The Fifth Sunday of Easter 2025 — Love and New Life!

We warmly invite you to St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in Burlington, Wisconsin, for our Fifth Sunday of Easter 2025 service on Sunday, May 18, at 9:00 AM.

This Sunday, we reflect on the transformative power of God’s love and the new life offered through Christ’s resurrection.

For those unable to attend in person, we offer a live stream, podcast, and replay video of the service, ensuring everyone can participate in this meaningful celebration.

Join us electronically for the Fifth Sunday of Easter 2025

We understand that not everyone can join us in person or during our worship service, so we provide ways for you to participate at your convenience.

Livestream/Replay

We have been updating our A/V gear to deliver a better experience for you! Join us at 9 am for our live stream, and once it’s over, you can watch the replay.

Join us at 9 a.m. for our live stream, but you can watch the replay as soon as it ends.

Podcast

We offer a podcast for those who want to worship on the go! You can find us on many popular platforms. Be sure to follow or subscribe so you will be notified when our latest episode is released. Generally, new episodes are available by Sunday afternoon.

Collect of the Day for the Fifth Sunday of Easter 2025

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Readings for the Day: Fifth Sunday of Easter 2025

First Lesson: Acts 11:1-18

Peter describes his vision and experience of God’s inclusive grace, highlighting that the gift of the Holy Spirit is available to everyone, thereby breaking down barriers between Jews and Gentiles.

¹Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. ²So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, ³saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” ⁴Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ⁵“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. ⁶As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. ⁷I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ ⁸But I replied, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ ⁹But a second time the voice answered from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ ¹⁰This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. ¹¹At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. ¹²The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; ¹⁴he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ ¹⁵And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. ¹⁶And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” ¹⁸When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”

Psalm: Psalm 148

A joyful invitation for all creation—heaven and earth, kings and commoners, young and old—to praise the Lord, celebrating God’s majesty and glory.

¹ Hallelujah!
   Praise the Lord from the heavens; *
       praise him in the heights.
² Praise him, all you angels of his; *
       praise him, all his host.
³ Praise him, sun and moon; *
       praise him, all you shining stars.
⁴ Praise him, heaven of heavens, *
       and you waters above the heavens.
⁵ Let them praise the Name of the Lord; *
       for he commanded, and they were created.
⁶ He made them stand fast for ever and ever; *
       he gave them a law which shall not pass away.
⁷ Praise the Lord from the earth, *
       you sea-monsters and all deeps;
⁸ Fire and hail, snow and fog, *
       tempestuous wind, doing his will;
⁹ Mountains and all hills, *
       fruit trees and all cedars;
¹⁰ Wild beasts and all cattle, *
       creeping things and winged birds;
¹¹ Kings of the earth and all peoples, *
       princes and all rulers of the world;
¹² Young men and maidens, *
       old and young together.
¹³ Let them praise the Name of the Lord, *
       for his Name only is exalted,
       his splendor is over earth and heaven.
¹⁴ He has raised up strength for his people
   and praise for all his loyal servants, *
       the children of Israel, a people who are near him.
       Hallelujah!

Second Lesson: Revelation 21:1-6

John presents a stunning vision of a new heaven and a new earth, where God resides among the people, wipes away every tear, and proclaims, “Look, I am making all things new.”

¹Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ²And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; ⁴he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” ⁵And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ⁶Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

Gospel: John 13:31-35

Jesus gives his disciples a new commandment: “Love one another; just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” This love becomes the defining characteristic of his followers.

³¹When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. ³²If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.³³Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ ³⁴I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Reflection for Fifth Sunday of Easter 2025

The reading for the Fifth Sunday of Easter 2025 focuses on transformation through love. Peter’s experience demonstrates that God’s grace knows no boundaries. Psalm 148 invites all creation to praise, while the book of Revelation offers a vision of hope and renewal. Additionally, Jesus commands us to love deeply and radically.

As we gather, we are encouraged to allow this love to shape our lives and to be a beacon of God’s love in the world.

📍 216 E Chandler Blvd, Burlington, WI
📺 Live Stream & Replay Available
🎙️ Podcast on All Major Platforms

All are welcome—come as you are and join us in worship and fellowship as we celebrate the risen Lord and the new life he offers to all!