The Fifth Sunday in Lent
Preservice Music
“Ode to Joy”
Kathryn Keith, piano
Prelude
“The Lamb”
Gathering
Entrance Hymn #97 (green hymnal)
“Christ, the Life of All the Living”
1 Christ, the life of all the living,
Christ, the death of death, our foe,
Christ, yourself for me once giving
to the darkest depths of woe:
through your suff’ring, death, and merit
life eternal I inherit.
Thousand, thousand thanks are due,
dearest Jesus, unto you.
2 You have suffered great affliction
and have borne it patiently,
even death by crucifixion,
fully to atone for me;
for you chose to be tormented
that my doom should be prevented.
Thousand, thousand thanks are due,
dearest Jesus, unto you.
3 Then, for all that bought my pardon,
for the sorrows deep and sore,
for the anguish in the garden,
I will thank you evermore;
thank you for the groaning, sighing,
for the bleeding and the dying,
for that last triumphant cry,
praise you evermore on high.
Greeting and Prayer of the Day
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.
P: Let us pray.
Creator God, you prepare a new way in the wilderness, and your grace waters our desert. Open our hearts to be transformed by the new thing you are doing, that our lives may proclaim the extravagance of your love given to all through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
The Word
Blessing of the Lector
P: Even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart. Return to the Lord, your God, who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
Let us pray.
Bless Sherry, O God of mercy, and bless us as we listen to the words of the scriptures. May they touch our hearts and lead us to return to you, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21
16 Thus says the LORD,
who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
17 who brings out chariot and horse,
army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
18 Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
19 I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
20 The wild animals will honor me,
the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
21 the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.
The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Second Reading: Philippians 3:4b-14
Paul writes: 4b If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
LBW Setting I
(green hymnal, p. 62)
Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and abounding in steadfast love.
The Holy Gospel: John 12:1-8
LBW Setting I
(green hymnal, p. 63)
P: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the 12th chapter.
C: Glory to you, O Lord.
1 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
P: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ.
Children’s Sermon
Sermon
Silence for reflection and meditation
Hymn of the Day #95 (green hymnal)
“Glory Be to Jesus”
1 Glory be to Jesus,
who, in bitter pains,
poured for me the lifeblood
from his sacred veins.
2 Grace and life eternal
in that blood I find;
blest be his compassion,
infinitely kind.
3 Blest through endless ages
be the precious stream
which from endless torment
did the world redeem.
4 Abel’s blood for vengeance
pleaded to the skies;
but the blood of Jesus
for our pardon cries.
5 Oft as earth exulting
wafts its praise on high,
angel hosts rejoicing
make their glad reply.
6 Lift we then our voices,
swell the mighty flood;
louder still and louder
praise the precious blood.
Holy Baptism
Presentation
The candidate for baptism, sponsors, and parents gather with the ministers at the font. The assembly is seated.
P: God, who is rich in mercy and love, gives us a new birth into a living hope through the sacrament of baptism. By water and the Word God delivers us from sin and death and raises us to new life in Jesus Christ. We are united with all the baptized in the one body of Christ, anointed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, and joined in God’s mission for the life of the world.
The timing of Piper’s baptism is truly special, for today is the birthday of Piper’s great-grandmother, Doris Anne Minton, who was born to eternal life in 2021. Today we celebrate the new birth and eternal life that Piper LeeAnne will share with her great-grandmother, Doris Anne Minton, her grandmother Becky Lee Betsch, after whom Piper is so named, and all the Saints whom God has promised salvation in baptism through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Who presents this child for baptism?
Sponsors present the candidate:
I do.
The presiding minister addresses the parents:
P: Called by the Holy Spirit, trusting in the grace and love of God, do you desire to have your child baptized into Christ?
Parents: I do.
P: As you bring your child to receive the gift of baptism, you are entrusted with responsibilities:
to live with her among God’s faithful people,
bring her to the word of God and the holy supper,
teach her the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments,
place in her hands the holy scriptures,
and nurture her in faith and prayer,
so that your child may learn to trust God,
proclaim Christ through word and deed,
care for others and the world God made,
and work for justice and peace.
Do you promise to help your child grow in the Christian faith and life?
Parents: I do, and I ask God to help and guide me.
The presiding minister addresses the sponsors:
P: Sponsors, do you promise to nurture this person in the Christian faith as you are empowered by God’s Spirit, and to help her live in the covenant of baptism and in communion with the church?
Sponsors: I do, and I ask God to help and guide me.
The presiding minister addresses the assembly:
P: People of God, do you promise to support Piper LeeAnne and pray for her in her new life in Christ?
C: We do.
The assembly stands.
Profession of Faith
The presiding minister addresses the candidate and assembly.
P: I ask you to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, reject sin, and confess the faith of the church.
Do you renounce the devil and all the forces that defy God?
Response: I renounce them.
P: Do you renounce the powers of this world that rebel against God?
Response: I renounce them.
P: Do you renounce the ways of sin that draw you from God?
Response: I renounce them.
The presiding minister addresses the candidates and the assembly.
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, 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 into hell.
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.
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.
Thanksgiving at the Font
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 our thanks and praise.
P: We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and by your Word you created the world, calling forth life in which you took delight. Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family, and through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom. At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. By the baptism of Jesus’ death and resurrection you set us free from the power of sin and death and raise us up to live in you.
Pour out your Holy Spirit, the power of your living Word, that those who are washed in the waters of baptism may be given new life. To you be given honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
C: Amen.
The assembly may be seated.
Baptism
P: Piper LeeAnne, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
You belong to Christ, in whom you have been baptized.
Alleluia.
Clothed with Christ in baptism, the newly baptized receives a baptismal garment.
P: Let us pray.
We give you thanks, O God, that through water and the Holy Spirit you give your daughters and sons new birth, cleanse them from sin, and raise them to eternal life.
Sustain Piper LeeAnne with the gift of your Holy Spirit: 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, both now and forever.
C: Amen.
The presiding minister marks the sign of the cross on the forehead of the baptized. As the sign of the cross is made, the minister says:
P: Piper LeeAnne, child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.
C: Amen.
Welcome
A lighted candle may be given to the newly baptized as the assisting minister, representing the congregation, says:
A: Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Let us welcome the newly baptized.
C: We welcome you into the body of Christ and into the mission we share: join us in giving thanks and praise to God and bearing God’s creative and redeeming word to all the world.
Special Music
“God’s Own Child, I’ll Gladly Say It”
Robert E. Voelker
Prayers of Intercession
A: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.
After each petition:
A: Lord, in your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
After the last petition:
A: Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
The Peace
P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: And also with you.
Offertory
“Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God”
(green hymnal, p. 96)
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with your free Spirit.
Offering Prayer
A: Let us pray.
God our provider, you have not fed us with bread alone, but with words of grace and life. Bless us and these your gifts, which we receive from your bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
The Meal
The Great Thanksgiving
LBW Setting II
(green hymnal, p. 88)
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 that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, through Christ our Lord. You bid your people cleanse their hearts and prepare with joy for the paschal feast. Renew our zeal in faith and life, and bring us to the fullness of grace that belongs to the children of God. And so, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Sanctus
LBW Setting II
(green hymnal, p. 89)
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
Lord God of pow’r and might:
Heav’n 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.
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 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: 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.
Doxology
LBW Setting II
(green hymnal, p. 91)
Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
P: Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray:
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
P: You have died and risen with Christ: enjoy the fruits of His labor.
Agnus Dei
LBW Setting II
(green hymnal, p. 92)
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, grant us peace.
Communion
P: The body of Christ, broken for you.
The blood of Christ, shed for you.
All eat bread and drink wine or juice at their seat.
Communion Hymn #211 (green hymnal)
“Here, O My Lord, I See Thee” v. 1-3, 5
1 Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face;
here would I touch and handle things unseen;
here grasp with firmer hand the eternal grace,
and all my weariness upon thee lean.
2 Here would I feed upon the bread of God,
here drink with thee the royal wine of heav’n;
here would I lay aside each earthly load,
here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiv’n.
3 This is the hour of banquet and of song;
this is the heav’nly table spread for me;
here let me feast and, feasting, still prolong
the brief bright hour of fellowship with thee.
5 Mine is the sin, but thine the righteousness;
mine is the guilt, but thine the cleansing blood;
here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace:
thy blood, thy righteousness, O Lord, my God.
Table Blessing
P: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
C: Amen.
Prayer after Communion
A: Let us pray.
Compassionate God, you have fed us with the bread of heaven. Sustain us in our Lenten pilgrimage: may our fasting be hunger for justice; our alms, a making of peace; and our prayer, the song of grateful hearts, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
C: Amen.
The Sending
Announcements for God’s Mission in the World
Blessing
P: You are what God made you to be: created in Christ Jesus for good works, chosen as holy and beloved, freed to serve your neighbor.
God bless you ☩ that you may be a blessing, in the name of the holy and life‐giving Trinity.
C: Amen.
Closing Hymn #73 (maroon hymnal)
“Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross” (v. 1, 3-4)
1 Jesus, keep me near the cross,
there’s a precious fountain;
free to all, a healing stream
flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.
Refrain
In the cross, in the cross
be my glory ever;
till my ransomed soul shall find
rest beyond the river.
3 Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
bring its scenes before me;
help me walk from day to day
with its shadow o’er me. Refrain
4 Near the cross I’ll watch and wait,
hoping, trusting ever,
till I reach the golden strand
just beyond the river. Refrain
Dismissal
A: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Postlude
“Precious Lord, Take My Hand”
Worship Leaders
The Rev. Emily Beckering, Pastor
Kris Keith, Music Director
Kate Wollenburg, Organist
Cindy Mayhugh, Assisting Minister
Sherry Bronner, Reader
Collection for Ukraine Relief
The Social Concerns committee is collecting donations to Matthew 25: Ministries for Ukrainian refugee aid. Please see below for a list of requested items. Matthew 25: also accepts monetary donations through their website, or by check at Matthew 25: Ministries, 11060 Kenwood Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242.
Personal care products: Antibacterial soap, hand sanitizer, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, body wash, deodorant, lotion, feminine hygiene items, etc.
Paper products: Toilet paper, paper towels, etc.
First‐aid items: Bandages, gauze, pads, first aid tape, antiseptic creams, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, latex gloves, instant cold packs, etc.
Upcoming Events
April 3: Fifth Sunday in Lent
**Deadline to bring Easter Candy**
9 am Sunday School / Adult Forum
10:30 am Worship Service with Baptism
After Worship: Baptism Reception
After Worship: Evangelism Committee
Monday, April 4
Organ tuning in sanctuary
5:30 pm Confirmation Class
Tuesday, April 5
10 am CISA Emergency Preparedness Webinar
Wednesday, April 6
6 pm Bell choir rehearsal
Thursday, April 7
10:30 am Bible Study
Saturday, April 9
10 am Celebration of Life for Steve Huitger
4 pm Community Easter Egg Hunt
April 10: Palm Sunday
9 am Sunday School / Adult Forum
10:30 am Worship Service
After Worship: Organ Task Force Round Table
Wednesday, April 13
6 pm Bell choir rehearsal
Thursday, April 14: Maundy Thursday
7 pm Worship Service
Friday, April 15: Good Friday
12 pm Worship Service: Seven Last Words of Christ
7 pm Worship Service: Veneration of the Cross
Sunday, April 17: Easter Day
9 am Easter Breakfast
10:30 am Worship Service
After Worship: Easter Egg Hunt
Copyright Notices
The Lamb: Text and music by Gerald Patrick Coleman © 1987 MorningStar Music Publishers, St. Louis, MO. All rights reserved.
God’s Own Child, I’ll Gladly Say It: Text by Robert E. Voelker © 1991 Northwestern Publishing House.
Here, O My Lord, I See Thee: Arr. © 1969 Concordia Publishing House.
Precious Lord, Take My Hand: Text by Thomas A. Dorsey and music by George N. Allen © 1938, 1966 Unichappell Music Inc., admin. Alfred Publishing.
Hymns/anthems: Music reprinted and streamed by permission under ONE LICENSE #A‐726103 and CCLI Licenses #21045423 and #21045416. All rights reserved.
Liturgical texts and service music: From SundaysandSeasons.com. Copyright © 2022 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS010308.