GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH The Lexington Parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia April 26, 2020 The Third Sunday of Easter 5:00 p.m. An Order for Worship for the Evening Officiant Alleluia. Christ is risen. People The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia. Revelation 21:10, 22-24 And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Let us pray. Eternal God, who led your ancient people into freedom by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night: Grant that we who walk in the light of your presence may rejoice in the liberty of the children of God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Hymn O Gracious Light Phos hilaron Mark 16:9-20 Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will 1 speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.’ So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it. The Sermon Fr. Tuck Hymn Abide with me The Prayers of the People Please pray for the wider Church and intercessions requested by our congregants: Pray for the Church of England, The Most Rev. and Right Hon. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury. Pray for the people of Grace Memorial Lynchburg and their rector, The Rev. Alan Cowart. Pray for the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Haiti as they search for their new Bishop, the Diocese of Leeds and their Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Nick Baines, the Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and their Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Justin Badi Arama. 2 Pray for Jeanne Eichelberger, Carolyn West-Willette, Bettie Cadden, Frances Harcus, Rev. Susan Bentley, Lynda DeMaria, Bob DeMaria, Mary Craighill, Lori Sadler, Pam Holsten, Jordan (friend of David Cox), Lynne Johnson, Melissa Hays-Smith, Pat Gibson, Polly Lawrence, Greg Lemmer, Kent Wilson, Myra Brush, Susan Williams and Eddie Hawkins, Ned Glenn (brother of Elizabeth Harralson), Caroline Hemmings (mother of Anne Hansen). Pray for those affected by unsafe living conditions, poverty, disease, especially Covid-19, violence and oppression. Pray for Rockingham County poultry plant workers and their families who are sick with COVID-19. Pray for those who are unemployed. Pray for Martha Burford as she discerns her call to the diaconate and her local reflection group, Uncas McThenia, Jeanne Eichelberger, Steve Shultis, Carey Harveycutter, Anne Hansen and Preston Evans. In thanksgiving for birthdays this week of Chuck Smith, Pierson Hull, Nancy Walker, Sharon Humphreys, David Hansen, David Gates, Jim White and Elizabeth Harralson. Priest The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Priest Let us pray Priest and People Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen. Silver and gold did not buy us our freedom, but the self-sacrificing love of the Lamb. In thanksgiving for this blessed gift, we offer our prayers, responding to each petition by saying, “Hear us, O risen Christ”. Open our ears and eyes to hear your word in the midst of the daily routine, to see in others your holy presence, discovering through the voices of the poor and downtrodden your cry for justice; let us pray. Hear us, O risen Christ. Enlarge our ministry to welcome the uninitiated to receive the sacrament of baptism, opening the door for them to share in the death and resurrection of Christ, and the freedom to begin life anew; let us pray. Hear us, O risen Christ. Imbue our souls with your Body and Blood, the gladness and joy that fill our souls, and from which our love for one another overflows in mercy; let us pray. Hear us, O risen Christ. Release the gift of peace wherever it is entombed in fear, that resources spent to create armaments for war may instead be given for medical centers, schools, agricultural development, and employment opportunities; let us pray. Hear us, O risen Christ. Encourage the Church to develop new ways of communicating its message, receiving guidance from the past as new expressions are developed to speak to the present age and the generations to come; let us pray. Hear us, O risen Christ. 3 We commend to your loving care all those affected physically, emotionally or financially by the COVID-19 virus. In gratitude for the selfless acts of healthcare and essential workers who serve our communities, we offer prayers for their welfare and safety. Comfort those who mourn, those living in fear from scarcity, and those who have lost hope. Surround them with your love and peace; let us pray. Hear us, O risen Christ. Give the dying an assurance of eternal life, bring comfort to the grieving, and grant the freedom of redemption to those who have entered into their eternal rest; let us pray. Hear us, O risen Christ. Dear people of God, let us remember that gold and silver are false treasures compared to the risen Christ, in whom we continue our prayers. You may add your intentions silently or aloud, (silence) let us pray. Hear us, O risen Christ. Priest: Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favor, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Blessing & Dismissal The Lord bless you and keep you. Amen. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. Amen. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen. Priest: Let us go forth in the name of Christ. People: Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia. Hymn Keep watch with those Book of Common Prayer, Compline, 134, music: Martha Jones Burford Music rendered and recorded by members of Grace's choir. Hymns are either public domain or are permitted for distribution and streaming by OneLicense # A-729194 4 .