ASCENSION LUTHERAN CHURCH

Transcription

1 ASCENSION LUTHERAN CHURCH THE LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSOURI SYNOD LITTLETON, COLORADO May 20, :30 am THE DAY OF PENTECOST/CONFIRMATION The Ugly Truth, the Beautiful Truth AS WE GATHER There was an old television show called To Tell the Truth. By means of questions and answers, the panel was to guess which of the three contestants was the real subject. This, of course, meant that the other two had to lie their way through their answers. In many ways, we are confronted with the same struggle between the truth and the lie every day. Today we celebrate the coming and work of God the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity. Jesus calls Him the Spirit of truth. Working through the Scriptures, God reveals the truth both the ugly truth and the beautiful truth. The ugly truth is that we are sinners. The beautiful truth is that in Jesus, God has forgiven our sin and has come to bring us eternal life. The Spirit says through the prophet Ezekiel, You shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and I will put My Spirit within you, and you shall live (Ezekiel 37:13 14). The Day of Pentecost demonstrated that no barriers of language or anything else in all creation can hinder God s will to speak the Good News of the Gospel to the whole world.

2 CONFIRMATION VERSES BEN DIERKING Revelation 2:10 Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. JAKE FAULK Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. JOSH FEDERICO Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. REESE HITZTALER Romans 5:3-5 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. ETHAN PANKOW Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

3 GATHERING SONGS I COULD SING OF YOUR LOVE FOREVER Over the mountains and the sea, Your river runs with love for me. And I will open up my heart And let the Healer set me free. I'm happy to be in the truth. And I will daily lift my hands. For I will always sing of when Your love came down, yeah. Smith CHORUS: I could sing of Your love forever. I could sing of Your love forever. I could sing of Your love forever. I could sing of Your love forever. Over the mountains and the sea, Your river runs with love for me. And I will open up my heart And let the Healer set me free. I'm happy to be in the truth. And I will daily lift my hands. For I will always sing of when Your love came down, yeah. CHORUS Oh, I feel like dancing; It's foolishness I know. But, when the world has seen the light, They will dance with joy like we're dancing now. CHORUS ALL THE PEOPLE SAID A! You are not alone if you are lonely. When you feel afraid, you're not the only. We are all the same, in need of mercy, To be forgiven and be free. It's all you got to lean on, But thank God, it's all you need. CHORUS: And all the people said, amen. Whoa. And all the people said, amen. Give thanks to the Lord, for His love never ends. And all the people said, amen. If you're rich or poor, well, it don't matter. Weak or strong, you know love is what we're after. We're all broken, but we're all in this together. God knows we stumble and fall, And He so loved the world, He sent His son to save us all. CHORUS Blessed are the poor in spirit who are torn apart. Blessed are the persecuted and the pure in heart. Blessed are the people hungry for another start, For theirs is the kingdom, the kingdom of God. CHORUS Maher PASTORAL GREETING PREPARATION

4 PRELUDE Amen, Siakudumisa arr. Molkebust Gloria Dei Ringers Percussionists: Larry Ruggera, Bri Fort, Eli Faulk ( Amen, We Praise Your Name, O Lord in South African a fitting song for Pentecost, when people heard the Gospel in multiple languages.) OPENING CONFIRMATION SONG BECAUSE WE BELIEVE Gordon/Harvill (A Song of Faith for the Confirmands.) WO WO WO WO We believe in God, the Father, We believe in God, the Father, We believe in Christ, the Son, We believe in Christ, the Son, We believe in the Holy Spirit, We believe in the Holy Spirit, We are the Church and we stand as one, We are the Church and we stand as one. CHORUS (ALL): Holy, holy, holy is our God; Worthy, worthy, worthy is our King. All glory and honor are His to receive; To Jesus we sing, because we believe. WO WO WO WO We believe in the Holy Bible, We believe in the Holy Bible, We believe in the virgin birth, We believe in the virgin birth, We believe in the resurrection, We believe in the resurrection, That Christ, one day, will return to earth, That Christ, one day, will return to earth. CHORUS (ALL) WO WO WO WO We believe in the blood of Jesus, We believe in the blood of Jesus, We believe in eternal life, We believe in eternal life, We believe in the blood that frees us, We believe in the blood that frees us, To become the bride of Christ. To become the bride of Christ. CHORUS (ALL) INVOCATION In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

5 OPENING SENTENCES Psalm 139:12 14 O God, even the darkness is not dark to You; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with You. For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION John 3:8 Beloved in Christ, God sends His Holy Spirit as He promised to work true contrition and sorrow over our sins and the gift of the repentance of faith in His forgiveness. In this truth we make our confession together. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your love. By the power of Your Word, we confess our sin and need of Your grace. We confess that we have sinned against You in our thoughts, in our words, and in our actions, both in what we have done and in what we have failed to do. For the sake of the mighty work of our Lord Jesus, His death and resurrection for us and the whole world, grant to us Your forgiveness and new life. The 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. Receive the Holy Spirit. 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 Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. WORD Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14 (The Valley of Dry Bones.) The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know." Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, `Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and

6 you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' " So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet--a vast army. Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, `Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' " Lector: This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Epistle: Acts 2:1-21 (The coming of the Holy Spirit.) When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine." Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: " `In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons

7 and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Lector: This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Congregation, please stand. Holy Gospel: John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 (The work of the Holy Spirit.) The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters. Glory to You, O Lord. "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. "Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, `Where are you going?' Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you. This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to You, O Christ. CHILDREN S MESSAGE Jenna Lawrenz

8 SONG OF THE DAY SOMEONE ELSE LIVING IN YOU Zehnder (A Song of Promise for the Confirmands) Drink, drink, drink of His Spirit; Drink, drink, drink of His Word. Hold, hold, hold to His teaching, And show that you really have heard. Keep, keep, keep His commandments; Live, live, live in His grace. Love, love, love as He first loved you, And run for the prize in the race. CHORUS 1 For there is Someone else living in you. For there is Someone else dwelling in you. For there is Someone else building His kingdom in you, yes, in you. For there is Someone else living in you. For there is Someone else dwelling in you. For there is Someone else building His kingdom in you. Drink, drink, drink of His Spirit; Drink, drink, drink of His Word. Hold, hold, hold to His teaching, And show that you really have heard. Thank, thank, thank Him for daily bread; Thank, thank, thank Him for love. Praise, praise, praise Him for Jesus' blood; Salvation's a gift from above. CHORUS 2 And there's a new day waiting for you. And there's a new day of healing for you. And there's a new day; Jesus will come back for you, yes, for you. And there's a new day waiting for you. And there's a new day of healing for you. And there's a new day; Jesus will come back for you. Drink, drink, drink of His Spirit; Drink, drink, drink of His Word. Hold, hold, hold to His teaching, And show that you really have heard. Sing, sing, sing with your heart on fire; Sing, sing, sing with your mind. Pray, pray, pray in the Spirit, And love Him with heart, soul and mind. CHORUS 1 TAG For there is Someone else living in you. For there is Someone else dwelling in you. For there is Someone else building His kingdom in you. SERMON One Odd Prayer Pastor John Larson TEXT: Ephesians 1:15-18 NICENE CREED Text found in back of Hymnal PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

9 SHARING OF THE PEACE The peace of the Lord be with you always. Amen. We greet one another with a word of reconciliation, such as Peace be with you. OFFERING OFFERING SONG HE REIGNS Furler Taylor (A Song for Pentecost. A fitting song for a time when people heard the Gospel in multiple languages.) It s the song of the redeemed rising from the African plain. It s the song of the forgiven drowning out the Amazon rain. The song of Asian believers filled with God s holy fire. It s ev ry tribe, ev ry tongue, ev ry nation; A love song born of a grateful choir. Chorus: It s all God s children singing: Glory, glory, hallelujah! He reigns, He reigns! It s all God s children singing: Glory, glory, hallelujah! He reigns, He reigns! Let it rise above the four winds, caught up in the heavenly sound. Let praises echo from the towers of cathedrals to the faithful gathered underground. Of all the songs sung from the dawn of creation, some were meant to persist. Of all the bells rung from a thousand steeples, none rings truer than this: CHORUS And all the powers of darkness tremble at what they ve just heard, cause all the powers of darkness can t drown out a single word. CHORUS Confirmation Liturgy LSB 272 BENJAMIN JOHN DIERKING JAKE TYLER FAULK JOSHUA JULIAN FEDERICO REESE LEE HITZTALER ETHAN JOHN PANKOW

10 HOLY COMMUNION AT ASCENSION The Lord, our Host, invites to his Supper those who are baptized into the Christian faith, confess him as Savior, have been instructed and have examined themselves, truly repent of sins, believe the Risen Lord is present in the sacrament with his true body and blood, and resolve to live faithfully and obediently. For those with an intolerance to alcohol, the center ring of the tray contains grape juice. Gluten free wafers are available to those with wheat allergies. Children who have not been instructed, yet desire a blessing, are invited to come forward with arms crossed. When receiving the bread and wine, the communicant may respond with Amen!, a word of affirmation and belief. PREFACE HOLY COMMUNION: OUR LORD S BODY AND BLOOD The Lord be with you. 2 Timothy 4:22 And also with you. Lift up your hearts. [Colossians 3:1] We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. [Psalm 136] It is right to give Him thanks and praise. THE WORDS OF OUR LORD Matthew 26:26 28; Mark 14:22 24; Luke 22:19 20; 1 Corinthians 11:23 25 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 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 blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. LORD S PRAYER Text found in back of Hymnal (Matthew 6:9 13)

11 DISTRIBUTION SONGS HUNGRY Hungry I come to You for I know You satisfy I am empty but I know Your love does not run dry CHORUS: So I wait for You, So I wait for You I'm falling on my knees Offering all of me Jesus You're all this heart is living for Broken I run to You for Your arms are open wide I am weary but I know Your touch restores my life CHORUS Kathryn Scott I'm falling on my knees Offering all of me Jesus You're all this heart is living for So I wait for You, So I wait for You So I wait for You, So I wait for You I'm falling on my knees Offering all of me Jesus You're all this heart is living for I'm falling on my knees Offering all of me Jesus You're all this heart is living for GRACE LIKE RAIN Amazing grace how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now I'm found Was blind but now I see so clearly Todd Agnew CHORUS: Hallelujah grace like rain falls down on me Hallelujah all my stains are washed away (They're washed away) 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear And grace my fears relieved How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed CHORUS When we've been there ten thousand years Bright shining as the sun We've no less days to sing Your praise Than when we'd first begun CHORUS X2 Hallelujah yeah Hallelujah yeah Hallelujah yeah oh yeah Hallelujah all my stains are washed away They re washed away HEALING RAIN Healing rain is coming down. It s coming nearer to this old town; Rich and poor, weak and strong, It s bringing mercy, it won t be long. Healing rain is coming down. It s coming closer to the lost and found. Tears of joy and tears of shame are washed forever in Jesus name. CHORUS: Healing rain, it comes with fire, so let it fall and take us higher; And healing rain, I m not afraid to be washed in heaven s rain. Lift your heads, let us return to the mercy seat where time began. In your eyes I see the pain; come soak this dry heart with healing rain. Smith Only You, the Son of Man, could take a leper and let him stand. So lift your hands, they can be held by someone greater, the great I AM. CHORUS

12 GENERAL COMMUNION BLESSING BENEDICTION 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 give you peace. Numbers 6:24 26 Amen. CLOSING SONG BLESS THE LORD (10,000 REASONS) Myrin/Redman (A Song of Commitment for the Confirmands.) Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul; Worship His holy name. Sing like never before, O my soul; I'll worship Your holy name. The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning, It's time to sing Your song again. Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me, Let me be singing when the evening comes. CHORUS: Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul; Worship His holy name. Sing like never before, O my soul; I'll worship Your holy name. You're rich in love and You're slow to anger. Your name is great and Your heart is kind. For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing; Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find. CHORUS And on that day, when my strength is failing, The end draws near, and my time has come; Still, my soul will sing Your praise unending, Ten thousand years, and then forevermore! CHORUS X2 Worship Your holy name, Lord, I'll worship Your holy name. Sing like never before, O my soul; I'll worship Your holy name, Worship Your holy name, Worship Your holy name. Go in peace. Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God! CONGREGATIONAL CONCERNS

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14 Benjamin John Dierking Hi, my name is Ben Dierking, I am 13 years old and I was born on June, 16, I attend Littleton Preparatory Charter School for the 8th grade. The family that I have that attends Ascension are Jason (my dad), Aimee (my mom), Tyler (my brother), and Charlene Dierking (my grandma). Also my Great-Grandma, Charlotte Wilkinson and my Grandpa, Dennis (Denny) Williams. In my free time I enjoy playing with my friends, and enjoy playing video games. I would like the church to know that next year I will be attending Heritage High School along with my brother. Thank you! Jake Tyler Faulk My name is Jake. I m 14 years old, and I was born here in Denver. I came to Ascension Lutheran 5 years ago. I enjoy playing sports like soccer and basketball and playing video games in my free time. Joshua Julian Federico My name is Joshua Federico. I am 13 years old, and I was born on June 19th of I am in 8th grade at Euclid Middle School. My family members that attend Ascension include my Grandpa and Grandma, Alan & Dianne Backhus, my Aunt and Uncle, Donavon and Rachel Brinson, my cousin Carter Murray, my brother Pete, and my little sister Sierra. Some of my favorite activities are soccer, reading, and hanging out with family. I just want to thank Pastor for putting in time to teach me about confirmation and about the Bible. Reese Lee Hitztaler My name is Reese Hitztaler. I go to Goddard Middle School and after that I will go to Heritage High School. I go to church with my Grandparents, Sherry and Dave Hitztaler. I love to read and write! My family and I are expecting a new baby boy! I am very excited! Ethan John Pankow My name is Ethan Pankow. I am 13 years old. My birthday is June 21. This is always such a special day because it s the summer solstice! I am in 8th grade at D Evelyn, where I am currently enjoying History and Science. Right now, I am thinking of being a pediatrician or a veterinarian. In my spare time I also relish being with friends and mountain biking with my dad. I love cooking with my mom, too. My parents, Eydie and Joel, are members of Ascension, too. I will be having surgery in the summer, and I think my confirmation verse (Romans 8:31) reflects God s power in this regard very well. If God is for us, then who can be against us?

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16 Serving in Worship OFFICIANT and CELEBRANT DIRECTOR OF MUSIC MINISTRIES YOUTH PRAISE BAND Pastor John Larson Michael Zehnder Brooke Boeding, Larry Boeding, Lilly Brinkman, Will Kopriva, Sam Riebling, Bob Shiflet ELDER 8:00 Scott Luethy 10:30 Larry Buethe LECTOR 8:00 Clyde Wiggins 10:30 Mike Reimnitz ACOLYTE 8:00 Chrissy Coon 10:30 Erik Schwerin USHERS 8:00 Barry Kratzer, Jake Faulk, Josh Federico 10:30 Jason Dierking, Ben Dierking, Cody Urbach ALTAR GUILD Rita Kratzer, Heather Levrant, Laurel Shurtleff, Cathy Utecht FLOWERS Clyde and Ruth Wiggins, in loving memory of Cathy, Chris, and Louie. CCLI License #