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    Easter Season
     
     
   
Preparation
 
     
    O God, make speed to save us.
All
  O Lord, make haste to help us.
     
    In your resurrection, O Christ
All
  Let heaven and earth rejoice. Alleluia.
     
    Blessed are you, Sovereign Lord,
    the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
    to you be praise and glory for ever.
    From the deep waters of death
    you brought your people to new birth
    by raising your Son to life in triumph.
    Through him dark death has been destroyed
    and radiant life is everywhere restored.
    As you call us out of darkness into his marvellous light
    may our lives reflect his glory
    and our lips repeat the endless song.
    Blessed be God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
All
  Blessed be God for ever.
     
     
      This, or another suitable hymn, or A Song of David (canticle number 21, page 514), may be said or sung
 
      Ye choirs of new Jerusalem,                        
        your sweetest notes employ,
        the Paschal victory to hymn
        in strains of holy joy.
     
        How Judah's lion burst his chains
        and crushed the serpent's head;
        and brought with him, from death's domains,
        the long-imprisoned dead.
     
        Triumphant in his glory now
        his sceptre ruleth all,
        earth, heaven, and hell before him bow,
        and at his footstool fall.
     
        While joyful thus his praise we sing,
        his mercy we implore,
        into his palace bright to bring
        and keep us evermore. 
       
        All glory to the Father be,
        all glory to the Son,
        all glory, Holy Ghost, to thee,
        while endless ages run.  Alleluia.  Amen.
       
St Fulbert of Chartres, tr: Robert Campbell
       
 (Tune: CM)
 
 
     
The Word of God
 
 
     
Psalmody
 
 
    The appointed psalmody is said or sung.
 
 
      Each psalm or group of psalms may end with
 
      Glory to the Father and to the Son
      and to the Holy Spirit;
      as it was in the beginning is now
      and shall be for ever.  Amen.
 
     
New Testament Canticle
 
 
      If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here,
      or both may be read after the New Testament canticle.
 
      A Song of Faith, or another suitable canticle for example, number 57 (page 550) or number 71 (page 565), may be said or sung
 
        Refrain:
   
All
  God raised Christ from the dead,
        the Lamb without spot or stain.  Alleluia.
         
   
1
  Blessed be the God and Father  •
        of our Lord Jesus Christ!
         
   
2
  By his great mercy we have been born anew
              to a living hope  •
        through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
         
   
3
  Into an inheritance that is imperishable,
              undefiled and unfading,  •
        kept in heaven for you,
         
   
4
  Who are being protected by the power of God
              through faith for a salvation,  •
        ready to be revealed in the last time.
         
   
5
  You were ransomed from the futile ways of your ancestors  •
        not with perishable things like silver or gold
         
   
6
  But with the precious blood of Christ  •
        like that of a lamb without spot or stain.
         
   
7
  Through him you have confidence in God,
              who raised him from the dead and gave him glory,  •
        so that your faith and hope are set on God.                               
       
1 Peter 1.3-5,18,19,21
        Glory to the Father and to the Son
        and to the Holy Spirit;
        as it was in the beginning is now
        and shall be for ever. Amen.
         
   
All
  God raised Christ from the dead,
        the Lamb without spot or stain.  Alleluia.
 
     
Scripture Reading
 
 
    One or more readings appointed for the day are read.
      The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence. 
 
      A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
 
      The Lord is my strength and my song.
      He has become my salvation.
   
All
  The Lord is my strength and my song.
      He has become my salvation.
      I shall not die, but live,
      and declare the works of the Lord.
   
All
  He has become my salvation.
      Glory to the Father and to the Son
      and to the Holy Spirit.
   
All
  The Lord is my strength and my song.
      He has become my salvation.
 
     
Gospel Canticle
 
     
    The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is said or sung
 
  Refrain:
All
  The stone which the builders rejected
    has become the chief cornerstone. Alleluia.
 
1
  My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,    
          my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;  •  
    he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
 
2
  From this day all generations will call me blessed;  •  
    the Almighty has done great things for me
          and holy is his name.
     
3
  He has mercy on those who fear him,  •  
    from generation to generation.
 
4
  He has shown strength with his arm  •  
    and has scattered the proud in their conceit,
 
5
  Casting down the mighty from their thrones  •  
    and lifting up the lowly.
 
6
  He has filled the hungry with good things  •  
    and sent the rich away empty.
 
7
  He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,  •  
    to remember his promise of mercy,
 
8
  The promise made to our ancestors,  •  
    to Abraham and his children for ever. 
     
Luke 1.46-55
    Glory to the Father and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit;
    as it was in the beginning is now
    and shall be for ever. Amen.
   
All
  The stone which the builders rejected
    has become the chief cornerstone. Alleluia.
 
   
Prayers
 
 
      Thanksgiving may be made for the day.
     
    Intercessions are offered
    for peace
    for individuals and their needs
 
      These responses may be used
 
      Lord, in your mercy        (or)    Lord, hear us.
      hear our prayer.                     Lord, graciously hear us.
 
      The cycle on page 329 and the prayers on pages 340-341 may be used.
 
      Silence may be kept.
 
    The Collect of the day or the following Collect is said
 
    God of life,
who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son
      to the death of the cross,
and by his glorious resurrection
have delivered us from the power of our enemy:
grant us so to die daily to sin,
that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his risen life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All
  Amen.
 
    The Lord's Prayer is said
 
    Rejoicing in God's new creation,
    as our Saviour has taught us, so we pray
     
All
  Our Father in heaven …
       
    (or)
 
    Rejoicing in God's new creation,
    let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
     
All
  Our Father, who art in heaven …
     
     
   
The Conclusion
 
     
  May the risen Christ grant us the joy of eternal life.
All
  Amen.
 
      Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
   
All
  Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
 
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