Zoom service for the 5th Sunday in Lent – Passion Sunday : 18th April 2021
St Paul’s Athens
We have permission from our bishop to follow the Greek calendar date for Easter (this year only) so today is Lent 5. Next Sunday is Palm Sunday. After the worship we can have a short chat together.
FUTURE WEEKS ARRANGEMENTS. Next Sunday (25th April) will be the same Zoom link. There will be a NEW LINK for May 2nd (Easter Sunday) right through until Pentecost (June 20th). Zoom worship will continue to be at 12 Noon. Always double check for information on our website.
Fr. Leonard will lead the worship today, and assisted by Josh Barley and Shirley Poulakis. Angelos Pouliadakis is the preacher. Christina Antoniadou is playing the keyboard. Please see ‘Chat’ on the day, to see the pieces Christina is playing.
Priest: Blessed be the Kingdom of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
All: Now and for ever.
Priest: Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
All: and also with you.
1 We sing the praise of him who died, (tune Bow Brickhill)
of him who died upon the cross;
the sinner’s hope let men deride,
for this we count the world but loss.
2 Inscribed upon the cross we see
in shining letters, ‘God is love’;
he bears our sins upon the tree;
he brings us mercy from above.
3 The cross! It takes our guilt away:
it holds the fainting spirit up;
it cheers with hope the gloomy day,
and sweetens every bitter cup.
4 It makes the coward spirit brave,
and nerves the feeble arm for fight;
it takes its terror from the grave,
and gilds the bed of death with light:
5 The balm of life, the cure of woe,
the measure and the pledge of love,
the sinner’s refuge here below,
the angels’ theme in heaven above.
Joshua: Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him. Let us then renounce our wilfulness and ask his mercy by confessing our sins in penitence and faith.
There follows a short period of silence and stillness
Joshua: Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin
Kyrie eleison
All: Kyrie eleison
Joshua: Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me
Christe eleison
All: Christe eleison
Joshua: Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me
Kyrie eleison
All: Kyrie eleison
Priest: 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.
Traditionally in Lent we do not sing or say the Gloria
Collect: Let us pray (Collect of the Day)
Most merciful God, who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ delivered and saved the world: grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross we may triumph in the power of his victory; through Jesus Christ your Son 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 Hebrew 5, 5-10 (Mary Pelides)
So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.” In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
This is the word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God.
1 There is a green hill far away, (tune Horsley)
without a city wall,
where the dear Lord was crucified,
who died to save us all.
2 We may not know, we cannot tell,
what pains he had to bear;
but we believe it was for us
he hung and suffered there.
3 He died that we might be forgiv’n,
he died to make us good,
that we might go at last to heav’n,
saved by his precious blood.
4 There was no other good enough
to pay the price of sin;
he only could unlock the gate
of heav’n, and let us in.
5 O dearly, dearly has he loved,
and we must love him too,
and trust in his redeeming blood,
and try his works to do.
Gospel Reading
Joshua: Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory. Blessed are those who have endured temptation:
they have stood the test and will receive the crown of life.
All: Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Joshua: The Lord be with you
All: and also with you
Joshua: Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. John (John 12, 20-33)
All: Glory to you, O Lord
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour. “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
Joshua: This is the gospel of Christ
All: Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon Angelos Pouliadakis
Creed
Joshua: Do you believe and trust in God the Father, source of all being and life, the one for whom we
exist?
All: We believe and trust in him.
Joshua: Do you believe and trust in God the Son, who took our human nature, died for us and rose again?
All: We believe and trust in him.
Joshua: Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the people of God, and makes
Christ known in the world?
All: We believe and trust in him.
Joshua: This is the faith of the Church.
All: This is our faith. We believe and trust in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Intercessions: Lord in your mercy…Hear our prayer (Intercessor: Alice Karanja)
Peace: Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us access to his grace. The peace of the Lord be always with you.
All: And also with you.
You might like to scroll along the gallery of the participants to see who you are sharing the peace with – remember to put your Sunday collection aside or send it by bank transfer. Also – as a special Easter donation you can ‘fill the basket with eggs’ (See website) and you can make a donation for an Easter lily in memory of a loved one (see website)
1 The royal banners forward go; (tune Gonfalon Royal)
The cross shows forth redemption’s flow,
Where He, by whom our flesh was made,
Our ransom in His flesh has paid:
2 Where deep for us the spear was dyed,
Life’s torrent rushing from His side,
To wash us in the precious flood
Where flowed the water and the blood.
3 Fulfilled is all that David told
In sure prophetic song of old.
That God the nations’ king should be
And reign in triumph from the tree.
4 On whose hard arms, so widely flung,
The weight of this world’s ransom hung,
The price of humankind to pay
And spoil the spoiler of his prey.
5 O Tree of beauty, tree most fair,
Ordained those holy limbs to bear:
Gone is thy shame, each crimsoned bough
Proclaims the King of Glory now.
6 To Thee, eternal Three in One,
Let homage meet by all be done;
As by the cross Thou dost restore,
So guide and keep us evermore.
The Lord’s Prayer: (to be prayed in whichever language you chose)
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.
All: Lord Jesus Christ, you have taught us that what we do for the least of our brothers and sisters we do also for you: give us the will to be the servant of others as you were the servant of all, and gave up your life and died for us, but are alive and reign, now and for ever. Amen.
My song is love unknown, (tune Love Unkown)
my Saviour’s love to me,
love to the loveless shown
that they might lovely be.
O who am I
that for my sake
my Lord should take
frail flesh and die?
He came from his blest throne
salvation to bestow,
but men made strange, and none
the longed-for Christ would know.
But O my friend,
my friend indeed,
who at my need,
his life did spend.
Sometimes they strew his way,
and his strong praises sing,
resounding all the day
hosannas to their King.
Then “Crucify!”
is all their breath,
and for his death
they thirst and cry.
Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run,
he gave the blind their sight.
Sweet injuries!
Yet they at these
themselves displease,
and ‘gainst him rise.
They rise, and needs will have
my dear Lord made away;
a murderer they save,
the Prince of Life they slay.
Yet steadfast he
to suffering goes,
that he his foes
from thence might free.
Here might I stay and sing,
no story so divine:
never was love, dear King,
never was grief like thine.
This is my friend,
in whose sweet praise
I all my days
could gladly spend.
NOTICES
Next Sunday Zoom is the same link. You will need a new link for May 2nd onwards. The order of service is also on the website each week. The church may be open to limited numbers (9 people) soon. If this is so there will be a service in St. Paul’s at 10.00am (not shown on Zoom).
- Saturday Weekly Meditations – 00 on Deacon Chris’s Facebook.
- Easter Eggs in a basket – a lovely project that allows you to make a special Easter donation to St. Paul’s Church. Please see the website for all the details.
- Easter Lilies – to remember a loved one this Easter please order a lily ‘online’ and make a donation. See the website for details (closing date is Wed 28th April).
- Lent Bible Studies: looking at the Letter to the Galatians. Fridays – final meeting, 23rd at 19.00hrs. See Zoom link or contact Fr. Leonard.
- Lent Night Prayer: Wednesdays at 21.00 – final service. April 21st – Order of Service and Login details will be put on the website nearer the time.
- Easter Cards – Anne Dedes has a supply of her beautiful Easter cards for sale. She will display some each week on the screen. Order direct through Anne please.
- Celebrating Easter in a time of COVID
- Palm Sunday April 25th Same Zoom link for 12 Noon – please join before 12.00 if you can.
- HOLY WEEK: There is a special HOLY WEEK Zoom link for Monday-Saturday of Holy Week for a devotion/service at 10.00am each day. Deacon Christine offers something daily on Facebook also.
Monday 26th April: Facebook at 09.00hrs (Deacon Chris)
Zoom at 10.00hrs
Tuesday 27th April: Facebook at 09.00hrs
Zoom at 10.00hrs
Wednesday 28th Apr: Facebook at 09.00
Zoom at 10.00hrs
Holy Thursday 29th Facebook at 09.00hrs
Zoom at 10.00hrs
Good Friday 30th Facebook at 09.00hrs
Zoom at 10.00hrs
Holy Sat/day May 1st Facebook at 09.00hrs
Zoom at 10.00hrs
Easter Sunday May 2nd 12 NOON ZOOM WORSHIP – NEW LINK!
Fr. Leonard’s usual Day Off – Monday (in emergencies contact Deacon Christine)
(Fr. Leonard on Leave from 3rd May- 8th May)
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
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