Intercessions - Easter 2C (2019)

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Second Sunday of Easter

April 28, 2019

It is recommended that the response to the biddings in the Prayers of the People be sung. A simple, accessible setting for the suggested response is here: http://dioceseofalgoma.com/UploadedFiles/files/BST/LUYH-Response-Prayer%20of%20the%20People-2.pdf

Please provide appropriate acknowledgement and only reproduce for use in your congregation:

"Turn Our Grateful Hearts," text by D. Jay Koyle. Copyright c. 2015, D. Jay Koyle, djk@tablesong.com. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Music by Normand L. Blanchard. Copyright c. 2015, Normand L. Blanchard. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission.

Even if there is no one is baptized or engaging in an intentional renewal of baptism (including Confirmation, or Reception into the Anglican Communion) in your congregation during the Paschal Triduum or the Season of Easter, you are encouraged to pray for the newly baptized and those renewing their baptismal promises.

The Deacon or Intercessor introduces the Prayers of the Faithful in the following or similar words:

Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead,

ruler over every authority and power.

As the priestly people he has called into being,

let us lift our hearts to God as we sing/say:

“Turn our grateful hearts into lives that bring you praise.”

We pray for the church, the people sent by Christ

as Christ was sent by the Father.

With Anglicans around the globe,

we pray for the Nippon Sei Ko Kai, The Anglican Communion in Japan,

and Makoto Uematsu, its Primate.

With our siblings in faith across this Diocese,

we pray for N.

            {allow a time of silent prayer}

That amid the doubts and fears troubling the community of faith,

Christ’s peace may be known and shared,

stirring us to bold and joyful witness,

let us lift our hearts to God: (R)

We pray for the recently baptized,

those created anew by the breath of the risen Christ, especially N.

{allow a time of silent prayer}

That by the testimony of their words and deeds,

people who have not yet seen


may come to believe in him
who is, and was, and is to come,

let us lift our hearts to God: (R)

We pray for nations, tongues, and tribes

plagued by warfare, terrorism, or other forms of violence,

especially N.

{allow a time of silent prayer}

That all awaiting deliverance may look with hope

for the glorious coming of the One who was pierced,

let us lift our hearts to God: (R)

We pray that the wounded hands of the healing Christ

will touch the sick and those who suffer any need, especially N.

            {allow a time of silent prayer}

That they may be delivered from their infirmities

and give thanks to the One whose steadfast love endures forever,

let us lift our hearts to God: (R)

We remember the dead, especially N.

            {allow a time of silent prayer}

Praying that we, with all who sleep in Christ,

may share in his resurrection

and recount the deeds of the Lord forever,

let us lift our hearts to God: (R)

The Presider concludes the Prayers of the Faithful with the following or another suitable Collect:

Almighty God, Alpha and Omega,

hear the prayer we lift before you this day. 

Breathe your Spirit upon us

that we may serve as compelling witnesses to the risen Christ.

To him be glory and dominion forever and ever.

“The Doubt of St. Thomas,” by He Qi. Available for purchase at https://www.heqiart.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

Preacher's Study - Easter Vigil C (2019)

The Preacher’s Study

The Great Vigil of Easter, Year C

Melissa M. Hartley

Gospel: Luke 24.1-12

This year we hear Luke’s account of the resurrection, and he gives us much to celebrate and many lessons to think about.

The first lesson comes when the women go to the tomb and find the stone rolled away and Jesus’ body not present. Just as they are trying to figure out what is going on, they are greeted by two men in dazzling clothes, who will later be identified in the gospel as angels.

As you might imagine, running into a couple of angels was a big deal, even then. The women are appropriately terrified and fall to the ground. Being present in that moment must have been overwhelming.

We, of course, have become so familiar with this story that for many it has begun to flatten out over time and lose its awesomeness. Our response to this encounter should be similar to that of the women, for we must never let the resurrection lose its power, as it is the very foundation of our faith.

It is the quintessential action of God making the impossible possible. If God can raise someone from the dead, then just imagine what God might have in store for our lives.

         

Our next lesson comes when these angels say to the women, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” Why do we so often insist on looking for the dead among the living? How many times do we have to go back to our old ways before realizing they don’t work anymore? It is all too easy to feel so safe with our old selves, that we never push ourselves to try something new or to do something in a different way. Yes, we spend an awful lot of time looking for the dead among the living. But the resurrection calls us to seek out new life – to burst forth from our tombs and live in a new way.

  

Our final lesson comes when the angels tell the bewildered women to remember: “Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, be crucified, and the third day rise again. Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.” The women are distraught until they remember, and once they remember, they pull themselves together and become empowered to spread the news of the resurrection. All it took was to remember Jesus’ words.

Remembering is a powerful action in the Church. To remember something or someone is literally to re-member it – to put it back together. The women are empowered through this act of remembering Jesus, and so are we. For remembering what Jesus did for us gives us hope for the future.

This is the night when memory meets hope. We generally live our lives somewhere in this in between – between memories of the past and hopes for the future. On this night, our memories of the past and our hopes for the future meet in Jesus’ resurrection. This is the night when memory meets hope - through darkness faced, fire kindled, candle extolled, narratives rehearsed, Word proclaimed, waters revisited, meal shared.

Earlier this evening, we read the great stories of our salvation history – those times when God has acted to give us life and to save us as a people: The creation story, the covenant with Abraham, the crossing of the Red Sea, the valley of dry bones, and ultimately, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Individually we all could name our own personal salvation histories – thinking of those times when God has acted in our lives. Remembering these times gives us great hope – for if God has saved us before, certainly God will again.  On this night, the past and future, memory and hope collapse in on one another – they are brought together in one moment with the words, “He is not here, but has risen. Remember…”

We who remember these words are able to rejoice in the Christian hope – If Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead, so then have we who believe in him. We are no longer the people we once were – Dead, lost, and alone. For now we, too, have been given new life. We are restored; we are renewed.

We know now that with God, truly all things are possible – Light overcomes dark, life comes from death, faith replaces fear, and memory turns to hope. We have made it to Easter and are whole once again. For our Lord is alive – raised from the dead. Alleluia!

Melissa M. Hartley serves as Associate University Chaplain, Sewanee, TN. There she coordinates the worship planning for All Saints' Chapel and shares in the pastoral care of the University. A member of APLM Council, Melissa holds a Ph.D. (Liturgical Studies) from Drew University.