THE HOLY TRINITY/ PENTECOST 1 | 5-26-24
+ We Rejoice in God’s Glory +
THE OPENING RITE FOR HOLY TRINITY SUNDAY (based on Psalm 29):
L There is reason for rejoicing! Let’s give credit where credit is due!
There is no god like the God who has given us first life and new life!
BREAK IT OUT, BROTHERS! DANCE AND SHOUT, SISTERS! GIVE GOD THE GLORY!
C God is fully alive and deserves our praise and our gratitude!
Even the ends of the earth are talkin’ and tweetin’ about it!
O LORD, YOU ARE MAG – NIF – I – CENT! O LORD, YOU ARE MORE THAN MIGHTY!
L God’s beauty is revealed in the skies and the forests.
God’s power is represented in the sweep of the oceans.
God’s majesty is displayed in the gigantic bodies suspended in the universe.
DON’T HOLD BACK, OLD PEOPLE! GIVE GOD SOME PRAISE, YOUNG ONES!
C GLORY TO GOD!
The wind and the rain,
the lightning and the thunder,
the creatures that swim and crawl and walk and fly,
the flowers that brighten our lives –
IT ALL COMES FROM GOD’S VOICE, IT’S ALL FROM GOD’S HAND!
L The glory is God’s, not ours.
Even the achievements of human hand, mind, and machine come by way of God’s wisdom and God’s power.
So let’s give credit where credit is due!
GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO GOD! DANCE A RHYTHM OF JOY!
C We give up our “HALLELUJAH!” and can’t hold back on “GLORY!”
We praise God with our humble “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY!”
And we step into “AMAZING GRACE!” to live faithfully and love fervently!
There is reason for rejoicing! OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD! HEY!
OPENING SONG: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty” Tan #329
THE APOSTOLIC GREETING by the Pastor.
A SONG OF PRAISE: “Father, I Adore You”
1 FATHER, I adore you. 2 JESUS, I adore you. 3 SPIRIT, I adore you.
Lay my life before you. Lay my life before you. Lay my life before you.
How I love you! How I love you! How I love you!
PRAYER OF THE DAY (together):
Almighty God, here we are, flesh and blood, spirit and life – created, redeemed, and empowered by your love.
Don’t let us forget our destiny or fail to hear your call.
Lead us out of the ways of slavery and death to freedom and new life as your daughters and sons.
Help us to stand steadfast in our faith and to be witnesses here, now, always, and in all ways. Amen.
+ We Rejoice in God’s Saving Word +
FIRST READING: ISAIAH 6:1-8
[An awesome God, who shows us mercy, calls us into service. Are we willing to go?]
6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple.
6:2 Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.
6:3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
6:4 The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke.
6:5 And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”
6:6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.
6:7 The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.”
6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”
SECOND READING: ROMANS 8:12-17
[A loving God who adopts us. Life in the Spirit is different from life in the flesh.]
8:12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh–
8:13 for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
8:15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!”
8:16 it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
8:17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ–if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
GOSPEL VERSE:
“Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.”
HOLY GOSPEL: JOHN 3:1-17
[A God of grace who gives us new and abundant life – if we are willing. Jesus invites us to be born from above by the Spirit.]
3:1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
3:2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.”
3:3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”
3:4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?”
3:5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.
3:6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
3:7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’
3:8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
3:9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”
3:10 Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
3:11 “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony.
3:12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
3:13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
3:14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
3:15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
3:17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
THE SERMON: Pastor Neil or Pastor Gwen
SONG RESPONSE: “I’ve Got a Feelin’” Tan #313
AN AFFIRMATION OF OUR FAITH:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYERS… We pray for NEW LIFE in the Spirit and for the MISSION of the Church to the world!
+ We Rejoice in God’s Nourishing Meal +
OFFERING [Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so let us help lift up God’s Son – Jesus Christ – that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. It is our time and our turn to share in God’s plan of grace in this world!]
Those in the Sanctuary can put their offering in the offering plate to share their gratitude and their generosity in response to Christ’s love. Those who are farther away might: mail a check or money order to St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2169 74th Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19138… contribute online through bit.ly/stpetersgiving and set up a one-time donation or a recurring weekly gift to selected categories… or text Give+ at 833-914-0896 and follow the instructions to register and record your contribution. God has blessed us to be a blessing!
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
OFFERING SONG:
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
THIS IS MY STORY, THIS IS MY SONG,
PRAISING MY SAVIOR ALL THE DAY LONG! [sing the chorus 2 times]
We are God’s people, we are Christ’s Church, called by God’s Spirit into the world.
We have God’s power from heaven above, we’ll share God’s justice, mercy and love!”
OFFERING PRAYER led by the Communion Assistant:
O Lord our God, if your Spirit is alive within us, then stretch our time and abilities, our money and our mouths, all that we are and all that we have, to testify to your amazing grace in Jesus Christ. Someone somewhere is in need of your Good News. Amen.
THE PREFACE AND THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS:
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 Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful… C … and set us on fire with your love! Alleluia!
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 BLESSINGS… All believers in Jesus Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! The wine may be received from the pouring chalice; we also have grape juice on the tray. Praise the Lord for this community meal that renews our spirits, powers our faith, and reminds us of the future heavenly banquet that awaits us!
COMMUNION SONGS: Tan #156 Tan #307 Tan #304
THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.
+ We Rejoice in God’s Mission +
THE BENEDICTION by the Pastor… We are sent forth to be and become the BODY OF CHRIST for the world!
CLOSING SONG: “He’s Got the Whole World” Tan #150