The Fourth Sunday in Lent
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Glenside, Pennsylvania March 14, 2021 at 10:00 A.M.
Gathering Prelude: Pavan
John Bull
Opening Hymn: 690, Guide me, O thou great Jehovah
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Opening Acclamation Celebrant Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins. People God’s mercy endures for ever. Amen. Jesus said, "The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: Lord your God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment than these." Mark 12:29-31 Confession and Absolution of Sin Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor. God of Grace, This week we have done things against you, and against each other. We are truly sorry. In your mercy, forgive us our sins, the ones that we know, and the ones that we do not know; the things that we have done, and the things that we forgot to do. Help us walk in the way of your love. Amen. Celebrant says In the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are forgiven. Forgive yourself, and those that have hurt you, and go in God’s peace. Amen. Opening Prayer Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Celebrant Let us pray. This Lent, help us to return to you, O God. To pray to you. To love you. 3
To be loved by you. Help us to see more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day. Amen. Listening for God’s Word The First Reading - Exodus 20:1-17 God spoke all these words: I am, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of a life of slavery. No other gods, only me. No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don’t bow down to them and don’t serve them because I am God, and I’m a most jealous God, punishing the children for any sins their parents pass on to them to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation of those who hate me. But I’m unswervingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments. No using the name of God, your God, in curses or silly banter; God won’t put up with the irreverent use of his name. Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Work six days and do everything you need to do. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to God. Don’t do any work - not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your maid, nor your animals, not even the foreign guest visiting in your town. For in six days God made Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; he rested on the seventh day. Therefore God blessed the Sabbath day; he set it apart as a holy day. Honor your father and mother so that you’ll live a long time in the land that God, your God, is giving you. No murder. No adultery. No stealing. No lies about your neighbor. No desiring after your neighbor’s house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don’t set your heart on anything that is your neighbor’s. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
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1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures for ever. 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble 3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. 17 Some were sick through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities endured affliction; 18 they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. 4
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress; 20 he sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from destruction. 21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. 22 And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and tell of his deeds with songs of joy. Gospel Hymn: 602, Jesus, Jesu, fill us with your love
The Gospel: John 3:16-22 The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. And the people respond: Glory to you, Lord Christ. “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence 5
without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. “This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is. The Gospel of the Lord. And the people respond: Praise to you, Lord Christ. Sermon
The Rev. Emily Richards
The Affirmation of Faith Celebrant Let us declare our faith in God: People We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. The Prayers of the People At the end of each prayer, the intercessor will say, Lord, in your mercy and then the people will respond, Hear our prayer. The Peace Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you. People And also with you.
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Celebrating Holy Communion Presentation Hymn: Voices Found 163, Jesus Loves me!
The Great Thanksgiving, Eucharistic Prayer A Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Celebrant Lift up your hearts. People We lift them to the Lord. 7
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Celebrant People
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give him thanks and praise.
The Celebrant continues It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company o of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name: 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. Then the Celebrant continues Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all. He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world. On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me." After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me." Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith: Celebrant and People Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. The Celebrant continues We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom. 8
All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever. AMEN. And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say, The Lord’s Prayer
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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 those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. The Breaking of the Bread Celebrant We break this bread to share in the Body of Christ. People We who are many are one body, for we all share in the one bread. The Communion of the People Communion Music The Post-Communion Prayer during a Time of Separation Celebrant and people together Let us pray. Lord of the Feast, we thank you for gathering us as your people. We call to remembrance the many times we have been fed at your table and we lament our distance now. Be present Lord Jesus as you were present with your disciples, be known to us in the breaking of the bread, and may your Holy Spirit sustain us and all your Church until we can gather together again. We ask this for the sake of your love. Amen.
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Sending Out The Solemn Prayer Look with compassion, O Lord, upon these your children; that, in this holy season, they may know of your love for them and may learn to share that love more fully; through Christ our Lord. Amen. Closing Hymn: 470, There’s wideness in God’s mercy (on following page) Birthdays & Anniversary Prayer BCP 830 O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we pray, on your servants as they begin another year. Grant that they may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen their trust in your goodness all the days of their lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Announcements Opportunities for Prayer and Study in Lent: stpetersglenside.org/lenten-resources Learn about all our Holy Week offerings: https://www.stpetersglenside.org/holyweek The Dismissal Celebrant Let us go forth in the name of Christ. People Thanks be to God. Postlude: Galliard
John Bull
The scripture passages for today’s service were taken from The Message. All copyright licensing for music during this service through: OneLicense.net License #A-719834 and LicenSing License # 620603.
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Closing Hymn: 470, There’s wideness in God’s mercy
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