The Christian Community of St Giles-on-the-Hill
welcomes you to worship with them on
Sunday 28th April 2024
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God. As we gather in worship today let us renew our faith in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who dwells in us and whose love is perfected in us.
The Easter candle is lit from now until Pentecost Sunday, marking the fifty days of the Easter season which cover the resurrection appearances. The candle has a prominent place, reminding us that Christ is the light of the world and that, in that light, Jesus is alive today.
10.30am Sung Mass Our President and Preacher today is Revd Annie Blyth. The service is set out in the service booklet. Hymns are from the New English Hymnal.
Introit Hymn: 114 Now is eternal life
Collect:
Almighty God,
who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ
have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life:
grant that, as by your grace going before us you put into our minds good desires,
so by your continual help
we may bring them to good effect;
through Jesus Christ our risen Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
1st Reading: Acts 8.26-end
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Get up and go towards the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over to this chariot and join it.’ So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ He replied, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.
Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
‘Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.’
The eunuch asked Philip, ‘About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?’ Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?’ He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
Psalm 22.25-end
From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
I will perform my vows
in the presence of those that fear you.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek the Lord shall praise him;
their hearts shall 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 him.
For the kingdom is the Lord’s
and he rules over the nations.
How can those who sleep in the earth
bow down in worship,
or those who go down to the dust kneel before him?
He has saved my life for himself;
my descendants shall serve him;
this shall be told of the Lord for generations to come.
They shall come and make known his salvation,
to a people yet unborn,
declaring that he, the Lord, has done it.
2nd Reading: 1 John 4.7-end
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
I am the first and the last, says the lord, and the living one;
I was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Gospel: John 15.1-8
‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
Offertory Hymn: 101 The Lamb’s high banquet we await
Communion Hymn: 305 Soul of my Saviour, sanctify my breast
Post Communion Prayer:
Eternal God,
whose Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life:
grant us to walk in his way,
to rejoice in his truth,
and to share his risen life;
who is alive and reigns, now and for ever.
Recessional Hymn: 119 The strife is o’er, the battle won
Organ Voluntary: Buxtehude – Prelude and Fugue in D minor
ASSISTANTS AT THE EUCHARIST
1st Reading Chris Stokes 2nd Reading John Baldry Intercessions Revd Annie Chalice Pat Emsell Servers Karen Kiddell and Frederico de Oliveira Organist Ian Graydon
DIARY FOR THE WEEK
Tuesday 30 April 12 noon Said Mass
Friday 3 May 10.00am Said Mass
Friday 3 May 10.30am Rosary Prayer Group led by Paul Yallop
Sunday 5 May 10.30am Sung Parish Mass – Fr Alaric Lewis (Easter 6)
Sunday 5 May 12.00 noon Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM)
Next Sunday’s readings: Acts 10.44-end; Psalm 98; 1 John 5.1-6; John 15.9-17
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Tuesday 7 May 6.30pm Eco Church Forum from 6.30pm at St Stephen’s Church
Thursday 9 May 7.30pm Ascension Day Deanery Mass at St Paul’s Tuckswood
Saturday 11 May 2.30pm Wisteria Quiz for Christian Aid, to include afternoon tea
Sunday 19 May 10.30am Sung Mass for Pentecost with the St Giles Singers
NOTICES
We welcome any newcomers to St Giles today. Please make yourself known to the priest or the churchwardens and join us for a cup of coffee or tea after the service. Do take a look at our website, explore A Church Near You or follow us on Twitter to find out more.
Good news! Congratulations to Revd Annie! She has completed her training with flying colours and has been signed off by Bishop Graham. She will be formally licensed to all three churches by Archdeacon Keith at our Pentecost service on 19th May.
The New Testament Greek group will meet on Sat 4 May for lunch and reading. This is a good occasion for discussion and fellowship, as well as study. Absolute beginners are welcome, and individual help is available. For more information please contact Stephen Dunn from St George Tombland on 01603 622146 or by email.
There are 3 vacancies this year on the PCC. If you have never considered standing, it is a very good way to have a say in how your church is run and also to learn how parish business is conducted. We very much welcome new ideas and opinions. Nomination forms for the PCC elections on 5th May are now available at the back of the church.
The booklet of St Giles reports for 2023 is now available. If you would like your own copy please contact Fr Alaric who will be delighted to send you one.
Eco Church Forum Tuesday 7th May 6.30 – 8.30pm at St Stephen’s Church. A panel of experts will lead a discussion on ‘Understanding & Demystifying Food Choices’ in relation to protecting and saving the global environment. A free event starting with refreshments – please do come along! Alternatively you can join us on Zoom – log on details are as follows: https://dioceseofnorwich-org.zoom.us/j/83767657935?pwd=NkZjSmluc2oxOFJlaUIwbXlkcWtlQT09. Meeting ID: 837 6765 7935, Passcode: 868512
The Wisteria quiz on Sat 11 May will be in aid of Christian Aid. Doors open at 2.00pm for a 2.30 start. This will include an afternoon tea. Donations of cakes for the afternoon would be much appreciated. Please bring your friends!
Our April charity at St Giles is Shelter Box who provide shelter, essential items and technical assistance to help some of the world’s most vulnerable people recover and rebuild their homes after disaster. They listen and adapt their support to the needs of each community, working together with those affected by disaster, alongside their supporters and partners. You can read more about Shelter Box on our charities notice board at the back of church or go to their website.
Knitting wool Elsie is knitting woollies for Ukrainian children, so if you have any double knitting wool to spare she would love to make use of it, please!
Priest-in-Charge Father Alaric Mark Lewis, also Rector of the Benefice of Colegate and Tombland 01603 663757 click to email – day off Monday
Churchwardens Rowena Atkinson 01603 455729 Bob Emsell 01603 439632
Pastoral Care Liaison Lesley Warne 07792 971662 click to email
Newsletter and Fairtrade Kate Baldry 01362 695503 click to email
Church website https://stgileschurch.wordpress.com
A Church Near You
Twitter @stgilesnorwich
St Giles Church, Norwich 