It’s the First Sunday in Lent, the Season in the Church Year of lengthening our roots in God’s love, and the roots of God’s love in us; of a way being prepared in the wilderness for the Easter life of our Lord. We’re blessed to have Norman and Betty with us, to assist with the Liturgy, including Norman’s preaching the Sermon. Norman and Fergus are leading us in continuing our custom at St. Paul’s, of singing together the Great Litany on the First Sunday in Lent.
In addition to all this, this Sunday is the first Sunday after St. David’s Day, and at St. Paul’s this means that we’re singing Welsh Hymns together. We’re blessed to have our Virtual Choir lead us in 3 such Hymns, including “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.” We have 3 other Hymns besides, plus the Hymn traditionally sung on the First Sunday in Lent, “Forty Days and Forty Nights,” played as an Instrumental on the organ at All Saints,’ Church, Oystermouth, Swansea, in Wales.
Doreen and Kerry give our First and Second Readings from Holy Scripture in person. We’re also adding to the Great Litany, as the Prayers of the People, a Prayer in Response to COVID-19 by Catherine Gorman from the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, and a Blessing for Ukraine, penned by Theologian Kate Bowler.
After this, we have the amazing privilege of receiving within the life of the One who laid down his life in love for us, feeding on him in our hearts by faith with thanksgiving, as we share Communion physically or spiritually together. Last, our Liturgy ends, and the service begins, with a “Sending” forth to help spread the love of the Lord throughout the world, in word and in deed.
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 in the Sermon Notes above if you would like to follow along. If you are sharing this Service online and don’t have Reserved Sacrament, you are invited to say the Prayer for Communion for those receiving Spiritual Communion also available above.
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.