All Hallows Evening Prayer for Sunday Evening (May 1, 2022)
One or more candles may be lit.
Christ is risen!!
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!!
EVENING HYMN
Open this link in a new tab to hear John L. Bell and Graham Maule’s “Jesus Calls Us Here to Meet Him.”
Jesus calls us here to meet him
as, through word and song and prayer,
we affirm God‘s promised presence
where his people live and care.
Praise the God who keeps his promise;
praise the Son who calls us friends;
praise the Spirit who, among us,
to our hopes and fears attends.
Jesus calls us to confess him
Word of Life and Lord of All,
sharer of our flesh and frailness
saving all who fail or fall.
Tell his holy human story;
tell his tales that all may hear;
tell the world that Christ in glory
came to earth to meet us here.
Jesus calls us to each other,
vastly different though we are;
creed and colour, class and gender
Neither limit nor debar.
Join the hand of friend and stranger;
join the hands of age and youth;
join the faithful and the doubter
in their common search for truth.
Jesus calls us to his table
rooted firm in time and space,
where the Church in earth and heaven
finds a common meeting place.
Share the bread and wine, his body;
share the love of which we sing;
share the feast for saints and sinners
hosted by our Lord and King.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
We praise and thank you, O God our Father,
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through him you have enlightened us
by revealing the light that never fades,
for dark death has been destroyed
and radiant life is everywhere restored.
What was promised is fulfilled:
we have been joined to God,
through renewed life in the Spirit of the risen Lord.
Glory and praise to you, our Father,
through Jesus your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Spirit,
in the kingdom of light eternal,
for ever and ever. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY
Open this link in a new tab to hear Bob Hurd’s hymn, “Two Were Bound for Emmaus.”
1 Two were bound for Emmaus, disheartened and lost;
all their hope for the future had been nailed to a cross.
Love unknown then walked beside them,
come back from the dead,
and they knew he was risen in the breaking of bread.
2 On the Sea of Tiberius, when the night was nearly gone
and their toil seemed so useless, not one fish had they caught,
from the shore the stranger called to them:
“Cast your net, friends, once more.”
And they filled it to bursting, but the net was not torn.
3 Then they knew it was Jesus and they hastened in to shore;
bread and fish for their breakfast from the hands of their Lord.
“O Peter, if you love me you must care for my sheep;
if you follow your Shepherd, then a shepherd you’ll be.”
4 When the road makes us weary, when our labor seems but loss,
when the fire of faith weakens and too high seems the cost,
let the Church turn to its risen Lord,
who for us bore the cross,
and we’ll find our hearts burning at the sound of his voice.
5 Two were bound for Emmaus, disheartened and lost;
all their hope for the future had been nailed to a cross.
Love unknown then walked beside them,
come back from the dead,
and they knew he was risen in the breaking of bread.
SCRIPTURE
John 21: 1-19 Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples
Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.
Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”
“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?”
“No,” they replied.
Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.
Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. 8 The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.
“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.
“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.
After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others[f] will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
Silence is kept.
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory
HOMILY
How many of us would take back a friend and entrust them with a very important task after they had not only deserted us in a pinch, in a bad situation when help was needed, but also refused to admit that they had any connection with us, not just once but three times? Maybe would like to believe that we are really forgiving, but are we?
Jesus taught us to keep forgiving the faults of others and to set no limit on how many times that we forgive them. In my experience even those who consider themselves his disciples do not follow Jesus’ teaching. They limit how many times that they will forgive someone. Although Jesus instructed to his followers to be reconciled with those with whom they had a falling-out or with whom their relationship hit a roadblock, too frequently his teaching is ignored. They will treat a person who has done something to displease them or with whom they are otherwise unhappy as if they are holding something against that person. They do not act as if they have forgiven the person.
The risen Jesus, however, forgives Peter big time in today’s gospel reading, John 21: 1-19, and restores him to the place of being one of his closest disciples.
Jesus does ask Peter three times if Peter loves him, as many times as Peter denied him. Each time Peter responds that he does. Each time Jesus tells Peter to feed his lambs or his sheep.
It is tempting to make a lot out of this conversation between Jesus and Peter. But if we think about it in the context of John’s Gospel, we will recall what Jesus said about being the good shepherd and the difference between a shepherd and a hireling. A shepherd does not abandon his sheep to approaching danger such as wolves or other predators. A hireling, on the other hand, flees. It is not unreasonable to conclude that Jesus was reminding Peter of what he had said. If Peter is going to follow him, he needs to be prepared to face danger. He may find himself in a situation so bad that it might cost him his life.
We also know from John’s Gospel that Jesus knew the human heart. He knew when someone was genuinely following him or following him because they hoped to gain some advantage or benefit from doing so. Jesus did not need to hear Peter’s assurances that Peter loved him. Peter, on the other hand, may have needed to give those assurances and hear Jesus’ admonitions to be a shepherd, not a hireling.
We can read more about Peter’s story in Luke’s Acts of the Apostles. We also have two letters that Peter wrote. According to tradition, Peter suffered a martyr’s death, witnessing to his faith with his life.
What then can we learn from today’s gospel reading? One thing is that we should be willing to forgive others as Jesus is willing to forgive us. From what can be gathered from the testimony of Luke’s Acts of the Apostles and Peter’s own letters, Jesus’ forgiveness did make a significant difference in Peter’s life. Our forgiveness can also make a real difference in someone’s life.
We also have a responsibility to care for each other and nurture each other in the Christian faith and way of life. We are called to be shepherds to each other, not just sheep wandering around willy-nilly and exposing ourselves to all kinds of danger. Yes, we are our brother’s keeper and sister’s keeper too.
The pledge that the congregation makes in the first and second baptismal services in The United Methodist Hymnal recognizes that responsibility. The same responsibility applies not just to children but to everybody, to all who comprise the congregation of a particular church. I would go as far as saying that it extends to all people in a church’s “parish,” the area that a church serves regardless of whether they attend the church. Indeed, like John Wesley, we should look upon all the world as our parish.
The Jesus who rose from the dead and who forgave Peter is the same Jesus who calls us to follow him today. He does not promise us an easy time as his disciple. But he does offer us forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, and a relationship with him, which will last throughout eternity. As he said to Peter after breakfast beside the Sea of Galilee, he says to us this very moment, “Follow me.”
by revealing the light that never fades,
for dark death has been destroyed
and radiant life is everywhere restored.
What was promised is fulfilled:
we have been joined to God,
through renewed life in the Spirit of the risen Lord.
Glory and praise to you, our Father,
through Jesus your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Spirit,
in the kingdom of light eternal,
for ever and ever. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY
Open this link in a new tab to hear Bob Hurd’s hymn, “Two Were Bound for Emmaus.”
1 Two were bound for Emmaus, disheartened and lost;
all their hope for the future had been nailed to a cross.
Love unknown then walked beside them,
come back from the dead,
and they knew he was risen in the breaking of bread.
2 On the Sea of Tiberius, when the night was nearly gone
and their toil seemed so useless, not one fish had they caught,
from the shore the stranger called to them:
“Cast your net, friends, once more.”
And they filled it to bursting, but the net was not torn.
3 Then they knew it was Jesus and they hastened in to shore;
bread and fish for their breakfast from the hands of their Lord.
“O Peter, if you love me you must care for my sheep;
if you follow your Shepherd, then a shepherd you’ll be.”
4 When the road makes us weary, when our labor seems but loss,
when the fire of faith weakens and too high seems the cost,
let the Church turn to its risen Lord,
who for us bore the cross,
and we’ll find our hearts burning at the sound of his voice.
5 Two were bound for Emmaus, disheartened and lost;
all their hope for the future had been nailed to a cross.
Love unknown then walked beside them,
come back from the dead,
and they knew he was risen in the breaking of bread.
SCRIPTURE
John 21: 1-19 Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples
Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.
Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”
“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?”
“No,” they replied.
Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.
Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. 8 The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.
“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.
“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.
After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others[f] will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
Silence is kept.
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory
HOMILY
Breakfast Beside the Sea of Galilee
How many of us would take back a friend and entrust them with a very important task after they had not only deserted us in a pinch, in a bad situation when help was needed, but also refused to admit that they had any connection with us, not just once but three times? Maybe would like to believe that we are really forgiving, but are we?
Jesus taught us to keep forgiving the faults of others and to set no limit on how many times that we forgive them. In my experience even those who consider themselves his disciples do not follow Jesus’ teaching. They limit how many times that they will forgive someone. Although Jesus instructed to his followers to be reconciled with those with whom they had a falling-out or with whom their relationship hit a roadblock, too frequently his teaching is ignored. They will treat a person who has done something to displease them or with whom they are otherwise unhappy as if they are holding something against that person. They do not act as if they have forgiven the person.
The risen Jesus, however, forgives Peter big time in today’s gospel reading, John 21: 1-19, and restores him to the place of being one of his closest disciples.
Jesus does ask Peter three times if Peter loves him, as many times as Peter denied him. Each time Peter responds that he does. Each time Jesus tells Peter to feed his lambs or his sheep.
It is tempting to make a lot out of this conversation between Jesus and Peter. But if we think about it in the context of John’s Gospel, we will recall what Jesus said about being the good shepherd and the difference between a shepherd and a hireling. A shepherd does not abandon his sheep to approaching danger such as wolves or other predators. A hireling, on the other hand, flees. It is not unreasonable to conclude that Jesus was reminding Peter of what he had said. If Peter is going to follow him, he needs to be prepared to face danger. He may find himself in a situation so bad that it might cost him his life.
We also know from John’s Gospel that Jesus knew the human heart. He knew when someone was genuinely following him or following him because they hoped to gain some advantage or benefit from doing so. Jesus did not need to hear Peter’s assurances that Peter loved him. Peter, on the other hand, may have needed to give those assurances and hear Jesus’ admonitions to be a shepherd, not a hireling.
We can read more about Peter’s story in Luke’s Acts of the Apostles. We also have two letters that Peter wrote. According to tradition, Peter suffered a martyr’s death, witnessing to his faith with his life.
What then can we learn from today’s gospel reading? One thing is that we should be willing to forgive others as Jesus is willing to forgive us. From what can be gathered from the testimony of Luke’s Acts of the Apostles and Peter’s own letters, Jesus’ forgiveness did make a significant difference in Peter’s life. Our forgiveness can also make a real difference in someone’s life.
We also have a responsibility to care for each other and nurture each other in the Christian faith and way of life. We are called to be shepherds to each other, not just sheep wandering around willy-nilly and exposing ourselves to all kinds of danger. Yes, we are our brother’s keeper and sister’s keeper too.
The pledge that the congregation makes in the first and second baptismal services in The United Methodist Hymnal recognizes that responsibility. The same responsibility applies not just to children but to everybody, to all who comprise the congregation of a particular church. I would go as far as saying that it extends to all people in a church’s “parish,” the area that a church serves regardless of whether they attend the church. Indeed, like John Wesley, we should look upon all the world as our parish.
The Jesus who rose from the dead and who forgave Peter is the same Jesus who calls us to follow him today. He does not promise us an easy time as his disciple. But he does offer us forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, and a relationship with him, which will last throughout eternity. As he said to Peter after breakfast beside the Sea of Galilee, he says to us this very moment, “Follow me.”
Silence is kept.
SONG OF PRAISE
Open this link in a new tab to hear Rory Cooney’s adaptation of the Magnificat, “My Soul Cries Out with a Joyful Shout.”
1 My soul cries out with a joyful shout
that the God of my heart is great,
and my spirit sings of the wondrous things
that you bring to the ones who wait.
You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight,
and my weakness you did not spurn,
so from east to west shall my name be blest.
Could the world be about to turn?
My heart shall sing of the day you bring.
Let the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
and the world is about to turn.
2 Though I am small, my God, my all,
you work great things in me,
and your mercy will last from the depths of the past
to the end of the age to be.
Your very name puts the proud to shame,
and to those who would for you yearn,
you will show your might, put the strong to flight,
for the world is about to turn.
My heart shall sing of the day you bring.
Let the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
and the world is about to turn.
3 From the halls of pow’r to the fortress tow’r,
not a stone will be left on stone.
Let the king beware for your justice tears
ev’ry tyrant from his throne.
The hungry poor shall weep no more,
for the food they can never earn;
there are tables spread, ev’ry mouth be fed,
for the world is about to turn.
My heart shall sing of the day you bring.
Let the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
and the world is about to turn.
4 Though the nations rage from age to age,
we remember who holds us fast:
God’s mercy must deliver us
from the conqueror’s crushing grasp.
This saving word that our forebears heard
is the promise which holds us bound,
till the spear and rod can be crushed by God,
who is turning the world around.
My heart shall sing of the day you bring.
Let the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
and the world is about to turn.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Periods of silence may be kept.
Heavenly Father,
you have promised to hear when we pray
in the name of your Son.
Therefore in confidence and trust
we pray for the Church:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
Father, enliven the Church for its mission
that we may be salt of the earth and light to the world.
Breathe fresh life into your people.
Give us power to reveal Christ in word and action.
We pray for the world:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
Creator of all,
lead us and every people into ways of justice and peace.
That we may respect one another in freedom and truth.
Awaken in us a sense of wonder for the earth and all that is in it.
Teach us to care creatively for its resources.
We pray for the community:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
God of truth, inspire with your wisdom
those whose decisions affect the lives of others
that all may act with integrity and courage.
Give grace to all whose lives are linked with ours.
May we serve Christ in one another, and love as he loves us.
We pray for those in need:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
God of hope, comfort and restore
all who suffer in body, mind or spirit.
May they know the power of your healing love.
Make us willing agents of your compassion.
Strengthen us as we share in making people whole.
We remember those who have died and those who mourn:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
We remember with thanksgiving those who have died in the faith
of Christ, and those whose faith is known to you alone.
Father, into your hands we commend them.
Give comfort to those who mourn.
Bring them peace in their time of loss.
We praise you for (N and) all your saints
who have entered your eternal glory.
May their example inspire and encourage us.
We pray for ourselves and our ministries:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered and the prayers
conclude with the following.)
Lord, you have called us to serve you.
Grant that we may walk in your presence:
your love in our hearts,
your truth in our minds,
your strength in our wills;
until, at the end of our journey,
we know the joy of our homecoming
and the welcome of your embrace,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect
O God,
your Son made himself known to his disciples
in the breaking of bread.
Open the eyes of our faith,
that we may see him in his redeeming work,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen
RESPONSE
Open this think to hear Lori True’s “I Send You with the Grace of My Spirit.”
I send you with the grace of my Spirit
I send you as companions of peace
I place you on the path that leads to endless joy
Go seek me in the least of these
Show by your life what my Gospel requires
Show by your life you are mine
I send you with the grace of my Spirit
I send you as companions of peace
I place you on the path that leads to endless joy
Go seek me in the least of these
Show by your life what my Gospel requires
Show by your life you are mine
I send you with the grace of my Spirit
I send you as companions of peace
I place you on the path that leads to endless joy
Go seek me in the least of these
Show by your life what my Gospel requires
Show by your life you are mine
THE LORD’S PRAYER
And now, as our Saviour has taught us,
we are bold to say,
May their example inspire and encourage us.
We pray for ourselves and our ministries:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered and the prayers
conclude with the following.)
Lord, you have called us to serve you.
Grant that we may walk in your presence:
your love in our hearts,
your truth in our minds,
your strength in our wills;
until, at the end of our journey,
we know the joy of our homecoming
and the welcome of your embrace,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect
O God,
your Son made himself known to his disciples
in the breaking of bread.
Open the eyes of our faith,
that we may see him in his redeeming work,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen
RESPONSE
Open this think to hear Lori True’s “I Send You with the Grace of My Spirit.”
I send you with the grace of my Spirit
I send you as companions of peace
I place you on the path that leads to endless joy
Go seek me in the least of these
Show by your life what my Gospel requires
Show by your life you are mine
I send you with the grace of my Spirit
I send you as companions of peace
I place you on the path that leads to endless joy
Go seek me in the least of these
Show by your life what my Gospel requires
Show by your life you are mine
I send you with the grace of my Spirit
I send you as companions of peace
I place you on the path that leads to endless joy
Go seek me in the least of these
Show by your life what my Gospel requires
Show by your life you are mine
THE LORD’S PRAYER
And now, as our Saviour has taught us,
we are bold to say,
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.
BLESSING
May Christ who out of defeat brings new hope and new alternatives, bring us new life
and the blessing of God our Creator, Redeemer and Giver of life be with us always. Amen.
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.
BLESSING
May Christ who out of defeat brings new hope and new alternatives, bring us new life
and the blessing of God our Creator, Redeemer and Giver of life be with us always. Amen.
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