6th Sunday of Easter '24

GATHERING SONG “All Are Welcome” #641

THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM

Alleluia! Christ is risen.

Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Just as God’s work of creation never ends,

so the gifts received in baptism are renewed every day.

Let us give thanks together for the life given in baptism.

We give you thanks, O God, for the waters of life:

for water to bathe in, water to drink,

for waters to play in and waters that inspire wonder,

for water that gives life to our planet.

We give you thanks, O God, for the waters of life.

We give you thanks, O God, for the waters of this place:

for water from our tap, for rain and snow,

for Little Goose and Big Goose Creeks, for Tongue River and Lake DeSmet.

We give you thanks, O God, for the waters of this place.

We give you thanks for your salvation through water:

for delivering Noah and his family through the floodwaters,

for leading your people Israel through the sea into freedom,

for preserving your prophet Elijah through the time of drought,

for guiding your people across the Jordan into a new land,

for quenching the Samaritan woman’s thirst with living water.

We give you thanks for your salvation through water.

We give you thanks for the life of all the baptized, and for all who gather here;

for godparents and baptismal sponsors,

for Sunday School teachers and LOGOS leaders,

for children and grandchildren,

for our brothers and sisters in Christ whom we have never seen but to whom we are bound.

We give you thanks for the life of all the baptized.

We give you thanks for life in Christ through your Holy Spirit:

for our entry into Jesus’ death through these waters,

for our new birth into a life of freedom and service,

for our calling to be your people, sent out for the life of the world.

We give you thanks, blessed and holy Trinity, now and forever. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray O God, you have prepared for those who love you joys beyond understanding. Pour into our hearts such love for you that, loving you above all things, we may obtain your promises, which exceed all we can desire; through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Gospel Song “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” #742

THE GOSPEL FOR THE DAY: John 15:9–17

The holy gospel according to Saint John. Glory to you, O Lord.

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

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

SERMON “Command to Love” Pastor Phil Wold

HYMN OF THE DAY “Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds” #367

THE NICENE CREED

In infinite mercy God watched over the people of Israel. In unending love God sent his Son to be our Savior. God delivered us from sin through the waters of Baptism. With joy we proclaim in words and action the faith which makes us God’s own people. . .

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father;

through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures;

he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

THE SIGN OF PEACE IS SHARED

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

THE OFFERING AND OFFERING PRAYER - Blessing of Quilts and Care Kits

Almighty and gracious God, you have so richly blessed us, but we pray for more, much more.
We pray for grateful hearts, for a humble awareness of our abundance

amid all the world’s poverty and pain.
Lord, we pray for more.

We pray for the courage to give generously of our resources -

our imaginations, our time and abilities, our material wealth.
We pray yet for more, Lord.
We pray for the strength to reject the rationalizations which lead to

indifference and silence in this climate of entitlement and insatiable desire.
Lord, for much more we pray.
We pray for confident hope, in the presence of such overwhelming needs, to know that each offering of money, quilts, and material resources makes a welcome difference to others, and to you.
For still more, Lord, we pray.
We pray for lifestyles of justice and mercy, living more simply, being advocates for those

more needful than we, being faithful and compassionate in our role as citizens.
Lord, yet again we pray for more.
We pray for your promised forgiveness for the fears, the selfishness, the thoughtlessness,

the suspicions, the self-righteousness which hinder our loving service,

and then pray for grateful and greater obedience to mark our thanksgiving.
Yet for one more thing we pray.
We pray you would bless those who labor on our behalf

through all the work of Lutheran World Relief and its partners,

that we would uphold them with our prayers, our encouragement, our gifts,

our willingness to learn and to invite the support of others.
In the name of our Lord who encouraged us to ask boldly when we pray, Amen.
Litany written by Pastor Ed Whetstone, Salem Lutheran Church in Catonsville, Maryland.

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, and the power, and the glory,

forever and ever. AMEN

BLESSING

SENDING SONG “Let the Whole Creation Cry” #876

SENDING

Go in peace. Share the good news. Alleluia, alleluia!
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia!

POSTLUDE

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.