THE ORDER OF WORSHIP

The Sixth Sunday of Easter

April 30th and May1st, 2016

PRELUDE

Holy Communion (ELW I)

WELCOME

Capriccio in Bb

J. S. Bach

INVOCATION
INTRODUCTION
Visions abound in the readings this week. Paul has a vision about what to
do. John has a vision of what will be. The risen Lord Jesus provides visions
of peace that passes human understanding and power beyond human
imagination. Throughout we see Gods vision for us: receiving Gods love
in Christ, we enjoy its fullness by worshipping God and dedicating
ourselves to the care and redemption of all God has made, until Christ is
made all in all.
CHILDREN are always welcome to our Worship Service. Rainbow bags
and a cry room are available. A staffed nursery is also available if needed.
An usher will gladly provide you with assistance.
As a worship courtesy, we ask that you please turn off or set to vibrate
all cellular telephones and pagers during the worship service.
We ask that all present today please fill out the Attendance and Communion
registration card found in your bulletin and place it in the offering plate so
that we may record your presence with us.
PRAYER UPON ENTERING THE PEW
O God, in your love you have given the people of this land gifts of
abundance beyond what our forebears knew or could image. Mercifully
grant that we may not be so occupied with material things that we forget
spiritual gifts, and thus, even though we have gained the whole world, lose
our souls; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
GATHERING SONG:
God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending (ELW 678)
GREETING
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of
the Holy Spirit be with you all!
And also with you!
KYRIE

CANTICLE OF PRAISE

PRAYER OF THE DAY

PSALM: Psalm 67

Let us pray.
Bountiful God, you gather your people into your realm, and you promise us
food from your tree of life. Nourish us with your word, that empowered by
your Spirit we may love one another and the world you have made, through
Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Refrain:

Tone:

Please be seated.
A MESSAGE FOR OUR CHILDREN
FIRST READING: Acts 16:9-15
9

During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia
pleading with him and saying, Come over to Macedonia and help
us. 10When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to
Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good
news to them.
11We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the
following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading
city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this
city for some days. 13On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the
river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and
spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14A certain woman named
Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of
Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen
eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15When she and her household were
baptized, she urged us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the
Lord, come and stay at my home. And she prevailed upon us.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

May God be merciful to | us and bless us;

may the light of Gods face | shine upon us.
2
Let your way be known | upon earth,
your saving health a- | mong all nations.
3
Let the peoples praise | you, O God;
let all the | peoples praise you.
4
Let the nations be glad and | sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity and guide all the
na- | tions on earth. R
5

Let the peoples | praise you, O God;

let all the | peoples praise you.
6
The earth has brought | forth its increase;
God, our own | God, has blessed us.
7
May God | give us blessing,
and may all the ends of the earth | stand in awe. R
SECOND READING: Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5
10

And in the spirit [one of the angels] carried me away to a great, high
mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of
heaven from God.
22I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty
and the Lamb.23And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for
the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24The nations will
walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25Its
gates will never be shut by dayand there will be no night there. 26People
will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27But nothing
unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood,

but only those who are written in the Lambs book of life.
22:1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as
crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2through the
middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life
with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves
of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3Nothing accursed will be
found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it,
and his servants will worship him; 4they will see his face, and his name will
be on their foreheads. 5And there will be no more night; they need no light
of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign
forever and ever.

our home with them. 24Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
25I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26But the
Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will
teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27Peace
I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world
gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be
afraid.28You heard me say to you, I am going away, and I am coming to
you. If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father,
because the Father is greater than I. 29And now I have told you this before it
occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

The gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Please stand for the reading of the gospel.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Please be seated.
SERMON Pastor Charles Peterson
HYMN OF THE DAY: Be Thou My Vision (ELW 793)
CREED
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and
earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

VERSE: Those who love me will keep my word, and my Fa- | ther will
love them,* and we will come to them and make our | home
with them.
(John 14:23)
GOSPEL: John 14:23-29
The holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
23

Jesus answered [Judas (not Iscariot),] Those who love me will keep my
word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make

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 of the Holy Spirit and the
virgin Mary and became truly human. 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
worshiped 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.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Let us join our hearts and minds with all the people of God in Christ Jesus
as we pray for the church, those in need, and all of Gods creation.

PEACE
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please kneel or sit as you are able.

Each petition ends with:
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

ANTHEM AT THE OFFERING The Call

Ralph Vaughn Williams

OFFERTORY HYMN: We Give Thee but Thine Own (ELW 686)

Into your hands, living God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in
your mercy; through Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.
CONFESSION AND PROCLAMATION OF FORGIVENESS
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We
have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have
done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our
whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the
sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us,
and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for
his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of
the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the
entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the +
Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray.
Blessed are you, O God, ruler of heaven and earth. Day by day you shower
us with blessings. As you have raised us to new life in Christ, give us glad
and generous hearts, ready to praise you and to respond to those in need,

through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.
DIALOGUE

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
You are indeed holy, almighty and merciful God. You are most holy, and
great is the majesty of your glory. You so loved the world that you gave
your only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish
but have eternal life. We give you thanks for his coming into the world
to fulfill for us your holy will and to accomplish all things for our salvation.
In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave
thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my
body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to
drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and
for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim
the Lord's death until he comes.

PREFACE
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY

Remembering, therefore, his salutary command, his life-giving passion and

death, his glorious resurrection and ascension, and the promise of his
coming again, we give thanks to you, O Lord God Almighty, not as we
ought but as we are able; we ask you mercifully to accept our praise and
thanksgiving and with your Word and Holy Spirit to bless us, your servants,
and these your own gifts of bread and wine, so that we and all who share in
the body and blood of Christ may be filled with heavenly blessing and
grace, and, receiving the forgiveness of sin, may be formed to live as your
holy people and be given our inheritance with all your saints.
To you, O God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory in your
holy church, now and forever.

LORD'S PRAYER
Risen Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom
come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who
trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us!
Therefore let us keep the feast! Alleluia!
COMMUNION
The body of Christ, given for you.
The blood of Christ, shed for you.
Amen.
LAMB OF GOD

SONG DURING DISTRIBUTION: Praise and Thanksgiving

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Let us pray. Life-giving God, in the mystery of Christ's resurrection you
send light to conquer darkness, water to give new life, and the bread of life
to nourish your people. Send us forth as witnesses to your Son's
resurrection, that we may show your glory to all the world, through Jesus
Christ, our risen Lord.
Amen.
SONG AFTER COMMUNION: This Joyful Eastertide, v. 1

SENDING OF COMMUNION
Gracious God, loving all your family with a mothers tender care:
As you sent the angel to feed Elijah with heavenly bread, assist those who
set forth to share your word and sacrament with those who are sick,
homebound, and imprisoned. In your love and care, nourish and strengthen
those who will receive this sacrament, and give us all the comfort of your
abiding presence through the body and blood of your Son, Jesus Christ, our
Lord.
Amen.

BLESSING
The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the
great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you
complete in everything good so that you may do God's will, working in you
that which is pleasing in God's sight; through + Jesus Christ, to whom, with
the Father and the Holy Spirit be the glory forever and ever.
Amen.
SENDING HYMN:

Rise Up, O Saints of God! (ELW 669)

DISMISSAL
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Go in peace. Share the good news.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia!
POSTLUDE Chorale Prelude on Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich Bach
COMMEMORATIONS FOR THE WEEK

Philip and James, Apostles

Sunday, May 01, 2016
Philip was one of the first disciples of Jesus, and called Nathanael to "come
and see." He later responded to an Ethiopian official's request for teaching
and baptism. Little is known of James, the son of Alphaeus, called "the
Less" to distinguish him from another apostle named James.
Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, died 373
Monday, May 02, 2016
Best remembered for defending the teaching that Christ was fully God
against those who taught otherwise, Athanasius was an influential church
leader around the time of the Council of Nicea. He was banished from
Alexandria five times for his forthright views.
Monica, mother of Augustine, died 387
Wednesday, May 04, 2016
Monica was married to a pagan husband who was ill-tempered and
unfaithful, but whom she helped bring into the Christian faith. She repeated
the influence on her son Augustine, who went on to become one of the
greatest church teachers.