Prelude – The Church’s One Foundation
Greeting and Welcome
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn of Invocation – Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing (LSB 686)
Come, Thou Fount of ev’ry blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
While the hope of endless glory
Fills my heart with joy and love,
Teach me ever to adore Thee;
May I still Thy goodness prove.
Here I raise my Ebenezer,
Hither by Thy help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wand’ring from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be;
Let that grace now like a fetter
Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
Prone to leave the God I love.
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
Oh, that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in the blood-washed linen,
How I’ll sing Thy wondrous grace!
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry;
Take my ransom’d soul away;
Send Thine angels soon to carry
Me to realms of endless day.
+ Preparation +
Invocation
P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Confession and Absolution – Psalm 16:11; Mark 13:13
P: You make known to me the path of life;
C: in Your presence there is fullness of joy;
P: at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
C: The one who endures to the end will be saved.
Silence for personal reflection and confession
P: Let us confess our sins to God our Father:
C: I confess to God Almighty, before the whole company of heaven and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned in thought, word, and deed by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grievous fault; wherefore I pray God Almighty to have mercy on me, forgive me all my sins, and bring me to everlasting life. Amen.
P: The almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon, forgiveness, and remission of 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.
P: May the Lord, who has begun this good work in us, bring it to completion in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
+ Word +
Introit
P: The one who endures to the end will be saved.
C: Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments!
P: Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels,
C: that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.
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: The one who endures to the end will be saved.
Salutation and Prayer of the Day
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Let us pray. O Lord, by Your bountiful goodness release us from the bonds of our sins, which by reason of our weakness we have brought upon ourselves, that we may stand firm until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
First Reading – Daniel 12:1-3
“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle – 1 Peter 3:8-17
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Installation of New Officers
Holy Gospel – Mark 13:1-13
P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the thirteenth chapter.
C: Glory to You, O Lord.
As [Jesus] came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!”
And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.
“But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Apostles' Creed
C: 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 – Brothers and Sisters in Christ (AGPS 78)
Sing Alleluia! Amen!
Let your prayers and your praises ascend.
Lift up your voices and sing
To our Lord God, our Savior and King!
Here brought together by grace,
We are gathered as friends in this place.
And assembled as one,
In the name of the Son,
Lifting hearts, lifting hands,
Celebrating as friends
And proclaiming the Lord,
All our praises afford.
We are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Children’s Sermon – Janet Leet
Hymn of the Day – Blest Are They (AGPS 74)
Blest are they, the poor in spirit;
Theirs is the kingdom of God.
Blest are they, full of sorrow;
They shall be consoled. Refrain
Refrain: Rejoice and be glad!
Blessed are you, holy are you.
Rejoice and be glad!
Yours is the kingdom of God!
Blest are they, the lowly ones;
They shall inherit the earth.
Blest are they who hunger and thirst;
They shall have their fill. Refrain
Blest are they who show mercy;
Mercy shall be theirs.
Blest are they, the pure of heart;
They shall see God. Refrain
Blest are they who seek peace;
They are the children of God.
Blest are they who suffer in faith;
The glory of God is theirs. Refrain
Blest are you who suffer hate,
All because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, yours is the kingdom;
Shine for all to see. Refrain
Sermon
