The Gathering of the Community
Hymn: Blue #300 Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation
Leader: Alleluia! Christ is risen.
All: The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Leader: May his grace and peace be with you.
All: May he fill our hearts with joy.
Collect for Purity
All: Almighty God to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen
Collect of the Day
Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Give us grace to love one another and walk in the way of his commandments, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Children’s Song
Jesus is our Good Shepherd. When we are lost, he finds us and carries us home. When we are sick or sad, he cares for us. He loves us always. And he wants us to love him, and listen to him, and walk with him. This is a song about walking with Jesus. Sing along with Mother Catherine!
The Proclamation of the Word
First Reading: Acts 7:55-60
Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:2-10
It Was On A Sunday Morning (Violin)
The Gospel
Sermon: Wycliffe Student Joshua Loewen-Samuels
The Nicene Creed
All: We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
In joy and hope let us pray to the Father.
That our risen Saviour may fill us on this day and always with the joy of his glorious and life-giving resurrection …we pray to the Father. Hear our prayer.
That isolated and persecuted churches, and Christians everywhere worshipping at home, may find fresh strength in the good news of Easter …we pray to the Father. Hear our prayer.
That God may grant us humility to be subject to one another in Christian love, that we may be channels of Christ’s peace …we pray to the Father. Hear our prayer.
That he may provide for those who lack food, work or shelter; that he may encourage and strengthen those who seek to help them, remembering especially the ministry of Sanctuary …we pray to the Father. Hear our prayer.
That by his power war and famine and pandemic may cease through all the world …we pray to the Father. Hear our prayer.
That he may reveal the light of his presence to the sick, the weak and the dying, to comfort and strengthen them …we pray to the Father. Hear our prayer.
That, according to his promises, all who have died in the faith of the resurrection may be raised on the last day …we pray to the Father. Hear our prayer.
That he may send the fire of the Holy Spirit upon his people, so that we may bear faithful witness to his resurrection, we pray to the Father. Hear our prayer.
We pray to our Father also for the forgiveness of our sins.
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father. In your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone, and so uphold us by your Spirit that we may live and serve you in newness of life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Heavenly Father, you have delivered us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your Son: grant that, as his death has recalled us to life, so his continual presence in us may raise us to eternal joy; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Peace
Leader: Once we were far off, but now in union with Christ Jesus we have been brought near through the shedding of Christ’s blood, for he is our peace (Eph. 2:13, 14).
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
All: And also with you.
Hymn: Blue #533 Jesus, Lover of My Soul
A Prayer for Spiritual Communion
Leader: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Leader: Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry; whoever believes in me will never thirst. …Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; 38 …I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:35-40; 51)
All: 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.
Silence
All: Dear Jesus, I believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to possess you within my soul. And since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, I beseech you to come spiritually into my heart. I unite myself to you, together with all your faithful people gathered around every altar of your Church, and I embrace you with all the affections of my soul. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.
Concluding Prayer
Leader: God of love, in this eucharist we have heard your truth and shared in your life. May we always walk in your way, in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
Hymn: This Joyful Eastertide
Leader: Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Alleluia!
All: Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
We pray for: Catherine and David Hamilton, Caitlin, Nicholas, Sarah and Robert; Paul Hancock, Sophie and Charlotte
Announcements
Many thanks to our guest preacher today, Joshua Loewen-Samuels.
Prayer: Tuesday Afternoons and Friday Mornings
Join Susie and Aubrey on Tuesday afternoons from 5-5:30pm for an online Zoom prayer meeting. You will find a link in today’s Call to Worship email that you can click on Tuesday afternoon to join.
On Fridays follow along with Susie as she leads a short service of Morning Prayer starting at 8:30am on Facebook Live at the St. Matthew’s page.
Mid-Week Meditation with Mtr Catherine
A weekly encouragement to help us stay strong in our faith. Check your inbox for it each Wednesday and read the latest instalment here.
Don’t fear, Pre-Authorized Giving is here!
Your generosity allows St. Matthew’s to maintain the church building as well as minister to our parishioners, refugees and the Riverdale neighbourhood. We have a monthly pre-authorised remittance system, through the United Church of Canada which allows for ease of giving. Please contact Audrey Chan for more information. Her email is: ahtchan@gmail.com
St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Riverdale,
135 First Avenue, Toronto ON, M4M 1W9
416-463-9720
The Rev Dr Catherine Sider-Hamilton – Priest-in-charge: 416-463-9720
The Rev Dr Ephraim Radner – Honorary Assistant
Please direct all enquiries to Peter Oakes, Peoples’ Warden or Audrey Chan, Rector’s Warden
