Saint Macartin’s Cathedral Enniskillen
MORNING PRAYER (1) – PAGE 84 
The Second Sunday of Easter 27/4/2024
Hymn: 263 Crown him with many crowns
A GENERAL CONFESSION
Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred and strayed from Thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against Thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us. But Thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare Thou them, O God, which confess their faults. Restore Thou them that are penitent; According to Thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for His sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of Thy holy Name. Amen.
THE ABSOLUTION
Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness, and live; and hath given power, and commandment, to His Ministers, to declare and pronounce to His people, being penitent, the Absolution and Remission of their sins: He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe His holy Gospel. Wherefore let us beseech Him to grant us true repentance, and His Holy Spirit, that those things may please Him which we do at this present; and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy; so that at the last we may come to His eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, open Thou our lips and our mouth shall show forth Thy praise.
God, make speed to save us. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Praise ye the Lord. The Lord's Name be praised.

Canticle: Easter Anthems – page 120

1	Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us, 
therefore let us celebrate the feast,

2	Not with the old leaven of corruption and wickedness, 
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

3	Christ, once raised from the dead dies no more; 
death has no more dominion over Him.

4	In dying, He died to sin once for all; 
in living,  He lives to God.

5	See yourselves therefore as dead to sin; 
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord.

6	Christ has been raised from the dead: 
the firstfruits of those who sleep.

7	For as by man came death, 
by Man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

8	For as in Adam all die, 
even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

The Lesson: Job 42: 1-6
Then Job answered the Lord:
‘I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. “Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?” Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. “Hear, and I will speak; I will question You, and You declare to me.” I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.’ 

The Psalm: 118: 14-29 - page 730 (450)
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 and 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 same stone which the builders rejected is 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.
25	Come, O Lord, and save us we pray. Come, Lord, send us now prosperity.
26 	Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; we bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 	The Lord is God, He has given us light; link the pilgrims with cords right to the horns of the altar.
28 	You are my God, and I will thank You; You are my God and I will exalt You.
29 	O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His mercy endures for ever.

The Epistle: Revelation 1: 4-8
John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and freed us from our sins by His blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and on His account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen.
‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’, says the Lord God, Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty.

Hymn: 268 Hail, thou once-despised Jesus
 
The Gospel: John 20: 19-31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After He said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I send you. ’When He had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’   But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in His side, I will not believe.’ A week later His disciples were again in the house and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’  Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it in My side. Do not doubt but believe. ’Thomas answered Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in His name. 

THE APOSTLES' CREED
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And 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, dead, and buried. He descended into Hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He shall come to judge the quick 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.

Lord, have mercy upon us Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon 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. Amen.

O Lord, show thy mercy upon us and grant us Thy salvation.

O Lord, save the King and mercifully hear us when we call upon Thee.

Endue Thy ministers with righteousness and make Thy chosen people joyful.

O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.

Give peace in our time, O Lord, because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only Thou, O God.

O God, make clean our hearts within us and take not Thy Holy Spirit from us.

THE COLLECTS
The Collect – page 273 (185)

Almighty Father, You have given your only Son to die for our sins and to rise again for our justification: Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness that we may always serve You in pureness of living and truth; through the merits of Your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

THE SECOND COLLECT For Peace
O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of Whom standeth our eternal life, Whose service is perfect freedom; Defend us Thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in Thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE THIRD COLLECT For Grace
O Lord, our Heavenly Father, Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day: Defend us in the same with Thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by Thy governance, to do always that is righteous in Thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYERS
Hymn: 583 Jesu, my Lord

 SERMON
Offertory Hymn: 288 Thine be the glory

 THE BLESSING

Hymn: 373 To God be the glory
ANNOUNCEMENTS for Sunday 27th April
Churchwardens
We wish to thank our outgoing Churchwardens, Dwayne Nixon and Ann Little for their support and dedication over the past year and welcome our new Churchwardens Graham Irvine and Audrey Hopkins. Graham and Audrey will take up their roles on Sunday 4th May.
Bishops’ Appeal supports Christian Aid’s response to S E Asia Earthquake.
Following the devastating earthquake last Friday (28th March) in South East Asia in which over two thousand lives have been lost, the Bishops’ Appeal Advisory Committee is sending emergency assistance of €10,000 (currently equivalent to £8,400) to Christian Aid’s appeal for Myanmar. Bishops’ Appeal envelopes are available in the porch if anyone would like to make a contribution.
Lenten Project - Mission Focus - Mothers’ Union Overseas Fund
A reminder to please return your Lenten Box or Gift Aid Envelope, as soon as possible to the Churchwardens or the Cathedral Office.
Blood Transfusion Service
Book now, for your local community blood donation session in St Macartin’s Cathedral Hall on Wednesday 30th April between 1.00 and 8.00pm or Thursday 1st May between 12.30 and 7.30pm. Call free on 08085534653 or text BLOOD to 60081.Giving blood saves lives!
Mothers’ Union Festival Service
Mothers’ Union in Ireland is celebrating 125 years in existence and this year there will be a Festival Service in place of the usual Area Service. This service is in St Macartin’s Cathedral at 8.00pm on Friday 2nd May.
Word and World
The last meeting of this session is on Tuesday 6th May at 7.30pm in the Hilliard Room, Cathedral Hall.
Cathedral Car Park
Please note that the Cathedral Hall Car Park will be closed on Saturday 10th May, when the Band, Bugles, Pipes & Drums of the Royal Irish Regiment will perform a ‘Beating Retreat.’  It will include a special performance by The Erne Highland Dancers. The Car Park will reopen after this event.
Adult Confirmation
A service to confirm adults will take place in the Cathedral on Ascension Thursday (29th May) at 7.30pm.  Adults throughout the Diocese are welcome to be confirmed at this service – please contact the clergy or the Parish Office and a member of the Clergy will contact you.
Appeal for Books for Oxfam Charity Shop
Oxfam Charity Shop would appreciate donations of books. If you can help, please leave at the shop, 29 Townhall Street, Enniskillen, or in the Cathedral
Office.
Sunday 27th April - The Second Sunday of Easter
9.00am – Holy Communion  
11.00am – Morning Prayer
Mid Week Services
Thursday 1st May at 11.00am – Holy Communion
Sunday 4th May - The Third Sunday of Easter
9.00am – Holy Communion  
11.00am – Holy Communion