Easter 4 Sunday, 26/04/2026
SENTENCE FROM SCRIPTURE:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. (Psalm 23)
HYMN
GREETING
Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
COLLECT FOR PURITY
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
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.
SUMMARY OF THE LAW
Our Lord Jesus Christ said: The first commandment is this:
Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.”
The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. Amen. Lord, have mercy.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
God is love and we are God’s children. There is no room for fear in love. We love because God loved us first.
Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith.
SILENCE
God our Father,
we confess to you
and to our fellow members in the Body of Christ
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and in what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry.
Forgive us our sins,
and deliver us from the power of evil,
for the sake of your Son who died for us, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
ABSOLUTION
God, who is both power and love,
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by the Holy Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.
GLORIA
sung by Dougie Byers
COLLECT
O God,
the light of whose truth stretches out to those who go astray,
that they may return to the path of righteousness:
give your grace to all who profess themselves Christians,
that they may cast out what is harmful,
and pursue all that gives life;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. Amen
PROCLAIMING & RECEIVING GOD’S WORD
FIRST READING
Acts 2.42–47,
read by Annette Beagrie
Many were baptized and were added to the community. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
SECOND READING
1 Peter 2.19–25,
read by David Kerr
Brothers and sisters: 19 It is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. 20 If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval.
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. 22 ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ 23 When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
GRADUAL HYMN
GOSPEL
John 10.1–10,
read by Kay Solaja
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St John, chapter 10 beginning at verse 1
Glory to Christ our Saviour
Jesus said to the Pharisees: 1‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’
Give thanks to the Lord for his glorious Gospel
Praise to Christ our Lord.
SERMON
Sermon by Rev. Ann Wren
Welcoming with Compassion John 10:10
On my bedroom shelf there is a box, blue, heart shaped, padded fabric top with a tree in full blossom in white and silver. At the point of the heart along the side of the lid, there are two figures, travelling leaning forward as if battling against a strong wind, one bears a crown. On the bottom section the blossom spills over but beneath the couple there is a structure tilting as if sinking or collapsing.
The box fits neatly in the palm of my hand my fingers often curl around it.
Opening the heart there is an inner heart covered in red fabric the same fabric also lines the lid. The box opens to reveal a broken heart within.
Inside there are three objects, treasures, gifts received during my ministry.
One, an arrow flint, carved purposefully for death, most probably its origin is one of the American first nation tribes in Montana. Discovered by a disabled man, a veteran returning from Vietnam, wandering the mountains without direction or purpose scarred by the horrors he had just lived through…..just………..
He was making a basic camp creating a shallow scraping for a fire when he found the ancient arrowhead. He looked out across the endless landscape, remembered the history; the ancients, torn from their homeland and put through indescribable pain and suffering as their very being was stripped from them; home, language, traditions….. at least they tried……the pioneering people…. who came, destroying, claiming the territory, dividing the land, uprooting the habitat, and fencing off their plots for a new civilised world.
As the man held the flint arrowhead, shaped to bring death ……but a death measured and purposeful. Before the hunt, the ancients honoured the life that would die to sustain a family or tribe and that day every part of the animal would be purposed, nothing discarded……unused….. no refuse. In that moment, flint in hand, the man’s life changed. He looked out again across the landscape and felt a new sense of responsibility to care for the land and to make a difference in small determined steps, reclaiming ancient traditions, seeking harmony and restoration not just for himself only but for humankind.
I was given this arrowhead in 1997; Bill was graduating from Lawrence University with a degree in Theology and Natural Sciences. We had, over the past months, shared our stories, and our hopes for the future, drawn out of our faith in the Risen Christ and what it meant to carry the wounds of suffering; The Risen Christ, bearing the wounds of crucifixion, brought to the Disciples a purpose to love, embracing all people into a new time. Bill gave me the flint as we both left to start a new life, nothing of our journeys would be lost or forgotten as we began ministries of transformation welcoming with compassion the hurt, the lost, and the hopeless in a World that sobs for Love.
Jesus said. “I have come that you may have life, life in all its fulness!” Jn.10:10
THE CREED
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,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one substance 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 of 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.
With the Father and the Son,
he is worshipped 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
Loving God, you have raised Jesus Christ from the dead and made him our shepherd:
Lead us in his risen life.
Let us pray,
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
Strengthen your Church, O Lord, in faith, in unity, and in worship.
We pray for Bishop Nicolas, for Jim our interim priest in charge, and for all who serve your Church.
LORD, IN YOUR MERCY
HEAR OUR PRAYER
“All who believed were together and had all things in common.”
Teach us, O Lord, to seek the common good.
Guide those in authority in all corners of our broken world.
May they act with justice, generosity, and compassion.
LORD, IN YOUR MERCY
HEAR OUR PRAYER
“By his wounds you have been healed.”
Bring healing, O Lord, to all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit.
We remember before you those known in our own hearts.
LORD, IN YOUR MERCY
HEAR OUR PRAYER
“You were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.”
Receive into your care, O Lord, all who have recently died and those who’s years mind occurs at this time.
We remember especially:
***names***
and all the faithful departed.
LORD, IN YOUR MERCY
HEAR OUR PRAYER
“The sheep hear his voice… and they follow him.”
Loving God,
We pray for this parish as we seek the priest you are calling to serve among us. Bless the Vacancy Committee and guide us in our discernment.
Give us ears to hear your word, hearts ready to follow in obedience, and courage in shaping the future you are preparing for this community.
LORD, IN YOUR MERCY
HEAR OUR PRAYER
Merciful Father accept these prayers for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ who taught us to pray together
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Do not bring us
to the time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
BLESSING
Christ the Son of God gladden your hearts with the good news of his kingdom; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
HYMN –
DISMISSAL
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ. Amen
