MESSAGE FROM Mary Vincent….”A huge thank you for the prayers said for Dave Vincent and for all the cards that helped brighten his days as he continues to recover.”

PRAYERS FOR THE BOLDT FAMILIES…Helene Boldt, daughter-in-law of members, Carol and Burt Boldt, is experiencing a life threatening disease and is need of a live kidney donor. For more information on Helene’s condition and how you can help, Carol and Burt ask that you visit her website where you can submit questions and follow her progress:  heleneskidneyquest.life.  Please, spread the word!  Thank you, The Boldt Families.

DAUGHTERS OF FAITH will be meeting June 6th to plant flowers around the church sign. John Burdick will be bringing the flowers and advising us where and what to plant. We will be meeting at our usual time from 2:00-3:30pm with snacks, fellowship, prayer and a devotional. Friends are always invited. Questions: Please call Judy Byrne.

OUR YOUTH GROUP, Sons of Thunder and Daughters of Faith will be meeting Wednesday, June 9^th from 5:45-7:00pm for pizza provided by Daughters of Faith, and games/activities planned by Sons of Thunder. All are invited to the midweek service. Again, this is a great time to invite your friends. Please RSVP Dale Sheffield, Joe Bieluch, or Judy Byrne.

REMINDER:  Sons of Thunder will be collecting returnable cans and plastic bottles (please, no glass bottles) next Sunday between services.    

Confession and Absolution

905 Come, Thou Almighty King                                                             LSB 905

The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

P  In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C  Amen.

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 on God’s Word and for self-examination.

P  Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C  Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

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 announce to you God’s forgiveness of all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C  Amen.

Introit                                                     Ps. 104:24, 27–28, 30; antiphon: Liturgical Text

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the | faithful,*

and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alle- | luia.

O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you | made them all;*

the earth is full of your | creatures.

These all | look to you,*

to give them their food in due | season.

When you give it to them, they gath- | er it up;*

when you open your hand, they are filled with | good things.

When you send forth your Spirit, they are cre- | ated,*

and you renew the face | of the ground.

Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*

and to the Holy | Spirit;

as it was in the be- | ginning,*

is now, and will be forever. | Amen.

Kyrie                                                                                                  LSB 152

Hymn of Praise

Gloria in Excelsis                                                                                 LSB 154

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P  The Lord be with you.

C  And also with you.

P  Let us pray.

O God, on this day You once taught the hearts of Your faithful people by sending them the light of Your Holy Spirit. Grant us in our day by the same Spirit to have a right understanding in all things and evermore to rejoice in His holy consolation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C  Amen.

Sit

Old Testament Reading                                                                Ezekiel 37:1–14

¹The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. ²And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. ³And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” ⁴Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. ⁵Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. ⁶And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

⁷So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. ⁸And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. ⁹Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ¹⁰So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

¹¹Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.’ ¹²Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. ¹³And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. ¹⁴And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

A  This is the Word of the Lord.

C  Thanks be to God.

Second Reading                                                                               Acts 2:1–21

¹When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ²And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. ⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. ⁷And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ⁹Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, ¹¹both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” ¹²And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

¹⁴But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. ¹⁵For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. ¹⁶But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;

¹⁸even on my male servants and female servants

in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

¹⁹And I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;

²⁰the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood,

before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

²¹And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”

 A  This is the Word of the Lord.

 C Thanks be to God.

Stand

Common Alleluia and Verse                                                                  LSB 156

Holy Gospel                                                                     John 15:26–27; 16:4b–15

P  The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the fifteenth chapter.

C  Glory to You, O Lord.

²⁶“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. ²⁷And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

⁴But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. ⁵But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ ⁶But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. ⁷Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. ⁸And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; ¹⁰concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; ¹¹concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

¹²“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³When 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. ¹⁴He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

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 T everlasting. Amen.

650 Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling                                                              LSB 650

Sermon:    “Pentecost”     Acts 2:1-21

Stand

Prayer of the Church

Lord’s Prayer                                                                                       LSB 162

C  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.

Offering – Placed on the altar.

Offertory                                                                                            LSB 159

Closing Collect                                                                                             

A  Let us pray.

Almighty God, send Your Holy Spirit into our hearts that He may rule and direct us according to Your will, comfort us in all our temptations and afflictions, defend us from all error, and lead us into all truth that we, being steadfast in faith, may increase in all good works and in the end obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C  Amen.

Benediction                                                                                        LSB 166

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 T give you peace.

C  Amen.

895 Now Thank We All Our God                                                            LSB 895

REFRESHMENTS are served after the 8:00am Service only.

TODAY’S HOSTESS: Cheryl Lowman.  NEXT WEEK: Daughters of Faith.     

>>>PLEASE CHECK your church mailbox. 

PRAYERS FOR THE BOLDT FAMILIES…Helene Boldt, daughter-in-law of members, Carol and Burt Boldt, is experiencing a life threatening disease and is need of a live kidney donor. For more information on Helene’s condition and how you can help, Carol and Burt ask that you visit her website where you can submit questions and follow her progress:  heleneskidneyquest.life.  Please, spread the word!  Thank you, The Boldt Families.

Youth Nights at St. Paul’s!

Who: All youth ages ten and older.

What: Games, Pizza, Fellowship, Fun.

When: The second Wednesday of each month — May 12th, June 9th, July 14th, and August 11th (TBD after August). Every youth night will run from 6pm to 7pm. The Wednesday night service starts at 7pm and everyone is welcome to stay after for that!

Where: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 39 Prospect St., New Hartford, CT

RSVP: Text Mrs. Judy Bryne or Mr. Dale Sheffield.

SINGLES GATHER GROUP will meet on Saturday May 22nd from 1:00 – 2:30PM at Fred and Cheryl Lowman’s Home.  Please feel free to bring a friend and lawn chairs if you have them.  All Singles are so WELCOME to come enjoy a devotion and joyful time in-Christ together!   Contact Cheryl for more information at cheryl.cassady@yahoo.com. 

MESSAGE FROM Mary Vincent….”A huge thank you for the prayers said for Dave Vincent and for all the cards that helped brighten his days as he continues to recover.”

Confession and Absolution

821 Alleluia! Sing to Jesus                                                                    LSB 821

The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

P   In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C   Amen.

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 on God’s Word and for self-examination.

P   Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C   Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

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 T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C   Amen.

Introit                                                                     Ps. 110:1, 4–5; antiphon: Ps. 47:5

God has gone up | with a shout,*

the Lord with the sound of a | trumpet.

The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my | right hand,*

until I make your enemies your | footstool.”

The Lord has sworn and will not | change his mind,*

“You are a priest forever after the order of Mel- | chizedek.”

The Lord is at your | right hand;*

he will shatter kings on the day | of his wrath.

Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*

and to the Holy | Spirit;

as it was in the be- | ginning,*

is now, and will be forever. | Amen.

Kyrie                                                                                                  LSB 152

This Is the Feast                                                                                  LSB 155

Salutation and Collect 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.

Sit

First Reading                                                                                   Acts 1:1–11

¹In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, ²until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. ³To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

⁴And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; ⁵for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

⁶So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” ⁹And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, ¹¹and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

A   This is the Word of the Lord.

C   Thanks be to God.

Epistle                                                                                    Ephesians 1:15–23

¹⁵For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, ¹⁶I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷that 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, ¹⁸having 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, ¹⁹and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might ²⁰that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹far 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. ²²And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, ²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

A   This is the Word of the Lord.

C   Thanks be to God.

Stand

Common Alleluia and Verse                                                                  LSB 156

Holy Gospel                                                                                  Luke 24:44–53

P   The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the twenty-fourth chapter.

C   Glory to You, O Lord.

⁴⁴Then 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.” ⁴⁵Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹And 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.”

⁵⁰Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. ⁵¹While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. ⁵²And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, ⁵³and were continually in the temple blessing God.

P   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C   Praise to You, O Christ.

Nicene Creed                                                                                               

C   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 men 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 T of the world to come. Amen.

492 On Christ’s Ascension I Now Build                                                    LSB 492

Sermon:   “Ascension Day”   Luke 24:44-53

Stand

Prayer of the Church

Offering – Placed on the altar.

Service of the Sacrament

Preface                                                                                              LSB 160

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                                                                                               LSB 161

Prayer of Thanksgiving                                                                         LSB 161

P   Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross. 

Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament.  Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end.  Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C   Amen.

Lord’s Prayer                                                                                       LSB 162

P   Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

C   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.

The Words of Our Lord                                                                         LSB 162

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 T 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 T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Pax Domini                                                                                         LSB 163

P   The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C   Amen.

Agnus Dei                                                                                           LSB 163

Sit

Distribution

Above All

Above all powers, above all kings,
Above all nature and all created things;
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man,
You were here before the world began.

Chorus:

Crucified, laid behind a stone;
You lived to die, rejected and alone;
Like a rose, trampled on the ground,
You took the fall, and thought of me,

Above all.

Above all kingdoms, above all thrones,
Above all wonders the world has ever known;
Above all wealth, and treasures of the earth,
There’s no way to measure
What You’re worth.

Chorus:

Crucified, laid behind a stone;
You lived to die, rejected and alone;
Like a rose, trampled on the ground,
You took the fall, and thought of me,

Above all.

525 Crown Him with Many Crowns                                                         LSB 525

Stand

Post-Communion Canticle

Thank the Lord                                                                                    LSB 164

Post-Communion Collect                                                                               

A   Let us pray.

We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and fervent love toward one another; 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                                                                                        LSB 166

537 Beautiful Savior                                                                            LSB 537

REFRESHMENTS are served after the 8:00am Service only.

TODAY’S HOSTESS: Dale & Linda.  NEXT WEEK: Cheryl.     

>>>PLEASE CHECK your church mailbox. 

PRAYERS FOR THE BOLDT FAMILIES…Helene Boldt, daughter-in-law of members, Carol and Burt Boldt, is experiencing a life threatening disease and is need of a live kidney donor. For more information on Helene’s condition and how you can help, Carol and Burt ask that you visit her website where you can submit questions and follow her progress:  heleneskidneyquest.life.  Please, spread the word!  Thank you, The Boldt Families.

Youth Nights at St. Paul’s!

Who: All youth ages ten and older.

What: Games, Pizza, Fellowship, Fun.

When: The second Wednesday of each month — May 12th, June 9th, July 14th, and August 11th (TBD after August). Every youth night will run from 6pm to 7pm. The Wednesday night service starts at 7pm and everyone is welcome to stay after for that!

Where: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 39 Prospect St., New Hartford, CT

RSVP: Judy Bryne or Dale Sheffield.

Confession and Absolution

829 Christ the Eternal Lord                                                                  LSB 829

The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

P  In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C  Amen.

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 on God’s Word and for self-examination.

P  Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C  Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

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 T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C  Amen.

Introit                                                              Ps. 66:1–2, 8–9, 20; antiphon: Ps. 66:16

Come and hear, all you who | fear God,*

and I will tell what he has done | for my soul.

Shout for joy to God, | all the earth;*

sing the glory of his name; give to him | glorious praise!

Bless our God, O | peoples;*

let the sound of his | praise be heard,

who has kept our soul among the | living*

and has not let our | feet slip.

Blessèd | be God,*

because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast | love from me!

Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*

and to the Holy | Spirit;

as it was in the be- | ginning,*

is now, and will be forever. | Amen.

Kyrie                                                                                                  LSB 152

Gloria in Excelsis                                                                                 LSB 154

Salutation and Collect of the Day                                                                   

P  The Lord be with you.

C  And also with you.

P  Let us pray.

O God, the giver of all that is good, by Your holy inspiration grant that we may think those things that are right and by Your merciful guiding accomplish them; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C  Amen.

Sit

First Reading                                                                                Acts 10:34–48

³⁴So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, ³⁵but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. ³⁶As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), ³⁷you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: ³⁸how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. ³⁹And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, ⁴⁰but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, ⁴¹not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴²And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

⁴⁴While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. ⁴⁵And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, ⁴⁷“Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” ⁴⁸And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

A  This is the Word of the Lord.        C      Thanks be to God.

Epistle                                                                                           1 John 5:1–8

¹Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. ²By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. ³For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. ⁴For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ⁵Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

⁶This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. ⁷For there are three that testify: ⁸the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.

A  This is the Word of the Lord.

C  Thanks be to God.

Stand

Alleluia and Verse

Common Alleluia and Verse                                                                  LSB 156

Holy Gospel                                                                                   John 15:9–17

P  The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the fifteenth chapter.

C  Glory to You, O Lord.

⁹As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

¹²[Jesus said:] “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

¹³Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. ¹⁷These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

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 T everlasting. Amen.

706 Love in Christ Is Strong and Living                                                  LSB 706

Sermon:   “Love”   John 15: 9-17

Prayer of the Church

Offering – placed on the altar.

Lord’s Prayer                                                                                       LSB 162

P  Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

C  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.

Closing Collect                                                                                             

A  Let us pray.

Almighty and merciful God, we have again worshiped in Your presence and received both forgiveness for our many sins and the assurance of Your love in Jesus Christ. We thank You for this undeserved grace and ask You to keep us in faith until we inherit eternal salvation; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C  Amen.

Benediction                                                                                        LSB 166

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 T give you peace.

C  Amen.

660 Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus                                                         LSB 660

.

REFRESHMENTS are served after the 8:00am Service only.

TODAY’S HOSTESS: Deb E.  NEXT WEEK: Dale & Linda S.     

>>>PLEASE CHECK your church mailbox. 

PRAYERS FOR THE BOLDT FAMILIES…Helene Boldt, daughter-in-law of members, Carol and Burt Boldt, is experiencing a life threatening disease and is need of a live kidney donor. For more information on Helene’s condition and how you can help, Carol and Burt ask that you visit her website where you can submit questions and follow her progress:  heleneskidneyquest.life.  Please, spread the word!  Thank you, The Boldt Families.

OUR NEXT Daughters of Faith meeting is TODAY, from 2:00 – 3:30pm.   Emily Jury will send out the Zoom invitations.  Please call or text Judy Byrne at 860-693-1402 if you have any questions.   

HANDS OF GRACE UPDATE:  Hands of Grace is looking to go back to a part time “normal” schedule. We are looking forward to having a few people who are comfortable to come in and shop again, work with some volunteers who are comfortable within our protocols, and to work with a limited number of clients.  To that end there was a decision to spruce up a bit.  I want to give a huge thank you to all who helped move the biggest and heaviest objects so we cloud clean and paint 2/3 of the floor and put it back together. We moved out and cleaned on a Friday night, painted on a Saturday morning, and moved back in on Sunday afternoon to be ready for Monday.  All went smoothly and it looks great!!

Thank you to everyone,

Pastor Mongeau  

Confession and Absolution

633 At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing                                          LSB 633 sts. 1–4

The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

P   In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C   Amen.

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 on God’s Word and for self-examination.

P   Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C   Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

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 T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C   Amen.

Introit                                                         Ps. 145:1–2, 8, 10, 21; antiphon: John 16:16

A little while, and you will see me no | longer;*

and again a little while, and you will | see me.

I will extol you, my | God and King,*

and bless your name forever and | ever.

Every day I will | bless you*

and praise your name forever and | ever.

The Lord is gracious and | merciful,*

slow to anger and abounding in | steadfast love.

All your works shall give thanks to you, | O Lord,*

and all your saints shall | bless you!

My mouth will speak the praise | of the Lord,*

and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and | ever.

Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*

and to the Holy | Spirit;

as it was in the be- | ginning,*

is now, and will be forever. | Amen.

Kyrie                                                                                                  LSB 152

Hymn of Praise

This Is the Feast                                                                                  LSB 155

Salutation and Collect 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. 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; 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                                                                                 Acts 8:26–40

²⁶Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. ²⁷And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship ²⁸and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” ³⁰So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with 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 before its shearer is silent,

so he opens not his mouth.

³³In his humiliation justice was denied him.

Who can describe his generation?

For his life is taken away from the earth.”

³⁴And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” ³⁵Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. ³⁶And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” ³⁸And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. ³⁹And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

A       This is the Word of the Lord.

C   Thanks be to God.

Epistle                                                                                         1 John 4:1–11

¹Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. ²By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. ⁴Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. ⁵They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

⁷Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

A   This is the Word of the Lord.

C   Thanks be to God.

Stand

Alleluia and Verse

Common Alleluia and Verse                                                                  LSB 156

Holy Gospel                                                                                    John 15:1–8

P   The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the fifteenth chapter.

C   Glory to You, O Lord.

¹[Jesus said:] “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

²Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴Abide in me, and I in you. 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. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

P   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C   Praise to You, O Christ.

Nicene Creed                                                                                               

C   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 men 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 T of the world to come. Amen.

772 In Holy Conversation                                                                      LSB 772

Sermon

Prayer of the Church

Offering – Placed on the altar

Service of the Sacrament

Preface                                                                                              LSB 160

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.  And most especially are we bound to praise You on this day for the glorious resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, the very Paschal Lamb, who was sacrificed for us and bore the sins of the world.  By His dying He has destroyed death, and by His rising again He has restored to us everlasting life.  Therefore with Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, and with all the witnesses of the resurrection, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:

Sanctus                                                                                               LSB 161

Prayer of Thanksgiving                                                                         LSB 161

P   Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross. 

Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament.  Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end.  Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C   Amen.

Lord’s Prayer                                                                                       LSB 162

P   Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

C   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.

The Words of Our Lord                                                                         LSB 162

Pax Domini                                                                                         LSB 163

P   The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C   Amen.

Agnus Dei                                                                                           LSB 163

Sit

Distribution

594 God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It                                                       LSB 594

691 Fruitful Trees, the Spirit’s Sowing                                                   LSB 691

Stand

Post-Communion Canticle

Thank the Lord                                                                                    LSB 164

Post-Communion Collect                                                                               

A   Let us pray.

We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and fervent love toward one another; 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                                                                                        LSB 166

633 At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing                          LSB 633 sts. 5–8

>>>PLEASE CHECK your church mailbox. 

SUNDAY SCHOOL UPDATE from Emily Jury: We will resume in person Sunday school TODAY!!  We will continue to deliver boxes and live stream lessons for families that choose to stay at home. 

IF YOU made a donation for an Easter flower you may take home.  Please leave the plastic dish.

PRAYERS FOR THE BOLDT FAMILIES…Helene Boldt, daughter-in-law of members, Carol and Burt Boldt, is experiencing a life threatening disease and is need of a live kidney donor. For more information on Helene’s condition and how you can help, Carol and Burt ask that you visit her website where you can submit jquestions and follow her progress:  heleneskidneyquest.life.  Please, spread the word!  Thank you, The Boldt Families.

OUR NEXT Daughters of Faith meeting is on Sunday, May 2^nd, from 2:00 – 3:30pm.   Emily Jury will send out the Zoom invitations.  Please call or text Judy Byrne at 860-693-1402 if you have any questions.   

HANDS OF GRACE UPDATE:  Hands of Grace is looking to go back to a part time “normal” schedule. We are looking forward to having a few people who are comfortable to come in and shop again, work with some volunteers who are comfortable within our protocols, and to work with a limited number of clients.  To that end there was a decision to spruce up a bit.  I want to give a huge thank you to all who helped move the biggest and heaviest objects so we cloud clean and paint 2/3 of the floor and put it back together. We moved out and cleaned on a Friday night, painted on a Saturday morning, and moved back in on Sunday afternoon to be ready for Monday.  All went smoothly and it looks great!! Thank you to everyone,

Pastor Mongeau  

Confession and Absolution

710 The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want                                              LSB 710

The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

P   In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C   Amen.

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 on God’s Word and for self-examination.

P   Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C   Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean.  We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.  We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.  We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment.  For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.  Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name.  Amen.

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 T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C   Amen.

Introit                                                                     Ps. 23; antiphon: John 10:14, 15b

I am the good | shepherd.*

I know my own and my own know me, and I lay down my life | for the sheep.

The Lord is my | shepherd;*

I | shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green | pastures.*

He leads me beside still | waters.

He re- | stores my soul.*

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his | name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are | with me;*

your rod and your staff, they | comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my | enemies;*

you anoint my head with oil; my cup | overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days | of my life,*

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for- | ever.

Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*

and to the Holy | Spirit;

as it was in the be- | ginning,*

is now, and will be forever. | Amen.

Kyrie                                                                                                  LSB 168

Gloria in Excelsis                                                                                 LSB 170

Salutation and Collect of the Day                                                                   

P   The Lord be with you.

C   And also with you.

P   Let us pray.

Almighty God, merciful Father, since You have wakened from death the Shepherd of Your sheep, grant us Your Holy Spirit that when we hear the voice of our Shepherd we may know Him who calls us each by name and follow where He leads; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C   Amen.

Sit

First Reading                                                                                   Acts 4:1–12

¹ As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,

²greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. ³And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. ⁴But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

⁵On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, ⁶with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. ⁷And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” ⁸Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, ⁹if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, ¹⁰let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. ¹¹This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. ¹²And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

A   This is the Word of the Lord.

C   Thanks be to God.

Epistle                                                                                        1 John 3:16–24

¹⁶By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. ¹⁷But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? ¹⁸Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

¹⁹By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; ²⁰for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. ²¹Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; ²²and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. ²³And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. ²⁴Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

A   This is the Word of the Lord.       C     Thanks be to God.

Stand

Alleluia and Verse

Holy Gospel                                                                                 John 10:11–18

P   The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the tenth chapter.

C   Glory to You, O Lord.

¹¹I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹²He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. ¹³He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ¹⁴I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. ¹⁷For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. ¹⁸No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

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 T everlasting. Amen.

Sit

709 The King of Love My Shepherd Is                                                    LSB 709

Sermon:  “The Good Shepherd”  Acts 4:1-12,  1 John 3:16-24

Stand

Prayer of the Church

Lord’s Prayer                                                                                       LSB 179

P   Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

C   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.

Offering – Placed on the altar.

Closing Collect                                                                                             

A   Let us pray.

O Gracious Father, You led Your holy apostles to ordain ministers for the proclamation of Your Word and the faithful administration of the Sacraments of Christ. Grant to this congregation the guidance of the Holy Spirit to choose a suitable pastor according to Your will for the blessing of Your Church in this place; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C   Amen.

Benediction                                                                                        LSB 183

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 T give you peace.

C   Amen.

912 Christ Is Our Cornerstone                                                               LSB 912