Service for the Third Sunday of Easter – 1st May 2022
Welcome to St. Paul’s Athens especially if you are here for the first time or visiting Athens. We have a POS facility so you can make a donation by card. There is coffee in the garden after the Liturgy.
The presiding priest and preacher this morning is The Revd. Canon Leonard Doolan. The deacon is Deacon Christine Saccali
Entrance Hymn 121 This joyful Eastertide
Priest: Alleluia! Christ is risen
All: He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
The priest then welcomes the people of God and then the deacon leads us into Confession.
Silence
Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
Help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be;
That we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.
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 (remain standing as the priest prays the Collect of the Day)
Almighty Father, who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples with the sight of the risen Lord: give us such knowledge of his presence with us, that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life and serve you continually in righteousness and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
First Reading (please sit) Acts 9, 1-6 (Lynn Stavrou)
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one.
Reader: This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Psalm: 535 All the ends of the earth have seen; the salvation of our God
2nd Reading Revelation 5, 11-14 (Magdalene Imarhiagbe)
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshipped.
Reader: This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Gospel Hymn 256 On this day
Gospel Reading
Deacon: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! The Lord is risen. Alleluia!
All (sung): 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 21, 1-19)
All: Glory to you, O Lord
After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”
At the end of the Gospel
Deacon: This is the gospel of the Lord, Alleluia!
All: (Sung) Alleluia
Sermon (Please sit) Most sermons are available on the website
Creed (Please stand)
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 (Nelly Paraskevopoulou)
Peace: The risen Lord came among his disciples and said, ‘Peace be with you’. Then were they glad when they saw the Lord! Alleluia!
Priest: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
All: And also with you. Alleluia!
Offertory Hymn 271 Alleluia, sing to Jesus (The Collection will be taken)
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 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.
The prayer continues until the Acclamation:
Assistant: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith
All: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
At the end of the Thanksgiving Prayer Amen.
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: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take 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: 294 Just as I am
Post Communion Prayer: Let us pray (please stand)
Living God, your Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: open the eyes of our faith, that we may see him in all his redeeming work; who is alive and reigns, now and for ever. 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.
Notices
Post Communion Hymn: 362 Glorious things
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…
Assistant: Go in the peace of Christ. Alleluia! Alleluia!
All: Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Next Week’s Readings (4th of Easter): Acts 9, 36-end; Rev 7, 9-end; John 10, 22-30
Fr. Leonard’s usual Day Off – Monday (in emergencies contact Deacon Christine)
Home tel : 210 72 14 906; email anglican@otenet.gr
Deacon Chris: Day Off – Friday 697 737 7655
Swedish Church: Fr. Bjorn 694 6072428
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
- Advance Notice – the ‘Jubilee’ Bazaar will be on Saturday 4th Speak to Lynn Stavrou about how you can help.
- Weekly Giving: if you would like to make your weekly giving to the church by our envelope scheme (which we would encourage) please speak to Nelly Paraskevopoulou.
- Wednesday Worship – please note that there will be no Liturgy on Wednesday 4th or 11th Fr. Leonard is on leave.
- Sunday 8th May 10.00 – Deacon Chris will lead a Service of the Word.
- Advance Notice: The Bishop of Truro will be in Athens for a few days. Part of his programme will include presiding at the Wednesday Liturgy on Wednesday 25th
- Our thanks to the Municipality of Athens who have kindly donated a large number of bedding plants – please do look round the garden to see the results.
- Second Hand Books: with thanks to several people we now have Second Hand Books for sale every week in the crypt. There will also be table top sales in the church garden on some Sundays. Oliver Knight, a member of the Church Council, has oversight of the book project.
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