WELCOME
Children of the Heavenly Father ELW 781
1 Children of the heav’nly Father
safely in his bosom gather;
nestling bird nor star in heaven
such a refuge e’er was given.
2 God his own doth tend and nourish,
in his holy courts they flourish.
From all evil things he spares them,
in his mighty arms he bears them.
3 Neither life nor death shall ever
from the Lord his children sever;
unto them his grace he showeth,
and their sorrows all he knoweth.
4 Though he giveth or he taketh,
God his children ne’er forsaketh;
his the loving purpose solely
to preserve them pure and holy.
Text: Carolina Sandell Berg, 1832-1903; tr. Ernst W. Olson, 1870-1958
Text © 1925 Board of Publication, Lutheran Church in America, admin. Augsburg Fortress.
THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne
and to the Lamb!
Amen.
We give thanks for the gifts of baptism.
Merciful God,
you are the one who was, who is, and who is to come.
You lead us beside still waters.
We thank you for the waters of creation:
morning dew, gentle rain, roaring waves.
We thank you for the waters that nourish us.
You guide us to springs of the water of life.
Jesus Christ, you are the faithful witness
who accompanies us on our journeys.
We give you thanks for your life-giving death and resurrection.
We praise you for joining us in joy and sorrow.
You guide us to springs of the water of life.
Holy Spirit, you anoint our head with oil and our cup overflows.
Break down barriers that divide us.
Fill us with the breath of peace.
You guide us to springs of the water of life.
Holy One, we thank you for the gifts and grace of baptism;
for making us a new creation. We join with saints and angels, giving you honor and praise, now and forever. Amen.
In the name of ☩ Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven.
The Spirit of the One who raised Christ from the dead
dwells in us, pours God’s love into our hearts,
and gives us life and peace. Amen. Alleluia!
GREETING
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.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
We pray together:
Almighty and eternal God, the strength of those who believe and the hope of those who doubt, may we, who have not seen, have faith in you and receive the fullness of Christ’s blessing, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
WORD
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
Be Not Afraid ELW 388
Be not afraid, sing out for joy!
Christ is risen, alleluia!
Be not afraid, sing out for joy!
Christ is risen, alleluia!
Text: Matthew 28:5; Taizé Community
Text © 1998 Les Presses de Taizé, GIA Publications, Inc., agent. 7404 S. Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638. www.giamusic.com. 800.442.3358.
John 8:1-11
Jesus was teaching, and the officials interrupted him to test him. They cherry pick the teachings of the Torah, but Jesus saw through their trickery and turned the conversation to one of grace rather than condemnation.
My Faith Looks Up to Thee ELW 759
1 My faith looks up to thee,
thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray, take all my guilt away,
oh, let me from this day be wholly thine!
2 May thy rich grace impart
strength to my fainting heart, my zeal inspire;
as thou hast died for me, oh, may my love to thee
pure, warm, and changeless be, a living fire!
3 While life’s dark maze I tread
and griefs around me spread, be thou my guide;
bid darkness turn to day, wipe sorrow’s tears away,
nor let me ever stray from thee aside.
4 When ends life’s transient dream,
when death’s cold, sullen stream shall o’er me roll;
blest Savior, then, in love fear and distrust remove;
oh, bear me safe above, a ransomed soul!
Text: Ray Palmer, 1808-1887
SERMON Pastor Karla
CHOIR ANTHEM “I Am the Bread of Life “
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
O Lord, you are our portion and our cup;
You will show us the path of life. (Psalm 16:5, 11)
MEAL
OFFERING OUR GIFTS FOR THE MISSION
AND MINISTRY OF GOD’S CHURCH
We have prayed. We have sung. We have heard the Word. Now, being thankful for the ministry we are called to do, we are invited to offer ourselves; our time, talents and treasure in faithful witness of the good things God has done for us and in confidence that our worship extends beyond this place and time. Your financial contributions are gratefully accepted to further the life and ministry of Gethsemane Lutheran. Thank you.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
AND WORDS OF INSTITUTION
LORD’S PRAYER
And now, join me in praying as Jesus taught us…
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
DISTRIBUTION
POST COMMUNION BLESSING
SENDING
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
BLESSING
Blessed Assurance ELW 638
1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
Refrain
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior, all the day long:
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
2 Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love. Refrain
3 Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love. Refrain
Text: Fanny J. Crosby, 1820-1915
OUR DECLARATION OF MISSION
You are the body of Christ.
We are the body of Christ in the world!
So go in peace
To explore the faith
Live in peace
To express our faith to others
Share the peace
By inviting others to join us on this journey.
WE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST IN THE WORLD, SO LET’S TELL EVERYBODY: LIFE’S A GIFT, A FREE GIFT. NO POINTS INVOLVED! ALLELUIA!
Confession and Forgiveness, Reading synopsis, Prayer of the Day, and cover art from Sundays and Seasons. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Please visit their Web site at www.augsburgfortress.org. All music is used with permission under CCLI #3225965.
LECTIONARY READINGS FOR TODAY
Christ’s resurrection: the fulfillment of God’s promise to David
In your presence there is fullness of joy. (Ps. 16:11)
New birth to a living hope through the resurrection
Beholding the wounds of the risen Christ
Prayer is important to us. We are a people of prayer, and our prayer leads us to know God more completely. Knowing God reassures us that God’s love is sufficient for all we need. Knowing God leads us to action, to working for justice and peace. We dedicate ourselves to making our little corner of the world a better place. We dedicate ourselves to welcoming all of God’s people. We dedicate ourselves to trusting God in all phases of life.
