GATHERING The Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God.

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1 GATHERING The Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God. KYRIE (ELW, p. 147) PRELUDE Passion Choral Preludes WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS (please stand) In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Silence for reflection and self-examination. Most merciful God, we confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen. In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for you, and for his sake God forgives you all your sins. To those who believe in Jesus Christ he gives the power to become children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit. Amen. GATHERING HYMN Jesus Is a Rock in a Weary Land ELW #333 GREETING The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you. 1 2

2 SPECIAL MUSIC Death, Where Is Thy Sting Lloyd Larson Zion Choir A TIME FOR CHILDREN WORD God speaks to us in Scripture reading, preaching, and song. FIRST READING Isaiah 55:1-9 Pew Bible OT, p.760 Word of God, Word of life. Thanks be to God. PSALM Psalm 63:1-8 Michael Guimont Refrain sung by all; verses sung by choir/cantors. 1. O God, you are my God; at dawn I seek you; for you my soul is thirsting. For you my flesh is pining, like a dry, weary land without water. 2. I have come before you in the sanctuary, to behold your strength and your glory. Your loving mercy is better than life; my lips will speak your praise. PRAYER OF THE DAY Let us pray. Eternal God, your kingdom has broken into our troubled world through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son. Help us to hear your word and obey it, and bring your saving love to fruition in our lives, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (please be seated) 3 3. I will bless you all my life; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul shall be filled as a with a banquet; with joyful lips, my mouth shall praise you. 4. For you have been my strength; in the shadow of your wings I rejoice. My soul clings fast to you; your right hand upholds me. 4

3 GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (please stand) 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. The holy gospel according to Luke. Glory to you, O Lord. GOSPEL Luke 13:1-9 Pew Bible NT, p. 77 The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. (please be seated) SERMON Pastor Erin HYMN OF THE DAY What Wonderous Love Is This ELW #666 (please stand on the last verse) APOSTLES CREED God has made us his people through our Baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope, we confess 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, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, 5 PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH Seeking the grace, mercy, and love of almighty God, we offer our prayers for the church, for people in need, and for all of creation. After each petition: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. SHARING OF GOD S PEACE The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you. Let us share this peace with one another. All are invited to greet one another with a sign of Christ s peace saying, God s peace be with you or similar words. If you prefer not to shake hands, any friendly word or gesture is appropriate. OFFERING (please be seated) We glorify God in our giving. Our offering is an act of worship that makes the ministries of this congregation possible. We encourage everyone to give. If you are visiting with us today, please do not feel obligated to participate in this portion of worship. If you would like to use your smart phone to give online, see the card with our QR code in the pew racks. The children are welcome to come forward and place their offerings in the For Children Everywhere box. 6

4 OFFERING PRESENTATION (please stand) Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. SENDING God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world. BENEDICTION May Christ our crucified Savior draw you to himself, so that you may find in him the assurance of sins forgiven and the gift of eternal life. Amen. SENDING HYMN There In God s Garden ELW #342 OFFERING PRAYER Let us pray together. Merciful God, you have given us so much, without money and without price. Help us to freely give of ourselves in serving you and loving other people for the sake of him who offered himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. LORD'S PRAYER Let us pray in confidence in the words Jesus gave us: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 7 SENDING WORDS Marked with the cross of Christ, go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God! POSTLUDE Eternal Lord of Love, Behold Your Church ELW Hymnal From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2019 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License # New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 8

5 Zion Lutheran Church Rooted in Faith Growing in Spirit Reaching Out to Those in Need Erin Heidelberger, Pastor 1732 S Main Street Mike Jacobson, Visitation Pastor Aberdeen, SD March 24, :30 AM Third Sunday in Lent The warnings are plentiful and blunt on the third Sunday in Lent. Lent is a season of repentance. Cut it out or get cut down! The warnings are accompanied by God s invitation to attentiveness: Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. The landowner s ultimatum is forestalled by the gardener s readiness to till the ground one more year. That is good news for all of us. Thanks be to God!

6 FIRST READING Isaiah 55:1-9 Pew Bible OT, p. 760 Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. PSALM Psalm 63:1-8 (read responsively) O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place, that I might behold your power and your glory. For your steadfast love is better than life itself; my lips shall give you praise. So will I bless you as long as I live and lift up my hands in your name. My spirit is content, as with the richest of foods, and my mouth praises you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the night watches. For you have been my helper, and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice. My whole being clings to you; your right hand holds me fast. GOSPEL Luke 13:1-9 Pew Bible NT, p. 77 At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did. Then he told this parable: A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil? He replied, Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down. Word of God, Word of life. Thanks be to God.