November 1st: All Saints Sunday

 

First Lutheran Church

Our mission is to know Jesus and to make Jesus known. -John 17

PRELUDE by Beth Ray
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Trusting in the Word of life, we are gathered in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen Before God, our rock and our refuge, let us keep silence, and then confess our sin.  Most merciful God, you know our failings better than we do; our sins are revealed in the light of your face. Our days and years pass by; the things we trust fade like grass. Be gracious to us, O God. Guide us again to the water of life, and renew in us your grace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

PSALM 118   Tell the LORD how thankful you are, because he is kind and always merciful.  Let Israel shout, "God is always merciful!"  Let the family of Aaron, the priest shout, "God is always merciful!"  Let every true worshiper of the LORD shout, "God is always merciful!"  When I was really hurting, I prayed to the LORD. He answered my prayer, and took my worries away.  The LORD is on my side, and I am not afraid of what others can do to me.  With the LORD on my side, I will defeat all of my hateful enemies.  It is better to trust the LORD for protection than to trust anyone else…  I nearly fell, but the LORD helped me.  My power and my strength come from the LORD, and he has saved me.  From the tents of God's people come shouts of victory:  "The LORD is powerful! With his mighty arm the LORD wins victories!  The LORD is powerful!"  I shall not die, but live, and I will live to tell what the LORD has done.  (The Lord) did not let death lay its hands on me.  Open the gates of justice!  I will enter and tell the LORD how thankful I am.  Here is the gate of the LORD! Everyone who does right may enter this gate.   I praise the LORD for answering my prayers and saving me.   The stone that the builders tossed aside has now become the most important stone.  The LORD has done this, and it is amazing to us. This day belongs to the LORD!  Let's celebrate and be glad today.  You are all children of the light and of the day; you are God's children now. In the mercy of God, Jesus Christ was given to die for you, and for his sake, God forgives you all your sin. With all the faithful in heaven and on earth, rejoice and be glad! Amen

MUSIC BY BETH                     The Lord be with you.  And also with you

PRAYER OF THE DAY: Almighty God, whose people are knit together in one holy Church, the body of Christ our Lord: Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

May the hope to which God has called you, the power of God at work in Christ, and the Spirit of wisdom and revelation be with you all. And also with you.

G 272  Abide with Me fast falls the eventide. The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

I need thy presence every passing hour; What but thy grace can

foil the tempter’s pow’r?  Who like thyself my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, oh, abide with me.

LIZ TIME: For those that are young and young at heart

Revelation 7:9-17 The book of Revelation is written to seven churches in western Asia Minor during a time of great oppression. Today's reading provides a response to the question asked in 6:17: "Who is able to stand?" The writer responds to the faithful with the assurance of God's protection and a vision of eventual victory. After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!" And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen." Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."  The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

LIGHTING OF THE SAINTS’ CANDLES       SPECIAL MUSIC

Matthew 5:1-12 In the beatitudes, Jesus provides a unique description of those who are blessed with God's favor. His teaching is surprising and shocking to those who seek wealth, fame, and control over others. When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." The Gospel of our Lord. Praise to you...

SERMON, PRAYERS

CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER, THE LORD’S PRAYER,

ORGAN: For All the Saints   GREEN 174

God's blessing be with you, Christ's peace be with you, the Spirit's outpouring be with you, now and always. Amen