Opening Sentences from Henri Nouwen
“What you need to hear with your heart is that you are invited to dwell in the family of God. You are invited to be part of that intimate communion right now. Be with him and listen. Listen to the One who invites you. Be quiet. Like a child dwelling in the house with her family. Just dwell. Slowly we discover that we are building a home in the Lord. We are always in the House of the Lord. We are in a place of the Lord wherever we are, whatever we do. We are already home.”
Let us pray.
Good Shepherd, you call us by name, and we know your voice. Open the gate for us, that we may come and go freely, have life, and have it more abundantly.
Amen.
Lord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning is now, and will be forever. Amen.
ALLELUIA. The Lord is risen indeed: Come let us adore him. ALLELUIA.
Psalm 23 Dominus regit me
1 The Lord is my shepherd; *
I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures *
and leads me beside still waters.
3 He revives my soul *
and guides me along right pathways for his Name’s sake.
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil; *
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.
6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
A Reading from Acts 2:42-47
Those who had been baptized devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
A Reading from 1 Peter 2:19-25
It is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.
“He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
A Reading from the Gospel according to John 10:1-10
Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Birthday this week: The Rev. Karen Woodruff (May 4)
Watch over your child, Karen, O Lord, as her days increase. Bless and guide her wherever she may be. Strengthen her when she stands; comfort her when discouraged or sorrowful; raise her up if she falls; and in her heart may your peace abide all the days of her life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Anniversary this week: Alex and Nancy Long (May 7)
O God, you have so consecrated the covenant of marriage that in it is represented the spiritual unity between Christ and his Church: Continue to send therefore your blessing upon these your servants, that they may continue to so love, honor, and cherish each other in faithfulness and patience, in wisdom and true godliness, that their home may be a haven of blessing and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
The Prayers
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Our Father, who art in heaven…….
The Suffrages (From Enriching our Worship)
- Help us, O God our Savior.
- Deliver us and forgive us our sins.
- Look upon your congregation.
- Give to your people the blessing of peace.
- Declare your glory among the nations.
- And your wonders among all peoples.
- Do not let the oppressed be shamed and turned away
- Never forget the lives of your poor.
- V. Continue your loving kindness to those who know you
- And your favor to those who are true of heart.
- Satisfy us by your loving kindness in the morning
- So shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
Today’s Collect
O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
For all Sorts and Conditions of Men (offered by Marilyn Newman)
O God, the creator and preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for the holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body or estate; especially those for whom our prayers are desired; that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them according to their several necessities, give them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
Silence: In this time of quietness, please pray silently or aloud for those in your hearts and on your minds, for God longs for us to offer up our prayers so that we and those for whom we pray can know God’s love for us and presence with us, both in the stillness and in the noise of life.
A Prayer for our Earth from Laudato Si.
All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. You embrace with your tenderness all that exists. Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty. Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one. O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes. Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction. Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth. Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and with contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey toward your infinite light. We thank you for being with us each day. Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace. Amen.
For the parish
Eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and on earth, hear our prayers for this parish family. Strengthen the faithful, arouse the careless, and restore the penitent. We pray for our Bishops as they faithfully strive for our common good and well being. Grant us all things necessary for our common life, guide us in our deliberations concerning our worship together, and bring us all to be of one heart and mind within your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For our Leaders
Eternal God, our heavenly Father, send down upon those who hold office in this nation, and in our State, the spirit of wisdom, charity and justice; that with steadfast purpose they may faithful serve in their office to promote the well-being and the health of all people; especially in this time of the pandemic; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For those serving in the Armed Forces
Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad, especially those on our prayer list: Cheyenne, Cliff, Alexis, Scott, Steven, Michael, Joseph and Greg. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Schools and colleges (offered by Elizabeth Heimbach)
Almighty God, we beseech thee, with thy gracious favor to behold our universities, colleges, and schools, that knowledge may be increased among us, and all good learning flourish and abound. Bless all who teach and all who learn; and grant
that in humility of heart they may ever look unto thee who art the fountain of all wisdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For those graduating from Colleges and Universities
Gracious God, your Holy Spirit instructs our hearts in the ways of life. Even though many graduating this year will not have a graduation ceremony, may they be blessed by this passage from institutional learning into the learning that will come from the adventures of life ahead of them. Through all the years ahead, make them hungry for wisdom tempered with love. Help them discern the truth in all that they learn, in the people they meet, and in the choices they must face each day. Keep their minds alert and their bodies safe and well. Give them hearts bold to question and eyes alive to your wonders. And assure them always of your love surrounding and supporting them, through Christ, the Good Shepherd who leads us all in the pathways of life. Amen.
Lord Christ, you came into the world as one of us, and suffered as we do. As we go through the trials of life, help us to realize that you are with us and that you lead us at all times and in all things; that we have no secrets from you; and that your loving grace enfolds us for eternity. In the security of your embrace we pray. Amen.
O heavenly Father, you give your children sleep for the refreshing of soul and body: Grant those that have trouble sleeping this gift of rest; keep them in that perfect peace which you have promised to those whose minds are fixed on you; and give us all such a sense of your presence, that in the hours of silence we may enjoy the blessed assurance of your company and love; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
God of all comfort, our very present help in trouble: be near to all for whom our prayers are offered, especially Don, Mike Newman’s cousin. Look on all who are sick with your merciful eyes; comfort them with a sense of your presence; preserve them from the enemy; and give them patience in their afflictions. Restore them to health, and lead them to your eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Doctors, Nurses, and Health Care workers
Sanctify, O Lord, those whom you have called to the study and practice of the arts of healing, and to the prevention of disease and pain. Protect and strengthen them by your life giving Spirit, that by their ministries the health of the community may be promoted and your creation glorified, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer to Combat the Coronavirus Pandemic from Marilyn Newman
Most merciful and Triune God,
We come to you in our weakness.
We come to you in our fear.
We come to you with trust.
For you alone are our hope.
We place before you the disease present in our world.
We turn to you in our time of need.
Bring wisdom to doctors.
Give understanding to scientists.
Endow caregivers with compassion and generosity.
Bring healing to those who are ill.
Protect those who are most at risk.
Give comfort to those who have lost a loved one.
Welcome those who have died into your eternal home.
Stabilize our communities.
Unite us in our compassion.
Remove all fear from our hearts.
Fill us with confidence in your care.
Jesus, we trust in you.
Jesus, we trust in you.
Jesus, we trust in you.
Amen.
Blessed Jesus, in your last agony you commended your spirit to your Father. May all those who are dying this day know your mercy. May death become for them, as it was for you, a birth to everlasting life. Receive those whom we commend to you with the blessed assurance that whether we wake or sleep, we remain with you, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
God of the present moment, God who in Jesus stills the storm and soothes the frantic heart; bring hope and courage to all who wait and who work in uncertainty. Bring hope that you will make them the equal of whatever lies ahead. Bring them courage to endure what cannot be avoided. For your will is health and wholeness. You are God, and we need you. Amen.
A General Thanksgiving
Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us. We thank you for the splendor of the whole creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love.
We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for the loving care which surrounds us on every side.
We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy and delight us.
We thank you also for those disappointments and failures that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone.
Above all we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the truth of his Word and the example of his life; for his steadfast obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying, through which he overcame death; and for his rising to life again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.
Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know Christ and make him known, and through him, at all times and in all places, may give thanks to you in all things. Amen.
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Closing Sentences
Glory to God, whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.
The Blessing from the Iona Abbey Worship Book
May God, who is present in sunrise and nightfall,
And in the crossing of the sea,
Guide your feet as you go.
May God, who is with you when you sit
And when you stand,
Encompass you with love
And lead you by the hand.
May God, who knows your path
And the places where you rest,
Be with you in your waiting,
Be your good news for sharing,
And lead you in the way that is everlasting. Amen.