Service for the 4th Sunday of Easter – 21st April 2024
Welcome to St. Paul’s Athens especially if you are here for the first time or visiting Athens. Please stay for refreshments in the church garden after the Liturgy
The presiding priest this morning is Fr. Terry Hemming, the Assistant is licensed Reader Nelly Paraskevopoulou
Entrance Hymn
Introit: 205 (Westminster Abbey) Christ is made the sure foundation
Priest: Alleluia! Christ is risen
All: He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you
All: and also with you
The priest then welcomes the people of God and the Assistant leads us into Confession.
Silence
Assistant: Lord Jesus, you raise us to new life.
Kyrie eleison
All: Kyrie eleison
Assistant: Lord Jesus, you forgive us our sins.
Christe eleison
All: Christe eleison
Assistant: 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 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, the only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sing 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 glory of God the Father. Amen. Amen
Collect: Let us pray (remain standing as the priest prays the Collect of the Day)
Risen Christ, faithful Shepherd of your Father’s sheep: teach us to hear your voice and to follow your command, that all your people may be gathered into one flock, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.
First Reading (please sit) Acts 4. 5-12
The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are being asked how this man has been healed,[ let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is
‘the stone that was rejected by you, the builders;
it has become the cornerstone.’
“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.”
Reader: This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
Psalm: Congregational Psalm: 457 (Dominus Regit Me) The King of love my shepherd is (Psalm 23)
2nd Reading 1 John 3. 16-end
We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?
Little children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us, for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God, and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.
Reader: This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
Gospel Hymn Gradual: 374 (St Peter) How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
Gospel Reading
Assistant: The Lord be with you
All: and also with you
Assistant: Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint John (John 10, 11-18)
All: Glory to you, O Lord
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
At the end of the Gospel
Assistant: This is the Gospel of the Lord, Alleluia!
All: Alleluia
Sermon (Please sit) Fr. Terry Hemming
Credo
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, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and 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, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who 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.
Intercessions: (kneel or sit) Response: Hear our prayer.
Peace: The risen Lord came among his disciples and said, ‘Peace be with you’. Then were they glad when they saw the Lord! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! The peace of the Lord be always with you. Alleluia!
All: And also with you. Alleluia!
Offertory Hymn 124 (St Fulbert) Ye choirs of new Jerusalem
(The Collection will be taken)
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
All: Through your goodness we have this bread to offer. Fruit of the field and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life. Blessed be God for ever!
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
All: Through your goodness we have this wine to offer. Fruit of the vine and work of human hands, it will become for us the cup of salvation. Blessed be God for ever!
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
Priest: It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, always and everywhere to give you thanks, almighty and eternal Father, and in these days of Easter to celebrate with joyful hearts the memory of your wonderful works. For by the mystery of his passion Jesus Christ, your risen Son, has conquered the powers of death and hell and restored in men and women the image of your glory. He has placed them once more in paradise and opened to them the gate of life eternal. And so in the joy of this Passover, earth and heaven resound with gladness, while angels and archangels and the powers of all creation sing for ever the hymn of your glory:
All: 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, 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.
Assistant: 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!
All: 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.
Invitation to Holy Communion
Priest: Alleluia! Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us
All: Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!
Sung: Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us, have mercy on us. (sing twice)
Lamb of God, you take away the sin 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.
Communion Hymn: 298 (Waltham) May the grace of Christ
Post Communion Prayer: Let us pray (please stand)
Priest: Merciful Father, you gave your Son Jesus Christ to be the Good Shepherd, and in his love for us to lay down his life and rise again; keep us always under his protection, and give us grace to follow in his steps; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
All: Faithful God, in baptism you have adopted us as your children, made us members of the body of Christ, and chosen us as inheritors of your kingdom: we thank you that in this Eucharist you renew your promises within us, empower us by your Spirit to witness and to serve, and send us out as disciples of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Notices
Post Communion Hymn: 104 (Salzburg) At the Lamb’s high feast we sing
Priest: The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight….
Assistant: Go in the peace of Christ. Alleluia! Alleluia!
All Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Deacon Chris: 22950 53164: Please avoid contacting Chris on Fridays.
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:
- Advance Notice – the Spring Bazaar will be on Saturday 25thSpeak to Lynn Stavrou about how you can help.
- Check out our new contactless card reader if you would like to make a donation
- -please look after your personal belongings as thieves are known to operate in this area
- –A POS is available so you can make your Sunday donation by card
- -A QR code is now functioning, you can donate simply by scanning it. It can be found at the back of the church and on the noticeboard.
- – Weekly ‘online’ Prayer Group on Tuesdays at 09.00 a.m. Zoom login is on our website.
- Coffee Mornings : Thursday 16th May 10.30-12.30 in the church garden. Ask Anne Dedes for information
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