Easter 2C
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Easter 5C
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Easter 5C LECTIONARY GENERATED LITURGY Easter 5 C Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 148; Revelation 21:1-6; John 13:31-35. Rec text - NRSV. Hymns are from the Australian Hymn Book (AHB) or Together in Song (TIS) unless otherwise indicated. Worship Leader - normal type. Congregational responses - bold type Permission is granted to churches to use this material in services of worship. This liturgy remains the property of Moira B Laidlaw Additional resources for Easter 5C: No Matter What, Debi Gliori, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, London, W1D 3HB, 2003; Scripture in Song . CMC Australasia, Unit 9/147 Marshalltown Road , Grovedale, Victoria 3216; New Journeys Songbook , JBCE, the Joint Board of Christian Education, 10 Queen St., Melbourne 3000; As One Voice, Willow Connection Pty Ltd., 106/30 Fisher Rd., Dee Why, NSW 2099; JESUS OUR FUTURE, Bruce D Prewer, Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, 1998; BE OUR FREEDOM, LORD, ed Terry C Falla, Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, 1994. CALL TO WORSHIP: based on Psalm 148 and John 1: verses 14,16. Praise the Lord who spoke the word which created the grandeur of the heavens for brilliant moon and countless stars, sun and rain and blue-skyed days we praise the Lord! Praise the Lord who spoke the word which created the fragile beauty of the earth and the seas: for changing seasons; the contours of land and sea; for heat and cold, wind and calm, we praise the Lord! Praise the Lord who spoke the word which created trees and plants, animals and birds, and multi-coloured people: for the environment which sustains boys and girls, women and men; poor and rich, young and old, we praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, the Word who became flesh and who lived among us full of grace and truth: we have seen his glory and from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace - praise the Lord, Hallellujah! TIS 100/AHB 3: “All creatures of our God and King” TIS 72/AHB 42: “From all who dwell below the skies” TIS 166/AHB 102: “Sing a new song” TIS 93/AHB 58: “Praise the Lord, you heavens adore him” TIS 96/AHB 83: “Sing praise to the Lord!...” PRAYER OF ADORATION AND PRAISE Creator God, source of power and majesty and glory, we worship and adore you. Your word brought light and life and order out of darkness, emptiness and chaos. Such awesome power leaves us speechless with wonder. Yet our wonder is even greater, for you chose to show us that power and majesty and glory are made visible in and through the servanthood, humility and sacrificial love of Jesus. His love revealed for all time that glorifying you means loving one another as he loves us. Only through such love are we identified as his disciples and as your people. All blessing and honour and glory be to you, O God, for ever and ever. Amen A WORD WITH THE CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE If you haven’t told the story No Matter What by Debi Gliori - today is the perfect day to tell it. Link to Jesus’ words about new commandment. TIS 699/AHB 571: “A new commandment” In AHB 571, replace “all men” (which is not very appropriate for Mothers’ day! ) with “people” Scripture in Song 266: “This is my commandment” INTRODUCTION TO PRAYER OF CONFESSION Jesus says in today’s gospel lesson, that “Now the Son of Man is glorified”. If we did not know what had gone before, we could assume that the ‘now’ referred to some glorious achievement or victory. The ‘now’, however, refers to the movement of Jesus towards the cross following Judas’ departure into the night. Now - God’s love would be shown to be stronger than evil - sins would be forgiven - for the time of salvation is near. Through his obedience - even to death - Jesus glorifies God. Glory is therefore inextricably linked to sacrificial love. PRAYER OF CONFESSION Let us pray: Gracious and loving God, as we reflect on the wonder and glory of your being, and the depth of your love for us, we are conscious of our failure to learn from you and from the sacrificial love of Jesus. So often our understanding of glory is linked with prestige and power and position. Jesus’ understanding of glory was linked to a love that was prepared to go to the uttermost limits of love. Forgive us when selfish pursuit of glory takes precedence over Jesus’ command to love one another as he has loved us. “As he has loved us’”- we confess our lack of commitment to make Jesus’ self-giving love the truly identifying mark of our community of faith. Forgive us when we put economic, racial, social or other boundaries on our love. When we express his limitless love in all our relationships and dealings with people, both inside and outside the church - then - Jesus said “everyone will know that you are my disciples.” Remind us, O God, that even when our love falters, your love remains constant. You have the power to make all things new. Renew and rekindle our love for you and for one another. Fill our hearts and minds with Jesus’ selfless love so that, like him, we glorify you in all we do and say. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen ASSURANCE OF PARDON God makes all things new. (Rev 21:5) Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation The old has passed away; everything has become new! (2 Corinthians 5:17) Friends, believe the gospel: in Jesus Christ we are loved, we are blessed, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God! PASSING THE PEACE The peace of God and the love of Jesus Christ be with you always. And also with you. Invite people to share a sign of peace and love. New Journeys Songbook 40 “Fill My House” or As One Voice 130: “They’ll know we are Christians by our love” ACTS 11: 1-18 REVELATION 21:1-6 GOSPEL: John 13:31-35 SERMON TIS 641/AHB 401: “This is my will, my one command” In AHB 401 this lovely hymn can be made more inclusive by singing as the first part of verse 2: ‘No greater love can people have than that they die to save their friends.’ TIS 215/AHB 144: You servants of God” TIS 434: “Where there is charity and love...” SUGGESTIONS FOR PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION “Be with Us: A Litany” Page 92, Jesus our Future. “We are your family” page 392f. and “The open church” page 358 - from “You have called us to be the body of Christ” to the end if you are using this prayer following “We are your family” - in Be our Freedom, Lord. OFFERING OFFERTORY PRAYER Gracious God, bless these gifts and our lives, we pray. May they be used to glorify you through our obedience to Jesus’ commandment to love one another as he has loved us. Amen TIS 539: “You satisfy the hungry heart” TIS 526/AHB 451: “Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us...” TIS 511/AHB 433: Let us break bread together with the Lord” INVITATION Listen! I am standing at the door , knocking: if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you with me. (Revelation 3:20) GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift our hearts to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. We praise you, O God, Creator of all things and Lover of all people. Out of your deep care for your people, you liberated them from slavery and led them to freedom, teaching them your ways of justice and peace. When they strayed from your ways, you sent the prophets to guide them back to your paths of righteousness. When their words went unheeded, you broke into our history in the person of Jesus Christ. Through his death and resurrection he overcame evil and restored us to you, giving us the assurance that your goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives. And so, with all the company of heaven and earth we praise your holy name 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. At this table we remember that night when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and sat down at a table with them to share the meal with them. And on that night -the night of his betrayal- he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Cor 11:23b-26) We remember and give thanks for such love. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us, O God, and upon these gifts of bread and wine, that they may be for us the life of Christ and that we may make his life visible through our acts of love and goodness and mercy. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen THE LORD’S PRAYER BREAKING OF THE BREAD LAMB OF GOD DISTRIBUTION PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Gracious God, we give you thanks for refreshing and renewing us in this meal with the life of Jesus, your Son, our Lord. Strengthened by his life - the food of eternal life - we go from here to be eager bearers of his word and willing followers of his way. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen TIS 106/AHB 14: “Now thank we all our God” TIS 432/AHB 343: “Christ is made the sure foundation” TIS 628/AHB 555: “In faith and hope and love” BENEDICTION Go, blessed with the glorious love of God the limitless love of Jesus Christ and the inspiring love of the Holy Spirit. THREEFOLD AMEN |