THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER – SERVICE OF THE WORD
APRIL 18, 2021 AT 10.00 AM

BEFORE THE SERVICE
Welcome to our Online Service.

In preparation, you may want to think about posture and your environment at home. You may find it helpful to light a candle, place or hold a cross…whatever is helpful.

GATHERING THE COMMUNITY

PRELUDE

THE GREETING

The minister makes the Territorial Acknowledgement and greets the people informally.

Minister   Alleluia. Christ is risen.
All   He is risen indeed. Alleluia.

Minister   Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
All   He has given us new life and hope.
He has raised Jesus from the dead.

Minister   Alleluia. Christ is risen.
All   He is risen indeed. Alleluia.

OPENING PRAYER

All   Faithful one, whose word is life:
come with saving power
to free our praise,
inspire our prayer
and shape our lives
for the kingdom of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

CONFESSION

Minister   Jesus Christ, risen Master and triumphant Lord,
we come to you in sorrow for our sins,
and confess to you our weakness and unbelief.

We have lived by our own strength,
and not by the power of your resurrection.
In your mercy, forgive us.
All   Lord, hear us and help us.

Minister   We have lived by the light of our own eyes,
as faithless and not believing.
In your mercy, forgive us.
All   Lord, hear us and help us.

Minister   We have lived for this world alone,
and doubted our home in heaven.
In your mercy, forgive us.
All   Lord, hear us and help us.

Minister   Merciful God,
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All   Amen.

THE COLLECT OF THE DAY

Minister   O 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 his redeeming work,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All   Amen

THE PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD

FIRST READING 

Reader   A READING FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS

Peter addressed the people, "You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you. And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out." ACTS 3:12-19

Reader   Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
All   Thanks be to God.

Musical Interlude

SECOND READING 

Reader   A READING FROM THE FIRST LETTER OF JOHN

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. Everyone who commits sins is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 1 JOHN 3:1-7

Reader   Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
All   Thanks be to God.

Musical Interlude

THE GOSPEL 

Reader   +The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
All   Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus himself stood among the disciples and said to them, "Peace be with you." They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence. Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you - that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." LUKE 24:36B-48

Reader   The Gospel of Christ.
All   Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

HOMILY

After the Homily there will be a period of time for reflection.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH

Minister   Let us confess our faith as we say,
All   I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.

He 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,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again
to judge the living and the dead.

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.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE LINDA BOURNE

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Minister   Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Saviour taught us,
All   Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

DOXOLOGY

Minister   Glory to God
All   whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever. Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Minister gives the Announcements.

THE DISMISSAL

Minister   May Christ,
who out of defeat brings new hope and a new future,
fill you with his new life;
and the blessing of God, Creator,
Redeemer and Sustainer of Life,
be with you always.
All   Amen.

Minister   Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
All   Thanks be to God

If you would like to join us for a virtual coffee hour on Zoom, please go to

https://bit.ly/3hM6u2Z Meeting ID: 240 454 925 Passcode: 153936