St Mark Lutheran Church Service of Holy Communion Welcome to this divine service of worship! Plain font indicates portions of the liturgy shared by worship leaders. Bold font indicates portions of the liturgy shared by the congregation. The obelisk ( ) invites the congregation to stand as it is able. The double obelisk ( ) invites the congregation to kneel or sit as it is able. May 27, 2018: Feast of the Holy Trinity 8:00/11:00am Music Meditation Ashokan Farewell Ungar Musicians; Beckett and Tai Behel Welcome and Preparation for Worship God of grace, you have given us minds to know you, hearts to love you, and voices to sing your praise. Fill us with your Spirit, that we may celebrate your glory and worship you in spirit and truth, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. Confession and Forgiveness 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. Most merciful God, we confess that we are captive 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 us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! 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.
Kyrie
Gloria
Prayer of the Day Almighty God our Father, dwelling in majesty and mystery, renewing and fulfilling creation by your eternal Spirit, and revealing your glory through our Lord, Jesus Christ: Cleanse us from doubt and fear, and enable us to worship you, with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, living and reigning, now and forever. Amen First Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8 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. 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. And one called to another and said: Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory. The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. 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! Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 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. 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! The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalmody: Psalm 29 Ascribe to the LORD, you gods, ascribe to the LORD glo- ry and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due God s name; worship the LORD in the beau- ty of holiness. The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is upon the mighty waters. The voice of the LORD is a pow- erful voice; the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedar trees; the LORD breaks the ce- dars of Lebanon; the LORD makes Lebanon skip like a calf, *and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox. The voice of the LORD bursts forth in lightning flashes. The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilder- ness of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD makes the oak trees writhe and strips the forests bare. And in the temple of the LORD all are crying, Glory! The LORD sits enthroned a- bove the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king for- evermore. O LORD, give strength to your people; give them, O LORD, the bless- ings of peace. Second Reading: Romans 8:12-17 Brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh 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. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 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! it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 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. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation Gospel: John 3:1-17 The holy gospel according to John. Glory to you, O Lord. Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 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. Jesus answered him, Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above. 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? Jesus answered, Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, You must be born from above. 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. Nicodemus said to him, How can these things be? 0 Jesus answered him, Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 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. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
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. 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. The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. Exploration of Faith in Youth Sermon Pastor Joel Neubauer Hymn: Restore in Us, O God Athanasian Creed ** Now this is the catholic faith: We worship one God in trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the divine being. For the Father is one person, the Son is another, and the Spirit is still another. But the deity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, equal in glory, coeternal in majesty. What the Father is, the Son is, and so is the Holy Spirit. Uncreated is the Father; uncreated is the Son; uncreated is the Spirit. The Father is infinite; the Son is infinite; the Holy Spirit is infinite. Eternal is the Father; eternal is the Son; eternal is the Spirit: ** The Athanasian Creed, a bedrock of Western Christianity, is one of the three ecumenical creeds professed within the Lutheran confessions; these excerpts of the creed point to our confession of the one living God in holy Trinity.
and yet there are not three eternal beings, but one who is eternal; as there are not three uncreated and unlimited beings, but one who is uncreated and unlimited. Almighty is the Father; almighty is the Son; almighty is the Spirit: and yet there are not three almighty beings, but one who is almighty. Thus the Father is God; the Son is God; the Holy Spirit is God: and yet there are not three gods, but one God. Thus the Father is Lord; the Son is Lord; the Holy Spirit is Lord: and yet there are not three lords, but one Lord. As Christian truth compels us to acknowledge each distinct person as God and Lord, so catholic religion forbids us to say that there are three gods or lords. The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten; the Son was neither made nor created, but was alone begotten of the Father; the Spirit was neither made nor created, but is proceeding from the Father and the Son. Thus there is one Father, not three fathers; one Son, not three sons; one Holy Spirit, not three spirits. And in this Trinity, no one is before or after, greater or less than the other; but all three persons are in themselves, coeternal and coequal; and so we must worship the Trinity in unity & the one God in three persons. Whoever wants to be saved should think thus about the Trinity. Rite of Blessing for Peacemakers and All in Service for Justice We pray for the church and all creation, trusting the Holy Spirit to meet our need faithfully, to reconcile our brokenness and to bring us with all the saints to eternal life in Christ. In the quiet of our hearts and aloud on our lips, we remember. Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, our rock and our redeemer. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, sovereign of the universe. You reconcile us to peace with you by grace through the faith of Christ Jesus our Lord; you lead us to peace with creation by producing works of love toward our neighbors, born of your gracious faith. You blessed your people through all generations and guided them in life and death: matriarchs and patriarchs, prophets and psalmists, disciples and apostles, martyrs and all the saints in your church of ages past, in whom your Spirit spoke and moved for peace.
Peace We praise you, eternal God, for the devoted sacrifice of your servants who have laid down their lives that we might live. Into your holy keeping we commend them and humbly pray that we, like they, may give generously and never count the cost, asking no reward except the knowledge of your abiding love. Bless the peacemakers of this land, and of your world, as they perform the duties of their calling. Give them true love of you, and an understanding of your love for all people, so that, by your guidance, they may defend your children, promote justice and unity, and foster mutual respect among all people; through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord. Amen. The blessing of almighty God be with us all. Amen. The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you. Offering and Friendship Registers Offertory Anthem Santo, Santo, Santo (Holy, Holy, Holy) Arr. A. Pote Offertory Song and Prayer Merciful Father, we offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us our selves, our time, and our possessions, signs of your gracious love. Receive them for the sake of him who offered himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Great Thanksgiving (Dialogue, Preface, Sanctus, Eucharistic and Lord s Prayers) It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God. You reveal your glory as the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: equal in majesty, undivided in splendor, one Lord, one God, ever to be adored in your eternal glory. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
From the beginning, Good God, your Voice has called creation, your Breath has blessed the waters, your Word has spurred us to trust your Holy Spirit, our Comfort, Advocate and Guide. By your goodness, O Promised Holy Spirit, we remember our Lord Jesus Christ, who, in the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it for them to eat, saying, Take and eat, this is my body given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. Again after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks and gave it for them to drink, saying, Take and drink, this cup is the new testament in my blood, shed for you and all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me. Remembering Christ s life, death, resurrection and ascension, we recall his word that God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth. Come, Holy Spirit, on these gifts of bread and wine that we may receive Jesus body and blood in, with and under them; and with sighs too deep for words intercede for us to the mercy of Our Father to whom, with you, is all honor and glory through, with and in Christ: One God, in your holy Church both now and forever. Amen. Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 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.
Invitation to Communion Agnus Dei Taste and see that the Lord is good. Thanks be to God. Communion Believing in the real presence of Christ, this church practices eucharistic hospitality. All baptized Christians are welcomed to Communion. The host will be placed in your hand. A tray will follow with both the pre-poured (juice) and empty cups for wine. The common chalice will follow for those who desire to partake in the common cup and lastly a pouring chalice for individual empty cups. Please place your empty cups on one of the tables provided at the end of the aisles. We also encourage non-communing persons forward to receive a blessing. The body of Christ, given for you. Amen. The blood of Christ, shed for you. Amen. Communion Music I ll Follow My Lord Arr. A. Pote Post Communion Blessing The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. Amen.
Nunc Dimittis Benediction The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD smile on you and be gracious unto you; the LORD look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen. Hymn: Before You, Lord, We Bow please see hymn on next page Dismissal Go in peace. Christ is with you. Thanks be to God. Postlude Glory Rock Arr. C. Ore When I soar to worlds unknown Glory, Hallelujah!
Hymn: Before You, Lord, We Bow
As we have celebrated our Golden Anniversary last weekend, we receive greetings from Pastor Gary Erdos: Ascension Day May 10, 2018 Dear Friends, I would extend to you a wish for God s blessings and best wishes as you all celebrate the first fifty years of the ministry of St Mark. It has been wonderful to see the continuation of your ministry in York County and, even, around the globe. It has been good to read of the burning of the mortgage, the work to call a new associate pastor and your continued ministry in Ecuador, allowing yourselves to be witnesses to the Gospel to the end places of the earth. What I have found most heartening, though, in these past years is the addition of new names in lists of those who are workers in your ministry, a sure sign that your work and ministry remains vibrant, vital and engaging to the people around you. Space and time will not grant enough of either to recount all the memories and friends we retain from our time together with you. I had the great blessing to be with you for a significant number of the 50 years you now celebrate. My family grew up among you and we all speak frequently and fondly of our time together. Many of [my] current parishioners know of you and your good work through the stories I tell them of you. (One of the things of which they are most envious is Café St Mark ) It is my hope and prayer that God will continue to bless you, your ministry and the community you serve for many years to come and that these first 50 years are merely a prelude to the work that reshapes lives and even the world into something more closely resembling the world of which Jesus speaks. Congratulations to you today and peace for the years to come. Rev Dr Gary M. Erdos Senior Pastor Trinity English Lutheran Church St Mark Lutheran Church 118 Old York-Hampton Highway Yorktown, Virginia 23692 757-898-4395 / smlconline.org Ministers: all the people of St Mark Pastor: the Rev Joel Neubauer / 757-775-3622 / pastor.joel.neubauer@gmail.com Minister of Music: Greta Melson / music@smlconline.org Handbell Choir Director: Gail Teigeler / handbells@smlconline.org Peninsula Pastoral Counseling Center / 757-873-2273 / www.peninsulapastoral.org From sundaysandseasons.com., Copyright 2018 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.