SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2020 SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

INTRODUCTIONJesus does not abandon his followers. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus comes to abide with his disciples of every generation. As Pentecost draws near, we are reminded that the risen Christ dwells in us as the Spirit of truth. We receive this Spirit in baptism and pray that in our gathering to hear the Word of God the Spirit will transform us to be the body of the risen Christ in the world.

PRELUDE

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTSGATHERING

GATHERING HYMN ELW # 595 Jesus Loves Me!

Confession & ForgivenessLeader: Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, the fountain ofliving water, the rock who gave us birth, our light and our salvation.All: Amen. Leader: Rejoicing in Christ's victory over sin and death,let us come before God who calls us to repentance.(silence is kept for reflection) Leader: God of life, All: by the resurrection of your Son you make everything new. Newness scares us, and we confess to shutting our doors in fear. We have not listened to voices that challenge us. We have resisted the Holy Spirit moving us in new directions. Our hearts are slow to believe your promises. Forgive us, O God, and renew us to embrace without fear the new life you have given us in Jesus Christ. Amen.

 Leader: People of God - Christ is alive, and death has lost its power. Through the waters of baptism you have been born anew by the living word of God. Know that your sins are forgiven in + Jesus' name and that the Spirit of the risen Christ is alive in you both now and forever. All: Amen.

GREETINGThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you.

KYRIE SETTING 10

HYMN OF PRAISE SETTING 10

PRAYER OF THE DAYAlmighty and ever-living God, you hold together all things in heaven and on earth. In your great mercy receive the prayers of all your children, and give to all the world the Spirit of your truth and peace, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

WORD

FIRST READING: Acts 17:22-3122Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. 23For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, 25nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. 26From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, 27so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. 28For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’29Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. 30While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God. PSALM: 66:8-20

 8Bless our God, you peoples;  let the sound of praise be heard. 9Our God has kept us among the living  and has not allowed our feet to slip.   10For you, O God, have tested us;  you have tried us just as silver is tried. 11You brought us into the net;  you laid heavy burdens upon our backs. 12You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water,  but you brought us out into a place of refreshment. 13I will enter your house with burnt offerings  and will pay you my vows— 14those that I promised with my lips  and spoke with my mouth when I was in trouble. 15I will offer you burnt offerings of fatlings with the smoke of rams;  I will give you oxen and goats.   16Come and listen, all you who believe,  and I will tell you what God has done for me. 17I called out to God with my mouth,  and praised the Lord with my tongue. 18If I had cherished evil in my heart,  the Lord would not have heard me; 19but in truth God has heard me  and has attended to the sound of my prayer. 20Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer,  nor withheld unfailing love from me. 

SECOND READING: 1 Peter 3:13-2213Who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; 16yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil.  18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, 19in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. 21And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

GOSPEL: John 14:15-21The holy gospel according to John. Glory to you, O Lord.

[Jesus said to the disciples:] 15“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.  18“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”

The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

KID TALK: Pastor Miranda

SERMON: Pastor Miranda

SERMON HYMN: ELW # 631 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (vs 1 &2)

APOSTLES’ CREEDI 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 INTERCESSIONAfter each prayer, please respond with the words “hear our prayer.”

OFFERING with Special Music from Gloria Bunders

OFFERTORY ELW # 884 Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow (Sing through 2 times)

OFFERING PRAYERMerciful God, our ordinary gifts seem small for such a celebration, but you make of them an abundance,just as you do with our lives. Empower us for service in your name, in the strength of the risen Christ. Amen.

THANKSGIVING FOR THE WORDLet us pray.Praise and thanks to you, holy God, for by your Word you made all things: you spoke light into darkness, called forth beauty from chaos, and brought life into being. For your Word of life, O God,we give you thanks and praise.By your Word you called your people Israel to tell of your wonderful gifts: freedom from captivity, water on the desert journey, a pathway home from exile, wisdom for life with you. For your Word of life, O God,we give you thanks and praise.Through Jesus, your Word made flesh, you speak to us and call us to witness: forgiveness through the cross, life to those entombed by death, the way of your self-giving love. For your Word of life, O God,we give you thanks and praise.Send your Spirit of truth, O God; rekindle your gifts within us: renew our faith, increase our hope, and deepen our love, for the sake of a world in need. Faithful to your Word, O God, draw near to all who call on you; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever.Amen.

LORD'S PRAYEROur 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.

SENDINGBLESSING May the One who brought forth Jesus from the dead raise you to new life, fill you with hope,and turn your mourning into dancing. Almighty God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. Amen.

SENDING HYMN: ELW # 543 Go, My Children, with My Blessing

DISMISSAL Christ is risen, just as he said. Go in peace. Share the good news. Alleluia!Thanks be to God. Alleluia!

POSTLUDE From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2016 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #35743. New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

This Week’s Events Introduction to “Welcome Pastor” discussion group – 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 17th

Pastor Miranda’s Day Off – Monday, May 18th “Stewardship for All Seasons” Meeting – 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19th Executive Committee Meeting – 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20th    Come for Supper – 5:00 p.m.to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 21st Staff Meeting – 9:30 a.m. on Friday, May 22nd Worship broadcast on our Facebook Page and on WPRE 104.3 FM and 980 AM -  9:00 a.m. on

Sunday, May 24th

ANNOUNCEMENTSWelcome to worship in this Easter season as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

We are broadcasting worship live at 9am Sunday mornings via 104.3 FM and 980 AM and streaming through our Facebook page using a small team of people. In-person worship is temporarily suspended.

For your convenience the bulletin is posted weekly on our website on Fridays for the Sunday worship service.

Prayer List Updates: Dayton Goodrich is doing well and he and his family would like to thank everyone for their prayers. Sympathy and prayers to Duane and Sandy Nagle on the loss of Duane’s sister, Shirley DuCharme. Sympathy and prayers to the family of Ken Birrenbach who passed away last week.

Introductory Meeting for Welcome Pastor discussion group: Today, May 17 th at 10:30 a.m . Pastor Miranda would like to invite you to an intentional 40 days of prayer and devotional reading as a way to build a strong foundation for our mission and ministry together. We will be using the resource Welcome Pastor: Building a Productive Pastor-Congregation Partnership in 40 Days. The sessions help us to get to know one another, share faith honestly and authentically, discern what God expects of both the pastor and the people, and speak openly about differences in order to handle them constructively. We will have an Introductory Meeting today at 10:30 a.m. following worship via Zoom We will gather together for discussion on four Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. May 31st, June 14th, June 28th, and July 12th. If there is interest in a mid-week offering, we can look into that as well. This group will meet virtually at first and then possibly in-person if we are able to do so safely. When we are able to be all together on Sunday mornings, we can hopefully launch a 2nd offering of this study.

Honoring our High School Seniors:We will be recognizing our high school seniors during worship on May 31st. Seniors will also have a designated time in the afternoon on May 31st for each one to come to church receive a handmaid quilt and have their picture taken. If you or a family member are graduating, please reach out to the church office with a brief bio regarding your future plans that we can share in worship and in an upcoming church newsletter.

First Communion We look forward to celebrating 1st Communion with those heading for 6th grade. The time of learning, preparing, and receiving will be fun and meaningful. We will schedule this when we are once again able to meet and worship in person

Save the Date for Vacation Bible School at St. Peter: July 27 th and 28 th , 2020 Time: 5:30-8:30 pmWho:  Potty-trained Pre-k thru kids entering 5th grade Theme: ANCHORED: DEEPENING FAITH IN GODWe are hoping to be able to gather for VBS this summer. Please save the dates. Please also reach out to Angie Henderson (608-412-1288) if you are able to help with VBS. Last year we had a total of 18 volunteers. We need teachers, crew leaders, help in the kitchen and lots more. 

St. Peter Ministry Survey:We hope to plan for growing our ministries to serve more people and to more effectively change lives through the message of hope and love embodied in our Risen Lord. We would love your input as we plan for the future. Please take some time to consider and respond to the survey that is being mailed to your home. We want to know what is important to you. Please mail the survey to the church office or complete an online version of the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XVVLQBL. Thank you so much!

Ministry at St. Peter during the Covid-19 Pandemic:The Church Council is continuing our temporary changes to in-person gatherings in order to help protect the most vulnerable. The Church Council will continue to evaluate these changes seeking the input of the CDC, local health experts, and the La Crosse Area Synod of the ELCA.

Church Building Use: The church building will be open only to staff for use throughout the week and to the small worship teams that are helping with broadcasting/streaming worship services. All other in-person meetings are discouraged at this time. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the office at 608-326-6411 if you or someone you know could use assistance or pastoral care.

Worship “Together” on the Radio and Facebook: We are broadcasting worship live at 9am Sunday mornings via 104.3 FM and 980 AM and streaming through our Facebook page using a small team.

Christian Education, Fellowship Groups, and Committees: All in-person meetings are discouraged at this time.

o Sunday School Children have been sent lessons that follow our Sunday Bible readings that they can work on with their family. Please see our Facebook page for a link to a “Family Sunday School” video that goes along with the lesson. Additional “Family Sunday School” resources can be downloaded as well at : https://www.wearesparkhouse.org/promos/family-sunday-school/

o Confirmation Ministry had their last official meeting of the year on May 13 th; however we will continue to offer a time for youth to connect with one another and with leaders on Wednesday nights via zoom. Please watch your email for more information.

o Church Choir is temporarily cancelled.o All committees are currently meeting via phone or Zoom or making decisions via email.o All groups are encouraged to seek out ways to connect over the phone, via email, and in virtual

ways through Facebook, Zoom, etc.

Sharing Your Offering During This Time:Our congregation needs to feel your support not only through your prayers and your care for your neighbors, but also through your continued generosity in financial giving. There are four options for continuing to support the operations and ministries of St. Peter during these difficult and unprecedented times.

You can mail your check to the church at PO Box 37, Prairie du Chien, WI 53821. You can give through Simply Giving, an automated online giving program we have used successfully

for years here at St. Peter. An authorization form is included with the April newsletter, or you can find it online at https://htlcmpls.org/website/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/vanco_auth_form1.pdf 

You can also set up an offering at your bank using free Bill Pay service to have the bank print and mail your check to the church.

You can give online at stpeterpdc.org on the Home page and scroll down to GivePlus Online! Simply Giving through Vanco.

Also don’t forget the hungry jar in your giving:

The May Hungry Jar is: ELCA World Hunger Family Farm Project

Thank you for your continued support. 

St Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church201 S Michigan St., Prairie du Chien, WI 53821

(608)326-6411 stpeterpdc.org

stpeterpdc@hotmail.org

Hungry Jar