Seventh Sunday of Easter Worship Bulletin

St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church 

7TH SUNDAY OF EASTER

05-21-2023     10:00AM “Hybrid” Worship

+   WE CELEBRATE THE ASCENSION VICTORY   +

OPENING RITE FOR EASTER 7:

L   He was their leader and teacher for three years…

C but then he was suddenly arrested, condemned, and crucified.

L   He was buried behind a bolder…

C but then on the third day he suddenly rose from the dead.

L   He appeared to them for forty days…

C but then he was suddenly taken up into heaven.

L   Right before he left them for the last time, he showed them his wounds…

C and he proved that he was again alive.

L   Right before he left them for the last time, he opened their minds to the scriptures…

C and he reminded them that the Christ would suffer, die, and triumph/ RISE.

L   Right before he left them for the last time, he gave them a command to witness…

C and he promised them power from on high.

L   Right before he left them for the last time, he told them to wait…

C and he commanded them to stay in the city.

L   and right after he left them…

C they were looking up,

     they were surprised,

          they were searching the clouds,

               they were not quite ready to witness

                                                           or even to move.

L   Right after he left them, they had to be pushed and prodded, encouraged and assured by angels…

C and – thank God! – they stayed together,

            they waited together,

                 they prayed together,

              and they expected something to happen!

L   Praise God for the peace, the power, and the promises of Jesus!

C Jesus is risen, Jesus is alive, and Jesus is Lord! Alleluia!

OPENING SONG: “Crown Him with Many Crowns”                                   Tan #288 

CELEBRATION OF NEW LIFE IN CHRIST:     

L   Brothers and sisters, Christ is risen indeed! It is in Christ that we live and move and have our being. Let us remember our shared identity and mission, let us celebrate that we have been called, anointed, and empowered as his representatives.

I invite you to make the sign of the cross on your forehead, to say, and to believe –

Receive [+] the sign of the cross. Because HE died, YOU are alive!

SONG OF PRAISE:    

“Lord, I lift your name on high, Lord, I love to sing your praises.

I’m so glad you’re in my life, I’m so glad you came to save us.

You came from heaven to earth to show the way;

from the earth to the cross, my debt to pay;

from the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky; Lord, I lift your name on high!”

THE PRAYER OF THE DAY:   

Dear God of glory and power, with one heart we pray together for the Spirit to stir us once more with life… and with one mind let us focus on our common witness of making Christ known to others in suffering and in joy.

ALLELUIA and AMEN!

+   WE PROCLAIM GOD’S SAVING WORD   +

FIRST READINGACTS 1:6-14  [A PROMISE of power to wait for!]

1:6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”

1:7 He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.

1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

1:9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

1:10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them.

1:11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

1:12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away.

1:13 When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.

1:14 All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

SECOND READING:  1 PETER 4:12-14; 5:6-11  [A PLEA to be steadfast in doing faith!]

4:12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

4:13 But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed.

4:14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.

5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time.

5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.

5:8 Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.

5:9 Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.

5:10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you.

5:11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

GOSPEL VERSE

“Oh, how He loves you and me. Oh, how He loves you and me.

He gave His life, what more can He give?

OH, HOW HE LOVES YOU; OH, HOW HE LOVES ME;

OH, HOW HE LOVES YOU AND ME!

Jesus to Calv’ry did go, His love for this world to show.

What He did there brought hope from despair…”

THE HOLY GOSPELJOHN 17:1-11  [A PRAYER that all believers are united in loving!]

17:1 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you,

17:2 since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

17:4 I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do.

17:5 So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

17:6 “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

17:7 Now they know that everything you have given me is from you;

17:8 for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.

17:9 I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours.

17:10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them.

17:11 And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

THE SERMON:         Pastor Neil or Pastor Gwen

SONG SELECTION: All Saints Choir

THE PRAYERS…  We pray that all people might be transformed by the GOOD NEWS of Easter!

+   WE SHARE GOD’S NOURISHING MEAL   +

OFFERING   [Lord, give us the courage, boldness, and love we need in our doing of your work!]

SONG SELECTION: All Saints Choir

THE OFFERTORY SONG:

“Get all excited, go tell ev’rybody that Jesus Christ is King!    [sing this line 3 times]

Jesus Christ is still the King of kings, the King of kings!”

OFFERING PRAYER led by the Communion Assistant:    

O God, it is only by your amazing grace that we are Easter-alive today! We dedicate our gifts and our lives to drying tears and sharing good news of peace. Make us bold and eager witnesses to others of NEW LIFE IN CHRIST.  Amen.

THE PREFACE…  We prepare to celebrate the LORD’S SUPPER with humble joy!

L   The Lord be with you.   C   And also with you.

  L   Lift up your hearts!   C   We lift them up in love for God!

  L   Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.   C   It is right to give God our thanks and praise.

L   The Lord delivers us from sin and death…   C   … and grants us salvation and eternal life!

L   [continues the Preface]… we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

C   [singing…]   “Holy, holy, holy, holy,

    holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!

    and we lift our hearts before you as a token of our love,

    holy, holy, holy, holy.

    Precious Jesus, precious Jesus,

    We’re so glad that you redeemed us, precious Jesus…

    Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit,

    come and fill our hearts anew, O Holy Spirit…”

THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS by the Celebrant, who recalls and re-enacts Jesus’ Holy Meal.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

COMMUNION AND BLESSINGSAll believers in Jesus Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! 

COMMUNION SONGS:               Tan #505               Tan #441             

THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.

POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.     

+   WE ARE SENT TO SHOW AND TELL   +

THE BENEDICTION  Leave with a message upon your heart, on your lips, and revealed through your daily living!

Go in the faith-filled power of the Risen Lord (+) to love God and to serve your neighbor in all that you do.

CLOSING SONG: “Revive Us Again”                                     Tan #569