Fourth Sunday After Easter

Opening Hymn: Christ Upon the Mountain Peak

Celebrant ✠ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
People Amen.

Celebrant The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
People And also with you.

(On major feasts, the Celebrant may introduce the service with a sentence of praise or a seasonal anthem.)

2. Penitential Act

Celebrant Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to enter these holy mysteries.
(Silence is kept.)

All
Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you and our neighbour, in thought, word, and deed: by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. We humbly repent and seek your forgiveness. Renew us, strengthen us, and guide us to walk in your ways and delight in your will, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Celebrant May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
People Amen.

(A Kyrie or Trisagion may be sung or said.)

3. Gloria in Excelsis

Omitted in Advent and Lent; a hymn of praise may replace it on weekdays.

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.

4. Collect of the Day

Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Let us pray.
(Proper Collect is prayed; people respond “Amen.”)

The Collect

O Shepherd of our souls,
you call each of us by name and lead us into life that shall not perish.
As you gathered your flock in days of old,
gather now the scattered, strengthen the weary,
and teach us to hear your voice above the noise of this world.
Make us bold in mercy, steadfast in love,
and faithful in following your risen Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

Liturgy of the Word

1. First Reading

Reader: A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner

At its conclusion:
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; *

I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures *

and leads me beside still waters.

He revives my soul *

and guides me along right pathways for his Name’s sake.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil; *

for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *

you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.

Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Psalm 23 

2. Second Reading

Reader: A reading from the Revelation to John
After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

At its conclusion:
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

3. Gospel Acclamation

(All stand.)
People: Alleluia, alleluia!
Celebrant: Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures to us;
make our hearts burn within us while you speak.
All: Alleluia, alleluia!*

4. Gospel

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: ✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (Jn 20:19‑31).
People: Glory to you, O Lord.
At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”
Celebrant: The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

(A brief moment of silent reflection follows.)

5. Homily

6. The Nicene Creed

Celebrant: Let us affirm our faith.
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: was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven 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], who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, 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.

7. Prayers of the People

Celebrant/Deacon Let us place before God the needs of the Church and the world, saying, Lord, in your mercy.

I. The Gospel and the Church

Leader: Holy God, let the Good News of Jesus take root in every heart. Open ears that have grown weary of empty promises, awaken imaginations dulled by fear, and plant courage where apathy has settled. May the story of the cross and empty tomb spark movements of justice, reconciliation, and joy in every land.

We pray for Brandon, our Presiding Bishop; N.N., our diocesan bishop; and for all who shepherd your people: grant wisdom rooted in humility, vision shaped by the prophets, and hearts wide enough to hold both tradition and fresh wind. Knit every congregation into one body, that the world may glimpse your radiant light in our common life.