Introit:
As We Gather
As we gather Father seal us In the love that knows no fear
Draw us heal us reconcile us
Who share one Living Bread One Father’s love
One Saviour’s grace One Spirit’s breath One holy communion
No more outcasts, no more strangers all dividing walls are down
here is love that redefines us
Who share one Living Bread One Father’s love
One Saviour’s grace One Spirit’s breath One holy communion
Source of joy, belonging, friendship Form your family likeness here
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
That the world may know our God is near
Who share one Living Bread One Father’s love
One Saviour’s grace One Spirit’s breath One holy communion
A Service of Holy Communion
From theBook of Alternative Services and New Zealand Prayer Book
Fifth Sunday After Epiphany Women’s Ministry Sunday
February 7, 2021 10:00am
Hymn of Gathering: God of the Women
God of the women who answered your call, Trusting your promises, giving their all,
Women like Sarah and Hannah and Ruth — Give us their courage to live in your truth.
God of the women who walked Jesus' Way,
Giving their resources, learning to pray, Mary, Joanna, Susanna, and more — May we give freely as they did before.
God of the women long put to the test, Left out of stories, forgotten,
oppressed,
Quietly asking: "Who smiled at my birth?" —
God of the women who ran from the tomb, Prayed with the others in that upper room,
Then felt your Spirit on Pentecost Day — May we so gladly proclaim you today.
O God of Phoebe and ministers all,
May we be joyful in answering your call. Give us the strength of your Spirit so near
Licenses for Use:
Augsburg Fortress Liturgies: License SB149772 One License: w/Podcasting, A-736929
CCLI: 20845538 with Streaming License: 20845545
Common Praise: ABC Publishing, Anglican Book Centre,
Copyright © 1998. The General Synod of the Anglican Church
of Canada.
Liturgical Setting: Mass of the Celtic Saints by Liam Lawton,
We are an affirming church, and we offer a warm welcome to people of all walks of life. This is a
safe space for everyone as we are all created in the image of God.
We gratefully acknowledge that we are in the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people.
Supporting Parents: Stories That Matter
The ACW Board is collaborating with the Mothers’ Union to bring the MU’s very successful positive parenting program to Indigenous Communities in the Council of
the North. This program is offered free of charge; it is facilitated by trained facilitators; it is tailored to the culture and needs of the community.
In person worship: To register for in
person worship please visit our parish
website, or check the Midweek news for link details.
You can also call the parish office to register (902.466.4270)
Christian Education:
Confirmation Classes begin today
following our service at 11:30am. In the parish office.
THE GATHERING OF THE COMMUNITY
All stand as able.
Celebrant: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God, and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
Celebrant: Almighty God,
All: to you all hearts are open, all
desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. 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
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, the glory, the glory of God the Father.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
A Christ Church Collect for Vision:
Celebrant Let us pray.
O God, draw us together as a community that seeks
understanding. As followers of
Christ, we are guided by your Holy Spirit. Fill us with your
vision. Assist us as we reflect on who we are as a church.
Help us to be mindful of the
resources we have and what you are calling us to do. Fill our hearts with love for your mission as we seek to grow and build your
Kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Collect of the Day
Celebrant Let us pray.
Merciful Lord,
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins
and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
The Proclamation of the Word
(The congregation is seated for the lessons.)
First Reading: ISAIAH 40:21-31
This poem from Isaiah 40 is chosen to exemplify the power of the LORD God to bring hope and life out of despair and death. We too are faint and powerless, and we have gathered to be raised from our sickbeds to serve one another. The Old Testament reading both articulates the human hope for salvation and prepares us to receive today’s gospel proclamation.
Psalm 147: 1-12, 20 (The Psalm is said responsively)
Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God! How pleasant it is to honour God with praise!
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem and gathers the exiles of Israel.
The Lord heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.
The Lord counts the number of stars and calls them all by their names.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power; there is no limit to the wisdom of God.
The Lord lifts up the lowly, but casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God upon the harp.
The Lord covers the heavens with clouds and prepares rain for the earth, making grass to grow upon the mountains
The Lord lifts up the lowly, but casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God upon the harp.
The Lord covers the heavens with clouds and prepares rain for the earth,
making grass to grow upon the
mountains and green plants to serve humankind.
The Lord provides food for flocks and herds and for the young ravens when they cry.
The Lord is not impressed by the
might of a horse and has no pleasure in human strength,
but finds pleasure in those who fear God, in those who await the gracious favour of the Lord.
Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion
The Lord has not done so to any other nation; to them these judgements
Second Reading: 1 CORINTHIANS 9:16-23
We are called to share Paul’s paradoxical understanding of life under the gospel. We are free, in order to submit ourselves to others. In
Luther’s words, Christians are both perfectly free, subject to none, and dutiful servants, subject to all. Like Peter’s mother-in-law, we arise from ourselves to be a slave to all.
You will shine like bright stars for all the world to see. Offering to the
world the word of life, the gift of majesty.
The Holy Gospel: MARK 1:29-39
Reader: The Lord be with you
People: And also with you.
Reader: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
People: Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
At the conclusion of the Gospel, the reader says,
The Gospel of Christ
Reflection
Women’s Ministry Sunday:
Positive Parenting Program in the Solomons Islands
The Creed (New Zealand Prayer Book, 1988)
(said together)
You, O God, are supreme and holy. You create our world and give us life. Your purpose overarches
everything we do. You have always been with us.
You, O God, are infinitely generous. Good beyond all measure.
You came to us before we came to you.
You have revealed and proved
your love for us in Jesus Christ, who lived and died and rose again.
You, O God, are Holy Spirit. You empower us to be your gospel in the world.
You reconcile and heal; you overcome death.
The Prayers of the People:
The prayers are appointed for the day and include the following:
Leaders of the Church Diocesan Cycle of Prayer
Christ Church Intercession List Those who are ill or in need
Confession and Absolution
(please stand as you are able)
Confessing our sins, receiving forgiveness (absolution), and showing signs of peace to one another prepare us to receive Christ in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
Celebrant: Dear friends in Christ,
God is steadfast in love and infinite in
them to his table.
Let us confess our sins,
confident in God’s forgiveness.
Silence is kept.
Celebrant: Most merciful God,
All: 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
neighbours 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.
Celebrant: Almighty God have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Peace (stand as you are able)
The passing of the peace is an ancient practice for Christians. Please acknowledge your
neighbour with no physical contact.
Celebrant: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
Hymn of Offering: Spirit and Grace
Spirit and grace here in this meal;
You are the wind that breathes through the field.
Gather the wheat and form us in Christ. Come be our source and breath of life.
In the bread, blessed, broken and shared.
Christ is our life,
whose presence we bear. Come, O Spirit,
Spirit and grace here in this meal
You are the life that flows through the vine. Gather this drink and form us in Christ
In the bread, blessed, broken and shared.
Christ is our life,
whose presence we bear. Come, O Spirit,
Spirit of God, sending us forth
We spread your message throughout all the earth.
Gather the nations and form us in Christ Come, be the presence in our lives.
Prayer over the Gifts
God of compassion and forgiveness, receive our offering this day,
and make us one with him who is our peace, Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
The Great Thanksgiving
(Celebrating the Grace of God, New Zealand Prayerbook, 1988)
Please feel free to stand or kneel during this prayer.
Celebrant: The Lord is here.
People: God’s Spirit is with us.
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to offer thanks and praise.
Above all we give you thanks and praise for your grace in sending
Jesus Christ, not for any merit of our own but when we have
turned away from you.
Therefore with people of
every nation, community and language, with the whole
Church on earth and in
heaven, joyfully we give you thanks and say:
Celebrant: All glory and honour to you, God of grace, for you gave your only Son Jesus Christ once for all on the cross
to be the on perfect sacrifice for the sin of the world,
that all who believe in him might have eternal life.
The night before he died, he took bread,
and when he had given you
thanks, he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said:
Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you;
After supper he took the cup, and when he had given you
thanks, he gave it to them and said:
Drink this, all of you,
for 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
Therefore heavenly Father, in
this sacrament of the suffering and death of your Son, we now
celebrate the wonder of your grace and proclaim the mystery of our
faith.
All: Christ has died, Christ is risen,
Redeemer God, rich in mercy,
infinite in goodness, we were far off until you brought us near and our
hands are empty until you fill them. As we eat this bread and drink this wine, through the power of your Holy Spirit feed us with your
heavenly food, renew us in your
service, unite us in Christ, and bring us to your everlasting kingdom
O the depths and riches of your
wisdom, O God; how unsearchable are your judgements and
untraceable your ways.
All: From you, and through you, and for you are all things.
The Lord’s Prayer
Celebrant: And now, as our Saviour Christ
has taught us, we are bold to say,
All: Our Father, who are 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, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
Celebrant: We break this bread
to share in the body of Christ.
All: We who are many are one body, for we all share the one bread.
The Communion:
Celebrant: Draw near and receive the
body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ in remembrance that he died for us.
Let us feed on him in our hearts by faith with
Communion Hymn: I am the Bread of Life
I am the Bread of life. They who come to me shall not hunger;
they who believe in me shall not thirst. No one can come to me unless the
And I will raise them up, and I will raise them up,
The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world,
and they who eat of this bread, they shall live for ever,
And I will raise them up, and I will raise them up,
Unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink of his blood, and drink of his blood,
And I will raise them up, and I will raise them up,
I am the Resurrection, I am the life.
They who believe in me,
And I will raise them up, and I will raise them up,
Yes, Lord, we believe that you are the Christ,
the Son of God,
And I will raise them up, and I will raise them up,
Prayer after Communion
Celebrant: Let us pray.
All: Eternal God,
in you we find peace beyond all telling.
May we who share in this heavenly banquet
be instruments of your peace on earth, in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
The Doxology:
Celebrant: Glory to God,
All: Whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to
generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Blessing:
Christ has no body now but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.
Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
As we leave this space, blessings to you in your good works, with the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, which shall be be among you and
Hymn of Sending Forth: Come Celebrate the Women
Come, celebrate the women
Who brought the church to birth; The gentle revolution
Whose faith was salt and leaven, Whose hearts and minds were free
And this was their direction: To peace and unity,
The Teachers, saints and mothers Who lived and died unsung
Kept safe the gospel story And taught it to the young The Christ child Mary cradled,
The living Word to be,
Was crucified for pleading This peace and unity
Daughters of the disciples You weave the story still,
He fabric of the future
With warmth and love and skill. You make the bread of wholeness
The wine of harmony,
And all shall share your feasting In peace and unity
The Dismissal:
Minister: Go now to love and serve the
Lord. Go in peace.
All: Amen. We go in the name of Christ.