19 Apr Bulletin – Sunday, April 19, 2026
WELCOME to MESSIAH & ST. PETER LUTHERAN CHURCHES
The Reverend Nancy Brody, Pastor
Greta Wright, Organist
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Third Sunday of Easter
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE
THANKSGIVING for BAPTISM
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
Christ is risen, indeed. Alleluia!
Let us give thanks for the gifts of baptism: water, and the Word, anointing by God’s Holy Spirit.
Heavenly Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you formed and filled us with the water of creation. You give us morning dew, gentle rains, and splashing waves. We thank you for every drop of water that nourishes.
Blessed are you. Guide us to springs of life.
Jesus Christ, Word of God, you are the faithful witness who accompanies our journeys. We give thanks for your life-giving death and resurrection and praise you for joining us in joy and sorrow.
Blessed are you. Speak to us and stir our hearts.
Holy Spirit, we need you to inspire and guide this world. There’s far too much turmoil and harm being done. Unite us in the common purpose of seeking peace and being satisfied with enough. Let nothing cloud our ability to recognize you among us.
Blessed are you. Bring calm to places of chaos.
Holy One, we thank you for the gifts and grace of baptism, and for making us a new creation.We join with saints and angels, giving you honor and praise, now and forever. Amen.
ENTRANCE HYMN
The Strife Is O’er, the Battle Done #135
HYMN OF PRAISE
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia. Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia. Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor, blessings and glory are his.
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia. Sing with all the people of God, join in the hymn of all creation: Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever, Amen.
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia. For the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign, Aleluia.
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Your Son made himself known in the breaking of bread. Open our eyes to faith, that we may also see his redeeming work. You with the Father live and reign as one God along the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
FIRST READING ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 2:14a, 36-41
Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed [the crowd]: “Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.
PSALM 116:1-4, 12-19
I love the Lord, who has heard my voice, and listened to my supplication,
for the Lord has given ear to me whenever I called.
The cords of death entangled me; the anguish of the grave came upon me; I came to grief and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray you, save my life.”
How shall I repay the Lord for all the good things God has done for me?
I will lift the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all God’s people.
Precious in your sight, O Lord, is the death of your servants.
O Lord, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the child of your handmaid; you have freed me from my bonds.
I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all God’s people,
in the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Hallelujah!
SECOND READING 1 PETER 1:17-23
If you invoke as Father the one who judges impartially according to each person’s work, live in fear during the time of your exile. You know that you were ransomed from the futile conduct inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your trust and hope are in God. Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual affection, love one another deeply from the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
🎶Alleluia, Lord, to whom shall we go? You hve the words of eternal life. Alleluia. Alleluia.
The Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke, the 24th chapter.
🎶Glory to you, O Lord.
GOSPEL LUKE 24:13-35
Now on that same day two [disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.” Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
🎶Glory to you, O Christ.
SERMON
HYMN OF THE DAY
Peace to Soothe Our Bitter Woes #338
PROFESSION of FAITH Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
creator 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.
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 became man.
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
Trusting in the power of Christ’s resurrection to heal and redeem our broken world, let us pray for the needs of all creation. A brief silence.
Living Savior, may your word make our hearts burn, too. May faith become evident as we walk and talk. Open and enlighten us to see people for who they are. Move us to extend invitations. In your mercy Lord, receive our prayer.
Almighty God, you provide for the needs of all creation. Bless fields for planting; send favorable weather so that soil in every country may yield abundance. In your mercy Lord, receive our prayer.
God of justice, convict those in power to approach responsibility with humility and wisdom; bring repentance where needed. Eliminate abuse and corruption. Restore integrity within governments. Bring peace where there is violence. In your mercy Lord, receive our prayer.
Healing Savior, you continue to bring hope to a hurting world. Heal those who are sick (especially those on our prayer list and in our hearts). Strengthen the weary; give courage to the despairing, and comfort the dying. In your mercy Lord, receive our prayer.
Gracious One, you made us to be your own. Unite us through baptism in genuine love. By your Holy Spirit knit us together and uphold this community. In your mercy Lord, receive our prayer.
Eternal Light, we give thanks for all who nurture faith by walking beside us, both in the present and in ages past. Through the communion of saints, we are able to experience your presence. Thanks for all of the ways you become present with us, for always hearing and receiving our prayers.
God of resurrection power, empower us to proclaim the good news of new life to all the world, through your Son, Jesus Christ, who is our living risen Savior, our close and constant companion. In your holy name we pray, Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
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 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.
EXCHANGE of PEACE
OFFERING
OFFERTORY
🎶Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with your free Spirit.
BLESSING
CLOSING HYMN
We Plow the Fields and Scatter #362
DISMISSAL
POSTLUDE
Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission. Prayers adapted from Sundays and Seasons, copyright © 2019, Augsburg Fortress. Used with permission. Psalm readings from Lutheran Book of Worship, copyright © 1978. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual Subscription #SB160715 Other quotations from Scripture from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, National Council of Churches in Christ in the United States of America. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Altar flowers at St. Peter are presented by Ray & Audrey Rummel in memory of loved ones.