The Lectionary has us explore great Johannine passages every Easter Season, and today, the Fifth Sunday of Easter, we have 2 of the greatest: John 15, and its words about Jesus’ being the Vine, and 1 John 4, and its words on God’s being love! Our theme for the Service is taken from these passages: abiding in the God of love and love of God, and having God and God’s love abide in us, for all eternity. Each aspect of our Service is designed to draw us ever deeper into this reality.
Our Virtual Choir is leading us in Opening and Gradual Hymns. I’ll be leading the singing of our Closing Hymn, accompanied by Paul on tape. Paul’s also playing on tape our Offertory Instrumental. Three of these 4 Hymns haven’t been sung or played since we moved to Virtual Services in March 2020. Also through the wonder of technology, Gloria is leading us in our First Reading, and John L. in the Prayers of the People. These Prayers include a tragically timely Prayer in Response to COVID-19 penned by the General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia. Our Service is a Holy Eucharist, in which we have the opportunity to partake of Communion not just spiritually, but also physically, using Reserved Sacrament from the previous Sunday’s Service. This Reserved Sacrament will be available for pick up just inside the main doors TOMORROW, and all Saturdays, from 2 to 2:45, and other times by appointment. The wafers are in individual paper cups, and placed in a sealed baggie, to ensure their safety.
When our Liturgy ends, the service begins: we go in peace to love and serve the Lord, living out our Easter “Alleluia” by sharing the joyous Good News of Easter in all we say and do.
Today’s Service of Holy Eucharist will be livestreamed on our main Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/stpaulscalgary) at 9:30 am. Following the service, the video will be posted on our YouTube Channel, and a link to the service will be added here. To watch this service in full screen mode, please click on the “Watch on YouTube” button in the lower left-hand corner of the video. Please download the Order of Service if you would like to follow along.
Permission to reprint, podcast, and/or stream the music in this service obtained from:
(a) ONE LICENSE with license # A-713985, and/or
(b) CCLI with Streaming License # 20351479.
All rights reserved.