Easter 2021 – Holy Communion

(Modified 2021-04-04: Replaced live stream player with recorded service)

The Resurrection Of The Lord: Easter Sunday

April 4, 2021 – 10.30 o’clock

Audio recording of entire service

THE EASTER ANTHEMS

CHRIST our passover is sacrificed for us:/ 
therefore let us keep the feast;

Not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness; /
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 
1 Corinthians 5. 7.

Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; /
death hath no more dominion over him.

For in that he died, he died unto sin once:/
but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, /
but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6. 9.

Christ is risen from the dead, /
and become the first-fruits of them that slept.

For since by man came death, /
by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die, /
even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15. 20.

GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, / and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, / world without end. Amen.

THE HYMN: Christ is Risen! Shout Hosanna!

Christ is risen! Shout Hosanna!
Celebrate this day of days!
Christ is risen! Hush in wonder:
All creation is amazed.
In the desert all-surrounding,
See, a spreading tree has grown.
Healing leaves of grace abounding
Bring a taste of love unknown.

Christ is risen! Raise your spirits
From the caverns of despair.
Walk with gladness in the morning.
See what love can do and dare.
Drink the wine of resurrection,
Not a servant, but a friend.
Jesus is our strong companion.
Joy and peace shall never end.

Christ is risen! Earth and heaven
Nevermore shall be the same.
Break the bread of new creation
Where the world is still in pain.
Tell its grim, demonic chorus:
Christ is risen! Get you gone!
God the First and Last is with us,
Sing Hosanna, everyone!

COLLECT FOR PURITY
ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

SUMMARY OF THE LAW
OUR Lord Jesus Christ said: Hear O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first and great commandment And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

Lord, have mercy upon us, and write both these thy laws in our hearts, we beseech thee.
Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us.

The Lord be with you; And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

THE COLLECT OF THE DAY.

ALMIGHTY God, who through thine only begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life: We humbly beseech thee, that as by thy special grace thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

THE LESSON: Acts 10:34-43

Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ–he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced:how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.  He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

PSALM 118. 1-2. 14-24

O GIVE thanks unto the LORD, for he is gracious: / because his mercy endureth for ever.
Let Israel now confess that he is gracious, / and that his mercy endureth for ever.

The LORD is my strength and my song, / and is become my salvation.
THE voice of joy and health is in the dwellings of the righteous: / the right hand of the LORD bringeth mighty things to pass.

The right hand of the LORD is exalted: / the right hand of the LORD bringeth mighty things to pass.
I shall not die, but live, / and declare the works of the LORD.

The LORD hath chastened and corrected me; / but he hath not given me over unto death.
OPEN to me the gates of righteousness, / that I may go into them and give thanks unto the LORD.

This is the gate of the LORD: / the righteous shall enter into it.
I will thank thee, for thou hast heard me, / and art become my salvation.

THE same stone which the builders refused / is become the head-stone in the corner.
This is the LORD’s doing, / and it is marvellous in our eyes.

This is the day which the LORD hath made; / we will rejoice and be glad in it.

THE  EPISTLE:  1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you–unless you have come to believe in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.  Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them–though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

THE HYMN: Alleluia, Alleluia, Give Thanks to the Risen Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia, give praise to his Name.

Jesus is Lord of all the earth.
He is the King of creation.

Spread the good news o’er all the earth:
Jesus has died and has risen..

We have been crucified with Christ.
Now we shall live for ever.

God has proclaimed his gracious gift:
Life eternal for all who believe.

THE HOLY GOSPEL: John 20. 1-18 Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb.The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in.
Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there,and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself.Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.Then the disciples returned to their homes.But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb;and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher).Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'”Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her. R./Praise be to thee, O Christ.

Come, let us praise the living God,
Joyfully sing to our Saviour.

Nicene Creed.

I BELIEVE in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible:  And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father before all worlds; God, of God; Light, of Light; Very God, of very God; Begotten, not made; Being of one substance with the Father; Through whom all things were made: Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man, And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: Whose kingdom shall have no end.  And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord, The Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. And I believe One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the Resurrection of the dead, And the Life of the world to come. Amen.

THE SERMON – The Revd. Canon Claude Schroeder

WELCOMING OF THE NEWLY BAPTIZED

There is one body and one Spirit.
There is one hope in God’s call to us.

One Lord, one faith, one baptism.
One God and father of all.

We give thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate Derek with thy Holy Spirit, to receive him for thine own child by adoption, and to make him a member of thy holy Church. Grant that, being now born again, and made an heir of everlasting salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, he may continue thy servant, and attain thy promises; through the same Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who liveth and reignethwith thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, even one God, world without end. Amen.

Receive the light of Christ, to show that you have passed from darkness to light.
Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Let us welcome the newly baptized.
We welcome you into the household of God. Confess the faith in Christ crucified, proclaim his resurrection, and share with us in his eternal priesthood. Amen.

THE OFFERTORY

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Revelation 5. 12.

THE HYMN: At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing

At the Lamb’s high feast we sing
praise to our victorious King,
who has washed us in the tide
flowing from his pierced side;
praise we him whose love divine
gives his sacred blood for wine,
gives his body for the feast,
Christ the victim, Christ the priest.

Where the paschal blood is poured,
death’s dark angel sheathes his sword;
Israel’s hosts triumphant go
through the wave that drowns the foe.
Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,
paschal victim, paschal bread;
with sincerity and love
eat we manna from above.

Mighty victim from the sky,
pow’rs of hell beneath thee lie;
death is conquered in the fight,
thou hast brought us life and light:
hymns of glory and of praise,
risen Lord, to thee we raise;
holy Father, praise to thee,
with the Spirit, ever be.

OFFERTORY ANTHEM

BLESSED be thou, LORD God of Israel, for ever and ever. All that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine. All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
1 Chronicles 29. 10, 11, 14.

THE INTERCESSION.

ALMIGHTY and everliving God, who by thy holy Apostle hast taught us to make prayers and supplications, and to give thanks, for all men: We humbly beseech thee most mercifully to accept our alms and oblations, andto receive these our prayers, which we offer unto thy Divine Majesty; beseeching thee to inspire continually the universal Church with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord: And grant that all they that do confess thy holy Name may agree in the truth of thy holy Word, and live in unity and godly love.
     We beseech thee also to lead all nations in the way of righteousness; and so to guide and direct their governors and rulers, that thy people may enjoy the blessings of freedom and peace: And grant unto thy servant ELIZABETH our Queen, and to all that are put in authority under her, that they may truly and impartially administer justice, to the maintenance of thy true religion and virtue.
     Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, and specially to thy servant N. our Bishop, that they may both by their life and doctrine set forth thy true and living Word, and rightly and duly administer thy holy Sacraments: Prosper, we pray thee, all those who proclaim the Gospel of thy kingdom among the nations: And to all thy people give thy heavenly grace, and specially to this congregation here present, that, with meek heart and due reverence, they may hear and receive thy holy Word; truly serving thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life.
     And we most humbly beseech thee of thy goodness, O Lord, to comfort and succour all them, who in this transitory life are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity, especially those for whom our prayers are desired.
     We remember before thee, O Lord, all thy servants departed this life in thy faith and fear: and we bless thy holy Name for all who in life and death have glorified thee; beseeching thee to give us grace that, rejoicing in the fellowship of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the Saints, we may follow their good examples, and with them be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom.
     Grant this, O Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake, our only Mediator and Advocate, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

CONFESSION and ABSOLUTION 

YE that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead the new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways: Draw near with faith, and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort; and make your humble confession to Almighty God, meekly kneeling upon your knees.

ALMIGHTY God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men: We acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness, Which we from time to time most grievously have committed, By thought, word, and deed, Against thy Divine Majesty. We do earnestly repent, And are heartily sorry for these our misdoings. Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; For thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, Forgive us all that is past; And grant that we may ever hereafter Serve and please thee In newness of life, To the honour and glory of thy Name; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him: Have mercy upon you; pardon and deliver you from all your sins; confirm and strengthen you in all goodness; and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

COMFORTABLE WORDS

THANKSGIVING AND CONSECRATION

THE Lord be with you;
And with thy spirit.
Lift up your hearts;
We lift them up unto the Lord.
Let us give thanks unto our Lord God;
 It is meet and right so to do.

Then shall the Priest turn to the Lord’s Table, and say:

IT is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God, Creator and Preserver of all things. 

BUT chiefly are we bound to praise thee for the glorious Resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord: for he is the very Paschal Lamb, which was offered for us, and hath taken away the sin of the world; who by his death hath destroyed death, and by his rising to life again bath restored to us everlasting life.  Therefore with Angels, and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name; evermore praising thee and saying:

HOLY, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts,
Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord Most High.
BLESSED is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

BLESSING and glory and thanksgiving be unto thee Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of thy tender mercy didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to take our nature upon him, and to suffer death upon the Cross for our redemption; who made there, by his one oblation of himself once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memorial of that his precious death, until his coming again.
     Hear us, O merciful Father, we most humbly beseech thee; and grant that we receiving these thy creatures of bread and wine, according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ’s holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood; who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took Bread; and, when he had given thanks, he brake it; and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat; this is my Body which is given for you: Do this in remembrance of me. Likewise after supper he took the Cup; and, when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all, of this; for this is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins: Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.
     Wherefore, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, we thy humble servants, with all thy holy Church, remembering the precious death of thy beloved Son, his mighty resurrection, and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming again in glory, do make before thee, in this sacrament of the holy Bread of eternal life and the Cup of everlasting salvation, the memorial which he hath commanded; And we entirely desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, most humbly beseeching thee to grant, that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion; And we pray that by the power of thy Holy Spirit, all we who are partakers of this holy Communion may be fulfilled with thy grace and heavenly benediction; through Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, world without end. Amen.

THE peace of the Lord be always with you;
And with thy spirit.

WE do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, Trusting in our own righteousness, But in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy So much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord, Whose property is always to have mercy: Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, So to eat the Flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, And to drink his Blood, That our sinful bodies may be made clean by his Body, And our souls washed through his most precious Blood, And that we may evermore dwell in him, And he in us. Amen.

THE COMMUNION

What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits  to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people
In the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. 
(Psalm 116.12-14,17-19)

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Let us pray.

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 them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

ALMIGHTY and everliving God, we most heartily thank thee that thou dost graciously feed us, in these holy mysteries, with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ; assuring us thereby of thy favour and goodness towards us; and that we are living members of his mystical body, which is the blessed company of all faithful people; and are also heirs through hope of thy everlasting kingdom.

And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee. And although we are unworthy, yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offences; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. 

GLORIA

GLORY be to God on high, and in earth peace, good will towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.
     O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesu Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
     For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

BLESSING

THE peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord: And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you always. Amen.

THE HYMN: Jesus Christ is Risen Today.

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia,
our triumphant holy day; alleluia,
who did once upon the cross; alleluia,
suffer to redeem our loss; alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing; Alleluia,
unto Christ our heavenly king; alleluia,
who endured the cross and grave; alleluia,
sinners to redeem and save: alleluia!

But the pains which he endured; Alleluia,
our salvation have procured; alleluia,
now above the sky he’s King; alleluia,
where the angels ever sing: alleluia!

DISMISSAL.

Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Alleluia!
Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!