THE WORD OF THE LORD
                                                                                            

Opening Acclamation

Celebrant       Alleluia. Christ is risen
People           The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.

 

Collect for Purity
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you 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.

 

Gathering hymn       “Alleluia, Alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord                                            From Blue Hymnal, 178 

 

 

The Collect of the Day 

Celebrant       The Lord be with you.

People            And also with you.

Celebrant        Let us pray.

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

  

The Lessons

 

The First Lesson:  Acts 7:55-60                                                                                                         

A Reading from the Book Acts:

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died. The Word of the Lord.                              

People     Thanks be to God.

 

Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 (responsively, by half verse)

1 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame; *
deliver me in your righteousness.

2 Incline your ear to me; *
make haste to deliver me.

3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold; *
for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.

4 Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, *
for you are my tower of strength.

5 Into your hands I commend my spirit, *
for you have redeemed me,
O Lord, O God of truth.

15 My times are in your hand; *
rescue me from the hand of my enemies,
and from those who persecute me.

16 Make your face to shine upon your servant, *
and in your loving-kindness save me.”

 

The Second Lesson: 1 Peter 2:2-10                                                                                                                                           

A Reading from the Book of First Peter:

Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture:

“See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious;

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner”, and “A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. The Word of the Lord.                                               

People      Thanks be to God.

 

 

Gospel Acclamation             “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia”                                From the Blue Hymnal 208

 

 

 

The Holy Gospel           John 14:1-14

Gospeller       The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
People           Glory to you, Lord Christ

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”

 

Gospeller       The Gospel of the Lord.

People           Praise to you, Lord Christ.

 

The Sermon            Rev. Anne

Anne’s sermon will be posted here.

 

The Nicene Creed

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.
    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.
    With the Father and the Son he 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.

 

Prayers of the People                                                                                     

Intercessor   Let us unite our hearts in prayer, saying, God of resurrection,

People    Hear our prayer.

 

Intercessor    For the church throughout the world, that all who profess to honor the risen Lord may be faithful in their witness and courageous in their testimony to the way of Jesus: [A time of silence]. God of resurrection,

People    Hear our prayer.

 

Intercessor    For pastors, teachers and ministers, and especially for our Bishops Susan and Jennifer, for our staff Fran, Anne, Susan, Walter, Joy, Mary, and Nicole, and for our Diocesan Cycle of Prayer in this time of social distancing we pray for: St. Peter’s (Arlington), St. Mary’s (Goochland), St. John’s (Centreville); for Ascension Church in Beraud, Haiti, and those whom you would name: [A time of silence], that by the power of the Holy Spirit, they may seek to build the church upon Christ, the cornerstone, and humbly lead in faithful service; God of resurrection,

People    Hear our prayer.

 

Intercessor    For the governments of the world and its leaders, especially Donald our President and Ralph our Governor, that the nations may dwell in peace, that good will prevail over strife, and people of faith may freely worship as their hearts direct: [A time of silence]. God of resurrection,

People    Hear our prayer.

 

Intercessor    For rain and sun in proper measure, and for abundant food and water for all who dwell upon the earth: [A time of silence]. God of resurrection,

People    Hear our prayer.

 

Intercessor    For the sick and those in need, and for any who are oppressed by wounds of the soul, for Mitzi, Ethan, Bp. Susan, Declan, Dick, Sally, Guy, Marco, David, Chris, Gail, Andrei, Dolly, Jane, Nancy, Thomas, Chris, Stephanie, Ally, Kait, Dick, Johnny, Emma, for those suffering from COVID-19, and those that you would name: [a time of silence]. God of resurrection,

People    Hear our prayer.

 

Intercessor    We pray for those who have died, especially Rebecca who entered eternal rest on Monday, Alex; those who will die today; the victims of COVID-19, and those whom you would name: [a time of silence]. God of resurrection,

People    Hear our prayer.

 

Intercessor    For our neighbors that we may live together in amity, and that strangers among us may find us to be hospitable friends; We also give thanks for the blessings of this life, especially for Louise celebrating her birthday this week, all who are marking an anniversary, and those blessings you would name: [a time of silence]. God of resurrection,

People    Hear our prayer.

 

Intercessor    For our enemies, that their sins may be forgiven them and that they may find your peace: [A time of silence]. God of resurrection,

People    Hear our prayer.

 

Intercessor    Almighty God, your Son promised to grant whatever we ask in his name. John 14:13–14 By your Holy Spirit empower us to minister to the world as his faithful disciples that our work may testify to what we pray and show forth your eternal glory, through Jesus Christ.

People    Amen.

 

Kimberly Bracken Long. Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year A, Volume 1: Advent through Pentecost (pp. 153-155). Westminster John Knox Press. Kindle Edition, adapted by The Rev. Fran Gardner-Smith.

 

Intercessor    On this Mothers’ Day, we pray in thanksgiving for the divine gift of motherhood in all its many forms. We pray for all mothers; for our own mothers, those living and those who have died; for the mothers who have loved us and for those who fell short of loving us fully; for those who hope to be mothers someday; for all whose yearning to have children has been frustrated; for those mothers who, through death or separation, no longer see their children; and for those among us who have mothered others in need: [a time of silence]. Lord, for all those who mother,

People    Thanks be to God.

 

 

This Mothers’ Day prayer was written by The Rev. Leslie Nipps, and is found in Women’s Uncommon Prayers, Morehouse Publishing, © 2000, page 364.

 

 

Intercessor:     Together let us pray for St Thomas Church.

All: Almighty God, by your Spirit the whole body of your Church is governed and sanctified, hear our prayer for St Thomas, build in us a renewed vision of your Church; shape our life according to your will; empower us with the gifts to make us one that together we may grow as a church in the spiritual strength of community and reach out to include all people in Christ’s love, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 

 

Offertory Hymn         “Jerusalem, my happy home” vv. 1-2                               From Blue Hymnal 620 

 

 

During this unprecedented time, giving is crucial to our health and viability. Please consider this a time of reflection and an opportunity to contribute to the ongoing ministries of St. Thomas Episcopal Church. Contributions can be mailed to the church office (8991 Brook Road, McLean, VA 22102 ) or given online here.  Thank you!

 

The Lord’s Prayer

Officiant      The Lord be with you.

People         And also with you.

Officiant      Let us pray.

 

Officiant and People

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.

 

The Peace

Celebrant       The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People             And also with you.

 

The Blessing

Be of good courage, never be afraid

Because God who created you,

Is always with you

And loves you fiercely.

And may the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

Be upon you and remain with you always.

Amen.

 

 

Closing Hymn         “Guide me, O thou great Jehovah” v. 1                            From the Blue Hymnal, 690

The Dismissal

Celebrant       Let us go forth in the name of Christ, Alleluia, Alleluia!
People                 Thanks be to God, Alleluia, Alleluia!