Opening Prayers

Almighty God,

to whom all hearts are open,

all desires known,

and from whom no secrets are hidden:

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.

 

Almighty God,

who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ

have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life:

grant that, as by your grace going before us

you put into our minds good desires,

so by your continual help

we may bring them to good effect;

through Jesus Christ our risen Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

 

Readings

Acts 7.55-60

 

Psalm 31.1-15,15-16

 

1 Peter 2.2-10

 

GOSPEL READING

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’*

Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’

Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.’

 

Read this week’s Reflection from Rev’d Julia Porter-Pryce

 

INTERCESSIONS

from Emma Park

Crucifix

 

Lord, we praise you for the resurrection of Jesus, which seals the ultimate victory of love and light over hatred and darkness.

We pray for the Church, that all Christians may be aware of your rich presence in our lives, and for St Peters.

Lord Jesus, we bring to you all leaders and their advisers at this uncertain time for the whole world. We pray for our government and ask that you equip them to lead, to listen and to act honestly and with humility and compassion as they seek to cope with the present and plan for the future. We pray that they will work for the benefit of all, particularly the disadvantaged and vulnerable.

Risen Lord, we bring to you our loved ones. For many of us there is fear, doubt and uncertainty just as there was for your disciples. You came to them, risen, alive to offer them peace. We thank you that your peace reaches out to us today even in life’s fiercest storms. May we know that we are always held in the embrace of your love.

We pray for all who are experiencing distress and anguish at the present time. All those with the virus, at home or in hospital, those fearful for others, those whose jobs have vanished and whose futures are in doubt. We thank you for all the efforts made on their behalf and pray that we may all receive your peace and love.

Loving Lord, we pray for all who serve us, for all key workers, including delivery drivers, supermarket workers and those who work in the NHS and care system. As they seek in different ways to bring hope and healing we ask that you will continue to encourage and energise them as they go ‘above and beyond’ on our behalf.

We continue pray for those parts of the world where normal, daily life is violence, war and grinding poverty. We remember the situation in Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan. We pray for peace to begin to take root in these dark places.

We pray for animals that are being negatively affected by the situation, including those who have lost their source of food and those being looked after by charities.

We rejoice in the glory of our Risen Lord and give thanks for all the Saints who have shared in his victory over the grave and death. Jesus is the light of the world: a light which eternally shines and brings hope, and which no darkness can extinguish.

We commend all who have died to your eternal love and care and remember all victims of coronavirus.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

 

HYMNS

 

 

For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies.

Refrain:
Christ, our Lord, to you we raise
this, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale and tree and flower,
sun and moon and stars of light, [Refrain ]

For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild, [Refrain]

For yourself, best gift divine,
to the world so freely given,
agent of God’s grand design:
peace on earth and joy in heaven. [Refrain]

 

 

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
O thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like thyself my guide and strength can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless,
ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

 

 

God is love, his the care
tending each, ev’rywhere,
God is love, all is there!
Jesus came to show him,
that we all might know him!

Refrain:
Sing aloud, loud, loud!
sing aloud, loud, loud!
God is good! God is truth!
God is beauty! Praise him!

None can see God above;
we can share life and love;
thus may we Godward move,
finding him in creation,
holding ev’ry nation. [Refrain]

Jesus lived on the earth,
hope and life brought to birth
and affirmed human worth,
for he came to save us
by the truth he gave us. [Refrain]

To our Lord praise we sing,
light and life, friend and King,
coming down, love to bring,
pattern for our duty,
showing God in beauty. [Refrain]

 

Closing Prayers

 

Eastertide Meditations Website

 

Eternal God,

whose Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life:

grant us to walk in his way,

to rejoice in his truth,

and to share his risen life;

who is alive and reigns, now and for ever

Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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