St. Peter's By-the-Sea Episcopal Church
Gulfport, Mississippi

A Celebration of the Holy Eucharist 
Rite Two:  10:30 A.M.
Second Sunday of Easter
April 11, 2021

Prelude                               

Processional

The Word of God

Opening Acclamation                                                     Prayer Book 355

The people standing, the Celebrant says

Alleluia. Christ is risen.

People The Lord is risen indeed.  Alleluia.

Celebrant:  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 our Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Spoken together                                                              

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.

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 of God the Father. Amen.

The Collect of the Day:

The Celebrant says to the people

The Lord be with you.

People And also with you.

Celebrant Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation:  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, for ever and ever.  Amen.

The Congregation is seated.  All readings of Holy Scripture are found in the insert.

The Lessons

The First Lesson 
Acts 4:32-35

Psalm 133 
read responsively

1 Oh, how good and pleasant it is, *
when brethren live together in unity!

2 It is like fine oil upon the head *
that runs down upon the beard,

3 Upon the beard of Aaron, *
and runs down upon the collar of his robe.

4 It is like the dew of Hermon *
that falls upon the hills of Zion.

5 For there the Lord has ordained the blessing: *
life for evermore.

The Holy Gospel
John 20:19-31
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

People Glory to you, Lord Christ

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

After the Gospel, the Reader says

The Gospel of the Lord.

People Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon
The Rev. Patrick Sanders

The Nicene Creed
Prayer Book 358

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 oflife,
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.

The Prayers of the People                                                                

The Leader and the People pray responsively

Presider:  Through the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus, God brings a new gift of peace into the world.  Let us offer our prayers with thankful hope, saying: God has ordained the blessing; life forevermore.

Litanist:  Breathe your Holy Spirit upon your Church, O Gracious One, that we may be of one heart and soul, live together in unity, and bring the light of your reconciling gospel of forgiveness and peace to the whole world.  God has ordained the blessing; life forevermore.

Inspire the leaders of our nation and all in authority throughout the world with the breath of your peace, that they may share their possessions with the poor and bring justice and comfort to all who live in fear or need. God has ordained the blessing; life forevermore.

Be present to any who huddle fearfully behind closed and locked doors and let the healing touch of the wounded Jesus come to comfort all who suffer anywhere on the earth.  God has ordained the blessing; life forevermore.

Let this community walk in your light and do our work of reconciliation, revealing the eternal life that was with the Father and has been revealed to us.  God has ordained the blessing;  life forevermore.

Hear the cries of all who grieve like Thomas and of all who suffer from any form of anguish, illness or hurt, that they may touch the healing presence of the risen Christ. We remember especially for those we now mention aloud or in the silence of our hearts (pause); all those serving our country at home and abroad; and those on our prayer list. Complete our joy as we offer our words of thanksgiving to you, especially for those celebrating birthdays and anniversaries Dunny, Hannah, Vanessa, Dottie, Dianne, Elizabeth, Suzie, Mike & Sue.  Receive into your eternal life all who have died, that they may have life in Christ’s name, remembering especially those we now remember aloud or in the silence of our hearts (pause).  God has ordained the blessing;  life forevermore.

Presider:  Oh, how good and pleasant it is, when kindred live together in unity:  Fill your people with the breath of your Holy Spirit, O God, and bring us the assurance of forgiveness, that we may be enlivened to participate in Christ’s work of reconciliation on behalf of all the world, and share in his eternal life, here and now, and forevermore.  Amen.

The Peace

Celebrant: The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People: And also with you.

The Ministers and People greet one another in the name of the Lord.

Announcements

Oblations brought forward (congregation stands)

Offertory                                                                    

The Holy Communion

The Great Thanksgiving

Eucharistic Prayer A
Prayer Book 361

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 him 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.

The Celebrant adds an additional prayer (Proper Preface) followed by

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:

Sanctus S125 (spoken together)

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosanna in the highest.  Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest.  Hosanna in the highest.

The Celebrant continues

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:

Celebrant and People say together                                                                               

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

The Celebrant continues

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.

Celebrant:

As our Savior Christ has taught us, we now pray,

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.

The Breaking of the Bread

The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread as a period of silence is kept.

Alleluia.  Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia

Celebrant: The Gifts of God for the People of God. 

Communion of the People

Wherever you are on your journey of faith you are welcome at this table..

Post Communion Prayer
Prayer Book 365

Celebrant Let us pray.

Celebrant and people

Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.  Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blessing

Recessional

Dismissal