Easter 6
Sunday, May 22, 2022
PRELUDE “Come Down, O Love Divine” arr. Charles Callaha
GATHERING
The Holy Spirit calls us together as people of God.
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
In the name of the Father,
and of the ☩ Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Most merciful God, 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.
In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
GATHERING SONG “Come Down, O Love Divine” ELW 804
GREETING
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.
CANTICLE OF PRAISE “Glory To God in the Highest”
PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. O God of life, you reach out to us amid our fears with the wounded hands of your risen Son. By your Spirit’s breath revive our faith in your mercy, and strengthen us to be the body of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
WORD
God speaks to us in scripture, preaching and song.
CHILDREN’S TIME
Dismiss to Children’s Chapel
FIRST READING: Acts 16:9-15
A reading from Acts.
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
PSALM: Psalm 67;
1May God be merciful to us and bless us;
may the light of God’s face shine upon us.
2Let your way be known upon earth,
your saving health among all nations.
3Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity and guide all the nations on earth. R
5Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
6The earth has brought forth its increase;
God, our own God, has blessed us.
7May God give us blessing,
and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe. R
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Gospel: John 14:23-29
The holy gospel according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
23Jesus answered [Judas (not Iscariot),] “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
25“I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.”
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON Pastor Eric Trozzo
HYMN OF THE DAY “When Peace, Like a River” ELW 785
NICENE CREED
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.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Response after each prayer: hear our prayer.
PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
MOMENT FOR MISSION Diakonia Program
Diakonia is a lay education program organized by the New Jersey Synod that provides spiritual formation to those wishing to deepen their understanding of the faith so that they might become empowered servants of the Lord. The program consists of 12 courses spread over 2 years. We will now receive our offering.
ANTHEM
Come to the Water of Life Ray Makeever
All who are thirsty for mercy,
All who are thirsty for love;
All who are thirsty for love, for mercy
Come, come to the Water of life.
All who are thirsty for healing,
All who are thirsty for touch…
All who are thirsty for beauty,
All who are thirsty for truth…
All who are thirsty for justice,
All who are thirsty for peace…
OFFERING 379 Now the Green Blade Rises, verse 1
Now the green blade rises from the buried grain,
wheat that in dark earth many days has lain;
love lives again, that with the dead has been;
love is come again like wheat arising green.
OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. Blessed are you, O God, ruler of heaven and earth. Day by day you shower us with blessings. As you have raised us to new life in Christ, give us glad and generous hearts, ready to praise you and to respond to those in need, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
MEAL
God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ
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.
PREFACE
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God,
through our Savior Jesus Christ.
You call your people to cleanse their hearts
and prepare with joy for the paschal feast,
that, renewed in the gift of baptism,
we may come to the fullness of your grace.
And so, with all the choirs of angels,
with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY 
THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE
You are indeed holy, almighty and merciful God.
You are most holy,
and great is the majesty of your glory.
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 for the 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 for the remembrance of me.
For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup,
we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
To you, O God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be all honor and glory in your holy church, now and forever.
LORD’S PRAYER
Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to 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 forever. Amen.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
The gifts of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.
HYMNS DURING COMMUNION
“Like the Murmur of the Dove’s Song” ELW 403
“My Life Flows on in Endless Song” ELW 763
“O Blessed Spring” ELW 447
POST-COMMUNION BLESSING
May the body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in God’s grace. Amen
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Let us pray. Life-giving God, in the mystery of Christ’s resurrection you send light to conquer darkness, water to give new life, and the bread of life to nourish your people. Send us forth as witnesses to your Son’s resurrection, that we may show your glory to all the world, through Jesus Christ, our risen Lord. Amen.
SENDING
God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world.
BLESSING
May the strength of God sustain us; may the power of God preserve us; may the hands of God protect us; may the way of God direct us; may the love of God go with us this day and forever. Amen.
SENDING SONG “Love Divine, All Love’s Excelling” ELW 631
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Christ is with you. Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE “Fanfare” – Jacques Lemmens
Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds arr. Paul Manz