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Sunday Morning Worship
Pam Smith
Pam Smith
Sunday, May 2, 2021
Notes
Playlist

    

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRELUDE

HYMN    There in God's Garden    (1, 2, 4, 6)     ELW 342

There in God's garden
stands the Tree of Wisdom,
whose leaves hold forth
the healing of the nations:
Tree of all knowledge,
Tree of all compassion,
Tree of all beauty.

Its name is Jesus,
name that says, "Our Savior!"
There on its branches
see the scars of suff'ring;
see where the tendrils
of our human selfhood
feed on its lifeblood.

See how its branches
reach to us in welcome;
hear what the Voice says,
"Come to me, ye weary!
Give me your sickness,
give me all your sorrow,
I will give blessing."

All heav'n is singing,
"Thanks to Christ whose passion
offers in mercy
healing, strength, and pardon.
Peoples and nations,
take it, take it freely!"
Amen! My Master!

THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM
       All may make the sign of the cross.
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Made new  by the resurrection life we share in Christ,
let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.

We thank you, risen Christ, for these waters where you make us new, leading us from death to life, from tears to joy. We bless you, risen Christ, that your Spirit comes to us in the grace-filled waters of rebirth. Breathe your peace on your church when we hide in fear. Clothe us with your mercy and forgiveness. Send us companions on our journey as we share your life. Make us one, risen Christ. To you be given all praise, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God, now and forever.
Amen.

ACCLAMATION
He is Risen!
He is Risen indeed!
Alleluia!

PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray
O God, you give us your Son as the vine apart from whom we cannot live.  Nourish our life in his resurrection, that were may bear the fruit of love and know the fullneess of your joy, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

+WORD +

FIRST READING:    Acts 8:26-40
Led by the Spirit, Philip encounters an Ethiopian official who is returning to his African home after having been to Jerusalem to worship. Philip uses their encounter to proclaim the gospel to him. Upon coming to faith in Jesus, he is baptized by Philip.

26Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a wilderness road.) 27So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over to this chariot and join it." 30So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. 32Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
 "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
 and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.
 33In his humiliation justice was denied him.
 Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth."
34The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" 35Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. 36As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?" 38He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

The word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.

PSALM 22:25-31      (Psalm will be read in responsively)

All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord. (Ps. 22:27)
25From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
 my vows I will pay before those who fear him.

26The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
 those who seek him shall praise the LORD.
 May your hearts live forever!
27All the ends of the earth shall remember
 and turn to the LORD;
 and all the families of the nations
 shall worship before him.
28For dominion belongs to the LORD,
 and he rules over the nations.
29To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down;
 before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
 and I shall live for him.
30Posterity will serve him;
 future generations will be told about the LORD,
31and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
 saying that he has done it.

GOSPEL:     John 15:1-8
The holy gospel according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.

On the night of his arrest, Jesus taught his disciples about the relationship they would have with him. Those who abide in his word and love bear fruit, for apart from him, they can do nothing.

 [Jesus said] 1I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Alive in the risen Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, we bring our prayers before God who promises to hear us and answer in steadfast love.

     A brief silence.

God of all fruitfulness, you abide in your church and your church abides in you. Cleanse us by your word and give yourself to the whole church on earth so that it bears fruit and witnesses to your love. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

 You have created the heavens and the earth. As we wonder at the beauty of creation, may we seek vital connections among all that depends on the earth for life. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

 You rule the nations with justice and love. Give the leaders of the earth assurance of your abiding presence, that they lead not by fear but with love for those they are called to serve. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.  

You have loved us so that we can love others. We pray for all in need of your love: those who are poor, lowly, outcast, weak, or fearful. Provide for the needs of all, particularly Alena, Jenna, Marilyn, Jerod & Julia, Nick, Julie, Marcella, Michael, Ken, Jack, Anne, JoAnn, Sandy, Beth, Betty, Dione, Dottie, Theresa, Dottie, Tim, Glenn, Henry, Mary, Greg, Ann Joyce, Barbara, and Shelby. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great. 

You gather us with all the saints by the power of your Spirit.  With them, may our hearts live forever in your keeping. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great. 

In the hope of new life in Christ, we raise our prayers to you, trusting in your never-ending goodness and mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

GREETING OF PEACE

The peace of the Lord be with you.
And also with you.

+ MEAL +

OFFERING PRAYER
Blessed are you, O God, ruler of heaven and earth. Day by day you shower us with blessings. As you have raised us to new life in Christ, give us glad and generous hearts, ready to praise you and to respond to those in need, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

GREAT THANKSGIVING
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 our thanks and praise.

PREFACE
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, for the glorious resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ, the true Paschal Lamb who gave himself to take away our sin: who in dying has destroyed death, and in rising has brought us to eternal life. And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses
of the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures, and with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, we praise y our name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the
highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.

THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE
Blessed are you, O God of the universe.
Your mercy is everlasting
and your faithfulness endures from age to age.

Praise to you for creating the heavens and the earth.
Praise to you for leading your people through the wilderness
to the land of milk and honey.
Praise to you for the words and deeds of Jesus, your anointed one.
Praise to you for the death and resurrection of Christ.
Praise to you for your Spirit poured out on all nations.

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.

With this bread and cup
we remember our Lord’s passover from death to life
as we proclaim the mystery of faith:

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

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us
and on these gifts of bread and wine.
Bless this feast.
Grace our table with your presence.
Come, Holy Spirit.

Reveal yourself to us in the breaking of the bread.
Raise us up as the body of Christ for the world.
Breathe new life into us.
Come, Holy Spirit.

With your holy ones of all times and places,
with the earth and all its creatures,
with sun and moon and stars,
we praise you, O God,
blessed and holy Trinity,
now and forever.
Amen.

THE LORD'S PRAYER

Our Father in heaven,
    hallowed be your name,
    your kingdom come,
    your will be done,
        on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
    as we forgive those
        who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
    and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
    and the glory are yours,
    now and forever. Amen.

DISTRIBUTION

BLESSING AFTER COMMUNION

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Life-giving God, in the mystery of Christ’s resurrection you send light to conquer darkness, water to give new life, and the bread of life to nourish your people. Send us forth as witnesses to your Son’s resurrection, that we may show your glory to all the world, through Jesus Christ, our risen Lord.
Amen.

SENDING HYMN    Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen    (vs 1, 4, 5)    ELW 377

Alleluia!  Jesus is risen!
Trumpets resonding in glorious light!
Splendor, the Lamb, heaven forever!
Oh, what a miracle God has in sight!

     Refrain.
  
Jesus is risen and we shall arise.
  Give God the glory! Alleluia!

Weeping, be gone; sorrow, be silent:
death put asunder, and Easter is bright.
Cherubim sing: O grave, be open!
Clothe us in wonder, adorn us in light.   Refrain

City of God, Easter forever,
golden Jerusalem, Jesus the Lamb,
river of life, saints and archangels,
sing with creation to God the I AM!   Refrain.


There in God's Garden  Text: Király Imre von Pécselyi, c. 1590-c. 1641; tr. Erik Routley, 1917-1982, Text © 1976 Hinshaw Music, Inc. Music: K. Lee Scott, b. 1950. Music © 1987 Birnamwood Publications,  Text and Music reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274.  All rights reserved.

Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen.  Text: Herbert F. Brokering, b. 1926, Text © 1995 Augsburg Fortress, Music: David N. Johnson, 1922-1987, Music © 1969 Contemporary Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress, Text and Music reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274.  All rights reserved.