied, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But a second time the voice answered from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 148
1 Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from the heavens; *
praise him in the heights.
2 Praise him, all you angels of his; *
praise him, all his host.
3 Praise him, sun and moon; *
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, heaven of heavens, *
and you waters above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the Name of the Lord; *
for he commanded, and they were created.
6 He made them stand fast for ever and ever; *
he gave them a law which shall not pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth, *
you sea-monsters and all deeps;
8 Fire and hail, snow and fog, *
tempestuous wind, doing his will;
9 Mountains and all hills, *
fruit trees and all cedars;
10 Wild beasts and all cattle, *
creeping things and winged birds;
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, *
princes and all rulers of the world;
12 Young men and maidens, *
old and young together.
13 Let them praise the Name of the Lord, *
for his Name only is exalted,
his splendor is over earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up strength for his people
and praise for all his loyal servants, *
the children of Israel, a people who are near him.
Hallelujah!
Second Lesson: Revelation 21:1-6
I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.”
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 577: “God is love, and where true love is”
Refrain: God is love, and where true love is
God himself is there.
1. Here in Christ we gather, love of Christ our calling.
Christ, our love, is with us, gladness be his greeting.
Let us fear and love him, holy God eternal.
Loving him, let each love Christ in one another. Refrain
2. When we Christians gather, members of one Body,
let there be in us no discord but one spirit.
Banished now be anger, strife and every quarrel.
Christ, our God, be always present here among us. Refrain
3. Grant us love’s fulfillment, joy with all the blessèd,
when we see your face, O Savior, in its glory.
Shine on us, O purest Light of all creation,
be our bliss while endless ages sing your praises. Refrain
The Gospel: John 13:31-35
Priest The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
At the last supper, when Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Priest The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Alleluia
The choir sings the Alleluias, then all repeat them.
The Sermon
After the sermon, the choir sings a sentence of Scripture in response.
The Nicene Creed Said in unison
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
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.
Remembering ___ : We pray for all bishops, priests, and deacons;
That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacraments.
Remembering ___ : 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.
Remembering ___ : Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble;
That they may be delivered from their distress.
Remembering ___ : 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.
Silence. The priest adds a concluding Collect.
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!”
The Holy Communion
The Celebrant introduces the Offertory with a sentence of Scripture.
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
During the Offertory an anthem is sung, and the Altar is prepared with the elements of Holy Communion.
The Offering is brought forward.
Offertory Anthem: “This joyful Eastertide” Philip Ledger
This joyful Eastertide,
Away with sin and sorrow.
My Love, the Crucified,
Hath sprung to life this morrow:
Had Christ, that once was slain,
Ne’er burst his three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain:
But now hath Christ arisen.
My flesh in hope shall rest,
And for a season slumber:
Till trump from east to west
Shall wake the dead in number:
Had Christ, that once was slain,
Ne’er burst his three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain:
But now hath Christ arisen.
Death’s flood hath lost his chill,
Since Jesus crossed the river:
Lover of souls, from ill
My passing soul deliver:
Had Christ, that once was slain,
Ne’er burst his three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain:
But now hath Christ arisen.
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer A
The people stand and the priest says
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:
Sanctus: “Holy, holy, holy Lord”
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,
The Breaking of the Bread
The priest breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.
The Celebrant sings the Alleluias, then all repeat them.
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: “The strife is o’er” Henry Ley
The strife is o’er, the battle done:
Now is the Victor’s triumph won;
O let the song of praise be sung:
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
Death’s mightiest powers
have done their worst,
and Jesus hath His foes dispersed;
Let shouts of praise and joy outburst:
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
On the third morn He rose again,
Glorious majesty to reign;
O let us swell the joyful strain:
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
Lord, by the stripes which wounded thee,
From death’s dread sting thy servants free,
That we may live and sing to thee:
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah! Amen.
Hymn 603: “When Christ was lifted from the earth”
1. When Christ was lifted from the earth,
his arms stretched out above
through every culture, every birth,
to draw an answering love.
2. Still east and west his love extends
and always, near or far,
he calls and claims us as his friends
and loves us as we are.
3. Where generation, class, or race
divide us to our shame,
he sees not labels but a face,
a person, and a name.
4. Thus freely loved, though fully known,
may I in Christ be free
to welcome and accept his own
as Christ accepted me.
After Communion, the priest says
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.
Welcome & Announcements
The Easter Blessing
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.
Dismissal
Priest Let us go forth in the name of Christ. Alleluia, alleluia.
People Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
Postlude: “Make the Sounds of Praise” Robert Hughes
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Organist: W. Edward McCall
Eucharistic Minister: John Black
Acolyte: Alex Kelly
Lector: Trudie Benton
Ushers: Ted Hopkins, John Fraser
Altar: Linda Chinn, Jacky Grande
Flowers: Anne Shute
A/V: 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.
TO THE MEN OF ST. PAUL’S
You are invited to our scheduled Brotherhood of St. Andrew meeting at noon today on Zoom. Please check your email for meeting details. We will discuss the pending Annual Retreat at Rehoboth on June 10-12. Remember to make a check of $295 out to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church with Brotherhood on the memo line. We will also discuss opportunities to become involved with a Veterans group. Please contact George Wiemann with any questions.
Spring Social: Friday, May 20. Save the Date!
Save the date for a church-wide spring social, to be held on the evening of Friday, May 20. Parishioners of all ages are invited to attend and enjoy food, fellowship, and fun with each other. If the weather is nice, this event will take place outside on the church grounds. Further details to follow!
From the SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE
The Diocese of Pennsylvania offers Anti-Racism training through their Anti-Racism Commission. It is part of the work of the Diocese, in living up to the Loving Presence Publication and the Gospel, to help as many Episcopalians understand anti-racism and become trained anti-racists. The next ARC training is May 28th and is entitled, Introduction to Systemic Racism. This course is the prerequisite for all the other ARC courses. It will be again offered on August 27th. You can find out more by following this link to the page on the Diopa.org webpage. Contact chair Jim Massey with any questions. All are welcome!
Spring Gift Card Collection
Dear St. Paul’s members, The Outreach Committee is collecting supermarket or Visa and MasterCard cards for families in need at Doyle Elementary School. Please make the cards $25 or $50 so they can give them to families to buy what they need. Please leave them in the church office or with Mary Smith at church between services. Donations are due by May 20. Please contact Mary Smith with any questions.
CARING FOR FRIENDS
Caring for Friends has resumed our meal packing at the church. Our next meeting will be on Saturday, May 21 from 9:30-11:30am. We are asking for anyone who would like to cook at home to bring the food to church on the 21st to pack. Please include a list of ingredients for all meals. For everyone attending we will be social distancing and wearing masks. Casseroles with a protein source, meats like meatloaf, chicken, beef, turkey breasts with a side of rice or potatoes are some other ideas. Donations of canned goods are appreciated, especially fruits and vegetables. Hope you can make it on the 21st.
For questions, please contact George Wiemann, Mary Smith, or Myra Parker using the church directory.
ALTAR FLOWERS
Today’s flowers are given by Valerie Gardner to the glory of God, and in loving memory of Roland Gardner, Roger Gardner and Lorna Gardner Ludvik.
