Welcome & Announcements by the Celebrant

Processional: Hymnal #304

I Come with Joy to Meet My Lord

1 I come with joy to meet my Lord,

forgiven, loved, and free,

in awe and wonder to recall

his life laid down for me.

2 I come with Christians far and near

to find, as all are fed,

the new community of love

in Christ’s communion bread.

3 As Christ breaks bread and bids us share,

each proud division ends.

That love that made us makes us one,

and strangers now are friends.

4 And thus with joy we meet our Lord.

His presence, always near,

is in such friendship better known:

we see, and praise him here.

5 Together met, together bound,

we’ll go our different ways,

and as his people in the world,

we’ll live and speak his praise.

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 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.

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles 11:1-18

Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, `Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' But I replied, `By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' But a second time the voice answered from heaven, `What God has made clean, you must not call profane.' This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, `Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.' And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, `John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?" When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, "Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life."

The Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

The Response is Psalm 148

We will speak it responsively by verse.

1Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from the heavens; *
praise him in the heights.

2 Praise him, all you angels of his; *
praise him, all his host.

3 Praise him, sun and moon; *
praise him, all you shining stars.

4 Praise him, heaven of heavens, *
and you waters above the heavens.

5 Let them praise the Name of the Lord; *
for he commanded, and they were created.

6 He made them stand fast for ever and ever; *
he gave them a law which shall not pass away.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth, *
you sea-monsters and all deeps;

8 Fire and hail, snow and fog, *
tempestuous wind, doing his will;

9 Mountains and all hills, *
fruit trees and all cedars;

10 Wild beasts and all cattle, *
creeping things and winged birds;

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, *
princes and all rulers of the world;

12 Young men and maidens, *
old and young together.

13 Let them praise the Name of the Lord, *
for his Name only is exalted,
his splendor is over earth and heaven.

14 He has raised up strength for his people
and praise for all his loyal servants, *
the children of Israel, a people who are near him.
Hallelujah!

A reading from the Book of Revelation 21:1-6

I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

"See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them as their God;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away."

And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life."

The Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

Gradual: Hymnal #487

Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life

1. Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
such a way as gives us breath;
such a truth as ends all strife;
such a life as killeth death.

2. Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:
such a light as shows a feast;
such a feast as mends in length;
such a strength as makes his guest.

3. Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
such a joy as none can move;
such a love as none can part;
such a heart as joys in love.

The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ according to John 13:31-35

At the last supper, when Judas had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

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: Choir Anthem

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 #315

Thou, Who at Thy First Eucharist Didst Pray

1Thou, who at thy first Eucharist didst pray

that all thy Church might be for ever one,

grant us at every Eucharist to say

with longing heart and soul, “Thy will be done.”

O may we all one bread, one body be,

through this blest sacrament of unity.

2 For all thy Church, O Lord, we intercede;

make thou our sad divisions soon to cease;

draw us the nearer each to each, we plead,

by drawing all to thee, O Prince of Peace;

thus may we all one bread, one body be,

through this blest sacrament of unity.

3 So, Lord, at length when sacraments shall cease,

may we be one with all thy Church above,

one with thy saints in one unbroken peace,

one with thy saints in one unbounded love;

more blessèd still, in peace and love to be

one with the Trinity in Unity.

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 #610

Lord, Whose Love through Humble Service vv.1,3,4

1 Lord whose love in humble service
Bore the weight of human need
Who upon the cross forsaken
offered mercy's perfect deed
We your servants bring the worship
Not of voice alone but heart
Consecrating to Your purpose
Ev'ry gift that You impart

3 As we worship grant us vision
Till Your love's revealing light
In its height and depth and greatness
Dawns upon our quicken sight
Making known the needs and burdens
Your compassion bids us bear
Stirring us to tireless striving
Your abundant life to share

4 Called by worship to your service
forth in your dear name we go
to the child the youth the aged
love in living deeds to show
hope and health good will and comfort
counsel aid and peace we give
that you servants Lord in freedom
may your mercy know and live

Dismissal