Worship & Prayers for The Seventh Sunday of Easter

Opening Rite 

If you’re at home you might wish to light a candle, make sure you are sitting comfortably and take a few deep breaths to still yourself.  

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia.

Prayers of Penitence

Christ has gone up on high, leading captivity captive and bringing gifts for all.  As we prepare ourselves to meet him here in the courts of heaven let us call to mind our many failures and sins.

Silence for reflection

Lord Jesus, you suffered a cruel death on the cross for our redemption, yet we have forgotten your pain and stayed in the realm of the evil you defeated. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you were raised from death to bring us new life, yet we have preferred the comfort of the familiar, and the empty promises of a sinful world. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you have ascended to your Father and our Father, your God and our God; plead there at the right hand of God for our forgiveness and entry into the fullness of his presence. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Almighty God, who in Jesus Christ has given us a kingdom that cannot be destroyed, forgive us our sins, open our eyes to God's truth, strengthen us to do God's will and give us the joy of his kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The Collect  

You might like to keep a few moments of silence

O God the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: we beseech you, leave us not comfortless, but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us and exalt us to the place where our Saviour Christ is gone before, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Acts 1.6-14

So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’ Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

Psalm 68.1-10,32-end

 /R: Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth 

Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered; let those that hate him flee before him. As the smoke vanishes, so may they vanish away; as wax melts at the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. /R:

But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; let them make merry with gladness. Sing to God, sing praises to his name; exalt him who rides on the clouds. The Lord is his name; rejoice before him. /R:

Father of the fatherless, defender of widows, God in his holy habitation! God gives the solitary a home and brings forth prisoners to songs of welcome, but the rebellious inhabit a burning desert. /R:

O God, when you went forth before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, The earth shook and the heav'ns dropped down rain, at the presence of God, the Lord of Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel. /R:

You sent down a gracious rain, O God; you refreshed your inheritance when it was weary. Your people came to dwell there; in your goodness, O God, you provide for the poor. /R:

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; make music in praise of the Lord; He rides on the ancient heav'n of heav'ns  and sends forth his voice, a mighty voice. /R:

Ascribe power to God, whose splendour is over Israel, whose power is above the clouds.  How terrible is God in his holy sanctuary, the God of Israel, who gives power and strength to his people! Blessed be God. /R:

1 Peter 4.12-14,5:6-11

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.  Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.  And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel according to John                                           Chapter 17.1-11

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.  ”I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them.  And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

This is the Gospel of the Lord   Praise to you O Christ

Reflection

After speaking to his disciples during the Last Supper, Jesus prays for them. He knows what is coming and recognises that the disciples will need strength to survive.  As elsewhere, John links Jesus’ glory with the cross (12:27-32) and names his death as the completion of his work (19:30). This mission accomplished completes a circle of giving in which the Father gives followers to the Son, then the Son gives them eternal life – to know God through the Son. The Greek word used to express this knowledge refers to relational knowledge as opposed to factual knowledge, and its purpose is to reveal God’s identity, or name, to the disciples, as it was revealed to Moses (Exodus 3:14). Around this sits a cloud of words that have been part of Jesus’ language of faith throughout: truth, glory, belief, eternal life. The themes come together in this prayer for revelation. This is a two-way relationship, in which the same Greek verb is used to describe the disciples’ commitment to God’s Word (v.6) and God’s commitment to them (v.11).  The prayer moves on to a passionate request for protection, which reflects both the immediate danger to the disciples and the longer-term pressures faced by many Christian communities. Later in the prayer, Jesus asks for God’s protection for believers to come. John understands the risks of following Jesus but also wants to emphasise the reward of faithful perseverance.

Linking the readings

Each reading pays attention to disciples who suffer because of their faith. Peter comes back to the theme several times in his letter, promising restoration and comfort through identifying with Christ. John reflects the disciples’ precarious situation on the night before Jesus’ crucifixion and describes Jesus’ prayer for their protection in these circumstances. The disciples in Acts face confusion and uncertainty in the days between Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost and are supported by God’s white-robed messengers. The psalm too describes God’s concern for orphans and widows, prisoners and the desolate.

Reproduced with permission www.rootsontheweb.com 2002-2021  

Prayers

Spend a few moments praying for the people you know and love, for the world, for peace and for the relief of refugees everywhere. 

On The Seventh Sunday of Easter 

Risen, ascended Lord, as we rejoice at your triumph, fill your Church on earth with power and compassion, that all who are estranged by sin may find forgiveness and know your peace, to the glory of God the Father. Amen

Praying for the Earth                                                            Water pollution

We give thanks for the sustaining power of the waters of the earth. Forgive us when we are wasteful and take clean water for granted. Forgive us when we are careless and contaminate the waters of life. Amen

From the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer for the Church

Porvoo Communion: Diocese of Guildford and Diocese of Viborg (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark)

The Anglican Communion: Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea Acting Archbishop: Nathan Ingen

Hexham Deanery: Holy Cross Church, Haltwhistle

Today the first women priests are to be ordained in our Link Diocese of Botswana with Bishop Mark attending and representing the Diocese of Newcastle

From our Parish Prayer Cycle this week 

Pray for all parish childminders and all staffing nurseries in the parish

For the sick and those being cared for in hospital or at home      

For those in residential care    

For those whose year’s minds are this week 

Donald Henry Gow, Jill Clavering, Frederick Wilson, Laura Wilson, Tom Snowdon, Maureen Harper, Ernest Wright, Les Henderson, Christina Carruthers, Harry Hawdon, James Croall and Jim Clavering

You might like to end your prayers with The Lord's Prayer  

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.

The Conclusion

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

Let us bless the Lord! Alleluia! Alleluia! Thanks be to God! Alleluia! Alleluia!