St. John's Anglican Church
Parish of Horton, Wolfville, Nova Scotia
We are a welcoming & affirming community to all persons.
April 28th, 2024; Fifth Sunday of Easter
Rector: The Rev’d Nicole Uzans, rector.stjohnswolfville@gmail.com
Wardens: Cameron Finlay & Karen Padovani, wardens.stjohnswolfville@gmail.com
Director of Music & Organist: Dr. Michelle Boyd, m.e.boyd@gmail.com
Livestream Operator: Randy Mansfield
Parish of Horton, Wolfville, Nova Scotia
We are a welcoming & affirming community to all persons.
April 28th, 2024; Fifth Sunday of Easter
Rector: The Rev’d Nicole Uzans, rector.stjohnswolfville@gmail.com
Wardens: Cameron Finlay & Karen Padovani, wardens.stjohnswolfville@gmail.com
Director of Music & Organist: Dr. Michelle Boyd, m.e.boyd@gmail.com
Livestream Operator: Randy Mansfield
This parish is located in Mi’kma’ki, the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq people.
This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship”
which Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) People
first signed with the British Crown in 1725. We are all Treaty people.
This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship”
which Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) People
first signed with the British Crown in 1725. We are all Treaty people.
8AM MORNING PRAYER, BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER
Presider: The Rev'd Nicole Uzans, Rector
Preacher: Rev. Dr V. Bruce Matthews
Presider: The Rev'd Nicole Uzans, Rector
Preacher: Rev. Dr V. Bruce Matthews
Reader: Pat Moore
Prayers of the People: William DeGrace
Greeter: Shirley Marston
Prayers of the People: William DeGrace
Greeter: Shirley Marston
Collect & Readings for 8AM
Collect:
O Lord, from whom all good things do come: Grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration
we may think those things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same; through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Psalm 22:25-31, read responsively
My praise is of God in the great assembly;
I will perform my vows in the presence of those
who worship the Lord.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek the Lord shall give praise:
“May your heart live for ever!”
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations shall bow before God.
For sovereignty belongs to the Lord,
who rules over the nations.
To God alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship;
all who go down to the dust fall before God.
My soul shall live for God; my descendants shall serve God;
they shall be known as the Lord’s for ever.
They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn
the saving deeds that God has done.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
First Reading: Acts 8:26-40
At the conclusion of the passage, the reader says,
The word of the Lord.
All respond: Thanks be to God.
The Holy Gospel: John 15:1-8
All stand for the Gospel.
Reader: The Holy Gospel is written in the 10th chapter of the Gospel according to John,
beginning at the 11th verse.
People: Glory be to thee, O Lord.
At the conclusion of the Gospel, the reader says,
The Gospel of Christ.
People: Praise be to thee, O Christ.
O Lord, from whom all good things do come: Grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration
we may think those things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same; through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Psalm 22:25-31, read responsively
My praise is of God in the great assembly;
I will perform my vows in the presence of those
who worship the Lord.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek the Lord shall give praise:
“May your heart live for ever!”
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations shall bow before God.
For sovereignty belongs to the Lord,
who rules over the nations.
To God alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship;
all who go down to the dust fall before God.
My soul shall live for God; my descendants shall serve God;
they shall be known as the Lord’s for ever.
They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn
the saving deeds that God has done.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
First Reading: Acts 8:26-40
At the conclusion of the passage, the reader says,
The word of the Lord.
All respond: Thanks be to God.
The Holy Gospel: John 15:1-8
All stand for the Gospel.
Reader: The Holy Gospel is written in the 10th chapter of the Gospel according to John,
beginning at the 11th verse.
People: Glory be to thee, O Lord.
At the conclusion of the Gospel, the reader says,
The Gospel of Christ.
People: Praise be to thee, O Christ.
10AM A SERVICE OF THE WORD
Preacher & Presider: The Rev'd Nicole Uzans, Rector
The Gathering of the Community
Prelude:
Greeting:
Grace to you and peace from our Creator, the Love at our beginning and
without end, in our midst and with us.
Opening Hymn: #398 Let Us With A Gladsome Mind
Let us with a gladsome mind,
praise the Lord forever kind:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Who with all-commanding might
filled the new-made world with light:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Who the golden-tressed sun
caused all day its course to run:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
All things living God doth feed,
with full hand supplies their need:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Let us with a gladsome mind,
praise the Lord, forever kind:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Opening Responses:
Presider: Alleluia! Christ is risen.
People: The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Presider: Let us praise our God
People: who has given us life and hope
by raising Jesus from the dead.
Presider: Let us rejoice, then, even in our distress.
People: We shall be counted worthy when Christ appears.
Presider: O God, you have claimed us as your own
People: and called us from our darkness
into the light of your day.
Presider: Alleluia! Christ is risen.
People: The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Presider: Blessed are you, God of our salvation, to you be praise and glory for ever. As once you ransomed
your people from Egypt and led them to freedom in the promised land, so now you have delivered us
from the shadows and brought us into the loving reign of the risen Christ. May we, the first fruits of
your new creation, rejoice in this new day you have made and praise you for your mighty acts.
Blessed be God: Source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit.
People: Blessed be God for ever.
The Collect of the Day:
As we prepare to hear the words of scripture, let us pray:
O God, you give us the Son as the vine, apart from whom we cannot live. Nourish our life in his
resurrection, so that we may bear the fruit of love and know the fullness of your joy; through Jesus
Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for
ever. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
1st Reading: Acts 8:26-40, read by Kimberly Matheson
At the conclusion of the passage, the reader says,
The word of the Lord.
All respond: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 22:25-31, read responsively, led by Jim Nelson
My praise is of God in the great assembly;
I will perform my vows in the presence of those
who worship the Lord.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek the Lord shall give praise:
“May your heart live for ever!”
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations shall bow before God.
For sovereignty belongs to the Lord,
who rules over the nations.
To God alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship;
all who go down to the dust fall before God.
My soul shall live for God; my descendants shall serve God;
they shall be known as the Lord’s for ever.
They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn
the saving deeds that God has done.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Gradual Hymn: #522 Rock of Ages
Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee;
Let the water and the blood, from thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure, cleanse me from its guilt and power.
Not the labours of my hands can fulfil thy laws' demands;
Could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone: thou must save, and thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring; simply to thy cross I cling:
Naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Saviour, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath, when mine eyelids close in death,
When I soar through tracts unknown, see thee on they judgement throne,
Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.
The Holy Gospel: John 15:1-8
All stand, as they are able.
Reader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Reader: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
People: Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
At the conclusion of the Gospel, the reader says,
The Gospel of Christ.
People: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Sermon – Rev. Nicole Uzans, Rector
The Affirmation of Faith, from the Iona Community
All are invited to rise.
We believe in Jesus Christ,
Son of the One God,
maker and sustainer of earth, sea, and sky.
Born of Mary's womb,
faithful to the God of Abraham and Sarah,
Jesus healed the sick, served the poor,
and proclaimed heaven on earth.
Condemned by the religious, crucified by the state, he died,
but transformed even death and rose to life everlasting.
He blessed the disciples with his Holy Spirit
and sent them forth, east and west, north and south.
We commit ourselves to Jesus,
to one another as siblings in faith,
and to God’s mission in the world,
in the grace of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn: #458 Seek Ye First
Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And God's righteousness;
And all these things shall be added unto you.
Allelu, Alleluia!
Ask, and it shall be given unto you;
Seek, and you shall find.
Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Allelu, Alleluia!
The Ministry of Prayer
The Prayers of the People, led by Kimberly Matheson
All may sit or kneel.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Let us gather our prayers in the words that Jesus taught us,
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,
the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Offertory Music:
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for Food and Food Banks:
On the 4th Sunday of the month, we receive the donations made to the Wolfville Food Bank,
along with the monetary gifts given for the work of the Church.
All rise.
Creator of all, in your wisdom, you have bound us together so that we must depend on
others for the food we eat, the resources we use, and all the gifts of your creation that bring
life, health, and joy.
Creator God, we give you thanks.
Holy be the Earth, fruitful, diverse, and generous. Holy be the hands that work the land. Holy
be the feet of all who labour to bring nourishment to every needful place.
Creator God, we give you thanks.
Holy be the bodies of those who know hunger; sacred be the bodies of those who are broken;
blessed be the bodies of those who suffer.
Bless this food we now bring and bless those who will receive it. Soften our hearts towards
one another, that we may share freely, live humbly, and always give thanks for all that you have
given us.
Prayer Over the Gifts:
We pray together.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the splendour, and the majesty; for everything
in heaven and on earth is yours. All things come from you, and of your own have we given you.
The Doxology:
Glory to God, whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory
to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Blessing:
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I am with you always.’
May God the Creator bless you. May God the Son walk with you. May God the Spirit lead your lives with
love, this day and for evermore. Amen.
Closing Hymn: #485 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heav'n to earth come down,
fix in us Thy humble dwelling;
all Thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love Thou art;
visit us with Thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Come, Almighty to deliver;
let us all Thy life receive;
suddenly return and never,
nevermore Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve Thee as Thy hosts above;
pray, and praise Thee without ceasing,
glory in Thy perfect love.
Finish then, Thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see Thy great salvation
perfectly restored in Thee.
Changed from glory into glory,
till in heav'n we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before Thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Dismissal
Let us go forth rejoicing, for Christ the Lord is risen! Alleluia!
Thanks be to God! Alleluia!
Postlude:
Preacher & Presider: The Rev'd Nicole Uzans, Rector
The Gathering of the Community
Prelude:
Greeting:
Grace to you and peace from our Creator, the Love at our beginning and
without end, in our midst and with us.
Opening Hymn: #398 Let Us With A Gladsome Mind
Let us with a gladsome mind,
praise the Lord forever kind:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Who with all-commanding might
filled the new-made world with light:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Who the golden-tressed sun
caused all day its course to run:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
All things living God doth feed,
with full hand supplies their need:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Let us with a gladsome mind,
praise the Lord, forever kind:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Opening Responses:
Presider: Alleluia! Christ is risen.
People: The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Presider: Let us praise our God
People: who has given us life and hope
by raising Jesus from the dead.
Presider: Let us rejoice, then, even in our distress.
People: We shall be counted worthy when Christ appears.
Presider: O God, you have claimed us as your own
People: and called us from our darkness
into the light of your day.
Presider: Alleluia! Christ is risen.
People: The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Presider: Blessed are you, God of our salvation, to you be praise and glory for ever. As once you ransomed
your people from Egypt and led them to freedom in the promised land, so now you have delivered us
from the shadows and brought us into the loving reign of the risen Christ. May we, the first fruits of
your new creation, rejoice in this new day you have made and praise you for your mighty acts.
Blessed be God: Source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit.
People: Blessed be God for ever.
The Collect of the Day:
As we prepare to hear the words of scripture, let us pray:
O God, you give us the Son as the vine, apart from whom we cannot live. Nourish our life in his
resurrection, so that we may bear the fruit of love and know the fullness of your joy; through Jesus
Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for
ever. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
1st Reading: Acts 8:26-40, read by Kimberly Matheson
At the conclusion of the passage, the reader says,
The word of the Lord.
All respond: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 22:25-31, read responsively, led by Jim Nelson
My praise is of God in the great assembly;
I will perform my vows in the presence of those
who worship the Lord.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek the Lord shall give praise:
“May your heart live for ever!”
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations shall bow before God.
For sovereignty belongs to the Lord,
who rules over the nations.
To God alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship;
all who go down to the dust fall before God.
My soul shall live for God; my descendants shall serve God;
they shall be known as the Lord’s for ever.
They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn
the saving deeds that God has done.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Gradual Hymn: #522 Rock of Ages
Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee;
Let the water and the blood, from thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure, cleanse me from its guilt and power.
Not the labours of my hands can fulfil thy laws' demands;
Could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone: thou must save, and thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring; simply to thy cross I cling:
Naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Saviour, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath, when mine eyelids close in death,
When I soar through tracts unknown, see thee on they judgement throne,
Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.
The Holy Gospel: John 15:1-8
All stand, as they are able.
Reader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Reader: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
People: Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
At the conclusion of the Gospel, the reader says,
The Gospel of Christ.
People: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Sermon – Rev. Nicole Uzans, Rector
The Affirmation of Faith, from the Iona Community
All are invited to rise.
We believe in Jesus Christ,
Son of the One God,
maker and sustainer of earth, sea, and sky.
Born of Mary's womb,
faithful to the God of Abraham and Sarah,
Jesus healed the sick, served the poor,
and proclaimed heaven on earth.
Condemned by the religious, crucified by the state, he died,
but transformed even death and rose to life everlasting.
He blessed the disciples with his Holy Spirit
and sent them forth, east and west, north and south.
We commit ourselves to Jesus,
to one another as siblings in faith,
and to God’s mission in the world,
in the grace of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn: #458 Seek Ye First
Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And God's righteousness;
And all these things shall be added unto you.
Allelu, Alleluia!
Ask, and it shall be given unto you;
Seek, and you shall find.
Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Allelu, Alleluia!
The Ministry of Prayer
The Prayers of the People, led by Kimberly Matheson
All may sit or kneel.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Let us gather our prayers in the words that Jesus taught us,
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,
the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Offertory Music:
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for Food and Food Banks:
On the 4th Sunday of the month, we receive the donations made to the Wolfville Food Bank,
along with the monetary gifts given for the work of the Church.
All rise.
Creator of all, in your wisdom, you have bound us together so that we must depend on
others for the food we eat, the resources we use, and all the gifts of your creation that bring
life, health, and joy.
Creator God, we give you thanks.
Holy be the Earth, fruitful, diverse, and generous. Holy be the hands that work the land. Holy
be the feet of all who labour to bring nourishment to every needful place.
Creator God, we give you thanks.
Holy be the bodies of those who know hunger; sacred be the bodies of those who are broken;
blessed be the bodies of those who suffer.
Bless this food we now bring and bless those who will receive it. Soften our hearts towards
one another, that we may share freely, live humbly, and always give thanks for all that you have
given us.
Prayer Over the Gifts:
We pray together.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the splendour, and the majesty; for everything
in heaven and on earth is yours. All things come from you, and of your own have we given you.
The Doxology:
Glory to God, whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory
to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Blessing:
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I am with you always.’
May God the Creator bless you. May God the Son walk with you. May God the Spirit lead your lives with
love, this day and for evermore. Amen.
Closing Hymn: #485 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heav'n to earth come down,
fix in us Thy humble dwelling;
all Thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love Thou art;
visit us with Thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Come, Almighty to deliver;
let us all Thy life receive;
suddenly return and never,
nevermore Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve Thee as Thy hosts above;
pray, and praise Thee without ceasing,
glory in Thy perfect love.
Finish then, Thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see Thy great salvation
perfectly restored in Thee.
Changed from glory into glory,
till in heav'n we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before Thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Dismissal
Let us go forth rejoicing, for Christ the Lord is risen! Alleluia!
Thanks be to God! Alleluia!
Postlude:
10AM A SERVICE OF THE WORD
Preacher & Presider: The Rev'd Nicole Uzans, Rector
The Gathering of the Community
Prelude:
Greeting:
All are invited to rise.
Grace to you and peace from our Creator, the love at our beginning and without end, in our midst and with us.
Opening Hymn: 398 Let Us With A Gladsome Mind
Let us with a gladsome mind,
praise the Lord forever kind:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Who with all-commanding might
filled the new-made world with light:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Who the golden-tressed sun
caused all day its course to run:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
All things living God doth feed,
with full hand supplies their need:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Let us with a gladsome mind,
praise the Lord, forever kind:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Opening Responses:
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Let us praise our God
who has given us life and hope by raising Jesus from the dead.
Let us rejoice, then, even in our distress.
We shall be counted worthy when Christ appears.
O God, you have claimed us as your own
and called us from our darkness into the light of your day.
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Blessed are you, God of our salvation, to you be praise and glory for ever. As once you ransomed your people from Egypt and led them to freedom in the promised land, so now you have delivered us from the shadows and brought us into the loving reign of the risen Christ. May we, the first fruits of your new creation, rejoice in this new day you have made and praise you for your mighty acts.
Blessed be God: Source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
The Collect of the Day:
As we prepare to hear the words of scripture, let us pray:
O God, you give us the Son as the vine, apart from whom we cannot live. Nourish our life in his resurrection, so that we may bear the fruit of love and know the fullness of your joy; through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
1st Reading: Acts 8:26-40, read by Kimberly Matheson
At the conclusion of the passage, the reader says,
The word of the Lord.
All respond: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 22:25-31, read responsively, led by Jim Nelson
My praise is of God in the great assembly;
I will perform my vows in the presence of those
who worship the Lord.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek the Lord shall give praise:
“May your heart live for ever!”
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations shall bow before God.
For sovereignty belongs to the Lord,
who rules over the nations.
To God alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship;
all who go down to the dust fall before God.
My soul shall live for God; my descendants shall serve God;
they shall be known as the Lord’s for ever.
They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn
the saving deeds that God has done.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Gradual Hymn: #522 Rock of Ages
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
Let the water and the blood,
from thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
cleanse me from its guilt and power.
Not the labours of my hands
can fulfil thy laws' demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone:
thou must save, and thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring;
simply to thy cross I cling:
Naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Saviour, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyelids close in death,
When I soar through tracts unknown,
see thee on they judgement throne,
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.
The Holy Gospel: John 15:1-8
All stand, as they are able.
Reader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Reader: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
People: Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
At the conclusion of the Gospel, the reader says,
The Gospel of Christ.
People: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Sermon – Rev. Nicole Uzans, Rector
Affirmation of Faith
from the Iona Community
All are invited to rise.
We believe in Jesus Christ,
Son of the One God,
maker and sustainer of earth, sea, and sky.
Born of Mary's womb,
faithful to the God of Abraham and Sarah,
Jesus healed the sick, served the poor,
and proclaimed heaven on earth.
Condemned by the religious, crucified by the state, he died,
but transformed even death and rose to life everlasting.
He blessed the disciples with his Holy Spirit
and sent them forth, east and west, north and south.
We commit ourselves to Jesus,
to one another as siblings in faith,
and to God’s mission in the world,
in the grace of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn: #458 Seek Ye First
Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And God's righteousness;
And all these things shall be added unto you.
Allelu, Alleluia!
Ask, and it shall be given unto you;
Seek, and you shall find.
Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Allelu, Alleluia!
The Ministry of Prayer
The Prayers of the People, led by Kimberly Matheson
All may sit or kneel.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Let us gather our prayers in the words that Jesus taught us,
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, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Offertory Music
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for Food and Food Banks:
On the 4th Sunday of the month, we receive the donations made to the Wolfville Food Bank, along with the monetary gifts given for the work of the Church.
All rise.
Creator of all, in your wisdom, you have bound us together so that we must depend on others for the food we eat, the resources we use, and all the gifts of your creation that bring life, health, and joy.
Creator God, we give you thanks.
Holy be the Earth, fruitful, diverse, and generous. Holy be the hands that work the land. Holy be the feet of all who labour to bring nourishment to every needful place.
Creator God, we give you thanks.
Holy be the bodies of those who know hunger; sacred be the bodies of those who are broken; blessed be the bodies of those who suffer.
Bless this food we now bring and bless those who will receive it. Soften our hearts towards one another, that we may share freely, live humbly, and always give thanks for all that you have given us.
The Prayer Over the Gifts:
We pray together.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the splendour, and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours. All things come from you, and of your own have we given you.
The Doxology:
Glory to God, whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Blessing:
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I am with you always.’
May God the Creator bless you. May God the Son walk with you. May God the Spirit lead your lives with love, this day and for evermore. Amen.
Closing Hymn: #485 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heav'n to earth come down,
fix in us Thy humble dwelling;
all Thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love Thou art;
visit us with Thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Come, Almighty to deliver;
let us all Thy life receive;
suddenly return and never,
nevermore Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve Thee as Thy hosts above;
pray, and praise Thee without ceasing,
glory in Thy perfect love.
Finish then, Thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see Thy great salvation
perfectly restored in Thee.
Changed from glory into glory,
till in heav'n we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before Thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Dismissal
Let us go forth rejoicing, for Chirst the Lord is risen. Alleluia!
Thanks be to God! Alleluia!
Postlude:
Preacher & Presider: The Rev'd Nicole Uzans, Rector
The Gathering of the Community
Prelude:
Greeting:
All are invited to rise.
Grace to you and peace from our Creator, the love at our beginning and without end, in our midst and with us.
Opening Hymn: 398 Let Us With A Gladsome Mind
Let us with a gladsome mind,
praise the Lord forever kind:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Who with all-commanding might
filled the new-made world with light:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Who the golden-tressed sun
caused all day its course to run:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
All things living God doth feed,
with full hand supplies their need:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Let us with a gladsome mind,
praise the Lord, forever kind:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
Opening Responses:
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Let us praise our God
who has given us life and hope by raising Jesus from the dead.
Let us rejoice, then, even in our distress.
We shall be counted worthy when Christ appears.
O God, you have claimed us as your own
and called us from our darkness into the light of your day.
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Blessed are you, God of our salvation, to you be praise and glory for ever. As once you ransomed your people from Egypt and led them to freedom in the promised land, so now you have delivered us from the shadows and brought us into the loving reign of the risen Christ. May we, the first fruits of your new creation, rejoice in this new day you have made and praise you for your mighty acts.
Blessed be God: Source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
The Collect of the Day:
As we prepare to hear the words of scripture, let us pray:
O God, you give us the Son as the vine, apart from whom we cannot live. Nourish our life in his resurrection, so that we may bear the fruit of love and know the fullness of your joy; through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
1st Reading: Acts 8:26-40, read by Kimberly Matheson
At the conclusion of the passage, the reader says,
The word of the Lord.
All respond: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 22:25-31, read responsively, led by Jim Nelson
My praise is of God in the great assembly;
I will perform my vows in the presence of those
who worship the Lord.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek the Lord shall give praise:
“May your heart live for ever!”
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations shall bow before God.
For sovereignty belongs to the Lord,
who rules over the nations.
To God alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship;
all who go down to the dust fall before God.
My soul shall live for God; my descendants shall serve God;
they shall be known as the Lord’s for ever.
They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn
the saving deeds that God has done.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Gradual Hymn: #522 Rock of Ages
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
Let the water and the blood,
from thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
cleanse me from its guilt and power.
Not the labours of my hands
can fulfil thy laws' demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone:
thou must save, and thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring;
simply to thy cross I cling:
Naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Saviour, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyelids close in death,
When I soar through tracts unknown,
see thee on they judgement throne,
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.
The Holy Gospel: John 15:1-8
All stand, as they are able.
Reader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Reader: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
People: Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
At the conclusion of the Gospel, the reader says,
The Gospel of Christ.
People: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Sermon – Rev. Nicole Uzans, Rector
Affirmation of Faith
from the Iona Community
All are invited to rise.
We believe in Jesus Christ,
Son of the One God,
maker and sustainer of earth, sea, and sky.
Born of Mary's womb,
faithful to the God of Abraham and Sarah,
Jesus healed the sick, served the poor,
and proclaimed heaven on earth.
Condemned by the religious, crucified by the state, he died,
but transformed even death and rose to life everlasting.
He blessed the disciples with his Holy Spirit
and sent them forth, east and west, north and south.
We commit ourselves to Jesus,
to one another as siblings in faith,
and to God’s mission in the world,
in the grace of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn: #458 Seek Ye First
Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And God's righteousness;
And all these things shall be added unto you.
Allelu, Alleluia!
Ask, and it shall be given unto you;
Seek, and you shall find.
Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Allelu, Alleluia!
The Ministry of Prayer
The Prayers of the People, led by Kimberly Matheson
All may sit or kneel.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Let us gather our prayers in the words that Jesus taught us,
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, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Offertory Music
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for Food and Food Banks:
On the 4th Sunday of the month, we receive the donations made to the Wolfville Food Bank, along with the monetary gifts given for the work of the Church.
All rise.
Creator of all, in your wisdom, you have bound us together so that we must depend on others for the food we eat, the resources we use, and all the gifts of your creation that bring life, health, and joy.
Creator God, we give you thanks.
Holy be the Earth, fruitful, diverse, and generous. Holy be the hands that work the land. Holy be the feet of all who labour to bring nourishment to every needful place.
Creator God, we give you thanks.
Holy be the bodies of those who know hunger; sacred be the bodies of those who are broken; blessed be the bodies of those who suffer.
Bless this food we now bring and bless those who will receive it. Soften our hearts towards one another, that we may share freely, live humbly, and always give thanks for all that you have given us.
The Prayer Over the Gifts:
We pray together.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the splendour, and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours. All things come from you, and of your own have we given you.
The Doxology:
Glory to God, whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Blessing:
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I am with you always.’
May God the Creator bless you. May God the Son walk with you. May God the Spirit lead your lives with love, this day and for evermore. Amen.
Closing Hymn: #485 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heav'n to earth come down,
fix in us Thy humble dwelling;
all Thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love Thou art;
visit us with Thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Come, Almighty to deliver;
let us all Thy life receive;
suddenly return and never,
nevermore Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve Thee as Thy hosts above;
pray, and praise Thee without ceasing,
glory in Thy perfect love.
Finish then, Thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see Thy great salvation
perfectly restored in Thee.
Changed from glory into glory,
till in heav'n we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before Thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Dismissal
Let us go forth rejoicing, for Chirst the Lord is risen. Alleluia!
Thanks be to God! Alleluia!
Postlude:
Greeters: Judy Amos & Michelle Mansfield
Counters: Karen Ferguson & Michelle Mansfield
Music used for our digital service under permission of OneLicense #738879-A
Counters: Karen Ferguson & Michelle Mansfield
Music used for our digital service under permission of OneLicense #738879-A
Services for May 5th, 2024
8AM Book of Common Prayer Holy Communion
10AM Contemporary Holy Eucharist
Watch our 10am services anytime on the St. John’s YouTube channel
8AM Book of Common Prayer Holy Communion
10AM Contemporary Holy Eucharist
Watch our 10am services anytime on the St. John’s YouTube channel
Cycle of Prayer
Please remember in your prayers…
Please remember in your prayers…
- The Church of Bangladesh along with the parishes of St. Alban’s, Woodside & St. Andrew’s, Dartmouth, (Locks Road) Nova Scotia
- All who are in need of God’s healing grace: Mark Fletcher, Steve Boone, Digger MacDougall, Kathleen, John & Michele Niec, Steve Kamburis, Jim O’Neill, Matt, Natasha MacIntyre, Pauline Wright, Joan, Arnelle Morrison & Tahlia Ali
- Those who have died and whose presence we miss, especially George Barkhouse
Announcements
- Rector’s days off: I will be off Monday & Tuesday this week. During time off, I do not respond to non-urgent messages. My contact info is nicole.uzans@gmail.com or 902-956-4892 (cell).
- Refreshments are served! Please join in a time of conversation after the 10am service. We all enjoy this opportunity to socialize and get to know one another after the service on Sunday morning. It is nice to enjoy coffee/tea and a snack at this time. However, we need some help in preparing for this event. We would appreciate it if you could sign up on the sheet in the kitchen to take your turn at making the tea & coffee and/or providing some tasty snacks and helping with clean up. Your help would be much appreciated. Many hands make light work! Thanks to all.
- Christian Meditation is offered every Friday at St. John’s, 11:00 to 11:45am. All are welcome to this simple practice – instruction is given each week. Please join us as we gather in a circle by the font at the back of the nave.
- MassMealMusic: Sunday, April 28th at St. Joe’s, Kentville (43 Belcher St.) – Praise & Worship with music by Michelle and Doug Mackey. Mass at 4pm; meal at 5pm; music at 6pm. Come to any or all parts of this event! A freewill donation will be collected.
- The Federal Riding of Kings Hants NDP is pleased to sponsor a reading from THE BERRY PICKERS by the award winning Indigenous author Amanda Peters. Churchill House, 6 Main Street, Hantsport; Sunday, April 28th, 2:30pm.
Amanda Peters of Falmouth, NS, has accumulated a rich list of achievements. In a few years, she has been named: Winner, 2024 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Writing; Short-listed for the 2023 Atwood Gibson Writers Trust Fiction prize; Winner, Indigenous Voices Award (2021) for the short story collection, The Long Night Moon. Copies of the book will be for sale to enable you to receive a personalized signed edition! - Stewardship in the Post-Pandemic Time – Wed, May 8th, 12-3:30pm at the Atlantic School of Theology (660 Francklyn St., Halifax). A soup and sandwich lunch will be provided.
Two sessions with Peter Misiaszek, Director of Stewardship Development, Anglican Diocese of Toronto. Part One: Five things you can do right now. Following three years of pandemic induced hunkering down and readapting, parish leaders are looking for “easy wins” to help rejuvenate deflated parish budgets and help parishioners reengage. Part Two: If Resources Were Unlimited – stewardship strategies that contribute to long-term stability and growth. With the wolf at bay, let’s explore long-term strategies that will require leadership, time and patience to bear fruit in the parish.
**St. John’s will sponsor you to attend this event – please speak to Cameron Finlay to coordinate registration & travel** - In recognition of National Indigenous History Month in June, plans are underway for a book study of Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future by Anishinaabe writer Patty Krawec. This book has received a great deal of attention and compelling reviews, such as: "Our interconnected-ness with nature -- and each other -- is central to Indigenous teachings. Patty Krawec draws from Indigenous wisdom, history, and personal insight to reveal a path forward. Inclusive and beautifully written, this book is a vital guide to coming together in greater kinship."
Interested? St. John's has purchased copies of the book ($38 each) and will offer them on a "pay-what-you can" basis. There is a poster in the reception room to indicate the days / times that work for you. From your responses, two weekly sessions (one daytime and one evening, running from May 19 - June 15) will be arranged and communicated in the coming weeks. - The annual Hike for Hospice takes place Sunday, May 5th. The 2km or 5km walk starts at the Kentville Lions Club (78 River St) with a BBQ at 1pm. To join the St. John’s team or donate funds, head HERE.
- Save the date: Acadia University Baccalaureate Cap and Gown Service, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at 10.00 a.m., Manning Memorial Chapel. Preacher, the Reverend Dr. Dr. H. Daniel Zaccharias, Associate Dean, Acadia Divinity College. All are invited!
- Mark the Date: June 15th Yard Sale. New or used household items, plant table, (no books or clothing please) Volunteers to set up and take down, contact Dale or Karen Hennigar for more information. NOTE: Please do not bring your items to the church until just before the yard sale as we have no place to store them.
Parish Council Updates
Your Parish Council met twice in April. Below are a few highlights that are not already mentioned in the Bulletin.
Please Feel free to contact the Wardens or any member of Parish Council. We welcome your questions, concerns, or suggestions.
- The following motion was passed at the April 10 meeting:
- St. John’s Anglican Church, with the assistance of the Front Street Community Oven, will apply for funding from the Windsor Foundation for the purpose of enhancing the Church’s outreach initiatives. In keeping with our outreach goal of increasing our role in the community and support for community events, the funds will be used to support The Oven in their work extending access to food and addressing issues of social isolation for people in the community of Wolfville and surrounding area.
- A new wired speaker has been installed to improve the sound volume at the back of the church.
- A small working group is exploring options to improve the exterior lighting and signage at the roadside.
- Greeters often receive more requests for more hymnals with music than the church has supply. We are in the process of sourcing lightly used books, and if none are available, will purchase additional new ones.
- The belfry will be painted this year. As a Provincial Heritage Building, we are exploring options for grants to cover the cost.
Please Feel free to contact the Wardens or any member of Parish Council. We welcome your questions, concerns, or suggestions.