Confession and Absolution

507 Holy, Holy, Holy                                                                   LSB 507 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  Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.

P  Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C  who made heaven and earth.

P  I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C  and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.

P  O almighty God, merciful Father,

C  I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

P  Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I 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. 16:8–11; antiphon: Liturgical Text

Blessèd be the Holy Trinity and the undivided | Unity.*

Let us give glory to him because he has shown his mer- | cy to us.

I have set the Lord always be- | fore me;*

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be | shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being re- | joices;*

my flesh also | dwells secure.

For you will not abandon my soul | to Sheol,*

or let your holy one see cor- | ruption.

You make known to me the | path of life;*

in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures for- | evermore.

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 186

Gloria in Excelsis                                                                                 LSB 187

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P  The Lord be with you.

C  And with thy spirit.

P  Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, You have given us grace to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity by the confession of a true faith and to worship the Unity in the power of the Divine Majesty. Keep us steadfast in this faith and defend us from all adversities; for You, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, live and reign, one God, now and forever.

C  Amen.

Sit

Old Testament Reading                                                                    Isaiah 6:1–8

¹In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. ²Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory!”

⁴And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. ⁵And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

⁶Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

⁸And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

A  This is the Word of the Lord.

C  Thanks be to God.

Second Reading                                                                        Acts 2:14a, 22–36

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.

²²“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— ²³this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. ²⁴God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. ²⁵For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me,

for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;

²⁶therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;

my flesh also will dwell in hope.

²⁷For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,

or let your Holy One see corruption.

²⁸You have made known to me the paths of life;

you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

²⁹“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, ³¹he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. ³²This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. ³³Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. ³⁴For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord,

Sit at my right hand,

³⁵until I make your enemies your footstool.’

³⁶Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

A  This is the Word of the Lord.

C  Thanks be to God.

Stand

Alleluia and Verse

Holy Gospel                                                                                    John 3:1–17

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

C  Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

¹Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ²This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” ³Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” ⁴Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” ⁵Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ⁶That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

⁹Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” ¹⁰Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? ¹¹Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. ¹²If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? ¹³No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ¹⁴And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

¹⁶[Jesus said:] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

P  This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C  Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Athanasian Creed                                                                                                                                      LSB 319

C   Whoever desires to be saved must, above all, hold the catholic faith.

Whoever does not keep it whole and undefiled will without doubt perish eternally.

And the catholic faith is this,

that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance.

For the Father is one person, the Son is another, and the Holy Spirit is another.

But the Godhead of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.

Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit:

the Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Spirit uncreated;

the Father infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Spirit infinite;

the Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal.

And yet there are not three Eternals, but one Eternal,

just as there are not three Uncreated or three Infinites, but one Uncreated and one Infinite.

In the same way, the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, the Holy Spirit almighty;

and yet there are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.

So the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God;

and yet there are not three Gods, but one God.

So the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord;

and yet there are not three Lords, but one Lord.

Just as we are compelled by the Christian truth to acknowledge each distinct person as God and Lord, so also are we prohibited by the catholic religion to say that there are three Gods or Lords.

The Father is not made nor created nor begotten by anyone.

The Son is neither made nor created, but begotten of the Father alone.

The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son, neither made nor created nor begotten, but proceeding.

Thus, there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits.

And in this Trinity none is before or after another; none is greater or less than another;

but the whole three persons are coeternal with each other and coequal, so that in all things, as has been stated above, the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is to be worshiped.

Therefore, whoever desires to be saved must think thus about the Trinity.

But it is also necessary for everlasting salvation that one faithfully believe the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, it is the right faith that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is at the same time both God and man.

He is God, begotten from the substance of the Father before all ages; and He is man, born from the substance of His mother in this age:

perfect God and perfect man, composed of a rational soul and human flesh;

equal to the Father with respect to His divinity, less than the Father with respect to His humanity.

Although He is God and man, He is not two, but one Christ:

one, however, not by the conversion of the divinity into flesh, but by the assumption of the humanity into God;

one altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person.

For as the rational soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ,

who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead,

ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

At His coming all people will rise again with their bodies and give an account concerning their own deeds.

And those who have done good will enter into eternal life, and those who have done evil into eternal fire.

This is the catholic faith; whoever does not believe it faithfully and firmly cannot be saved.

Sit

571 God Loved the World So That He Gave                                            LSB 571

Sermon:  “How Can These Things Be?”    John 3: 1-17

Stand

Prayer of the Church

Lord’s Prayer                                                                                       LSB 196

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.

Offertory                                                                                            LSB 192

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.

Salutation and Benedicamus

Benediction                                                                                        LSB 202

506 Glory Be to God the Father                                                            LSB 506

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