Easter Day

31st March 2024

The Parish Eucharist with Holy Baptism

Welcome to Liverpool Parish Church. There has been Christian worship on this site since the 13th century and today we are still proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ in the centre of Liverpool.

All people are welcome in this place. At the Eucharist if you normally receive Holy Communion in your own church, you are welcome to do so here.

Babies and children are welcome in this church. If you feel they are unsettled, there is a small play area for them at the back of the north aisle. You would still be able to see, hear and participate in the service, but please rejoin the rest of the congregation when you are ready.

Sunday School Parents are welcome to stay with their children or to reclaim them at the end of the service.

Donations and Giving. We rely on generous individual giving for much of our income. If you are a UK taxpayer donations can be Gift Aided to provide additional benefit to the Church. If you worship here regularly then please consider joining the Planned Giving Scheme. There is also a contactless donation point in the Narthex.

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Calendar for the Week

Monday 01 April
09.00 Morning Prayer

Tuesday 02 April
09.00 Morning Prayer

Wednesday 03 April
09.00 Morning Prayer
12.15 Eucharist

Thursday 04 April
09.00 Morning Prayer

Friday 05 April
09.00 Morning Prayer
12.15 Eucharist
13.05 RC Mass
19.30 Bells

Saturday 06 April

Sunday 07 April
09.00 Morning Prayer
10.00 Parish Eucharist

Before the service

Organ: Two Preludes on ‘Orientibus’ ‘Christ the Lord is risen today’ – Stephen Burtonwood (born 1951)

The bell rings and we stand, as we are able. The servers and clergy stand in front of St Peter’s Chapel. The deacon holds the Paschal Candle which was lit at last night’s Easter Vigil.

Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end.

Alpha and Omega, all time belongs to him, and all ages; to him be glory and power, through every age and for ever. Amen.

Alleluia. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

The Festival is introduced and the Paschal Candle is welcomed. The deacon proclaims: The light of Christ. Thanks be to God.

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once, upon the Cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the Cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

We pause at the Easter Garden and the president uses these words of blessing:
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation… finishing …Blessed be God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Blessed be God for ever.

The hymn continues:
But the pains that he endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky he’s King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Words and Music: Lyra Davidica, 1708

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

When Sunday School is meeting, a prayer is said with our young people at this point before they leave for their session.

The Gloria and Collect

We sing the Gloria. The congregation sings the refrain (below) while a cantor sings the 5 verses of the Gloria:

God of glory, by the raising of your Son you have broken the chains of death and hell: fill your Church with faith and hope; for a new day has dawned and the way to life stands open in our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Readings

(We sit)

First Reading (Acts 10:34-43)

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

The cantors sing Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24:

1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; * his mercy endures for ever.
2 Let Israel now proclaim, * ‘His mercy endures for ever.’
14 The Lord is my strength and my song, * and he has become my salvation.
15 Joyful shouts of salvation * sound from the tents of the righteous:
16 ‘The right hand of the Lord does mighty deeds; the right hand of the Lord raises up; * the right hand of the Lord does mighty deeds.’
17 I shall not die, but live * and declare the works of the Lord.
18 The Lord has punished me sorely, * but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, * that I may enter and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord; * the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me * and have become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders rejected * has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing, * and it is marvellous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made; * we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Second reading (1 Corinthians 15:1-11)

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

(We stand)

Alleluia, alleluia, 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.

Please turn to face the Gospel reading (John 20:1-18)

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. Glory to you, O Lord

This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

The Revd Michelle Montrose

The Liturgy of Baptism

The whole congregation is asked:

Faith is the gift of God to his people. In baptism the Lord is adding to our number those whom he is calling. People of God, will you welcome Margot Rose and uphold his in his new life in Christ?
With the help of God, we will.

The parents and godparents then stand, and are asked:

Parents and godparents, the Church receives Margot with joy. Today we are trusting God for his growth in faith. Will you pray for him, guide him by your example into the community of faith and walk with him in the way of Christ?
With the help of God, we will.

In baptism Margot begins his journey in faith. You speak for his today. Will you care for him, and help him to take his place within the life and worship of Christ’s Church?
With the help of God, we will.

In baptism, God calls us out of darkness into his marvellous light. To follow Christ means dying to sin and rising to new life with him.

Therefore I ask:

Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God? I reject them.
Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil? I renounce them.
Do you repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour? I repent of them.

Do you turn to Christ as Saviour? I turn to Christ.
Do you submit to Christ as Lord? I submit to Christ.
Do you come to Christ, the way, the truth and the life? I come to Christ.

The priest makes the sign of the cross on the child’s forehead, saying:
Christ claims you for his own. Receive the sign of his cross

Do not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified.
Fight valiantly as a disciple of Christ against sin, the world and the devil, and remain faithful to Christ to the end of your life.

May almighty God deliver you from the powers of darkness, restore in you the image of his glory, and lead you in the light and obedience of Christ. Amen.

The prayer over the water begins with these responses:

Praise God who made heaven and earth,
who keeps his promise for ever.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
…be all honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Brothers and sisters, I ask you to profess together the faith of the Church.

Do you believe and trust in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ?
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Margot Rose, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

May God, who has received you by baptism into his Church, pour upon you the riches of his grace, that within the company of Christ’s pilgrim people you may daily be renewed by his anointing Spirit, and come to the inheritance of the saints in glory. Amen.

The Peace

(We stand)

There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism: Margot, by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body. We welcome you in the fellowship of faith; we are children of the same heavenly Father; we welcome you.

The peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

Offertory Hymn

Christ the Lord is risen again!
Christ hath broken every chain!
Hark, the angels shout for joy,
Singing evermore on high, Alleluya!

He who gave for us his life,
Who for us endured the strife,
Is our Paschal Lamb today;
We too sing for joy, and say Alleluya!

He who bore all pain and loss
Comfortless upon the Cross
Lives in glory now on high,
Pleads for us, and hears our cry. Alleluya!

Now he bids us tell abroad
How the lost may be restored,
How the penitent forgiven,
How we too may enter heaven. Alleluya!

Thou, our Paschal Lamb indeed,
Christ, today thy people feed;
Take our sins and guilt away,
That we all may sing for ay, Alleluya!

Words: Michael Weisse (c.1480-1534) trans. Catherine Winkworth (1827-78)
Music: ‘Wurttemberg’ from Hundert Arien, Dresden 1694 adapted by William Henry Monk (1823-89)

The Eucharistic Prayer

A prayer is said over the gifts on the altar, to which we respond Amen.

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.

The seasonal part of the prayer follows and at the end the Cantors sing:

Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of thy glory.
Glory be to thee, O Lord most high.
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

(Mass of All Saints – Alan Wilson (born 1947))

We pray for the Holy Spirit to transform us and the gifts, and then the words of Jesus at the Last Supper are recalled:

The following acclamation is then used:

Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.

The prayer continues with oblation and intercession, ending:

…we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of everlasting praise:
Blessing and honour and glory and power be yours for ever and ever. Amen.

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has 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.

Jesus says, I am the bread of life, whoever eats this bread will live for ever.
Lord, our hearts hunger for you; give us this bread always.

The cantors sing:

Jesus, Lamb of God: have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins: have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world: give us your peace.

Alleluia. Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.

If you normally receive Communion in your own church then you are welcome to do so here, or you may prefer the priest to pray for God’s blessing on you. There are two standing stations for Communion in the centre but if you would prefer to kneel to receive Communion then please use the rail in the south aisle on the congregation’s left side.

Please indicate if you would rather receive a blessing. Gluten-free hosts are available.

During Communion

Now the green blade riseth from the buried grain,
Wheat that in dark earth many days has lain;
Love lives again, that with the dead has been:

Love is come again,
Like wheat that springeth green.

In the grave they laid him, Love whom men had slain,
Thinking that never he would wake again,
Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen:

Refrain

Forth he came at Easter, like the risen grain,
He that for three days in the grave had lain,
Quick from the dead my risen Lord is seen:

Refrain

When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain,
Thy touch can call us back to life again,
Fields of our hearts, that dread and bare have been:

Refrain

Words: J. M. C. Crum (1872-1958)
Music: Simon Lindley (born 1948)

Post-Communion Prayers

(We stand at ‘Let us pray’)

After the post-communion prayer we say together

Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

Notices (please sit)

Please join us for refreshments after the service.

A collection is taken during the final hymn. Those preferring to donate online are invited to use the Donate button above, or our contactless donation point.

Final Hymn

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won;
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave-clothes where thy body lay.

Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son,
Endless is the vict’ry, thou o’er death hast won.

Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
Let the Church with gladness hymns of triumph sing;
For her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting:

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of Life;
Life is nought without thee: aid us in our strife,
Make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love;
Bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above:

Words: Edmond Budry (1854-1932) trans. Richard Birch Hoyle (1875-1939)
Music: ‘Maccabeus’ George Frederick Handel (1685-1759)

Blessing

(please stand)

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

God the Father, by whose love Christ was raised from the dead, open to you who believe the gates of everlasting life. Amen.

God the Son, who in bursting from the grave has won a glorious victory, give you joy as you share the Easter faith. Amen.

God the Holy Spirit, who filled the disciples with the life of the risen Lord, empower you and fill you with Christ’s peace. Amen.

…and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Giving of a lighted candle

God has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and has given us a place with the saints in light. Margot you have received the light of Christ; walk in this light all the days of your life.
Shine as a light in the world to the glory of God the Father.

Dismissal

Go in the peace of Christ. Alleluia, Alleluia.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Organ: Toccata (from Symphonie Nr. 5) – M. C. Widor.

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2000. Hymns and other texts are reproduced under CCL licence number 556443 or One License licence number A-632593.