The Fourth Sunday in Lent – March 30, 2025
also known traditionally as “Laetere” (Rejoice) Sunday”
Joy in Jesus
A woman climbed on the bathroom scale after two weeks of dieting on butterless toast, plus taking chilly jogs around a nearby park. However, the scale was still stuck on the same number where she’d started. She sighed heavily, because she “just knew in her heart” that she’d never be happy, because she’d never the in the kind of physical shape she wanted to be in. A lot of people today feel that way…..that they just won’t ever be happy…..perhaps (quite likely?) you too. Doesn’t it seem that every day you and I are relentlessly barraged with the message that there’s something we’re supposed to do, or possess, or become in order for us to really be happy? It’s so American! After all, our own Founding Fathers wrote into the Declaration of Independence that we have the inalienable right to “the pursuit of happiness.” Coupled with this is the equally-foolish notion that happiness
should be a permanent condition. If you’re not joyful all the time, at least so some suggest, then there’s a problem with you. But the “problem” often is that we have problems with our bosses, our spouses, our children, our cars, our plumbing, our arthritis and so much more. So where’s the solution? In this….in the knowledge that real joy and happiness in life can’t (and won’t ever) be found in money, position, pleasure, possessions, fame, or anything else earthly. As we’ll remind ourselves through today’s Sermon (based on Psalm 51:10-12) true, real joy comes not from within us, but from outside of us – specifically, through the Holy Spirit’s transformation of our souls from unbelief to faith– and with that a change in our attitudes, expectations, and purpose for living – from being earthly-oriented to Christ-centered.
Today’s Scripture readings bear that out, starting with our First Lesson in which Jesus tells His disciples that, though they would mourn over His impending death while the world rejoices, their grief would be turned into joy three days later at His death-, sin- and world-overcoming resurrection for their (and our salvation). Peter, in our Epistle Lesson, encourages Christians facing persecution not to despair, but look past their earthly trials to the heavenly goal (and focus of every believer’s joy) that is guaranteed them (and us) through faith in Christ Jesus. This morning’s Gospel Lesson is the account of Christ sending out 72 disciples as evangelists. When they returned, rejoicing that even the demons submitted to them, Christ reminded them that even more important (and more worthy of our rejoicing) is that our names are written in heaven’s Book of Life. Finally, in today’s Children’s Lesson we’ll talk about the joy that we ought to have as Christians from knowing that, by God’s grace for Jesus’ sake, our names are written in heaven – and we’ll live there eternally.
During the season of Lent
……the paraments (altar, lectern and pulpit cloths, along with the pastor’s stole) are all purple. This is both the color of royalty, reminding us that our Savior in His humility is nevertheless our heavenly King, and the color of repentance over sin. It serves to symbolize our sorrows over the sufferings that our sins brought upon Him. The major emphases of the season of Lent are Repentance (especially in our midweek services) and (on Sunday mornings) Renewal in Christ, our Champion over sin, death, and Satan. Repentance is evident as we ponder Christ’s passion for us. On the other hand, renewal and assurance are ours as we anticipate our Savior’s (and, vicariously, our own) victory over death and the Devil through His bodily Resurrection Consequently, the Wednesdays of Lent are more penitential in their character and emphasis, while the Sundays of Lent are more celebratory (though modestly so) both as they recount Christ’s victories over sin and Satan and as they anticipate His (and our own) resurrection.
Today is “Laetere”….a Sunday to “Rejoice”
As we work our way through the season of Lent, we arrive this morning at the Sunday traditionally known as Laetere Sunday (Latin for “Rejoice”). This name is taken from a word in the opening verse of our composite Psalm reading for today: Psalm 122:1, “I rejoiced when the said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord.” As David rejoiced at the opportunity to worship the Lord nearly 3000 years ago, so today we rejoice at the privilege of entering our Lord’s “house,” here to worship Him, to confess our sins, to receive the good news of His forgiveness in the Gospel, to offer Him our prayers, and to gain wisdom and guidance for Christian living through our study of His Word.
One of the more interesting historical facts connected to Laetere (“Rejoice”) Sunday is this: in the early days of the Christian Church, Lent was originally celebrated as a three (instead of a six) week season. Accordingly, if we were still following that three week approach, tomorrow would mark the formal/official beginning of the penitential season of Lent. For the early Christians, then, Laetere Sunday was actually the last Sunday (until Easter) to “rejoice” before the more subdued and sober atmosphere of Lent dominated the public worship services. To this day, “Laetere” Sunday is viewed as something of a mid-point “reprieve to rejoice” during the otherwise serious penitential season of Lent.
Welcome to Grace Lutheran Church
We welcome you this day in the name of our living Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. May you find abiding peace and renewed strength for your faith and Christian life in His Word of truth today.
The chief purpose of our ministry, as our Lord enables us, is to serve all people with the precious Gospel of Jesus Christ, revealed to us in the verbally inspired, inerrant Scriptures. To that end, it is our privilege and responsibility:
To proclaim the Law and Gospel keenly and clearly, in order to convict sinners of their sins, to lead them to repentance, to comfort penitent souls, and to build each other up in our faith in the one, true, Triune God through the Means of Grace (the Word and Sacraments of our Lord). and…..
B. To equip believers, through that same Means of Grace, to grow in their Christian lives as faithful servants, stewards, and witnesses to others of the redeeming grace of our God in Christ Jesus.
Grace Lutheran Church is a fellowship of individuals and families who have found Jesus Christ to be the only safe and reliable answer to all of life’s problems and critical questions. We are members of the WELS, that is, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
Wisconsin indicates the geographical beginnings of a group of Christians who, over a century and a half ago, because of their comprehensive commitment to all that God’s Word teaches, united themselves in a join public ministry which we in the WELS carry on, by God’s grace, to this day.
Evangelical declares that we believe and proclaim the great, foundational principles of the Christian faith: namely, that we are saved by God’s free grace alone (His undeserved love), through faith alone in Jesus Christ. And that this truth is found in Scripture alone (that is, the 66 “canonical” books of the Bible).
Lutheran affirms that we believe, teach, and confess all the doctrines of the historic Christian faith as taught by Jesus to His Apostles, now contained in the written Word of God. Those truths, once all but lost to the Church because of the influences of false teachers, were – by God’s grace and blessing – restored to the Christian Church through the 16th century Lutheran Reformation led by Dr. Martin Luther. We humbly remain today, the grateful heirs of that Lutheran Reformation, Apostolic legacy.
And, finally, Synod states that we, as a congregation, have united in a shared ministry together with 1259 other like-minded WELS congregations across this country, as well as like-teaching Lutherans in 23 other nations. We join them in working together for the purposes of growing in our Christian faith, serving our glorious Lord, and proclaiming His gracious salvation in Christ to the world.
To our Guests and Friends……An Invitation To You If you have no church home of your own, and/or are looking for religious truth and spiritual certainty as a foundation for your life and to insure your eternal future, then we invite you to consider becoming a part of our Christian fellowship known as Grace Lutheran Church. Communicant membership in our church is established by an informed declaration of fellowship upon transfer from a Lutheran congregation, or upon completion of our Pastor’s New Membership / Bible Information Course, whichever is appropriate for you. To make an appointment to discuss this further, please speak with Pastor Huebner at your convenience. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you with God’s Word and that you are part of our worshiping family today. We hope that you will worship and study with us again soon, and often. Please know that you will always be welcome at Grace Lutheran Church. May God bless you, now and always…..in Jesus’ name.
Pre-Service Prayer O Lord God, Almighty Creator, from Whom every good and perfect gift comes, You have bountifully blessed me across the course of my life. You have persevered me in Your Word. You have provided for my bodily needs. You have protected me from spiritual harm and have kept me in the true Christian faith. For your abundant goodness to me, I humbly praise and thank You. In the days and years that might lie ahead for me, I implore You to continue to bless me with Your abiding presence, Your Fatherly protection, and Your guidance in all areas of my life. I submit myself to Your gracious will, with the confidence that You will use me, as Your humble servant, in whatever ways will serve to further Your glory and Your kingdom. Bless and enrich my faith as I hear Your Word today, and receive my heart-felt praises and generous, first-fruits offerings, in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ, Your Son, my Savior and Lord. It is in His name that I pray. Amen.
The portions of God’s Word used in this worship flyer have been taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version Copyright 2019, The Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission Music and lyrics, as needed, are used with permission via OneLicense.net #A712831
Prayer upon entering the sanctuary Pre-service Music
We Praise Our God
Service Introduction and Invitation to Worship
after which the Congregation will rise
The Invocation
Pastor We begin this service in the name of the Father
Congregation Who gave us our lives through His almighty power.
P: And of the Son
C: Who redeemed our lives with His precious blood.
P: And of the Holy Spirit
C: Who gave us eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus.
P: Amen.
The Opening Psalm selected verses of Psalms 122, 32, and 138
P: I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
C: I will praise You, O God, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing Your praise.
P: If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C: But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P: When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
C: For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; + my strength was sapped like in the heat of summer.
P: Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord” — and You forgave the guilt of my sin.
C: and You forgave the guilt of my sin.
P: O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love, and with Him is full redemption.
C: He Himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.
P: The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
C: Your love, O Lord, endures forever.
The Opening Prayer
O Lord God, Heavenly Father, + You have prepared for those who love You + blessings that greatly exceed our understanding: + Pour into our hearts such love toward You, + that we may love You above all things, + and lead us, by faith, + to Your eternal promises, + which exceed all that we can desire. + All this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, + Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, + one true God, + now and forever. + Amen.
after which the Congregation will be seated for
The Opening Hymn “Joyful, Joyful We Adore You” (CW 169)
v 1 alt, vv 2-3 cwh, 1999
Joyful, joyful we adore You,
God of glory, God of love!
Heav’n and earth bow down before You,
Praising You, our Lord above.
You our Father, Christ our Savior,
With the Spirit faith provides,
Life eternal we’ve been granted,
gracious gift that e’er abides.
You are giving and forgiving,
Ever glorious, Ever blest.
Source of every kind of blessing,
Giver of eternal rest.
You have claimed us as Your children
Heaven’s heirs through faith alone —
In the Rock of our salvation,
Jesus Christ, our Lord, Your Son.
Lord, receive our prayers and praises,
weak and humble though they be.
Yours the power, Yours the glory,
Both today and endlessly.
None beside You, None before You,
God of mercy, full and free.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Ever blessed Trinity. Amen.
After which the Congregation will rise
Hear Us and Forgive Us, Lord
Pastor – The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
Congregation – And also with you.
Pastor – God invites us to come into His presence and worship Him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us now turn to Him, acknowledging our sinfulness and seeking His forgiveness.
Congregation – Holy and most merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful, and that I have disobeyed You in my thoughts, words, and actions; Each day I turn away from Your Will. I
have left undone those things which You have asked me to do, and I have done those things which You tell me not to do. I do not love You or my neighbor the way I should. Because of these, and all of my other sins, too numerous for me to recall, I acknowledge that I deserve nothing less than Your punishment both now and for eternity. But I am truly sorry for the evil that I have thought, spoken, and done, and trusting in the perfect life, and innocent death of my Savior, Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, forgive me all my sins, restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and strengthen my weak faith through the promises of Your divine Word that I may obtain Your promised grace.
Pastor – “Find comfort for your souls, then, in these words of our Lord: “If we confess our sins, God is
faithful and just, and will purify us from all unrighteousness, because we have One Who speaks to the Father in our defense — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” And now, upon this, your voluntary confession, I, because of my office as a called servant of God’s Word, announce the grace of God to all of you. And, in the place of, and according to the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May the peace of God be with you. Amen.”
Our Response To God’s Forgiveness
ALL sing: to the tune of “I Know That
My Redeemer Lives”
All praise, eternal Son, to Thee
For Thy forgiveness, full and free,
He, who by grace, this truth believes
The blessings of Christ’s love receives
Praise God the Father, God the Son
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
As ’twas, is now, and so shall be
World without end, eternally! Amen.
After which the Congregation may be seated
We Hear God’s Word
The First Lesson John 16:17-33
17 Therefore some of His disciples asked one another, “What does He mean when He tells us, ‘In a little while you are not going to see Me, and again in a little while you will see Me,’ and ‘Because I am going away to the Father’?” 18 So they kept asking, “What does He mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what He’s saying.”
19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask Him about this, so He said to them, “Are you trying to determine with one another what I meant by saying, ‘In a little while you are not going to see Me, and again in a little while you will see Me’? 20 Amen, Amen, I tell you: You will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth has pain, because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, because of her joy that a person has been born into the world.
22 “So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. 23 In that day you will not ask Me anything. Amen, Amen, I tell you: Whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask, and you will receive, so that your joy may be made complete.
25 “I have told you these things using figurative language. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you using figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I am not telling you that I will make requests of the Father on your behalf. 27 For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am going to leave the world and go to the Father.”
29 “Yes!” His disciples said. “Now You are speaking plainly and not using figurative language. 30 Now we know that You know everything and do not need to have anyone ask You anything. For this reason we believe that You came from God.”
31 Jesus answered them, “Now do you believe? 32 Listen, a time is coming, in fact it is here, when you will be scattered, everyone to his own home. You will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not going to be alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 I have told you these things, so that you may have peace in Me. In this world you are going to have trouble. But be courageous! I have overcome the world.”
The Epistle Lesson I Peter 1:1-21
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the elect, temporary residents in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He gave us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 into an inheritance that is undying, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 Through faith you are being protected by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.
6 Because of this you rejoice very much, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various kinds of trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—which is more valuable than gold, which passes away even though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not see Him now, yet by believing in Him, you are filled with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 The prophets, who prophesied about the grace that has come to you, searched and studied carefully concerning this salvation, 11 trying to find out what person and what time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they wrote about these things. These are the things that have now been announced to you by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even the angels long to look carefully into these things.
13 Therefore, after preparing your minds for action by exercising self-control, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 Rather, just as the One Who called you is holy, so also be holy in everything you do. 16 For it is written, “Be holy, because I am holy.”
17 If you call on the Father Who judges impartially, according to the work of each person, conduct yourselves during the time of your pilgrimage in reverence, 18 because you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, not with things that pass away, such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was chosen before the foundation of the world but revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through Him you are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
After which the Congregation will please rise, out of respect for the words of Christ
The Gospel Lesson Luke 10:1-24
After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out two by two ahead of Him to every town and place where He was about to go.
2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest field. 3 Go your way. Look, I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Do not carry a money bag or traveler’s bag or sandals. Do not greet anyone along the way. 5 Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ 6 And if a peaceful person is there, your peace will rest on him, but if not, it will return to you. 7 Remain in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, because the worker is worthy of his pay. Do not keep moving from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they welcome you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are in the town and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near you.’
10 “But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust from your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom on that day than for that town.
13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to hell. 16 Whoever listens to you listens to Me. Whoever rejects you rejects Me. And whoever rejects Me rejects the One Who sent Me.”
17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name!” 18 He told them, “I was watching Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Look, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. And nothing will ever harm you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names have been written in heaven.”
21 In that same hour, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and have revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, because this was pleasing in Your sight.
22 “Everything was handed over to Me by My Father. No one knows Who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows Who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wants to reveal Him.”
23 Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 Indeed, I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things that you are seeing, yet did not see them, and to hear the things that you are hearing, yet did not hear them.”
After which the Congregation may be seated for
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost; Born of the virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven; And sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.
The Children’s Lesson Luke 10:17-20
17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name!” 18 He told them, “I was watching Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Look, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. And nothing will ever harm you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names have been written in heaven.”
Joy Because Our Names Are Written in Heaven
The Sermon Hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
Hope Publishing, used under OneLicense.net #A712831
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be. (REFRAIN)
(REFRAIN) Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses aboveJoin with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. (REFRAIN)
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! (REFRAIN)
The Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge
of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Sermon Text Psalm 51:10-12
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God.
Renew an unwavering spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from Your presence.
Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.
Sustain me with a willing spirit.
What Christian Joy Is All About
following the sermon the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Post-Sermon Blessing
To Him Who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority now and forever. Amen.
We Offer Our Gifts to the Lord
We offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) Those in the chapel can place their offerings in the offering plates
2) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to Grace Lutheran Church (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
3) Or, go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com) and use the giving option there.
We Bring our Prayers Before Our Lord
Included in our Prayers this morning:
A Prayer of Intercession for our brother and sister, Tim and Diane Pfortmiller, ,as they continue to deal with some significant health problems, as they wait for God to provide them with a restoration of their health – according to His will and in His appointed time.
in addition
We ask God’s mercy for our brother George Layton, who is undergoing physical therapy at the Shiloh Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Springdale. We pray that George will be able to recover his strength sufficiently for him to return home to Laura, and return to us, his church family.
Today’s Responsive Prayer
P: We give thanks to You, Lord and Father, for the rest and peace of the night and for the privilege of sharing another day of worship with Your saints and study of Your precious Word.
C: Enable us to grow in Your grace + and mercifully build each of us up in our faith, + having meditated upon Your Word, + and now about to receive the blessed assurance that our sins are forgiven + and that new life and salvation are ours + in the Sacrament of our Savior’s body and blood.
P: Make the crucified and risen Christ + the very center of all our
worship, faith, and lives.
C: Daily cover our human faults, frailties, and sins, + that they might not hinder the work + which You have entrusted to us as Your earthly servants.
P: And grant that all our words, our actions, and our intentions reflect our love for the Lamb of God who has taken away the sin of the world.
C: Keep human personalities and ambitions + within us and inside our congregation to a minimum + and Your person and will to a maximum in all our endeavors for You.
P: Be with all those in our Synod’s parish education and worker training system, from our church body’s elementary schools and high schools, to our preparatory schools, colleges, and our seminary. Grant us capable and dedicated young men and women to study for the teaching ministry, and able and committed young men to present themselves as candidates for the preaching ministry.
C: Bless our church body with humble, faithful, and learned teachers and professors, + servants who are willing captives to Your Word. + Also be with the officers and leaders of our Synod and its Districts. + Guide them with Your Holy spirit, + so they may reflect Your wisdom and will in the performance of their duties. + And be with our own Pastor, as well as all the other pastors of our Synod + as they preach and teach Your Word, + administer Your Sacraments, + and faithfully lead their flocks.
P: Encourage our missionaries wherever they serve, both at home and abroad. Move us to pray for them and to support them generously with our gifts.
C: Fill the elders and officers of our congregation with zeal and wisdom for their appointed tasks. + Never let them forget the importance of their responsibilities in the spiritual lives of Your people. + Keep them from discouragement + and may they prove to be pillars of strength + and sources of encouragement for all in our church family.
P: Finally, Lord God, accept our thanks for the privilege of allowing us to serve in Your Kingdom of Grace. Help us to grow intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, as we continue to make faithful use of Your Word. Hear our prayer, and bless this family of believers for our good and to Your glory, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God, forever and ever. And in whose name we also join in praying:
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.
We Conclude our Worship
The Benediction
P: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord in gladness.
The LORD bless you and keep you
The LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The LORD look upon you with favor, and give you peace.
The Closing Hymn Hymn 329 “Lord, Dismiss Us With Thy Blessing”
1 Lord, dismiss us with your blessing;
Fill our hearts with joy and peace.
Let us each, your love possessing,
Triumph in redeeming grace.
Oh, refresh us, oh, refresh us,
Trav’ling through this wilderness.
2 Thanks we give and adoration
For the gospel’s joyful sound;
May the fruits of your salvation
In our hearts and lives abound!
Ever faithful, ever faithful
To your truth may we be found.
3 So whene’er the signal’s given
Us from earth to call away,
Borne on angels’ wings to heaven,
Glad the summons to obey,
May we ever, may we ever
Reign with Christ in endless day.
Silent Prayer, Announcements, Post-service Music