| Prelude
Greeting and Welcome
Lighting of the Candles
Choral Prelude – All People That on Earth Do Dwell
(lyrics provided for reflection)
All people that on earth do dwell, Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice. Him serve with mirth, His praise forthtell; Come ye before Him and rejoice.
Know that the Lord is God indeed; Without our aid He did us make. We are His folk, He doth us feed, And for His sheep He doth us take.
O enter then His gates with praise; Approach with joy His courts unto. Praise, laud, and bless His name always, For it is seemly so to do.
For why? The Lord our God is good: His mercy is forever sure. His truth at all times firmly stood And shall from age to age endure.
Hymn of Invocation – Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (LSB 790)
Praise to the Lord, The Almighty, the King of creation! O my soul, praise Him, For He is your health and salvation! Let all who hear Now to His temple draw near, Joining in glad adoration!
Praise to the Lord, Who o’er all things is wondrously reigning And, as on wings of an eagle, Uplifting, sustaining. Have you not seen All that is needful has been Sent by His gracious ordaining?
Praise to the Lord, Who has fearfully, wondrously, made you, Health has bestowed And, when heedlessly falling, has stayed you. What need or grief ever has failed of relief? Wings of His mercy did shade you.
Praise to the Lord, Who will prosper your work and defend you; Surely His goodness and mercy Shall daily attend you. Ponder anew What the Almighty can do As with His love He befriends you.
Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him! All that has life and breath, Come now with praises before Him! Let the Amen Sound from His people again; Gladly forever adore Him!
+ Preparation +
Invocation P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.
Opening Sentences – Psalm 98:1-2, 4 P: Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous things! C: His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him. P: The LORD has made known His salvation; C: He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations. P: Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; C: break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Confession and Absolution P: We have come together to praise and thank God for His overwhelming grace and mercy. Singing and rejoicing are natural for us, but we cannot come to God with our sins and failures. Let us therefore confess our sins and ask for mercy for the sake of Christ. C: Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen. P: God has called you to life, He has given His Son to pay for your sins, and He has given you and all believers in Christ the faith to trust all His promises. 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 +
Salutation and Prayer of the Day P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Let us pray. O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one will. C: Grant that we may love what You have commanded and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where true joys are found; P: through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
First Reading – Esther 5:1–8 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, in front of the king’s quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace. And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.” And Esther said, “If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king.” Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther has asked.” So the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared. And as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, “What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” Then Esther answered, “My wish and my request is: If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my wish and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle – Revelation 21:1–7 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel – John 16:12-22 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the sixteenth chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Nicene Creed I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life + of the world to come. 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 – Steph Chapa
Hymn of the Day – For All the Faithful Women (LSB 855 v. 1, 5-7)
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.
Sermon
Offering
Offertory
Prayers + Celebrating birthdays this week: 18 – Rosemary Orloff; 19 – Krissa Lubben, Karlie Auble; 20 – Brooke (nee Ladd) Crafton; 21 – Tim Lauber; 23 – Ann Jonas, Mollie Schultz + Wedding anniversaries: 22 – Rod & Gloria Nobis
Special Celebrations and Needs: + Church family members: Sharon Gaal, recovering from shoulder surgery; Sue DeFosset, undergoing treatment for ongoing back issues; Sylvia Bach, suffering from vertigo; Jack Bentzinger, recovering from a fall; Cathie Albers, recovering from hip surgery; Paul Schultz, in hospice + Friends of our congregation: Amanda, niece of Vicki Devenport, recovering from emergency abdominal surgery + Those who are homebound or in nursing facilities: Jules Bush, Frank & Sharon Gaal, Mary Guion, Jane Keathley, Vicki Lucas, 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 offer thanks and praise to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and ever-living God. But chiefly are we bound to praise You for the glorious resurrection of our Lord, about whom and to whom we offer thanks and praise, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. With saints of old and the hosts of heaven we lift our voices, 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: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, for You stopped at nothing to forgive our sins to the point of giving Your own Son for our salvation. We gather with the faithful here on earth to sing Your praises until You bid us join all who sit at table with the Lamb in His kingdom. To You alone, heavenly Father, be all praise and glory, now and forever. 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 – Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (LSB 621)
Let all mortal flesh keep silence And with fear and trembling stand; Ponder nothing earthly-minded, For with blessing in His hand Christ our God to earth descending Comes our homage to demand.
King of kings yet born of Mary, As of old on earth He stood, Lord of lords in human vesture, In the body and the blood, He will give to all the faithful His own self for heav’nly food.
Rank on rank the host of heaven Spreads its vanguard on the way As the Light of Light, descending From the realms of endless day, Comes the pow’rs of hell to vanquish As the darkness clears away.
At His feet the six-winged seraph, Cherubim with sleepless eye, Veil their faces to the presence As with ceaseless voice they cry: “Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, Lord Most High!”
Blessing
Post-Communion Collect P: Let us pray. Heavenly Father, You have given us a foretaste of the feast to come in the Holy Supper of Your Son’s body and blood. C: Keep us firm in the true faith that we may join the rest of Your good creation in singing Your praises at the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom which has no end; P: through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, 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 – 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.
Postlude
Altar flowers are given this morning by Ann Steinbruck
+ WORSHIP LEADERS + Preacher/Celebrant/Liturgist – Pastor Scott Organist/Pianist – Seth Carruthers Lector – Miriam Lee Communion – John Steele & Seminary Student Sound/Video – Ken Clark Ushers – Gerry Lucas, Tony Petzoldt, Steve Phelps, Mike Toney Greeters – Terry & Marilyn Young
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