Welcome & Announcements

Prelude

Confession and Forgiveness:
Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, who makes all things new, whose mercy endures forever.
Amen.

Trusting in God’s mercy, let us confess our sin.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Holy one, source of our renewal,
we confess that we are wrapped up in sin, and cannot free ourselves.  We have not practiced your righteousness.  Our hearts have turned away from you.  For the sake of the world you so love, forgive us, that we may be reconciled to one another for the glory of your holy name. Amen.

Thus says our God: “The former things have come to pass and new things I now declare.” God’s mercy makes us new. We are forgiven in the name of + Christ our Savior.
Amen.

Opening Hymn: ELW 627 “O Day Full of Grace”
Oh day full of grace that now we see Appearing on earth’s horizon, Bring light from our God that we may be Replete in his joy this season. God, shine for us now in this dark place; Your name on our hearts emblazon.

O day full of grace, O blessed time, our Lord on the earth arriving; then came to the world that light sublime, great joy for us all retrieving; for Jesus all mortals did embrace, all shame and despair removing.

For Christ bore our sins, and not his own, When he on the cross was hanging; And then he arose and moved the stone, That we, unto him belonging, Might join with angelic hosts to raise Our voices in endless singing.

God came to us then at Pentecost, His Spirit new life revealing, That we might no more from Him be lost, All darkness for us dispelling. His flame will the mark of sin efface And bring to us all His healing.

When we on that final journey go That Christ is for us preparing, We’ll gather in song, our hearts aglow, All  joy of the heavens sharing, And there will join God’s endless praise, with angels and saints adoring.

Apostolic 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.

Hymn of Praise:
Glory be to Gob in heaven; peace, goodwill to all the earth.  Mighty God of all creation, Father of surpassing worth: we exalt you, we adore you, we lift high our thanks and praise.

Glory be to Christ forever, Lamb of God and Lord of love.  Son of God and gracious Savior, you have come from heaven above; on the cross you died to save us; now you reign at God’s right hand.

Holy One we now acclaim you; Lord alone, to you we call; Holy One in faith we name you, God most high, yet near to all: Jesus Christ, with God the Spirit, in the Father’s splendor bright.

Prayer of the Day:
Let us pray.
Holy God, our strength and our redeemer, by your Spirit hold us forever, that through your grace we may worship you and faithfully serve you, follow you and joyfully find you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

First Reading: Isaiah 49:1-7
¹Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The LORD called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me. ²He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. ³And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” ⁴But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the LORD, and my reward with my God.”

⁵And now the LORD says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and my God has become my strength— ⁶he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” ⁷Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers, “Kings shall see and stand up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the LORD, who is faithful,   the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!

Gospel Acclamation:
Alleluia! Lord and Savior: open now your saving word.
Let it burn like fire within us; speak until our hearts are stirred.
Alleluia! Lord, we sing for the good news that you bring.

Gospel Reading: John 1:29-42
This is the Holy Gospel according to John, the 1^st chapter.
Glory to you, O Lord.

²⁹The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ ³¹I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ³²And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. ³³I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

³⁵The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, ³⁶and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” ³⁷The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. ³⁸When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” ³⁹He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. ⁴⁰One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. ⁴¹He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). ⁴²He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

Children’s Message

Sermon

Hymn of the Day: ELW 696 “Jesus Calls Us O’er the Tumult”
Jesus calls us; o’er the tumult of our life’s wild, restless sea, day by day his clear voice sounding, saying, “Christian, follow me”:

As of old Saint Andrew heard it by the Galilean lake, turned from home and toil and kindred, leaving all for Jesus’ sake.

Jesus calls us from the worship of the vain world’s golden store, from each idol that would keep us, saying, “Christian, love me more.”

In our joys and in our sorrows, days of toil and hours of ease, still he calls, in cares and pleasures, “Christian, love me more than these.”

Jesus calls us! By your mercy, Savior, may we hear your call, give our hearts to your obedience, serve and love you best of all.

Apostle’s Creed:
Let us confess our faith using the Apostle’s Creed:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.*
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers of Intercession:
Called together to follow Jesus, we pray for the church, the world, and all in need.

Prayers continue with each petition ending:

Merciful God,
receive our prayer.

We bring to you our needs and hopes, O God, trusting your wisdom and power revealed in Christ crucified.
Amen.

Sharing of the Peace:
May the peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also with you.

Offering:
https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/468062

Offertory Hymn:
Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord, and fill to the brim our cups of blessing. Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown, that we may be fed with the bread of life
Gather the hopes and dreams of all; united them with the prayers we offer. Grace our table with your presence, and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.

Offering Prayer:
Let us pray.
Liberating God, you break the bonds of injustice and let the oppressed go free. Receive these offerings in thanksgiving for all your works of merciful power, and shape us as people of your justice and freedom. You we magnify and adore, through Jesus our Savior.
Amen.

The Great Thanksgiving:
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ; who on this day overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, Lord God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the  Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, you have brought us this far along the way. In times of bitterness you did not abandon us, but guided us into the path of love and light. In every age you sent prophets to make known your loving will for all humanity. The cry of the poor has become your own cry; our hunger and thirst for justice is your own desire. In the fullness of time, you sent your chosen servant to preach good news to the afflicted, to break bread with the outcast and despised, and to ransom those in bondage to prejudice and sin.

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 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.

Remembering, therefore, his death and resurrection, we await the day when Jesus shall return to free all the earth from the bonds of slavery and death. Come, Lord Jesus! And let the church say, Amen!
Amen!

Send your Holy Spirit, our advocate, to fill the hearts of all who share this bread and cup with courage and wisdom to pursue love and justice in all the world. Come, Spirit of freedom! And let the church say, Amen!
Amen!

Join our prayers and praise with your prophets and martyrs of every age, that, rejoicing in the hope of the resurrection, we might live in the freedom and hope of your Son. Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, now and forever.
Amen.

Lord’s Prayer:
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us 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.

O Lamb of God, you bear the sin of all the world away; you suffered death our lives to save: have mercy now, we pray.  O Lamb of God, you bear the sin of all the world away; you set us free from guilt and grave: have mercy now, we pray.  O Lamb of God, you bear the sin of all the world away; eternal peace with God you made: give us your peace, we pray.

Communion

Table Blessing:
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
Amen.

Post-Communion Canticle:
O Lord, now let your servant depart in heavenly peace, for I have seen the glory of your redeeming grace: a light to lead the nations unto your holy hill, the glory of your people, your chosen Israel.

Then grant that I may follow your gleam, O glorious Light, till earthly shadows scatter, and faith is changed to sight; till raptured saints shall gather upon that shining shore, where Christ, the blessed daystar, shall light them ever more.

Post-Communion Prayer:
Let us pray.
Holy One, we thank you for the healing that springs forth abundantly from this table. Renew our strength to do justice, love kindness, and journey humbly with you.
Amen.

Benediction:
The God who faithfully brings forth justice and break’s the oppressor’s rod + bless, strengthen, and uphold you, today and always.
Amen.

Sending Hymn: ELW 677 “This Little Light of Mine”
This little light of mine, I’m goin’a let it shine; this little light of mine, I’m goin’a let it shine; this little light of mine, I’m goin’a let it shine; let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Ev’rywhere I go, I’m goina’a let it shine; ev’rywhere I go, I’m goin’a let it shine; ev’rywhere I go, I’m goin’a let it shine; let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Jesus gave it to me, I’m goin’a let it shine; Jesus gave it to me, I’m goin’a let it shine; Jesus gave it to me,
I’m goin’a let it shine; let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Dismissal:
Go in peace. Follow in the way of Jesus.
Thanks be to God!

Postlude

 

Prayer Requests:
Family and friends of Gladys Fawcett, Martha Ketchem, Susan Dinsmore, family and friends of Rev. Jim Fladland, Jason Russell, Annette Baker, family and friends of Jean Pfirman, Betsy Thomas, Dale Strassner, Alec Brock, Dave Wall, Rusty, Shirley Russell, Russ Wynn, Viv Marsh, Alice Snyder, Peg Swinehart, Martha Ketchem, Bob Keifer.

 

Portions reprinted from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, copyright 2006.  Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress, license #SBL09796L.  Music reprinted from the ELW, by permission of OneLicense, license #A712349.  Scripture quotations are from the 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.