O Jesus Christ, Son of the Most High God, who having left Your earthly humility, are seated at the right hand of Your Father as Lord over all things: we beseech You to send us Your Holy Spirit, give us faithful ministers, preserve Your Word, curb Satan and every tyrant, and mightily uphold Your kingdom on earth until Your enemies are all laid at Your feet and we through You are victorious over sin, death, and all things. Amen.
Welcome! We ask all of you, both visitors and members, to sign a Welcome card located in the pew rack. Please fill out this card, place it in the offering plate, or hand it to an usher as you leave the service.
Our Communion Practice: Lutherans believe that the Lord’s Supper demonstrates a oneness with Christ in faith, life, and worship among those who receive Communion. Reception of the Lord’s Supper by Christians not in fellowship with us would imply a oneness which does not yet exist. For this reason, we welcome those with whom we have “altar and pulpit fellowship” to the Lord’s Supper. This includes members of sister congregations of the LC-MS, members of the American Association of Lutheran Churches, and Lutheran Church Canada; as well as members of partner churches throughout the World. If you would like to know more about this practice please arrange a time to speak with our pastor.
Prayers – For our home-bound members:
St. John’s – Alfred Larson.
Our Savior – Charlotte Scepaniak, Doris Vilhauer, Betty Zundel, Vi Schnaidt, Ken & Dorothy Maas, Loretta Podoll, Larry Nupen, Evelyn Grieben, Mamie Stugelmeyer, Betty Meints.
And for the children we sponsor through Mission Haiti: Michelet Voltaire, Michel Djoury, and Orgea Djouna.
Introit Psalm 27:1, 11a, 12; antiphon: vv. 7a, 8b, 9a
Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud. Alle- | luia.*
Your face, Lord, do I seek; hide not your face from me. Alle- | luia.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom | shall I fear?*
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I | be afraid?
Teach me your way, | O Lord;*
give me not up to the will of my adver- | saries;
for false witnesses have risen a- | gainst me,*
and they breathe out | violence.
Glory be to the Father and |
to the Son*
and to the Holy |
Spirit;
as it was in the be- |
ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. |
Amen.
Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud. Alle- | luia.*
Your face, Lord, do I seek; hide not your face from me. Alle- | luia.
Collect of the Day
O King of glory, Lord of hosts, uplifted in triumph far above all heavens, leave us not without consolation but send us the Spirit of truth whom You promised from the Father; for You live and reign with Him and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Old Testament Reading Ezekiel 36:22–28
22“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.
23And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.
24I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.
25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
26And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my just decrees.
28You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”
Epistle 1 Peter 4:7–11
7The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.
8Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
9Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.
10As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
11whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Holy Gospel John 15:26—16:4
26[Jesus said:] “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
27And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
1“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.
2They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.
3And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.
“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.”
Acknowledgments
The Introit, Collect, Gradual, and Verse are from Lutheran service Book: Altar Book, copyright 2006 CPH. All Scripture quotations, including those from Luthern Service Book, 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.
St. John’s
Organist: Zachary Daggett
Ushers: Dean & Lorie Ringgenberg
Next Week: Cole Bisbee & Logan Ringgenberg
Last Week: Attendance – 29; Offering – $1,411
Our Savior
Organist: Zachary Daggett
Elders: Russell Brandt & Brandon Christianson
Altar Guild: Sharon Bain & Amy Johnson
Acolytes: Teigan McKown & Raylee Brick
Last Week: Attendance – 108
Offering – General Fund $3,690; St. John’s $2,660; Total $6,350
Schedule for the Week
Sunday St. John’s Service of the Word – 8:15 am
St. John’s Bible Study – after the service
Our Savior Divine Service with Communion – 10:45 am
Board of Education & VBS Staff – after the service
Monday Mat Ladies – 1:00 pm
Tuesday Coffee & Confessions – 6:30 am
Deacons – 9:00 am
Wednesday Vespers – 6:00 pm
Bible Study – 6:30 pm
Next Sunday St. John’s Divine Service with Communion – 8:15 am
Bible Study at Our Savior – 9:45 am
Our Savior Divine Service with Communion – 10:45 am
Next Monday Memorial Day – Office Closed
Installation Service for Rev. Dr. Alan Ludwig, as part-time assistant pastor for Our Savior and St. John’s, will be June 11, 2023 at 4:00 pm at Our Savior. Rev. Tim Rynearson of Peace Lutheran Church in Brookings will be preaching. A potluck meal will follow the service. St. John’s members are asked to bring desserts, and Our Savior members are asked to bring salads or sides. Meat will be provided.
The Board of Education & VBS Staff will meet today after the service.
Door Offering Next Week – On Pentecost, May 28, we will take a door offering after the service for the International Lutheran Council. The ILC is 55 Lutheran church bodies from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America that believe the Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God and that the Lutheran Confessions are the true exposition of these Scriptures. The ILC exists to encourage, strengthen, and promote confessional Lutheran theology and practice centering in Jesus Christ, both among member churches and throughout the world. Learn more about the ILC and what is happening in global Lutheranism by visiting the website
www.ILCouncil.org.
Vacation Bible School 2023 is June 4 - 8 this year and our theme is “River of Life”. Water, water everywhere... and through it, we learn of God’s plan for salvation! Five favorite Bible accounts are featured: Creation, Noah and the Ark, the Crossing of the Red Sea, Jonah, and the Baptism of Jesus.
Hours are from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm, with time for a sack lunch from 5:30 to 6:00. Registration forms are in the Sunday bulletin. Place them in the green box in the library. Friends, neighbors, and relatives are welcome also!
**The Board of Education needs teachers and helpers in all areas. There is a sign-up sheet in the library area. Please consider your talents and how you can help serve.**
Main Street Living in Aberdeen – Main Street Living will be holding its taping session for area pastors on Saturday June 3 from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm at St. Paul's in Aberdeen. You are invited to stop by and meet some of the faithful volunteers who make our televised service possible and witness the taping of some of the summer episodes.
Additionally: If you would be interested in helping on June 3 either running the teleprompter or directing, please contact Mr. Chad Zinnel at the district office (605) 361-1514. He would gladly answer questions and let you know what it takes. Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to assist and/or witness one way that we are together bringing the message of Christ to our communities and region!
Greeters Needed! Help welcome members and visitors at the entrance of the sanctuary for about 10 minutes before Sunday services. There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex.
Concordia Lutheran Church in Cresbard will celebrate their 75
th Anniversary on Sunday, June 11
th. You are invited to attend the 10:30 AM worship service with a meal to follow at the Cresbard Community Center. RSVP (for meal) is requested by June 1
st to Denise Melius, 605-887-7130 (text or call), or email
dmelius@nvc.net. A program will be presented at 2:00 for everyone who would like to attend. The theme for this milestone celebration is “Built on the Rock the Church Shall Stand” based on Psalm 118:22.
Zion Lutheran Church in Ellendale will celebrate their 100
th Anniversary June 10-11, 2023. Saturday, June 10
th there will be an open house 1:00 -5:00 pm. Enjoy coffee and treats and a photo gallery. Walk through all the areas of the church to see how much has changed. Sunday, June 11
th at 9:30 am is the Divine Service with Holy Communion, Pastors Deitemeyer and Preus presiding. After the service, a meal will be served in the church basement. There will be an afternoon worship service at 3:00 pm with Pastors Schultz and Preus presiding. The theme of the celebration is “God’s Word is Our Great Heritage”.
Rummage Sale – The LWML will have a rummage sale fundraiser on Saturday, July 8
th in the fellowship hall. If you have items to donate to help us raise funds for our missions, please set them aside, and they can be brought to the tables on the south wall of the fellowship hall starting July 2
nd. We will accept kids’ clothes for the rummage sale for ages newborn thru age 6 (no adult clothing please). All clothing and all other items must be clean. We are also asking for baked goods for a bake sale to be held in conjunction with the July 8 rummage sale. A sign-up list will be on the narthex table soon. Thank you so much!
LCMS Stewardship Ministry – May 21 – Exaudi
1 Peter 4:10 – “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” God’s grace is His undeserved mercy toward us. What do we have that is not a gift flowing from God’s grace? He means for us to use all these gifts in service of our neighbor. The chief way we serve one another is by supporting the church’s work: bringing more of God’s grace to more of God’s people. That’s what it means to be a steward!
Building Healthy Families: Have you read up on your marriage manual lately? You may be thinking, “Wait…I never received an owner’s manual when I got married!” God knew exactly the circumstances, trials, and joys you would experience as a married couple. Ecclesiastes 4:12 reminds us that a married couple is a team.
“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Each of the strands represents the husband, wife, and God. Draw closer to God, and you will draw closer to each other.
www.LutheranFamilyService.org
The Spirit of Truth bears witness to Jesus, who is the truth. But the world does not receive the truth. It loves its own and hates those who are of the truth. Just as Jesus was scorned, so is His Church. “
” (John 16:2). Yet it is by Jesus’ suffering and death that we are saved. Therefore we rejoice to share in His sufferings, that we may also share in His resurrection glory (1 Pet. 4:7–14). Through the ministry of the Spirit of Truth, we are cleansed from the deceit of our idols and given a new heart and a new spirit, the heart and Spirit of Christ (Ezek. 36:22–28). He now works in us fervent, self-giving love for one another, love which covers a multitude of sins, “
” (1 Pet. 4:11).