The 3rd Sunday after Pentecost
& Celebration of Baptism

Full Text of Service

Sunday, June 20, 2004

Full Text of the Service

Welcome to this house of worship this morning! We are happy that you have come to join us in worshiping our God and King. We worship the living God, who revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The teaching of God's Word becomes for us an opportunity to give more praise more deeply and more profoundly for the mighty works He continually does for and among us.

We welcome Leila Helena into the family of God!

Here I am, Daddy and Mama, a gift from the Lord up above,
To brighten your days with joy untold, and fill our home with love.
I'm tiny, precious and fragile, but made miraculously,
To fulfill God's plan for my life and be what He wants me to be.

Some say I look like you, Mom, other say more like Dad.
But I have distinct traits from both of you, whether that's good or bad.
I love it when you hold me securely in your strong arms,
You let me know you're my protector in this world with all it's harm.

Please teach me about my Creator, of all His amazing acts.
Show me the awe and wonder, not just the basic facts.
Tell me He loves me, even before I was born,
So much that He sent HIS Baby, to bear unspoken scorn.

And how He watched as His Child was put on a tree to die.
How sad it must have made Him, Mom and Dad, did He cry?
He must really love me, for my salvation He bought then,
To make sure I could go to heaven, and be forgiven of my sins.

By Beth Fisher

Prelude

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
Which wert and art and evermore shalt be.

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye made blind by sin thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in power, in love and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

P: O Lord, Triune God, you have called us together in your name.
C: O God the Father
P: it is your will that we look to you for all good things
C: O God the Son,
P: you gave yourself to be sacrificed that we might be renewed.
C: O God the Holy Spirit
P: you can renew us to a life of holiness and joy.
C: Amen.

P: Dear Lord, we come to you with an open heart and confess our sins to You and ask You to grant us forgiveness.

C: Dear Heavenly Father, I confess all my sins and wrong doings with which I have ever offended You. I deserve Your punishment always but I am very sorry for them and ask for Your mercy because of Your Son’s suffering and death.

P: Dear Lord, we come to you with an open heart and confess our sins to You and ask You to grant us forgiveness.

C: Dear Heavenly Father, I confess all my sins and wrong doings with which I have ever offended You. I deserve Your punishment always but I am very sorry for them and ask for Your mercy because of Your Son’s suffering and death.

(A time for silence)

P: As you have confessed, God in His love forgives you because of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

C: Send us forth now with clean hearts and minds to do Your work and be of service to You. Protect us in our ways and guide us in our steps. Amen.

P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C: And also with you.

Kyrie

P: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.

P: For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.

P: For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.

P: For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.

P: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
C: Amen.

P: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.
C: Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father;
We worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God:
You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
You are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you

P: Let us pray… Almighty God our Father, dwelling in majesty and mystery, renewing and fulfilling creation by your eternal Spirit, and revealing your glory through our Lord, Jesus Christ: Cleanse us from doubt and fear, and enable us to worship you, with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, living and reigning, now and forever.
C: Amen

God Speaks to Us

1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay injured; so he sent messengers, telling them, "Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury." 3But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Get up, go to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?' 4Now therefore thus says the LORD, 'You shall not leave the bed to which you have gone, but you shall surely die.'" So Elijah went. 5The messengers returned to the king, who said to them, "Why have you returned?" 6They answered him, "There came a man to meet us, who said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him: Thus says the LORD: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not leave the bed to which you have gone, but shall surely die.'" 7He said to them, "What sort of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?" 8They answered him, "A hairy man, with a leather belt around his waist." He said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite."
9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "O man of God, the king says, 'Come down.'" 10But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then fire came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. 11Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. He went up and said to him, "O man of God, this is the king's order: Come down quickly!" 12But Elijah answered them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 13Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. So the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and entreated him, "O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight. 14Look, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in your sight." 15Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, "Go down with him; do not be afraid of him." So he set out and went down with him to the king,
(Taken from: http://www.devotions.net/bible/00bible.htm)

ow before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. 24Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 26for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.
(Taken from: http://www.devotions.net/bible/00bible.htm)

Gospel Lesson: Luke 8:26-39

26Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me’— 29for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) 30Jesus then asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Legion’; for many demons had entered him. 31They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss. 32Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. 34When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 35Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. 37Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.
(Taken from: http://www.devotions.net/bible/00bible.htm)

Baptismal Hymn “We Were Baptized in Christ Jesus” (WOV # 698)”
(During the last two stanzas of the hymn, the candidates, sponsors and parents gather at the font)

We were baptized in Christ Jesus,
We were baptized in his death;
For as Christ was raised victorious,
We might live a brand new life.
And if we have been united In a dreadful death like his
We will all be reunited , for he lives.

In the water and the witness,
In the breaking of the bread,
In the waiting arms of Jesus Who is risen from the dead,
We have found a new beginning In the ashes of our past;
In the losing and the winning we hold fast.

Glory be to our Creator,
Glory be to Christ the Son,
Glory to the Holy Spirit,
Ever three and ever one.
As it was in the beginning, It will be as it was planned,
In a world that has no ending. Amen.

P: In Holy Baptism our gracious heavenly Father liberates us from sin and death by joining us to the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are born children of a fallen humanity; in the waters of Baptism we are reborn children of God and inheritors of eternal life. By water and the Holy Spirit we are made members of the Church which is the body of Christ. As we live with him and with his people, we grow in faith, love, and obedience to the will of God.

C: Amen

Sponsors: I present Leila Helena (Family name withheld)i to receive the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.

P: In Christian love you have presented this child for Holy Baptism. You should, therefore, faithfully bring her to the services of God’s house, and teach her the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments. As she grows in years, you should place in her hands the Holy Scriptures and provide for her instruction in the Christian faith, that, living in the covenant of her baptism and in the communion with the church, she may lead a godly life until the day of Jesus Christ.

Do you promise to fulfill these obligations?

Sponsors: I do.

P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.

P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

P: Holy God, mighty Lord, gracious Father: We give you thanks, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and you created heaven and earth. By the gift of water you nourish and sustain us and all living things.

Pour out your Holy Spirit, so that those who are baptized may be given new life. Wash away the sin of all those who are cleansed by this water and bring them forth as inheritors of your glorious kingdom.

To you be given praise and honour and worship through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
C: Amen

(The minister addresses the baptismal group and congregation)

P: I ask you to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, reject sin, and confess the faith of the Church, the faith in which we baptize.
Do you renounce all the forces of evil, the devil, and all his empty promises?
C: I do.

P: Do you believe in God the Father?
C: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

P: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
C: 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 into hell. 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.

P: Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
C: 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

(The minister baptizes the child.)

P: Leila Helena ...i,
I baptize you in the name of the Father,
Je te baptise, au nom du Père

P: and of the Son,
et du Fils

P: and of the Holy Spirit.
et du Saint-Esprit. Amen.

(The minister and the baptismal group go before the altar.)

P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.

(The minister lays hands on the head of the child and prays for the Holy Spirit.)

P: God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we give you thanks for freeing your sons and daughters from the power of sin and for raising them up to a new life through this holy sacrament. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Leila: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in your presence.
C: Amen

The minister marks the sign of the cross on the forehead of the baptized child.
As the sign of the cross is made, the minister says:

P: Leila Helena ...:, child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.
Sponsors: Amen.

A lighted candle is given to the sponsors of the child by a representative of the congregation who says:
Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

P: O God, the giver of all life, look with kindness upon the father and mother of this child. Let them ever rejoice in the gift you have given them. Make them teachers and examples of righteousness for their child. Strengthen them in their own Baptism so they may share eternally with their child the salvation you have given them, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen

(Stand. The minister and baptismal group turn towards the congregation.)

A representative of the congregation says:

Through Baptism God has made this new brother a member of the priesthood we all share in Christ Jesus, that we may proclaim the praise of God and bear his creative and redeeming Word to all the world.
C: We welcome you into the Lord’s family. We receive you as a fellow member of the body of Christ, child of the same heavenly Father, and a worker with us in the kingdom of God.

The minister exchanges the peace with the congregation

P: Peace be with you
C: Peace be with you

Hymn of the Day “To God Be The Glory"

To God be the glory, great things he has done;
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
Who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life-gate that all may go in.

Refrain: Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!
Oh, come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give him glory, great things he has done.

Oh, perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender by grace may believe,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receive. Refrain…….

Great things he has taught us, great things he has done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our victory, when Jesus we see. Refrain ……..

Message of the Day (Sermon):
The Full Text of the Pastor's Sermon is available: The Miracle of Faith

We Respond to God’s Word
Prayers:
P: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.
P: "Send us your Spirit, Lord."
C: "Come, Holy Spirit."
P: Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

We Respond to God’s Word

P: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.

P: "Send us your Spirit, Lord."
C: "Come, Holy Spirit."

P: Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Liturgy of the Holy Sacrament

Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord, and fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
that we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and the dreams of all; unite them with the prayers we offer now.
Grace our table with your presence, and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.

L; Merciful Father,
C: O Lord our God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts. With them we offer ourselves to your service and dedicate our lives to the care and redemption of all that you have made, for the sake of him who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

P: The Lord be with You
C: And also with you

P: Lift up your hearts
C: We lift them to the Lord.

P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
C: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

P: It is indeed right and salutary…we praise your name and join in your unending hymn:

C: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might:
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna, Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

P: Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth.
In mercy for our fallen world you gave your only Son, that all
those who believe in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
We give you thanks to you for the salvation you have prepared
for us through Jesus Christ.
Send now your Holy Spirit into our hearts, that we may receive
our Lord with a living faith as he comes to us in his holy supper.
C: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

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: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you
and all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this in remembrance of me.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; grant us peace.

Thank the Lord and sing his praise; tell everyone what he has done.
Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and proudly bear his name.
He recalls his promises and leads his people forth in joy
with shouts of thanksgiving, Alleluia, Alleluia.

L: Let us pray…Pour out upon us the spirit of your love, O Lord, and unite the wills of those whom you have fed with one heavenly food; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
C: Amen

Come, thou almighty King. Help us thy name to sing;
Help us to praise; Father all glorious, O’er all victorious,
Come and reign over us, Ancient of Days.

Come, thou incarnate Word, Gird on thy mighty sword;
Our prayer attend. Come and thy people bless, And give thy Word success,
And let thy righteousness On us descend.

Come, holy Comforter, Thy sacred witness bear
In this glad hour! Thou, who almighty art, Now rule in every heart,
And ne’er from us depart, Spirit of power.

To thee, great One in Three, Eternal praises be
Hence evermore! Thy soveriegn majesty May we in glory see,
And to eternity Love and adore.

P: Go in peace. Serve the Lord. Alleluia! Alleluia!
C: Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!