November Worship 2024 – Redeemer Lutheran Church

November 17, 2024 – 26^th Sunday after Pentecost

November begins with All Saints Day and ends in or near Advent, when we anticipate Christ’s coming again. It is fitting, then, that the readings today tell of the final resurrection and the end time. In the turmoil of hope, fear, and disbelief that these predictions provoke in us, Hebrews sounds a note of confident trust. Christ makes a way for us where this is no way, and we walk in confidently, our hearts and bodies washed in baptismal water, trusting the one who has promised forgiveness. The more we see the last day approaching, the more important it is to meet together to provoke one another to love.

PRELUDE

PROCESSIONAL Be Still and Know Redeemer Choir

GREETINGS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

CALL TO WORSHIP The Steadfast Love Redeemer Choir

Redeemer’s Mission is to Grow in Faith.

The Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God.

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

P: Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, our refuge, our delight, our beginning and our end.

C: Amen.

P: Let us come in truth before the one who loves us and has freed us from our sin.

Silence is kept for reflection.

P: Eternal One, robed in majesty and mercy,

C: we confess that sin has taken hold of us and we are complicit in its power. We are disturbed in spirit and our hearts cannot rest. Unbind us and set us free. Lead us again to the waters of rebirth, that we may live just and generous lives for the good of your world and the care of our neighbors, following in the servant way of Jesus. Amen.

P: These words are trustworthy and true: Christ bore our sins once, for all, on the cross, swallowing up death forever. For his sake, you are forgiven and God remembers your sin no more. Let your heart be glad again, and rejoice in your salvation.

C: Amen.

GATHERING HYMN We Praise You, O God ELW 870

SALUTATION AND PRAYER OF THE DAY

P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

P: Almighty God, your sovereign purpose brings salvation to birth. Give us faith to be steadfast amid the tumults of this world, trusting that your kingdom comes and your will is done through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

C: Amen.

Please be seated.

SPECIAL MUSIC Down to the River to Pray Redeemer Choir

Redeemer’s Mission is to Proclaim Jesus Christ.

God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching and song

from the Old Testament, Psalms, and the New Testament.

FIRST READING Daniel 12:1-3

The book of Daniel is an example of apocalyptic literature, which is full of strange visions and symbolism. Arising during times of great persecution, apocalyptic literature is concerned with God’s revelation about the end time and the coming kingdom of God, when God will vindicate the righteous who have been persecuted.

¹ “At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. ² Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. ³ Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

The reader concludes: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM (responsively) Psalm 16

¹ Protect me, O God, for I take ref- ^| uge in you;
I have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, my good a- ^| bove all other.”
² All my delight is in the godly that are ^| in the land,
upon those who are noble a- ^| mong the people.
³ But those who run after ^| other gods
shall have their troubles ^| multiplied.
⁴ I will not pour out drink offerings ^| to such gods,
never take their names up- ^| on my lips.
⁵ O Lord, you are my portion ^| and my cup;
it is you who up- ^| hold my lot.
⁶ My boundaries enclose a ^| pleasant land;
indeed, I have a ^| rich inheritance.
⁷ I will bless the Lord who ^| gives me counsel;
my heart teaches me night ^| after night.
⁸ I have set the Lord al- ^| ways before me;
because God is at my right hand, I shall ^| not be shaken.
⁹ My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spir- ^| it rejoices;
my body also shall ^| rest in hope.
¹⁰ For you will not abandon me ^| to the grave,
nor let your holy one ^| see the pit.
¹¹ You will show me the ^| path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy, and in your right hand are pleasures for- ^| evermore.

SECOND READING Hebrews 10:11-25

Images of worship and sacrifice are used throughout Hebrews to highlight what Christ has uniquely accomplished through his death. Because we have received forgiveness through Christ’s death, we live with sincere hearts by trusting in God’s promises and encouraging love and good works from each other.

¹¹ Every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. ¹² But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” ¹³ and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” ¹⁴ For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. ¹⁵ And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,

¹⁶ “This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds,”
¹⁷ he also adds,
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
¹⁸ Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

¹⁹ Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The reader concludes: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Celtic Alleluia ELW 174

P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the thirteenth chapter.

GOSPEL Mark 13:1-8

In the last week of his life, Jesus warned his disciples concerning trials that were to come upon them and upon the world. He exhorts the listener: Do not be alarmed.

¹ As [Jesus] came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” ² Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

³ When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴ “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” ⁵ Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. ⁶ Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. ⁸ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.”

P: The Gospel of the Lord.

Please be seated.

MESSAGE Richard Hafer, Pastor

HYMN Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me ELW 767

APOSTLES’ CREED

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

I 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 to the dead. 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.

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.

Redeemer’s Mission is to Love All People.

Prayers on behalf of others

Rooted in God’s abundant love for the world, let us pray for our neighbors, the church, and all of creation.

A brief silence.

O God, in the washing of water you set us free from the power of sin and death. Unite all the baptized in the covenant you have made with us, as we strive for your justice and peace in all the earth. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

By your merciful might you sustain all creation. Stir us from complacency with the harm we inflict on the earth, and urge us to adopt sustainable ways of life that protect and restore our planet. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

With a selfless power you protect all who take refuge in you. As nations rise against nations, defend all who are displaced or affected by war or violence. Empower all people and nations to pursue peace. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

In your presence you give fullness of joy. Care for all for whom joy feels distant. Be present with persons experiencing depression, anxiety, addiction, or any mental illness. Bring them healing and wholeness. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Through the years you have gathered your church and this community for worship, fellowship, formation, and service. Enable us to look beyond the walls of our building to perceive where you are calling us forward. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

With thanksgiving we remember saints and angels who delight in your everlasting presence. As their lives inspire ours, provoke us always to love, holding fast to the confession of our hope in you. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

We pray that you remember those of our congregation who may be suffering physically, emotionally or spiritually. Please bring healing, peace and comfort to all those that we name in our hearts and minds. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

We pray that you watch over our first responders and military personnel and keep them safe, whether they are at home or overseas. Hold them in your loving hands and protect them as they protect us. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

P: We offer our prayers to you, gracious God, trusting in your boundless love for all that you have made, through Jesus Christ our Savior.

C: Amen.

OFFERING/ ANTHEM Back to the Church in the Wildwood Redeemer Choir

Please join in singing the offertory response.

OFFERTORY RESPONSE – Create In Me a Clean Heart

OFFERING PRAYER

P: Lord Jesus, our portion and our cup, you offered yourself in love for the world, and in this meal you nourish us with your life. Fill us with your abundance, that we may feed the hungry and welcome the stranger, trusting in your name.

C: Amen.

The Meal

God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ. All baptized Christians are invited to receive Holy Communion.

INVITATION TO COMMUNION

Speak to us, O Lord, in the breaking of the bread, and make us one with you.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION

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 in 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 in remembrance of me.

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.

Please be seated.

DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNION– Lamb of God

Please stand, if able.

P: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.

C: Amen.

SENDING OF COMMUNION

P: O God of tender compassion, as you healed the sick and welcomed the stranger, bless those who leave this assembly to share the gifts of

this table with our sisters and brothers who are sick, homebound, or imprisoned. May they be sustained by the love and prayers of this community, and by the Bread of life that satisfies all hunger, Jesus Christ our Lord.

C: Amen.

BENEDICTION

P: The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face shine on us and be gracious to us. The Lord look on us with favor and give us peace. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

C: Choral Amen.

SENDING HYMN O God, Our Help in Ages Past ELW 632

Redeemer’s Mission is to Proclaim Jesus Christ.

P: Go in peace. Encourage one another in Christ.

C: Thanks be to God.

November 10, 2024 – 25^th Sunday after Pentecost – Veterans Day

Widows are visible everywhere in today’s readings. Jesus denounces those scribes who pray impressive prayers but devour widows’ houses. He commends the poor widow who in his view gave far more than the major donors. Jesus doesn’t see her simply as an object of compassion or charity. She, like the widow of Zarephath who shares her last bit of food with Elijah, does something of great importance.

PRELUDE

PROCESSIONAL Eternal Father Strong to Save Redeemer Choir

GREETINGS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

CALL TO WORSHIP O Beautiful for Spacious Skies Redeemer Choir

Redeemer’s Mission is to Grow in Faith.

The Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God.

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

P: Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, our refuge, our delight, our beginning and our end.

C: Amen.

P: Let us come in truth before the one who loves us and has freed us from our sin.

Silence is kept for reflection.

P: Eternal One, robed in majesty and mercy,

C: Amen.

GATHERING HYMN This is My Song ELW 887

SALUTATION AND PRAYER OF THE DAY

P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

P: O God, you show forth your almighty power chiefly by reaching out to us in mercy. Grant us the fullness of your grace, strengthen our trust in your promises, and bring all the world to share in the treasures that come through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

C: Amen.

Redeemer’s Mission is to Proclaim Jesus Christ.

God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching and song

from the Old Testament, Psalms, and the New Testament.

FIRST READING 1 Kings 17:8-16

This chapter begins the story of Elijah. God sends a drought on Israel because of the sins of King Ahab. This passage depicts God’s saving acts not only on behalf of Elijah, but also on behalf of those who are associated with the prophet, even a foreigner, the widow of Zarephath.

⁸ The word of the Lord came to [Elijah,] saying, ⁹ “Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” ¹⁰ So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.” ¹¹ As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” ¹² But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” ¹³ Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.” ¹⁵ She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶ The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

The reader concludes: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM (responsively) Psalm 146

⁷ who gives justice to those who are oppressed, and food to ^| those who hunger.
The Lord sets the ^| captive free.
⁸ The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord lifts up those who ^| are bowed down;
the Lord ^| loves the righteous.
⁹ The Lord cares ^| for the stranger;
the Lord sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way ^| of the wicked.
¹⁰ The Lord shall ^| reign forever,
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. ^| Hallelujah!

SECOND READING Hebrews 9:24-28

The letter to the Hebrews describes Christ as a high priest who offers himself as a sacrifice for our sin. Christ does not die again and again each year. He died once, is alive with God, and will reveal himself on the last day.

²⁴ Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. ²⁵ Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; ²⁶ for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, ²⁸ so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

The reader concludes: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Celtic Alleluia ELW 174

P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the twelfth chapter.

GOSPEL Mark 12:38-44

After engaging in a series of public arguments with religious leaders in the temple, Jesus contrasts the proud and oppressive ways of those leaders with the sacrificial humility and poverty of the widow.

³⁸ As [Jesus] taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, ³⁹ and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! ⁴⁰ They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

⁴¹ He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴² A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. ⁴³ Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. ⁴⁴ For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

P: The Gospel of the Lord.

MESSAGE David Allman, Pastor

HYMN Faith of Out Father ELW 812

APOSTLES’ CREED

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

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.

OFFERING Our Heritage of Faith Redeemer Choir

Please join in singing the offertory response.

OFFERTORY RESPONSE – Create In Me a Clean Heart

OFFERING PRAYER

C: Amen.

Redeemer’s Mission is to Love All People.

Prayers on behalf of others

Rooted in God’s abundant love for the world, let us pray for our neighbors, the church, and all of creation.

A brief silence.

Renew your church, O God. Make us servants to one another for the sake of the gospel. Instill a heart for service and a passion for justice in our bishops, deacons, pastors, and lay leaders. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Renew your creation, O God. Sustain the earth and seas and all that is in them. Kindle in us a reverent awe for all creatures great and small, and strengthen us in our pursuit of climate justice. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Renew the nations, O God. Heal our nation’s veterans from the unseen wounds of war. Tend to their trauma and soothe burdened consciences. Guide leaders of the world to end conflicts and pursue peace. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Renew your people, O God. Protect those in our communities who are vulnerable or ill. Accompany persons who are unemployed or underemployed, children who are in foster care, and those who live alone. Watch over and uphold them. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Renew this congregation, O God. Give us clarity in our mission and boldness in our witness. Bless our ministries that attend to basic needs of any who lack sufficient resources, that all may live with dignity. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

Happy are those whose help was in you. We give thanks for all your faithful ones who praised you as their God all their life long. As we eagerly wait for you, inspire us by their lives of service. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Renew this congregation, O God. We pray that you remember those of our congregation who may be suffering physically, emotionally or spiritually. Please bring healing, peace and comfort to all those that we name in our hearts and minds. God of grace, hear our prayer.

Renew your people, O God. We pray that you watch over our first responders and military personnel and keep them safe, whether they are at home or overseas. Hold them in your loving hands and protect them as they protect us. God of grace, hear our prayer.

P: We offer our prayers to you, gracious God, trusting in your boundless love for all that you have made, through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

GRACE, LOVE, & FELLOWSHIP

To be sung by the congregation

May the Grace of Christ, our Savior, and the love of God, our Father and the fellowship of the Spirit be with us.

May the Grace of Christ, our Savior, and the love of God, our Father and the fellowship of the Spirit be with us, forever and ever for evermore. Amen.

BENEDICTION

P: The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face shine on us and be gracious to us. The Lord look on us with favor and give us peace. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

C: Choral Amen.

SENDING HYMN God of Our Fathers LBW 567

Redeemer’s Mission is to Proclaim Jesus Christ.

P: Go in peace. Follow Jesus.

C: Thanks be to God.

November 3, 2024 – All Saints Sunday

Of all three years of the lectionary cycle, this year’s All Saints readings have the most tears. Isaiah and Revelation look forward to the day when God will wipe away all tears; in John’s gospel, Jesus weeps along with Mary and all the gathered mourners before he demonstrates his power over death. On All Saints Day we celebrate the victory won for all the faithful dead, but we grieve for our beloved dead as well, knowing that God honors our tears. We bring our grief to the table and find there a foretaste of Isaiah’s feast to come.

PRELUDE

PROCESSIONAL For All of Your Saints Redeemer Choir

GREETINGS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

CALL TO WORSHIP What a Day That Will Be Redeemer Choir

Redeemer’s Mission is to Grow in Faith.

The Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God.

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

P: Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, our refuge, our delight, our beginning and our end.

C: Amen.

P: Let us come in truth before the one who loves us and has freed us from our sin.

Silence is kept for reflection.

P: Eternal One, robed in majesty and mercy,

C: Amen.

GATHERING HYMN Rejoice In God’s Saints ELW 418

SALUTATION AND PRAYER OF THE DAY

P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

P: Almighty God, you have knit your people together in one communion in the mystical body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

Please be seated.

Commemoration of the faithful departed.

Memory Moment through music for our departed Choir Family.

SPECIAL MUSIC Our Hope Is in Jesus Redeemer Choir

Redeemer’s Mission is to Proclaim Jesus Christ.

God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching and song

from the Old Testament, Psalms, and the New Testament.

FIRST READING Isaiah 25:6-9

Isaiah sees a vision of the end of days, when God will gather all people on God’s holy mountain and will prepare for them a rich feast. At this banquet God will wipe the tears from all eyes. And there will be no more sorrow, for God will destroy death itself.

⁶ On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines,
of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.
⁷ And he will destroy on this mountain
the shroud that is cast over all peoples,
the sheet that is spread over all nations;
⁸ he will swallow up death forever.
Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces,
and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
⁹ It will be said on that day,
Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us.
This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

The reader concludes: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM (responsively) Psalm 24

¹ The earth is the Lord’s and all ^| that is in it,
the world and those who ^| dwell therein.
² For the Lord has founded it up- ^| on the seas
and established it up- ^| on the rivers.
³ Who may ascend the mountain ^| of the Lord,
and who may stand in God’s ^| holy place?
⁴ Those of innocent hands and puri- ^| ty of heart,
who do not swear on God’s being, nor do they pledge by ^| what is false.
⁵ They shall receive blessing ^| from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of ^| their salvation.
⁶ Such is the generation of those who seek ^| you, O Lord,
of those who seek your face, O ^| God of Jacob.
⁷ Lift up your heads, O gates; and be lifted up, O ever- ^| lasting doors,
that the King of glory ^| may come in.
⁸ Who is this ^| King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, might- ^| y in battle!
⁹ Lift up your heads, O gates; and be lifted up, O ever- ^| lasting doors,
that the King of glory ^| may come in.
¹⁰ Who is this ^| King of glory?
Truly, the Lord of hosts is the ^| King of glory.

SECOND READING Revelation 21:1-6a

Here is a vision of the new heaven and new earth in which God resides fully with God’s people so that mourning, despair, and pain have been eradicated. These renewing words from the God who spans all of time are trustworthy and true.

¹ I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ² And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

“See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
⁴ he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.”

⁵ And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ^6a Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.”

The reader concludes: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Celtic Alleluia ELW 174

P: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the eleventh chapter.

GOSPEL John 11:32-44

Through the raising of Lazarus, Jesus offers the world a vision of the life to come, when death and weeping will be no more.

³² When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” ³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. ³⁴ He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Jesus began to weep. ³⁶ So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” ³⁷ But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

³⁸ Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. ³⁹ Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” ⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” ⁴¹ So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. ⁴² I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” ⁴³ When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴ The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

P: The Gospel of the Lord.

Please be seated.

MESSAGE David Allman, Pastor

HYMN Shall We Gather at the River ELW 423

APOSTLES’ CREED

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

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.

Redeemer’s Mission is to Love All People.

Prayers on behalf of others

Rooted in God’s abundant love for the world, let us pray for our neighbors, the church, and all of creation.

A brief silence.

O God of resurrection, you call us by name and raise us to life. Rouse your church from slumber. Where we have held back in fear or shame, unbind us. Embolden us in our proclamation of your good news, that all may know abundant life. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

O God of creation, you have founded your world on rivers and seas. Preserve fresh water sources and the creatures who call them home. Heal places of pollution and nourish places of drought. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

O God of the earth, you reign over all nations and peoples. Inspire us with wisdom and discernment as we elect legislators and leaders. May they govern with justice and uphold the dignity of all people. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

O God of heaven, you make your home among mortals. Come alongside those who weep this day. Befriend all who are lonely, encourage those in despair, and heal any who are suffering. Abide with your faithful ones in love. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

O God who serves, you set before us a feast of rich food. Sustain our ministries of fellowship and hospitality. Strengthen the hands and hearts of all who prepare and serve food for our nourishment. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

O God, Alpha and Omega, we give thanks for your faithful ones who are now at peace with you. With all your saints, we praise you, for you have swallowed up death forever. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

O God who heals, we pray that you remember those of our congregation who may be suffering physically, emotionally or spiritually. Please bring healing, peace and comfort to all those that we name in our hearts and minds. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

O God who protects, we pray that you watch over our first responders and military personnel and keep them safe, whether they are at home or overseas. Hold them in your loving hands and protect them as they protect us. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

P: We offer our prayers to you, gracious God, trusting in your boundless love for all that you have made, through Jesus Christ our Savior.

C: Amen.

OFFERING

Please join in singing the offertory response.

OFFERTORY RESPONSE – Create In Me a Clean Heart

OFFERING PRAYER

P: Blessed are you, O God, source of every gift of your creation. By these gifts and with our lives, help us to serve one another and all in need, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

C: Amen.

The Meal

God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ. All baptized Christians are invited to receive Holy Communion.

INVITATION TO COMMUNION

Speak to us, O Lord, in the breaking of the bread, and make us one with you.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Please be seated.

DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNION– Lamb of God

Please stand, if able.

P: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.

C: Amen.

SENDING OF COMMUNION

P: O God of tender compassion, as you healed the sick and welcomed the stranger, bless those who leave this assembly to share the gifts of

C: Amen.

BENEDICTION

P: The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face shine on us and be gracious to us. The Lord look on us with favor and give us peace. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

C: Choral Amen.

SENDING HYMN Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones ELW 424

Redeemer’s Mission is to Proclaim Jesus Christ.

P: Go in peace. Encourage one another in Christ.

C: Thanks be to God.