Easter Sunday Service 12th April 2020

The Anglican Church in Greece

 

Happy Easter! Welcome to our Easter Sunday worship brought to our homes by Zoom. Some of you may have created Easter Gardens on your balcony, or in your own garden. Please do take a photograph of this and share it with our parish Facebook or if you have made something moveable you might want to have it beside or behind you as you join the worship.

 

When we begin our worship on your screen with your mouse/or on your pad find the microphone icon and click on it to ensure your voice is silenced – many voices at one time don’t work. However if you are leading any part of the service remember to turn it back on again! After the worship we can have a short chat and coffee or an Easter glass of something (!) together.

 

The hymns and other shared texts you might know by heart, or you can print out this service, or you may have a hymn book at home, or you may be happy to listen in silence.

 

Priest: Alleluia! Christ is risen

      All:     He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Jesus lives! Thy terrors now

Can no longer, death, appall us;
Jesus lives! by this we know
Thou, O grave, canst not enthrall us.
Alleluia!

Jesus lives! henceforth is death
But the gate of life immortal;
This shall calm our trembling breath,
When we pass its gloomy portal.
Alleluia!

Jesus lives! for us he died;
Then, alone to Jesus living,
Pure in heart may we abide,
Glory to our Saviour giving.
Alleluia!

Jesus lives! our hearts know well
Naught from us his love shall sever;
Life, nor death, nor powers of hell
Tear us from his keeping ever.
Alleluia!

Jesus lives! to him the throne
Over all the world is given:
May we go where he has gone,
Rest and reign with him in heaven.
Alleluia!

The priest then welcomes the people of God and the deacon leads us into Confession.

Silence

Deacon: Lord Jesus, you raise us to new life.

Kyrie eleison

All:          Kyrie eleison

Deacon: Lord Jesus, you forgive us our sins.

Christe eleison

All:          Christe eleison

Deacon:  Lord Jesus, you feed us with the living bread.

Kyrie eleison

All:          Kyrie eleison

 Absolution: May the God of love and power forgive you and free you from your sins, heal and strengthen you by his Spirit, and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Gloria:  Glory in the highest to the God of heavens:

              Peace to all your people through the earth be given.

              Mighty God and Father, thanks and praise we bring,

              Singing Alleluia! To the heavenly King.

 

              Jesus Christ is risen, God the Father’s Son;

              With the Holy Spirit, you are Lord alone.

              Lamb once killed for sinners, all our guilt to bear,

              Show us now your mercy, now receive our prayer

 

              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    (Collect of the Day) 

God of glory, by the raising of your Son you have broken the chains of death and hell: fill your Church with faith and hope: for a new day has dawned and the way to life stands open in our Saviour Jesus Christ.  Amen.

 

First Reading    (please sit)                                                             Acts 10, 34-43

 

Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

This is the word of the Lord

All: Thanks be to God. Alleluia!

 

Gospel Hymn 

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia,
our triumphant holy day; alleluia,
who did once upon the cross; alleluia,
suffer to redeem our loss; alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing; Alleluia,
unto Christ our heavenly king; alleluia,
who endured the cross and grave; alleluia,
sinners to redeem and save: alleluia!

But the pains which he endured; Alleluia,
our salvation have procured; alleluia,
now above the sky he’s King; alleluia,
where the angels ever sing: alleluia!

 

Gospel Reading           (if you can, please stand)

Deacon:     Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! The Lord is risen. Alleluia!

All:           Alleluia              

Deacon:   The Lord be with you

All:            and also with you

 Deacon: Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. John    (John 20, 1-18)

All:          Glory to you, O Lord

 

 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

 

At the end of the Gospel

Deacon:  This is the gospel of the Lord, Alleluia!

All:           Praise to you, O Christ.           Alleluia

 

Sermon   Fr. Leonard

 

Renewal of Baptismal belief                        You might quickly go and get a cup or bowl of water.

 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.

 You are now invited to dip your hands in the water and make the sign of the cross on your own body or forehead.

 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.

 

Intercessions:  (kneel or sit) Lord in your mercy; hear our prayer

(Intercessor:  pray your own prayers also – if you have someone to be mentioned please email Fr. Leonard before Sunday morning.)                

 

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

 

Priest: Alleluia! Alleluia! The peace of the Lord be always with you.

All:     And also with you. Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

You might like to scroll along the gallery of the participants to see who you are sharing the peace with.

 

Offertory Hymn        (you might now like to put aside your collection for today, but also the collections for previous Sundays when we have not been able to meet as a church)

 

1 The day of resurrection!
Earth, tell it out abroad;
the passover of gladness,
the passover of God.
From death to life eternal,
from earth unto the sky,
our Christ hath brought us over,
with hymns of victory.

 

2 Our hearts be pure from evil,
that we may see aright
the Lord in rays eternal
of resurrection light;
and listening to his accents,
may hear, so calm and plain,
his own “All hail!” and, hearing,
may raise the victor strain.

 

3 Now let the heavens be joyful!
Let earth the song begin!
Let the round world keep triumph,
and all that is therein!
Let all things seen and unseen
their notes in gladness blend,
for Christ the Lord hath risen,
our joy that hath no end.

 

Closing Prayers

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.

God of life, who for our redemption gave your only begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection have delivered us from the power of our enemy: grant us to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live in him in the joy of his risen life; though Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

Closing Hymn

Thine be the glory, Risen, conquering Son,
Endless is the victory Thou o’er death hast won;
Angels in bright raiment Rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave-clothes Where thy body lay.
Thine be the glory, Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory, Thou o’er death hast won!

 

Lo, Jesus meets us, Risen from the tomb;
Lovingly he greets us, Scatters fear and gloom;
Let the Church with gladness Hymns of triumph sing,
For her Lord now liveth, Death hath lost its sting.
Thine be the glory, Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory Thou o’er death hast won!

 

No more we doubt thee, Glorious Prince of life;
Life is naught without thee: Aid us in our strife;
Make us more than conquerors Through thy deathless love;
Bring us safe through Jordan To thy home above:
Thine be the glory, Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory Thou o’er death hast won!

 

Priest:     God the Father, by whose love Christ was raised from the dead, open to you who

believe the gates of eternal life.

All:          Amen

Priest:     God the Son, who in bursting from the grave has won a glorious victory, give you

joy as you share the Easter faith.

All:          Amen

Priest:     God the Holy Spirit, who filled the disciples with the joy of the risen Lord,

empower you and fill you with Christ’s peace.

All:          Amen

Priest:     And the blessing….

 

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

All:           Thanks be to God.            Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

Next Week’s Readings (Easter 2): Exodus 14, 10-end; Acts 2, 14a, 22-32; John 20, 19-end.

 

Fr. Leonard’s usual Day Off – Monday  (in emergencies contact Deacon Christine)

Home tel :  210 72 14 906;  email anglican@otenet.gr

Deacon Chris: 22950 53164: Day off – Friday

Swedish Church: contact Fr. Bjorn on  694 607 2428

 

The Anglican Church in Greece (including St. Paul’s) is self financing, and receives no income other than from the generosity of those who worship here. We are a legal body and we pay tax. Our tax number is 997073090. If you wish to donate direct to our bank (IBAN) the account with Piraeus Bank is:  The Anglican Church in Greece, St. Paul’s Athens  GR 820172 0500 0050 5008 6327 479  Swift code is  PIRB GRAA

 

Notices: Please stay indoors, safe, and follow Government regulations during this month – it is a crucial month!