The Fourth Sunday in LentMarch 14th and 15th, 2015Holy Communion (V)

INTRODUCTION

The fourth of the Old Testament promises providing a baptismal lens this Lent is the promise God makes to Moses: those who look on the bronze serpent will live. In today's gospel Jesus says he will be lifted up on the cross like the serpent, so that those who look to him in faith will live. When we receive the sign of the cross in baptism, that cross becomes the sign we can look to in faith, for healing, for restored relationship to God, for hope when we are dying.

CHILDREN are always welcome to our Worship Service. Rainbow bags and a cry room are available. A staffed nursery is also available if needed. An usher will gladly provide you with assistance.

As a worship courtesy, we ask that you please turn off or set to vibrate all cellular telephones and pagers during the worship service.

We ask that all present today please fill out the Attendance and Communion registration card found in your bulletin and place it in the offering plate so that we may record your presence with us.

PRAYER UPON ENTERING The PEW

Gracious Jesus, our Lord and our God, you bore our sins in your own body on the tree so that we, being dead to sin, might live uprightly and piously. Help, save, comfort and defend us now and at the hour of our death, and grant to us, your servants, with all others who devoutly remember your blessed passion, a holy and peaceful life in this world and, through your grace, eternal glory in the life to come; where with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, God forever. Amen.

THE ORDER OF WORSHIP

Prelude Prelude VII from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II Bach

WELCOME

Confession and ForgivenessThe assembly stands. All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.

Blessed be the Holy Trinity, Father +Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, who brings us out of captivity into freedom, out of the wilderness into the promised land, out of death into life. Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal,have mercy on us.

For self-centered living, and for failing to walk with humility and gentleness: For longing to have what is not ours, and for hearts that are not at rest with ourselves: Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For misuse of human relationships, and for unwillingness to see the image of God in others: For jealousies that divide families and nations, and for rivalries that create strife and warfare: For reluctance in sharing the gifts of God, and for carelessness with the fruits of creation: Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For hurtful words that condemn, and for angry deeds that harm: For idleness in witnessing to Jesus Christ, and for squandering the gifts of love and grace: Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. Through the Holy Spirit God cleanses us and frees us to come out of darkness into the marvelous light of Christ. Let us live in that freedom and light, in the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit.Amen.

We invite you to please stand and sing:

Gathering Song: Lift High the Cross (ELW 660)

Greeting

Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation. 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

Prayer of the Day

Let us pray.O God, rich in mercy, by the humiliation of your Son you lifted up this fallen world and rescued us from the hopelessness of death. Lead us into your light, that all our deeds may reflect your love, through 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.

A MESSAGE FOR OUR CHILDRENFirst Reading: Numbers 21:49

Though God provides food and water for the Israelites in the wilderness, they whine and grumble. They forget about the salvation they experienced in the exodus. God punishes them for their sin, but when they repent God also provides a means of healing: a bronze serpent lifted up on a pole.

4From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. 5The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." 6Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 7The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." 9So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. The word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.

Psalmody: Psalm 107:13, 1722

Refrain: Tone:

1Give thanks to the LORD, for the | LORD is good,for God's mercy en- | dures forever.2Let the redeemed of the | LORD proclaimthat God redeemed them from the hand | of the foe,3gathering them in | from the lands;from the east and from the west, from the north and | from the south.17Some were fools and took re- | bellious paths;through their sins they | were afflicted.18They loathed all man- | ner of foodand drew near | to death's door.19Then in their trouble they cried | to the LORDand you delivered them from | their distress. R

20You sent forth your | word and healed themand rescued them | from the grave.21Let them give thanks to you, LORD, for your | steadfast loveand your wonderful works | for all people.22Let them offer sacrifices | of thanksgivingand tell of your deeds with | shouts of joy. R

Second Reading: Ephesians 2:110

While we were dead in our sinfulness, God acted to make us alive as a gift of grace in Christ Jesus. We are saved not by what we do but by grace through faith. Thus our good works are really a reflection of God's grace at work in our lives.

You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God 9not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

The word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.

Please stand for the reading of the gospel. Gospel AcclamationAll sing the response, the cantor will sing the verse then all repeat Glory and praise

Verse:

God so loved the world that he gave his | only Son,*so that everyone who believes in him should not perish, but have e- | ternal life. (John 3:16) Gospel: John 3:14-21

The holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.Glory to you, O Lord.

14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16For 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. 17Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."

The gospel of the Lord.Praise to you, O Christ.

Please be seated.

Sermon Pastor Charles Peterson

Silence for reflection and then please stand and sing:

Hymn of the Day: My Faith Looks Up to Thee (ELW 759)

Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's 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 to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

Let us join our hearts and minds with all the people of God in Christ Jesus as we pray for the church, those in need, and all of Gods creation.

Please kneel or sit as you are able.

Each petition ends with:Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Into your hands, living God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

Please stand and greet one another in the peace of the risen Lord.

Peace

The peace of Christ be with you always.And also with you.

Please be seated.

Announcements

anthem at the Offering The Crown of Roses Tschaikovsky

We invite you to please stand and sing:

OFFERTORY HYMN

Offering Prayer

God our provider, you have not fed us with bread alone, but with words of grace and life. Bless us and these your gifts, which we receive from your bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.

Dialogue

PREFACE

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY

Eucharistic Prayer

Holy God, our living Water and our merciful Guide, together with rivers and seas, wells and springs we bless and magnify you. You led your people Israel through the desert, and provided them water from the rock. We praise you for Christ, our Rock and our Water, who joined us in our desert, pouring out his life for the world.

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.

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.

Remembering, therefore, his life, death, and resurrection, we await your salvation for all this thirsty world.

Pour out your Spirit on this holy food and on all the baptized gathered for this feast: wash away our sin, that we may be revived for our journey by the love of Christ.

Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory are yours, almighty Father, now and forever.Amen.

Lord's Prayer

Invitation to Communion

Come to Christ, broken and poured out for you.

Please be seated.

All baptized people are welcome to the table to receive Christs body and blood. If you have not been baptized, you are also welcome to the table as Gods guest; we are honored by your presence. We recognize the Body of Christ as the community of the baptized, so if you would like to become part of the Body of Christ, we encourage you to seek baptism. If you cant or dont wish to receive today, we encourage you to hold your hands over your chest for a blessing as you come forward.

LAMB OF GOD

Communion Hymn: There in God's Garden (ELW 342)

Once the altar is cleared and the hymn is sung, the congregation stands.

Prayer after Communion

Merciful God, accompany our journey through these forty days. Renew us in the gift of baptism, that we may provide for those who are poor, pray for those in need, fast from self-indulgence, and above all that we may find our treasure in the life of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.Amen.

Blessing

The God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus.Amen.

The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.Amen.

The God of all grace, Father, +Son, and Holy Spirit bless you now and forever.Amen.

Sending Song: I Am the Bread of Life (ELW 485)

Dismissal

Go in peace. Love as God has loved you.Thanks be to God.

Postlude Chorale Prelude on Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund Bach

The flowers on the altar are given to the Glory of God and in memory of Bob and Dot Hanel. Presented by the Brandt family

COMMEMORATIONS FOR THE WEEK

Tuesday, March 17, 2015Patrick, bishop, missionary to Ireland, died 461

A native of Britain, Patrick was kidnapped by pirates at age sixteen and sold into slavery in Ireland. After a few years, he escaped, returned home, and entered the ministry. Returning to Ireland, he successfully served as a bishop and missionary there.

Thursday, March 19Joseph, Guardian of Jesus

Though the Bible tells us little about the husband of Jesus' mother Mary, we know that he was a carpenter or builder by trade. He is also shown as being devoted both to God and to Mary and Jesus. It is assumed that he died before Jesus became an adult.

Saturday, March 21Thomas Cranmer, Bishop of Canterbury, martyr, died 1556

Cranmer's lasting achievement is contributing to and overseeing the creation of the Book of Common Prayer, which remains (in revised form) the worship book of the Anglican Communion. He was burned at the stake under Queen Mary for his support of the Protestant Reformation.

Sunday, March 22Jonathan Edwards, teacher, missionary to American Indians, died 1758

A Puritan minister in Connecticut, Edwards is remembered as being a great preacher. Though his most famous sermon talks at length about hell, he was more concerned with God's love. He served both as missionary to the Housatonic people in Massachusetts, and as president of the future Princeton University.

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