Grace Church of Martha's Vineyard
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​​Easter Sunday
Morning Prayer

Grace Episcopal Church, Martha’s Vineyard 
April 12, 2020

Prelude

The Exsultet

Rejoice now, heavenly hosts and choirs of angels, and let your trumpets shout Salvation for the victory of our mighty King.

Rejoice and sing now, all the round earth, bright with a glorious splendor, for darkness has been vanquished by our eternal King.

Rejoice and be glad now, Mother Church, and let your holy courts, in radiant light, resound with the praises of your people.
 
All you who stand near this marvelous and holy flame, pray with me to Almighty for the grace to sing the worthy praise of this great light; through Jesus Christ his Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
 
Officiant    The Lord be with you.
All                 And also with you.
Officiant    Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All                 It is right to give him thanks and praise.
 
Officiant
 
It is truly right and good, always and everywhere, with our whole heart and mind and voice, to praise you, the invisible, almighty, and eternal God, and your only – begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; for he is the true Paschal Lamb, who at the feast of the Passover paid for us the debt of Adam’s sin, and by his blood delivered your faithful people.
 
This is the night, when you brought our fathers, the children of Israel, out of bondage in Egypt, and led them through the Red Sea on dry land.
 
This is the night, when all who believe in Christ are delivered from the gloom of sin, and are restored to grace and holiness of life.
 
This is the night, when Christ broke the bonds of death and hell, and rose victorious from the grave.
 
How wonderful and beyond our knowing, O God, is your mercy and loving-kindness to us, that to redeem a slave, you gave a Son.
 
How holy is this night, when wickedness is put to flight, and sin is washed away. It restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to those who mourn. It casts out pride and hatred, and brings peace and concord.
 
How blessed is this night, when earth and heaven are joined and man is reconciled to God.
 
Holy Father, accept our evening sacrifice, the offering of this candle in your honor. May it shine continually to drive away all darkness. May Christ, the Morning Star who knows no setting, find it ever burning––he who gives his light to all creation, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
 
Opening Sentence

Officiant          Alleluia.  Christ is risen!
People             The Lord is risen indeed.  Alleluia!

Invitatory and Psalter 
Officiant             Lord, open our lips.
People                  And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
 
Officiant and People
 
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.  Alleluia.

Picture
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24                                                                                           
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; *
     his mercy endures for ever.
Let Israel now proclaim, *
     "His mercy endures for ever."
The Lord is my strength and my song, *
     and he has become my salvation.
There is a sound of exultation and victory *
     in the tents of the righteous:
"The right hand of the Lord has triumphed! *
     the right hand of the Lord is exalted!
     the right hand of the Lord has triumphed!"
I shall not die, but live, *
     and declare the works of the Lord.
The Lord has punished me sorely, *
     but he did not hand me over to death.
Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
     I will enter them;
     I will offer thanks to the Lord.
"This is the gate of the Lord; *
     he who is righteous may enter."
I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
     and have become my salvation.
The same stone which the builders rejected *
     has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord's doing, *
     and it is marvelous in our eyes.
On this day the Lord has acted; *
     we will rejoice and be glad in it.
 
All

​Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the
beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
 
The Lessons
 
A Reading from Jeremiah 31:1-6
 
At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

Thus says the Lord:

The people who survived the sword
     found grace in the wilderness;
when Israel sought for rest,
     the Lord appeared to him from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
     therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
Again I will build you, and you shall be built,
     O virgin Israel!
Again you shall take your tambourines,
     and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.
Again you shall plant vineyards
     on the mountains of Samaria;
the planters shall plant,
     and shall enjoy the fruit.
For there shall be a day when sentinels will call
     in the hill country of Ephraim:
“Come, let us go up to Zion,
     to the Lord our God.”
 
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Picture
A Reading from Colossians 3:1-4
​
If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Picture
​A Reading from John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
 
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
 
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
 

Homily                                                                                                                   The. Rev. Stephen Harding

The Renewal of Baptismal Vows 
Officiant      Let us join with those who are committing themselves to Christ and renew our
                        own baptismal covenant. 

The Baptismal Covenant
 
Officiant      Do you believe in God the Father?
All                  I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
 
Officiant      Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
All                  I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
                            He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
                                    and born of the Virgin Mary.
                            He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
                                    was crucified, died, and was buried.
                            He descended to the dead.
                            On the third day he rose again.
                            He ascended into heaven,
                                    and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
                            He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
 
Officiant      Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
All                  I believe in the Holy Spirit,
                                    the holy catholic catholic Church,
                                    the communion of saints,
                                    the forgiveness of sins,
                                    the resurrection of the body,
                                    and the life everlasting.
Officiant      Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of
                        bread, and in the prayers?
All                  I will, with God’s help.
 
Officiant      Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and
                       return to the Lord?
All                  I will, with God’s help.
 
Officiant      Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
All                  I will, with God’s help.
 
Officiant      Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
All                  I will, with God’s help.
 
Officiant      Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of
                        every human being?
All                  I will, with God’s help.
 
The Prayers 
Officiant       The Lord be with you.
All                    And also with you.
Officiant        Let us pray.

The Lord’s Prayer 
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.

Suffrages A 
V.  Show us your mercy, O Lord;
R.  And grant us your salvation.
V.  Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
R.  Let your people sing with joy.
V.  Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
R.  For only in you can we live in safety.
V.  Lord, keep this nation under your care;
R.  And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
V.  Let your way be known upon earth;
R.  Your saving health among all nations.
V.  Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
R.  Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
V.  Create in us clean hearts, O God;
R.  And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

The Collect of the Day 
Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. 

A Collect for Sundays 
O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
A Prayer for Mission  
Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of the Resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, and bathed us in His radiance:  Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives to reflect your glory and our hope; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever, Amen.
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Prayers
The General Thanksgiving 

Officiant and People
 
Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages.


A Prayer of St. Chrysostom 
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
 
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Picture
Postlude

The Flowers for Easter are given in
​Thanksgivings and Memorials Flowers, and Greens

 
In Honor of
Amy and Alison
 
In Memory of
 
Eugene Baer
Katherine Deeble
Riley Deeble
Nancy Easterday
Lee Fierro
Firefighter Robert Fitzgibbon
Firefighter Daniel Foley
Robert Jewett

Danica Kovacevic
Audrey Leaf

Will Luckey
Frederica Meister
​Rev. Brian Murdoch
Heinz-Helmer Puetthoff
Anne Jackson Riker
Daniel Sharkovitz
USMC Staff Sergeant & Firefighter Christopher Slutman
David Steinbrink

 
All those who have died from the coronavirus
 
In Thanksgiving for

 Leo and Hazel 
The staff and leadership of the Martha's Vineyard Hospital
Our EMS and First Responders
All those working in hospitals and care facilities
All those working in grocery stores, pharmacies, and other essential services
All those doing their part through social distancing and staying at home

  • WELCOME
    • Contact Us
  • Leadership
  • Annual Report 2023
  • Online Sunday Services at Grace
    • The Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany February 5, 2023
    • Fourth Sunday After the Epiphany January 29, 2023
    • Sung Compline
    • Third Sunday after the Epiphany January 22, 2023
    • The Second Sunday after the Epiphany, January 15, 2023
  • Church and Faith
    • Our Three-Year Plan
    • Weddings
    • Mission of Grace and Who We Are
    • History of Grace Church
  • Climate Change
  • Photographs
  • Liturgies to Say at Home
    • Spiritual Communion
    • Morning Prayer
    • Daily Devotions
    • Noonday Prayer
    • Evening Prayer
    • Compline for nightly use
    • The Angelus
    • BCP Services
  • Community Suppers and More
    • Community Suppers
    • Summer Lobster Rolls
  • Playground
  • The Tisbury Connection