Announcements
Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
who forgives all our sin,
whose mercy endures forever.
Amen.
Let us return to God, confessing our sin in the assurance of God’s abiding love.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Compassionate One,
you are slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,
but our lives do not always reflect you
and your love for the world.
We do not show others the tender compassion
you have shown to us.
We do not welcome others with the radical hospitality
you grant to all people.
We oppress others,
even though you have set us free again and again.
We squander the abundant gifts of the earth.
Transform our lives
and guide us again in the way of the cross.
Amen.
Beloved in Christ,
God’s arms are always stretched open wide
to welcome the wandering ones home.
In ☩ Christ your sins are forgiven.
You have a place in God’s house forever.
Amen.
Opening Hymn
ELW 821 - Shout to the Lord
Greeting
The 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.
Prayer of the Day
God of compassion, you welcome the wayward, and you embrace us all with your mercy. By our baptism clothe us with garments of your grace, and feed us at the table of your love, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
First Reading: Joshua 5:9-12
9 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.” And so that place is called Gilgal to this day.
10 While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. 11 On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 32
Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord. (Ps. 32:11)
1 Happy are they whose transgressions | are forgiven,
and whose sin is | put away!
2 Happy are they to whom the Lord im- | putes no guilt,
and in whose spirit there | is no guile! R
3 While I held my tongue, my bones with- | ered away,
because of my groaning | all day long.
4 For your hand was heavy upon me | day and night;
my moisture was dried up as in the | heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and did not con- | ceal my guilt.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” Then you forgave me the guilt | of my sin.
6 Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in | time of trouble;
when the great waters overflow, they | shall not reach them. R
7 You are my hiding-place; you preserve | me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts | of deliverance.
8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way that | you should go;
I will guide you | with my eye.
9 Do not be like horse or mule, which have no | understanding;
who must be fitted with bit and bridle, or else they will | not stay near you.”
10 Great are the tribulations | of the wicked;
but mercy embraces those who trust | in the Lord.
11 Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice | in the Lord;
shout for joy, all who are | true of heart. R
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God..
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
ELW Setting 8 (Lent)
Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
This is the holy gospel according to Luke the 15th chapter.
Glory to you, O Lord.
1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to [Jesus.] 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 So he told them this parable: 11b “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
Hymn of the Day
CCLI - Give Thanks
Prayers of Intercession
Led by the Spirit, let us turn to God in prayer for the church, the world, and all those in need.
A brief silence.
God of faithful promise, make your church a new creation in Christ. As you reconcile us to yourself, guide us also in your way of reconciliation, that through confession and forgiveness, repentance and reparations, your church may bear witness to your love. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.
God of new beginnings, restore balance to the earth. Send rain to places of drought and sunshine to places of flooding, that the produce of the land may again support life. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.
God of prodigal grace, unite the nations as fellow members of the human family. Give leaders the courage to put aside pride and ego, to cease squandering lives and time, and to work for the well-being of all. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.
God of boundless love, receive with open arms any in need of compassion (especially). Embrace all who are far from home or estranged from loved ones, and all who live with regret. Embolden your people to offer and to seek forgiveness. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.
God of radical inclusion, widen human circles to welcome all who are excluded. Bless the work of disability ministries, ministries by and with neurodivergent people, and multicultural and ethnic-specific ministries; that the welcome of Jesus be extended to all. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.
Here other intercessions may be offered.
God of resurrection life, welcome home all who have died (especially). We thank you for their lives and entrust them into your keeping, where true reconciliation and eternal peace are found. God, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.
Receive the prayers of your people and draw all things together in your love, in the name of Jesus, who leads us from death to life. Amen.
The Passing of Peace
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also with you.
Anthem
How Beautiful (Paris/Larson)
Offertory Hymn
ELW 814 - Take, Oh, Take Me As I Am
Offertory Prayer
Gracious Provider,
you set your immense treasures among us,
opening your heart to the world.
As we prepare to feast on your bountiful love,
deepen our commitment to sharing those
treasures with others,
through our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The Great Thanksgiving
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 our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all
times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty
and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ. Fulfilling the
promise of the resurrection, you pour out the fire of your Spirit,
uniting in one body people of every nation and tongue.
And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of
the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures, and
with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, we praise
your name and join their unending hymn:
ELW Setting 8
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow’r and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory, full of your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Thanksgiving at the Table
Holy God, our Bread of life, our Table, and our Food, you created
a world in which all might be satisfied by your abundance.
You dined with Abraham and Sarah, promising them life, and fed
your people Israel with manna from heaven. You sent your Son to
eat with sinners and to become food for the world.
In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Remembering, therefore, his life given for us and his rising from
the grave, we await his coming again to share with us the
everlasting feast.
By your Spirit nurture and sustain us with this meal: strengthen
us to serve all in hunger and want, and by this bread and cup
make of us the body of your Son.
Through him all glory and honor is yours, Almighty Father,
with the Holy Spirit, in your holy Church, both now and forever.Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Lord remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hollowed by 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.
God feeds us with tender mercy.
Come to the table.
Lamb of God
ELW Setting 8
Communion Hymns
CCLI - Open Our Eyes
CCLI - Sanctuary
ELW 466 - In the Singing
The Table Blessing
All who are hungry, come!
The feast of grace is spread.
Post Communion
ELW 200 - Now, Lord
Prayer After Communion
Generous Host,
you have shared your feast with us and made us new.
Send us now to set tables of love and grace in our communities,
that your liberating love might nourish the world into freedom,
in the name of the crucified one, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Blessing
God our tender parent,
God the crucified one,
God the reconciling Spirit,
☩ bless you now and forever.
Amen.
Sending Hymn
ELW 857 - Lord, I Lift Your Name on High
Dismissal
Go in peace. Care for others as God cares for you.
Thanks be to God!
Photo by Erika Giraud on Unsplash
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