Sundays at All Hallows (May 10, 2026)

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

This Sunday, Fifth Sunday after Easter, or the Sixth Sunday of Easter, depending upon whether a church is following the traditional one-year lectionary or the three-year Revised Common Lectionary, is Rogation Sunday and marks the beginning of Rogationtide, a brief season of four days, counting Rogation Sunday, which precedes Ascension Day. Among the customs associated with Rogationtide, are fasting and abstinence in preparation for Ascension Day, solemn processions through the community during which the Great Litany was recited or sung, the blessing of the farmers’ crops, and the beating of the bounds, which in its oldest form entailed showing the boys of the parish the boundary markers of the parish and giving them a good drubbing so they didn’t forget them. If the boundary marker was a pond, river, or stream, they were thrown into the water. These customs whose introduction in England goes as far back as the seventh century, survived the Reformation albeit they are now not as widely observed as they once were.

This year Rogation Sunday falls on the second Sunday of May, Mother’s Day, a secular holiday in the United States honoring mothers and others who have occupied that role in the care of a child and widely observed in US churches.

In this Sunday’s message we unpack John 14: 15-21 and its meaning for us.

GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME

Open this link in a new tab to hear John A. Behnke’s arrangement of “Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling” (IN BABILONE) for handbells.

Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

This is the day the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Open this link in a new tab to hear Anna Laura Page’s arrangement of
Cecil Frances Alexander’s “All Things Bright and Beautiful” for Unison/Optional 2-Part Choir.

All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.

1 Each little flow'r that opens,
each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.

All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.

2 The purple-headed mountain,
the river running by,
the sunset and the morning
that brightens up the sky.

All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.

3 The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden:
He made them every one.

All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.

4 He gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well.

All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.

[Let us confess our sins to God our Father]

Silence

Heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour
in thought and word and deed,
negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault;
by what we have done
and by what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name. Amen.

Merciful Lord,
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear “Glory to God” from Marty Haugen’s Mass of Creation.

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father,
Amen. Amen.

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

[The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.]

[Let us pray.]

Silence

God our redeemer,
you have delivered us from the power of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of your Son:
Grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life,
so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

God of compassion,
whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary,
shared the life of a home in Nazareth,
and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself:
Strengthen us in our daily living
that in joy and in sorrow
we may know the power of your presence
to bind together and to heal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

A reading from the
Acts 17:22-31

Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, ‘Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, “To an unknown god.” What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For “In him we live and move and have our being”; as even some of your own poets have said,

“For we too are his offspring.”

Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.’

[May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.]

Silence

Open this link in a new tab to hear Kiran Young Wimberly’s “Sing a Joyful Song” (Psalm 66).

Sing a joyful song unto our God
All earth, be glad and sing
Sing out of all God’s gracious ways
Of all the blessings shown
We will raise our voices, sing our praise
Give thanks with grateful hearts
For our loving God has heard our prayers
And answered when we called

You have turned the sea into dry land
And led us from fire and storm
You have kept our feet from stumbling
Led us to a spacious place
May the sound of thanks ring strong and clear
For God has come to help
I will bring to God my offering
My heart, my life, my soul

O Come and hear, and I will tell
What God has done for me
I cried aloud when I was lost
You came to comfort me
You heard my prayer and listened well
When I was all alone
Blessed be our God who hears us now,
Whose love will never cease

Sing a joyful song unto our God
All earth be glad and sing

A reading from the First Letter of Peter.
1 Peter 3: 13-22

Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

[May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.]

Silence



Open this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley Smith’s “The glory of our God and King” (Magna et Mirabilia).

1 The glory of our God and King,
the splendour of his throne,
let heaven and earth unite to sing
and all creation own.

2 The one eternal Father bless
before whose state and crown,
whose reign of perfect righteousness,
the nations all bow down.

3 His mercies shown, his triumphs won,
unnumbered saints proclaim,
the deeds his mighty arm has done,
his great and glorious Name.

4 In honour throned, in love adored,
how just and true his ways:
of all the ages King and Lord,
to everlasting days!

A reading from the Gospel according to John.
John 14: 15-21

‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’

[May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.]

Silence

Honk If You Love Jesus

When I was younger, I often would see a car or truck on the highway with a sticker saying, “Honk if you love Jesus.” Or “I” and “Jesus” with a red or pink heart between them. I would wonder to myself if the occupants of the vehicle understood what it meant to love Jesus. Were they familiar with what Jesus said about loving him—like what John tells us he said in this Sunday’s Gospel Reading? Did they understand that when he talked about loving him, he was talking about more than having warm fuzzy feelings about him?

The Greek word which is translated by the English word “love” in this Sunday’s Gospel Reading, as it is generally used in the Bible, means to be fond of someone, to love them dearly.

More specifically, it means to be filled with goodwill toward that individual and to exhibit goodwill toward them, to have a decided preference for that individual, to wish them well, to give thought to their welfare. It is often used in the First Letter of John of the love of the disciples of Jesus toward each other.

When it is used of love to a master, God or Jesus, the word “involves the idea of affectionate reverence, prompt obedience, grateful recognition of benefits received…” Implicit is a singular devotion to the object of the love of the individual in question.

It is the word that Jesus used of God’s love for his creation, for humankind, and of the love that he taught we should show toward our enemies, as well as toward God and our neighbor, that is, all people.

It is not to be confused with the affection that we might feel toward a family member, relative, a friend or associate or someone else whom we hold dear.

It is also not to be confused with romantic love or sexual attraction.

It is a particular kind of love which is associated with faith and is like faith, a gift of God’s grace.

A second Greek word in this Sunday’s Gospel Reading that warrants our attention is translated by the English word “keep.” It means to guard from loss or injury in an appropriate manner by keeping a strict eye on what is being guarded.

Figuratively, it means to fulfill a command.

It also means to keep unsullied, “not damaged or made dirty by anything,” referring to what is described as a maiden’s purity in some cultures, that is, her virginity.

And to hold fast, “to firmly remain in the same position or keep the same opinion.”

In telling the disciples that if they love him, they will keep his commands, Jesus is saying that those who are his true disciples, those who are wholeheartedly devoted to him, will not only follows his teachings and live their lives according to them, but also they will preserve his teachings and pass them onto others. They will not let them become altered or added to. Or twisted to mean something other than what Jesus meant.

To this end and so they will not feel like a child without any parents, he promises to ask the Father to give them “another Advocate,” the abiding and indwelling presence of God himself in the person of the Holy Spirit who will be with them always. Only those whose spiritual eyes have been opened by God, however, will be able to discern the Holy Spirit and know him from his works.

Jesus once more emphasizes the connection between having and keeping his commandments and loving him. He further promises that those who love him will be loved by the Father. He will love them too and make himself known to them.

Jesus kept his promise to ask the Father to give his disciples the Holy Spirit. He keeps that promise today. To those who love him he also makes himself known as he promised. We can trust his promises. Jesus does not change. As the author of the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.”

Silence

Open this link in a new tab to hear Alanna Glover, John Newton, Liv Chapman, and Philip Percival’s “How Sweet The Name.”

Verse 1
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In the believer’s ear
It soothes our sorrows heals our wounds
And drives away our fear

Verse 2
So weak the effort of my heart
And cold my warmest thought
But when I see you as you are
I’ll praise you as I ought

Chorus
The rock on which I build
My shield and hiding place with treasure filled
The endless source of grace
My shepherd and my king be ever praised

Verse 3
Till then I would your love proclaim
With every fleeting breath
And may the music of your name
Refresh my soul in death

Chorus
The rock on which I build
My shield and hiding place with treasure filled
The endless source of grace
My shepherd and my king be ever praised

Bridge
My prophet my priest my brother and friend
My Lord my life my way and my end
My prophet my priest my brother and friend
My Lord my life my way and my end

Chorus
The rock on which I build
My shield and hiding place with treasure filled
The endless source of grace
My shepherd and my king be ever praised
The rock on which I build
My shield and hiding place with treasure filled
The endless source of grace
My shepherd and my king be ever praised

[Let us affirm our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.]

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
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 into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father
almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
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

[Let us pray for the Church and the world.]

Father, we pray for your holy catholic Church
that we all may be one.

Grant that every member of your Church may truly and humbly serve you: 

that your name may be glorified by all people.

We pray for all bishops and other ministers
that they may faithfully preach your word and administer your sacraments.

We pray for all who govern and hold authority in the nations of the world

that there may be justice and peace on the earth.

Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake
that your glory may be proclaimed through our lives.

Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble
that they may be delivered from their distress.

We praise you for your saints who have entered their eternal joy
may we also come to share in the fulness of your kingdom.

We pray for our own needs and for those of others:

Silence.

Those present may add their own petitions.

Faithful God,
you have promised to hear the prayers
of all who ask in Jesus’ name.
In your mercy, accept our prayers.
Give us what we have asked in faith,
According to your will:
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[Let us give thanks to God for his goodness.]

Almighty God, we praise you for the blessings
brought to the world through your Church.
We bless you for the grace of the sacraments,
for our fellowship in Christ with you and with
each other, for the teaching of the Scriptures,
and for the preaching of your Word. We thank
you for the holy example of your saints, for
your faithful servants departed this life, and
for the memory and example of all that has
been true and good in their lives. Number us
with them in the company of the redeemed in
heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

O God,
you have prepared for those who love you,
joys beyond our understanding:
pour into our hearts such love for you,
that, loving you above all else,
we may obtain your promises
that exceed all we can desire:
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

[And now as our Saviour taught us, we 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.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Stewart Cross’ “Father, Lord of All Creation.”

1 Father, Lord of all creation,
ground of being, life and love;
Height and depth beyond description,
only life in you can prove:
You are mortal life's dependence:
thought, speech, sight are ours by grace;
Yours is every hour's existence,
sovereign Lord of time and space.

2 Jesus Christ, the man for others
we, your people, make our prayer
help us love, as sisters, brothers
all whose burdens we can share
where your name binds us together
you, Lord Christ, will surely be
where no selfishness can sever
there you love the world may see.

3 Holy Spirit, rushing, bringing
wind and flame of Pentecost
fire our hearts afresh with yearning
to regain what we have lost
may your love unite our action
nevermore to speak alone
God, in us, abolish faction
God, through us, your love make known.

GOING OUT AS GOD’S PEOPLE

Eternal God and Father,
by whose power we are created and
by whose love we are redeemed:
guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,
that we may give ourselves to your service,
and live every day in love to one another
and to you; through Jesus Christ your Son
our Lord. Amen.

The Lord bless us and keep us.
The Lord make his face to shine upon us
and be gracious to us.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon us
and give us peace.
Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Robert Noble’s arrangement of “May the Lord, Mighty God.”

1 May the Lord, mighty God,
bless and keep you forever;
grant you peace, perfect peace,
courage in every endeavor.

2 Lift your eyes and see God's face,
source of grace forever;
may the Lord, mighty God,
bless and keep you forever.
May the Lord, mighty God,
bless and keep you forever.