PRESERVICE MUSIC
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
P: Friends in Christ, in this Lenten season we have heard our Lord’s call to struggle against sin, death, and the devil—all that keeps us from loving God and each other. This is the struggle to which we were called at baptism.
Within the community of the church, God never wearies of forgiving sin and giving the peace of reconciliation. On this night let us confess our sin against God and our neighbor and enter the celebration of the great Three Days reconciled with God and with one another.
Silence is kept for reflection and self-examination.
Most merciful God,
C: we confess that we are captive to sin
and cannot free ourselves.
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 neighbors as ourselves.
For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us.
Forgive us, renew us, and lead us,
so that we may delight in your will
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your holy name. Amen
L: God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. In the name of ☩ Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Almighty God strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may live in your hearts through faith.
C: Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY (Read in unison)
Holy God, source of all love, on the night of his betrayal, Jesus gave us a new commandment, to love one another as he loves us. Write this commandment in our hearts, and give us the will to serve others as he was the servant of all, your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
READINGS
Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14
1The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. 3Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. 4If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. 11This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the Lord. 12For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. 14This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.
Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 (Read responsively)
1I love the Lord, who has heard my voice, and listened to my supplication, 2for the Lord has given ear to me whenever I called. 12How shall I repay the Lord for all the good things God has done for me? 13I will lift the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. 14I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all God’s people. 15Precious in your sight, O Lord, is the death of your servants. 16O Lord, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the child of your handmaid; you have freed me from my bonds. 17I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon the name of the Lord. 18I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all God’s people, 19in the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
23For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Holy Gospel: John 13:1-17, 31b-35
P: The Holy Gospel according to John.
C: Glory to you O Lord.
1Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper 3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” 11For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. 14So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” 31b“Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
P: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON
HYMN OF THE DAY: 358 Great God, Your Love Has Called Us
STATEMENT OF FAITH: THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 to the dead; on the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and 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 life everlasting. Amen
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
P: Merciful God,
C: receive our prayer.
PEACE
Please share a sign of peace with those around in whatever way you are most comfortable.
P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: And also with you.
OFFERING
We join Christians all over the world in worshipping God through our giving of financial resources. For members and friends, the mission and ministry of this congregation is completely dependent upon your generous giving. Our offering is a significant act of worship, and we now worship God through our giving. If you have brought your offering with you today, please place it in the basket in the back as you leave. You may send your giving to the church office or give through the link on our website. Thank you for supporting our ministry.
HOLY COMMUNION
P: All who hunger and thirst, come. The table is ready.
C: We are here because Jesus Christ has died; Jesus Christ has risen; and Jesus Christ will come again.
P: The risen Christ is present in bread and wine.
C: We are the body of Christ who wish to celebrate his resurrection presence among us. Holy God, we thank you for your perfect plan to save all humankind from death and sin. We praise you for the saving action of Jesus Christ and his gift of forgiveness.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION (In the night in which he was betrayed . . . )
P: Come, Holy Spirit, and gather us together as your forgiven people who feast together in resurrection celebration of the One who has come among us and the One who will come again.
C: Amen!
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.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Here is food and drink for the journey.
Take and be filled.
SHARING THE MEAL
COMMUNION HYMN: 708 Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us With Your Love
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
P: Lord Jesus, in a wonderful sacrament you strengthen us with the saving power of your suffering, death, and resurrection. May this sacrament of your body and blood so work in us that the fruits of your redemption will show forth in the way we live, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
STRIPPING OF THE ALTAR
After Communion the service concludes with the stripping of the altar. Please sit if you are not participating in the stripping.
All leave in silence when the altar is bare.
The service continues Good Friday. Our service will begin at 1 pm at the Fountain Lutheran Church.
EASTER SERVICE SCHEDULE
8:30 am Fountain Lutheran Church
10:15 am Grace Lutheran Church. Elroy
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