A morning service during the Covid-19 restrictions
Fifth Sunday of Lent - March 21, 2021

The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51.18

Dear friends in Christ, as we prepare to worship almighty God, let us with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us,
that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your name. Amen

Almighty God have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: O come let us worship.

The People That in Darkness Sat

The people that in darkness sat a glorious light have seen;
the Light has shined on them who long in shades of death have been.

To hail thee, Sun of Righteousness, the gathering nations come;
they joy as when the reapers bear their harvest treasures home.

For thou their burden dost remove, and break the tyrant’s rod,
as in the day when Midian fell before the sword of God.

Lord Jesus, reign in us we pray, and make us thine alone,
who with the Father ever art and Holy Spirit one.  John Morrison (1750 - 1798) 

The Proclamation of the Word
Jeremiah 31:31-34
					Psalm 51:1-13
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; *
	in your great compassion blot out my offenses.
2 Wash me through and through from my wickedness *
	and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, *
	and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you only have I sinned *
	and done what is evil in your sight.
5 And so you are justified when you speak *
	and upright in your judgement.
6 Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, *
	a sinner from my mother’s womb.
7 For behold, you look for truth deep within me, *
	and will make me understand wisdom secretly.
8 Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; *
	wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.
9 Make me hear of joy and gladness, *
	that the body you have broken may rejoice.
10 Hide your face from my sins *
	and blot out all my iniquities.
11 Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
	and renew a right spirit within me.
12 Cast me not away from your presence *
	and take not your holy Spirit from me.
13 Give me the joy of your saving help again *
	and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.	
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.

Hebrews 5:5-10
John 12:20-33  
A reflection on the readings (written by the Ven. Glen Miller)

Affirmation of Faith
Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first and the great commandment. The second is like it:
Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.
 
Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive
Forgive our sins as we forgive, you taught us, Lord, to pray;
but you alone can grant us grace to live the words we say.

How can your pardon reach and bless the unforgiving heart
that broods on wrongs, and will not let old bitterness depart?

In blazing light your cross reveals the truth we dimly knew;
what trivial debts are owed to us, how great our debt to you!

Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls and bid resentment cease;
then bound to all in bonds of love our lives will spread your peace.
Rosamond Eleanor Herklots (1905-1987) used by permission granted under ONE LICENSE # 606702-A

Prayers (see litany below)
Our prayers have been requested for: Thelma, Joanne, Wendy, Vivian, Spruce, front line workers who continue to serve in the midst of this pandemic, the homeless and those who care for them, our sister congregations in the Deanery of Algoma and our Archbishop Anne as we walk this difficult road together.

14 Lent (With confidence and trust let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.”)
For the one holy catholic and apostolic Church throughout the world, we pray to you, Lord.
								Lord, have mercy.
For the mission of the Church, that in faithful witness it may preach the gospel to the ends of the earth, we pray to you, Lord.					Lord, have mercy.
For those preparing for baptism and for their teachers and sponsors, we pray to you, Lord.
								Lord, have mercy.
For peace in the world, that a spirit of respect and reconciliation may grow among nations and peoples, we pray to you, Lord. 				Lord, have mercy.
For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and all who suffer; for refugees, prisoners, and all in danger; that they may be relieved and protected, we pray to you, Lord.
								Lord, have mercy. 
For all whom we have injured or offended, we pray to you, Lord.
								Lord, have mercy.
For grace to amend our lives and to further the reign of God, we pray to you, Lord.
								Lord, have mercy.
The Collect of the day
Most merciful God, by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ,
you created humanity anew. May the power of his victorious cross
transform those who turn in faith to him who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Collect for Ash Wednesday
Almighty and everlasting God, you despise nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our brokenness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord’s prayer			
Your Hand, O God, Has Guided  
Your hand, O God, has guided your flock from age to age;
the wondrous tale is written, full clear on every page.
Our forebears owned your goodness and we their deeds record,
and both of this bear witness: one church, one faith, one Lord.

Your heralds brought glad tidings to greatest as to least;
they bade them rise and hasten to share the royal feast;
and this was all their teaching, in every deed and word,
to all alike proclaiming one church, one faith, one Lord.

When shadow thickly falling, engulfed the world in night,
you summoned forth your servants, your messengers of light.
On them and on your people your plenteous grace was poured,
and this was still their message: one church, one faith, one Lord.

And we, shall we be faithless, shall hearts fail, hands hang down?
Shall we evade the struggle and cast away the crown?
Not so; in God’s deep cousels some better gift is stored:
the covenant of promise - one church, one faith, one Lord.

Your mercy will not fail us, nor leave your work undone;
with your right hand to help us, your people shall be one;
and then, by all creation, your name shall be adored, 
and this shall be their anthem, one church, one faith, one Lord.
Edward Hayes Plumtree (1821-1891) altered by the Sisters of St. John the Divine - used by permission granted under ONE LICENSE # 606702-A

A Lenten Blessing
May the God of mercy transform you by his grace, and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.

Dismissal
Then may be said or sung,
Officiant Let us bless the Lord. People Thanks be to God!

The text above is taken from the Book of Alternative Service published by the Anglican Church of Canada and used with permission. The words of the Hymns are all in public domain unless otherwise noted.