Month: April 2023

Easter Week | Saturday 15 Apr 2023: Psalm 16; Song of Solomon 8:6-7; John 20:11-20 ~ “Peace be with you!”

Easter Week | Saturday 15 Apr 2023

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

Heavenly Father, you have delivered us
from the dominion of sin and death,
and brought us into the kingdom of your beloved Son:
Grant that, as by his death he has called us to life,
so by his love he may raise us to eternal joys;
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.

That Sunday evening
the disciples were meeting behind locked doors
because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.
Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them!
“Peace be with you,” he said.
(John 20:19)

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From Psalm 16 (Fullness of Joy) – Shane & Shane
Amaya Camacho

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OT Reading: Song of Solomon 8:6-7 (NLT)

8:6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
its jealousy as enduring as the grave.
Love flashes like fire,
the brightest kind of flame.
Many waters cannot quench love,
nor can rivers drown it.
If a man tried to buy love
with all his wealth,
his offer would be utterly scorned.
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Dance With Me / Glory Come Down | Jewish & Gentile artists worshipping Jesus from rooftop in Jerusalem
Heartcry of David

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NT Reading: John 20:11-20 (NLT)

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

20:11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her.

“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”

She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”

 “Mary!” Jesus said.

She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

20:19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!

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Peace In Christ || Working With Lemons

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ O God, the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the wills that serve you: Help us so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, into your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

When faith is weak,
temptation strong
and courage fails,
forgive us, Lord
and once again
become that risen presence
within our hearts.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Easter Week | Friday 14 Apr 2023: Psalm 16; Song of Solomon 5:9-6:3; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 ~ stand firm in the Good News

Easter Week | Friday 14 Apr 2023

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

Almighty Father,
who gave your only Son to die for our sins
and to rise for our justification:
Give us grace so to put away the
leaven of malice and wickedness,
that we may always serve you in purity of life;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Let me now remind you,
dear brothers and sisters,
of the Good News I preached to you before.
You welcomed it then,
and you still stand firm in it.
(1 Corinthians 15:1)

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From Psalm 16 (Keep Me Safe) – Sons of Korah
Ed Sullivan

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OT Reading: Song of Solomon 5:9-6:3 (NLT)

Young Women of Jerusalem

5:9 Why is your lover better than all others,
O woman of rare beauty?
What makes your lover so special
that we must promise this?

Young Woman

5:10 My lover is dark and dazzling,
better than ten thousand others!
His head is finest gold,
his wavy hair is black as a raven.
His eyes sparkle like doves
beside springs of water;
they are set like jewels
washed in milk.
His cheeks are like gardens of spices
giving off fragrance.
His lips are like lilies,
perfumed with myrrh.
His arms are like rounded bars of gold,
set with beryl.
His body is like bright ivory,
glowing with lapis lazuli.
His legs are like marble pillars
set in sockets of finest gold.
His posture is stately,
like the noble cedars of Lebanon.
His mouth is sweetness itself;
he is desirable in every way.
Such, O women of Jerusalem,
is my lover, my friend.

Young Women of Jerusalem

6:1 Where has your lover gone,
O woman of rare beauty?
Which way did he turn
so we can help you find him?

Young Woman

6:2 My lover has gone down to his garden,
to his spice beds,
to browse in the gardens
and gather the lilies.
I am my lover’s, and my lover is mine.
He browses among the lilies.

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ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴘᴏᴇᴍ: 𝑺𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒔 | نَشِيدُ الأَنَاشِيدِ | שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים – 𝑯𝒂𝒅𝒂𝒓 𝑵𝒆𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒚𝒂
12 Tribes Music

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NT Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (NLT)

The Resurrection of Christ

15:1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.

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Oh, How He Loves You And Me | George Beverly Shea

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ O God, the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the wills that serve you: Help us so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, into your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

When faith is weak,
temptation strong
and courage fails,
forgive us, Lord
and once again
become that risen presence
within our hearts.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Easter Week | Thursday 13 Apr 2023: Psalm 16; Song of Solomon 2:8-15; Colossians 4:2-5 ~ devote yourself to prayer

Easter Week | Thursday 13 Apr 2023

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

Almighty God,
you show those in error the light of your truth
so that they may turn to the path of righteousness:
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, now and for ever. Amen.

Devote yourselves to prayer
with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
(Colossians 4:2)

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From Psalm 16 – The Corner Room

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OT Reading: Song of Solomon 2:8-15 (NLT)

2:8 Ah, I hear my lover coming!
He is leaping over the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
My lover is like a swift gazelle
or a young stag.
Look, there he is behind the wall,
looking through the window,
peering into the room.

My lover said to me,
“Rise up, my darling!
Come away with me, my fair one!
Look, the winter is past,
and the rains are over and gone.
The flowers are springing up,
the season of singing birds has come,
and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air.
The fig trees are forming young fruit,
and the fragrant grapevines are blossoming.
Rise up, my darling!
Come away with me, my fair one!”

Young Man
2:14 My dove is hiding behind the rocks,
behind an outcrop on the cliff.
Let me see your face;
let me hear your voice.
For your voice is pleasant,
and your face is lovely.

Young Women of Jerusalem

2:15 Catch all the foxes,
those little foxes,
before they ruin the vineyard of love,
for the grapevines are blossoming!

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Song of Solomon (Official Lyric Video) – Martin Smith

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NT Reading: Colossians 4:2-5 (NLT)

An Encouragement for Prayer

4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.

Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.

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When We Pray  ~ Tauren Wells (Official Lyric Video)

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Heavenly Father, you have promised to hear what we ask in the Name of your Son: Accept and fulfill our petitions, we pray, not as we ask in our ignorance, nor as we deserve in our sinfulness, but as you know and love us in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Benedict of Nursia

+ Gracious and holy Father, please give me intellect to understand you, reason to discern you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, a spirit to know you, a heart to meditate upon   you, ears to hear you, eyes to see you, a tongue to proclaim you, a way of life pleasing to you, patience to wait for you, and perseverance to look for you. Grant me a perfect end, your holy presence, a blessed resurrection, and life everlasting. Amen.

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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

When faith is weak,
temptation strong
and courage fails,
forgive us, Lord
and once again
become that risen presence
within our hearts.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Easter Week | Wednesday 12 Apr 2023: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Joshua 3:1-17; Matthew 28:1-10 ~ “Don’t be afraid!”

Easter Week | Wednesday 12 Apr 2023

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

O God, whose blessed Son
made himself known to his disciples
in the breaking of bread:
Open the eyes of our faith, that we may
behold him in the fullness of his redeeming work;
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Then Jesus said to them,
“Don’t be afraid!
Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee,
and they will see me there.”
(Matthew 28:10)

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From Psalm 118 (Salvation)– Teshuva

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OT Reading: Joshua 3 (NLT)

The Israelites Cross the Jordan

3:1 Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing. Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp, giving these instructions to the people: “When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, move out from your positions and follow them. Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about half a mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer.”

Then Joshua told the people, “Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.”

In the morning Joshua said to the priests, “Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river.” And so they started out and went ahead of the people.

The Lord told Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses. Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’”

So Joshua told the Israelites, “Come and listen to what the Lord your God says. Today you will know that the living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites ahead of you. Look, the Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole earth, will lead you across the Jordan River! Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. The priests will carry the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.”

So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.

 Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.

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Be Strong and Courageous – Acapella
CATHOLIC BIBLE SOCIETY CBS ST. PAUL NYLON DOUALA

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NT Reading: Matthew 28:1-10 (NLT)

The Resurrection

28:1 Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.

Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

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Be not afraid I go before you always | St Laurence’s Church Chorley

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ O God, the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the wills that serve you: Help us so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, into your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

When faith is weak,
temptation strong
and courage fails,
forgive us, Lord
and once again
become that risen presence
within our hearts.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Easter Week | Tuesday 11 Apr 2023: Psalm 118:17-18; Exodus 15:1-18; Colossians 3:12-17 ~ clothe yourselves with love

Easter Week | Tuesday 11 Apr 2023

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

O God, who by the glorious resurrection
of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death and
brought life and immortality to light:
Grant that we, who have been raised with him,
may abide in his presence and rejoice
in the hope of eternal glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

“Above all,
clothe yourselves with love,
which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”
(Colossians 3:14)

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From Psalm 118:17-18 – (I will not die but live) sung in HEBREW | subtitles & translation | Talya G. A Solan

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OT Reading: Exodus 15:1-18 (NLT)

A Song of Deliverance

15:1 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord:

“I will sing to the Lord,
for he has triumphed gloriously;
he has hurled both horse and rider
into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.
This is my God, and I will praise him—
my father’s God, and I will exalt him!
The Lord is a warrior;
Yahweh is his name!
Pharaoh’s chariots and army
he has hurled into the sea.
The finest of Pharaoh’s officers
are drowned in the Red Sea.
The deep waters gushed over them;
they sank to the bottom like a stone.

“Your right hand, O Lord,
is glorious in power.
Your right hand, O Lord,
smashes the enemy.
In the greatness of your majesty,
you overthrow those who rise against you.
You unleash your blazing fury;
it consumes them like straw.
At the blast of your breath,
the waters piled up!
The surging waters stood straight like a wall;
in the heart of the sea the deep waters became hard.

“The enemy boasted, ‘I will chase them
and catch up with them.
I will plunder them
and consume them.
I will flash my sword;
my powerful hand will destroy them.’
But you blew with your breath,
and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.

“Who is like you among the gods, O Lord—
glorious in holiness,
awesome in splendor,
performing great wonders?
You raised your right hand,
and the earth swallowed our enemies.

“With your unfailing love you lead
the people you have redeemed.
In your might, you guide them
to your sacred home.
The peoples hear and tremble;
anguish grips those who live in Philistia.
The leaders of Edom are terrified;
the nobles of Moab tremble.
All who live in Canaan melt away;
terror and dread fall upon them.
The power of your arm
makes them lifeless as stone
until your people pass by, O Lord,
until the people you purchased pass by.
You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain—
the place, O Lord, reserved for your own dwelling,
the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established.
The Lord will reign forever and ever!”

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Song of Moses (Exodus 15) – Performed by Alan Horvath
Parable of the Vineyard

https://youtu.be/4liHLvkRM9A?rel=0
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NT Reading: Colossians 3:12-17 (NLT)

3:12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

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Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me ~ CityAlight
music meets heaven

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ O God, the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the wills that serve you: Help us so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, into your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

When faith is weak,
temptation strong
and courage fails,
forgive us, Lord
and once again
become that risen presence
within our hearts.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.