Church at Home The Seventh Sunday of Easter

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Before the ServiceA very warm welcome this morning to the Diocese of Oxford’s Church at Home service for the Seventh Sunday of Easter. This service comes between our celebration of the Lord ascending to his Father in heaven and the celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

We are honoured and delighted to have the Venerable Stephen Pullin, Archdeacon of Berkshire, presiding this morning and Canon Peter Groves, Vicar of St Mary Magdalen, giving us his reflection on the Gospel reading according to John. Though we are still in lockdown, physically separated this morning, we come together spiritually to worship as one body of Christ.

We are enormously grateful for the contributions that we have received from across the Diocese. Singers, songwriters, musicians and presenters have joined together for this act of worship from Dorchester, Reading and Oxford.

We remember this Sunday the cleaners, porters, social workers, doctors, nurses, researchers and all those fighting on the frontline. We ask God to grant them strength, love and grace to do their work. We also remember anyone who is suffering in this time of anxiety and isolation in mind, body or spirit, especially at the end of Mental Health Awareness Week. May all feel the healing touch of the risen Christ and the kindness and compassion of those who care for them.

Join the Venerable Stephen Pullin as we begin our service of worship and celebration this Sunday morning. We are grateful for the continual blessing of God on our community and thank him with all our hearts and minds for our time together. Our service opens with ‘O God the King of Glory’.

How to watch Church at Home

The direct link to this service is published at oxford.anglican.org/ livestream about an hour before the service starts. You can also find it on our YouTube, Vimeo and Facebook pages at 10am.

Church at Home is also available to people who can only access a telephone. The number to dial each week is 01865 920930 – press zero for the full service and 1 for a shorter version of the service. It takes a few seconds to retrieve the recording, then the service will start.

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The Gathering

‘O God the King of Glory’ (setting of today’s Collect) by Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Sung by the Choir of St Michael at the North Gate, Oxford, directed by Tom Hammond Davies

President In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. All Amen

President The Lord be with youAll And also with you.

President Alleluia! Christ is risen.All He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

The Venerable Stephen Pullin, Archdeacon of Berkshire, welcomes the congregation and introduces the service.

Prayer of Penitence

All Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen

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President Lord, have mercy. All Lord, have mercy.

President Christ, have mercy. All Christ, have mercy.

President Lord, have mercy. All Lord, have mercy.

The Absolution

President Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord.All Amen

The Gloria

Sung by the Choir of Exeter College, Oxford

Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te, gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam, Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis; qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus,

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tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu: in gloria Dei Patris. Amen President Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen

The Collect

President Let us pray.

All O God the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: we beseech you, leave us not comfortless, but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us and exalt us to the place where our Saviour Christ is gone

before, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

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Hymn

‘There’s a Fire Falling’ sung by the Worship Team of Greyfriars Church, Reading

There’s a fire falling So open up our hearts There are wonders working So open up our eyes To see, God, what you are doing

It’s time for breakthrough Let healing come to pass And in your freedom We’ll see the chains fall off We’ll follow where you’re moving

Come, Holy Spirit, fill us now We need your presence We need your power Come, Holy fire, burn in us We pray

There’s a fire falling So open up our hearts There are wonders working So open up our eyes To see, God, what you are doing

It’s time for breakthrough Let healing come to pass And in your freedom We’ll see the chains fall off We’ll follow where you’re moving

Come, Holy Spirit, fill us now We need your presence We need your power Come, Holy fire, burn in us We pray

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Burn in us we pray We need you now More than ever, Lord.

Ignite our hearts So faith and hope arise Faith and hope arise Awake our passion Let worship be our cry Let worship be our cry

Ignite our hearts So faith and hope arise Faith and hope arise Awake our passion Let worship be our cry Let worship be our cry

Come, Holy Spirit, fill us now We need your presence We need your power Come, Holy fire, burn in us We pray

Come, Holy Spirit, fill us now We need your presence We need your power Come, Holy fire, burn in us We pray Burn in us we pray.

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The Liturgy of the Word

Reading

Acts 1.6–14Read by Katy Lyne, Greyfriars Church, Reading

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

This is the word of the Lord.

All Thanks be to God.

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Psalm 68.1–10, 32–35

Sung by William Parkinson, Lincoln College, Oxford

Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; let them also that hate him flee before him.

Like as the smoke vanisheth, so shalt thou drive them away; and like as wax melteth at the fire, so let the ungodly perish at the presence of God.

But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; let them also be merry and joyful.

O sing unto God, and sing praises unto his name; magnify him that rideth upon the heavens, as it were upon an horse; praise him in his name YAH, and rejoice before him.

He is a father of the fatherless, and defendeth the cause of the widows; even God in his holy habitation.

He is the God that maketh men to be of one mind in an house, and bringeth the prisoners out of captivity; but letteth the runagates continue in scarceness.

O God, when thou wentest forth before the people; when thou wentest through the wilderness;

The earth shook, and the heavens dropped at the presence of God; even as Sinai also was moved at the presence of God, who is the God of Israel.

Thou, O God, sentest a gracious rain upon thine inheritance; and refreshedst it when it was weary.

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Thy congregation shall dwell therein; for thou, O God, hast of thy goodness prepared for the poor.

Sing unto God, O ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord;

Who sitteth in the heavens over all from the beginning; lo, he doth send out his voice, yea, and that a mighty voice.

Ascribe ye the power to God over Israel; his worship and strength is in the clouds.

O God, wonderful art thou in thy holy places; even the God of Israel, he will give strength and power unto his

people; blessed be God.

Gospel Reading

John 17.1–11Read by Revd Dr Melanie Marshall, Lincoln College, Oxford

All Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Reader Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful people and kindle in them the fire of your love.All Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Reader The Lord be with you. All And also with you.

Reader Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.All Glory to you, O Lord.

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After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

Reader This is the Gospel of the Lord.All Praise to you, O Christ.

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Sermon

Revd Canon Dr Peter Groves, Vicar of St Mary Magdalen, Oxford

and Assistant Archdeacon of Oxford

The Apostles’ Creed

President We join in affirming the faith of the Church.

All We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. ForoursakehewascrucifiedunderPontiusPilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the

Scriptures;heascendedintoheaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. WiththeFatherandtheSonheisworshipedandglorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

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Prayers of Intercession

Prayers are led by Ms Ella-Mae Lewis, Ms Edith Salome Lewis-Jong and Revd Dr Jonathan Jong of St Barnabas, Jericho and St Mary Magdalen, Oxford.

At the end of each petition, we say:

Reader: Lord, hear usAll: Lord, graciously hear us.

Liturgy of the Sacrament

The Peace

President God has made us one in Christ. He has set his seal upon us and, as a pledge of what is to come, has given the Spirit to dwell in our hearts. Alleluia!

The peace of the risen and ascended Lord be always with you.All And also with you.

President Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

Offertory Hymn

We join in singing the hymn with Roseanna Allwood, Lincoln College, Oxford, and her siblings Florence and Julian.

Music: Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625) Words: William Harry Turton (1856-1938)

O thou, who at thy Eucharist didst pray That all thy Church might be for ever one, Grant us at every Eucharist to say With longing heart and soul, ‘Thy will be done.’ O may we all one Bread, one Body be, Through this blest Sacrament of unity.

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For all thy Church, O Lord, we intercede; Make thou our sad divisions soon to cease; Draw us the nearer each to each, we plead, By drawing all to thee, O Prince of Peace; Thus may we all one Bread, one Body be, Through this blest Sacrament of unity.

We pray thee too for wanderers from thy fold; O bring them back, good Shepherd of the sheep, Back to the faith which saints believed of old, Back to the Church which still that faith doth keep; Soon may we all one Bread, one Body be, Through this blest Sacrament of unity.

So, Lord, at length when sacraments shall cease, May we be one with all thy Church above, One with thy saints in one unbroken peace, One with thy saints in one unbounded love; More blessèd still, in peace and love to be One with the Trinity in Unity.

The Eucharistic Prayer

President The Lord be with youAll and also with you.President Lift up your hearts.All We lift them to the Lord.President Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.All It is right to give thanks and praise.

President It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, Always and everywhere to give you thanks, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. For he is our great high priest who has entered once for all into the heavenly sanctuary, evermore to pour upon your Church the grace and comfort of your Holy Spirit. He is the one who has gone before us,

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who calls us to be united in prayer as were his disciples in the upper room while they awaited his promised gift, the life-giving Spirit of Pentecost. Therefore all creation yearns with eager longing as angels and archangels sing the endless hymn of praise:

All Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

President Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness; grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit, and according to your holy will, these gifts of bread and wine may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread and gave you thanks; he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way, after supper he took the cup and gave you thanks; he gave it to them, saying: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Great is the mystery of faith:All Christ has died: Christ is risen: Christ will come again.

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President And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross, his perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world; rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming in glory, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption. As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we bring before you this bread and this cup and we thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.

Send the Holy Spirit on your people and gather into one in your kingdom all who share this one bread and one cup, so that we, in the company of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the holy apostles, and all the saints, may praise and glorify you for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord; by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever. Amen

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The Lord’s Prayer

President As our Saviour has taught us, so let us pray:

All Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen

Invitation to Communion

President Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.All Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!

Song

‘And You Will Be My Witnesses’ sung and played by Revd Emma Hopegood Jones and Chris Hopegood Jones, Benefice of Hanborough and Freeland

Music: Leonard Ballantine (b. 1950) Words: Acts 1.8 (adapted)

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Post Communion Prayer

President Let us pray.

Eternal God, giver of love and power, your Son Jesus Christ has sent us into all the world to preach the gospel of his kingdom: confirm us in this mission, and help us to live the good news we proclaim; through Jesus Christ our Lord. All Amen

Blessing and Dismissal

President The Spirit of truth lead you into all truth, give you grace to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and strengthen you to proclaim the word and works of God; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Be upon you and remain with you always. All Amen

President Go in the peace of Christ. Alleluia, alleluia.All Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

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Hymn

We sing together the closing hymn led by the Choir of Merton College, Oxford, directed by Benjamin Nicholas.

Music: John Barnard (b. 1948) Words: Michael Saward (1932–2015)

Christ triumphant, ever reigning, Saviour, Master, King! Lord of heaven, our lives sustaining, Hear us as we sing: Yours the glory and the crown, The high renown, the eternal name.

Word incarnate, truth revealing, Son of Man on earth! Power and majesty concealing By your humble birth: Yours the glory...

Suffering servant, scorned, ill-treated, Victim crucified! Death is through the cross defeated, Sinners justified: Yours the glory...

Priestly king, enthroned for ever High in heaven above, Sin and death and hell shall never Stifle hymns of love: Yours the glory...

So, our hearts and voices raising Through the ages long, Ceaselessly upon you gazing, This shall be our song: Yours the glory…

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Very special thanks to all who made this service possible: The Venerable Stephen Pullin, Archdeacon of Berkshire; Revd Canon Dr Peter Groves, Vicar of St Mary Magdalen; Ms Ella-Mae Lewis, Ms Edith Lewis-Jong and Revd Dr Jonathon Jong from St Mary Magdalen and St Barnabas; Revd Dr Mel Marshall, Chaplain of Lincoln College and William Parkinson, Roseanna Allwood, Lincoln College, and her siblings Florence and Julian; Tim Hammond Davies from St Michael of the North Gate Church; Katy Lyne and Pete Willmot, Worship Pastor, of Greyfriars Church, Reading; Revd Emma and Chris Hopegood Jones and Chris Jones, Benefice of Hanborough and Freeland; and the choirs of Exeter College and Merton College, Oxford.

This service was produced by Revd Dr Mel Marshall; Revd Charlotte Bannister-Parker, Associate Chaplain to the Bishop of Oxford; Steven Buckley, Diocesan Director of Communications; and Ruth Hamilton-Jones, Internal Communications Officer. The reproduction and broadcast of the hymns in this service paper falls within the provisions of CCLI 535160 and Limited Online Music License E-0018115 both under the Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance. Images: Images: cover – Lincoln College Chapel East Window. Design: GMGraphicDesign.co.uk Technical support: Mark Robinson, Digital Creative

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