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The season of Easter is 50 days long, as the season
of rejoicing will last far longer than our season of penitence. The paschal
candle, sign among us of the presence of the risen Christ, is lit during all services
in Eastertide. The ‘Alleluia’ is used abundantly in our worship. We stand to
receive Holy Communion as an expression of resurrection joy.
FIRST READING: By the Holy Spirit the ministry of Jesus among the people
remains after his ascension and bears witness through the apostles to his
saving power. Tabitha was one of a group of widows which was supported by the early
Christian community and was ‘devoted to good works and acts of charity.’ In the
early Christian centuries, these widows became a kind of religious order,
alongside the deacons, presbyters and bishops. They can be read about in Paul’s
first letter to Timothy. Their order declined in the fourth century, while the
order of deaconesses thrived.[1]
SECOND READING: In last week’s reading from Revelation, we heard of the
‘four living creatures’ and the elders who worship God in heaven. Today we see
added the great multitude from every tribe, nation and language; identified as
those martyred for their faith – killed for the confession of the name of
Jesus. Along with the angels, they worship God in words that we use in our
praise today: ‘Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and
power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.’
GOSPEL: Jesus identifies himself as ‘shepherd,’ and the people
who hear his voice and follow him as his ‘sheep.’ The relationship of God to hjs
ancient people Israel is described metaphorically as that of a shepherd to his
sheep (Psalm 23). The Christian community is given assurance, through these
pre-resurrection words of Jesus, that he eternally remains their shepherd and
is able to protect them in the midst of the world.
OPENING MUSIC
With God as Our Friend- Harald
Rohlig
In
Thee Is Gladness- J.S. Bach
Stand
WHymn In
Thee Is Gladness Green LBW 552
1 In
thee is gladness amid all sadness,
Jesus,
sunshine of my heart.
By
thee are given the gifts of heaven,
thou
the true redeemer art.
Our
souls thou wakest; our bonds thou breakest.
Who
trusts thee surely has built securely
and
stands forever: Alleluia!
Our
hearts are pining to see thy shining,
dying
or living, to thee are cleaving;
naught
us can sever: Alleluia!
2 If
he is ours, we fear no powers,
not
of earth or sin or death.
He
sees and blesses in worst distresses;
he
can change them with a breath.
Wherefore
the story tell of his glory
with
heart and voices; all heav’n rejoices
in
him forever: Alleluia!
We
shout for gladness, triumph o’er sadness,
love
him and praise him and still shall raise him
glad
hymns forever: Alleluia!
Text: Johann Lindemann, 1549-c. 1631; tr.
Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878, alt.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He 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
A In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
A For the peace from above, and for our salvation,
let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
A For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God,
and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
A For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise,
let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
A Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
C Amen
HYMN OF PRAISE
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Amen
and guides us along right pathways for His name’s
sake. Psalm 23:3
Let us hear the Word of the Lord.
Sit
FIRST READING Acts 9:36-43
36Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha,
which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. 37At
that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a
room upstairs. 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who
heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come
to us without delay.” 39So Peter got up and went with them; and when
he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside
him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while
she was with them. 40Peter put all of them outside, and then he
knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then
she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. 41He gave her his
hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be
alive. 42This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in
the Lord. 43Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain
Simon, a tanner.
The
Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM 23
1 The Lord | is my shepherd;*
I
shall not | be in want.
2 He makes me lie down | in green pastures*
and leads me be- | side still
waters.
3 He re- | vives my soul*
and
guides me along right pathways | for his name's sake.
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death,
I shall |
fear no evil;*
for you are with me; your rod
and your staff,
they | comfort me.
5 You spread a table before me
in the presence of those who | trouble me;*
you
have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is | running over.
6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the
days | of my life,*
and I will dwell in the house of the | Lord forever. R
SECOND READING Revelation 7:9-17
9After this I looked, and there was
a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes
and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,
robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10They cried out
in a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
11And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders
and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne
and worshiped God, 12singing,
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might
be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
13Then one of the
elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have
they come from?” 14I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.”
Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they
have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15For this reason they are before the throne of God,
and worship him day and night within his temple,
and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
16They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat;
17for the Lamb at the
center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Stand
VERSE
Romans
6:9, John 10:14 Setting by Walter L. Pelz
Alleluia. Christ being raised from
the dead will die no more; death has no more dominion over him. Alleluia. I am the Good Shepherd; I know my own and my own
know me. Alleluia.
Gospel John 10:22-30
The Holy Gospel according to St. John.
22At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in
Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in
the portico of Solomon. 24So the Jews gathered around him and said
to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us
plainly.” 25Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not
believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; 26but
you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27My
sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them
eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my
hand. 29What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no
one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. 30The Father and I are
one.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
SERMON Pastor Frontz
Stand
W Hymn of the DaY With God as Our Friend Green
LBW 371
CONFESSION OF FAITH
The pastor and people confess the faith of the Church in the words of the Nicene Creed.
X At the words ‘For us and for our salvation,’ and continuing through ‘and was made man,’ a solemn bow is appropriate to praise the incarnation of our Lord.
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.
X For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the virgin Mary, and was made man. X
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.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He 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
Rejoicing in the resurrection of our Lord, let us pray
for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to
their needs.
Silence is kept.
Father, your risen Son, our Lord Jesus, is the good
shepherd and the giver of eternal life. He calls us into one flock, that in his
fold we may be protected and nourished. Open our ears to hear his voice, and
lead us to follow him in the paths of righteousness. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
Father, bless those who pastor your Church in the name
of Jesus, the good shepherd. We pray especially for those preparing for
ministry and those who teach them. May they be strengthened to testify to your
love in Christ. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Father, in the holy meal you
give to us, you spread a table before us even in the midst of the darkness of
the world. Give us your blessing, that we may recognize our Lord in his body
and blood and be more and more devoted to receive him as he gives himself to
us. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
Father, bless all those who,
like Tabitha, are devoted to good works and acts of love in your Church. We
pray for the ministry of Water Mission, and for all those who provide aid to
those who are in want. Make us to abound in love for you and for our neighbors
in need. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
We make our prayer for the peoples of the world, especially
those afflicted by violence, hunger, pollution, and disease. Come to their
assistance, and bless governments and rulers, that they may serve the people
with wisdom and integrity. Hear now our prayers for nations and peoples in
turmoil or distress.
The pastor names the countries and situations brought for
prayer.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We ask you to show your mercy upon those we name before
you, for whom we have been called to pray.
The pastor reads the names brought for prayer.
The people may offer spoken or silent petitions and prayers.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We give you thanks, O God, for our mothers who gave us
birth; for our mothers who fed us, clothed us, taught us, healed us, and loved
us; for those who have acted as mothers to us, even though we were not their
own; and for our mothers in faith, pastors and teachers of your holy Word,
together with all who are called to the sacred vocation of motherhood. And we
remember all of our departed dear ones, who rejoice in your presence together
with Mary, the mother of our Lord and all the faithful women. Lord, in your
mercy,
hear our
prayer.
We give you thanks, O God, for your risen Son, the Lamb
who was slain, is worthy to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength,
honor, glory and blessing. Receive the worship we offer today, and bring us to
that day when we will praise you in heaven with the saints and with all
creation. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
Into your hands, Father, we commend all for whom we
pray, trusting in your steadfast love; through your Son, our Savior Jesus
Christ.
Amen
On the first day of the
week,
Jesus came and stood
among the disciples
and said to them, ‘Peace
be with you.’ John
20:19, 20
The peace of the Lord be
with you always.
And also with you.
The people
exchange a sign of peace with the simple words, Peace be with you.
Sit
The Lord’s Table is prepared.
Stand
OFFERTORY Ezekiel 34:11-13 Setting by Walter L. Pelz
Alleluia. I myself will search for
my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some of
his sheep have been scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep. And I will
bring them out from the peoples, and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel.
Alleluia.
Merciful Father,
we offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us—
our selves, our time, and our possessions, signs of your gracious
love. Receive them for the sake of him who offered himself for us,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
GREAT THANKSGIVING
It is indeed right and salutary that we should at
all times and in all
places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy
Father,
through the
great shepherd of your flock, Christ our Lord.
In him your Church is gathered from all the
peoples of the world; by his Spirit you continue his ministry on earth, and by
the confession of his name unto death the martyrs have gained the unfading crown
of glory.
The pastor leads the people in praying the Eucharistic canon.
You are indeed holy, O God, the fountain of all holiness;
you bring light from darkness, life from death,
speech from silence.
We worship you for our lives and for the world you give us.
We thank you for the new world to come
and for the love that will rule all in all.
We praise you for the grace shown to Israel, your chosen,
the people of your promise:
the rescue from Egypt, the gift of the promised land,
the memory of the fathers, the homecoming from exile,
and the prophets' words that will not be in vain.
In all this we bless you for your only-begotten Son,
who fulfilled and will fulfill all your promises.
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.
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Therefore, O God, with this bread and cup
we remember the incarnation of your Son:
his human birth and the covenant he made with us.
We remember the sacrifice of his life:
his eating with outcasts and sinners,
and his acceptance of death.
But chiefly we remember his rising from the tomb,
his ascension to the seat of power,
and his sending of the holy and life-giving Spirit.
We cry out for the resurrection of our lives,
when Christ will come again in beauty and power
to share with us the great and promised feast.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Send now, we pray, your Holy Spirit,
that we and all who share in this bread and cup
may be united in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
may enter the fullness of the kingdom of heaven,
and may receive our inheritance with all your saints in light.
Amen. Come, Holy Spirit.
Join our prayers with those of your servants
of every time and every place,
and unite them with the ceaseless petitions
of our great high priest until he comes as victorious Lord of all.
In the presence of Christ, we pray to his Father using the words he gave us.
Christ is in our midst.
By the power of the Spirit,
we pray to his Father, saying:
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 Matthew 6:9-15
God spreads a table for us in the presence of our
enemies;
He has
anointed our heads with oil, and our cup overflows.
Psalm 23:5
We adore Christ, present in bread and wine.
Sit
DISTRIBUTION
Admission to the Sacrament is by invitation of the Lord, presented through the Church to those who are baptized.
They may receive the Lord’s Body and Blood who are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, who commune in their home churches, and who believe that Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, is truly present in, with, and under the forms of bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.
Please come forward, take a communion cup from the tray, and kneel at the altar rail on your ‘side’ of the worship space. Please make an effort to leave some distance between your family unit and the next family unit. When your side has finished communing, please place your empty cup in the tray provided.
During the Easter season, the people stand to receive the Holy Communion as a sign of resurrection rejoicing.
WDISTRIBUTION HYMN
Choir:
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
Text/Henry W.
Baker; Tune/ Irish
Setting/ John
Ferguson
Please
follow the text at Green LBW 456 as the choir sings.
1 The King of love my
shepherd is,
whose goodness
faileth never;
I nothing lack if I
am his
and he is mine
forever.
2 Where streams of
living water flow,
my ransomed soul he
leadeth
and, where the
verdant pastures grow,
with food celestial
feedeth.
3 Perverse and foolish
oft I strayed,
but yet in love he
sought me,
and on his shoulder
gently laid,
and home, rejoicing,
brought me.
4 In death's dark vale I
fear no ill,
with thee, dear Lord,
beside me,
thy rod and staff my
comfort still;
thy cross before to
guide me.
5 Thou spreadst a table
in my sight;
thine unction grace
bestoweth;
and, oh, what
transport of delight
from thy pure chalice
floweth!
6 And so, through all
the length of days,
thy goodness faileth
never.
Good Shepherd, may I
sing thy praise
within thy house
forever.
Text: Henry W. Baker, 1821-1877
When all have received, the congregation stands at the direction of the pastor.
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
Amen
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER
Pour out upon us the spirit of your love, O Lord,
and unite the wills of those whom you have fed with one heavenly food; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Sit
FAITH FAMILY
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Stand
SENDING
Acclamation
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Though we do not see him, we love him;
We believe in him
and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy. 1 Peter 1:3, 8
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia.
Dismissal Gospel: John 11:25, 26
The Holy Gospel according to St. John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
[Jesus said:] ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Benediction
The God of peace – who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant – make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen Hebrews 13:20-21
Almighty God, Father, X Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless you now and forever.
Amen
WCLOSING HYMN
Have No Fear, Little
Flock Green LBW 476
The text of this hymn may not be reproduced here.
Thanks be to God!
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Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #20540.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Additional liturgical material from Common Worship: Times and Seasons,
© 2006 The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England.
Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org.
