Epiphany (observed) 1/7/23
THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD (Observed)
JANUARY 7, 2024
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WELCOME TO ST. PAUL’S!
8:00 & 10:30 a.m.
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THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright Settings: 1. Keith Kolander, 2. Paul Manz
WELCOME
ENTRANCE HYMN Brightest and Best of the Stars of the Morning LSB 400
1 Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
2 Cold on His cradle the dewdrops are shining;
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch and Savior of all.
3 Shall we not yield Him, in costly devotion,
Fragrance of Edom and off’rings divine,
Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine?
4 Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
Vainly with gifts would His favor secure.
Richer by far is the heart’s adoration;
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.
5 Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION LSB 167
In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
KYRIE LSB 168
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE – “Gloria in Excelsis” LSB 170
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father:
We worship You, we give You thanks, we praise You for Your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God:
You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
You are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer.
For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. O God,
by the leading of a star You made known Your only-begotten Son to the Gentiles. Lead us, who know You by faith, to enjoy in heaven the fullness of Your divine presence; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Isaiah 60:1-6
Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.
Lift up your eyes all around, and see;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from afar,
and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and exult,
because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM 72:1-11 (Sung responsively)
Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to the royal son!
May he judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice!
Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness!
May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the children of the needy,
and crush the oppressor!
May they fear you while the sun endures,
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations!
May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth!
In his days may the righteous flourish,
and peace abound, till the moon be no more!
May he have dominion from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth!
May desert tribes bow down before him
and his enemies lick the dust!
May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands
render him tribute;
may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts!
May all kings fall down before him,
all nations serve him!
SECOND LESSON Ephesians 3:1-12
For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
(10:30) CHILDREN’S SERMON
GOSPEL VERSE (Stand) O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright Sts. 1-3 LSB 395
1 O Morning Star, how fair and bright!
You shine with God’s own truth and light,
Aglow with grace and mercy!
Of Jacob’s race, King David’s son,
Our Lord and master, You have won
Our hearts to serve You only!
Lowly, holy!
Great and glorious,
All victorious,
Rich in blessing!
Rule and might o’er all possessing!
2 Come, heav’nly Bridegroom, Light divine,
And deep within our hearts now shine;
There light a flame undying!
In Your one body let us be
As living branches of a tree,
Your life our lives supplying.
Now, though daily
Earth’s deep sadness
May perplex us
And distress us,
Yet with heav’nly joy You bless us.
3 Lord, when You look on us in love,
At once there falls from God above
A ray of purest pleasure.
Your Word and Spirit, flesh and blood
Refresh our souls with heav’nly food.
You are our dearest treasure!
Let Your mercy
Warm and cheer us!
O draw near us!
For You teach us
God’s own love through You has reached us.
GOSPEL Matthew 2:1-12
The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 2nd chapter
Glory to You, O Lord.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON (Be seated)
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ:
The festival of Epiphany stands on its own as a celebration of the Magi’s visit to the infant Jesus. It’s an important day in the church calendar which highlights an important event in the life of our Lord.
And yet, beyond this, the festival day has a second function as well. It serves also to initiate the season which follows. The season carries the same name as the festival and has as its purpose the introducing of Jesus and his ministry.
The festival and the season share many things in common – one of which is the element of light. Light plays a prominent role in both. The festival tells of men following a light in the night sky to discover a great king. And the season explains how light emanates from this great king in all that he says and does.
The element of light is emphasized in today’s service by our reading of Isaiah chapter sixty. Here the prophet tells us: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.”
That light is greatly needed, explains Isaiah. It’s needed because “darkness shall cover the earth.” This darkness, by the way, is not just a future darkness as the word “shall” sometimes indicates, but rather a present darkness that is extremely strong. The darkness is so strong it “shall” – despite our efforts – cover the earth.
The darkness may be present and strong, but the prophecy also reminds us that “the LORD will arise upon you.” And not only this, but “his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”
This great prophecy of Isaiah – we are glad to say! – has been fulfilled. It was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ, who brought this great promised light of God when he came into the world. St. John made this fulfillment clear in our Christmas Day reading by saying: “In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (1:4). Jesus himself would later state it directly by saying: “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).
The church emphasizes the light of Christ on this day through another means as well. It recommends that we sing as our Hymn of the Day the great Lutheran hymn “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright.” We’ve already sung the first three stanzas. After the sermon, we’ll sing the remaining three.
The author of both text and tune of this hymn is Philip Nicolai– a German Lutheran pastor who was born just ten years after the death of Martin Luther. Nicolai completed his advanced studies at the University of Wittenberg and then served his entire career in the parish. He first got into hymn-writing during a time when one of his parishes was suffering a great number of deaths due to the plague.
The tune of this hymn has become known as the “Queen of the Chorales.” It’s a lively and joyous tune, and we have a number of hymns set to it in our hymnal. Johann Sebastian Bach included the tune in six of his cantatas.
The hymn was not written specifically for Epiphany, rather it’s a hymn of praise that suits many times of joy and celebration. In our old hymnal it was in the “Redeemer” section. In Germany it was very popular for weddings, probably because of its reference to Christ our bridegroom in stanza two. My mom chose this hymn to be sung at her funeral. As you will see, the sixth stanza gives a powerful message about the resurrected life.
The hymn does work very well for Epiphany. And a primary reason is its opening statement. Here the hymn tells of Christ’s light by calling him the Morning Star. This is a name Jesus gave to himself in the Book of Revelation, when he said: “I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star” (22:16).
The morning star is, of course, the sun. And like the sun, Christ is the greatest source of light we know.
In the first three stanzas of the hymn, we see many references to this light. Sometimes the word itself is used while at other times related terms such as “shining,” “ray,” and “flame” are employed.
The hymn also echoes important Christmas texts which tell of Christ’s beginnings. These explain how he is from “Jacob’s race and King David’s Son,” and how he was a part of God’s love for us before “this old earth’s foundation.”
The hymn takes the joy of Christmas and moves it forward into the ministry of Jesus. It tells how we are “ransomed in love” and “refreshed with heavenly food” and “placed into his body as living branches of a tree.”
As we can plainly see, this is a great hymn and one that certainly enhances our worship on this festival day.
But having noted this, let’s turn again to our focus on today’s readings.
In our second reading, from Ephesians chapter three, Paul uses the word “light” when speaking about God’s message through Jesus. Paul says his task is “to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things” (3:9).
The plan he’s referring to is the life, death and resurrection of Jesus – what he calls “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” He explains that the plan was formerly a mystery because it had not been fully revealed, but now, in Jesus, it has been made known.
Paul adds that one of the most mysterious things about the plan is how it is intended to bring all people together through Christ. Formerly, God had encouraged his people to be separate from others. Now, he is bringing Jew and Gentile together. Paul explains this very clearly in verse six by saying: “This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”
This welcoming and inclusion of Gentiles is in direct fulfillment of the prophecy from Isaiah we examined earlier. There Isaiah had said: “The nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”
The visit of the Wise Men to the young Jesus is a clear sign of this prophecy’s fulfillment. These Magi are both Gentiles and leaders. They are drawn by the light of Christ and come to worship him.
It is because of this surprising and yet welcome presence of theirs before the child Jesus that the celebration of Epiphany can be known as the “Christmas of the Gentiles.” Christ has come for them too.
And this message about Gentiles is very important for us to note. For at least two reasons.
First, it reminds followers of Jesus that God wishes to bring others into the Christian family. We Christians are to lift up the light of Christ in our lives and in our gatherings and be ready for Christ’s light to draw others to the faith. God, we know, wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. When new people come, they will bring their gifts and join with us in worshiping Christ. We are to welcome them with open arms and receive them as part of the family.
In the coming weeks of the Epiphany season, our readings will show Jesus reaching out to many different people and calling them to believe. He will engage with skeptics, fisherman, the unclean and the unwell – all of whom will see his light and turn to him in faith.
And this should remind us of a second reason the Gentile’s inclusion is so important. It’s important because we were all once Gentiles too. And in a certain way, we still are.
Like Gentiles, we were once completely in darkness. We were ignorant about God and our sin kept us away from him. From birth, this inherited state of ours disqualified us from a relationship with the God who is holy. We were born outside his family, and thus foreign to him and his plans.
God, however, dealt with our sins and called us to himself. Through his Son’s great act of sacrifice upon the cross he reconciled us to himself and adopted us into his family. Our Baptism
has marked this new relationship with God and serves as a sign of his promise of faithfulness to us. We now live forever in his grace.
That being said, despite our newfound status and inclusion in God’s family, we still struggle with our sin. This sin, as we know all too well, weighs us down, frustrates our relationships, and injures our faith. Even though we are saved, our sin still puts us at risk.
That is why we need to daily repent of our sins and turn toward the Lord God for our help. Through this turning, God will strengthen our faith and remind us of his promises. He will encourage us in the right paths and keep us safe.
Last Sunday, as you may know, I missed our services due to an illness. It’s never fun to be sick, but it did force me to stay home – and this allowed me time to finish a book I’ve been wanting to read.
The book tells of a boy facing the many challenges of growing up. Some of these challenges arise because of his own sins. Thankfully, as the boy goes about his life, within a big family and in a bustling community, he receives good help. And in many cases, this help comes from a person of faith. Some of the helpers are clergy in the church – those who teach him and those who help him through rough times. Others are people such as his mother and father who encourage him to live faithfully.
The book is not all about faith. It’s about many things, and I’ll say a little more about it at the time of our announcements today. The book gives a wonderful reminder of how important it is to have people who can point us toward faith’s help as we face our struggles. Such voices are incredibly valuable. And as I’m sure you would agree, they are becoming rarer and rarer in our world.
This is why today’s message from Isaiah is so important. “Arise, shine, for your light has come.” God is calling you, on this day, to shine the light he has given you in Christ – doing so according to your callings and according to the opportunities he presents. You are to shine his light at church, at home, at school, at work and wherever you go.
We all can do this because God has first shined his light on us. His light has revealed our need for a Savior, and, thankfully, revealed also that Jesus is the Savior we need.
Jesus is the light of the world – our bright and morning star. Let us then, like wise men of old, keep coming to his light. In his holy name. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY (Stand) O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright Sts. 4-6 LSB 395
4 Almighty Father, in Your Son
You loved us when not yet begun
Was this old earth’s foundation!
Your Son has ransomed us in love
To live in Him here and above:
This is Your great salvation.
Alleluia!
Christ the living,
To us giving
Life forever,
Keeps us Yours and fails us never!
5 O let the harps break forth in sound!
Our joy be all with music crowned,
Our voices gladly blending!
For Christ goes with us all the way—
Today, tomorrow, ev’ry day!
His love is never ending!
Sing out! Ring out!
Jubilation!
Exultation!
Tell the story!
Great is He, the King of Glory!
6 What joy to know, when life is past,
The Lord we love is first and last,
The end and the beginning!
He will one day, oh, glorious grace,
Transport us to that happy place
Beyond all tears and sinning!
Amen! Amen!
Come, Lord Jesus!
Crown of gladness!
We are yearning
For the day of Your returning!
NICENE CREED Hymnal, back cover
I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life ✠ of the world to come. Amen.
OFFERING
Offerings support the church’s mission work – both here and through our many partners. Offerings may be placed in the box at the sanctuary entrance or sent to the church through our website or the mail. Fellowship Cards help us welcome new people and track participation. Please fill one out and place it in the offering box following the service.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, enthroned forever, You love righteousness and hate wickedness. For our sakes You sent Your only begotten Son to suffer the wages of our sin, that we might be holy in Your sight. As You have poured grace and salvation upon us, so anoint us also with the oil of gladness and the hope of everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy God, eternal Light, You made Paul a minister according to the gift of Your grace. Embolden our pastors to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. Open our ears to hear and our hearts to believe the message that the King of kings has given His life for us. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You prepared a place for Your Son, Jesus, in the womb of the Virgin Mary and in the home of Mary and Joseph. Bless our homes and all who dwell in them, that Your Word would be heard, and Your mercy be shown therein. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, bring an end to all threats of violence. Raise up leaders who will act with integrity, pursue justice and follow Your commands. Grant to all people the blessings of food, shelter, medical care and safety, and sustain those whose duty it is to protect and defend. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Give to the afflicted Your comforting presence, relief in their suffering, and healing according to Your will. Sustain Your servants who trust in You, especially those on our prayer list and those we name in our hearts at this time… Give hope to the weary and peace to all. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, You brought the Magi of old to worship Your Son, Jesus; and so You have brought us to worship Him also. Receive our gifts in his name, and give him to us in His holy Sacrament, that we may return home according to Your holy way. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You have anointed Your Son to be our Savior and have established His throne forever and ever. Grant that we who are called by His name would spread His reign to all nations; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
OFFERTORY VERSE Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful LSB 955
Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
And fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
That we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and the dreams of all;
Unite them with the prayers we offer now.
Grace our table with Your presence, and give us
A foretaste of the feast to come.
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SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
PREFACE LSB 177
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 Him thanks and praise.
It is truly good right and salutary…evermore praising You and saying:
SANCTUS LSB 178
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.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING LSB 178
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD LSB 179
PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST
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.
PAX DOMINI LSB 180
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
AGNUS DEI LSB 180
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.
DISTRIBUTION (Be seated)
Those wishing to commune at the foot of the steps should come forward first. Those wishing to commune at the altar rail should come forward after these, front rows first, from both sides of the aisle. After receiving, all should return to their seats. A common dismissal will be given at the end.
COMMUNION HYMN O Savior of Our Fallen Race LSB 403
1 O Savior of our fallen race,
O Brightness of the Father’s face,
O Son who shared the Father’s might
Before the world knew day or night,
Alleluia!
2 O Jesus, very Light of Light,
Our constant star in sin’s deep night:
Now hear the prayers Your people pray
Throughout the world this holy day.
Alleluia!
3 Remember, Lord of life and grace,
How once, to save our fallen race,
You put our human vesture on
And came to us as Mary’s son.
Alleluia!
4 Today, as year by year its light
Bathes all the world in radiance bright,
One precious truth outshines the sun:
Salvation comes from You alone.
Alleluia!
5 For from the Father’s throne You came,
His banished children to reclaim;
And earth and sea and sky revere
The love of Him who sent You here.
Alleluia!
6 And we are jubilant today,
For You have washed our guilt away.
O hear the glad new song we sing
On this, the birthday of our King!
Alleluia!
7 O Christ, Redeemer virgin-born,
Let songs of praise Your name adorn,
Whom with the Father we adore
And Holy Spirit evermore.
Alleluia!
BLESSING
NUNC DIMITTIS (Stand) LSB 182
Lord, now You let Your servant go in peace;
Your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the salvation
which You have prepared in the sight of ev’ry people:
A light to reveal You to the nations
and the glory of Your people Israel.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
PRAYER
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN As with Gladness Men of Old LSB 397
1 As with gladness men of old
Did the guiding star behold;
As with joy they hailed its light,
Leading onward, beaming bright;
So, most gracious Lord, may we
Evermore be led by Thee.
2 As with joyful steps they sped,
Savior, to Thy lowly bed,
There to bend the knee before
Thee, whom heav’n and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek Thy mercy seat.
3 As they offered gifts most rare
At Thy cradle, rude and bare,
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heav’nly King.
4 Holy Jesus, ev’ry day
Keep us in the narrow way;
And when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.
5 In the heav’nly country bright
Need they no created light;
Thou its light, its joy, its crown,
Thou its sun which goes not down;
There forever may we sing
Alleluias to our King.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright Setting: Max Drischner
FELLOWSHIP: Board of Elders
FLOWERS: Altar flowers are dedicated to Melissa Hecht on the happy occasion of her 58th birthday, with love from Rachel, Christian, and Sammy
Those serving:
8:00 a.m.
Greeter: Jim Easterly
Comm. assist: Judy Koucky
Reader: Rich Kauzlarich
10:30 a.m.
Greeter: Charles Fisher
Comm. assist: Jill Hecht
Reader: Charles Fisher
Acolyte: William Dennis
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
955 Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful Text: John W. Arthur, 1922–80 Tune: Richard W. Hillert, 1923–2010 Tune: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
400 Brightest and Best of the Stars of the Morning Text: Reginald Heber, 1783–1826, alt. Tune: James P. Harding, 1850–1911, adapt. Text and tune: Public domain
395 O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright Text: tr. Lutheran Book of Worship, 1978, alt. Text and tune: Philipp Nicolai, 1556–1608 Text: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
395 O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright Text: tr. Lutheran Book of Worship, 1978, alt. Text and tune: Philipp Nicolai, 1556–1608 Text: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
403 O Savior of Our Fallen Race Text: Latin, c. 5th–10th cent.; tr. Gilbert E. Doan, 1930 Tune: Stephen R. Johnson, 1966 Text: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: © 2002 Stephen R. Johnson. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
397 As with Gladness Men of Old Text: William C. Dix, 1837–98, alt. Tune: Conrad Kocher, 1786–1872 Text and tune: Public domain
