These are resources meant mainly for The Anglican Church of St Thomas the Apostle, Kefalas, on the island of Crete in Greece, but others may find them helpful!

“Doubting Thomas” by an Unknown English Artist, about 1190–1200, Norfolk [perhaps] (written), East Anglia, England; York [perhaps] (illuminated), Northern, England (Place Created).Tempera colors and gold leaf on parchment.

Read

The readings appointed for the Second Sunday of Easter are:

• Acts 2:14a,22-32
• Psalm 16
• 1 Peter 1:3-9
• John 20:19-31

The Church of England also allows for a reading from the Tanakh (Old Testament), and for this Sunday it is Exodus 14.10-31; 15.20,21. This reading would come first, and the Acts reading would become the second reading, and the reading from 1 Peter would not be used.

Reflect

I have written a sermon for the Second Sunday of Easter: “Blind to any Unexpected Act”

Fr Leonard Doolan of St Paul’s Athens has recorded a sermon:

Pray

Collect

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,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

(or)

Risen Christ, for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred:
open the doors of our hearts,
that we may seek the good of others
and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace,
to the praise of God the Father. Amen.

Intercessions

H2     We pray to Jesus who is present with us to eternity.
Jesus, light of the world,
bring the light and peace of your gospel to the nations …
Jesus, Lord of life, in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, bread of life,
give food to the hungry …
and nourish us all with your word.
Jesus, Lord of life, in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, our way, our truth, our life,
be with us and all who follow you in the way …
Deepen our appreciation of your truth and fill us with your life.
Jesus, Lord of life, in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, Good Shepherd who gave your life for the sheep,
recover the straggler, bind up the injured, strengthen the sick
and lead the healthy and strong to new pastures.
Jesus, Lord of life, in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, the resurrection and the life,
we give you thanks for all who have lived and believed in you …
Raise us with them to eternal life.
Jesus, Lord of life, in your mercy, hear us,
accept our prayers, and be with us always. Amen.

Cycles of Prayer

In the Prayer Diary of the Diocese in Europe:
Pray for the Lusitanian Church, Bishop Jorge Pina Cabral.
Pray for the Church of Denmark and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Estonia.
Pray for the Diocesan Office in London: Pray for the Operations and Finance functions: Diocesan Secretary (COO): Andrew Caspari; Office Manager: Bron Panter; Finance: Susan Stelfox, Nick Wraight; Board of Finance Chair: Mike Fegan. Pray for the financial needs of the Diocese (and give thanks for God’s provision).

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer today:
Pray for the Church of Ireland, the clergy and people of its twelve dioceses, and its Primate, Michael Jackson, the Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough.

In the World Council of Churches prayer cycle, pray for the peoples and churches of:
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

Share

St Paul’s Athens invites you to a Zoom conference for Sunday worship. They ask that people sign in shortly after 10:00 am. The service itself begins at 10:15 am. Click on this link: https://zoom.us/j/227360090?pwd=eWY5bmp4SHU2T0VHQWhIalFkdDRLQT09.
Meeting ID: 227 360 090 Password: 422061

Hymns

A hymn from Tanzania. In translation the lyrics are:

Jesus is risen, alleluia!
Worship and praise him, alleluia!
Now our Redeemer bursts from the grave:
lost to the tomb, Christ rises to save.
Come let us worship him, endlessly sing;
Christ is alive and death loses its sting.
Sins are forgiven, alleluia!
Jesus is risen, alleluia!

There are not many hymns written about Thomas and his doubts – but this is one of them, by Thomas Troeger, one of my favourite modern Christian lyricists.

This is a good hymn about the power of faith.

Last night having been the Orthodox celebration of Easter, normally this Paschal Troparion would have been sung repeatedly by our Greek sisters and brothers, and especially as the the Holy Fire, the light of Christ, was given out.