The Gathering Of The Community
Hymn: Blue #608 Come, You Sinners, Poor and Needy
Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
All: And also with you.
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
Leader: Kyrie eleison
All: Lord, have mercy
Leader: Christe eleison
All: Christ, have mercy
Leader: Kyrie eleison
All: Lord, have mercy
Collect of the Day
Leader: Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world, evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
The Proclamation of the Word
First Reading: Numbers 21:4-9
Psalm 107
Second Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10
The Gospel
Hymn: Blue #179 Tree of Life and Awesome Mystery
Sermon
The Nicene Creed
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
We pray to the Lord for courage to give up other things and to give ourselves to him this Lent.
Give your Church the courage to give up her preoccupation with herself and to give more time to your mission in the world. We pray for … May the blood and water flowing from the side of Jesus bring forgiveness to your people and help us to face the cost of proclaiming salvation. Lord, meet us in the silence, give us strength and hear our prayer.
Give your world the courage to give up war, bitterness and hatred, and to seek peace. We pray for … May the shoulders of the risen Jesus, once scourged by soldiers, bear the burden of political and military conflict in our world. Lord, meet us in the silence, give us strength and hear our prayer.
Give us the courage to give up quarrels, strife and jealousy in our families, neighbourhoods and communities. Help us to reach out to our neighbours who may be lonely. We pray for … May the presence of the risen Jesus, his body once broken and now made whole, bring peace and direction as we live with one another. Lord, meet us in the silence, give us strength and hear our prayer.
Give us the courage to give up our selfishness as we live for others, and to give time, care and comfort to the sick, especially in this ongoing time of COVID. We pray for … May the wounded hands of Jesus bring his healing touch, and the light of his presence fill their rooms. Lord, meet us in the silence, give us strength and hear our prayer.
Give us the courage to give up our fear of death and to rejoice with those who have died in faith. Especially we hold Locksley and Marjorie (and …) in our minds. May the feet of the risen Lord Jesus, once nailed to the cross, walk alongside the dying and bereaved in their agony, and walk with us and all your Church through death to the gate of glory. Lord, meet us in the silence, give us strength and hear our prayer, here and in eternity. Amen.
We pray to you 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.
Let us commend the world and all its families, for whom Christ came, to whom Christ showed the way, to the mercy and protection of God. Amen.
The Peace
Leader: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
All: And also with you.
Hymn: Blue #66 And Now, O Father, Mindful of the Love
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…54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. (John 6)
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.
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: Giver of life, you enlighten all who come into the world. Fill our hearts with the splendour of your grace, that we may perfectly love you and worthily praise your holy name, through Jesus Christ the Lord.
Hymn: Blue #180 Giver of the Perfect Gift
Leader: Go forth in peace to love and serve the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Announcements
Easter Lilies
St. Matthew’s has a Lily and Charity Fund and each Easter, the church is decorated with Easter Lilies given in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving. We would like to donate some of the funds to Mustard Seed and Sanctuary to help people in need. If you would like to contribute to the Lily and Charity Fund, please e-transfer your donation to stmatthewsang@outlook.com or place your donation in the envelope enclosed in your bulletin. The envelope can be left in the collection plate at the front of the church. The last day for donations is Palm Sunday, March 28th.
A Lenten Discipline: 40 Days – 40 Nights – 40 Miles
This has been a year for walking! It is one thing we can do even in this COVID winter. This Lent, an invitation to walk and pray and give. In a year when all of us have given ‘up’ many things, we invite you to give ‘to’ — because giving is one of the ways in which we love and follow our Lord.
1. Walk — as Jesus walked with us. Each of us in our own places but together in love of Christ. Walk a daily mile, inside or outside, through the neighborhood or around your living room or up and down the stairs.
2. Pray with your walking, as Jesus taught us to pray. On Sundays we will provide a bible passage to read, with a key verse to accompany you throughout the week.
3. Give, as Jesus gave himself for us. Pledge a gift in Jesus’ name for each mile you walk, and if you like, ask others to pledge. Our giving has a goal: We would like to help our refugee family and friends the Berberians with education costs, for College degrees for the adults and — if we raise enough — a university education fund for their girls.
A Psalm for Walking: Psalm 116
Key Verse: I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
1.I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of my supplication, because he has inclined his ear whenever I called upon him.
2. The cords of death entangled me; the grip of the grave took hold of me; I came to grief and sorrow.
3. Then I called upon the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray you, save my life.”
4. Gracious is the Lord and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord watches over the innocent; I was brought very low, and he helped me.
5. Turn again to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has treated you well.
6. For you have rescued my life from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.
7. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
Upcoming Services
We continue with Sunday worship online and in person at 10:30 a.m. every Sunday (for in-person please sign up here so that we can respect the 10-person limit).
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
