June 22, 2025 11 A.M.
Welcome!
Introduction
This Sunday’s texts paint startling pictures of the horrific nature of sin. The church’s repeated celebration of holy communion counters that tragic reality in a continued showing forth of the death of Jesus until he comes again. It is a dramatic declaration of “how much God has done for you.”
(please stand for our opening song)
We Sing: “Baptized in Water” ELW 456
| Baptized in water, sealed by the Spirit, cleansed by the blood of Christ our King: heirs of salvation, trusting his promise, faithfully now God’s praise we sing. | Baptized in water, sealed by the Spirit, marked with the sign of Christ our King: born of the Spirit, we are God’s children; joyfully now God’s praise we sing. |
Baptism of Patrick James Schultz
P: God, who is rich in mercy and love, gives us new birth into a living hope through the sacrament of baptism. By water and the Word, God delivers us from sin and death and raises us to new life in Jesus Christ. We are united with all the baptized in the one Body of Christ, anointed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, and joined to God’s mission for the life of the world
We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and by your Word you created the world, calling forth life in which you took delight. Through the waters of the flood, you delivered Noah and his family, and through the sea, you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom. At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. By the baptism of Jesus’ death and resurrection, you set us free from the power of sin and death and raise us up to live in you.
Pour out your Holy Spirit, the power of your living Word, that those who are washed in the waters of baptism may be given new life. To you be given honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
P: Patrick receive the sign of the Holy Cross both upon your forehead + and upon your heart + marking you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.
P: Hear how our Lord Jesus Christ has opened the Kingdom of God to little children: “People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they sternly ordered them not to do it. But Jesus called for them and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18:15-17)
P: Called by the Holy Spirit, trusting in the grace and love of God, do you desire to have your child baptized into Christ?
FM: We do.
Profession of Faith
P: Because Patrick cannot answer for himself, we shall all together speak on Patrick’s behalf in testimony of the forgiveness of sin and the life of faith which God our Father bestows in and through Baptism.
Do you renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways?
C: We do renounce them.
P: Do you believe in God the Father Almighty?
C: We believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
P: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son?
C: We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
P: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?
C: We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
The Baptism
P: Patrick I baptize you in the name of the Father +, and of the Son +, and of the Holy Spirit +.
C: Amen.
P: You belong to Christ, in whom you have been baptized. Alleluia!
C: Amen.
P: You are sealed by the Holy Spirit, and marked as Christ’s own forever. May his power fill you and heal you in body, soul, and spirit according to his perfect will; you are a son of God Almighty.
C: Amen.
P: Receive this burning light. Live always by the light of Christ, and be ever watchful for his coming that you may meet him with joy, and enter with him to the marriage feast of the Lamb in his Kingdom, which shall have no end.
C: Amen.
P: Through Baptism God has added Patrick to his own people to declare the wonderful deeds of our Savior, who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.
C: We welcome you into the Lord’s family. We receive you as a fellow member of the Body of Christ, a child of the same heavenly Father, to work with us in his Kingdom.
P: Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
C: Amen.
Confession and Forgiveness
In the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Baptized into Christ, let us confess our sin.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Merciful God,
you free us to love others, but we neglect our neighbors and follow our own way. You lead us by the Spirit of joy and peace, but we turn away from the abundant life you offer. You surround us with patience, kindness, and generosity, but we grow weary in doing what is right. In your mercy, forgive us. Do not give up on us. Heal us, break our bonds, and show us the path of life. Amen.
You belong to Christ Jesus and you are God’s children through faith. In the cross of ☩ Christ, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, your sins are forgiven. Clothed with Christ, you are a new creation.
Amen.
Prayer of the Day
O Lord God, we bring before you the cries of a sorrowing world. In your mercy set us free from the chains that bind us, and defend us from everything that is evil, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
(Please be seated for the readings)
First Reading: Isaiah 65:1-9
The prophet announces God’s impatience. The people’s self-absorption is idolatry, and images of practices that displease God fill this reading. Like a vintner who crushes the grape to release the wine, God will use Israel’s exile to establish a new community of the faithful.
R: 1 I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that did not call on my name. 2 I held out my hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; 3 a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and offering incense on bricks; 4 who sit inside tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat swine’s flesh, with broth of abominable things in their vessels; 5 who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day long. 6 See, it is written before me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their laps 7 their iniquities and their ancestors’ iniquities together,
says the Lord; because they offered incense on the mountains and reviled me on the hills, I will measure into their laps full payment for their actions. 8 Thus says the Lord: As the wine is found in the cluster, and they say, “Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,” so I will do for my servants’ sake, and not destroy them all. 9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah, inheritors of my mountains; my chosen shall inherit it, and my servants shall settle there.
…This is the Word of the Lord
C: Thanks be to God
Psalm: Psalm 22:19-28
In the midst of the assembly I will praise you. (Ps. 22:22)
19 But you, O Lord, be not far away; O my help, hasten to my aid.
20 Deliver me from the sword, my life from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion’s mouth! From the horns of wild bulls, you have rescued me.
22 I will declare your name to my people; in the midst of the assembly, I will praise you.
23 You who fear the Lord, give praise! All you of Jacob’s line, give glory. Stand in awe of the Lord, all you offspring of Israel.
24 For the Lord does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty; neither is the Lord’s face hidden from them; but when they cry out, the Lord hears them.
25 From you comes my praise in the great assembly; I will perform my vows in the sight of those who fear the Lord.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied, let those who seek the Lord give praise! May your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; all the families of nations shall bow before God.
28 For dominion belongs to the Lord, who rules over the nations.
Second Reading: Galatians 3:23-29
For Paul, baptism is a powerful bond that unites people not only with God but with other believers. Those who call themselves children of God experience a transformation that removes prejudices of race, social class, or gender in favor of true unity in Christ.
R: 23 Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27 As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.
…This is the Word of the Lord
C: Thanks be to God
(please stand)
Gospel: Luke 8:26-39
C: <sung>
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Jesus’ mission includes foreigners and his authority extends to the casting out of demons. Some who witness Jesus’ work are seized with confusion and fear, but the man who was healed is commissioned to give testimony to God’s mercy and power.
D: 26 Then [Jesus and his disciples] arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me”—29 for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.
32 Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
34 When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.
…This is the Gospel of the Lord
C: Praise to you, oh Christ
Wee Worship
We Sing: I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say ELW 651
| I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me, and rest; Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon My breast.” I came to Jesus as I was, Weary, and worn, and sad; I found in Him a resting-place, And He has made me glad. | I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold, I freely give The living water: thirsty one, Stoop down, and drink, and live.” I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life-giving stream; My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I live in Him. | I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s Light; Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise, And all thy day be bright.” I looked to Jesus, and I found In Him my Star, my Sun; And in that Light of life I’ll walk Till trav’lling days are done. |
Sermon
With Jerry leFeber
(we continue with the prayers)
Prayers of Intercession
Drawn into the embrace of the holy Trinity, we lift our prayers for the wholeness of the church, the world, and all creation.
A brief silence.
We pray for the church. Clothe us in Christ, shower us in mercy, send us in love. Strengthen the faith and witness of Christians across the planet and Christians in our community. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
We pray for creation. Deliver the earth from disaster, bring forth life amid uncertainty, inspire wonder at all you have made. Sustain all people who delight in the well-being of your creation: farmers, agricultural workers, gardeners, birdwatchers, conservationists, scientists, advocates, and policy makers. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
We pray for the nations. Pave a way to justice, drown the forces of oppression, bring peace on earth. Give leaders the will to turn from war and violence. When people must flee their homes, guide them to safety. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
We pray for people in need. Satisfy all who are poor, soothe those in pain, accompany all who are sick (especially). Give perseverance to each of us living with mental illness, and shield us from discrimination due to race, class, gender, or any other human distinction. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
We pray for this assembly. Listen to our cries, come to our aid, make us one. Weave among us the fabric of belonging so that we rejoice in each person gathered here, and enliven our proclamation of how much you have done for us. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
We offer our thanksgiving for all people who have died in faith. Keep them in your peace, comfort us in sorrow, raise us to new life. As we remember their faith and witness, may we trust your promise that we are yours forever. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Gather all our prayers in your mercy, O God, through Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.
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
We Sing: One Bread, One Body ELW 496
One bread, one body, one Lord of all,
one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many, throughout the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.
Many the gifts, many the works,
one in the Lord of all.
One bread, one body, one Lord of all,
one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many, throughout the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.
Offering Prayer
P: Creator God, in your wisdom you bring forth all that is good and the harvest is plentiful. Strengthen us at your table with these gifts of the earth and our labor, that we may work for the good of all; through Jesus Christ, our Savior.
C: Amen.
Communion
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. 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:
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
The kingdom of God is set before you. Eat and rejoice.
(sit)
PowerPoint Video & Distribution
Prayer after Communion
Mothering God, you gathered us to your table and we drank deeply of your grace. Send us out by your Spirit to love our neighbors as ourselves and proclaim your love in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Blessing
The love of God abound in you; the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ fill your hearts; and the life of the Spirit ☩ bless you and give you peace.
Amen.
| Birthdays June 24 – Donald Becker Anniversary June 23 – Monica & Eric Case 25 – Gary & Danielle Nugent | Weekly Calendar Wednesday – 10 am – Bible study at Immanuel 6 pm – Prayer Gathering Thursday – 9 am – Quilting |
We Sing: “Will You Come and Follow Me?” ELW 798
| Will you come and follow me If I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know And never be the same? Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known Will you let my life be grown in you And you in me? | Will you leave yourself behind If I but call your name? Will you care for cruel and kind And never be the same? Will you risk the hostile stare Should your life attract or scare? Will you let me answer prayer in you And you in me? |
Dismissal
Go in peace. Live by the Spirit.
Thanks be to God.