Gathering

Welcome

Thanksgiving for Baptism

P:         Blessed be the Holy Trinity, + one God, the fountain of living water, the rock who gave us birth, our light and our salvation. Amen

Joined to Christ in the waters of baptism, we are clothed with God’s mercy and forgiveness.  Let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.

Water is poured into the baptismal font.

We give you thanks, O God,

for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and by your Word your created the world, calling forth life in which you took delight.

P:         Through the waters of the flood, you delivered Noah and his family.  Through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom.  At the river, Jesus, your most holy child, was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit.  By water and your Word, you claim us as daughters and sons, making us heirs of your promise and servants of all.

We praise you for the gift of water that sustains life, and above all we praise you for the gift of new life in Jesus Christ.  Shower us with your Spirit, and renew our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love.

P:         To you be given honour and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.  Amen

Gathering Song                  “This Little Light of Mine”                              # 677

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…

Every where I go, I’m gonna let it shine…

Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let it shine…

Greeting

P:         The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

Prayer of the Day

P:         Let us pray,

Gracious God, you showed your glory and led many to faith by the work of Jesus, your most holy child.  As he brought gladness and healing to his people, grant us these same gifts and lead us also to faith and trust in him, for we pray in Jesus’ name.    Amen

Word

First Reading

A:         The figure of Samuel, and the books of the Old Testament named after him, link the time of the Judges who oversaw the twelve tribes of Israel immediately after entering the Promised Land – about 1200 years before Christ – and the time of the Kings of Israel – about 200 years later.  Samuel was called by God to be a prophet from a young age, and to help Israel transition from being a federation of family tribes to becoming a nation.

A reading from 1 Samuel, the 3^rd chapter.

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.

² At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; ³the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. ⁴Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’ ⁵and ran to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call; lie down again.’ So he went and lay down. ⁶The Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’ ⁷Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. ⁸The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” ’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Second Reading

A: Reading from Psalm 139

¹ O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
² You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
   you discern my thoughts from far away.
³ You search out my path and my lying down,
   and are acquainted with all my ways.
⁴ Even before a word is on my tongue,
   O Lord, you know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in, behind and before,
   and lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
   it is so high that I cannot attain it.

¹³ For it was you who formed my inward parts;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
   Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.
¹⁵   My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, 

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written
 all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.
¹⁷ How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
   How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ I try to count them—they are more than the sand;
   I come to the end—I am still with you.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, Lord to whom shall we go?

You have the words of eternal life.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

P:         The holy gospel according to John, the 1^st chapter.

Glory to you, O Lord.

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ ⁴⁴Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. ⁴⁵Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ ⁴⁶Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ ⁴⁷When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ ⁴⁸Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ ⁴⁹Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ ⁵⁰Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ ⁵¹And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

The gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

Hymn of the Day              “Will You Come and Follow Me”                    # 798

“Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?

Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?

Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known?

Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?”

“Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?

Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?

Will you risk the hostile stare, should your life attract or scare?

Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?”

“Will you love the ‘you’ you hide if I but call your name?

Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?

Will you use the faith you’ve found to re-shape the world around,

Through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?”

Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.

Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.

In your company I’ll go where your love and footsteps show.

Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

Text: John L. Bell, b. 1949.  © 1987 Iona Community, admin. GIA Publications.  Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-736296. All rights reserved.

Apostles’ Creed

P:         We are made God’s people through our baptism into Christ. 

Living   together in trust and hope, we confess our faith:

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the virgin Mary,

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.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting.  Amen

Prayers

            Take, O take me as I am;

            summon out what I shall be;

            set your seal upon my heart and live in me.

Text: John L. Bell, b. 1949.  © 1987 Iona Community, admin. GIA Publications.  Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-736296. All rights reserved.

Sharing of the Peace

Meal

Offertory                             “Let the Vineyards be Fruitful”              # 182

Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,

and fill to the brim our cup of blessing.

Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,

that we may be fed with the bread of life.

Gather the hopes and the dreams of all;

unite them with the prayers we offer now.

Grace our table with your presence, and give us

a foretaste of the feast to come.

Offertory Prayer

A:      God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever.  You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine.  Nourish us with these gifts, that we might be for the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.    Amen

The Great Thanksgiving

P:         The Lord be with you. 

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. 

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Eucharistic Prayer

Blessed are you, O holy God: you are the Life and Light of all.

By your powerful word, you created all things.  Through the prophets, you called your people to be a light to the nations.

Blessed are you for Jesus.

He is your Light shining in our darkness and revealing to us your mercy and grace.

A plate of bread in each home may be lifted up.

In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying: This is my body given for you.  Do this for the remembrance of me.

A cup of wine in each home may be lifted up.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.  Do this for the remembrance of me.

Remembering, therefore, his preaching and healing, his dying and rising, and his promise to come again, we await that day when all the universe will rejoice in your holy and life-giving light.

By your Spirit, bless us and this holy meal, that refreshed with this heavenly food, we may be light for the world revealing the brilliance of Christ;

Through whom all glory and honour are yours with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, now and forever.  Amen

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, forever and ever.  Amen

Distribution

If you are in a group, you may serve one another.  If you are alone, you may serve yourself.  All use these or similar words:

The body of Christ, given for you.

The blood of Christ, shed for you.

Blessing

P:      May the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen, keep, and unite us now and forever.  Amen

Post-Communion Canticle         “Thankful Hearts and Voices Raise”

Thankful hearts and voices raise; tell everyone what God has done.

Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and bear Christ’s holy name.

Send us with your promises and lead your people forth in joy

with shouts of thanksgiving.  Alleluia.  Alleluia!

Post-Communion Prayer

A:         We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of this gift of life.  In your mercy, strengthen us through this gift in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

Sending

Announcements may be made.

Benediction

P:         May God the creator strengthen you;

Jesus the beloved fill you;

and Holy Spirit the comforter + keep you in peace,

now and forever.  Amen                   

Sending Hymn                                “Take My Life, That I May Be”                                   # 583          

Take my life, that I may be, consecrated, Lord to thee;

Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love;

take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for thee.

Take my life, that I may be, consecrated, Lord to thee;

Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold;

take my intellect and use every power as thou shalt choose.

Take my life, that I may be, consecrated, Lord to thee;

Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my will and make it thine; it shall be no longer mine;

take my heart, it is thine own; it shall be thy royal throne.

Take my life, that I may be, consecrated, Lord to thee;

Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Dismissal

            A:         Go in peace to be the light of Christ!

Thanks be to God!