Virtual Worship for May 30, 2021

 The Holy Trinity

The congregation reads the boldface responses 

PRELUDE
Here I Am Lord, Dan Schulte

GATHERING

ANNOUNCEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

When we say God is the triune God, we are saying something about who God is beyond, before, and after the universe: that there is community within God. Our experience of this is reflected in Paul’s words today. When we pray to God as Jesus prayed to his Abba (an everyday, intimate parental address), the Spirit prays within us, creating between us and God the same relationship Jesus has with the one who sent him.

The congregation stands. 

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

Blessed be the holy Trinity,☩ one God,
the God of manna,
the God of miracles,
the God of mercy.
Amen.

Drawn to Christ and seeking God’s abundance,
let us confess our sin.

Silence is kept for reflection.

God, our provider,
help us.
It is hard to believe there is enough to share.
We question your ways when they differ from the ways
of the world in which we live.
We turn to our own understanding
rather than trusting in you.
We take offense at your teachings and your ways.
Turn us again to you.
Where else can we turn?
Share with us the words of eternal life
and feed us for life in the world.
Amen. 

Beloved people of God:
in Jesus, the manna from heaven,
you are fed and nourished.
By Jesus, the worker of miracles,
there is always more than enough.
Through Jesus, ☩ the bread of life,
you are shown God’s mercy:
you are forgiven and loved into abundant life.
Amen.

The congregation is seated. 

GATHERING HYMN
Holy God, We Praise Your Name (ELW 414) v. 1, 2, 4 
Vocalist: Paula Willard 

1.   Holy God, we praise your name;
Lord of all, we bow before you.
All on earth your scepter claim,
all in heav'n above adore you.
Infinite your vast domain,
everlasting is your reign. 

2.   Hark! The glad celestial hymn
angel choirs above are raising;
cherubim and seraphim,
in unceasing chorus praising,
fill the heav'ns with sweet accord:
"Holy, holy, holy Lord!" 

4.   Holy Father, holy Son,
Holy Spirit, three we name you,
though in essence only one;
undivided God we claim you
and, adoring, bend the knee\
while we own the mystery.

Text: source unknown; tr. Clarence A. Walworth, 1820-1900 

The congregation stands. 

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 

God of heaven and earth, before the foundation of the universe and the beginning of time you are the triune God: Author of creation, eternal Word of salvation, life-giving Spirit of wisdom. Guide us to all truth by your Spirit, that we may proclaim all that Christ has revealed and rejoice in the glory he shares with us. Glory and praise to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.

The congregation is seated.

WORD
FIRST READING
Isaiah 6:1-8

A reading from Isaiah.

This reading narrates Isaiah’s vision of the Lord surrounded by angels. They sing “Holy, holy, holy,” a song the church sings at the beginning of the great thanksgiving. This liturgical text invites the church and all creation to sing in praise of God’s glory. That glory is God’s mercy toward sinners.

1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3And one called to another and said: 
 “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
 the whole earth is full of his glory.”

4The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. 5And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

6Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” 8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

PSALMODY
Psalm 29
(Read responsively.) 

Ascribe to the Lord, you gods,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
         Ascribe to the Lord the glory due God’s name;
        worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders;
the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
       The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice;
       the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor. 
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
       the Lord makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
       and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord
bursts forth in lightning flashes.
      The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
      the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 
The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe and strips the forests bare.
And in the temple of the Lord all are crying, “Glory!”
       The Lord sits enthroned above the flood;
      the Lord sits enthroned as king forevermore.

O Lord, give strength to your people;
give them, O Lord, the blessings of peace. 

 SECOND READING
Romans 8:12-17

A reading from Romans.

In describing the new life of faith, Paul refers to all three persons of the Trinity: the Spirit leads us to recognize that we are children of God the Father and joint heirs with Christ the Son.

Brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The congregation stands. 

GOSPEL
John 3:1-17

The holy gospel according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

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

The congregation is seated.

SERMON
Holy? Holy?? HOLY!!
Pastor Brown 

HYMN OF THE DAY
Come, All You People (ELW 819)
Vocalist: Paula Willard

1.   Come, all you people, come and praise the Most High;
come, all you people, come and praise the Most High;
come, all you people, come and praise the Most High;
come now and worship the Lord. 

2.   Come, all you people, come and praise the Savior;
come, all you people, come and praise the Savior;
come, all you people, come and praise the Savior;
come now and worship the Lord. 

3.   Come, all you people, come and praise the Spirit;
come, all you people, come and praise the Spirit;
come, all you people, come and praise the Spirit;
come now and worship the Lord. 

The congregation stands. 

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.

*Or, “he descended into hell,” another translation of this text in widespread use.

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

Let us come before the triune God in prayer.

A brief silence.

The response to “Lord, in your mercy,” is “hear our prayer.”

The prayers conclude:

We lift our prayers to you, O God, trusting in your abiding grace.
Amen.

The congregation is seated. 

MEAL

OFFFERING 

OFFERTORY
America the Beautiful, Ward/arr. Lanier
Trumpet Solo:  Devin Sinn

The congregation stands.

OFFERING PRAYER

Let us pray. Jesus, Bread of life,
you have set this table with your very self,
and called us to the feast of plenty.
Gather what has been sown among us,
and strengthen us in this meal.
Make us to be what we receive here,
your body for the life of the world. 
Amen.

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING 

DIALOGUE 

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.
You reveal your glory
as the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit:
equal in majesty, undivided in splendor, one Lord, one God,
ever to be adored in your eternal glory.
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 Lord,
God of power 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.

THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE 

You are indeed holy, almighty and merciful God.
You are most holy,
and great is the majesty of your glory.
You so loved the world that you gave your only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not perish
but have eternal life.
We give you thanks for his coming into the world
to fulfill for us your holy will
and to accomplish all things for our salvation. 

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.
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Remembering, therefore, his salutary command,
his life-giving passion and death, his glorious resurrection and ascension,
and the promise of his coming again,
we give thanks to you, O Lord God Almighty,
not as we ought but as we are able;
we ask you mercifully to accept our praise and thanksgiving
and with your Word and Holy Spirit to bless us, your servants,
and these your own gifts of bread and wine,
so that we and all who share in the body and blood of Christ
may be filled with heavenly blessing and grace,
and, receiving the forgiveness of sin,
may be formed to live as your holy people
and be given our inheritance with all your saints. 

To you, O God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be all honor and glory in your holy church, now and forever.
Amen, amen, 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

Christ has set the table with more than enough for all.
Come!

COMMUNION

Holy Communion will be distributed by the pastors as you leave the sanctuary.
Then giving the bread and cup, the pastors will say:

The body of Christ given and the blood of Christ shed for you.
and each person may respond: Amen. 

POST-COMMUNION BLESSING

The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. 

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Jesus, Bread of life,
We have received from your table
more than we could ever ask.
As you have nourished us in this meal,
now strengthen us to love the world with your own life.
In your name we pray.
Amen.

SENDIING

BLESSING

The blessing of God,
who provides for us, feeds us, and journeys with us,
☩ be upon you now and forever.
Amen.

The congregation is seated.
You will be dismissed by the ushers after the dismissal. 

SENDING HYMN
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! (ELW 413)
Vocalist: Paula Willard  

1.   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! 

2.   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. 

3.   Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye of sinfulness thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in pow'r, in love and purity. 

4.   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! 

Text: Reginald Heber, 1783-1826, alt.

DISMISSAL

Go in peace. You are the body of Christ.
Thanks be to God. 

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