Sixth Sunday of Easter 2021
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The Sixth Sunday of Easter 9th of May, 2021 Welcome On behalf of everyone at St. John’s, Toorak, a very warm welcome to this church and faith community. St. John’s welcomes everyone to all services and events, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race or background. This is a wonderful and historic church, founded in 1859, part of the Anglican Church of Australia and a member of the global Anglican Communion, comprised of 80 million people. QR code for church Regular services of worship are held each Sunday at 8am and 10am, and Wednesday at 7pm. All are welcome. Services are followed by times of fellowship over food and drinks to which everyone is also welcome. This church actively follows Jesus’ command to love God, love one’s neighbour and to care for all people. Our clergy and parishioners regularly visit the sick, home-bound, and the dying. We care for the poor and needy through service and charitable giving, through our Opportunity Shop run in partnership with the local Catholic and Uniting churches, and by supporting the work of Anglicare, The Brotherhood of St. Laurence and The Anglican Board of Mission. Our clergy regularly baptise new members of the church, preside at weddings and care for the grieving through our funeral ministry. If we can be of service to you or your family, please do not hesitate to get in touch. If you would like to give of your time and talents in the service of others, please also contact the church and we will gladly welcome your contribution. If you’re visiting for the first time please introduce yourself to a welcomer or member of the clergy, and fill out the blue ‘Welcome’ card found at the end of every pew so we can stay in touch with you. @stjohnstoorak Cover Image Andrea del Castagno, St John the Evangelist 1442 Fresco, height of figure 176 cm, San Zaccaria, Venice. 2 INTRODUCTORY RITE please stand HYMN ‘Christ is our cornerstone’ (at 8am, only verses 1 & 4 are sung) 1. Christ is our cornerstone, 3. Here, gracious God, draw near on whom alone we build; and move among us now; with his true saints alone receive each fervent prayer, the courts of heaven are filled: accept each faithful vow, on his great love and more and more our hopes we place on all who pray of present grace each holy day and joys above. your blessings pour. 2. With psalms and hymns of praise 4. Here may we gain from heaven this holy place shall ring; the grace which we implore; our voices we will raise and may that grace, once given, the Three in One to sing, be with us evermore, and thus proclaim until that day in joyful song when all the blest both loud and long to endless rest that glorious name. are called away. From Urbs beata Hierusalem, anon., Latin c.7th cent. tr. John Chandler 1806–76 alt. Reproduced with permission INVOCATION Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. 3 GREETING Christ is risen. Alleluia! He is risen indeed. Alleluia! COLLECT FOR PURITY Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom 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. THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ Jesus said: ‘This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: you shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ CONFESSION Christ our Passover Lamb has been offered for us, therefore we come to celebrate the festival. Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith, with a sincere and a true heart. Merciful God, our maker and our judge, we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, and in what we have failed to do: we have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves; we repent, and are sorry for all our sins. Father, forgive us. Strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ABSOLUTION pronounced by the celebrant 4 GLORIA IN EXCELSIS said at 8am, sung at 10am COLLECT FOR THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER Eternal God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life: grant that we may walk in his way, rejoice in his truth, and share his risen life; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. THE CHILDREN’S ADDRESS At 10am, all children are invited to the chancel step THE LITURGY OF THE WORD THE FIRST READING Acts 10.44-48 Read at 8am by Vivienne Randall; and at 10am by Michael Kirwan 44While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on 5 the Gentiles, 46for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, 47‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ 48So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days. Hear the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. THE PSALM Psalm 98, said together at 8am and sung by the choir at 10am 1 O sing to the Lord a new song: for he has done marvellous things; 2 His right hand and his holy arm: they have got him the victory. 3 The Lord has made known his salvation: he has revealed his just deliverance in the sight of the nations. 4 He has remembered his mercy and faithfulness towards the house of Israel: and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 5 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth: break into singing and make melody. 6 Make melody to the Lord upon the harp: upon the harp and with the sounds of praise. 7 With trumpets and with horns: cry out in triumph before the Lord, the king. 8 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it: the good earth and those who live upon it. 9 Let the rivers clap their hands: and let the mountains ring out together before the Lord; 10 For he comes to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. 6 THE SECOND READING 1 John 5.1-12 Read at 8am by Lindsay Hosking and 10am by Stella Jongebreur 1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. 5Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth. 7There are three that testify: 8the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree. 9If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. 10Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. 11And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. Hear the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Please stand and turn and face the Gospel as it is read THE GOSPEL John 15.9-17 (AT 10AM ONLY) Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia (AT 10AM ONLY) This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. The Lord be with you. And also with you. The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to St. John. Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ. 9As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have 7 kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.