St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church


 Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 9, 2010



Prelude Chorale Prelude on “St. Anne” Heinrich Fleischer
Welcome

We’re delighted to greet everyone in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who takes away our sin and offers grace to all people. If you are a guest, please fill out the Guest Form. If you’re looking for a meaningful ministry with which to become involved, you are encouraged to speak with the Pastor.

Gathering

(Please stand)
Brief Order for Confession & Forgiveness
 P We gather in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
 P God of all mercy and consolation, come to the help of your people, turning us from our sin
to live for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that we may confess our sin,
receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
C Amen.

(Please kneel)
Confession
 P 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.

Absolution
 P 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 ς Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.



 (Please stand)
Entrance Hymn O God, Our Help in Ages Past Hymn 632

Greeting

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.

Prayer of the Day
 P Bountiful God, you gather your people into your realm, and you promise us food from your tree
of life. Nourish us with your word, that empow ered by your Spirit we may love one another and
the world you have made, 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 sit)
Children’s Message (8:30 am)

Anthem (11:00 am) African Psalm Patrick M. Kiebergen
Alleluia Choir, Danelle A. Welzig, director

Word
Lesson (Please sit) Acts 16:9-15

A vision compels Paul to move his ministry into Greece. There he meets Lydia, an important person in the business community, whose heart has been opened by God to receive the gospel. Her conversion and baptism provide the impetus for the founding of the church at Philippi.

During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.

P The Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.



Psalmody Psalm 67




May God be merciful to us and bless us; may the light of God’s face shine upon us.
Let your way be known upon earth, your saving health among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity and guide all the nations on earth. R
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has brought forth its increase; God, our own God, has blessed us.
May God give us blessing, and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe. R

Lesson Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5

John’s vision of a new Jerusalem coming out of heaven provides continuity with God’s past actions. Yet in this new city, God’s presence replaces the temple, and the glory of God and the Lamb supplant sun and moon.

And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

P The Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.


(Please stand)
Gospel Acclamation




Gospel John 14:23-29
P The Holy Gospel according to Saint John, the fourteenth chapter.
C Glory to you, O Lord.

As Jesus talks of returning to the Father, he promises to send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who will teach Jesus’ followers and remind them of all that Jesus taught. Even more, those in whom God makes a home will experience a peace that overcomes fear.

Jesus answered him, “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. Whoever 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. I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But 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. Peace 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. You 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. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.

P The Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to you, O Christ.
(Please sit)
Sermon Dwelling in the Word Pastor Robert Wallace


(Please stand)
Hymn of the Day My Life Flows On in Endless Song Hymn 763

Order of St. Matthew’s Recognition (11:00 am)
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,
he 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 the life everlasting. Amen.

(Please kneel)
The Prayers of the People
The prayers conclude:
 P Receive our prayers, holy God, and give us all we need for this day and the days to come,
through the power of the Holy Spirit, and in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
C Amen.

(Please stand)
Peace
 P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.
(Please feel free to move about and share God’s Peace with one another!)


Meal
(Please sit)
Offering

Anthem Solo (8:30 am) Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me John Edgar Gold
Paul Bendt, baritone

Anthem (11:00 am) Peace I Leave With You Walter Pelz
Gallery Choir
(Please stand)


Offertory Thine Is the Glory Hymn 376
(Stanza 2)

Lo, Jesus meets thee, risen from the tomb!
Lovingly he greets thee, scatters fear and gloom;
let his church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing,
for the Lord now liveth; death hath lost its sting!
Thine is the glory, risen conqu’ring Son,
endless is the vict’ry thou o’er death hast won!
Offering Prayer

P 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.

The Great Thanksgiving Music on page 152
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 our thanks and praise.

Proper Preface

Sanctus Music on page 153

Holy, holy, holy Lord. Lord God of pow’r and might
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Words of Thanksgiving

P . . . as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
C Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
 P . . . Grace our table with your presence.
C Come Holy Spirit.
 P . . . Send us forth . . . peace and love.
C Come Holy Spirit.


Lord’s Prayer

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.

(Please sit)
Communion

All baptized Christians are invited to share in the Eucharist. Those who are not baptized,
or wish to receive only a blessing, are asked to fold their arms over their chest. Communion
will be by intinction (dipping). Please follow the usher’s direction. If you are not physically
able to come forward to receive communion, please inform the usher and someone will come
to you.

Music at Distribution

Agnus Dei Music on page 154

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.

Hymns 785, 490

(Please stand)
Post Communion Blessing and Prayer

P 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.
C Amen.


P The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord’s face shine on you with grace and mercy.
The Lord look upon you with favor and ςgive you peace.
C Amen.

Sending Hymn Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds Hymn 367



Dismissal

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

Postlude

__________________________________________



Music reproduced with permission by Augsburg Fortress.
Liturgies License # 23349







St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church * 405 King Street * Charleston, SC * 29403
843.723.1611
The Reverend Dr. Robert W. Wallace, Pastor