The Second Sunday in Easter
April 24, 2022
The Rev. Joshua Heimbuck, Pastor
+ SECOND SUNDAY of EASTER +
24 April 2022
WELCOME
A warm welcome to all who worship here this morning, especially to our guests and visitors. May this hour of worship make us eager to share in the proclamation of the Good News of God’s love in Christ as we enter another week of witness and service. Guests and visitors, if you are worshiping with us for the first time, please honor us by signing our Guest Book in the entrance hall of the church as you leave. Do join us for a cup of coffee after this morning’s worship and let us become better acquainted with you as you get to know us better. Come to worship with us again and often!
AS WE GATHER Believe It or Not
Some things seem almost too good to be true. People sometimes pinch themselves to make sure they are not sleeping and dreaming when they hear or experience something so wonderful that it is almost unbelievable. The resurrection of Jesus is such an event – it is so good and powerful that we may have difficulty believing and living the reality of the resurrected life that he gives to us. Peter and the other apostles couldn’t help themselves – they had to keep telling people about Jesus’ glorious resurrection. Thomas, who missed Jesus’ first appearance to the gathered disciples after his resurrection, refused to believe until he himself was confronted by Jesus. Those of us who have been confronted with the risen Lord Jesus in Word and Sacrament respond in belief, in praise, and in sharing the Good News with others.
PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP
Lord God, you have surrounded us with so great a cloud of witnesses. Grant that we, encouraged by their example, may persevere in the way of faith that is set before us to be living signs of the Gospel and at last, with all your saints, to share in your eternal joy; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ THE ORDER of CELEBRATING +
Haugen Setting
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
WELCOME
PRELUDE Jubilate Deo — by Anthony Giamanco, Tatsiana Ascheichyk, Piano
480 He’s Risen, He’s Risen
INVOCATION & CONFESSION
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ.
We were baptized so that we might have a new life, as Christ was raised
to life by the glory of God the Father.
Therefore, let us confess our sins to God so that we may be prepared to greet our ever-living King when he comes with clouds in great glory.
+ A Brief Silence for Reflection +
Almighty and most merciful God, we are dead in trespasses and sin; we have no power to rise. We have offended your majesty and defied your divinity; we have brought death and darkness where you once said, “Let there be light.” We deserve the doom that you have decreed. For Jesus’ sake, we implore you: forgive our sins, so that we may receive, and share, the promised peace our Lord has promised. Let us be raised with Christ to newness of life.
Thus, it is written, that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins must be proclaimed in his Name. That word is now proclaimed to you. For his sake and by his authority, I declare to you the full forgiveness of all your sins in the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Forgiven and reconciled by God, let us be reconciled with one another and share the peace of our Lord as we greet one another.
PASSING of PEACE
[The congregation is encouraged to share the peace of Christ and greet one another with the words: “The Lord’s peace be with you.” The response: “And also with you.”]
EASTER ACCLAMATION
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
We are risen to new life!
In Christ, we are risen indeed!
KYRIE See insert
NOW THE FEAST See insert
PRAYER of THE DAY
Almighty God, grant that we who have celebrated the Lord’s resurrection may by your grace confess in our life and conversation that Jesus is Lord and God; through the same Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
FIRST LESSON Acts 5:12-20
[Peter has been arrested for proclaiming the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection. His response to the charges of the high priest summarizes the Early Church’s proclamation of forgiveness of sin through repentance.]
Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
SECOND LESSON Revelation 1:4-8
[The book of Revelation recounts a mystical vision of the risen Christ, experienced by a Christian prophet named John. Here he describes Christ as a timeless redeemer, the beginning, the present, and the end of all times.]
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and make us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
SPECIAL MUSIC Jesus Christ is Risen Today — by Anthony Giamanco, Tatsiana Ascheichyk, Piano
GOSPEL VERSE See insert
GOSPEL John 20:19-31
The Holy Gospel according to John, the 20th chapter.Glory to You, O Lord.
[The unprecedented events of the day of resurrection continue as the risen Jesus appears to his fearful disciples. A week later, after Thomas worships Jesus, Jesus pronounces that the blessings
of the resurrection are also for those who “have not seen and yet believe.”]
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked for
fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to You, O Christ.
720 We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight
HOMILY “My Lord and My God!” The Gospel
APOSTOLIC CREED
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His 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 into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence 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 THE CHURCH
THE OFFERINGS ARE BROUGHT FORWARD
OFFERING PRAYER
Gracious God, we praise you for your wonderful creation and your all-sustain-
ing love. Calm our anxiety over the needs of this life, that what we have freely received, we may freely give to the service of your Kingdom and the care of others in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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 him thanks and praise.
Holy God, mighty Lord, gracious Father, endless is your mercy and
eternal is your reign. You have filled all creation with light and life;
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
When sin scarred the world, you sent your Son to heal our ills and
to form us again as one.
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 which is 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.
Remembering his life and death, his resurrection and ascension, and his
command to love one another, we pray for his coming again.
Come, Lord Jesus, live in us that we may live in you.
Send now, we pray, your Spirit, that all your promises may come to us
and your whole creation.
Amen. Come, Holy Spirit.
Through him all glory and honor are yours, Almighty Father, with the Holy
Spirit, in your holy Church, both now and forever. Amen.
Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray:
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.
PAX DOMINI
The peace of the Lord be with you always. And also with you.
LAMB OF GOD See insert
DISTRIBUTION MUSIC See insert As the Grains of Wheat Once Scattered
PRAYER of THANKSGIVING
O God of love, you bind us to yourself in this sacrament, and strengthen
us through this meal for service to the world. Guide us by your Spirit that
we may forever give witness to the Name of Jesus Christ, the Lord of Life.
We ask this in his Name. Amen.
BLESSING
SONG See insert Thanks Be to You
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
+ With Great Joy … Tell Everyone What He Has Done! +
Grace Notes
ROOKIES-ANGELS GAME SCHEDULE — Week of April 24th – 30th:
Tuesday, April 26th at 5:30 pm — Walker Street - Field 4
Friday, April 29th at 5:30 pm — Walker Street – Field 4
ASHLAND EMERGENCY FOODBANK — Please consider volunteering at the Ashland Emergency Food Bank on Saturday, June 11. At least 6 volunteers will be needed (preferably more!) from about 9:00 am – 1:00 pm to help unload food during the Ashland Food Project bi-monthly drive. A sign-up sheet will be provided in the back of the sanctuary over the next few weeks.
SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY CLASS TIME CHANGE — Beginning Sunday, May 1st, Pastor Josh’ Bible study class start time will change to 8:45 am.
THE UKRAINE — Please keep the people of the Ukraine in your prayers.
THIS WEEK AT GRACE
TUESDAY the 26th: Women’s Bible Study 10:00 am
LWML 1:00 pm
WEDNESDAY the 27th: Choir Practice 7:00 pm
SUNDAY May 1st: Bible Study 8:45 am
Worship 10:00 am