St. Mark Lutheran Church

Seventh Sunday of Easter

May 4, 2008

8:15 and 11:00 AM

The Congregation is asked to remain silent during the prelude as a time of prayer and meditation.

Prelude March Royal-DeLalande

Stand

Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness

The minister leads the congregation in the invocation. The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

V: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

V: Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C: Amen

V: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Kneel Silence for reflection and self-examination.

V: Most merciful God,

C: we confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen

The minister stands and addresses the congregation.

V: In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for you, and for his sake God forgives you all your sins. To those who believe in Jesus Christ he gives the power to become the children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

Stand

Apostolic Greeting

P: The grace of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God and the Communion of

the Holy Spirit be with you all.

C: And also with you.

Kyrie

Hymn of Praise

Salutation

Prayer of the Day In unison

Almighty and eternal God, your Son our Savior is with you in eternal glory. Give us faith to see that, true to his promise, he is among us still, and will be with us to the end of time; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Congregation is seated

First Lesson: Acts 1:6–14

⁶So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" ⁷He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." ⁹When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. ¹¹They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." ¹²Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away. ¹³When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. ¹⁴All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

L: The word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

Anthem As The Deer-Nystrom Youth Choirs

Psalm: 68:1-10, 32-35 Sung-responsively by whole verse

¹Let God arise, and let God's ene- ^| mies be scattered;

let those who ^| hate God flee.

²As smoke is driven away, so you should drive ^| them away;

as the wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the pres- ^| ence of God.

³But let the righteous be glad and rejoice ^| before God;

let them also be mer- ^| ry and joyful.

⁴Sing to God, sing praises to God's name; exalt the one who ^| rides the clouds;

"I AM" is that name, rejoice ^| before God!

⁵In your holy habita- ^| tion, O God,

you are a father to orphans, defend- ^| er of widows;

⁶you give the solitary a home and bring forth prisoners ^| into freedom;

but the rebels shall live in ^| desert places.

⁷O God, when you went forth be- ^| fore your people,

when you marched ^| through the wilderness,

⁸the earth quaked, and the skies poured down rain, at the presence of God, the ^| God of Sinai,

at the presence of God, the ^| God of Israel.

⁹You sent a bountiful ^| rain, O God;

you restored your inheritance ^| when it languished.

¹⁰Your people found their ^| home in it;

in your goodness, O God, you have made provision ^| for the poor.

³²Sing to God, O kingdoms ^| of the earth;

sing praises ^| to the Lord.

³³You ride in the heavens, O God, in the ^| ancient heavens;

you send forth your voice, your ^| mighty voice.

³⁴Ascribe pow- ^| er to God,

whose majesty is over Israel; whose strength is ^| in the skies.

³⁵How wonderful you are in your holy places, O ^| God of Israel,

giving strength and power to your people! ^| Blessed be God!

Second Lesson: 1 Peter 4:12–14; 5:6–11

4: ¹²Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.

5: ⁶Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. ⁷Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. ⁸Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. ⁹Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. ¹⁰And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. ¹¹To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

L: The word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

Alleluia Verse

P: “The Holy Gospel according to John the seventeenth chapter”.

Stand

The Holy Gospel: John 17:1–11

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, ²since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ³And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ⁴I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. ⁵So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. ⁶I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. ⁷Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; ⁸for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. ⁹I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. ¹⁰All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. ¹¹And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

P: "The Gospel of the Lord"

Congregation is seated

Sermon Pastor Erdos

Stand

Nicene Creed

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. 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.

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.

Congregation is seated

Announcements

Prayers (Kneel)

After each portion of the prayers:

V: Lord, in your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

The prayers conclude:

P: Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

C: Amen.

Sharing of Peace (Stand)

P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C: And also with you.

The ministers and congregation may greet one another in the name of the Lord.

Congregation is seated

Offering (Please sign ALL names of your family present today and pass the Friendship Register)

Anthem Sing We Now of Gladness-Young Adult Choir

Offertory

Prayer

V: Let us pray. Blessed are you,

C: 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

Great Thanksgiving

P: 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 Christ our Lord; 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 the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Eucharistic Prayer

P: 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.

C: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

P: 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 in this Easter season 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.

C: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

P: 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.

C: Amen. Come, Holy Spirit.

P: 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.

P: And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,

C: 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

Congregation is seated

Distribution We believe our Lord’s real presence is in the sacrament of Holy Communion. If you are a baptized Christian, we invite you to commune with us. Extend your hands over the rail to receive the bread. To receive the wine, wait for the chalice or take an empty glass from the tray, which will be filled from a pouring chalice. The prefilled glasses contain grape juice for those that can not receive the wine. We encourage you to bring non-communing children forward to receive a blessing. Please be seated following the distribution.

Communion Music

Stand

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

C: Amen

The Post-Communion Canticle

Post Communion Prayer

V: Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

Benediction

Stand

Dismissal

V: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

8:15 Worship Assistants 11:00

Kevin Buss	ACOLYTE	Clara Castle
Erich Buss, Val Sommer, Jerry Held	COMMUNION	Meaghann Graber, Tom and Tammy Williams
Tru Whiting	LECTOR	Charles Rossi
Una Shurtleff	NURSERY	Una Shurtleff
	GREETERS	Rodney and Susan Robinson
Johnna Morris, Thea Allen Lent	TELLERS	Johnna Morris, Thea Allen Lent
Fred Sommer, Tru Whiting	USHERS	Dick Amenell, Jerry Hefner