April 27, 2025 11 A.M.
Welcome!
Introduction
In spite of all we have heard and all we have seen, it is often hard to believe. Because it is hard to believe, we will invest ourselves in the Easter mystery for fifty days (a week of weeks). Because it is hard to believe, John the evangelist will provide sign after sign celebrating Jesus’ victory over death. Because it is hard to believe, the risen Jesus will return to us again and again in the mystery of holy communion, inviting us to touch and taste his presence, and offering us his peace.
(please stand for our opening song)
Hymn: “The Day of Resurrection” ELW 361
| The day of resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad; the Passover of gladness, the Passover of God. From death to life eternal, from earth unto the sky, our Christ hath brought us over, with hymns of victory. | Our hearts be pure from evil, that we may see aright the Lord in rays eternal of resurrection light; and listening to his accents, may hear, so calm and plain, his own “All hail!” and, hearing, may raise the victor strain. |
| Now let the heavens be joyful! Let earth the song begin! Let the round world keep triumph, and all that is therein! Let all things seen and unseen their notes in gladness blend, for Christ the Lord hath risen, our joy that hath no end. | |
Thanksgiving for Baptism
P: Alleluia! Christ is risen.
C: Christ is risen, indeed. Alleluia!
P: In the name of ☩ the One who was, who is, and who is to come.
C: Amen.
P: Baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection, and called to live the baptized life, let us give thanks for the gifts of baptism.
P: Holy God, we give you thanks for the waters of baptism, waters that make a people your own, that restore to wholeness and empower us to be witnesses in your name. Baptized into you, O Living One,
C: make us one as you are one.
P: We give you thanks for the waters of baptism, waters that strengthen believers and give new life to beloved servants of your church; waters that extend your boundless love and cross barriers of our own making. Baptized into you, O Living One,
C: make us one as you are one.
P: We give you thanks for the waters of baptism, waters that open the hearts of believers and give a voice in the night to those in captivity; waters that set your people on a new path, rejoicing in the Spirit’s power. Baptized into you, O Living One,
C: make us one as you are one.
P: Grant us grace, love, and life, O Living One, that our every day is shaped by these waters that give us our very lives in you. We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Crucified and Risen One. C: Amen.
Prayer of the Day
O God of life, you reach out to us amid our fears with the wounded hands of your risen Son. By your Spirit’s breath revive our faith in your mercy, and strengthen us to be the body of your Son, 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 for the readings)
First Reading: Acts 5:27-32
Peter has been arrested for proclaiming the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection. His response to the charges of the high priest summarizes the early church’s proclamation of forgiveness of sin through repentance.
R: 27 When they had brought [the apostles,] they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
…This is the Word of the Lord
C: Thanks be to God
Psalmody: Psalm 118:14-29
You are my God, and I will exalt you. (Ps. 118:28)
14 The Lord is my strength and my song, and has become my salvation.
15 Shouts of rejoicing and salvation echo in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord acts valiantly!
16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted! The right hand of the Lord acts valiantly!”
17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.
18 The Lord indeed punished me sorely, but did not hand me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter them and give thanks to the Lord.
20 “This is the gate of the Lord; here the righteous may enter.”
21 I give thanks to you, for you have answered me and you have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief | cornerstone.
23 By the Lord has this been done; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Hosanna! O Lord, save us! We pray to you, Lord, prosper our days!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; we bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God and has given us light. Form a procession with branches up to the corners of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will thank you; you are my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for the Lord is good; God’s mercy endures forever.
Second Reading: Revelations 1:4-8
The book of Revelation recounts a mystical vision of the risen Christ experienced by a Christian prophet named John. Here he describes Christ as a timeless redeemer, the beginning, present, and end of all time.
R: 4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
…This is the Word of the Lord
C: Thanks be to God
Gospel: John 20:19-31
C: <sung> Alleluia!
The unprecedented events of the day of resurrection continue as the risen Jesus appears to his fearful disciples. A week later, after Thomas worships Jesus, Jesus pronounces that the blessings of the resurrection are also for those who “have not seen and yet believe.”
D: 19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
…This is the Gospel of the Lord
C: Praise to you, oh Christ
Wee Worship
Hymn: “That Easter day with joy was bright” ELW 384
| That Easter day with joy was bright: The sun shone out with fairer light When, to their longing eyes restored, The apostles saw their risen Lord! | His risen flesh with radiance glowed; His wounded hands and feet He showed; Those scars their solemn witness gave That Christ was risen from the grave. |
| All praise to you, O risen Lord, Now both by heav’n and earth adored; To God the Father equal praise, And God the Spirit, now we raise! | |
| SERMON |
(stand)
Apostles’ Creed
C: 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
Prayers of Intercession
God of resurrection and new life, we come before you in prayer for the church, the world, and all who are in need.
A brief silence.
Inspire the church with the breath of your Holy Spirit, that we sing the good news of the resurrection. Inspire deacons and pastors, lay leaders and bishops to boldly proclaim your love for all people. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Preserve the earth as a safe home for all creatures. Restore habitats contaminated by pollution or overuse, strengthen efforts to shape more sustainable communities, and make us mindful of the impacts of our daily lives on the well-being of creation. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Kindle in the nations a spirit of cooperation and mutual care. Raise up creative and courageous leaders committed to shaping just solutions to complex challenges in our local and global communities. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Embrace all who carry wounds, that they might know your compassion. Draw near to those with chronic pain or anxiety, and all for whom death is near. Comfort individuals and communities suffering in any way (especially). Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Transform our fear into curiosity and love, especially across differences in race, religion, sexuality, gender identity, and economic situation. Unravel stereotypes that lead to discrimination, and destroy oppressive systems that marginalize vulnerable communities. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We remember the faithful departed from all times and places. Confident that you are the Alpha and Omega, we pray for your wisdom and guidance until our earthly pilgrimage is complete. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We commend these and all our prayers to you, O God, trusting that you are always with us; in the name of Jesus Christ, our risen Savior.
Amen.
(stand)
The Sharing of the Peace:
P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: And also, with you.
P: We greet one another with the Peace of Christ
Hymn: I Know that My Redeemer Lives ELW 619
| I know that my Redeemer lives! What comfort this sweet sentence gives! He lives, he lives, who once was dead; He lives, my everliving head! | He lives triumphant from the grave; He lives eternally to save; He loves exalted, throned above; He lives to rule his Church in love. |
| He lives, all glory to his name! He lives, my Savior, still the same; what joy this blest assurance gives; I know that my Redeemer lives! | |
Communion
P: Risen One, you call us to believe and bear fruit. May the gifts that we offer here be signs of your abiding love. Form us to be your witnesses in the world, through Jesus Christ, our true vine.
C: Amen.
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also, with you.
P: Rejoice before your Lord.
C: We lift them to the Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to our God.
C: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
P: 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, for the glorious resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ, the true Paschal Lamb who gave himself to take away our sin; who in dying has destroyed death, and in rising has brought us to eternal life. And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures, and with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power 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.
P: In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
P: Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
P: For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
C: Christ has died: Christ is risen: Christ will come again.
P: O God of resurrection and new life: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these gifts of bread and wine. Bless this feast. Grace our table with your presence.
C: Come, Holy Spirit.
P: We pray as Jesus taught us:
C: 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
P: Come to the table of grace. Receive the gift of new life.
(sit)
Power Point Video & Distribution
Prayer after Communion
P: Living One, in this feast you have made yourself known to us. Send us now to tell of your wonders, sing of your glory, and proclaim your risen life to a wounded and weary world.
C: Amen.
Blessing
P: The triune God, who was, who is, and who is to come, Sovereign, ☩ Savior, and Spirit, light your way with resurrection dawn, now and always.
C: Amen.
Announcements
| Birthdays April 29 – Nick Drum May 1 – Luke Hood 3 – David Boser Anniversary May 1 – Michael & Margie Nugent | Weekly Calendar Wednesday 10am – Bible Study at Immanuel 6 pm – prayer gathering Thursday 9 am – Quilting |
CLOSING HYMN: “Go, Now in Peace”
Go now in peace. Never be afraid. God will go with you each hour of ev’ry day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true. Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe. Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above. Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.
Dismissal
P: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
C: Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
P: Go in peace. In Christ you are made new. Alleluia! Alleluia!
C: Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!