Gathering

Thanksgiving for Baptism

P:         Alleluia!  Christ is risen.

C:         Christ is risen, indeed!  Alleluia!

Refreshed by the resurrection life we share in Christ, let us give thanks for the gift of baptism. 

Water is poured into the baptismal font.

We thank you, risen Christ, for these waters where you make us new, leading us from death to life, from tears to joy.

We bless you, risen Christ, that your Spirit comes to us in the grace-filled waters of rebirth, like rains to our thirsting earth, like streams that revive our souls, like cups of cool water shared with strangers.

Breathe your peace on your church when we hide in fear.  Clothe us with your mercy and forgiveness.  Send us companions on our journey as we share your life.

Make us one.

Cleanse our hearts.

Shower us with life.

To you be given all praise, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God, now and forever.  Amen.

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.

Prayer of the Day

Word

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the 8^th chapter.

Philip was one of seven followers of Jesus who was appointed to be a deacon by the apostles after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. Philip encounters an African God-fearing man and eunuch who was returning home from worshipping in Jerusalem.

An angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go towards the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) ²⁷So Philip got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship ²⁸and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join it.” ³⁰So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹The eunuch replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. ³²Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep led to the slaughter,
and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
³³In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”

³⁴The eunuch asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” ³⁵Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. 

³⁶As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?” ³⁸He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. ³⁹When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more and went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Word of God.  Word of Life.    Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation (sung together)                                          page 142

Alleluia, Lord to whom shall we go?

You have the words of eternal life.

Alleluia!  Alleluia!

Gospel

The holy gospel according to John, the 15^th chapter.

Glory to you, O Lord.

‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. ²He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. ³You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. ⁵I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

The Gospel of the Lord.  Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon     

Hymn of the Day                   O Blessed Spring                         # 447

 (Tune: O Waly Waly)

1.  O blessed spring, where word and sign embrace us into Christ the Vine:
   here Christ enjoins each one to be a branch of this life-giving Tree.

• Through summer heat of youthful years, uncertain faith, rebellious tears,
  sustained by Christ’s infusing rain, the boughs will shout for joy again.

• When autumn cools and youth is cold, when limbs their heavy harvest hold,
  then through us, warm, the Christ will move with gifts of beauty, wisdom, love.

• As winter comes, as winters must, we breathe our last, return to dust;
  still held in Christ, our souls take wing and trust the promise of the spring.

• Christ, holy Vine, Christ, living Tree, be praised for this blest mystery:
  that word and water thus revive and join us to your Tree of Life.

Text: Susan Palo Cherwein, b. 1953.  ©1993 Susan Palo Cherwien, admin. Augsburg Fortress.  Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-736296. All rights reserved.

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

Prayers

Peace

Meal

Offertory                                “Here Is Bread”                                  # 483

Here is bread, here is wine, Christ is with us, always with us.

Break the bread, taste the wine, Christ is with us here.

In this bread there is healing, in this cup is life forever.

In this moment, by the Spirit, Christ is with us here.

Offertory Prayer

The 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.

Eucharistic Prayer

Holy, living, and loving God, we praise you for creating the heavens and the earth.

We bless you for bringing Noah and his family through the waters of the flood, for freeing your people Israel from the bonds of slavery, and for sending Jesus to be our Redeemer.

We thank you for Jesus who, living among us, healed the sick, fed the hungry, and with a love stronger than death, gave his life for others.

Bread may be lifted up.

On the night in which he was betrayed, Jesus took bread, 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.”

Wine may be lifted up.

After supper he took a cup of wine, 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.”

Remembering, therefore, his life, death, and resurrection, we await your promised life for all this thirsty world.

Breathe your Spirit on us and on the bread and wine before us.  Carry us in your arms from death to life, that we may live as your chosen ones, clothed in the righteousness of Christ,

through whom are all glory and honour, now and forever.  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

Distribution

If you are in a group, you may serve one another.  If you are alone, you may serve yourself.  All use these or similar words:

The body of Christ, given for you.

The blood of Christ, shed for you.

Blessing              

Post-Communion Prayer

Sending

Announcements may be made.

Benediction       

Sending Hymn     “Alleluia! Jesus is Risen!”              # 377

1. Alleluia! Jesus is risen!  Trumpets resounding in glorious light!

Splendor, the Lamb, heaven forever!  Oh, what a miracle God has in sight!

Refrain:

Jesus is risen and we shall arise.

Give God the glory! Alleluia!

• Jesus the vine, we are the branches; life in the Spirit the fruit of the tree;

Heaven to earth, Christ to the people, gift of the future now flowing to me.  Refrain

• Weeping be gone; sorrow, be silent; death put asunder, and Easter is bright.

Cherubim sing: O grave, be open!  Clothe us in wonder, adorn us in light.  Refrain

• City of God, Easter forever, golden Jerusalem, Jesus the Lamb,

River of life, saints and archangels, sing with creation to God the I Am!  Refrain

Text: Herbert Brokering, b. 1926.  ©1995 Augsburg Fortress.  Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-736296. All rights reserved.

Dismissal

A:         You are the body of Christ raised up for the world.

Go in peace.  Share the good news.  Alleluia!

Thanks be to God.  Alleluia!