+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Prayer
Lord our God, you want your Church to be open to all persons and all nations, for your Son was available to all and you love all people. God, give us open minds and open hearts. Save us from our narrow prejudices and stop us from trying to create people in our own image and likeness. We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
Reading: John 15:9-11 (NLT)
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
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Reflection & Prayer:
Heavenly Father: You loved me even before I knew you, and you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to prove the point; thank you for your loving-kindness to me.
Lord Jesus: You have given me the commandments to love God and to love one another; show me how you would have me keep these commandments that I may remain in your perfect love.
Holy Spirit: You remind me and teach me everything Jesus said and did; empower me to happily do what I know he wants me to do that I may overflow with his joy, and live securely in his love.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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“How He Loves Us” – John Mark McMillan
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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 96:2-3 (NLT)
Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentence and prayer:
Lord, stay with us always.
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Lord God, we were sinners and Your grace made us holy, we were without hope and You filled us with joy. Stand by us in Your saving work, and stay with us in Your gifts of grace. May we never fail to persevere in the holiness that comes from faith. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
A Reading from Acts: Acts 15:7-21 (NLT)
At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”
The Council of Jerusalem The St Peter window, c.1870 Cologne Cathedral, Germany
Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me. Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself. And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written: ‘Afterward I will return and restore the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord, including the Gentiles — all those I have called to be mine. The Lord has spoken — he who made these things known so long ago.’
“And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood. For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.”
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My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27)
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A Reading from the Gospels: John 15:9-11 (NLT)
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
“I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
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Canticle
Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ as a shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Blessing:
May the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
The Peanut Gallery 