The Fifth Sunday of Easter

15th May, 2022, 10.30am

To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:
Grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)

Presider & Preacher: The Rev. Canon Linda L. Grenz

Organ Prelude

Eugène Gigout (1844-1925) – Grand Choeur
Stefano Vasselli, Organist

Words of Welcome from Canon Linda & Fr. Francisco

Processional Hymn

I come with joy to meet my Lord
Land of Rest

All stand and sing

I come with joy to meet my Lord,
forgiven, loved, and free,
in awe and wonder to recall
his life laid down for me.

I come with Christians far and near
to find, as all are fed,
the new community of love
in Christ’s communion bread.

As Christ breaks bread and bids us share,
each proud division ends.
That love that made us makes us one,
and strangers now are friends.

And thus with joy we meet our Lord.
His presence, always near,
is in such friendship better known:
we see, and praise him here.

Together met, together bound,
we’ll go our different ways,
and as his people in the world,
we’ll live and speak his praise.

Brian A. Wren (b. 1936), alt.

Opening Acclamation

Presider: Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
People: The Lord is Risen indeed. Alleluia!

Presider: 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 in Excelsis

All sing together

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Collect of the Day

Presider: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Presider: Let us pray.

Presider: 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.

All are seated for the readings and the psalm.

The First Reading: Acts 11:1-18

Reader: A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

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: Laudate Dominum

Sung in Anglican Chant

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 a-/bove the / heavens.

5 Let them praise the / Name of the / Lord; *
for he com-/manded, and / they were cre-/ated.
6 He made them stand fast for / ever and / ever; *
he gave them a law which / shall not / pass a-/way.

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 / wingèd / birds;

11 Kings of the earth and / all / peoples, *
princes and all / rulers / of the / world;
12 Young / men and / maidens, *
–/ old and / young to-/gether.

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. / Halle-/lujah!

The Second Reading: Revelation 21:1-6

Reader: A reading from the Revelation of John.

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.

The Gospel Hymn

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life (The Call)

All stand and sing

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
such a way as gives us breath;
such a truth as ends all strife;
such a life as killeth death.

Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:
such a light as shows a feast;
such a feast as mends in length;
such a strength as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
such a joy as none can move;
such a love as none can part;
such a heart as joys in love.

George Herbert (1593-1633)

The Gospel: John 13:31-35

Presider: The 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.”

Presider: The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon: The Rev. Canon Linda L. Grenz

All are seated

The Nicene Creed

All stand and say together

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.

Prayers of the People

Stand or kneel for the Prayers as you are able.
In the pauses we invite you to add your own petitions, aloud or in silence.

Leader:

Sisters and brothers, let us praise the name of the Lord! The promises of God are trustworthy and true, so let us pray, “Loving God, make all things new.”

Heavenly Father, your Son Jesus commands us to love one another as he loves us. Help us to do as he commands. Give your Church the will to seek and serve Christ in all persons.

Pause.