Ascension Sunday Worship at Home
In the name of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit Amen
The Paschal Candle is Lit
This is the day that the Lord has Made Alleluia
ALL: We shall rejoice and be glad in it Alleluia Alleluia
Grace mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
ALL: And also with you
HYMN: “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus”
Scripture Sentence
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46
SILENCE is kept
Opening prayer
Almighty God,
as we prepare to worship today,
we ask that you will stretch our imaginations
to sense the majesty and mystery of your ascension.
Help us perceive how Jesus’ presence in heaven
can give us confidence in our praying
and hope for the future.
Through Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
SILENCE is kept
Call and response
We know you and yet we do not know you
ALL: You are mysterious and full of possibility
You know us and you understand us
ALL: You are loving and full of truth
You welcome us and you live in us
ALL: You are Holy and fill us with hope
As we too stand a look upwards
ALL: help us see you here now in our midst
Act of Penitence
While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord, the way we live proclaims our lack of faith in His power, His love and His good purposes for all God’s children
At this time of crises when faith is tested and our foundations are shaken we pause to reflect on how often we have failed to live as Easter people
Silence
Let us confess the incongruity between our faith and practice.
Lord God, our maker and our redeemer, this is your world and we are your people come among us and save us.
We have wilfully misused your gifts of creation;
Lord, be merciful:
ALL: forgive us and heal us .
We have seen the ill-treatment of others and have not gone to their aid;
Lord, be merciful:
ALL: forgive us and heal us
We have heard the good news of Christ, but have failed to share it with others;
Lord, be merciful:
ALL: forgive us and heal us.
We have not loved you with all our heart, nor our neighbours as ourselves;
Lord, be merciful:
ALL: forgive us and heal us
Silence and we reflect and bring to God those things we need healed within us Absolution
ANTHEM: Choir or soloists
We join in the Song of the Angels and say the Gloria
ALL: 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. 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. 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.
The Collect
Reading 1: Music and images
Reading 2 Gospel
Sermon Bishop Andrew
We declare our faith
Do you believe and trust in God the Father, source of all being and life, the one for whom we exist?
ALL: We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Son, who took our human nature, died for us and rose again?
ALL: We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the people of God and makes Christ known in the world?
ALL: We believe and trust in him.
This is the faith of the Church.
ALL: This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Intercessions
The Lord's Prayer
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.
The Peace
Seasonal introduction
The peace of the Lord be with you.
ALL: And also with you
Closing Prayers
God of resurrection of life and death
ALL: Renew our hearts and minds
God of promise of all beginnings and all endings
ALL: Renew our hearts and minds
God of hope of new growth and harvest
ALL: Renew our hearts and minds
Ascension Day Prayer
Jesus Christ, mediator and high priest,
we thank you for becoming human and for experiencing
the joys and sorrows of life, which assures us that you
are able to sympathize and rejoice with us.
We praise you for the many joys of life:
ALL:
for the beauty of creation,
for your work in this world,
for the growth of your kingdom,
for the greatest source of our happiness: the gift of eternal life.
As our mediator, you stand before God, petitioning him on our behalf,so we boldly bring before you our prayers
ALL:
for creation and its care,
for the nations of the world,
for our nation and its leaders,
for this community and those in authority,
for the church universal as it works on your behalf,
for this local church in its ministry,
for persons with particular needs.
We pray this in your strong name, O Christ,
our mediator and high priest Risen and Ascended Lord Who has promised to send us the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Closing Blessing
HYMN: Crown him with Many Crowns
Materials are drawn from Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, Common Worship: Pastoral Services, and Common Worship: Daily Prayer, all of which are copyright © The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England.