07 Apr BULLETIN – SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2024
WELCOME to MESSIAH & ST. PETER LUTHERAN CHURCHES
The Reverend Nancy Brody, Pastor
Greta Wright, Organist
Sunday, April 7, 2024
Second Suday of Easter
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE
CONFESSION and FORGIVENESS
Dear God,
in you there in no darkness, none at all.
We desire fellowship with you,
to walk in light,
the pure symbol of your holy self. We trust that the blood of your Son, Jesus Christ
continually cleanses us from sin and makes forgiveness possible.
For we have sinned,
we know that only Christ is righteous.
Help us to no longer sin. Help each of us and the whole entire world
to experience restoration,
to understand and practice justice,
to increase in faith toward you.
Empower acts of kindness toward each other,
the exercise of love in all our words and dealings.
Forgive and heal us from everything we do wrong,
so we are free to serve you and will no longer sin out of ignorance or because of stubborn will.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, upon making our confession before God and one another, I declare that we’ve been heard by God. By the authority of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit [+] as a called and ordained minister of the church and a humble representative of God’s holy grace and mercy, I declare to you, the entirety of all your sins to be forgiven here and now. Do you accept the total forgiveness of all your sins? If so, answer, “I do.” I do. As Jesus said, “Go therefore, and sin no more. And as John says, “But if you do, be assured that you have an advocate with God who [was and] is the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.”
ENTRANCE HYMN
Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen! WOV #674
APOSTOLIC GREETING Page 57
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 Pages 57-59
🎶In peace let us pray to the Lord.
🎶Lord have mercy.
🎶For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
🎶Lord have mercy.
🎶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.
🎶Lord have mercy.
🎶For this holy house, and for all who offer here and online their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
🎶Lord have mercy.
🎶Help, save, comfort, and defend us gracious Lord.
🎶Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE Pages 58-59
🎶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 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
Almighty God, with joy we celebrate the day of our Lord’s resurrection. By the grace of Christ among us, enable us to show the power of the resurrection in all that we say and do, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
FIRST READING ACTS 4:32-35
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
PSALM 133
How good and how pleasant it is, when kindred live together in unity!
It is like fine oil upon the head, flowing down upon the beard, upon the beard of Aaron, flowing down upon the collar of his robe.
It is like the dew of Hermon flowing down upon the hills of Zion. For there the Lord has commanded the blessing: life forevermore.
SPECIAL MUSIC Brad Crum
SECOND READING 1 JOHN 1:1–2:2
We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us—we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Page 62
🎶Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and abounding in steadfast love.
The Holy Gospel according to Saint John, the 20th chapter.
🎶Glory to you, O Lord.
GOSPEL JOHN 20:19-31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
The Gospel of the Lord.
🎶Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON
HYMN of the DAY
We Walk By Faith and Not By Sight WOV #675
PROFESSION of FAITH Nicene Creed Page 64
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
Rejoicing that Jesus is risen, that love has triumphed over fear and death, we pray for the church, the world, and all those in need of good news. A brief silence.
Your church cries out, O God, and you listen. As you drew near to the disciples, draw near to us. Breathe on us your Holy Spirit to renew our faith. May the witness of your love be shown in us and shared by us. How good and how pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! The Lord has commanded the blessing: life forevermore.
Your creation cries out, O God, and you listen. Nurture trees, crops, wildflowers, and all growing things. Guide all who tend the soil and nurture plants to life. How good and how pleasant it is, that the Lord has commanded the blessing: life forevermore.
Your world cries out, O God, and you listen. Guide all whose vocation involves care for others. Help their work benefit the well-being of communities and the dignity of every person, that no one may need to live in fear. How good and how pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! The Lord has commanded the blessing: life forevermore.
Your children cry out, O God, and you listen. Hear people who cry out for justice. End every form of oppression and make this world a place where all are fed and safe once again. We pray for all who suffer or are in pain (especially those on our prayer list). How good and how pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! The Lord has commanded the blessing: life forevermore.
Accept our gratitude, O God, for the lives of those who now rest in you and lived according to their faith especially Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Grant us your peace amid our fears. How good and how pleasant it is when kindred live together as the Lord has commanded the blessing: life forevermore.
It is good and pleasant when kindred live together in unity. And as you have commanded Lord, we entrust our lives forevermore into your merciful and loving hands through Jesus Christ, our resurrected redeemer, living defender of peace, our source of all hope and consolation. Amen.
EXCHANGE of PEACE
OFFERING
OFFERTORY Page 66
🎶Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord and fill to the brim our cup of blessing. Gather a harvest of the seeds that were sown, that we may be fed with the bread of life. Gather the hopes and the dreams of all; unite them with the prayer we offer now. Grace our table with your presence, and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.
PRAYER
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts. With them we offer ourselves to your service and dedicate our lives to the care and redemption of all that you have made, for the sake of him who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
LITURGY OF HOLY COMMUNION Pages 68-72
🎶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 him thanks and praise.
🎶It is indeed right and salutary….we praise your name and join their unending hymn.
🎶Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might; heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosana, Hosana, Hosana in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosana in the highest.
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.
INVITATION
Come. Taste and see that the LORD is good.
POST-COMMUNION CANTICLE
🎶Thank the Lord and sing his praise; tell everyone what he has done. Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and proudly bear his name. He recalls his promises and leads his people forth in joy with shouts of thanksgiving. Aleluia, Aleluia.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER
BENEDICTION Page 74
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
Amen.
CLOSING HYMN
Thine Is the Glory #145
DISMISSAL
Alleluia! Go in peace. Rejoice and be glad.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
POSTLUDE