Year: 2009

Prayers and liturgy

Easter Even

The collect for today, Easter Even, or Holy Saturday, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

Grant, O Lord, that as we are baptized into the death of thy blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, so by continual mortifying our corrupt affections we may be buried with him; and that, through the grave, and gate of death, we may pass to our joyful resurrection; for his merits, who died, and was buried, and rose again for us, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: 1 St Peter 3:17-22
The Gospel: St Matthew 27:57-66

Fra Angelico, EntombmentArtwork: Fra Angelico, The Lamentation over the Dead Christ (San Marco Altarpiece), 1438-40. Tempera on panel, Alte Pinakothek, Munich.

c/p: Nova Scotia Scott

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Sermons

Sermon for Good Friday

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

“All the people hung upon his words.” So Luke tells us in his account of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. These words are read at Evening Prayer on Palm Sunday. “Take with you words,” the prophet Hosea, says, “and return to the Lord.” These words are read at Evening Prayer on Monday in Holy Week.

Words, and our attention to them, are one of the strong features of our Anglican heritage with respect to the observances of Holy Week. The point and purpose of this week has been to immerse us in the totality of the Passion of Christ, reading from all four of the Gospel accounts of the Passion. No other Christian tradition demands quite so much. For the attention deficit culture, it is, perhaps, too much. And yet, so necessary.Along with the Passion, readings from the Old Testament and the New, as well from the Old Testament Apocrypha, such as The Book of Wisdom, offer a rich commentary upon the spectacle of Holy Week. Once again, there is much of a muchness, once again, it is de trop. And yet, so necessary and so instructive.

Holy Week is the spectacle of sin and love, the spectacle of our betrayals, on the one hand, and the redemptive love of Christ, on the other hand. Everything converges on the Cross, “that strange and uncouth thing” as the poet, George Herbert, puts it. And yet, as another poet, John Donne, puts it, himself no stranger to the hideous realities of sin and suffering, the image of the crucified is itself a “beauteous form” that “assures a piteous mind.”

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Prayers and liturgy

Good Friday

The collects for today, Good Friday, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

Almighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before thee for all estates of men in thy holy Church, that every member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may truly and godly serve thee; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Epistle: Hebrews 10:1-25
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St John
The Gospel: St John 18:33-19:37

Stoss, Crucifixion

Artwork: Veit Stoss, Crucifixion (High Altar of St Mary), 1477-89. Wood, Church of St Mary, Cracow.

c/p: Nova Scotia Scott

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Sermons

Sermon for Maundy Thursday

“A new commandment I give unto you that you love one another

even as I have loved you”

“On the night that he was betrayed,” this night, this very night, Jesus gives us a commandment, an institution and an example. He gives us a commandment that is at once established in the institution of the Holy Eucharist, “do this in remembrance of me,” and expressed in the example of the foot-washing, “for I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” Such is the rich fullness of Maundy Thursday, dies mandati, the day of commandment, even a new commandment, novem mandatum, but more than that, the ultimate mandate, ultimatum mandatum. We are accustomed to taking seriously a person’s last will and testament. Here on the eve of his Passion, in the meaning of the events of the Passover, Christ signifies his ultimate will and new testament towards us. Here on this night is the mandate of our Lord’s love, hence Maundy Thursday (from mandatum). (more…)

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Prayers and liturgy

Maundy Thursday

The collects for today, Thursday in Holy Week, commonly called Maundy Thursday, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962)

Almighty and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also he made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, who in a wonderful sacrament hast left unto us a memorial of thy passion: Grant us so to reverence the holy mysteries of thy Body and Blood, that we may ever know within ourselves the fruit of thy redemption; who livest and reignest with the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle: 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
The Continuation of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St Luke
The Gospel: St Luke 23:1-49

Riemenschneider, The Last Supper
Artwork: Tilman Riemenschneider, The Last Supper (detail from Holy Blood Altar), 1501-02. Limewood, Church of Sankt Jakob, Rothenburg.

c/p: Nova Scotia Scott

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Prayers and liturgy

Wednesday in Holy Week

The collect for today, Wednesday in Holy Week, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

Almighty and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: Hebrews 9:15-28
The Beginning of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St Luke
The Gospel: St Luke 22:-1-71

Giotto, Kiss of Judas

Artwork: Giotto di Bondone, The Kiss of Judas (Scenes from the Life of Christ), 1304-06. Fresco, Cappella Scrovegni, Padua.

c/p: Nova Scotia Scott

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Events, Month at a Glance

Holy Week at a Glance, 6-12 April 2009

Mon., April 6th, Monday in Holy Week
7:00am Matins & the Passion
7:00pm Vespers & Communion

Tues., April 7th, Tuesday in Holy Week
7:00am Matins & the Passion
6:00pm ‘Prayers & Praises’ – Haliburton Place
7:00pm Vespers & Communion

Wed., April 8th, Wednesday in Holy Week
7:00am Matins & the Passion
9:00pm Tenebrae

Thurs., April 9th, Maundy Thursday
7:00am Penitential Service & Passion
7:00pm Holy Communion & Watch

Fri., April 10th, Good Friday
7:00am Matins of Good Friday
11:00am Ecumenical Service at Windsor United Church
7:00pm The Solemn Liturgy of Good Friday

Sat., April 11th, Holy Saturday
10:00am Matins & Ante-Communion
7:00pm Vigil with Lauds & Matins of Easter

Sun., April 12th, Easter
7:00am Ecumenical Sunrise Service (at the Fort Edward Blockhouse)
8:00am Holy Communion – Christ Church
10:30am Holy Communion – Christ Church
4:30pm Evening Prayer at Christ Church

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Sermons

Sermon for Palm Sunday

The Rev’d David Curry, Rector of Christ Church, preached this homily for Palm Sunday (8:00 am service).

“We have become a spectacle to the world”

“We have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men”, St. Paul tells us (1 Cor.4.9). We have become a spectacle, indeed, but what kind of spectacle?

The question is a constant challenge; one which is critically before us in the events of Holy Week, and one which applies especially to the contemporary institutional church. What kind of spectacle, indeed?

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Prayers and liturgy

The Sunday Next Before Easter

The collect for today, the Sunday Next Before Easter, commonly called Palm Sunday, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

Almighty and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility; Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: Philippians 2:5-11
The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Matthew
The Gospel: St Matthew 27:1-54

lorenzetti_entry
Artwork: Pietro Lorenzetti, The Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, 1320-1330. Fresco, Vault of the south transept of the Lower Church, San Francesco, Assisi.

c/p: Nova Scotia Scott

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Prayers and liturgy

Palm Sunday Service

The Parish of Christ Church
Palm Sunday
8:00am Holy Communion
10:30am Special Palm Sunday Service
(with Rt. Rev’d Sue Moxley & Nicole Veinotte, Interpreter for the Deaf)
4:30pm EP at Christ Church

Prelude: Chorale Prelude on “St. Theodulph” – John H. Schaffner (1945-1995)
Blessing of Palms & Palm Gospel                                                   (see liturgy insert)
Hymn # 130 “All Glory, laud and Honour”                                        (“St. Theodulph”)

Procession to Christ Church

Hymn #131 “Ride on! Ride on in Majesty”                                     (“Winchester New”)

Introduction to ‘A Litany of Lenten Scrolls’
The Passion According  to St. Matthew

The Litany                                                                                        (BCP, p.30)
1st Scroll and 1st Meditation
The Litany continued
2nd Scroll and 2nd Meditation
The Litany continued
3rd Scroll and 3rd Meditation
The Litany continued
4th Scroll and 4th Meditation
The Litany continued
5th Scroll and 5th Meditation

Conclusion of ‘A Litany of Lenten Scrolls’

Apostles’ Creed                                                                               (BCP, p. 10)
Offertory Hymn # 127                                                                      (“Batty”)
Lord’s Prayer
Collects & Blessing
Recessional Hymn # 108                                                                (“Herzliebster Jesu”)
Postlude: Fughetta in d minor – Josef Rheinberger (1839-1901)

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