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Welcome to Worship
Sixth Sunday of Easter
GATHERING
Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
Ringing of the Bell
(Please Stand)
Thanksgiving for Baptism
L: Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, the wellspring of grace, our Easter and our joy.
Amen.
Don: Look, here is water!
Here is our water of life! Alleluia!
L: Immersed in the promises of baptism, let us give thanks for what God has done for us.
We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning your voice thundered over the deep and water became the essence of life.
Don: Adam and Eve beheld Eden’s verdant rivers.
The ark carried your creation through the flood into a new day.
L: Miriam led the dancing as your people passed through the sea into freedom’s land.
In a desert pool the Ethiopian official entered your boundless baptismal life.
Don: Look, here is water!
Here is our water of life! Alleluia!
L: At the river your beloved Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. By the baptism of Jesus’ death and resurrection you opened the floodgates of your reconciling love, freeing us to live as Easter people.
We rejoice with glad hearts, giving all honor and praise to you, through the risen Christ, our source of living water, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
Don: Look, here is water!
Here is our water of life! Alleluia!
Hymn # 389 “Christ is Alive! Let Christians Sing”
L: The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the commun-ion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
C: And also with you.
Kryie
L: Let us pray
O God, you have prepared for those who love you joys beyond understanding. Pour into our hearts such love for you that, loving you above all things, we may obtain your promises, which exceed all we can desire; through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
WORD
First Reading Acts 10: 44—48 Pg. 1710
R: Word of God, Word of Life. C: Thanks be to God.
Psalm Psalm 98 Pg. 935
Refrain:
PS 98:1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his
right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
PS 98:2 The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
PS 98:3 He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of
Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Refrain:
PS 98:4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;
PS 98:5 make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound
of singing,
PS 98:6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn—shout for joy before
the LORD, the King.
Refrain:
PS 98:7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live
in it.
PS 98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy;
PS 98:9 let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He
will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.
Refrain:
Second Reading: 1 John 5: 1—6 Pg. 1903
R: Word of God. Word of life. C: Thanks be to God.
Children’s Sermon
(Please rise for the Gospel)
The Gospel according to John, the fifteenth chapter.
After the Gospel is announced, we sing
Gospel Reading John 15: 9—17 Pg. 1677
(After the reading of the Gospel, we sing)
(Please be seated)
Sermon Don Gillett
(Please Stand)
Hymn # 708 “Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love”
L: Together with the whole church, we confess our faith:
The 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,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary
and became truly human.
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,*
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who 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.
The Prayers
L: . . .God of Grace
C: Hear our prayer.
The Peace
L: The peace of Christ be with you always.
C: And also with you.
L: You may share the peace with one another.
Offering
Offering Hymn # 686 “We Give Thee But Thine Own” vs. 1—3
(The offering is collected as the hymn is sung. Please stand on the last verse as the offering is brought forward.)
L: Let us pray,
All: Risen One, you call us to believe and bear fruit. May the gifts that we offer here be signs of your abiding love. Form us to be your witnesses in the world, through Jesus Christ, our true vine. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer: (Sung)
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen
Benediction
P: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
The God of resurrection power, the Christ of unending joy, and the Spirit of Easter hope bless you now and always.
Hymn # 763 “My Life Flows On In Endless Song”
Dismissal
L: Alleluia! Go in peace. Rejoice and be glad.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
Postlude.
Our thanks to those who serve as our worship leaders::
Our Reader—Cindy Riffe
Our Liturgist—Ken Kleid
Organist—Angela Lau
Music Accompanist—Doris Menke
Hand Bell Director—Wendy Kuenemann
Guest Preacher—Don Gillett