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Order of Service - Easter 6
Prelude
Welcome
Opening Hymn: Come Down, O Love Divine. CP #645
1 Come down, O Love divine,
seek Thou this soul of mine,
and visit it with Thine own ardor glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, Thy holy flame bestowing.
2 O let it freely burn,
till earthly passions turn
to dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
and let Thy glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.
3 Let holy charity
mine outward vesture be,
and lowliness become mine inner clothing:
true lowliness of heart,
which takes the humbler part,
and o'er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.
4 And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
shall far outpass the pow'r of human telling;
no soul can guess its grace,
till he become the place
wherein the Holy Spirit makes His dwelling.
The Greeting
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
May his grace and peace be with you.
May he fill our hearts with joy!
The Collect Prayer
God of abiding love, you choose us as your servants and dare to call us friends: take our fragmented hearts, commanding them to love, making whole our joy, our life reborn in you; through Jesus Christ, who laid down his life for us. Amen.
The Readings
Acts 10:44-48; Psalm 98; 1 John 5:1-6; John 15:9-17
The Homily
Hymn after the Homily: In Christ There Is No East or West CP #484 (tune, St. Peter)
1 In Christ there is no east or west,
in him no south or north,
but one great fellowship of love
throughout the whole wide earth.
2 In Christ shall true hearts ev’rywhere
their high communion find.
His service is the golden cord
close binding humankind.
4 In Christ now meet both east and west,
in him meet south and north.
All Christly souls are joined as one
throughout the whole wide earth.
Affirmation of Faith
Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
This is the first and the great commandment.
The second is like it:
Love your neighbour as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these.
The Prayers of the People
Confession & Absolution
Let us bring to God our need for forgiveness and healing, saying together,
God our Creator, long-suffering, full of grace and truth,
You create us from nothing and give us life.
You give your faithful people new life in the water of baptism.
You do not turn your face from us,
Nor cast us aside.
We confess that we have sinned
Against you and our neighbour.
We have wounded your love and marred your image in us.
Restore us for the sake of your Son,
And bring us to heavenly joy,
In Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
May the God of all healing and forgiveness draw you to himself, and cleanse you from all your sins that you may behold the glory of his Son, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
Glory to God, whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ
Jesus, forever and ever. Amen
The Blessing
Closing Hymn: Draw the Circle Wide CP #418
Refrain
Draw the circle wide.
Draw it wider still.
Let this be our song,
No one stands alone,
Standing side by side,
Draw the circle wide.
‘Round whom all creation turns;
Nothing lost, but held forever,
In God’s gracious arms.
2. Let our hearts touch far horizons,
So encompass great and small;
Let our loving know no borders,
Faithful to God’s call.
3. Let the dreams we dream be larger,
Than we’ve ever dreamed before;
Let the dream of Christ be in us,
Open every door.
Dismissal
Postlude