THIS IS THE LORD FOR WHOM WE HAVE WAITED

Transcription

1 James A. Halls Marguerite E. Reveling Ann K. Foesch Elizabeth A. Shelver C. Douglas Beell Harris W. Lee Elaine L. Halls Lois M. DeGenere Thomas L. Christensen Loretta L. Varpness Helen E. Garnaas Susan M. Stan Inez M. E. Egerstrom Edward J. Penner Gabrielle L. Beell Odessa L. Simmons Maurice E. Foslid Evadne L. Steiner Kenneth S. Carpenter Christina M. Johnson Hans M. Aus Sidney D. Berg Gail B. Michurski A. Jackie Mohrbacher Keith C. Williams John L. Madison, Sr. Lloyd C. Grinde Neil P. Kittlesen Barbara A. Hope Linda J. Higgins Mary E. Sundelius Red J. Rehwaldt Stephanie J. Coltvet Erdmann Harold R. Clough Gail L. Syverson Nancy M. Bengtson THIS IS THE LORD FOR WHOM WE HAVE WAITED

2 WELCOME TO CENTRAL Everyone is welcome. As a community of the people of God, the members of Central Lutheran Church are called to welcome all people regardless of age, economic status, ethnic background, gender, physical or mental ability, race or sexual orientation. We affirm that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male or female (Galatians 3:28). Christ has made us one. Guests are welcome. We are pleased you are worshiping with us today. We invite guests to complete the Welcome to Central card found in the pew racks and leave it with an usher or place it in the offering plate. If you would like more information about Central, please contact us at , or info@centralmpls.org. Children are welcome at all services. Worship bulletins for children and activity bags are available at Sanctuary entrances. A nursery is provided near the welcome desk. Nursery staff are present on Sunday mornings. Welcome to the Lord s Table. All who come seeking Jesus are welcome at Holy Communion. Please follow the guidance of the ushers and instructions in the order of service. During communion, ministers will bring bread and wine to persons in designated access seating areas. Communion may be received in one kind (only bread or only wine) from any station if wheat bread or alcohol presents a health concern. Gluten-free breads and alcohol-free wine are available by request at most liturgies from most communion stations. Welcome to the Holy Baptism. All who come seeking Jesus are welcome to receive Holy Baptism. Please visit with any worship leader, staff member, hospitality volunteer, contact the church office, or complete an information card, indicating that you wish to be baptized. A pastor will contact you. Friends of Central Stay connected Across the country and beyond there are many people who have a soft spot in their heart for Central Lutheran Church people who feel a connection both to the history and the ongoing mission of this congregation. If you re one of them, we invite you to join a network of Friends of Central. Pick up a brochure or visit our website for more information or to join. Electronic Giving Opportunities: Online at click on Give Today; or text 73256, enter code word centralmpls (lower case), and a numerical amount. Press send and fill in the details. All contributions from members and guests will appear in a contribution statement. Wi-Fi is available as Central Lutheran (password guestclc). If you give electronically, use the green pew card to drop in the offering plate instead of an envelope. Central Lutheran is supported by givers like you. Questions? Contact the church office at

3 HOLY COMMUNION All Saints Sunday Prayer and anointing for healing Blessing of Bangladesh journey Exploring the promise of God for all The raising of Lazarus Sunday, November 4, :30 am Choral Eucharist The Holy Spirit gathers us in unity on the first day of the week. In Christ our home, there will be no pain and no sadness Of all three years of the lectionary cycle, this year s All Saints readings have the most tears. Revelation looks forward to the day when God will wipe away all tears. In John s gospel, Jesus weeps along with Mary and all the gathered mourners before he demonstrates his power over death. On All Saints Day we celebrate the victory won for all the faithful dead, but we grieve for our beloved dead as well, knowing that God honors our tears. We bring our grief to the table and find there a foretaste of the feast to come. GATHERING PRELUDE Spiegel im Spiegel (Mirror in the Mirror) Worship leaders greet the assembly at the door. Arvo Pärt During the gathering music, all members of the assembly are invited to come forward to the chancel to light a candle in memory of loved ones who have died in the faith. As the gathering music concludes the leaders are at the baptismal font. The carillon calls the assembly to worship. At the sound of the bell, please stand if you are able to face the worship leaders at the back of the church. PROCESSIONAL HYMN (hymn) 628 Jerusalem, My Happy Home stanzas 1 4 are sung, 2 & 3 in harmony GREETING P The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. a And also with you. KYRIE (TRISHAGION) - 3 -

4 HYMN OF PRAISE PRAYER OF THE DAY P Let us pray. Almighty God, you have knit your people together in one communion in the mystical body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. a Amen. The presider continues with words of welcome

5 WORD CHILDREN S WORD Children are invited to come forward; parents are welcome to come with their children. God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song. Isaiah sees a vision of the end of days, when the Lord will gather all God s people on God s holy mountain and will prepare for them a rich feast. At this banquet the Lord will wipe the tears from all eyes. And there will be no more sorrow, for God will destroy death itself. READING The banquet of the LORD Isaiah 25:6-9 a On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. 7 And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. 8 Then the Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. 9 It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God. SECOND READING A new heaven and a new earth Revelation 21:1-6a Here is a vision of the new heaven and new earth in which God resides fully with God s people so that mourning, despair, and pain have been eradicated. These renewing words from the God who spans all of time are trustworthy and true. John writes: I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away. 5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, See, I am making all things new. Also he said, Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true. 6 Then he said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Word of God, word of life. a Thanks be to God. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION The assembly stands and welcomes the gospel, singing: - 5 -

6 c They are before the throne of God, And the one seated on the throne will shelter them. The assembly repeats the ALLELUIA. GOSPEL The raising of Lazarus John 11:32-44 The holy gospel according to John. a Glory to you, O Lord. Through the raising of Lazarus, Jesus offers the world a vision of the life to come, when death and weeping will be no more. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34 He said, Where have you laid him? They said to him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus began to weep. 36 So the Jews said, See how he loved him! 37 But some of them said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying? 38 Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days. 40 Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me. 43 When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out! 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, Unbind him, and let him go. The gospel of the Lord. a Praise to you, O Christ. SERMON silence for reflection follows the sermon HYMN OF THE DAY (hymn) 422 For All the Saints stanzas 1 & 2 all in unison stanzas 3 & 4 all in harmony names are read; stanza 5 choir stanza 6 & 7 - all - 6 -

7 APOSTLES CREED A Let us proclaim the faith we share. a I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God s 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 to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come 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. PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Each petition concludes: in your mercy, a hear our prayer. MEAL God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ. PEACE P The peace of Christ be with you always. a And also with you. The assembly is invited to share God s peace with one another. GATHERING OF GIFTS The offering is gathered for the mission of the church, including the care of those in need. During this time, the table is set. After the offering is gathered, bread, wine, money, and other gifts are brought forward. The assembly stands as the procession reaches the chancel. O Fear the Lord, Ye His Saints Dale Wood O fear the Lord, ye his saints; for there is no want to them that fear him. They that seek the Lord: shall not want any good thing. Alleluia. Come unto me all ye that labor and I will give you rest. These are they which came out of great tribulation: and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God: and serve him day and night in his temple. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright

8 Offertory Prayer A Let us pray together. a God of life, you give us these gifts of the earth, these resources of our life and labor. Take them, offered in great thanksgiving, and use them to set a table that will heal the whole creation; through Christ, our Savior. Amen. The assisting minister pours out the wine. GREAT THANKSGIVING P The Lord be with you. a And also with you. P Lift up your hearts. a We lift them to the Lord. P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. a It is right to give our thanks and praise. The presider continues with the Great Thanksgiving, concluding: Lord s Prayer (1975) a Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen. Breaking of the Bread and Invitation to Communion Communion All who come seeking Jesus are invited to receive these gifts of God. Communion at this service is served standing. Please follow the directions of the ushers to a communion station. Grape juice and gluten-free bread are available upon request. The benefits of the sacrament are fully present in either the bread or the wine, should health reasons prevent you from receiving one of them. Children are welcome to receive communion or a blessing. Prayer at the chancel kneelers during communion is always welcomed. At the River For the anthem text see ELW 423. Partita No. 3 in E major for Violin Solo, BWV 1006: II. Loure Sonata No. 3 in C major for Violin Solo, BWV 1005: III. Largo silence for reflection concludes the Communion Aaron Copland Prayer after Communion A Let us pray. O God, you feed us with one bread, and sustain us with one hope. By your love make our faith strong, that with all your saints we may become one body, one spirit in Christ, and rise to eternal glory with him, who is Lord for ever and ever. a Amen. J. S. Bach J. S. Bach - 8 -

9 SENDING God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world. BLESSING OF BANGLADESH JOURNEY BLESSING P God whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine, grant you the gifts of faith and hope. Almighty God, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. a Amen. SENDING HYMN (hymn) 424 Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones stanzas 1, 3 & 4 Following worship coffee is served in the great room. Brief sanctuary tours will be offered after this service. Meet a docent at the pulpit. DISMISSAL Please face the processional cross for the dismissal. A Go in peace. God s Word endures forever. a Thanks be to God. The carillon sends the assembly into mission. POSTLUDE Gravement from Fantasie in G Prayer and anointing for healing are offered after each service this weekend. Meet a prayer minister at the chancel kneelers following the postlude. J. S. Bach Portions of the liturgy are from Sundays and Seasons.com 2018 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress liturgies license # Large print service folders, assisted listening devices, and access seating are available to aid your participation in worship. Please inquire with an usher

10 SERVING TODAY Pastor D. Foy Christopherson Pastor Stephanie Friesen Jack Friesen Karl Starr, Sara Masters Joan Hilden Deacon Mark Sedio Jane Lien Ian Snyder Central Choir Pastor Melissa Pohlman, Pastor Peter Nycklemoe Eve Overby, Bobbie Spradley Mark Kieffer, Marc Wilson Tom & Sue Jorgensen Pat Forse Barbara Zalusky, Joan Van Wirt, Caring Crew Ministry Team Megan & Matt Bowman, Mark Erickson, Rexanne Spicer presiding preaching assisting minister readers crucifer cantor/organist associate cantor/organist violin choir communion ministers prayers for healing sound operators lead ushers for November docent hosts & greeters seasonal planning team Chancel flowers this weekend are given by Jackie and Lloyd Thorsen in loving memory of their son Christopher Einar. Additional flowers are given by Char Johnson and family in loving memory of Dale on the anniversary of his entry into the saints triumphant. Flowers are given in honor of Bob Boldt s 90 th birthday on November 2 with fond reminiscence by Lorna Hoffmann, Tim and Wendy. Bowtie flowers are given by mutual friend, Stan Kolden. Happy Birthday Bob! Flowers are also given in memory of Gail Syverson whose funeral was yesterday. The white roses for the Saturday service are given by the Central Lutheran Church Foundation in honor of all the saints. If you wish to donate flowers contact Judy Korogi 10 days in advance at This service is being streamed live on the internet at

11 WORSHIP LIFE Guidance for Parents about First Communion Martin Luther said: Parental authority is the source and type of all other human authority. (Gotta like that!) From parental government all other government takes its rise The father [parent] is ruler and priest in his own family. In Holy Baptism parents make promises to the community, among them, to faithfully bring their child to the word of God and the holy supper. Holy Communion workshop for families First Communion orientation Saturday, November am That s where we begin with faith formation and our practice of inviting children to the Lord s Table: with Baptism, and with the parents. As a community we support parents as they seek to fulfill these promises made at Baptism. All our Children, Youth and Family Ministries arise from this congregational support. But the parents remain priests (pastors) of their own family. They guide, teach and set the timetables. They are the primary teachers, preachers, catechists and sacramental instructors. We know that Baptism is full and complete initiation into the community of faith. Nothing more is needed. (First communion and Confirmation are but affirmations of this Baptism.) Some Orthodox Christians (who also baptize infants) offer first communion to infants on their Baptism day with a small spoon of wine. In the Western church, in the Middle Ages, there arose such a fear of the holy substance of the bread and wine being abused that the bread and wine were completely withheld from infants and children. The wine was even withheld from adult Christians for centuries. Vatican 2 (1962) corrected this practice for the world s Roman Catholics. Before this, it s likely that infants in the Western pre- Reformation Church received wine as their first communion on their Baptism day, like the Orthodox in the East. (Newborns did not receive bread because, of course, they could choke on it.) When wine was withheld from the whole assembly, infant and children Christians were effectively excommunicated or removed from communion table fellowship. Luther restored participating in the Communion to the whole assembly using both bread and wine. But the practice of waiting to commune infants and children remained; the reason usually given was that they should wait until some age of understanding. That age of understanding keeps dropping confirmation age; 5 th grade; 2 nd grade it s rather arbitrary. When does the child understand the mystery of the Lord s Supper? When does an adult? Sacraments are symbols with many meanings, and we all spend our whole lives of faith discovering and deepening our understanding of these symbols of grace and favor

12 So when to commune our children? Parents are the ruler and priest in their own family. They know their children best. So we let them decide this important question in their family. General guidance is that when the child begins to understand they are being left out of something that others are receiving/participating in, then it s time to start thinking about first communion. (I ve seen kids fussing because they want some of that, or literally say: Give me some Christ. That s pretty good understanding!) Other children I ve met are afraid of the words or experience of Holy Communion and choose to wait until they become more abstract thinkers. So first communion is not so much a Sunday School scope-and-sequence class/grade decision as it is a family decision. Having said that, then, how do we prepare our children for communion? We offer a first communion workshop for children of any age when parents decide their child is ready to begin participating in the sacrament. Scheduled with the worship pastor and attended by children and parents, it consists of some Bible stories that introduce and foreshadow the Holy Communion meal; learning about communion practice and vessels; touching and tasting the bread and wine; and then baking bread to use in the Holy Communion. Communion Instruction Then along the way, to get everyone synced up, in our CYF Sunday School and Confirmation programming we have built into our curriculum times in 2 nd grade, 5 th grade, confirmation, and high school times to revisit the theology and practice of Holy Communion as our children grow in faith and understanding. Preaching and teaching about the sacraments continues for adults throughout our life together. We spend our whole lives discovering and rediscovering the meaning and power of the Sacrament of the Altar. As an experience, it s valuable to reflect upon its meaning after the event. Parents can continue to serve as the chief priest and catechist of their family by inviting regular reflection about the Sunday worship experience each week in the car on the way home, or at the Sunday dinner