What does it mean to truly trust God — not just believe in God, but let go of everything you know and step out in faith?

In this sermon for the Second Sunday in Lent, The Rev. Craig Swan explores the story of Nicodemus (John 3:1-17) — a leader who comes to Jesus in the night, drawn toward a teacher whose radical message both thrills and unsettles him. Fr. Craig traces the thread of trust across this week’s readings: from Abraham’s astonishing leap of faith at age seventy-five (Genesis 12), to Paul’s declaration that righteousness comes through faith, not works (Romans 4), to Nicodemus standing at the threshold of transformation.

The central question of this Lenten season, Fr. Craig reminds us, is the same one God has always asked: Do you trust me?

Scripture Readings

1. Genesis 12:1–4a — God calls Abram to leave everything
2. Psalm 121 — “I lift up my eyes to the hills”
3. Romans 4:1–5, 13–17 — Abraham’s faith reckoned as righteousness
4. John 3:1–17 — Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night; “For God so loved the world”

Holy Week & Easter at St. Peter’s

1. Palm Sunday, March 29 — 8:00 AM & 10:15 AM
2. Maundy Thursday, April 2 — Shared meal 5 PM + Holy Eucharist 6 PM at St. Augustine’s, Kingston
3. Good Friday, April 3 — Stations of the Cross 12 PM; Liturgy 7 PM (joint service with St. Augustine’s)
4. Easter Vigil, April 4 at 7 PM — Deanery-wide event; Bishop presiding & preaching
5. Easter Sunday, April 5 — Festival Eucharist with brass, timpani & full choir

St. Peter’s by-the-Sea is an Episcopal Church in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Sunday worship rooted in Anglican liturgy, scripture, and thoughtful preaching.

Plan a visit: https://www.stpetersbythesea.com

Fr. Craig Swan: Good morning and welcome.

Fr. Craig Swan: I kind of feel like we've all kind of dug our way out, and

Fr. Craig Swan: we're just all being to go about the cabin again after a, what do

Fr. Craig Swan: they call it, Snowmageddon number two this year.

Fr. Craig Swan: So, um, we're glad to see everybody.

Fr. Craig Swan: No one believed me ten years ago when I said, In Syracuse, we

Fr. Craig Swan: don't get, um, uh, gym memberships during the winter.

Fr. Craig Swan: We just shovel snow all winter because it's a daily event, and

Fr. Craig Swan: it kept us all nice in shape.

Fr. Craig Swan: Now you know why.

Fr. Craig Swan: So, uh, we're glad everyone's here.

Fr. Craig Swan: A handful of announcements this morning.

Fr. Craig Swan: First of all, we're beginning to

Fr. Craig Swan: look towards Holy Week and

Fr. Craig Swan: Easter.

Fr. Craig Swan: That is the last days of March

Fr. Craig Swan: and into the first weekend of

Fr. Craig Swan: Easter.

Fr. Craig Swan: And so things that are going on of import for those who are

Fr. Craig Swan: having young family members come in for Easter weekend.

Fr. Craig Swan: On the fourth, we will have an

Fr. Craig Swan: Easter egg hunt that will begin

Fr. Craig Swan: promptly around ten o'clock in

Fr. Craig Swan: the morning.

Fr. Craig Swan: And if you are able to help with

Fr. Craig Swan: donations of candy or plastic

Fr. Craig Swan: eggs for the hunt, gratefully

Fr. Craig Swan: accepted.

Fr. Craig Swan: Also in our unit this week and coming soon to our newsletter,

Fr. Craig Swan: is the opportunity to begin signing up or making memorial

Fr. Craig Swan: donations for Easter flowers.

Fr. Craig Swan: And then finally, our Holy Week schedule.

Fr. Craig Swan: That is March twenty ninth, palm

Fr. Craig Swan: Sunday eight and ten fifteen,

Fr. Craig Swan: Maundy Thursday, which is April

Fr. Craig Swan: second.

Fr. Craig Swan: We will gather at Saint Augustine's in Kingston at five

Fr. Craig Swan: pm for a simple shared meal and then six pm Holy Eucharist.

Fr. Craig Swan: Father Drake will be presiding.

Fr. Craig Swan: I will be preaching that night

Fr. Craig Swan: and then Good Friday, twelve

Fr. Craig Swan: o'clock PM is stations of the

Fr. Craig Swan: cross seven pm Good Friday

Fr. Craig Swan: liturgy with communion from the

Fr. Craig Swan: reserve that will take place

Fr. Craig Swan: here.

Fr. Craig Swan: And again that will be a joint

Fr. Craig Swan: service with the with our

Fr. Craig Swan: friends at Saint Augustine's and

Fr. Craig Swan: Father Drake will preach, I will

Fr. Craig Swan: preside Easter Vigil, which is

Fr. Craig Swan: Saturday, April fourth, is a

Fr. Craig Swan: event not to be missed this

Fr. Craig Swan: year.

Fr. Craig Swan: We are doing it as a deanery

Fr. Craig Swan: wide event here at Saint

Fr. Craig Swan: Peter's.

Fr. Craig Swan: And to kind of give it that

Fr. Craig Swan: multi congregational feel, our

Fr. Craig Swan: bishop will be presiding and

Fr. Craig Swan: preaching at that service and

Fr. Craig Swan: that is at seven pm here at

Fr. Craig Swan: Saint Peter's.

Fr. Craig Swan: And then finally on April fifth, which is Easter Sunday, there

Fr. Craig Swan: will be a festival Eucharist here with brass and timpani and

Fr. Craig Swan: our full choir.

Fr. Craig Swan: Please take time to read your net.

Fr. Craig Swan: Not only is there information about what's going on here at

Fr. Craig Swan: Saint Peter's, it also connects you with news from the national

Fr. Craig Swan: church, from our Presiding Bishop and the House of bishops,

Fr. Craig Swan: as well as what's going on throughout the diocese.

Fr. Craig Swan: So on that note, let us take a

Fr. Craig Swan: moment of silence as we prepare

Fr. Craig Swan: for worship.

Fr. Craig Swan: Bless the Lord, who forgiveth all our sins.

Fr. Craig Swan: His mercy endureth forever.

Fr. Craig Swan: Let us kneel.

Fr. Craig Swan: God spake these words and said,

Fr. Craig Swan: I am the Lord thy God, who

Fr. Craig Swan: brought thee out of the land of

Fr. Craig Swan: Egypt, out of the house of

Fr. Craig Swan: bondage.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thou shalt have none other gods but me.

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, have mercy upon us, and

Fr. Craig Swan: incline our hearts to keep this

Fr. Craig Swan: law.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thou shalt not make to thyself

Fr. Craig Swan: any graven image, nor the

Fr. Craig Swan: likeness of anything that is in

Fr. Craig Swan: heaven, above, or in the earth

Fr. Craig Swan: beneath, or in the water under

Fr. Craig Swan: the earth.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them.

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, have mercy upon us, and

Fr. Craig Swan: incline our hearts to keep this

Fr. Craig Swan: law.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, have mercy upon us, and

Fr. Craig Swan: incline our hearts to keep this

Fr. Craig Swan: law.

Fr. Craig Swan: Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, have mercy upon us, and

Fr. Craig Swan: incline our hearts to keep this

Fr. Craig Swan: law.

Fr. Craig Swan: Honor thy father and thy mother.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thou shalt do no murder.

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, have mercy upon us, and

Fr. Craig Swan: incline our hearts to keep this

Fr. Craig Swan: law.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, have mercy upon us and

Fr. Craig Swan: incline our hearts to keep this

Fr. Craig Swan: law.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thou shalt not steal.

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, have mercy upon us and

Fr. Craig Swan: incline our hearts to keep this

Fr. Craig Swan: law.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, have mercy upon us, and

Fr. Craig Swan: incline our hearts to keep this

Fr. Craig Swan: law.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thou shalt not covet.

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, have mercy upon us, and

Fr. Craig Swan: write all these thy laws in our

Fr. Craig Swan: hearts, we beseech thee, hear

Fr. Craig Swan: what our Lord Jesus Christ

Fr. Craig Swan: saith.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all

Fr. Craig Swan: thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Fr. Craig Swan: This is the first and great commandment, and the second is

Fr. Craig Swan: liken to it thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Fr. Craig Swan: On these two commandments hang all the laws and the prophets.

Fr. Craig Swan: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Fr. Craig Swan: Almighty and most merciful

Fr. Craig Swan: father, we have erred and

Fr. Craig Swan: strayed from thy ways like lost

Fr. Craig Swan: sheep.

Fr. Craig Swan: We have followed too much the

Fr. Craig Swan: devices and desires of our own

Fr. Craig Swan: hearts.

Fr. Craig Swan: We have offended against thy holy laws.

Fr. Craig Swan: We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and

Fr. Craig Swan: we have done those things which we ought not to have done.

Fr. Craig Swan: But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.

Fr. Craig Swan: Spare thou those who confess their faults.

Fr. Craig Swan: Restore thou those who are penitent, according to thy

Fr. Craig Swan: promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Fr. Craig Swan: And grant, O most merciful father, for his sake, that we

Fr. Craig Swan: may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to

Fr. Craig Swan: the glory of thy name.

Fr. Craig Swan: Amen.

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, have mercy upon us.

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, have mercy upon us.

Fr. Craig Swan: Christ, have mercy upon us.

Fr. Craig Swan: Christ, have mercy upon us.

Fr. Craig Swan: Christ, have mercy upon us.

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, have mercy upon us.

Fr. Craig Swan: Almighty and merciful Lord, grant you absolution and

Fr. Craig Swan: remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of life,

Fr. Craig Swan: and the grace and consolation of His Holy Spirit.

Fr. Craig Swan: Amen.

Fr. Craig Swan: The Lord be with you.

Fr. Craig Swan: Let us pray, O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy.

Fr. Craig Swan: Be gracious to all who have gone

Fr. Craig Swan: astray from your ways, and bring

Fr. Craig Swan: them again with penitent hearts

Fr. Craig Swan: and steadfast faith, to embrace

Fr. Craig Swan: and hold fast the unchangeable

Fr. Craig Swan: truth of your word through Jesus

Fr. Craig Swan: Christ, your son, who with you

Fr. Craig Swan: and the Holy Spirit lives and

Fr. Craig Swan: reigns, one God, forever and

Fr. Craig Swan: ever.

Fr. Craig Swan: Amen.

Fr. Craig Swan: Please be seated for the readings.

Barbara V.: Our first reading is from the Book of Genesis.

Barbara V.: The Lord said to Abram, go from your country and your kindred,

Barbara V.: and your father's house, to the land that I will show you.

Barbara V.: I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and

Barbara V.: make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

Barbara V.: I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you.

Barbara V.: I will curse, and in you all the

Barbara V.: families of the earth shall be

Barbara V.: blessed.

Barbara V.: So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and lot went with him.

Barbara V.: The word of the Lord.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thanks be to God.

Barbara V.: Please join in reading Psalm one

Barbara V.: twenty one I lift up my eyes to

Barbara V.: the hills from where is my help

Barbara V.: to come.

Barbara V.: My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

Barbara V.: He will not let your foot be moved, and he who watches over

Barbara V.: you will not fall asleep.

Barbara V.: Behold, he who keeps watch over

Barbara V.: Israel shall neither slumber nor

Barbara V.: sleep.

Barbara V.: The Lord himself watches over you.

Barbara V.: The Lord is your shade at your right hand, so that the sun

Barbara V.: shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

Barbara V.: The Lord shall preserve you from all evil.

Barbara V.: It is he who shall keep you safe.

Barbara V.: The Lord shall watch over your

Barbara V.: going out and your coming in

Barbara V.: from this time forth

Barbara V.: forevermore.

Barbara V.: Our second reading is from Paul's letter to the Romans.

Barbara V.: What then, are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor,

Barbara V.: according to the flesh?

Barbara V.: For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast

Barbara V.: about, but not before God.

Barbara V.: For what does the Scripture say?

Barbara V.: Abraham believed God, and it was

Barbara V.: reckoned to him as

Barbara V.: righteousness.

Barbara V.: Now to one who works.

Barbara V.: Wages are not reckoned as a gift, but as something due.

Barbara V.: But to one who without works

Barbara V.: trusts him who justifies the

Barbara V.: ungodly.

Barbara V.: Such faith is reckoned as righteousness.

Barbara V.: For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come

Barbara V.: to Abraham or to his descendants through the law, but through the

Barbara V.: righteousness of faith.

Barbara V.: If it is the adherence of the

Barbara V.: law who are to be the heirs,

Barbara V.: faith is null and the promise is

Barbara V.: void.

Barbara V.: For the law brings wrath.

Barbara V.: But where there is no law, neither is there violation.

Barbara V.: For this reason, it depends on faith, in order that the promise

Barbara V.: may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his

Barbara V.: descendants, not only to the adherents of the law, But also

Barbara V.: to those who share the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of

Barbara V.: all of us.

Barbara V.: As it is written, I have made

Barbara V.: you the father of many nations,

Barbara V.: in the presence of the God in

Barbara V.: whom he believed, who gives life

Barbara V.: to the dead, and calls into

Barbara V.: existence the things that do not

Barbara V.: exist.

Barbara V.: The word of the Lord.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thanks be to God. The holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ

Fr. Craig Swan: according to John.

Fr. Craig Swan: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Fr. Craig Swan: Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.

Fr. Craig Swan: He came to Jesus by night and

Fr. Craig Swan: said to him, Rabbi, we know that

Fr. Craig Swan: you are a teacher who has come

Fr. Craig Swan: from God.

Fr. Craig Swan: For no one can do these signs that you do apart from the

Fr. Craig Swan: presence of God.

Fr. Craig Swan: Jesus answered him, very truly, I tell you, no one can see the

Fr. Craig Swan: kingdom of God without being born from above.

Fr. Craig Swan: Nicodemus said to him, how can

Fr. Craig Swan: anyone be born after having

Fr. Craig Swan: grown old?

Fr. Craig Swan: Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?

Fr. Craig Swan: Jesus answered, very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the

Fr. Craig Swan: kingdom of God without being born of water and spirit.

Fr. Craig Swan: What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the

Fr. Craig Swan: spirit is spirit.

Fr. Craig Swan: Do not be astonished that I said

Fr. Craig Swan: to you, you must be born from

Fr. Craig Swan: above.

Fr. Craig Swan: The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it,

Fr. Craig Swan: but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.

Fr. Craig Swan: So it is with everyone who is born of the spirit.

Fr. Craig Swan: Nicodemus said to him, how can these things be?

Fr. Craig Swan: Jesus answered, are you a teacher of Israel?

Fr. Craig Swan: And yet you do not understand these things?

Fr. Craig Swan: Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to

Fr. Craig Swan: what we have seen.

Fr. Craig Swan: Yet you do not receive our testimony.

Fr. Craig Swan: If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe,

Fr. Craig Swan: how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

Fr. Craig Swan: No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended

Fr. Craig Swan: from heaven, the Son of Man.

Fr. Craig Swan: And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so

Fr. Craig Swan: must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him

Fr. Craig Swan: may have eternal life.

Fr. Craig Swan: For God so loved the world that

Fr. Craig Swan: he gave his only son, so that

Fr. Craig Swan: everyone who believes in him may

Fr. Craig Swan: not perish, but may have eternal

Fr. Craig Swan: life.

Fr. Craig Swan: Indeed, God did not send the son

Fr. Craig Swan: into the world to condemn the

Fr. Craig Swan: world, but in order that the

Fr. Craig Swan: world might be saved through

Fr. Craig Swan: him.

Fr. Craig Swan: The gospel of the Lord.

Fr. Craig Swan: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Fr. Craig Swan: In the name of God, father, son, and Holy Spirit.

Fr. Craig Swan: Amen.

Fr. Craig Swan: Please be seated.

Fr. Craig Swan: Today we hear the story of

Fr. Craig Swan: Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews,

Fr. Craig Swan: who comes in the night to see

Fr. Craig Swan: Jesus.

Fr. Craig Swan: As I kind of look at Nicodemus and think about what he is

Fr. Craig Swan: feeling or thinking, I see a man who is torn, torn between what

Fr. Craig Swan: he knows to be true.

Fr. Craig Swan: And what he hopes to be true.

Fr. Craig Swan: Nicodemus had the weight of the world on his shoulders as a

Fr. Craig Swan: leader of the Jews.

Fr. Craig Swan: Their most important job from

Fr. Craig Swan: the concept of the Roman

Fr. Craig Swan: government was that they keep

Fr. Craig Swan: the peace throughout Israel, or

Fr. Craig Swan: the area that time known as

Fr. Craig Swan: Palestine.

Fr. Craig Swan: If the Jews wish to maintain their special circumstance,

Fr. Craig Swan: which meant they did not have to pay homage to Caesar's statue

Fr. Craig Swan: and worship Caesar as a god, then the leadership had to keep

Fr. Craig Swan: everyone in check.

Fr. Craig Swan: That was Nicodemus role.

Fr. Craig Swan: Within the confines of the Roman Empire.

Fr. Craig Swan: Also, he served then as religious leader, teaching them

Fr. Craig Swan: what was truth, what was law, and what was Torah that he knew,

Fr. Craig Swan: that he understood, that gave him identity that he trusted in,

Fr. Craig Swan: would keep him safe.

Fr. Craig Swan: John doesn't have Nicodemus just so happening to show up, to see

Fr. Craig Swan: Jesus in the night.

Fr. Craig Swan: He comes out of the darkness and into the light.

Fr. Craig Swan: One of John's great motifs, the light has come into the

Fr. Craig Swan: darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Fr. Craig Swan: Jesus as the light Nicodemus is drawn to a teacher who teaches

Fr. Craig Swan: the law very differently than he understands in a very different

Fr. Craig Swan: and radical way.

Fr. Craig Swan: He, like each and every one of

Fr. Craig Swan: us, is attracted to this

Fr. Craig Swan: reality.

Fr. Craig Swan: But the question for him is, can he trust in it?

Fr. Craig Swan: Can he trust in what Jesus teaches?

Fr. Craig Swan: Can he trust in Jesus message?

Fr. Craig Swan: Trust is the golden rule of salvation history.

Fr. Craig Swan: Our Old Testament reading brings

Fr. Craig Swan: us back all the way to the days

Fr. Craig Swan: of Abraham and God's call to

Fr. Craig Swan: Abraham and Sarah at the age of

Fr. Craig Swan: seventy five, to leave his

Fr. Craig Swan: tribe, his family, everything he

Fr. Craig Swan: knows.

Fr. Craig Swan: All that protects him, holds him up.

Fr. Craig Swan: And to go out on their own with

Fr. Craig Swan: the promise that he and Sarah

Fr. Craig Swan: will be the parents of a great

Fr. Craig Swan: nation.

Fr. Craig Swan: Not a very sane request on any level.

Fr. Craig Swan: The idea of a couple in their seventies bearing children to

Fr. Craig Swan: begin a great nation.

Fr. Craig Swan: Highly unlikely.

Fr. Craig Swan: Abraham and Sarah strike out and follow God's call to them.

Fr. Craig Swan: And as we heard in Paul today, what made Abraham.

Fr. Craig Swan: Eventually Abraham righteous.

Fr. Craig Swan: was the fact that he chose to trust in God and to trust that

Fr. Craig Swan: God or for him, Yahweh would fulfill God's promise.

Fr. Craig Swan: That is the same place where

Fr. Craig Swan: Nicodemus is in this morning's

Fr. Craig Swan: gospel.

Fr. Craig Swan: He, like Abraham, is feeling a call towards Jesus.

Fr. Craig Swan: Will he let go of everything and trust that what Jesus has to say

Fr. Craig Swan: will be fulfilled?

Fr. Craig Swan: For that is the root of our righteousness with God.

Fr. Craig Swan: It's our willingness or ability to let go of that which we hold

Fr. Craig Swan: on to, that we know to be true in this world and to trust.

Fr. Craig Swan: That God will fulfill God's promise.

Fr. Craig Swan: The promises that we await.

Fr. Craig Swan: For through the glory and the efficacy of the cross.

Fr. Craig Swan: Eternal life and the kingdom of

Fr. Craig Swan: heaven to be thus on earth in

Fr. Craig Swan: this world transformed back into

Fr. Craig Swan: the reality with God as head of

Fr. Craig Swan: all nations.

Fr. Craig Swan: Do we trust that God will fulfill God's promise during

Fr. Craig Swan: this time of lent?

Fr. Craig Swan: One of the things that we

Fr. Craig Swan: reflect on is do we trust and

Fr. Craig Swan: how much do we trust in God's

Fr. Craig Swan: promise?

Fr. Craig Swan: And one of the things that we hear throughout the gospel is

Fr. Craig Swan: your faith has made you well.

Fr. Craig Swan: What is faith but trust in God?

Fr. Craig Swan: The people who bring the paraplegic to Jesus.

Fr. Craig Swan: Their faith has made him well.

Fr. Craig Swan: They trusted that Jesus could heal him.

Fr. Craig Swan: Do we trust that Jesus can heal us?

Fr. Craig Swan: Do we trust in the efficacy of the cross?

Fr. Craig Swan: And do we trust that it is not through what we do, but what God

Fr. Craig Swan: has done for us, that we have gained our own salvation?

Fr. Craig Swan: The image that comes to me this morning as I read through

Fr. Craig Swan: today's readings is that from a scene in the Disney movie

Fr. Craig Swan: Aladdin, as I told you all, I watched a lot of TV growing up.

Fr. Craig Swan: My daughters watched a lot of Disney movies, but the scene I'm

Fr. Craig Swan: thinking of is when Aladdin pulls up to Jasmine's balcony

Fr. Craig Swan: way up high on the magic carpet.

Fr. Craig Swan: And asks her to go for a ride on the magic carpet.

Fr. Craig Swan: And what does he say to her to

Fr. Craig Swan: get her to finally step out on

Fr. Craig Swan: the carpet?

Fr. Craig Swan: Do you trust me?

Fr. Craig Swan: Each and every one of us, like Nicodemus, is on the balcony,

Fr. Craig Swan: and God has pulled up God's magic carpet to us and has asked

Fr. Craig Swan: us, do you trust me?

Fr. Craig Swan: The question for us is, are we willing to put our whole faith

Fr. Craig Swan: and trust in that, a move that will give us the grace and the

Fr. Craig Swan: forgiveness and the salvation in the salvation we need to be

Fr. Craig Swan: right before God.

Fr. Craig Swan: Amen.

Fr. Craig Swan: Please stand and join me as you can in affirming our faith with

Fr. Craig Swan: the words of the Nicene Creed.

Fr. Craig Swan: We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of

Fr. Craig Swan: heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.

Fr. Craig Swan: We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,

Fr. Craig Swan: eternally begotten of the father, God from God, light from

Fr. Craig Swan: light, true God from true God, begotten, not made of one, being

Fr. Craig Swan: with the father.

Fr. Craig Swan: Through him all things were made for us and for our salvation.

Fr. Craig Swan: He came down from heaven by the

Fr. Craig Swan: power of the Holy Spirit He

Fr. Craig Swan: became incarnate from the Virgin

Fr. Craig Swan: Mary and was made man for our

Fr. Craig Swan: sake.

Fr. Craig Swan: He was crucified under Pontius Pilate.

Fr. Craig Swan: He suffered death and was buried.

Fr. Craig Swan: On the third day.

Fr. Craig Swan: He rose again in accordance with the scriptures.

Fr. Craig Swan: He ascended into heaven and is

Fr. Craig Swan: seated at the right hand of the

Fr. Craig Swan: father.

Fr. Craig Swan: He will come again in glory to

Fr. Craig Swan: judge the living and the dead,

Fr. Craig Swan: and his kingdom will have no

Fr. Craig Swan: end.

Fr. Craig Swan: We believe in the Holy Spirit,

Fr. Craig Swan: the Lord, the giver of life, who

Fr. Craig Swan: proceeds from the father and the

Fr. Craig Swan: son.

Fr. Craig Swan: With the father and the son, he is worshiped and glorified.

Fr. Craig Swan: He has spoken through the prophets.

Fr. Craig Swan: We believe in one holy, Catholic and apostolic church.

Fr. Craig Swan: We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

Fr. Craig Swan: We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the

Fr. Craig Swan: world to come.

Fr. Craig Swan: Amen.

Shelley L.: The prayers of the people.

Shelley L.: Let us pray for the whole state

Shelley L.: of Christ's church and the

Shelley L.: world.

Shelley L.: Almighty and ever living God, who in Thy Holy Word has taught

Shelley L.: us to make prayers and supplications, and to give

Shelley L.: thanks for all men.

Shelley L.: Receive these our prayers which

Shelley L.: we offer unto thy divine

Shelley L.: majesty.

Shelley L.: Beseeching thee to inspire

Shelley L.: continually the universal Church

Shelley L.: with the spirit of truth, unity,

Shelley L.: and concord.

Shelley L.: And grant that all those who do

Shelley L.: confess thy holy name may agree

Shelley L.: in the truth of Thy Holy Word,

Shelley L.: and live in unity and godly

Shelley L.: love.

Shelley L.: Give grace, O Heavenly Father,

Shelley L.: to all bishops and other

Shelley L.: ministers, especially Sean, our

Shelley L.: Presiding Bishop, Nicholas our

Shelley L.: Bishop and Craig, our rector,

Shelley L.: that they may both, by their

Shelley L.: life and doctrine, set forth thy

Shelley L.: true and lively word, and

Shelley L.: rightly and duty, administer and

Shelley L.: duly administer thy holy

Shelley L.: sacraments, and to all thy

Shelley L.: people give thy heavenly grace,

Shelley L.: and especially to this

Shelley L.: congregation here in present

Shelley L.: that with me carte and due

Shelley L.: reverence they may hear and

Shelley L.: receive thy holy word, truly

Shelley L.: serving thee in holiness and

Shelley L.: righteousness all the days of

Shelley L.: their life.

Shelley L.: We beseech thee also to so to rule the hearts of those who

Shelley L.: bear the authority of government in this and every land,

Shelley L.: especially Donald, our president, and Daniel, our

Shelley L.: governor, that they may be led to wise decisions and right

Shelley L.: actions for the welfare and peace of the world.

Shelley L.: Open, oh Lord, the eyes of all people, to behold thy gracious

Shelley L.: hand in all thy works, that rejoicing in thy whole creation,

Shelley L.: they may honor thee with their substance, and be faithful

Shelley L.: stewards of thy bounty.

Shelley L.: And we most humbly beseech thee

Shelley L.: of thy goodness, O Lord, to

Shelley L.: comfort and succour all those

Shelley L.: who who in this transitory life

Shelley L.: are in trouble, sorrow, need,

Shelley L.: sickness, or any other

Shelley L.: adversity.

Shelley L.: In our parish cycle of prayer, we pray for Ted, White, Jay and

Shelley L.: Billy, Joe, Wilbur and Jamie and Debbie Wilson in our in our

Shelley L.: diocesan cycle of prayer.

Shelley L.: We pray for Saint David's on the Hill, Cranston.

Shelley L.: And we also bless thy holy name

Shelley L.: for all who, although thy

Shelley L.: servants departed this life in

Shelley L.: thy faith and fear, especially

Shelley L.: Marilyn Charest, beseeching thee

Shelley L.: to grant them continual growth

Shelley L.: in thy love and service, and to

Shelley L.: grant us grace, to grant us

Shelley L.: grace.

Shelley L.: So to follow the good examples of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Shelley L.: Blessed Peter and patron, and of

Shelley L.: all thy saints, that with them

Shelley L.: we may be partakers of thy

Shelley L.: heavenly kingdom.

Shelley L.: Grant these our prayers.

Shelley L.: Oh, father, for Jesus Christ's

Shelley L.: sake, our only mediator and

Shelley L.: advocate.

Shelley L.: Amen.

Fr. Craig Swan: The peace of the Lord be always with you.

Fr. Craig Swan: Let us greet one another with a sign of Christ's love for us.

Fr. Craig Swan: And I invite everyone to please be seated.

Fr. Craig Swan: And anyone who has a birthday or wedding anniversary during the

Fr. Craig Swan: month of March is invited to come forward for a blessing.

Fr. Craig Swan: Boy, oh boy, we're striking out month after month.

Fr. Craig Swan: It's all going to add up in April and May.

Fr. Craig Swan: Walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself for us an

Fr. Craig Swan: offering and sacrifice to God.

Fr. Craig Swan: Okay.

Speaker 4: Thank you.

Speaker 4: Just the wine in the water.

Speaker 4: Yes.

Speaker 4: The glass bowl.

Speaker 4: Oh, there's no. Okay.

Speaker 4: Just.

Speaker 4: Sorry.

Fr. Craig Swan: All things come from you, O Lord, and of your own.

Fr. Craig Swan: Have we offered you?

Fr. Craig Swan: Amen.

Fr. Craig Swan: The Lord be with you.

Fr. Craig Swan: Lift up your hearts.

Fr. Craig Swan: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

Fr. Craig Swan: It is meet and right so to do.

Fr. Craig Swan: It is very meet right, and are

Fr. Craig Swan: bound in duty that we should at

Fr. Craig Swan: all times and in all places give

Fr. Craig Swan: thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy

Fr. Craig Swan: Father, Almighty, everlasting

Fr. Craig Swan: God, through Jesus Christ our

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, who was in every way

Fr. Craig Swan: tempted as we are, yet did not

Fr. Craig Swan: sin.

Fr. Craig Swan: By whose grace we are able to triumph over every evil, and

Fr. Craig Swan: live no longer unto ourselves, but unto him who died for us,

Fr. Craig Swan: and rose again therefore with angels and archangels, and with

Fr. Craig Swan: all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious

Fr. Craig Swan: name, evermore praising thee, and saying, Holy, holy, holy,

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory.

Fr. Craig Swan: Glory be to thee, O Lord Most High.

Fr. Craig Swan: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Fr. Craig Swan: Hosanna in the highest!

Fr. Craig Swan: All glory be to thee, Almighty God, our heavenly father, that

Fr. Craig Swan: thou of thy tender mercy didst give thine only son Jesus

Fr. Craig Swan: Christ, to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption.

Fr. Craig Swan: Who made there by his one oblation of himself, once

Fr. Craig Swan: offered a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation,

Fr. Craig Swan: and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, and did

Fr. Craig Swan: institute and in his holy gospel command us to continue a

Fr. Craig Swan: perpetual memory of that his precious death and sacrifice,

Fr. Craig Swan: until his coming again.

Fr. Craig Swan: For in the night in which he was

Fr. Craig Swan: betrayed, he took bread, and

Fr. Craig Swan: when he had given thanks, he

Fr. Craig Swan: brake it, and gave it to his

Fr. Craig Swan: disciples, saying, take, eat,

Fr. Craig Swan: this is my body which is given

Fr. Craig Swan: for you.

Fr. Craig Swan: Do this in remembrance of me.

Fr. Craig Swan: Likewise, after supper he took

Fr. Craig Swan: the cup, and when he had given

Fr. Craig Swan: thanks, he gave it to them,

Fr. Craig Swan: saying, drink ye all of this,

Fr. Craig Swan: for this is my blood of the New

Fr. Craig Swan: Testament, which is shed for you

Fr. Craig Swan: and for many for the remission

Fr. Craig Swan: of sins.

Fr. Craig Swan: Do this as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.

Fr. Craig Swan: Wherefore, oh Lord, and heavenly father, according to the

Fr. Craig Swan: institution of thy dearly beloved son, our Savior Jesus

Fr. Craig Swan: Christ, we, thy humble servants, do celebrate and make here

Fr. Craig Swan: before thy divine majesty, with these thy holy gifts, which we

Fr. Craig Swan: now offer unto thee.

Fr. Craig Swan: The memorial thy son hath commanded us to make, having in

Fr. Craig Swan: remembrance his blessed passion and precious death, his mighty

Fr. Craig Swan: resurrection and glorious ascension, rendering unto thee

Fr. Craig Swan: most hearty thanks for the innumerable benefits procured

Fr. Craig Swan: unto us by the same.

Fr. Craig Swan: And we most humbly beseech thee, O merciful father, to hear us,

Fr. Craig Swan: and of thy almighty goodness, vouchsafe to bless and sanctify

Fr. Craig Swan: with thy Word and Holy Spirit these thy gifts and creatures of

Fr. Craig Swan: bread and wine, that we receiving them according to thy

Fr. Craig Swan: Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, Holy institution, in remembrance

Fr. Craig Swan: of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed

Fr. Craig Swan: body and son.

Fr. Craig Swan: and we earnestly desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to

Fr. Craig Swan: accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.

Fr. Craig Swan: Most humbly beseeching thee to

Fr. Craig Swan: grant that by the merits and

Fr. Craig Swan: death of thy Son Jesus Christ,

Fr. Craig Swan: and through faith in his blood,

Fr. Craig Swan: we and all thy whole church may

Fr. Craig Swan: obtain remission of our sins and

Fr. Craig Swan: all other benefits of his

Fr. Craig Swan: passion.

Fr. Craig Swan: And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, ourselves,

Fr. Craig Swan: our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living

Fr. Craig Swan: sacrifice unto thee.

Fr. Craig Swan: Humbly beseeching thee that we and all others who shall be

Fr. Craig Swan: partakers of this Holy Communion, may worthily receive

Fr. Craig Swan: the most precious body and blood of thy Son Jesus Christ, be

Fr. Craig Swan: filled with thy grace and heavenly benediction, and made

Fr. Craig Swan: one body with him, that he may dwell in us and we in him.

Fr. Craig Swan: And although we are unworthy

Fr. Craig Swan: through our manifold sins, to

Fr. Craig Swan: offer unto thee any sacrifice,

Fr. Craig Swan: yet we beseech thee to accept

Fr. Craig Swan: this, our bound and duty and

Fr. Craig Swan: service, not weighing our

Fr. Craig Swan: merits, but pardoning our

Fr. Craig Swan: offenses.

Fr. Craig Swan: Through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Fr. Craig Swan: by whom and with whom, in the

Fr. Craig Swan: unity of the Holy Ghost, all

Fr. Craig Swan: honor and glory be unto thee, O

Fr. Craig Swan: Father Almighty, world without

Fr. Craig Swan: end.

Fr. Craig Swan: Amen.

Fr. Craig Swan: And now, as our Savior Christ

Fr. Craig Swan: hath taught us, we are bold to

Fr. Craig Swan: say.

Fr. Craig Swan: Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thy kingdom come, thy will be

Fr. Craig Swan: done on earth as it is in

Fr. Craig Swan: heaven.

Fr. Craig Swan: Give us this day our daily bread

Fr. Craig Swan: and forgive us our trespasses,

Fr. Craig Swan: as we forgive those who trespass

Fr. Craig Swan: against us.

Fr. Craig Swan: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Fr. Craig Swan: For thine is the kingdom, and

Fr. Craig Swan: the power and the glory, forever

Fr. Craig Swan: and ever.

Fr. Craig Swan: Amen.

Fr. Craig Swan: Christ, our Passover is sacrificed for us.

Fr. Craig Swan: Therefore let us keep the feast.

Fr. Craig Swan: Oh, Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world.

Fr. Craig Swan: Oh, Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world.

Fr. Craig Swan: Oh, Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world.

Fr. Craig Swan: Let us join together.

Fr. Craig Swan: We do not presume to come to

Fr. Craig Swan: this thy table, O merciful Lord,

Fr. Craig Swan: trusting in our own

Fr. Craig Swan: righteousness, but in thy

Fr. Craig Swan: manifold and great mercies, we

Fr. Craig Swan: are not worthy so much as to

Fr. Craig Swan: gather up the crumbs under thy

Fr. Craig Swan: table.

Fr. Craig Swan: But thou art the same Lord,

Fr. Craig Swan: whose property is always to have

Fr. Craig Swan: mercy.

Fr. Craig Swan: Grant us therefore, gracious

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy

Fr. Craig Swan: dear son Jesus Christ, and to

Fr. Craig Swan: drink his blood, that we may

Fr. Craig Swan: ever more dwell in him, and he

Fr. Craig Swan: in us.

Fr. Craig Swan: The gifts of God for the people of God.

Fr. Craig Swan: Take them in remembrance that

Fr. Craig Swan: Christ died for you, and feed on

Fr. Craig Swan: him in your hearts by faith with

Fr. Craig Swan: thanksgiving.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The blood of Christ.

Speaker 4: The cup of salvation.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ.

Speaker 4: The bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ.

Speaker 4: The bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ.

Speaker 4: The bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ.

Speaker 4: The bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ.

Speaker 4: The bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The The body of Christ, the

Speaker 4: bread of heaven, the Body of

Speaker 4: Christ, the bread of heaven, the

Speaker 4: Body of Christ, the bread of

Speaker 4: heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ.

Speaker 4: The bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The blessing of God, father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be with

Speaker 4: you and remain with you always.

Speaker 4: Amen.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: So if you go this way.

Speaker 4: There we go.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ.

Speaker 4: The bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ.

Speaker 4: The bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ.

Speaker 4: The bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ.

Speaker 4: The bread of heaven.

Speaker 4: The body of Christ.

Speaker 4: The bread of heaven.

Fr. Craig Swan: Let us pray.

Fr. Craig Swan: Almighty and ever living God, we most heartily thank thee for

Fr. Craig Swan: that thou dost feed us in these holy mysteries with the

Fr. Craig Swan: spiritual food of the most precious body and blood of Thy

Fr. Craig Swan: Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, and dost assure us thereby of

Fr. Craig Swan: thy favor and goodness towards us, and that we are very members

Fr. Craig Swan: in corporate, in the mystical Body of Thy Son, the blessed

Fr. Craig Swan: company of all faithful people, and are also heirs through hope

Fr. Craig Swan: of thy everlasting kingdom.

Fr. Craig Swan: And we humbly beseech thee, O

Fr. Craig Swan: heavenly Father, so to assist us

Fr. Craig Swan: with thy grace, that we may

Fr. Craig Swan: continue in that holy

Fr. Craig Swan: fellowship, and do all such good

Fr. Craig Swan: works as thou hast prepared for

Fr. Craig Swan: us to walk in through Jesus

Fr. Craig Swan: Christ our Lord, to whom with

Fr. Craig Swan: thee and the Holy Ghost be all

Fr. Craig Swan: honor and glory, world without

Fr. Craig Swan: end.

Fr. Craig Swan: Amen.

Fr. Craig Swan: Bow down before the Lord.

Fr. Craig Swan: Keep this your family, Lord, with your never failing mercy.

Fr. Craig Swan: That relying solely on the help

Fr. Craig Swan: of your heavenly grace, they may

Fr. Craig Swan: be upheld by your divine

Fr. Craig Swan: protection through Christ our

Fr. Craig Swan: Lord.

Fr. Craig Swan: Amen.

Fr. Craig Swan: Let us go forth in the name of Christ.

Fr. Craig Swan: Thanks be to God.