The First Sunday of Easter: Easter Day – 5th April 2026
THE CELEBRATION OF THE HOLY COMMUNION (2)

Hymn: 217 Jesus Christ is risen today

 THE GREETING
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.                                     

THE COLLECT FOR PURITY
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

PENITENCE
Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ says: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets. 
Matthew 22: 37-39

Lord, have mercy on us,
and write these your laws in our hearts.

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins, to intercede for us in heaven, and to bring us to eternal life. Let us then confess our sins in penitence and faith, firmly resolved to keep God's commandments and to live in love and peace:

Silence
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned in thought and word and deed, and in what we have left undone. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may walk in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen. 
THE ABSOLUTION

THE GLORIA
The Collect for the First Sunday of Easter- page 272 (184)
Almighty God, through Your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ You have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that, as by Your grace going before us You put into our minds good desires, so by Your continual help we may bring them to good effect; through Jesus Christ our risen Lord who is alive and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

The Lesson: Jeremiah 31: 1-6
At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.
Thus says the Lord:
The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness;
when Israel sought for rest, the Lord appeared to him from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall take your tambourines, and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall enjoy the fruit.
For there shall be a day when sentinels will call in the hill country of Ephraim: ‘Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.’ 

The Psalm: 118: 14-20 - 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 hand 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.

The Epistle: Acts 10: 34-43
Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. You know the message He sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. We are witnesses to all that He did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree; but God raised Him on the third day and allowed Him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with Him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.’ 

Choir Anthem

The Gospel John 20: 1-18 
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.’ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.  He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in.  Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself.  Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that He must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.  They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.’  When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.’  Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher).  Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to Me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.” ’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that He had said these things to her.

THE SERMON

THE NICENE CREED
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us and for our salvation He came down from Heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried. On the third day He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen   

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
At the end of the Intercessions the following is said:
Merciful Father, accept these our prayers for the sake of Your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Offertory Hymn:  259 Christ triumphant, ever reigning

THE PRAYER OF HUMBLE ACCESS
We do not presume to come to this Your table, merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness but in Your manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under Your table. But You are the same Lord, Whose nature is always to have mercy. Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of Your dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink His blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by His Body, and our souls washed through His most precious Blood, and that we may evermore dwell in Him and He in us. Amen.

THE PEACE
The peace of the Lord be always with you. 
THE TAKING OF THE BREAD AND WINE

Christ our passover has been sacrificed for us therefore let us celebrate the feast. 
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord is here.    His Spirit is with us. 
Lift up your hearts.    We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.  It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Father, Almighty and Everliving God, at all times and in all places it is right to give You thanks and praise: 
And so with all Your people, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of Heaven, we proclaim Your great and glorious name, for ever praising You and singing:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and Earth are full of Your glory. 
Hosanna in the highest!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest! 

Blessed are You, Father, The Creator and Sustainer of all things; You made us in Your own image, male and female You created us; even when we turned away from You, You never ceased to care for us, but in Your love and mercy You freed us from the slavery of sin, giving Your only begotten Son to become man and suffer death on the cross to redeem us; He made there the one complete and all-sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world: He instituted, and in His holy Gospel commanded us to continue, a perpetual memory of His precious death until He comes again: On the night that He was betrayed He took bread; and when He had given thanks to You, He broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is My Body which is given for You. Do this in remembrance of Me. In the same way, after supper He took the cup; and when He had given thanks to You, He gave it to them, saying, Drink this, all of You, for this is my Blood of the new covenant which is shed for You and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. Therefore, Father, with this bread and this cup we do as Christ Your Son commanded:

We remember His passion and death, we celebrate His resurrection and ascension, and we look for the coming of His kingdom.

Accept through Him, our great High Priest, this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; and as we eat and drink these holy gifts, grant by the power of the life-giving Spirit that we may be made one in Your holy Church and partakers of the body and blood of Your Son, that He may dwell in us and we in Him: Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, by Whom, and with Whom, and in Whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours, Almighty Father, for ever and ever. Amen. 

THE LORD'S PRAYER
The bread which we break is a sharing in the Body of Christ.                           
We being many are one body, for we all share in the one bread.

The gifts of God for the people of God.
Jesus Christ is holy
Jesus Christ is Lord
To the Glory of God the Father.

Or

Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, Who has taken away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to His Supper.
Lord, I am not worthy to receive You, but only say the word and I shall be healed.

THE COMMUNION

The Post Communion Prayer - page 273 (185)
Living God, for our redemption You gave Your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by His glorious resurrection You have delivered us from the power of our enemy. Grant us so to die daily unto sin, that we may evermore live with Him in the joy of His risen life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

THE PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Almighty God, we thank You for feeding us with the spiritual food of the Body and Blood of Your Son Jesus Christ. Through Him we offer You our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of Your Spirit to live and work to Your praise and glory. Amen.

THE BLESSING 
Hymn: 288 Thine be the glory

ANNOUNCEMENTS for Sunday 5th April 2026
Churchwardens
We wish to thank our outgoing Churchwardens, Graham Irvine and Audrey Hopkins for their support and dedication over the past year and welcome our new Churchwardens Kenneth Surphlis and Zelda Palmer. Kenneth and Zelda will take up their roles on Sunday 26th April.
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.
Confirmation
Confirmation Class will have their end of class get together tomorrow evening, Monday 6th April at 6.30pm in the Upper Room, Cathedral Hall. They meet again on Monday 13th April, in the Cathedral at 6.30pm, for a rehearsal. Confirmation is on Sunday 19th April at 11.00am.
Adult Confirmation
Any adults, who are not already confirmed, and would like to be confirmed please contact the clergy or the Parish Office and a member of the Clergy will contact you. A service to confirm adults will take place in the St Macartin’s Cathedral on Ascension Thursday (14th May) at 7.30pm. Adults throughout the Diocese are welcome to be confirmed at this service – please contact your Rector for details.
Fermanagh  Musical Theatre (FMT)
Local musical society FMT, is staging a production of Stephen Schwartz's GODSPELL, in St Michael's Church on  7th and 8th April at 7.30pm. The cast include Ben Kettyles who performed Joseph in the Ardhowen Theatre before Christmas, Rory Blake and Aiden McHugh (our parishioner Sam 
Coulter’s grandson) and others. 
Tickets: ticketsource.com/fermanagh-musical-theatre or Tel 03336663366.
Charity Fashion Show
Castle Hume Ladies Golf Club invite you to a Fashion Show, with Karisma Boutique on Thursday 9th April at 7.00pm, in St Macartin’s Cathedral Hall. Tickets (£10) available from Karisma Boutique, Castle Hume Ladies Members and on eventbrite, or pay at the door. Refreshments will be provided. All proceeds are to Chest Heart & Stroke and Childrens’ Heartbeat Trust. Everyone welcome.
Spirit and Soul
Next meeting is on Tuesday 14th April at 7.30pm in the Cathedral. The subject is ‘Poetry’.
Parenting Wellness Group
Come join us on Saturday 25th April at 2.00pm in St. Macartin’s Cathedral Hall for a Mini Sound Bath Session led by Sukhada Smith-Repass. Participants will also enjoy a talk on well-being. Yoga mat and blanket needed. To book your space, contact Linda Kingston on 07342045474. 
Thursday 9th April 
11.00am - Holy Communion
Sunday 12th April - The Second Sunday of Easter 
9.00am - Holy Communion 
11.00am - Morning Prayer 
Thursday 16th April 
11.00am - Holy Communion
Sunday 19th April - The Second Sunday of Easter 
9.00am - Holy Communion 
11.00am – Holy Communion, Confirmation and Ordination