Alleluia, alleluia! hearts to heaven and voices raise
1 Alleluia, alleluia!
hearts to heaven and voices raise:
sing to God a hymn of gladness,
sing to God a hymn of praise;
he who on the cross a victim
for the world’s salvation bled
Jesus Christ, the king of glory,
now is risen from the dead.
2 Alleluia, Christ is risen!
death at last has met defeat:
see the ancient powers of evil
in confusion and retreat;
once he died, and once was buried:
now he lives for evermore,
Jesus Christ, the world’s redeemer,
whom we worship and adore.
3 Christ is risen, we are risen!
set your hearts on things above:
there in all the Father’s glory
lives and reigns our king of love;
hear the word of peace he brings us,
see his wounded hands and side!
now let every wrong be ended,
every sin be crucified.
4 Alleluia, alleluia!
glory be to God on high:
alleluia to the Saviour
who has gained the victory;
alleluia to the Spirit,
fount of love and sanctity:
alleluia, alleluia
to the Triune Majesty! ( by C Wordsworth 1862)
Prayer of Preparation
Almighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
The Commandments
God spake these words and said:
I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt have none other gods but me.
All: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image,
nor the likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and show mercy unto thousands in them that love me and keep my commandments.
All: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
All: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all that thou hast to do; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt do no manner of work, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, thy manservant, and thy maidservant, thy cattle, and the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.
All: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Honour thy father and thy mother;
that thy days may be long in the land
which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
All: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Thou shalt do no murder.
All: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
All: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Thou shalt not steal.
All: Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
All: Lord, have mercy upon us,and incline our hearts to keep this law.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house,
thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is his.
All: Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all hese thy laws in our hearts, we beseech thee.
Almighty God, whose kingdom is everlasting, and power infinite: have mercy upon the whole Church; and so rule the heart of thy chosen servant Elizabeth, our Queen and Governor, that she (knowing whose minister she is) may above all things seek thy honour and glory: and that we and all her subjects (duly considering whose authority she hath) may faithfully serve, honour and humbly obey her, in thee, and for thee, according to thy blessed word and ordinance; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end.
All: Amen.
Collect for the Easter Sunday
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.
All: Amen.
First Reading is – Acts Chap: 10
34 Peter began to speak: “I now realize that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis.
35 Those who fear him and do what is right are acceptable to him, no matter what race they belong to.
36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
37 You know of the great event that took place throughout the land of Israel, beginning in Galilee after John preached his message of baptism.
38 You know about Jesus of Nazareth and how God poured out on him the Holy Spirit and power. He went everywhere, doing good and healing all who were under the power of the Devil, for God was with him.
39 We are witnesses of everything that he did in the land of Israel and in Jerusalem. Then they put him to death by nailing him to a cross.
40 But God raised him from death three days later and caused him to appear,
41 not to everyone, but only to the witnesses that God had already chosen, that is, to us who ate and drank with him after he rose from death.
42 And he commanded us to preach the gospel to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God has appointed judge of the living and the dead.
43 All the prophets spoke about him, saying that all who believe in him will have their sins forgiven through the power of his name.”
This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Hymn – When Christ, at evening hour
- When Christ, at evening hour.
On Easter Day drew near
To give His peace and power
And calm His followers’ fear.
How glad were they who saw the Lord !
But Thomas would not heed their word:
- A week passed by – once more _
Were met the brotherhood;
Fast closed was every door.
When lo ! amidst them stood _
The Saviour, bidding – and know that it was He:
- So Thomas then saw plain
The wounded hands and side.
The marks of cruel pain –
‘My Lord and God !’ he cried;
But yet more blessing they receive.
Who have not seen and yet believe.
- Once more, 0 Saviour dear,
Thine Easter peace impart;
With saving power be here
In each believer’s heart:
0 grant us grace to spread abroad
The truth that Thou art Lord and God. (by R D Jenkins 1959)
Here the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to John Chap: 20
All Glory be to thee, O Lord.
1 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been taken away from the entrance.
2 She went running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3 Then Peter and the other disciple went to the tomb.
4 The two of them were running, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first.
5 He bent over and saw the linen cloths, but he did not go in.
6 Behind him came Simon Peter, and he went straight into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there
7 and the cloth which had been around Jesus’ head. It was not lying with the linen cloths but was rolled up by itself.
8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in; he saw and believed
9 (They still did not understand the scripture which said that he must rise from death.)
10 Then the disciples went back home.
11 Mary stood crying outside the tomb. While she was still crying, she bent over and looked in the tomb
12 and saw two angels there dressed in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and the other at the feet.
13 “Woman, why are you crying?” they asked her. She answered, “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him!”
14 Then she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not know that it was Jesus.
15 “Woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who is it that you are looking for?”
She thought he was the gardener, so she said to him, “If you took him away, sir, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned toward him and said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (This means “Teacher.”)
17 “Do not hold on to me,” Jesus told her, “because I have not yet gone back up to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am returning to him who is my Father and their Father, my God and their God.”
18 So Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and related to them what he had told her..”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, O Christ.
The Creed
All: I believe in one God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible:
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of the Father.
And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets.
And I believe one catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Sermon – Easter Sunday Evening
Halleluiah Christ is Risen,
He is Risen indeed Halleluiah.
Easter is about celebration and a great feast day the most important of them
all.
During Lent a time of preparation a period of 60 days which in actual fact from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day is 46 but there are 6 Sundays, and they too are feast days.
We were told of some significant Easter days one in particular, of going to a rocky hill before dawn and seeing the sun rise as the day broke.
Another occasion in Zimbabwe of a procession singing before dawn how special it was as processions were banned there but the police would not be around at that time in the morning.
We have to celebrate Easter and enjoy the occasion our Lord is alive.
Halleluiah Christ is Risen,
He is Risen indeed Halleluiah.
Amen
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew Chap: 5.Ver: 16)
Hymn and Offertory – Ye Choirs Of New
- Ye choirs of new Jerusalem,
Your sweetest notes employ,
The Paschal victory to hymn
In strains of holy joy. - For Judah’s Lion bursts His chains,
And crushed the serpent’s head;
And brought with him, from Death’s domains
The long imprisoned dead. - From hell’s devouring jaws the prey
Alone our Leader bore;
His ransomed hosts pursue their way
Where Jesus goes before. - Triumphant in His glory now
His sceptre ruleth all;
Earth, Heav’n and Hell before him bow
And at his footsteps fall. - While joyful thus his praise we sing,
His mercy we implore,
Into His palace bright to bring
And keep us evermore.
6. All glory to the Father be,
All glory to the Son,
All glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee,
While endless ages run. (by St Fulbert of Chartres (952-1028)
Intercession
Let us pray for the whole state of Christ’s Church militant here in earth.
Almighty and ever-living God, who by thy holy apostle hast taught us to make prayers and supplications, and to give thanks, for all men: we humbly beseech thee most mercifully [to accept our alms and oblations, and] to receive these our prayers, which we offer unto thy divine majesty; beseeching thee to inspire continually the universal Church with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord: and grant, that all they that do confess thy holy name may agree in the truth of thy holy word, and live in unity and godly love.
We beseech thee also to save and defend all Christian kings, princes and governors; and specially thy servant Elizabeth our Queen, that under her we may be godly and quietly governed: and grant unto her whole Council, and to all that are put in authority under her, that they may truly and impartially minister justice, to the punishment of wickedness and vice, and to the maintenance of thy true religion and virtue.
Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all bishops, priests and deacons, that they may both by their life and doctrine set forth thy true and lively word, and rightly and duly administer thy holy sacraments: and to all thy people give thy heavenly grace; and specially to this congregation here present; that, with meek heart and due reverence, they may hear and receive thy holy word; truly serving thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life.
And we most humbly beseech thee of thy goodness, O Lord, to comfort and succour all them, who in this transitory life are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity.
And we also bless thy holy name for all thy servants departed this life in thy faith and fear; beseeching thee to give us grace so to follow their good examples, that with them we may be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom.
Grant this, O Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake, our only mediator and advocate.
All: Amen.
Invitation to Confession
Ye that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways: draw near with faith, and take this holy sacrament to your comfort; and make your humble confession to almighty God, meekly kneeling upon your knees.
Confession
All: Almighty God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, maker of all things, judge of all men: we acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed,
by thought, word and deed, against thy divine majesty, provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; the remembrance of them is grievous unto us; the burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us,
have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newness of life, to the honour and glory of thy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Absolution
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins
to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him: have mercy upon you; pardon and deliver you from all your sins; confirm and strengthen you in all goodness; and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
The Comfortable Words
Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith unto all that truly turn to him:
Come unto me, all that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. (Matthew Chap: 11 Ver: 28)
So God loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John Chap: 3 Ver: 16)
Hear also what Saint Paul saith: This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.(1 Timothy Chap: 1 Ver: .15)
Hear also what Saint John saith: If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins (1 John Chap: 2 Ver: 1,2)
Preface
The Lord be with you
All: and with thy spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up unto the Lord.
Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
All: It is meet and right so to do.
It is very meet, right and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God.
Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising thee, and saying:
All: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts,
heaven and earth are full of thy glory.
Glory be to thee, O Lord most high.
Amen.
Prayer of Humble Access
All: We do not presume to come to this thy table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table. But thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy: grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us.
Amen.
The Prayer of Consecration
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of thy tender mercy didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption; who made there (by his one oblation of himself once offered) a full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memory of that his precious death, until his coming again:
Hear us, O merciful Father, we most humbly beseech thee; and grant that we receiving these thy creatures of bread and wine, according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ’s holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed body and blood:
who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread; and, when he had given thanks, he brake 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. Likewise after supper he took the cup; and, when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of this; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins: do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.
All: Amen.
Giving of Communion
The priest and people receive communion. To each is said
The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life.
Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving.
The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life.
Drink this in remembrance that Christ’s blood was shed for thee, and be thankful.
The Lord’s Prayer
All: Our Father, which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come;
thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that 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.
Prayer after Communion
O Lord and heavenly Father, we thy humble servants entirely desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; most humbly beseeching thee to grant, that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion. And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy and lively sacrifice unto thee; humbly beseeching thee, that all we, who are partakers of this holy communion, may be fulfilled with thy grace and heavenly benediction. And although we be unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto thee any sacrifice, yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service; not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offences, through Jesus Christ our Lord; by whom, and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honour and glory be unto thee, O Father almighty, world without end.
All: Amen.
Gloria in Excelsius
All: Glory be to God on high,
and in earth peace, goodwill towards men.
We praise thee, we bless thee,
we worship thee, we glorify thee,
we give thanks to thee for thy great glory,
O Lord God, heavenly King,
God the Father almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son Jesu Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
The Blessing
The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord: and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you always.
All: Amen.
Thine be the Glory, Risen, Conquering Son
- 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.
Refrain:
Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son,
Endless is the vict’ry, 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.
Refrain:
Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son,
Endless is the vict’ry, 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.
Refrain:
Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son,
Endless is the vict’ry, thou o’er death hast won.(by Edmond Budry – 1854 to 1932)
© 702211