Sixth Sunday after Easter 5/10/26
THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
MAY 10, 2026
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WELCOME TO ST. PAUL’S!
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THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice Setting: Donald Busarow
WELCOME
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
ENTRANCE HYMN Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice Sts. 1-4 LSB 556
1 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 vict’ry won.
What price our ransom cost Him!
2 Fast bound in Satan’s chains I lay;
Death brooded darkly o’er me.
Sin was my torment night and day;
In sin my mother bore me.
But daily deeper still I fell;
My life became a living hell,
So firmly sin possessed me.
3 My own good works all came to naught,
No grace or merit gaining;
Free will against God’s judgment fought,
Dead to all good remaining.
My fears increased till sheer despair
Left only death to be my share;
The pangs of hell I suffered.
4 But God had seen my wretched state
Before the world’s foundation,
And mindful of His mercies great,
He planned for my salvation.
He turned to me a father’s heart;
He did not choose the easy part
But gave His dearest treasure.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION LSB 151
In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. 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. We justly deserve Your present and eternal
punishment. 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.
Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of 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.
Amen.
KYRIE LSB 152
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE – “This is the Feast” LSB 155
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor, blessing, and glory are His.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation:
Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
For the Lamb who was slain has begun His reign. Alleluia.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. O God, the giver of all that is good,
by Your holy inspiration grant that we may think those things that are right and by Your merciful guiding accomplish them; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Acts 17:16-37
While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. And they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
8:00 ANTHEM Jubilation Choir Christ Is with Me Gerald Patrick Coleman
We were buried with him into death, that as he was raised by God’s glory,
We might walk in life made new be grace. Having died with Christ, we shall live with him.
(Refrain) Christ is with me everywhere I go, never to leave me, this I know.
I have now been grafted to the Vine, drawing life from roots, rich in mercy,
Bearing fruit as I abide in him: fruit forever fresh, glorifying God. (Refrain)
I have now been crucified with Christ, I no longer live, Christ lives in me.
Now I live by faith in God’s own Son, One who loved me so, gave himself for me. (Refrain)
10:30 PSALM 66:8-20 (Sung responsively)
Bless our God, O peoples;
let the sound of his praise be heard,
who has kept our soul among the living
and has not let our feet slip.
For you, O God, have tested us;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net;
you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
you let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
I will perform my vows to you,
that which my lips uttered
and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,
with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats.
Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessèd be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
SECOND LESSON 1 Peter 3:13-22
Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
10:30 CHILDREN’S SERMON
ALLELUIA VERSE (Stand) LSB 156
Alleluia.
Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL John 14:15-21
The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the 14th chapter
Glory to You, O Lord.
[Jesus said:] “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON (Be seated)
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ:
Let’s begin with a Mother’s Day story. Once upon a time there was a young boy who asked his mother what she would like for Mother’s Day. Mom thought about this question for a moment, then said: “I would like you to behave and be a good boy all day.” The boy replied: “How about something else? Maybe some chocolates. Or I could even do a few chores.”
Mom listened to him politely, but then said: “no, I’d like you to behave all day and be a good boy.” The boy’s face showed obvious concern, but he said: “Okay, I’ll do it.”
Not long after this exchange, the boy’s little brother started teasing him about those many things he always teased him about. And the older boy was about to pop him a good one when he thought: “no, I promised mom I’d behave and be a good boy all day. I’m going to keep my promise.”
A little while later, the boy discovered that somebody, probably his dad, had eaten the last cookie in the cookie jar. And this made him mad enough to throw a fit like he sometimes did. But then he remembered that it was Mother’s Day and he really wanted to make his mom happy. So, he just dealt with it and didn’t make a fuss.
However, when he went outside and discovered that someone, most assuredly that weird kid next door, had knocked down the fort he had built in the back yard, well, that was all he could take. He marched over to that kid’s house and found his bike leaning near the side of the garage and dislodged the chain with a stick. He then threw the bike down and was ready to stomp on the spokes when he looked around, back at his house, and saw in the window, his mother. She was looking at him. And she had seen what he did.
In great shame, the boy headed home to apologize to his mother. Upon arrival, he begged her forgiveness, and then asked: “do you still love me?” She said: “of course I still love you. I will always love you.” And then she added: “Being good for a whole day can be hard, but I love the fact that you tried. Efforts like this will serve you well. Keep trying.” And she gave him a big hug.
Today’s Gospel reading begins with Jesus saying to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” And with these words, Jesus builds on something he had shared with his disciples a short time earlier, where he said: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
At the time when he said this, Jesus not only gave the command but also illustrated it. He did this by washing his disciples’ feet. This reinforced his teaching that love is best understood as an action. According to Jesus, love is about taking a servant role and treating a person with kindness and generosity, even doing things that may not be pleasant to do.
Knowing this definition of love, it makes sense, then, that when Jesus speaks to his disciples about loving him, he tells how this is done through actions. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments,” he said. Keeping his commandments is how one is to show love to Jesus.
Like the boy in the story who wanted to show love to his mother, we also want to show our love to Jesus. And when he tells us to behave all day long, we try our best.
But we have trouble with this. This trouble comes because we get angry, frustrated, impatient, and jealous.
In those times when we misbehave, we might wonder whether Jesus still loves us. One would think he might get tired of putting up with our many failures.
Wondering about this might also come from Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel reading. When we read his first two sentences together, we might conclude that the second is conditional on fulfilling the first. Jesus’ first sentence is: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” And then says: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.” Does this mean that Jesus only gives us the Helper when we keep his commandments?
Jesus does call us to love him; we know this for sure. And this love is to be shown through following his commands. But this doesn’t mean that our love needs to be perfect nor that it must be expressed perfectly in our behavior. Jesus knows we struggle to keep his commands. Like the mother in the story, Jesus loves his wayward children, and his love includes the action of forgiveness.
Jesus not only extends this forgiveness to us but has also earned it. Jesus did this by dying on the cross to pay the price of our sin. Here Jesus performed the greatest act of love ever.
Even though he forgives us, Jesus still calls us to obey his commandments. And yet, his primary call is to love him. When we love Jesus – imperfect as our love may be – he will give us the Helper, just as he promised.
This Helper is the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we translate the Greek word here as Comforter or Counselor or Advocate instead. And these are all very good and accurate translations. But Helper is the word that captures all these various kinds of help. And the Holy Spirit definitely offers many great helps.
One of the helps he gives is the ability to obey God’s commands a little better. When the Spirit is strong within us, we can better overcome life’s temptations.
And knowing this, we should then be asking ourselves: “How can the Spirit be strong within me?” Here we look at those words of Jesus in our Gospel where he says: “you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” According to these words, the Spirit will be in us when we know him and when we seek him where he dwells.
This statement of Jesus, like many in this section, can be a bit confusing since he goes back and forth from talking about himself to talking about the Spirit. But of course, the confusion clears up when we remember that one of Jesus’ goals here is to impress upon his disciples the close association between him and the Spirit. Jesus and the Spirit are one, just as he and the Father are one.
Jesus can tell his disciples: “you know him” – meaning the Spirit – because Jesus was making him known through his own presence. And Jesus can say: “for he dwells with you” – again, meaning the Spirit – because this dwelling was happening through Jesus himself, who was right there with them.
At the same time, Jesus would soon go away. He would be returning to the Father, as he said. Many of his statements in this section, therefore, are meant to prepare his disciples for this departure.
Jesus had earlier said to his disciples: “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward” (13:36). And he said: “I am going to the Father” (14:12). In today’s words he repeats this message of leaving, but also adds words of comfort, saying: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me.”
Again, these words at face value seem a bit confusing. When Jesus says: “I will come to you” and “You will see me,” does this refer to his bodily appearance after his resurrection, or does it refer to his ongoing appearance through the Spirit?
Commentators have different views on this question. But it seems obvious to me that Jesus’ words here leave room for both scenarios. The disciples will see Jesus again after he “leaves” through death, since he will be raised from death in his resurrection. At the same time, the disciples will see Jesus again after he “leaves” via his ascension to the Father, since he will appear to them through the Holy Spirit.
Both messages are important to hear. And both pertain to those first disciples of Jesus and to us. Jesus’ promise about not leaving his disciples as orphans is given to us too, since we are also a part of his family. Through the Holy Spirit he is with us. And in his Word and Sacraments, we see him.
Martin Luther knew all of this, of course. And in the very first hymn he wrote for congregational singing he told of these things. This is the hymn we are singing today throughout our service, the great hymn Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice. The hymn outlines the full scope of salvation as it tells how God sent the Son to our world to accomplish it, and how the Son then returned to the Father and left us the Holy Spirit.
Let me say a little bit more about this hymn. Our church body suggests that it serve as the Hymn of the Day on this Sunday. I don’t know the reason for this suggestion, but I have a few thoughts on it.
In some ways, this hymn is like the first sermon I ever gave. I packed so much in that sermon that when the church secretary asked me: “what’s the title?” all I could come up with was: “The Gospel.” Luther’s hymn gives lots of content. After an opening stanza urging us to rejoice, the next two stanzas give a thorough sweep of our poor condition as humans. The remaining seven stanzas then tell of the Father’s love and Christ’s glorious intervention. As one commentator says: “when we sing this hymn, we tell our family story.”
In light of this, maybe the hymn was chosen today to reflect the vast content contained in our three readings. Between them all, a lot of important ground is covered.
Or maybe it’s because the last four stanzas have Jesus speak to us so lovingly and powerfully, just like he does in our Gospel reading. The words which Luther puts in the mouth of our Lord are not direct quotes from scripture. Still, they are accurate and comprehensive compilations of many of his scriptural statements. And judging by the endurance of this 500-year-old hymn, the church has found them to be very effective.
Then again, maybe the hymn was chosen because of stanza seven. Luther’s words “I am yours, and you are mine” echo well Jesus’ words from today’s Gospel, where he says: “you in me, and I in you.” Or maybe it was because of stanza nine. There Luther tells of the Holy Spirit by saying: “In trouble he will comfort you and teach you always to be true, and into truth shall guide you.” These words echo Jesus’ teachings today too.
Again, I can’t say for sure why this hymn was chosen by the Synod for this Sunday. But I do know that the hymn fits well and is always compelling.
“Yet a little while and the world will see me no more,” said Jesus to his disciples. And then he added: “but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.”
Today we praise Jesus for these promises. We praise him for being with us through his Holy Spirit, and we praise him for the life he gives us. As one of our Easter hymns says: “Jesus is risen and we shall arise; give God the glory! Alleluia!”
Luther’s hymn, sung in response to Jesus’ words, leads us to rejoice in the resurrection life we’ve been given. It’s opening line urges us, saying: “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.”
We are greatly blessed to have Jesus with us through his Spirit and to know of our salvation. Let us then rejoice in this life that we’ve been given, proclaim these wonders to all, and show Christ’s love, as he has taught us.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY (Stand) Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice Sts. 5-8 LSB 556
5 God said to His belovèd Son:
“It’s time to have compassion.
Then go, bright jewel of My crown,
And bring to all salvation.
From sin and sorrow set them free;
Slay bitter death for them that they
May live with You forever.”
6 The Son obeyed His Father’s will,
Was born of virgin mother;
And God’s good pleasure to fulfill,
He came to be my brother.
His royal pow’r disguised He bore;
A servant’s form, like mine, He wore
To lead the devil captive.
7 To me He said: “Stay close to Me,
I am your rock and castle.
Your ransom I Myself will be;
For you I strive and wrestle.
For I am yours, and you are Mine,
And where I am you may remain;
The foe shall not divide us.
8 “Though he will shed My precious blood,
Me of My life bereaving,
All this I suffer for your good;
Be steadfast and believing.
Life will from death the vict’ry win;
My innocence shall bear your sin,
And you are blest forever.
APOSTLES’ CREED Hymnal, back cover
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 at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will 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.
OFFERING
Offerings support the church’s mission work – both here and through our many partners. Offerings may be placed in the box at the sanctuary entrance or sent to the church through our website or the mail. Fellowship Cards help us welcome new people and track participation. Please fill one out and place it in the offering box following the service.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
O Lord, You give us life in Christ. Grant that, having been strengthened by Your gifts, we may gladly tell others of the hope that we have in You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, let Your Spirit be at work through Matthew, our Synod president; Bill, our district president; and all the pastors of our church, that as they proclaim Your Word, the Spirit may teach us all things and bring to remembrance all Your Son has said to us. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord of heaven and earth, You have given the Spirit of truth to dwell in us through Holy Baptism. Grant Your Spirit’s steadfast guidance, that the feet of this congregation and its catechumens may not slip into sin and unbelief but live always in praise of You before the world. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, Your Son in His incarnation took on our human flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary. He submitted to His mother, honoring and obeying her, and so fulfilled the commandment where we have not. On this Mother’s Day, graciously accept our thanksgiving for our mothers, whom You have given to us. Teach us to honor them aright — loving, obeying and giving thanks for them, as is fitting in Your sight. Strengthen all women with child and give them safe delivery. Comfort all women who long to have children but cannot, that they may find their consolation in You and Your unfailing love. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, You made from one man all the nations of the earth, and You still sustain us. Grant good leaders in every land who will seek peace and serve justice. Frustrate the causes of evil, violence and oppression. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Listening Lord, You always wait upon the prayers of Your people and attend to their cries. We pray especially for Geraine, Sophia, Brooks, June, Peter, Wendy, James, Russell, Yi, Jeannie, Val, Marvin, Elianna, Lois, and for the families of Arlo, Merle, and all who mourn. Heal and strengthen them according to your mercy. And inspire us to pray in all seasons of life and through all trials, giving us faith in Your promise to answer us. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, we give You thanks for the salvation and life You give us through Christ Jesus. You do not leave Your people as orphans but strengthen the penitent with the body and blood of Your Son. Help us to receive what You offer here for our good, that this Holy Communion may strengthen our faith and equip us for Your service. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We entrust all these petitions to Your care, loving Father, confident in Your great mercy for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who is worshiped together with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
OFFERTORY LSB 159
What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits to me?
I will offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call on the name of the Lord.
I will take the cup of salvation and will call on the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all His people,
in the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
PREFACE LSB 160
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
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, who, out of love for His fallen creation, humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant, becoming obedient unto death, even death upon a cross. Risen from the dead, He has freed us from eternal death and given us life everlasting. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
SANCTUS LSB 161
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of pow’r and might:
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.
Hosanna. Hosanna.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING LSB 161
Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My ✠ body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My ✠ blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
LORD’S PRAYER
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.
PAX DOMINI LSB 163
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
AGNUS DEI LSB 163
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant us peace.
THE COMMUNION (Be seated)
Those wishing to commune at the foot of the steps should come forward first. Those wishing to commune at the altar rail should come forward after these, front rows first, from both sides of the aisle. After receiving, all should return to their seats. A common dismissal will be given at the end.
DISTRIBUTION HYMNS Our Paschal Lamb, That Sets Us Free LSB 473
1 Our Paschal Lamb, that sets us free,
Is sacrificed. O keep
The feast of freedom gallantly;
Let alleluias leap: Refrain
Refrain
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Again
Sing alleluia, cry aloud: Alleluia! Amen!
2 Let all our lives now celebrate
The feast; let malice die.
Let love grow strong anew, and great,
Let truth stamp out the lie. Refrain
3 Let all our deeds, unanimous,
Confess Him as our Lord
Who by the Spirit lives in us,
The Father’s living Word. Refrain
He Is Arisen! Glorious Word LSB 693
1 He is arisen! Glorious Word!
Now reconciled is God, my Lord;
The gates of heav’n are open.
My Jesus did triumphant die,
And Satan’s arrows broken lie,
Destroyed hell’s fiercest weapon.
O hear what cheer!
Christ victorious,
Rising glorious,
Life is giving.
He was dead but now is living!
PRAYER (Stand)
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice Sts. 9-10 LSB 556
9 “Now to My Father I depart,
From earth to heav’n ascending,
And, heav’nly wisdom to impart,
The Holy Spirit sending;
In trouble He will comfort you
And teach you always to be true
And into truth shall guide you.
10 “What I on earth have done and taught
Guide all your life and teaching;
So shall the kingdom’s work be wrought
And honored in your preaching.
But watch lest foes with base alloy
The heav’nly treasure should destroy;
This final word I leave you.”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice Setting: Thomas E Locke
FELLOWSHIP – Council Officers
Those serving:
Sunday, 8:00 a.m.:
Greeter: Jim Easterly
Comm. assist: Dave Oaks
Reader: Melissa Hecht
10:30 a.m.:
Greeter: SP Youth
Comm. assist: SP Youth / Jill Hecht
Reader: SP Youth
Acolyte: Julia Dennis
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2026 Concordia Publishing House.
556 Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice Text: Martin Luther, 1483–1546; tr. Richard Massie, 1800–87, alt. Tune: Etlich Cristlich lider, 1524, Wittenberg Text and tune: Public domain
473 Our Paschal Lamb, That Sets Us Free Text: Martin H. Franzmann, 1907–76
Tune: Walter L. Pelz, 1926 Text and tune: © 1974 Augsburg Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
488 He Is Arisen! Glorious Word Text: Birgitte Katerine Boye, 1742–1824; tr. George A. T. Rygh, 1860–1942, alt. Tune: Philipp Nicolai, 1556–1608 Text and tune: Public domain
