May 8, 2022 The Fourth Sunday of Easter

Today is the Fourth Sunday of Eastertide.  The Church celebrates the resurrection with a feast of fifty days.  On Fridays in Eastertide special acts of discipline and self-denial commemorating the crucifixion of the Lord are not practiced.  “Alleluia” is said or sung repeatedly during our liturgy.  The Paschal Candle burns throughout Eastertide.  The central Christian belief is that Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead.  In our worship this is not a past or an abstract reality.  The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is remembered and made present in our worship and in our common life.  “Jesus Christ, yesterday and today, the Beginning and End, Alpha and Omega.  His are all times and ages.  To him be glory and dominion through all eternity.”  “Easter” is the English language name for the Sunday of the Resurrection.  In most languages, the given name is some form of the word “Passover.”  Easter celebrates the “Passover” of Jesus from death to life.

The service is from the red Book of Common Prayer 1979.  All hymns are taken from the blue Hymnal 1982.  All hymns are reprinted with permission under OneLicense.net A713125.

Our Celebrant this Sunday is the Reverend Matthew Hoxsie Mead and Our Preacher is the Reverend Deacon Chisara Alimole.


Today’s In Person Worship


Today’s Live-Stream Worship & Sermon Archives


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Today’s Propers (Collect & Lections from Holy Scripture)

The Collect
O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice, we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The First Lesson
Acts 9:36-43
Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.

The Psalm
Psalm 23 Dominus regit me

1 The LORD is my shepherd; *
I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures *
and leads me beside still waters.

3 He revives my soul *
and guides me along right pathways for his Name’s sake.

4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; *
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.

6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

The Second Lesson
Revelation 7:9-17
I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever!  Amen.” Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

The Gospel
John 10:22-30
At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”


Parish Prayer List

Please note that names are listed alphabetically by last name of the person being prayed for (if it is known).  We do not list last names for privacy reasons. For pastoral emergencies call or text one of the clergy: While Father Matt is in the Holy Land, please call Deacon Chisara Alimole (914.338.5194), or call the parish office (914.738.5515).  If you have any updates (birthdays, prayers additions, etc., please let us know.) Please submit names you wish to be included by Tuesday morning, to Marie at: marie@christchurchpelham.org.

Our prayers are asked especially for: Marion, Mark, Marcia, Elizabeth, Zachary, Anne, Scarlett, Rosemarie, Ginny, Ralph, Douglas, Ethan, Barbara, Russell, Fran, Mary, Ralph, Ursla, Marcia, Scot, Sammy, Ted, James, Monica (in hospital), Rebecca, Janet, Jackie, Amina, Celine, Brayden, Alexia Grace, Alison, Nicole, Emma, Pelin, Hildy, Martin, Nate, Yen, Erica, Rosalina, Walter, Susan, Ariana, Danielle, The Salvatore family, Dean, Sue, Xandra, Sigi, Joyce, Julie, Scott, Robert, Sherry, Kathy, Michelle, Rob, Drue, David, Rob, Chuck,  Bill, Sue, Lael, M&D, Sandy, Morris, and Katie.

We give thanks for those celebrating birthdays this week and in the coming week Kevin Widmaier (May 2), John Manfredi (May 3), Annette Wiggins (May 12), Grace Bodenmann (May 12), Linda Gerra (May 12), Nicholas Mead (May 13), Kevin Alexander (May 14), Jack Kaufmann (May 14), Jabea Kisob (May 14), and Kate Zambelli (May 14).

We give thanks for the Wedding Anniversary of Eileen Peluso and David Hoffer (May 4).  And we give thanks for the 5th Anniversary of Deacon Chisara Alimole on her ordination to the Deaconate (May 13).

We pray for those in our Armed Services especially: Joseph, Kevin, Jack, Leopold, Philip, Jake, Matthew, Robert, Philip-Jason, Nicholas, Sam, Helen, Mitchel, Alec, Jonah, Tia, Tyrese, and Terrence.

We pray that all elected and appointed officials may be led to wise decisions and right actions for the welfare and peace of the world, especially Joseph our President, and Kathy our Governor.

We pray for those who have died, especially Robert D. Weeks, Jr. on the 6th Anniversary of his death (May 10). And we pray for those who have died from COVID-19.

Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord
And let light perpetual shine upon them.

May their souls and the souls of the departed, through the mercy of God,
rest in peace.  Amen


Today’s Music

Organ prelude: Chorale-Prelude on the Aria “Schafe können sicher weiden” (“Sheep may safely graze”) from Kantate: Was mir behagt, is nur di muntre Jagd (Cantata: The lively hunt is all my heart’s desire or the “Birthday Cantata”), BWV 208 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Opening hymn: 179, “Welcome, happy morning!” age to age shall say, Fortunatus

Gloria in Excelsis: S-278, William Matthias (1934-1992)

Psalm 23 Dominus regit me Anglican chant, Jeffrey Hoffman
(King James Version, p. 476 in the Book of Common Prayer)

Sequence hymn: 646, The King of Love my Shepherd is, Dominus regit me

Anthem at the Offertory: The Lord is my Shepherd from Requiem John Rutter (b. 1945)

The Lord is my shepherd; therefore can I lack nothing.
He shall feed me in a green pasture, and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.
He shall convert my soul and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk thro’ the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
For Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me.
Thou shalt prepare a table for me against them that trouble me; Thou hast anointed my head with oil and my cup shall be full.
But Thy loving kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
— Psalm 23, Book of Common Prayer (1662)

Offertory Hymn: 417, This is the feast of victory for our God, Festival Canticle

Sanctus et Benedictus: S-128 William Matthias

Agnus Dei: S-165 William Matthias

Anthem during Communion: Very Bread, Good Shepherd tend us Healey Willan (1880-1968)

Very Bread, Good Shepherd, tend us;
Jesu, of Thy love befriend us;
Thou refresh us, Thou defend us,
Thine eternal goodness send us
In the land of life to see.

Thou Who all things canst and knowest,
Who on earth such good bestoweth,
Grant us with Thy saints, though lowest,
Where the heavenly feast Thou showest,
Fellow heirs and guests to be.
— Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

Hymn: 278, Sing we of the blessed Mother Rustington

Organ voluntary: Paraphrase sur un chœur de Judas Machabée de Händel
(Paraphrase on a chorus from Judas Maccabeus by Handel), Op. 90 Félix-Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911)

Today’s choir is Jeff Bodenmann, Curtis Chase, Simon Cram*, Jann Degnan*, Dennis Doran, Cherrie Greenhalgh, John Hastings, Jeanmarie Lally*, José Ruíz*, Margaret Young
Jeffrey Hoffman, organist & director of music

Live-stream licensed under OneLicense.net A-713125.


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