Processional Hymn 371: To God be
the Glory
Thanksgiving for Baptism
The
presider (and assisting minister or deacon) may gather at a baptismal font.
Blessed be the Holy Trinity,
one God,
the fountain of living
water,
the rock who gave us birth,
our light and our salvation.
Amen.
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 take delight.
Through the waters of the flood you
delivered Noah and his family. 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 water and your Word, you claim us as daughters and
sons, making us heirs of your promise and servants of all.
We praise you for the gift of water
that sustains life, and above all we praise you for the gift of new life in
Jesus Christ. In water we are buried with Christ in his death, share in his
resurrection, and are reborn by the Holy Spirit.
Water
may be poured into the font.
We thank you for the gifts of
creation, for being made in your image and likeness, and for the gift of
wholeness and salvation in Jesus Christ. Shower us with your Spirit, and renew
our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love.
The
presider may sprinkle the members of the assembly with water from the font.
To you be honour and praise through
Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
(Adapted from Evangelical Lutheran Worship
and the Book of Alternative
Services)
Confession and Absolution
Let us confess our sins,
confident in God’s forgiveness.
Silence
is kept.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned
against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our
whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbours
as
ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly
repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus
Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us,
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your name. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all
goodness, and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The
congregation is blessing with the waters of Baptism
Hymn: A Mighty Fortress
Prayer of the Day
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!
Let
us pray.
God, renewer of life and only
reformer, you surround us with a great cloud of witnesses throughout time and
place whom you have called into your work, witnessing to your Gospel of
liberation by grace alone. Continue now to raise up witness for your work of
renewal and reform that we may all grow more deeply into that mystery of
communion that is your church. Come now and sustain the on-going reformation of
your church. We ask this all through your child Jesus Christ, our Savior and
Lord. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
First Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 46
Second Reading: Romans 3:19-28
Hymn
381: Praise My Soul
The
Gospel: John 8: 31-36
Sermon: The Rev. Bonnie Scharf
The Prayers of the People
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always
with you.
And
also with you.
Hymn 460: Lord, the Light
The Prayer over the Gifts
Let
us pray,
God of power and love, by your Holy
Spirit, draw the scattered flock of Christ into a visible unity and make your
Church a sign of hope to our divided world; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (Common Worship)
Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
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 our thanks and praise.
We give you thanks, Father, through
Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, whom you sent in this end of the ages to save
and redeem us and to proclaim to us your will.
He is your Word, inseparable from
you, through whom you created all things, and in whom you take delight. He is
your Word, sent to heaven to a virgin’s womb. He there took on our nature and
our lot and was shown for the as your Son, born of the Holy Spirit and of the
Virgin Mary. He, our Lord Jesus Christ, fulfilled all your will and won for you
a holy people; he stretched out his hand in suffering in order to free from
suffering those who trust you.
He is the one who, handed over to a
death he freely accepted, in order to destroy death, to break the bonds of the
evil one, to crush hell underfoot, to give light to the righteous, to establish
his covenant, and to show forth the resurrection, taking bread and giving
thanks to, said: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the
remembrance of me.
In the same way 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, then, his death and
resurrection, we take this bread and cup, giving you thanks that you have made
us worthy to stand before you and to serve you as your priestly people.
Send your Spirit upon these gifts
of your church; gather into one all who share this bread and wine; fill us with
your Holy Spirit to establish our faith in truth, that we may praise and
glorify you through your Son Jesus Christ; through whom all glory and honour
are yours, almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit, in your holy church, both now
and forever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Saviour taught us, let us
pray,
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against
us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Invitation to the Table
“I am the bread of life,” says the
Lord.
“Whoever comes to me will never be
hungry;
whoever believes in me will never
thirst.”
Taste and see that the Lord is
good;
happy are they who trust in him!
Agnus Dei
(Lamb of God)
Hymns-during-communion
- 525: The
Church’s One Foundation
- 551: My
Faith Looks Up
- 400: What a
Wonderous Love
The Sending Forth of the Community
Hymn
36: Now There is No Male or Female
Prayer after Communion
Let us pray,
Holy God, in this meal you give us
a foretaste of that day when all will gather together in peace, when justice
will embrace all the earth. Send us forth to make known your saving deeds and
to proclaim the greatness of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessing
May God the Father,
who created all things good,
equip us as good stewards of this
earth. Amen.
May God the Son,
who shared our humanity,
help us see his face in every
person. Amen.
May God the Holy Spirit,
in whom we are reborn,
sustain and renew us on our
pilgrimage. Amen.
And the blessing of God:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you
always.
Amen.
526: God is our Fortress
The Scattering
(Mark 4:20)
Go in peace, liberated by God’s grace.
Thanks be to God.
