Prelude: Bell choir and organ, 'Divinum Mysterium'"

Welcome

Gathering

Thanksgiving for Baptism and Baptism of Eliza Grace Johnson

Pastor: Alleluia! Christ is risen.

Congregation: Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!

P: Blessed are you, holy God. You are the creator of the waters of the earth. You are the fire of rebirth. You poured out your Spirit on your people Israel. You breathe life into our dry bones. Your Son Jesus promised to send the Spirit to us that the world may know your peace and truth.

Pour out your Holy Spirit, and breathe new life into those who are here baptized. By your Spirit adopt us all as your children, through our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: 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.

Presentation

Profession of Faith

Baptism

P: 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.

The Word

First Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.”

Psalm: 104:24-34, 35b

How manifold are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

Yonder is the sea, great and wide, with its swarms too many to number, living things both small and great.

There go the ships to and fro, and Leviathan, which you made for the sport of it.

All of them look to you to give them their food in due season.

You give it to them; they gather it; you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.

When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.

You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; and so you renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the LORD endure forever; O LORD, rejoice in all your works.

You look at the earth and it trembles; you touch the mountains and they smoke.

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will praise my God while I have my being.

May these words of mine please God. I will rejoice in the LORD.

Bless the LORD, O my soul. Hallelujah!

Second Reading: Acts 2:1-21

Jesus’ disciples were celebrating a festival called Pentecost when suddenly a strong wind blew through the house. Everyone’s hair lifted up and there was an amazing noise! They looked at each other. It looked like each disciple had a flame of fire touching him, but no one was burned. The Holy Spirit had come, just as Jesus promised! The disciples began to speak in different languages! Languages they’d never learned! Stranger yet-they could understand each other! Peter stood up. “I want to tell you about Jesus.” He reminded everyone what Jesus taught them. He told them how Jesus died and lives again. “It’s time for us to begin a new life with God’s spirit guiding us,” Peter said. The disciples were excited to live differently, guided by God’s Spirit.

Gospel Reading

Gospel Acclamation

Gospel: John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15

P: The Holy Gospel according to John, the fifteenth chapter.

[Jesus said,] “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning….

“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

C: Glory to you, Oh Lord.

P: This concludes the Gospel of Our Lord.

C: Praise to you, Oh Christ.

Children's message

Sermon by Rev. Liz Kocher

Hymn of the Day: "Canticle of the Turning" ELW #723

Apostles’ Creed

P: With the whole church, let us confess what we believe.

C: 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 of the People

P: Lord, in your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

Prayer requests: Viona Schmidt, Judy Lundberg, Kathleen Elser, Tara Truitt, Mike Hoover, Tim McMillan, Gail Hughes, Leon Spaeth, Steve Short, Peggy Dial, Rick Swango, Scarlett Smith, Blythe Van Dusen, Darrell Denton, Alan and Dina Luptak, Owen, Gerald Stucky, Beverly Fink, Jace Richardson, Sherrie Russell, Nancy Westling

Passing of the Peace

P: The Peace of Christ be with you always.

C: And also with you.

All people share a verbal sign of peace.

Special Music: Bell Choir and organ, “Hallelujah” Leonard Cohen arr. Joel Raney

The Meal

Offering Prayer

P: Let us pray.

C: God of love, you call us beloved children and welcome us to your table. Receive our lives and the gifts we offer. Abide with us and send us in service to a suffering world; for the sake of your beloved Child, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Great Thanksgiving

P: It is indeed right... we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Words of Institution

The Lord's Prayer

C: 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. 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.

Explanation of Holy Communion

All are welcome to God’s table. During this time when we are especially aware of safety, communion will be served as a dismissal. At the conclusion of the service, you are invited to receive Holy Communion in the narthex. Communion servers will offer you a tray, where you will pick up a cup of bread (gluten-free available), and a cup of wine or grape juice. Holy Communion elements have been prepared with attention to health and safety.

Communion Hymns: "Let Streams of Living Justice" ELW #710

"Abide With Me" ELW #629

Farewell and Godspeed for Pastor Liz

Address (led by representative member of the congregation)

Leader: People of God, members of First Lutheran, do you release Pastor Liz from service as your pastor?

Congregation: We do, and we give thanks to God for our ministry together.

Leader: Pastor Liz, do you recognize and accept the completion of your ministry with First Lutheran?

Pastor: I do, and I give thanks to God for our ministry together.

Thanksgiving and Sending

Blessing & Dismissal

P: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May God’s face shine on you with grace and with mercy. May the Lord look upon you with favor, and + give you peace.

C: Amen.

P: Alleluia! Christ is risen!

C: Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

P: God nourishes us at the table to live as disciples. Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God!