Living Faith Lutheran

In Person Bulletin

Sunday, May 22, 2022
Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year C

Introduction

Visions abound in the readings for the sixth Sunday of Easter. Paul has a vision about what to do. John has a vision of what will be. Jesus provides visions of peace that surpasses human understanding and power beyond human imagination.

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Thanksgiving for Baptism

 

All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!
In the waters of baptism,
we have passed over from death to life with Jesus Christ,
and we are a new creation.
For this saving mystery, and for this water, let us bless God,
who was, who is, and who is to come.
Water is poured into the font 
We thank you, God, for your river of life,
flowing freely from your throne:
through the earth,
through the city,
through every living thing.
You rescued Noah and his family from the flood;
You opened wide the sea for the Israelites.
Now in these waters you flood us with mercy,
and our sin is drowned forever.
You open the gate of righteousness
and we pass safely through.
In Jesus Christ, you calm and trouble the waters.
You nourish us and enclose us in safety.
You call us forth and send us out.
In lush and barren places, you are with us.
You have become our salvation.
Now breathe upon this water
and awaken your church once more.
Claim us again as your beloved and holy people.
Quench our thirst; cleanse our hearts; wipe away every tear.
To you, our Beginning and our End,
our Shepherd and Lamb,
be honor, glory, praise, and thanksgiving,
now and forever.
Amen.

***

Prayer of the Day

 

Bountiful God, you gather your people into your realm, and you promise us food from your tree of life. Nourish us with your word, that empowered by your Spirit we may love one another and the world you have made, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

***

Lift High the Cross

Refrain
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
till all the world adore his sacred name.

1 Come, Christians, follow where our captain trod,
our king victorious, Christ, the Son of God. Refrain

2 All newborn servants of the Crucified
bear on their brows the seal of him who died. Refrain

4 So shall our song of triumph ever be:
praise to the Crucified for victory! Refrain

Text: George W. Kitchin, 1827-1912; rev. Michael R. Newbolt, 1874-1956
Text © 1974 Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Duplication in any form prohibited without permission or valid license from copyright administrator.

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First Reading: Acts 16:9-15

A vision compels Paul to move his ministry into Greece. There he meets Lydia, an important person in the business community, whose heart has been opened by God to receive the gospel. Her conversion and baptism provide the impetus for the founding of the church at Philippi.
9During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

11We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.

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Psalm: Psalm 67

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy. (Ps. 67:4)
 1May God be merciful to | us and bless us;
may the light of God’s face | shine upon us.
2Let your way be known | upon earth,
your saving health a- | mong all nations.
3Let the peoples praise | you, O God;
let all the | peoples praise you.
4Let the nations be glad and | sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity and guide all the na- | tions on earth. R
5Let the peoples | praise you, O God;
let all the | peoples praise you.
6The earth has brought | forth its increase;
God, our own | God, has blessed us.
7May God | give us blessing,
and may all the ends of the earth | stand in awe. R

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Second Reading: Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5

John’s vision of a new Jerusalem coming out of heaven provides continuity with God’s past actions. Yet in this new city, God’s presence replaces the temple, and the glory of God and the Lamb supplants sun and moon.
10And in the spirit [one of the angels] carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.
22I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
22:1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; 4they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

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Gospel: John 5:1-9

Jesus performs a healing miracle on the sabbath. In doing so he both reveals divine creative power and teaches a richer, deeper meaning for the sabbath as a healing and creative time.
1After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. 3In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 7The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.” 8Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” 9At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.

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Sermon

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Change My Heart, O God

Change my heart, O God;
make it ever true.
Change my heart, O God;
may I be like you.
You are the potter;
I am the clay.
Mold me and make me;
this is what I pray.
Change my heart, O God;
make it ever true.
Change my heart, O God;
may I be like you.

Text: Eddie Espinosa, b. 1953
Text © 1982 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing, admin. Music Services

Duplication in any form prohibited without permission or valid license from copyright administrator.

***

Offering Prayer

 

Living God,
you gather the wolf and the lamb to feed together
in your peaceable reign,
and you welcome us all at your table.
Reach out to us through this meal,
and show us your wounded and risen body,
that we may be nourished and believe
in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

***

Prayers of Intercession

Set free from captivity to sin and death, we pray to the God of resurrection for the church, people in need, and all of creation.

A brief silence.

God of new life, open your church to the unexpected ways your Spirit is at work. Guide bishops, pastors, deacons, and lay leaders in their visioning, partnership, and planning. Surround us with your peace. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

 

Give a vision of increase and abundant harvest for farmers, laborers, and gardeners who are beginning their growing season. Join their efforts with the goodness of creation to feed all living things. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Shine your light of wisdom and peace among nations. When those in power seek to assert dominance over others, confound their ways and make them yield to your humble authority. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

 

Give safe haven to those who seek healing, liberation, or peace (especially). Create places filled with hospitality where hurting people find your loving presence and wholeness. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

 

Uphold the work of ministries and organizations in our communities who assist people experiencing homelessness, citizens returning from prison, and all marginalized people (especially). Accomplish your will through their efforts. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

 

Assemble your people at rivers, streams, and fonts, where we remember our baptism and welcome others into the communion of saints. Gather us with those who have died (especially) when we meet together at your river of life. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

 

In your mercy, O God, respond to these prayers, and renew us by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.

God Extends an Invitation
Nuestro Padre nos invita

ENGLISH
God extends an invitation
to the table of creation,
where there's wine and light and bread.
Here we gather in thanksgiving
and we offer all our living.
Here the feast of life is spread;
here the feast of life is spread.

SPANISH
Nuestro Padre nos invita
a la mesa de la vida,
donde hay vino, luz y pan;
y nosotros nos reunimos,
y lo nuestro compartimos,
pues así es la comunión;
pues así es la comunión.

Text: Miria T. Kolling; Spanish and English tr. Gerhard M. Cartford, b. 1923
Spanish and English text © 1998 Augsburg Fortress.

 

 

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The Communion Liturgy

The Peace of the Lord be with you always

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

 

The Proper Preface

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Holy God, mighty Lord, gracious Father:
Endless is your mercy and eternal your reign.
You have filled all creation with light and life;
heaven and earth are full of your glory.

 

We praise you for the grace shown to your people in every age:
the promise to Israel,
the rescue from Egypt,
the gift of the promised land,
the words of the prophets;
and, at this end of all the ages, the gift of your Son,
who proclaimed the good news in word and deed
and was obedient to your will, even to giving his life.

 

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.

 

For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup,
we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.

 

Therefore, O God, with this bread and cup
we remember the life our Lord offered for us.
And, believing the witness of his resurrection,
we await his coming in power
to share with us the great and promised feast.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

 

Send now, we pray, your Holy Spirit,
that we who share in Christ’s body and blood
may live to the praise of your glory
and receive our inheritance with all your saints in light.
Amen. Come, Holy Spirit.

 

Join our prayers with those of your servants
of every time and every place,
and unite them with the ceaseless petitions of our great high priest
until he comes as victorious Lord of all.
Through him, with him, in him,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father,
now and forever.
Amen.

***

The 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,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Invitation to Communion

 

The risen Christ dwells with us here.
All who are hungry, all who are thirsty, come.

 

Prayer after Communion

 

We give you thanks, generous God,
for in this bread and cup
we have tasted the new heaven and earth
where hunger and thirst are no more.
Send us from this table as witnesses to the resurrection,
that through our lives, all may know life in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

Benediction and Dismissal

Blessing

God, the Author of life,
Christ, the living Cornerstone,
and the life-giving Spirit of adoption,
☩ bless you now and forever.
Amen.

The Lord Now Sends Us Forth
Enviado soy de Dios

ENGLISH
The Lord now sends us forth
with hands to serve and give,
to make of all the earth
a better place to live. Repeat

The angels are not sent
into our world of pain
to do what we were meant
to do in Jesus' name;
that falls to you and me
and all who are made free.
Help us, O Lord, we pray,
to do your will today. Repeat

Enviado soy de Dios,
mi mano lista está
para construir con él
un mundo fraternal. Repitalo

Los ángeles no son
enviados a cambiar
un mundo de dolor
por un mundo mejor;
me ha tocado a mí
hacerlo realidad.
Ayúdame, Señor,
a hacer tu voluntad.

The Lord now sends us forth
with hands to serve and give,
to make of all the earth
a better place to live. Repeat

 

Text: Anonymous, Central America; tr. Gerhard M. Cartford, b. 1923
English text © 1998 Augsburg Fortress.

Duplication in any form prohibited without permission or valid license from copyright administrator.