Easter Vigil Liturgy April 2020

St. Paul’s Athens

We gather outside in the church garden for the Service of Light.

Introduction

Blessing of the new Paschal Candle

Priest:  May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.

As we enter the church with the priest carrying the candle:

Priest: The light of Christ   All: Thanks be to God  (three times as the peoples candles are lit.

When the Paschal Candle has been placed in the stand the priest sings:

The Exultet  (this is an ancient hymn that records God’s saving action in Christ)

Priest: As we await the risen Christ, let us hear the record of God’s saving deeds in history recalling how he saved his people in ages past, and in the fulness of time, sent his Son to be our Redeemer: and let us pray that through this Easter celebration God may bring to perfection in each of us the saving work he has begun. As we keep vigil we receive and respond to scriptural readings that tell of ‘renewal’ that comes from God.

Readings: (please sit) Between each reading the priest prays a Collect.

Genesis 1,1-2,4

Exodus 12, 1-24

Ezekiel 36, 24-28

Easter Acclamation (please stand)

Priest:  Alleluia, Christ is risen.

All:       He is risen indeed, Alleluia.

1.Glory in the highest                   2.  Jesus Christ is risen

to the God of heaven                    God the Father’s  Son

Peace to all your people               With the Holy Spirit

through the earth be given.        You are Lord a lone.

Mighty God and Father,               Lamb once killed for sinners,

Thanks and praise we bring         all our guilt to bear;

Singing alleluia                               Show us now your mercy

To our heavenly king.                  now receive our prayer.

3.Christ the world’s true Saviour,

High and holy one

Seated now and reigning

from your Father’s throne:

Lord and God we praise you!

Highest heaven adores:

In the Father’s glory,

all the praise be yours.

Priest: Let us pray that we may reign with the risen Christ in glory

Lord of all life and power, who through the mighty resurrection of your Son

overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him:

grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ, may reign with him

in glory; to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be praise and honour, glory and might,

now and in all eternity. Amen.

New Testament Reading:  (please sit)  Romans 6, 3-11

Gospel Hymn   120         Thine be the glory

Priest:  Alleluia, Jesus Christ is risen from the dead

All:       Alleluia.

Priest: He has defeated the powers of death

All:       Alleluia.

Priest: The Lord be with you

All:       and also with you

Priest:  Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Mark (Mark 16, 1-8)

All:       Glory you, O Lord

At the end

Priest:  This is the gospel of the Lord

All:       Praise to you, O Christ.

Please turn towards the font

     Renewal of Baptismal belief

In baptism, God calls us out of darkness into his marvellous light. To follow Christ means dying to sin and rising to new life with him. Therefore I ask:

Priest: Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God?

All:      I reject them.

Priest: Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil?

All:      I renounce them.

Priest: Do you repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour?

All:      I repent of them.

Priest: Do you turn to Christ as Saviour?

All:      I turn to Christ.

Priest: Do you submit to Christ as Lord?

All:      I submit to Christ.

Priest: Do you come to Christ, the way, the truth and the life?

All:      I come to Christ.

Sanctification of the baptismal water

Priest: We praise you, loving Father, for the gift of your Son Jesus. He was baptized in the River     Jordan, where your Spirit came upon him and revealed him as the Son you love. He sent his followers to baptize all who turn to him. Now, Father, we ask you to bless this water, that those who are baptized in it may be cleansed in the water of life, and, filled with your Spirit, may know that they are loved as your children, safe in Christ for ever.  Amen.

Creed

Priest:  Do you believe and trust in God the Father?

All:        I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

Priest:   Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ?

All:        I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,  was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

Priest: Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?

All:      I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

We are then reminded of our baptism by the sprinkling of waters from the font

 Peace:  The risen Christ came and stood among his disciples and said, Peace be with you. Then were they glad when they saw the risen Lord. Alleluia.

The peace of the Lord be always with you

All:         and also with you. Alleluia

Hymn:   110   Jesus Christ is risen today

Priest: Be present, be present Lord Jesus Christ, our risen high priest: make yourself known in the breaking of bread.  Amen.

The Great Thanksgiving Prayer ( Please remain standing for this)

Priest:  The Lord be with you

All:        and also with you

Priest:  Lift up your hearts

All:        We lift them to the Lord

Priest:  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God

All:        It is right to give thanks and praise

The priest then continues singing the prayer to which we all listen with prayerful hearts until

‘for evermore praising you and singing’…

All: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Glory be to thee O Lord most high. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Priest: Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness; grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit, and according to your holy will these gifts of bread and wine may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ;

who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread and gave you thanks; he broke 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.

In the same way, after supper he took the cup and gave you thanks; he gave it to them, saying: 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. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Priest :  Great is the mystery of faith

All:  Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross, his perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world; rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming in glory, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption.

As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we bring before you this bread and this cup and we thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.

Send the Holy Spirit on your people and gather into one in your kingdom all who share this one bread and one cup, so that we, in the company of the Holy Mother of God, St. Paul, and all the saints, may praise and glorify you for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord;

by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.

All:   Amen. Alleluia!

The Lord’s Prayer:  (to be prayed in your own language)

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, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Priest: We break this bread to share in the body of the risen Christ.

All:       Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread.

Invitation to Holy Communion

Priest:  Alleluia! Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us     

All:       Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!

Sung:   O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. (x2)

             O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

All baptized Christians may come forward to receive the body and blood of Christ. If you wish you may receive a blessing. Please let the Sides-people guide you forward.  

Communion Hymn:  118  The Lord is risen indeed

Priest:  God of life, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the

Cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: grant

us so to die daily to sin, that we evermore live with him in the joy of his risen life:

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

All: You have opened to us the Scriptures, O Christ, and you have made yourself known in the breaking of bread. Abide with us, we pray, that blessed by your royal presence, we may walk with you all the days of our life, and at its end behold you in the glory of the eternal Trinity, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Post Communion Hymn:    121  This joyful Eastertide

Priest:     God, who through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ has given us the victory, give you joy and peace in your faith. And the blessing…

Priest:     Go in the peace of Christ. Alleluia! Alleluia!

All:           Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Good Friday Services from Corfu

Dear All,
In preparation for Good Friday, we have posted two services at HTC Online: i). a service of meditations for Good Friday and, ii). a service of the Stations of the Cross. Both services are available in the three formats, video, audio and a document.

I would like to suggest that we set aside as much of the three hours between 12 – 3 pm tomorrow as a devotional space as we can. Take time again to reflect on the incredible depth of Jesus’ love for us and to tell Him what He means to us. Each service lasts around 40 minutes and is designed be used as during that time.

The link is here: https://sites.google.com/view/holytrinitycorfuonline/home, then select Services for Good Friday.

Services for Easter Sunday will available soon, as well as our live service – God willing!!

Please remember if you need any help or would like to talk through anything, just let me know – 6986538755, julesjwilson@gmail.com.

With every blessing,

Jules.

Rev Julian Wilson.

Chaplain, Holy Trinity Corfu.

21, L. Mavili Street,

Corfu

49100.

Phone: (0030) 698 653 8755

julesjwilson@gmail.com

www.holytrinitycorfu.net/

Gospel reading for Good Friday 2020

JOIN A ZOOM MEETING FOR EASTER SUNDAY

STOP PRESS!
Leonard Doolan is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Please join us in Athens (God and technology willing) for our Easter Sunday worship. You can join the ‘meeting’ from 10.00am but the service will begin at 10.15 which is our normal service time here. Afterwards we can make a coffee and have a chat.

Meditation for Holy Thursday 2020

Collect of the day:   God our Father, you have invited us to share in the supper which your Son gave to his Church to proclaim his death until he comes; may he nourish us by his presence, and unite us in his love; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

‘Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.  When he 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.” John 13, 1-17, 31-35

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Maundy Thursday Worship 2020 St Paul’s Athens

Holy (Maundy) Thursday Liturgy

 Entrance Hymn   272   All for Jesus

Priest: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Lord be with you.

     All:      and also with you

 The priest then welcomes the people of God and introduces the Liturgy of the day.

Deacon: Have mercy on us, O God in your great goodness.

Kyrie Eleison.

All:          Kyrie Eleison

Deacon: Against you only have we sinned

Christ Eleison.

All:         Chrise Eleison

Deacon:Purge us from our sins and we shall be clean

Kyrie Eleison

All:         Kyrie Eleison

All:         Holy God,

               Holy and strong,

               Holy and immortal,

               Have mercy upon us.

Priest:    Almighty God, who forgives all those who truly repent, have mercy upon you; pardon and deliver you from all your sins, strengthen you in all goodness, and bring to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Gloria

1.Glory in the highest                2.Jesus Christ is risen

to the God of heaven                   God the Father’s  Son

Peace to all your people              With the Holy Spirit

through the earth be given.        You are Lord alone.

Mighty God and Father,               Lamb once killed for sinners,

Thanks and praise we bring        all our guilt to bear;

Singing alleluia                              Show us now your mercy

To our heavenly king.                  now receive our prayer.

3.Christ the world’s true Saviour,

High and holy one

Seated now and reigning

from your Father’s throne:

Lord and God we praise you!

Highest heaven adores:

In the Father’s glory,

all the praise be yours.

Collect:  Let us pray  (remain standing)

God our Father, you have invited us to share in the supper which your Son gave to his Church to proclaim his death until he comes: may he nourish us by his presence, and unite us in his love; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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Palm Sunday Worship – 5th April 2020

The Anglican Church in Greece

Palm Sunday  (April 5th)  

Great (Holy) Week begins today in the ‘Latin Calendar’. We would usually begin outside with the blessing of palm crosses and process into church. On account of the Corona virus the church of St. Paul’s is closed for worship. This printed text can be used by you at home to help guide you through this week. On the website other Holy Week liturgies and voice recordings of sermons are available. 

 Liturgy of Palms (in the Garden)

 All:  Hosanna to the Son of David, the King of Israel. Blessed is he who comes in the name of      the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Priest:  Behold your king comes to you, O Zion, meek and lowly, sitting upon an ass. Ride on in the cause of truth and for the sake of justice. Your throne is the throne of God, it endures for ever; and the sceptre of your kingdom is a righteous sceptre. You have loved righteousness and hated evil. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

All:   Hosanna to the Son of David, the King of Israel. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Priest: Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, during Lent we have been preparing by works of love and self-sacrifice for the celebration of our Lord’s death and resurrection. Today we come together to begin this solemn celebration in union with the Church throughout the world. Christ enters his own city to complete his work as our Saviour, to suffer, to die, and to rise again. Let us go with him in faith and love, so that, united with him in his sufferings, we may share his risen life.

The people hold up palms or branches while this prayer is said by the priest 

God our Saviour, whose Son Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem as Messiah to suffer and to die; let these palms +  be for us signs of his victory and grant that we who bear them in his name may ever hail him as our King, and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

We now process around the church, and as we do so we sing:

We have a King who rides a donkey, we have a King who rides a donkey

We have a King who rides a donkey, and his name is Jesus.

Jesus the King is with us, Jesus us the King is with us, Jesus the King is with us

Riding on a donkey.

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A Letter from Fr Leonard to the St Paul’s Community

The Anglican Church in Greece (Church of England) St. Paul’s Church

1^st April 2020

Dear Friends,

I hope that you are well, and keeping safe under these extraordinary circumstances. We feel bereft of St. Paul’s church for our worship, and the proximity of friends and fellow worshippers. If you have the need for a conversation with someone please don’t hesitate to phone me or Deacon Chris. These are challenging times, and although ‘social isolation’ is for the greater good, we are not created to be alone, and the church is a ‘body’ or a fellowship, not a building. We will get through this however, and we know already that the cost will be great. We pray daily for the sufferers of COVID-19, and those who have died. We pray also for those in our health care system at this demanding time for them, and Lynne and I have appeared a couple of times on the balcony on Sunday evenings to clap with others in the street, for the gratitude we have for all health care workers. We should be thankful too for those who keep our food supplies going, right through the food chain. The staff at Kritikos in Irodotou have been great with us while we have had a complete 14 day quarantine imposed on us because we flew back into Greece on March 22^nd after my dad’s funeral.

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