New Year s Eve Service with Holy Communion. Tuesday, December 31, 6:00 p.m.

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1 New Year s Eve Service with Holy Communion Tuesday, December 31, 6:00 p.m.

2 1 NEW YEAR S EVE - December 31, 2013 The Continuing Care of God AS WE GATHER When we gather at the turning of one year into another, past and future meet. We take inventory of where we ve been and where we re going. But often we discover that every day, every year is pretty much like the last one, and so we dread the next one. God s Word, however, gives a grander perspective. The baptized recognize their past and current sins, confess them and receive forgiveness and new life and new hope for tomorrow. We are given hope even in our current trials as we wait and watch for the Lord s deliverance and His final return. We commend ourselves and our families to the continuing care of the God who loves us and will carry us through to final victory. Worship Notes: Liturgy printed below; Communion Liturgy on page 194 to 202. HYMN: It Came upon the Midnight Clear #366 INVOCATION Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. OPENING SENTENCES Pastor: Our help is in the name of the LORD, People: who made heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8 Pastor: Teach us to number our days People: that we may get a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12

3 Pastor: Restore us to Yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored! People: Renew our days as of old. Lamentations 5:21 CONFESSION and ABSOLUTION Pastor: Let us confess our sin and need to the God who holds all of our days in His merciful hands. Most merciful God, People: we confess to You all our sin, our neglect of Your Word and of our neighbor. Instead of daily repentance we have taken Your grace for granted yet grew tired because of our guilt. We return to You and to the promise of our Holy Baptism, imploring You for forgiveness and deliverance. Amen. Pastor: God, who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, forgives you all your sins. Receive His forgiveness and love for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord. HYMN: Lo, How a Rose E er Blooming #359 SALUTATION Pastor: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you. Pastor: Let us pray. PRAYER OF THE DAY Pastor: Eternal God, we commit to Your mercy and forgiveness the year now ending and commend to Your blessing and love the times yet to come. In the new year, abide among us with Your Holy Spirit that we may always trust in the saving name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

4 2 OLD TESTAMENT Isaiah 30:(8 14) (A rebellious people) 15For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength. But you were unwilling, 16and you said, No! We will flee upon horses ; therefore you shall flee away; and, We will ride upon swift steeds ; therefore your pursuers shall be swift. 17A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill. Pastor: This is the Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God. EPISTLE Romans 8:31b 39 (God s everlasting love) 31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33Who shall bring any charge against God s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that, who was raised who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36As it is written, For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Pastor: This is the Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.

5 HOLY GOSPEL Luke 12:35 40 (You must be ready) Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the twelfth chapter. People: Glory to You, O Lord. 35[Jesus said:] Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Pastor: This is the Gospel of the Lord. People: Praise to You, O Christ. HYMN OF THE DAY: Now Sing We, Now Rejoice #386 SERMON CREED Nicene Creed (last page of hymnal) PRAYER OF THE CHURCH OFFERING

6 3 + SACRAMENT + PREFACE Continue in Hymnal page 194. PROPER PREFACE Pastor: 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; for in the mystery of the Word made flesh You have given us a new revelation of Your glory that, seeing You in the person of Your Son, we may know and love those things which are not seen. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying: DISTRIBUTION HYMNS: O God, Our Help in Ages Past #733 Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying #516 POST-COMMUNION PRAYER Pastor: Let us pray. Gracious God, our heavenly Father, You have given us a foretaste of the feast to come in the Holy Supper of Your Son s body and blood. Keep us firm in the true faith throughout our days of pilgrimage that, on the day of His coming, we may, together with all Your saints, celebrate the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom which has no end; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. HYMN: Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name We Raise #917 Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series A, Part 1. Copyright 2013 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission.