Easter Dawning Easter Sunrise March 27, 2016
Ebenezer Lutheran Church Port Hudson The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod 9100 Highway YY Leslie, Missouri Parsonage 573-459-6432 Church 573-459-6431 Rev. William F. Zastrow, Pastor Mary Sprick, Secretary ebenezerlutheran@hotmail.com ebenezerlutheranchurch.wordpress.com AS WE GATHER: Easter dawn is here as the sun rises to signal the beginning of this new day. On the first Easter, the real dawning happened inside Mary, Peter, and John, and eventually all the disciples, as they realized what had happened: Jesus had conquered death and returned to resurrected life, unbound by time and space. Moreover, as Job had prophesied and Paul confidently wrote, one day we shall see God with our own eyes as He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our worship today is an opportunity to let the Son rise to break through the mists of our minds and the heaviness of our hearts. By the grace of God, we rejoice with the psalmist, The LORD is God, and He has made His light to shine upon us (Psalm 118:27). PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP: Almighty God, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, You overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life. We humbly pray that we may live before You in righteousness and purity forever; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever THE DIVINE SERVICE HYMN Jesus Christ is Risen Today LW127 2
OPENING SENTENCES Based on Psalm 118 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever! CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION and EPISTLE 1 Corinthians 15:51 57 The Lord has made this day one of rejoicing and gladness because on it He destroyed death. But we must pause in our rejoicing because it was for our sins that He paid with His life. Assured of the Father s acceptance of Christ s sacrifice for us, let us confess our sins to our gracious Lord. Silence for reflection on God s Word and for selfexamination. Heavenly Father, we confess that although we have heard the gracious news of Jesus resurrection, we have not responded with lives that reflect our journey to heaven. We are sinful from birth and have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have feared the forces of evil and not let the truth of Easter instruct our decisions. We have lived as if survival was a matter of our cunning, instead of relying on You for all things in time and into eternity. For Jesus sake, forgive us, let Easter s light 3
dawn in us again, and grant us strength both to walk in Your ways and also to share Easter joy to the glory of Your holy name. Amen. Paul writes, Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. As a called and ordained servant of the risen Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. HYMNS OF PRAISE and PSALM Psalm 118:15 29 Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: The right hand of the LORD does valiantly, the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly! 4
HYMN Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice St. 1: LW 353 Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice, With exultation springing, And with united heart and voice And holy rapture singing, Proclaim the wonders God has done, How his right arm the victory won. What price our ransom cost him! I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. The LORD has disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death. Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. HYMN Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty St. 1: LW 198 Open now thy gates of beauty, Zion, let me enter there, Where my soul in joyful duty Waits for God, who answers prayer. Oh, how blessed is this place, Filled with solace, light, and grace! This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank You that You have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. HYMN Christ Is Our Cornerstone St. 1: LW 290 5
Christ is our cornerstone, On him alone we build; With his true saints alone The courts of heaven are filled. On his great love Our hopes we place Of present grace And joys above. This is the LORD s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. HYMN This Is the Day the Lord Has Made St. 1: LW 200 This is the day the Lord has made; He calls the hours his own. Let heaven rejoice, let earth be glad, Let praise surround the throne. Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. The LORD is God, and He has made His light to shine upon us. HYMN This Is the Day the Lord Has Made St. 4: LW 200 Blest be the Lord, who comes to us With messages of grace; Who comes in God his Father s name To save our sinful race. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! You are my God, and I will give thanks to You; You are my God; I will 6
SALUTATION extol You. Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever! The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us Pray Almighty God, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, You overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life.we humbly pray that we may live before You in righteousness and purity forever; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. OLD TESTAMENT READING Job 19:23 27 (I know that my Redeemer lives.) This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. HYMN I Know That My Redeemer Lives LW 264 HOLY GOSPEL John 20:1 18 (The news of the resurrection dawns slowly.) The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the 20 th chapter. Glory to You, O Lord. (The Gospel is read.) 7
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to You, O Christ. THE APOSTLES CREED I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His 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 into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen. HYMN The Day of Resurrection LW 133 (Sung to TLH 205) SERMON OFFERING OFFERTORY Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me, Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen. 8
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH Let us pray for ourselves and the Church around the world, people near and dear to us, and all who live on God s good earth. Let us pray for all who have the news of Easter written on their hearts. Heavenly Father, give the Church around the world pen and ink, pulpit and opportunity, chisel and stone, and media of every sort, to proclaim that our Redeemer lives, and that we shall see Him for ourselves. Lord, hear our heartfelt prayer, and let the light of Easter dawn upon us. Let us pray for all who find their bodies weakening, their minds clouding, and their faith unsure. Lord Jesus, work healing through doctors, nurses, and emergency personnel; renewal through counselors, care givers, and supportive communities; and confident trust through clergy and laity bearing the sure hope of the resurrection. Lord, hear our heartfelt prayer, and let the light of Easter shine upon us. Let us pray for all who face this day without adequate food, clothing, and shelter, all who are oppressed unjustly, all who labor under injustice and oppression, and all who are forgotten in the midst of plenty. O Holy Spirit, imbue those who make, administer, and adjudicate laws here and around the world with hearts set on caring for the poor 9
and downtrodden. Raise up leaders to rule righteously, giving You the glory for every improvement in the lives of those they are called to serve. Lord, hear our heartfelt prayer, and let the light of Easter grow within us. Let us pray for ourselves and all who come to the Table of the Lord this day, trusting in the forgiveness, life, and salvation which the Sacrament brings to people of faith. Lord of life, strengthen us so that we may confidently receive by faith our Savior s body and blood under this bread and wine, looking forward to seeing Him face to face in His eternal banquet. Lord, hear our heartfelt prayer, and let the light of Easter be evident in us. Let us give thanks for those who, like Mary, Peter, and John, have gone before us in faith and now live in endless light with all the company of heaven. Eternal God, as You brought them to faith in Your boundless grace, so let the truth of Christ s resurrection strengthen the faith You have placed within us. Comfort with Easter light all who mourn, dry their tears of sadness, and bring them to renewed peace and joy. Lord, hear our heartfelt prayer, and let the light of Easter shine through us. These and any other things You would have us ask of You, heavenly Father, grant us for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our risen Lord. Amen. 10
LORD S PRAYER (Matthew 6:9 13) 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. HYMN With High Delight Let Us Unite LW 134 CLOSING COLLECT Blessed Lord, who has caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning, grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by the patience and comfort of Thy holy Word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life which You have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen. BENEDICTION The LORD bless you and keep you. 11
The LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The LORD look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen. CLOSING HYMN Christ the Lord Is Risen Today; Alleluia LW 137 Christ the Lord is risen today; Alleluia! Christian, hasten on your way; Alleluia! Offer praise with love replete, Alleluia! At the paschal victim s feet. Alleluia! For the sheep the Lamb has bled, Alleluia! Sinless in the sinner s stead. Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen on high; Alleluia! Now he lives, no more to die. Alleluia! Hail, the victim undefiled, Alleluia! God and sinners reconciled, Alleluia! When contending death and life, Alleluia! Met in strange and awesome strife. Alleluia! Christians, on this holy day, Alleluia! All your grateful homage pay; Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen on high; Alleluia! Now he lives, no more to die. Alleluia! Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series C, Part 2. Copyright 2015 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. 12
What A Day! Easter Sunday March 27, 2016
Ebenezer Lutheran Church Port Hudson The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod 9100 Highway YY Leslie, Missouri Parsonage 573-459-6432 Church 573-459-6431 Rev. William F. Zastrow, Pastor Mary Sprick, Secretary ebenezerlutheran@hotmail.com ebenezerlutheranchurch.wordpress.com AS WE GATHER: Without Easter, there is no hope. Without Easter, there is no real life. Simply put, without Easter, there s no Christianity. The Resurrection of Our Lord is the day on which the Church throughout the world celebrates the new reality we are given because Christ Jesus is indeed risen from the dead, never to die again! For many people, Easter Day is no different from any other day, except perhaps for a few special traditions involving a bunny, a ham, and an egg hunt for the kids. We know better, don t we? And we have a blessed opportunity today, don t we? As we gather for worship this morning, we confess our risen Lord and His saving Gospel before the world! May the world know what we know! Without Easter, we have nothing. Yet with Easter and because of Easter, we have everything! Forgiveness and new life are ours in Christ both to receive and to share! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP: O God, for our redemption You gave Your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross and by His glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of sin and the grave. Because of Easter, we are forever changed! Change our hearts this day that, dying to the sin for which Your Son gave His life, we may rise with Him to live before You forever; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. 2
THE DIVINE SERVICE DIVINE SERVICE II page 158 HYMN OF PRAISE This is the Feast CHOIR Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia HYMNS 127, 131, 128, 126, 264, 129 OUR MISSION AND MINISTRY To our members and guests who are here with us today. May the Lord refresh you with peace and love during our worship services on this Easter Sunday. Please join us here at Ebenezer again soon! Please sign the guest register near the front entrance with your name, address, and Church affiliation. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ We wish everyone a Blessed and Happy Easter! Please join us for the children s Easter Egg Hunt after our 10:00 AM Church Service this morning. The hunt is open to children up to and including fourth grade. Thank you to everyone who donated eggs for this Easter Egg Hunt! Special Thanksgiving to our risen Lord and congratulations to Kelsey and Andrew Schroeder on the birth of their son, Carson. Carson was born on March 21 in the afternoon, 6 pounds 15 ounces. Both mother and son are doing well. We rejoice with these new parents on this Easter Day! Pastor and Margaret will be taking some well-deserved time off this next week and will be visiting in Minnesota. 3
Pastor will be visiting his mother and return on Friday for Ladies Aid. We are very grateful for the beautiful Easter Lilies that have been given to Ebenezer Pat Cardwell and Phil Reeves Vern and Elizabeth Keune Pastor and Margaret Zastrow Gail Meyer Marvin and Barb Kassebaum Marvin and Mary Sprick Gilbert Brune honor of Adeline Keune memory of Vernon Keune honor of our mothers, Bernice Zastrow and Helen Bode Memory of our fathers, Raymond Zastrow and Wilfred Bode Honor of Bob Meyer and All the Meyer family that have passed away honor of our family memory of our parents, Emil and Helen Sprick and Walter and Dorothy Althage memory of Lucille Brune 4
Albert and Marilyn Bade Esther Hoemann, Donald & Melissa Hoemann, Glenda, John, Jacob and Blake Alexander Bryan, Mary, Corey, Cody and Cole Adams Barbara Bolm Eugene and Kathy Scheer David and Becky Summers Paul and Gretchen Brune To the glory of God memory of Harvey Hoemann memory of Harvey Hoemann, and Sam and Marie Adams memory of mother Marjorie, father Wilbert and son, Michael memory of Julius and Doris Scheer and Herbert and Ada Groppe memory of Dee Summers memory of Gene Ditch To the glory of God and in honor of Bill and Mae Stegmann To the glory of God and memory of Lucille Brune 5
Babs Kormeier To the glory of God and memory of Jim Kormeier and Mildred and Alfred Kormeier Harvey and Nancy Quinn honor of our parents Nevada and Harvey Quinn, Sr. and Louise and David Mathews John and Jane Redhage memory of our parents and Jane s sister and brother Women s Retreat at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Washington, MO will be held on Saturday, April 9 th from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Come join us for Bible Study and fellowship with sisters in Christ. Guest speaker Grethen Huesmann, who has spoken at women s events across the country, will be with us to speak on our theme Abiding in Him (John 15), and we also have a variety of breakout sessions to choose from on these topics: Abiding in Him as a Mom, Abiding in Him as we fulfill our Roles as Grandmothers, Abiding in Him while Facing Trials, Abiding in Him Through Grief, and Abiding in Him When Facing Mental Illness. Cost is $10 till March 24 th and $13 after March 24 th. Please sign up by sending in your registration form and payment no later than April 1 st. Registration forms are on the table at the back of Church. Relay for Life We will be having a pulled pork and baked ham dinner in our dining hall two weeks from today, on April 10 th. The dinner will be served from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM benefitting the American Cancer Society. All profit from this dinner will go to provide lifesaving work in the fight against 6
cancer. A free will offering will be collected with checks written to the American Cancer Society. Please see the bulletin insert for more information! During the Church service on April 10 th, we will be celebrating a Sunday of Hope! The sanctuary will be decorated with luminaria bags a paper bag containing a candle and displaying a name. We all know someone who has been touched by cancer. If you would like to recognize a loved one by ordering a luminaria in honor of a cancer survivor or in memory of someone who lost the battle, please fill out the form and put it in the collection plate by April 3 rd. You may order more than one. More forms are on the table at the back of Church if you need one. Request from Mercy Hospice Mercy Hospice is currently seeking volunteers to offer support and comfort to patients and families in our community. Volunteers are matched with opportunities to serve according to their schedules, skills, comfort levels and geographic area. Volunteer opportunities include: caregiver relief, emotional support, Alzheimer s program, life review videos, bereavement support, Mercy Companions, administrative assistance, etc. The next free four week training will be Mondays, April 4 th, 11, 18 th, and 25 th from 9:00 AM 12:30 PM. For more information, please contact Stephanie Marquart, Volunteer Coordinator at 636-239-8862 or stephanie.marquart@mercy.net Please mark your calendars for the date of Voter s Meeting on April 18 th at 7:30 PM. The officers meeting will be on Tuesday, April 12 th at 7:00 PM. Please make plans to attend. 7
Those Serving Today Organist Saturday Organist Sunday Head Usher Saturday Head Usher Sunday Altar Guild Acolytes Bell Ringer Jenny Huellinghoff Ruth Marschel Tracey Bade Wilbert Baumann Julie Hilkerbaumer and Jenny Redhage Trent Huellinghoff Kayleigh Crego Ava Monzyk Cody Adams Offerings and Attendance Weekly Contributions $1,010.00 Plate 60.75 Sunday School 21.92 Easter Lilies 8.00 Lenten Offerings 15.00 Good Friday Offering 5.00 Maundy Thursday Offering 5.00 Cookbook Sales 20.00 $1,145.67 Attendance: Saturday Worship 25 Sunday Worship 69 Sunday School: Children 8 Adults 10 This Week at Ebenezer Monday thru Thursday (No Confirmation on Wednesday) Friday Saturday Pastor on vacation Ladies Aid 1:30 PM Worship with Holy Communion 5:00 PM 8