United in God’s Love, Empowered to Serve, Welcoming All

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The Fourth Sunday after Easter

May 11, 2025

Holy EUCHARIST

11:00 A.M.

BISHOP: The Rt. Rev. Kara Wagner Sherer

TODAY’S PRESIDER AND PREACHER: The Rev. Steven Metcalfe

INTERIM RECTOR: The Rev. Dr. Julianne Buenting

MUSIC DIRECTOR and ORGANIST: Stephen Kennedy

DEACON: The Rev. Joel Wilbur

Deacon Joel is a transitional deacon, preparing for ordination to the priesthood.

We seek to serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves.
We strive for justice and peace among all people,
respecting the dignity of every human being.

Welcome

We seek to mirror the love of God and the hospitality of Jesus in our worship and our service to others. We are a community welcoming all races, ethnicities, faiths, genders, orientations, and abilities. Our worship is open to all, and every person is invited to receive communion.

CHRIST CHURCH OFFICE HOURS – TELEPHONE: 585.454.3878

TUESDAYS - 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAYS - 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

THURSDAYS - 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

As discussed during the Annual Meeting, the Rector Search Committee is interested in your input! Click here and leave us a message https://songforchristchurch.org/contact and share your thoughts. Members of the Search Committee will be available after church during Coffee Hour, too, to answer any questions, and the boards will be available through the month of February.

THE HOLY EUCHARIST: RITE TWO

From The Book of Common Prayer

VOLUNTARY Straf mich nicht in deinen Zorn Gottfried August Homilius (1714-1785)

THE ENTRANCE RITE

Please stand, as able.

HYMN 492 Sing, ye faithful, sing with gladness

OPENING ACCLAMATION

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.

SONG OF PRAISE: HYMN 437 Tell out my soul the greatness of the Lord The song of Mary

THE WORD OF GOD

COLLECT OF THE DAY

Presider: God be with you.

People: And also with you.

Presider: Let us pray.

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Please be seated.

First Lesson Acts 9:36-43

Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, "Tabitha, get up." Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.

Leader The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

GRADUAL HYMN: Hymn 645 The King of love

Epistle Revelation 7:9-17

I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,

“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing,

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom

and thanksgiving and honor

and power and might

be to our God forever and ever!
Amen.”

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

For this reason they are before the throne of God,
and worship him day and night within his temple,
and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.

They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat;

for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Leader The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

Please stand, as able.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The Holy Gospel John 10:22-30

Deacon: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

All: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one."

Deacon: The Gospel of the Lord.

All: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon The Rev. Steven Metcalfe

Please stand, as able.

THE NICENE CREED recited in unison

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

Please remain standing, as able.

Leader Rejoicing in the power of the Resurrection, let us pray for the church and the whole world saying: Lord, hear our prayer,