Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, April 24, 2025)
The American Episcopal Church and other Anglican Churches observe Easter Week, which begins on Easter Sunday and concludes on the Second Sunday of Easter. Easter Week is a part of the Anglican Church’s ongoing celebration of the resurrection of Jesus and his presence with his people.
This Thursday is the Thursday in Easter Week. For each day in Easter Week The Book of Common Prayer appoints one or more Collects of the Day, which “sets the emphasis for the prayers and liturgy of the day.” The Prayer Book also appoints readings for the Daily Offices and Holy Communion for these days.
A number of Anglican churches celebrate Holy Communion every day in Easter Week. John Wesley, an Anglican priest, a leading figure in the eighteenth century Evangelical Revival, and the founder of the Methodist movement, made it his practice to receive communion every day in Easter Week. He encouraged Methodists to receive communion regularly and often, emphasizing the sacrament of Holy Communion as an important means of grace. He received communion not only during Easter Week but also during the Twelve Days of Christmas and on every Sunday whenever it was possible.
In this evening’s message we explore what Jesus’ resurrection means for Christians.
GATHER IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link in a new tab to hear Jonathan Anderson’s arrangement of Frederick M. Lehman’s THE LOVE OF GOD IS GREATER FAR for piano and violin.
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept.
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 neighbors 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 on us, forgive us all our sins
through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all
goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in
eternal life. Amen.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
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.
Alleluia.
Open this link to hear Carl P. Daw Jr.’s paraphrase of the Phos hilaron, “O Light Whose Splendor Thrills and Gladdens.”
1 O Light whose splendor thrills and gladdens
with radiance brighter than the sun,
pure gleam of God's unending glory,
Jesus, blest Anointed One;
2 As twilight hovers near at sunset,
and lamps are lit, and children nod,
in evening hymns we lift our voices
to Father, Spirit, Son: one God.
3 In all life's brilliant, timeless moments,
let faithful voices sing your praise,
O Son of God, our Life-bestower,
whose glory lightens endless days.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley Smith’s “Safe in the Shadow of the Lord” (Psalm 91).
1 Safe in the shadow of the Lord,
beneath his hand and power,
I trust in him,
I trust in him,
my fortress and my tower.
2 My hope is set on God alone,
though Satan spreads his snare,
I trust in him,
I trust in him,
to keep me in his care.
3 From fears and phantoms of the night,
from foes about my way,
I trust in him,
I trust in him,
by darkness as by day.
4 His holy angels keep my feet
secure from every stone;
I trust in him,
I trust in him,
and unafraid go on.
5 Strong in the everlasting Name,
and in my Father's care,
I trust in him,
I trust in him,
who hears and answers prayer.
6 Safe in the shadow of the Lord,
possessed by love divine,
I trust in him,
I trust in him,
and meet his love with mine.
Silence.
Keep us, good Lord,
under the shadow of your mercy
and, as you have bound us to yourself in love,
leave us not who call upon your name,
but grant us your salvation,
made known in the cross of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke.
Luke 7:11-17
A little later Jesus went to a city called Nain. His disciples and a great crowd traveled with him. As he approached the city gate, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When he saw her, the Lord had compassion for her and said, “Don’t cry.” He stepped forward and touched the stretcher on which the dead man was being carried. Those carrying him stood still. Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, get up.” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Awestruck, everyone praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding region.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Silence.
What Does Jesus’ Resurrection Mean for Christians?
This evening’ reading is one of three accounts of Jesus’ restoring life to the dead found in the New Testament. The other two accounts are Jesus’ restoration of Jarius’ daughter to life (Mark 5:21–43, Matthew 9:18–26 and Luke 8:40–56) and his restoration of Lazarus, Martha and Mary of Bethany’s brother, (John 11: 1-44). Jesus may have raised others from the dead. Their stories, however, are not recorded in the New Testament.
We do not know how long the widow of Nain’s son had been dead. At the time those who died were buried soon after they died, usually within the same day as their death. In the hot climate of the ancient Mid-East bodies decayed quickly. To leave a body unburied for any length of time was considered to be dishonoring to the dead person. Jarius’ daughter had just passed away before Jesus’ arrival at her home. Lazarus had been dead for four days and already laid in his tomb.
The New Testament does not tell us how long these three people lived after Jesus brought them back to life.
The widow of Nain’s son was returned to his mother alive and well as was Jarius’ daughter to her parents and Lazarus to his sisters. They were not animated corpses, zombies, with the stench of death upon them.
Jesus’ restoration of them to life was an act of compassion. At the time widows, unless they had an adult child or other relatives to support them or they owned property, often were reduced to poverty upon the death of their husband. They were forced to eke out a living the best they could. There was no government social safety net in those days.
Upon hearing how Jesus had restored the widow of Nain’s son to life, the people hailed him as a great prophet. They were recalling how the Prophet Eijah raised a widow’s son from the dead (1 Kings 17: 17-24).
Jesus’ raising of the dead foreshadows his own resurrection from dead, which Christians celebrate not just during Easter Week but on every Sunday of the year.
For Christians Jesus’ resurrection is a central article of their faith. For them his resurrection signifies victory over death and the offer of the promise of eternal life and a future resurrection. It shows them that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, God’s Anointed One, the Son of God; that he is indeed Lord of all with power over death itself; that he is true to his word and keeps his promises; that he is able to save people from their sins.
As C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, a book which explores the core beliefs of Christianity, and which was originally a series of BBC radio talks given during World War II, if Jesus had not risen from the dead—
“He would have been deceived or a deceiver. But His most amazing promise has come true, so how can we not depend on and live by all the rest of His promises?”
Jesus suffered and died for us on the cross. He also rose from the dead for us. He fulfilled his promise and will fulfill all his promises. This is good news indeed, good news that we as followers are called to share with all humankind. Christ has died! Christ is risen! And yes, Christ will come again!
Silence.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley Smith’s “Tell Out, My Soul.”
1 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
Tender to me the promise of his word;
In God my Savior shall my heart rejoice
2 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
His mercy sure, from age to age to same;
His holy Name--the Lord, the Mighty One
3 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight
The hungry fed, the humble lifted high
4 Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
To children's children and for evermore!
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He 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,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
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.
THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
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,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and
goodwill,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins
and offenses,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole
world,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may depart this life in your faith and fear,
and not be condemned before the great judgment seat
of Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in
the communion of [________ and] all your saints,
entrusting one another and all our life to Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery
established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all
who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body
may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Carl P. Daw Jr.’s “God Our Author and Creator.”
1 God our Author and Creator, in whose life we find our own,
make our daily witness greater, by our lives make your love known.
Help us show how love embraces those whom fear and greed downtrod;
in all yearning hearts and faces let us see a child of God.
2 Like those first apostles, Savior, give us strength to love and serve:
when our fainting spirits waver, fire our hearts and steel our nerve.
Teach us wisdom and compassion: bid our restless thoughts be still;
by your guidance help us fashion lives conformed unto your will.
3 Keep us faithful, Holy Spirit, help us bear the message true,
that at last all lands may hear it: "God is love; Christ died for you."
Join our lives in mighty chorus till we come from every place,
with all those who went before us, to the fullness of God's grace.
[Let us pray for all people.]
God of providence, God of love,
we pray for all people: make your way known to them, your saving power
among all nations.
[Especially we pray for…]
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
We pray for your Church throughout the world: guide and
govern by your Holy Spirit, that all who call themselves Christians
may be led in the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit,
in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.
[Especially we pray for…]
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
We commend to your fatherly goodness all who are afflicted or distressed
in mind, body, or circumstances. Relieve them according to their needs.
Give them patience in their sufferings, and deliverance in their afflictions.
[Especially we pray for…]
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
THE SENDING FORTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely
more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from
generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus
for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21
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