The Second Sunday of Easter

27 April 2025


8 AM Spoken Worship

10 AM Worship with Music

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Hello & good day!  We are glad indeed that you are here. 
This is a place where we nurture souls with prayerful worship. If we can help you in any way, please let us know!

Rev. Michele Causton, Priest:
570-807-6251
mcauston@ptd.net

Rev. John W. Davis, Deacon:
​570-575-8689

Church Office:
570-563-1564
          cote@epix.net   

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Welcome & Announcements by the Celebrant

Processional: Hymnal #178

Alleluia, Alleluia! Give Thanks to the Risen Lord

Refrain:

Alleluia, alleluia!

Give thanks to the risen Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia!

Give praise to his Name.

1. Jesus is Lord of all the earth.

He is the King of creation. (Refrain)

2. Spread the good news o’er all the earth:

Jesus has died and has risen. (Refrain)

3. We have been crucified with Christ.

Now we shall live for ever. (Refrain)

4. Come, let us praise the living God,

joyfully sing to our Savior. (Refrain)

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.

Gloria in Excelsis: Hymnal #S 280   
1. Glory to god in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. 
2. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. 
3. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God,
4. you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us;
5. you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. 
6. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
7. you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
 

Collect of the Day

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles 5:27-32

When the temple police had brought the apostles, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man's blood on us." But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."

The Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

The Response is Psalm 118:14-29

We will speak it responsively by verse.

14 The Lord is my strength and my song, *
and he has become my salvation.

15 There is a sound of exultation and victory *
in the tents of the righteous:

16 "The right hand of the Lord has triumphed! *
the right hand of the Lord is exalted!
the right hand of the Lord has triumphed!"

17 I shall not die, but live, *
and declare the works of the Lord.

18 The Lord has punished me sorely, *
but he did not hand me over to death.

19 Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
I will enter them;
I will offer thanks to the Lord.

20 "This is the gate of the Lord; *
he who is righteous may enter."

21 I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
and have become my salvation.

22 The same stone which the builders rejected *
has become the chief cornerstone.

23 This is the Lord's doing, *
and it is marvelous in our eyes.

24 On this day the Lord has acted; *
we will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Hosannah, Lord, hosannah! *
Lord, send us now success.

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; *
we bless you from the house of the Lord.

27 God is the Lord; he has shined upon us; *
form a procession with branches up to the horns of the altar.

28 "You are my God, and I will thank you; *
you are my God, and I will exalt you."

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; *
his mercy endures for ever.

A reading from the Book of Revelation 1:4-8

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

The Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

Gradual: Hymnal #205

Good Christians All, Rejoice and Sing! vv.1-3

1 Good Christians all, rejoice and sing!

Now is the triumph of our King!

To all the world glad news we bring:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

2 The Lord of life is risen today!

Sing songs of praise along his way;

let all the earth rejoice and say:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

3 Praise we in songs of victory

that love, that life which cannot die,

and sing with hearts uplifted high:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ according to John 20:19-31

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon

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 Form V

Deacon or other leader

In peace, let us pray to the Lord, saying, "Lord, have mercy"

For the holy Church of God, that it may be filled with truth
and love, and be found without fault at the day of your
coming, we pray to you, O Lord.

Here and after every petition the People respond

Lord, have mercy.

For N. our Presiding Bishop, for N. (N.) our own Bishop(s),
for all bishops and other ministers, and for all the holy people
of God, we pray to you, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For all who fear God and believe in you, Lord Christ, that our
divisions may cease, and that all may be one as you and the
Father are one, we pray to you, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the mission of the Church, that in faithful witness it may
preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth, we pray to you, O
Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 For those who do not yet believe, and for those who have lost

 their faith, that they may receive the light of the Gospel, we

 pray to you, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the world, that a spirit of respect and
forbearance may grow among nations and peoples, we pray
to you, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For those in positions of public trust [especially                             ],
that they may serve justice, and promote the dignity and
freedom of every person, we pray to you, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 For all who live and work in this community [especially

                             ], we pray to you, O Lord.]]

Lord, have mercy.

For a blessing upon all human labor, and for the right use

of the riches of creation, that the world may be freed from

poverty, famine, and disaster, we pray to you, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and all who suffer; for
refugees, prisoners, and all who are in danger; that they may
be relieved and protected, we pray to you, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For this congregation [for those who are present, and for
those who are absent], that we may be delivered from
hardness of heart, and show forth your glory in all that we
do, we pray to you, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 For our enemies and those who wish us harm, and for all

 whom we have injured or offended, we pray to you, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 For ourselves; for the forgiveness of our sins, and for the

 grace of the Holy Spirit to amend our lives, we pray to you, O

 Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For all who have commended themselves to our prayers; for
our families, friends, and neighbors; that being freed from
anxiety, they may live in joy, peace, and health, we pray to
you, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

  For                             , we pray to you, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For all who have died in the communion of your Church, and
those whose faith is known to you alone, that, with all the
saints, they may have rest in that place where there is no pain
or grief, but life eternal, we pray to you, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of all the saints, let us commend ourselves,

and one another, and all our life to Christ our God.
To you, O Lord our God.

Silence

The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect, or the following Doxology

For yours is the majesty, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, now and
for ever. Amen.

The Deacon or Celebrant says

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept.

Minister and People

Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
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 neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.

The Bishop, when present, or the Priest, stands and says

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins
through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all
goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in
eternal life. Amen.

The Peace

All stand.

Celebrant:  The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People:  And also with you.

Then the Ministers and People may greet one another in the name of the Lord.

Offertory: Hymnal # 435

At the Name of Jesus vv.1-4

1 At the Name of Jesus
every knee shall bow,
every tongue confess him
King of glory now;
'tis the Father's pleasure
we should call him Lord,
who from the beginning
was the mighty Word.

2 Humbled for a season,
to receive a Name
from the lips of sinners,
unto whom he came,
faithfully he bore it
spotless to the last,
brought it back victorious,
when from death he passed;

3 bore it up triumphant,
with its human light,
through all ranks of creatures,
to the central height,
to the throne of Godhead,
to the Father's breast;
filled it with the glory
of that perfect rest.

Doxology:
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host:
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Eucharistic Prayer A

+All Baptized Christians are welcome to come forward for communion.

+If you are not baptized, you are welcome to come forward for a blessing.

Gluten-free wafers are available upon request.+

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you

Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.

People:  We lift them to the Lord.

Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People:  It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Celebrant: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

For you are the source of light and life; you made us in your image, and called us to new life in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

Hymnal #S 129:  

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.

                                                                                                                 

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all. He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world. On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."  After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "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. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me." Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom. All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

The Lord’s Prayer

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.

Fraction #S 155

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; 
therefore let us keep the feast.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Celebrant:  Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:  Therefore let us keep the Feast. 

Celebrant:  The Gifts of God for the People of God.

Communion: Hymnal #328 vv.1-3

Draw Nigh and Take the Body

1 Draw nigh and take the Body of the Lord,
and drink the holy blood for you outpoured.
2 Saved by that Body and that Holy Blood,
with souls refreshed, we render thanks to God.

3 Salvation’s giver, Christ, the only Son,
by his dear cross and blood the victory won.

Post-Communion Prayer

Let us pray.

Almighty and everliving God,

we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food

of the most precious Body and Blood

of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;

and for assuring us in these holy mysteries

that we are living members of the Body of your Son,

and heirs of your eternal kingdom. 

And now, Father, send us out

to do the work you have given us to do,

to love and serve you

as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.

To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,

be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer for Birthdays: 

Let us Pray: 

O God, our times are in your hand:  Look with favor, we pray, on your servants as they begin another year.  Grant that they may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen their trust in your goodness all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

Prayer for those we love:

Let us Pray: 

Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to your never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come, knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

Blessing

Recessional: Hymnal #492

Sing, Ye Faithful, Sing with Gladness

1 Sing, ye faithful, sing with gladness,
wake your noblest, sweetest strain,
with the praises of your Savior
let his house resound again;
him let all your music honor,
and your songs exalt his reign.

2 Sing how he come forth from heaven,
bowed himself to Bethlehem's cave,
stooped to wear the servant's vesture,
bore the pain, the cross, the grave,
passed within the gates of darkness,
thence his banished ones to save.

3 So, he tasted death for mortals,
he, of humankind the head,
sinless one, among the sinful,
Prince of life, among the dead;
thus he wrought the full redemption,
and the captor captive led.

4 Now on high, yet ever with us,
from his Father's throne the Son
rules and guides the world he ransomed,
till the appointed work be done,
till he see, renewed and perfect,
all things gathered into one.

Dismissal