The Fifth Sunday of Easter
For a form of worship in the home based on today’s lessons in the Revised Common Lectionary, go to https://blogs.elca.org/worship/4010/.
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/7xjb8krr
Ant. I am the true vine, and you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in them, bears fruit in plenty. John 15
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires, known,
and from whom no secrets are hid:
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Music: https://tinyurl.com/mb6h9xfa
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia!
HYMN: Susan Palo Cherwien ©
Tune: Berglund
1 O blessed spring, where word and sign
embrace us into Christ the Vine:
here Christ enjoins each one to be
a branch of this life-giving Tree.
2 Through summer heat of youthful years,
uncertain faith, rebellious tears,
sustained by Christ’s infusing rain,
the boughs will shout for joy again.
3 When autumn cools and youth is cold,
when limbs their heavy harvest hold,
then through us, warm, the Christ will move
with gifts of beauty, wisdom, love.
4 As winter comes, as winter must,
we breathe our last, return to dust;
still held in Christ, our souls take wing
and trust the promise of the spring.
5 Christ, holy Vine, Christ, living Tree,
be praised for this blest mystery;
that work and water thus revive
and join us to your Tree of life.
PSALMS
Psalm 9 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yczh7vnk)
1 I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart *
I will speak of all thy marvellous works.
2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee *
yea, my songs will I make of thy Name, O thou most Highest.
3 While mine enemies are driven back *
they shall fall and perish at thy presence.
4 For thou hast maintained my right and my cause *
thou art set in the throne that judgest right.
5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen, and destroyed the ungodly *
thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.
6 O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end *
even as the cities which thou hast destroyed;
their memorial is perished with them.
7 But the Lord shall endure for ever *
he hath also prepared his seat for judgement.
8 For he shall judge the world in righteousness *
and minister true judgement unto the people.
9 The Lord also will be a defence for the oppressed *
even a refuge in due time of trouble.
10 And they that know thy Name will put their trust in thee *
for thou, Lord, hast never failed them that seek thee.
11 O praise the Lord which dwelleth in Sion *
shew the people of his doings.
12 For, when he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them *
and forgetteth not the complaint of the poor.
13 Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider the trouble
which I suffer of them that hate me *
thou that liftest me up from the gates of death.
14 That I may shew all thy praises
within the ports of the daughter of Sion *
I will rejoice in thy salvation.
15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made *
in the same net which they hid privily, is their foot taken.
16 The Lord is known to execute judgement *
the ungodly is trapped in the work of his own hands.
17 The wicked shall be turned into hell *
and all the people that forget God.
18 For the poor shall not alway be forgotten *
the patient abiding of the meek shall not perish for ever.
19 Up, Lord, and let not man have the upper hand *
let the heathen be judged in thy sight.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord *
that the heathen may know themselves to be but men.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalms 9&10 (sung as one)
(Mode I Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-9-10-MH.mp3)
2 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will recount all your wonders.
3 I will rejoice in you and be glad,
and sing psalms to your name, O Most High.
4 See how my enemies turn back,
how they stumble and perish before you.
5 You upheld the justice of my cause;
you sat enthroned, judging with justice.
6 You have checked the nations, destroyed the wicked;
you have wiped out their name for ever and ever.
7 The foe is destroyed, eternally ruined.
You uprooted their cities; their memory has perished.
8 But the Lord sits enthroned for ever.
He has set up his throne for judgment;
9 he will judge the world with justice,
he will judge the peoples with his truth.
10 For the oppressed let the Lord be a stronghold,
a stronghold in times of distress.
11 Those who know your name will trust you;
you will never forsake those who seek you.
12 Sing psalms to the Lord who dwells in Zion.
Proclaim his mighty works among the peoples,
13 for the Avenger of blood has remembered them,
has not forgotten the cry of the poor.
14 Have pity on me, Lord, see my sufferings,
you who save me from the gates of death;
15 that I may recount all your praise
at the gates of the city of Zion
and rejoice in your saving help.
16 The nations have fallen in the pit which they made,
their feet caught in the snare they laid.
17 The Lord has revealed himself, and given judgment.
The wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.
18 Let the wicked go down among the dead,
all the nations forgetful of God;
19 for the needy shall not always be forgotten
nor the hopes of the poor be in vain.
20 Arise, Lord, let men not prevail!
Let the nations be judged before you.
21 Lord, strike them with terror,
let the nations know they are but men.
Psalm 10 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yakosuxg)
1 Why standest thou so far off, O Lord *
and hidest thy face in the needful time of trouble?
2 The ungodly for his own lust doth persecute the poor *
let them be taken in the crafty wiliness that they have imagined.
3 For the ungodly hath made boast of his own heart’s desire *
and speaketh good of the covetous, whom God abhorreth.
4 The ungodly is so proud, that he careth not for God *
neither is God in all his thoughts.
5 His ways are alway grievous *
thy judgements are far above out of his sight,
and therefore defieth he all his enemies.
6 For he hath said in his heart, Tush, I shall never be cast down *
there shall no harm happen unto me.
7 His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and fraud *
under his tongue is ungodliness and vanity.
8 He sitteth lurking in the thievish corners of the streets *
and privily in his lurking dens doth he murder the innocent;
his eyes are set against the poor.
9 For he lieth waiting secretly, even as a lion lurketh he in his den *
that he may ravish the poor.
10 He doth ravish the poor *
when he getteth him into his net.
11 He falleth down, and humbleth himself *
that the congregation of the poor may fall into the hands of his captains.
12 He hath said in his heart, Tush, God hath forgotten *
he hideth away his face, and he will never see it.
13 Arise, O Lord God, and lift up thine hand *
forget not the poor.
14 Wherefore should the wicked blaspheme God *
while he doth say in his heart, Tush, thou God carest not for it.
15 Surely thou hast seen it *
for thou beholdest ungodliness and wrong.
16 That thou mayest take the matter into thine hand *
the poor committeth himself unto thee;
for thou art the helper of the friendless.
17 Break thou the power of the ungodly and malicious *
take away his ungodliness, and thou shalt find none.
18 The Lord is King for ever and ever *
and the heathen are perished out of the land.
19 Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the poor *
thou preparest their heart, and thine ear hearkeneth thereto;
20 To help the fatherless and poor unto their right *
that the man of the earth be no more exalted against them.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 10 (continued)
1 Lord, why do you stand afar off
and hide yourself in times of distress?
2 The poor man is devoured by the pride of the wicked:
he is caught in the schemes that others have made.
3 For the wicked man boasts of his heart’s desires;
the covetous blasphemes and spurns the Lord.
4 In his pride the wicked says: “He will not punish.
There is no God.” Such are his thoughts.
5 His path is ever untroubled;
your judgment is far from his mind.
His enemies he regards with contempt.
6 He thinks: “Never shall I falter:
misfortune shall never be my lot.”
7 His mouth is full of cursing, guile, oppression;
mischief and deceit are under his tongue.
8 He lies in wait among the reeds;
the innocent he murders in secret.
His eyes are on the watch for the helpless man.
9 He lurks in hiding like a lion in his lair;
he lurks in hiding to seize the poor;
he seizes the poor man and drags him away.
10 He crouches, preparing to spring,
and the helpless fall beneath such strength.
11 He thinks in his heart: “God forgets,
he hides his face, he does not see.”
12 Arise then, Lord, lift up your hand!
O God, do not forget the poor!
13 Why should the wicked spurn the Lord
and think in his heart: “God will not punish”?
14 But you have seen the trouble and sorrow,
you note it, you take it in hand.
The helpless trusts himself to you;
for you are the helper of the orphan.
15 Break the power of the wicked and the sinner!
Punish their wickedness till nothing remains!
16 The Lord is king for ever and ever.
The heathen shall perish from the land he rules.
17 Lord, you hear the prayer of the poor;
you strengthen their hearts; you turn your ear
18 to protect the rights of the orphan and oppressed:
so that mortal man may strike terror no more.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 11 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yboxkznx)
1 In the Lord put I my trust *
how say ye then to my soul,
that she should flee as a bird unto the hill?
2 For lo, the ungodly bend their bow,
and make ready their arrows within the quiver *
that they may privily shoot at them which are true of heart.
3 For the foundations will be cast down *
and what hath the righteous done?
4 The Lord is in his holy temple *
the Lord’s seat is in heaven.
5 His eyes consider the poor *
and his eye-lids try the children of men.
6 The Lord alloweth the righteous *
but the ungodly, and him that delighteth in wickedness
doth his soul abhor.
7 Upon the ungodly he shall rain snares,
fire and brimstone, storm and tempest *
this shall be their portion to drink.
8 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness *
his countenance will behold the thing that is just.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 11 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-11.mp3)
1 In the LORD have I taken refuge; *
how then can you say to me,
“Fly away like a bird to the hilltop;
2 For see how the wicked bend the bow
and fit their arrows to the string, *
to shoot from ambush at the true of heart.
3 When the foundations are being destroyed, *
what can the righteous do?”
4 The LORD is in his holy temple; *
the LORD’S throne is in heaven.
5 His eyes behold the inhabited world; *
his piercing eye weighs our worth.
6 The LORD weighs the righteous as well as the wicked, *
but those who delight in violence he abhors.
7 Upon the wicked he shall rain coals of fire and
burning sulphur; *
a scorching wind shall be their lot.
8 For the LORD is righteous;
he delights in righteous deeds; *
and the just shall see his face.
PRAYER
God Most High,
in Jesus Christ you rule the world with righteousness
and judge the nations with equity.
Cast down the haughty and lift up the lowly.
Make us compassionate to the needy
that we may be close to Jesus Christ,
our servant Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: Isaiah 60:1-14
Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you,
the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;
they shall be acceptable on my altar,
and I will glorify my glorious house.
Who are these that fly like a cloud,
and like doves to their windows?
For the coastlands shall wait for me,
the ships of Tarshish first,
to bring your children from far away,
their silver and gold with them,
for the name of the Lord your God,
and for the Holy One of Israel,
because he has glorified you.
Foreigners shall build up your walls,
and their kings shall minister to you;
for in my wrath I struck you down,
but in my favour I have had mercy on you.
Your gates shall always be open;
day and night they shall not be shut,
so that nations shall bring you their wealth,
with their kings led in procession.
For the nation and kingdom
that will not serve you shall perish;
those nations shall be utterly laid waste.
The glory of Lebanon shall come to you,
the cypress, the plane, and the pine,
to beautify the place of my sanctuary;
and I will glorify where my feet rest.
The descendants of those who oppressed you
shall come bending low to you,
and all who despised you
shall bow down at your feet;
they shall call you the City of the Lord,
the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
HYMN: Brian A Wren ©
Tune: Dunedin https://tinyurl.com/4emz72zm
1 Arise, shine out, your light has come,
unfolding City of our dreams.
On distant hills a glory gleams:
the new creation has begun.
2 Above earth’s valleys, thick with night,
high on your walls the dawn appears,
and history shall dry its tears,
as nations stream towards your light.
3 From walls surpassing time and space,
unnumbered gates, like open hands,
shall gather gifts from all the lands,
and welcome all the human race.
4 The sounds of violence shall cease
as dwellings of salvation rise
to sparkle in eternal skies
from avenues of praise and peace.
5 The dancing air shall glow with light
and sun and moon give up their place
when Love shines out of every face:
our Good, our Glory, our Delight.
Reading: 1 John 4:7-21
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
HYMN: Charles Wesley
Tune: Hyfrydol https://tinyurl.com/wx9usnh4
1 Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heav’n, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art.
Visit us with thy salvation;
enter ev’ry trembling heart.
2 Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
into ev’ry troubled breast.
Let us all in thee inherit,
let us find the promised rest.
Take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be.
End of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.
3 Come, Almighty, to deliver,
let us all thy life receive.
Suddenly return, and never,
nevermore they temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
4 Finish, then, thy new creation;
true and spotless let us be.
Let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee.
Changed from glory into glory,
till in heav’n we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love and praise.
Reading: John 15:1-8
Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vineyard keeper. He removes any of my branches that don’t produce fruit, and he trims any branch that produces fruit so that it will produce even more fruit. You are already trimmed because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. A branch can’t produce fruit by itself, but must remain in the vine. Likewise, you can’t produce fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, then you will produce much fruit. Without me, you can’t do anything. If you don’t remain in me, you will be like a branch that is thrown out and dries up. Those branches are gathered up, thrown into a fire, and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified when you produce much fruit and in this way prove that you are my disciples.”
CANTICLE Revelation 5:12-14 (LBW)
(Richard Hillert setting: https://tinyurl.com/25ev5pcd)
Refrain:
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
1 Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain,
whose blood set us free to be people of God. [Refrain]
2 Power, riches, wisdom, and strength,
and honor, blessing, and glory are his. [Refrain]
3 Sing with all the people of God,
and join in the hymn of all creation. [Refrain]
4 Blessing, honor, glory, and might
be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen. [Refrain]
5 For the Lamb who was slain
has begun his reign. Alleluia. [Refrain]
THE PRAYERS Joe Milner
For the Church: that we may continually draw life from Christ and bear a rich harvest of virtues and Gospel values for God’s glory
For all who help others deepen their relationship with God: that parents, catechists,, catechumenate leaders, and spiritual directors may continue to grow in their relationship with God so that they can support others as they grow in Christ
For the grace to surrender: that God will help us to let go of those things which need to be pruned so that God’s life and love may blossom in our lives
For all who are experiencing pruning through loss, transition, or change: that God will give them strength, guide them, and help them find courage and support through fellow believers
For all who feel cut off from God, friends, themselves, or life itself: that God will show them how they are connected and from whom they can draw life
For all who see themselves as spiritual but not religious: that they may discover God’s presence in this community and develop a new understanding of church through relationships with us
For a renewed spirit of evangelization: that the Spirit will help us to give witness to the good news of God’s love in deeds of loving service and justice
For those entering retirement: that they may find new ways to use their gifts and share their learned wisdom with younger generations
For all who are ill: that Christ the source of all life will ease their pain, heal their illness, and restore them to their loved ones
For Christians facing persecution: that God will give them strength, wisdom to overcome obstacles, and the grace to forgive their persecutors
For all communities overwhelmed by the Covid virus, particularly in India: that God will slow the spread of the virus, give strength to all caregivers, and open opportunities for the distribution of vaccines
For couples preparing for marriage: that God will help them grow in faithfulness, communicate well, and develop the best in each other
For all bound by guilt or scruples: that the Spirit will free them and give them strength to trust in God’s love and forgiveness
For all who are considering suicide: that God will open them to the beauty of life, free them from self-condemnation, and help them to recognize the love that others have for them
For an end to violence in our communities: that God will turn hearts from destructive deeds, open pathways for dialogue, and protect the innocent from harm.
(Traditional chant: http://oremus.org/chant/LP-1940.mp3)
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.
God,
you sent your Son into the world
that we might live through him.
May we abide in his risen life
so that we may bear the fruit of love for one another
and know the fullness of joy. Amen. RCLP
https://tinyurl.com/rkxkpmc
Go in peace, alleluia, alleluia!
Thanks be to God, alleluia, alleluia!
Glory to God whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine:
Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church,
and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21
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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.
The intercessions are by Joe Milner, http://liturgy.slu.edu
The Lord’s Prayer is the traditional chant as set in The Hymnal 1940 and sung by Kathryn Mannyng https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsJ2TB9pLbU
The three main scripture readings are from the The New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Edition, The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language version of Psalm 9-10 is from The Grail Psalter and is from the Manual Hopper YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA7dFvm3xGcnay-IeuplWww. Psalm 11 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel.
Musical links are usually either to artists’ albums posted on Spotify or to recordings made available at smallchurchmusic.com. Audio stripped from YouTube videos is footnoted accordingly above.
The mp3 for O blessed spring is stripped from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj_8rSDh14w.
Compilation © 2021 Stephen T. Benner. All links worked at the time they were created, but I cannot accept responsibility for their content or any damage resulting from their use. The linked content is under the control of the respective content creators and is subject to change at any time. Any copyright texts included in this compilation are provided for non-commercial purposes related to study or worship. Please contact the respective copyright holders for permission to use the texts in other contexts.
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