The Sixth Sunday of Easter
Sunday, May 14, 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 400: “All creatures of our God and King”
1. All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voices, let us sing:
Alleluia, alleluia! Bright burning sun with golden beams,
pale silver moon that gently gleams,
O praise him, O praise him, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
2. Great rushing winds and breezes soft,
you clouds that ride the heavens aloft,
O praise him, Alleluia!
Fair rising morn, with praise rejoice,
stars nightly shining, find a voice,
O praise him, O praise him, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
3. Swift flowing water, pure and clear,
make music for your Lord to hear,
Alleluia, alleluia!
Fire, so intense and fiercely bright,
you give to us both warmth and light,
O praise him, O praise him, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
4. Dear mother earth, you day by day unfold your blessings on our way,
O praise him, Alleluia! All flowers and fruits that in you grow,
let them his glory also show:
O praise him, O praise him, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Opening Acclamation
Priest ✠ Alleluia. Christ is risen.
People The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
The Collect for Purity
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: 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.
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.
O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
First Lesson: Acts 17:22-31
Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 66:7-18
7 Bless our God, you peoples; *
make the voice of his praise to be heard;
8 Who holds our souls in life, *
and will not allow our feet to slip.
9 For you, O God, have proved us; *
you have tried us just as silver is tried.
10 You brought us into the snare; *
you laid heavy burdens upon our backs.
11 You let enemies ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water; *
but you brought us out into a place of refreshment.
12 I will enter your house with burnt-offerings
and will pay you my vows, *
which I promised with my lips
and spoke with my mouth when I was in trouble.
13 I will offer you sacrifices of fat beasts
with the smoke of rams; *
I will give you oxen and goats.
14 Come and listen, all you who fear God, *
and I will tell you what he has done for me.
15 I called out to him with my mouth, *
and his praise was on my tongue.
16 If I had found evil in my heart, *
the Lord would not have heard me;
17 But in truth God has heard me; *
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
18 Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer, *
nor withheld his love from me.
Second Lesson: 1 Peter 3:13-22
Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 292: “O Jesus, crowned with all renown”
1. O Jesus, crowned with all renown, since thou the earth hast trod,
thou reignest and by thee come down henceforth the gifts of God.
Thine is the health and thine the wealth that in our halls abound,
and thine the beauty and the joy with which the years are crowned.
2. Lord, in their change, let frost and heat, and winds and dews be given;
all fostering power, all influence sweet, breathe from the bounteous heaven.
Attemper fair with gentle air the sunshine and the rain,
that kindly earth with timely birth may yield her fruits again:
3. that we may feed the poor aright, and, gathering round thy throne,
here, in the holy angels’ sight, repay thee of thine own:
That we may praise thee all our days, and with the Father’s Name,
and with the Holy Spirit’s gifts, the Savior’s love proclaim.
Alleluia
The choir sings the Alleluias, then all repeat them.
The Gospel: John 14:15-21
Priest The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”
Priest The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon The Rev. Glenn Matis
The Nicene Creed
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: “Christ the Lord is Risen again” Philip Stopford
Christ the Lord is risen again,
Christ hath broken every chain.
Hark, angelic voices cry,
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.
He who slumbered in the grave
is exalted now to save;
now through Christendom it rings
That the Lamb is King of kings. Alleluia!
Thou, our Paschal Lamb indeed,
Christ, thy ransomed people feed;
take our sins and guilt away:
let us sing by night and day. Alleluia!
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer A
The people stand and the priest sings
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 Easter Song of Praise” Richard Shepard
Sing choirs of heaven!
Let saints and angels sing!
Around God’s throne exult in harmony!
Now Jesus Christ is risen from the grave!
Salute your king in glorious symphony.
Sing choirs of earth!
Behold your light has come!
The glory of the Lord shines radiantly,
Lift up your hearts,
for Christ has conquered death!
The night is past, the day of life is here!
Sing church of God! Exult with joy outpoured.
The gospel trumpets tell of victory won!
Your Saviour lives: he’s with you evermore!
Let all God’s people shout the long Amen.
Hymn 428: “O all ye works of God, now come”
1. O all ye works of God, now come
to thank him and adore;
O angels, sing and bless the Lord
and praise him evermore.
2. O sun and moon and stars of heaven,
your endless praise outpour;
O changing seasons, bless the Lord
and praise him evermore.
3. O heat and cold, O night and day,
O storms and thunder’s roar,
O fields and forests, bless the Lord
and praise him evermore.
4. O earth and sea, O all that live
in water or on shore,
O men and women, bless the Lord
and praise him evermore.
5. O let his people bless the Lord
like righteous souls of yore;
let those of holy, humble heart
come praise him evermore.
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: “Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart” Arthur Messiter
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Glenn Matis
Organist: W. Edward McCall
Eucharistic Minister: Christopher McCall
Thurifer: Emma Ward
Lector: David Taylor
Ushers: Joe DeTato, Andy Morse
Altar: Sara Frister
Livestream: Emery Kohut
Flowers: Audrey Jackson
Choir: George Achilles, Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, J.T. Capps, Carol Fox, Laura Pankoe, Shelley Reed, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, Amber Robinson, 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.
Sunday School
There will be no Sunday School programming today. Classes will resume on Sunday, May 21.
Weekday Worship
Mass for the Feast of the Ascension will take place this week on Thursday, May 18 at noon in the Church.
LAST CHANCE:
The St. Paul’s historical timeline exhibition in Paxson Hall will be taken down after coffee hour on Sunday May 14. Take advantage of one last opportunity to discover fun facts, and learn about interesting, intertwined histories with other churches and with Doylestown itself.
STICKY-NOTE SURVEY:
Last chance to complete simple survey located on timeline panel “2023...AND BEYOND.” Let us know your thoughts on “My Vision for St. Paul’s” and “What I Love About St. Paul’s.”
Community Meal: May 28
Thank you to everyone who helped to make the first Community Meal of this season such a big success. The next meal is scheduled for Sunday, May 28th. The Community Meal helps those who are food insecure in the community by providing a nutritious and delicious meal. Volunteers are needed to help with the food preparation and serving. We will also need greeters, servers, and volunteers to help with setup and cleanup. Food should be delivered to the church by 12:30 on May 28th. If possible, the food should be delivered warm and ready to serve. Please review the signup here and consider signing up to help with the meal. Thank you in advance for your continued support. Mary Lou Parry, Outreach Committee.
Drivers needed for the Community Meal
Please consider being a van driver or attendant for the monthly community meal. To qualify, an online course offered by Code Blue (CSSH) must be taken. If we have the needed van driver and attendant, we would be able to provide meals to people in Warminster that are unable to get to St. Paul’s because of the distance. If you are interested, please contact Mae O’Brien using the church directory and she can provide additional details. Thank you very much for your help and support.
Food Packing: Feed My Starving Children
Please consider volunteering 2 hours of your time to help pack food for Feed My Starving Children. St. Paul’s has been participating with this organization for the past few years in the October timeframe. However, due to Covid, wars, and climate issues such as drought, the need is considerably greater. There are typically approximately 460 million meals packed on a worldwide basis. However, this year, the need is for 600 million meals!! The event will be held at Del Val University on Friday May 18th-Sunday May 20th. If you are interested in helping, please contact Mary Lou Parry using the church directory, and she will take care of registration.
Christmas in Doylestown UPDATE:
We are so blessed to have several parishioners step up to be shepherds of the various tasks required to make our lovely House Tour happen for 2023!!! Thank you all so much!!!!
Widgette Kelly has taken on the tea, stay tuned to see how she “reimagines” it.
June Psculkowski has taken on the butter cookie baking, so do not panic our famous cookies will once again be available this year!!!
Wendy Brumbaugh will once again handle the PR for the event, so we are sure to have a great turn out.
Please look in the future for them reaching out for help because we know it takes a parish for this whole event to come together!!!
If you wish to participate in any way, please do not hesitate to reach out to Lisa Farina or Mary Lou Parry!!! !!!Merry Merry!!!
Geraniums for Pentecost
Pentecost Sunday is May 28. This is the day we celebrate the Holy Spirit by bringing red geraniums to church and planting them in front of the sign. Please feel free to bring your plants sooner if you will be away on Pentecost. Please contact Lisa Farina with any questions.
VBS 2023!
Calling all kids ages 5-13, have you ever wondered about the mysterious Trinity? Come join us to try to get some answers to those questions June 19-23 5:30-8pm. We will have evenings of fun, songs, games and crafts. Older kids and adults are welcomed too! Stay tuned for more information.
Women’s Ministry Walk and Game Night: June 3
The Women’s Ministry will be having its next event June 3 from 5-8pm in the St Paul’s Parish Hall. We will meet up for an evening of fellowship that kicks off with a walk around town for those interested (weather permitting) and then a game night. Please plan to bring a “brown bag” dinner and your favorite game to share. Please contact Elizabeth Pitts or Leigh DeTato with any questions. Looking forward to seeing everyone!
CARING FOR FRIENDS
Caring for Friends has resumed our meal packing at the church. Our next meeting will be Saturday, May 20 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 20th 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. Please contact Myra Parker, Mary Smith, or George Wiemann with any questions.
ST. MARY’S SOLOLÁ, GUATEMALA
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Guatemala Fundraising during this Lenten period. We will continue to gratefully accept donations through the month of May. The people of Guatemala continue to deal with problems which resulted from the pandemic and weather-related emergencies. These situations continue to cause difficulties with education, sufficient food, clean drinking water and healthcare. As always, your help and support and greatly appreciated. Questions? Contact Mary Lou Parry using the church directory.
LITTLE FREE PANTRY
The Little Free Pantry continues to be a huge food resource to the community. Your kindness and generosity is greatly appreciated by those suffering from food insecurities in the area. Thank you for all the donations of both food and money that you have contributed in the past year. We are still in need of supplies such as...snack bars, small cereal boxes, fruit cups, pudding and Jell-O cups, pretzels, and crackers. We hope you will consider donating again. Thank you for your help and support. Questions? Contact Mary Lou Parry using the church directory.
YOUTH FORMATION: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Hello St. Paul’s Family! We are in need of some adults and teens who are interested in helping out with Youth Formation. If you are interested in helping the youth explore new ideas and gain a better understanding of who God is in their lives, please reach out to Maureen McGraw or Elizabeth Pitts. This would only take a commitment of about an hour or so every 2-3 months and would involve helping to answer questions and helping with different activities. Please sign up to help here.
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.
