Jerusalem and the Holy Land Sunday
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
You can join the service, live or later, via YouTube.
The stream will begin at 10 am (Eastern). You’re able to watch or re-watch the stream at this link on YouTube right away, or at any later time.
The order of service is available here.
You may want to have it handy while joining the stream. The order of service includes the readings and responses, and the words to the hymns, to make it easier to join in participating via the live stream. It also includes prayers you may wish to use during the reception of the Eucharist.
This is the Seventh Sunday of Easter, and we continue to celebrate the good news of the resurrection! Sundays and Seasons offers this reflection on the day and the readings we’ll hear:
It is possible to hear in Jesus’ high priestly prayer, a prayer he offered shortly before his death, the petitions of the ascended Christ for his own throughout history—to our day—and beyond. Jesus prays for us. In holy baptism we become believers in God, have our robes washed in the flood of Christ’s forgiveness, and receive the gift of life forever with all the saints.
The Lord is risen indeed, alleluia!
Today is also Jerusalem and the Holy Land Sunday. Our cover image is a Jerusalem cross. The four smaller Greek crosses in each quadrant formed by the large central Greek cross represent the gospel going out to the “four corners of the Earth.” Used as the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, it is now used throughout the Holy Land in particular. Pilgrims will see it emblazoned on the many sites throughout the Holy Land that are cared for by the “Custody of the Holy Land” — the Order of the Friars Minor who are entrusted with care of certain sites.
Jerusalem and the Holy Land Sunday was identified by General Synod in 2013. It is a day set aside for prayer, learning, and action to support the work of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. Those two churches operate hospitals, clinics, schools, and other services as they work to foster peace.
To learn more, and to make a donation in support of the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre’s work empowering Palestinian children with disabilities in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, visit the Anglican Church of Canada’s site devoted to Jerusalem and the Holy Land Sunday.