| Greeting and Welcome
Prelude – An Easter Alleluia (E. L. Ashford)
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn of Invocation – ‘Tis Good, Lord, to Be Here (LSB 414)
’Tis good, Lord, to be here! Thy glory fills the night; Thy face and garments, like the sun, Shine with unborrowed light.
’Tis good, Lord, to be here, Thy beauty to behold Where Moses and Elijah stand, Thy messengers of old.
Fulfiller of the past And hope of things to be, We hail Thy body glorified And our redemption see.
Before we taste of death, We see Thy kingdom come; We long to hold the vision bright And make this hill our home.
’Tis good, Lord, to be here! Yet we may not remain; But since Thou bidst us leave the mount, Come with us to the plain.
+ Preparation +
Invocation P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.
Confession and Absolution P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. C: But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Silence for reflection and examination
P: Let us confess our sins to God our Father. C: Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.
+ Word +
Introit P: God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. C: The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” P: The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” C: The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen P: God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
Salutation and Prayer of the Day P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Let us pray. Almighty God, as Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into the heavens, so may we also ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there with Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
First Reading – 1 Kings 17:8–24 Then the word of the LORD came to him, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” And she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’” And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah. After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. And he cried to the LORD, “O LORD my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the LORD, “O LORD my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.”
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle – Ephesians 1:15–23 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel – Luke 24:44-53 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the twenty-forth chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord.
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Apostles' Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His 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 into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life + everlasting. Amen.
Children’s Hymn – Do Lord! (AGPS 89)
Refrain: Do Lord, oh, do Lord, oh, do remember me! Do Lord, oh, do Lord, oh, do remember me! Do Lord, oh, do Lord, oh, do remember me! Look away beyond the blue!
You’re my light and my salvation, I won’t be afraid! You’re the stronghold of my life, by You all things were made. Foes attack me, hassle me, but I will never fade, For I move in the strength of the Lord. Refrain
Children’s Sermon – Pastor Scott
Hymn of the Day – Jesus Shall Reign (LSB 832)
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun Does its successive journeys run; His kingdom stretch from shore to shore Till moons shall wax and wane no more.
To Him shall endless prayer be made, And endless praises crown His head; His name like sweet perfume shall rise With ev’ry morning sacrifice.
People and realms of ev’ry tongue Dwell on His love with sweetest song; And infant voices shall proclaim Their early blessings on His name.
Blessings abound where’er He reigns: The pris’ners leap, unloose their chains, The weary find eternal rest, And all who suffer want are blest.
Let ev’ry creature rise and bring Honors peculiar to our King; Angels descend with songs again, And earth repeat the loud amen.
Sermon
Offering
Offertory
Prayers
+ Celebrating birthdays this week: 12 – Gil Canania; 13 – Paul Barbercheck; 16 – Joseph Grossenheider; 18 – Rosemary Orloff
Special Celebrations and Needs:
+ Church family members: Sherman Moore, recovering from surgery; Janet Hurley, upon the return of her cancer; Sharon Gaal, recovering from surgery; Vicki Lucas, recovering from a stroke; Ken Kight.
+ Friends of our congregation: Oliver & Bethany LaMie, celebrating the birth of their son, Marlin; Ryan Barnett, who received a call to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Glen Burnie, Maryland; Barbara Huggins, in rehab with a broken leg; the Wehmueller family, upon the death of their friend, Don; Eddie, brother-in-law of Andrea Anderson, fighting lymphoma of the uvula; Rebecca Guion, daughter-in-law of Mary Guion.
+ Those who are homebound or in nursing facilities: Twylah Atwood, Mary Aufderheide, Jules Bush, Frank & Sharon Gaal, Mary Guion, Jerry & Jane Keathley, Cindy Smith, Shirley Williams
+ Sacrament +
Preface P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Lift up your hearts. C: We lift them to the Lord. P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise. P: It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who after His resurrection appeared openly to all His disciples and in their sight was taken up into heaven that He might make us partakers of His divine life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow'r and might: Heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna, Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Prayer of Thanksgiving P: O Almighty and eternal God, You are worthy to be held in reverence by all people and You have well supplied Your whole creation with all the blessings of life and health. But most of all we praise You for Your gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation in Jesus Christ. Through His Word and Sacraments He continues to bestow upon us, Your people, the blessings of His cross and empty tomb—though we neither deserve nor are worthy of His gifts. Grant us the faith to receive with faith and a joyful heart the gift of His flesh and blood in this Holy Communion. C: Amen.
The Words of Our Lord P: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My + body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My + blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Proclamation of Christ P: As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. C: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. P: O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
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 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.
Pax Domini P: The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: Amen.
Distribution
Distribution Hymn – Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me (LSB 761)
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee; Let the water and the blood, From Thy riven side which flowed, Be of sin the double cure: Cleanse me from its guilt and pow’r.
Not the labors of my hands Can fulfill Thy Law’s demands; Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow, All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to Thy cross I cling. Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless, look to Thee for grace; Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath, When mine eyelids close in death, When I soar to worlds unknown, See Thee on Thy judgment throne, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee.
Blessing
Post-Communion Collect P: Let us pray. Heavenly, holy, mighty Lord, as once You ascended in glory having accomplished all things for us and our salvation, grant to us Your Holy Spirit and grace from above that we may recognize Your presence among us through Your Word and Supper and rejoice to receive through these means of grace forgiveness, life, and salvation to possess by faith until we own these eternally on high; whom with the Father and the Spirit, You are one God, one Lord, now and forever. C: Amen.
Benediction P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace. C: Amen.
Closing Hymn – For All the Faithful Women (LSB 855, verses 1, 5-7, 3)
For all the faithful women Who served in days of old, To You shall thanks be given; To all, their story told. They served with strength and gladness In tasks Your wisdom gave. To You their lives bore witness, Proclaimed Your pow’r to save.
We praise Your name for Miriam Who sang triumphantly While Pharaoh’s vaunted army Lay drowned beneath the sea. As Israel marched to freedom, Her chains of bondage gone, So may we reach the kingdom Your mighty arm has won.
To Hannah, praying childless Before Your throne of grace, You gave a son and called him To serve before Your face. Grant us her perseverance; Lord, teach us how to pray And trust in Your deliv’rance When darkness hides our way.
For Ruth, who left her homeland And ventured forth in faith, Who pledged to serve and worship Naomi’s God till death, We praise You, God of Israel, And pray for hearts set free To bind ourselves to others In love and loyalty.
O God, for saints and servants, Those named and those unknown In whom through all the ages Your light of glory shone, We offer glad thanksgiving And fervent prayer we raise That, faithful in Your service, Our lives may sing Your praise.
Postlude – Unfold, Ye Portals (Ch. Gounod)
+ + +
+ WORSHIP LEADERS + Preacher/Celebrant/Liturgist – Pastor Scott Jonas Organist/Pianist – Seth Carruthers Lector – Beth Nicolaus Communion – Tony Petzoldt & Seminary Student Sound/Video – Paul Barbercheck Ushers – Sandy Barbercheck, Judy George, Becci Sasser, Jeanne Lipinski Greeters – Ken & Jeanne Clark | 
