https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MugKCy8aVxQ

Sixth Sunday of Easter –May 5 & 8, 2024

ZION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH – LCMS

700 Main St.  P.O. Box 220   Clyman, WI  53016

Pastor Dan 1-(920)-341-2025    shepherdatzion@gmail.com

Our Worship Services – Sunday at 8:30am & Wednesday at 7pm

To View our past services!

Website – zionclyman.org         Facebook– ZionClyman

To watch live at 8:30am on Sundays or to view past services- YouTube – zionclyman

Music – Erica Tyler       Elder – Dave Steube    Wed. Ralph Kohlhoff

Bulletin Announcements   email: zionclyman@gmail.com

Congregation information: Neal Kohlhoff neal.kohlhoff50@gmail.com

Guests.  Welcome to Zion.  We are glad to have you with us.  Please sign our guestbook located in the Narthex.  About Holy Communion:  We welcome to the Lord’s Table all who have repented of their sins and seek to amend their sinful life; all who believe that Jesus is truly present in, with, and under the bread and the wine; and all who believe that through the words “given and shed for you” forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given.  If this is your confession and you are a member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, then come with a thankful heart and join us.   If you are a visitor and would like to commune, please talk with Pastor Dan before the service.  To help in preparing to receive Holy Communion open the front cover of the Burgundy hymnal or turn to pages 329 & 330.  Gluten free wafers are available, please talk with an Elder or Pastor before the service if you would appreciate them.  

 Today is Confirmation Sunday-The symbolism and significance of all that happens in the service is at the end of this Bulletin.

Ringing of the Bell

 (Please stand and face the cross as it enters and remain standing for the hymn)

Processional Hymn  “Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word”  LSB 655

Invocation – In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.   Amen.

Opening Sentences – Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!  His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.  Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

 

Confession and Absolution – Let us now confess our sin to God, our merciful Father.

All: Gracious God, in heartfelt repentance we admit and confess our sinfulness.  We are sin-stained people by nature.  Each day we have sinned and done things we ought not to have done and have not done that which we are to have been doing as Your servants. We have not seen people in the loving way that You see them.  We have not always been ready to care and quick to help.  We do indeed deserve Your punishment in this life and for eternity.  Trusting in Your mercy, we come to You for forgiveness. Our trust is in the merits of Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Have mercy on us, O God.  Abide with us and grant us forgiveness of all our sins.  By the power of the Holy Spirit at work within our hearts and lives, help us to change our sinful ways and lead us into ways that reflect Your goodness and love.

Almighty God has had mercy upon you and has given His only Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. In the stead and by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, I, a called and ordained servant of the Word, forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Kyrie – In peace let us pray to the Lord.   Lord, have mercy.   For the Peace from above and for our salvation.  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.         Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.   Amen

Hymn of Praise – This is the Feast  LSB 155

Psalm of the Day – Psalm 98 – The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.  He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.  All the ends of the earth have seen   the salvation of our God.  Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody!  With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!  Let the hills sing for joy together before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.  He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Collect of the Day – O God, the giver of all that is good, by Your holy inspiration grant that we may think those things that are right and by Your merciful guiding accomplish them; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen

Our New Testament Reading – 1 John 5:1-8 – Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.  This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.  This is love for God: to obey his commands.  And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world?  Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.  This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ.  He did not come by water only, but by water and blood.  And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.  For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

Gospel Reading  John 15:5-17

The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the Fifteenth chapter.  Glory to you, O Lord.

“I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.  “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business.  Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.  Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.  This is my command: Love each other.

Nicene Creed – 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 X of the world to come.    Amen.

Hymn  “Let Me Be Thine Forever”  LSB  689

Sermon

Prayers of the Church

We gather our Tithes and Offerings

Hymn “Seek Ye First”   LSB 712

We Celebrate the Rite of Confirmation

Service of the Sacrament

Preface – 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.

Wednesday Only Prayer of Thanksgiving – It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, Lord our God, for You have called us as Your people and have shown us Your grace in all our days.  Assured of Your mercy, we come before You, asking that we may receive Your blessings with heartfelt thanksgiving.  Pour out upon us the gift of Your Holy Spirit and grant that we may receive the body and blood of our Lord as a guarantee of our salvation and a foretaste of the feast to come in Your eternal kingdom.  To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and praise, together with the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.  Amen.

The Words of our Lord – Consecration of the Elements

Proclamation of Christ – As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.  Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

All:  O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

 The 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 – The peace of the Lord be with you always.   Amen

Wednesday Only  Agnus Dei                                                                    LSB 163

We Celebrate our Lord’s Supper

Distribution Hymns

“Chief of Sinners Though I Be”                                   LSB 611

“I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus”                               LSB 729

“Oh, That the Lord Would Guide My Ways”               LSB 707

Post Communion Canticle – Thank the Lord  p.164

Post Communion Collect – Almighty and ever-living God, we bless You for having fed us with the body and blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Help us by Your Holy Spirit that we may abide in the fellowship of the Christian Church and together with all the saints do the good works that You desire us to do, reflecting Your amazing love for us.  This we ask through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.  Amen.

Benediction – The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace..  Amen.

(Please remain standing for the Recessional Hymn)

Recessional Hymn “Lord Take My Hand and Lead Me”  LSB 722

The Rite of Confirmation

 This morning, the following young people will be accepted as full communicant members of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church – LCMS  through the Rite of Confirmation.

Andrea Rose Hackbarth     Psalm 28:7             daughter of Kasandra Miescher                                                                                          and Shane Hackbarth

Brenna Marie Rhodes      Philippians 3:13 & 14   daughter of Justin & Jamie Rhodes

A brief explanation of the Symbolism connected with

The Lutheran Rite of Confirmation

The Procession – Every Confirmand should realize that their walking down the aisle at the beginning of the service is a symbol.  It is not an ordinary walk into an ordinary building.  The properly trained Confirmand indicates this by the way they walk; with measured step, serious face and solemn heart.  It is an entrance into God’s house and approach to God’s altar, a coming into God’s infinitely Holy presence.

The Flowers near the heart – There is an importance with the flowers which the Confirmand wears near the heart.  The Bible speaks of Jesus Christ as the flower.  For example, in one passage (the Song of Solomon 2:1), Christ says of Himself: “I am the Rose of Sharon and Lily of the Valley.”  Those flowers, then, represent Christ.  The fact that they lie close to the Confirmands’ hearts is indicative of the truth that He dwells, invisibly but actually, in their hearts by faith.

White Robe – The white robe is a symbol of the Christian holiness and sinlessness in the sight of their creator.  Every Confirmed Lutheran knows that such sinlessness is not a matter of their own doing.  They know from personal experience, as well as from their own doing, they could not make themselves right before God…but by God’s grace they have learned that Christ took all sin in His own body on the cross:  “That He was wounded for our transgression, He was bruised for our iniquities.”  They believe “that the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin.”  So they can look at their white robe, and know that the blood of Christ has cleansed them from all unrighteousness.

The Bended Knee – When the Confirmand kneels in the presence of God, they are saying before all the world that God is above them and they are beneath God.  They are saying that God’s commandments are for them the very principles by which they wish to live by and use to guide them in life.  They are humbling themselves before their God and creator.

The Hand Clasp – (the Promise) – Such loyalty to Christ, both in what a person believes and in the way he lives, must be a constant loyalty, even until death.  Because of his baptismal faith, the individual is a Christian at the time of their Confirmation, which is good but not good enough.  He must remain a Christian until the end.  Only “he that endures to the end shall be saved.”  And that is what the hand clasp, which the Confirmand gives in the presence of the assembled congregation and before God, symbolizes.  It is a pledge of his promise that he renounces the devil and all his works and all his ways, that he will cling to the doctrines of the Bible, that he will remain true to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church, and that he will live in harmony with the Gospel of Christ all the days of his life.  It is not a promise that is to be taken lightly.  Jesus is the one and only way to heaven, and for us to stay in the one true way takes effort and struggle.  It means carefully and faithfully studying God’s Word.  It means communing with Him often in the Lord’s Supper.  It takes all of that to keep following Him.  Otherwise, we lose our faith and die without God, without hope and without heaven.  The one and only road is His!

The Laying on of Hands – (The Blessing) – The pastor lays his hand upon each Confirmand’s head and solemnly blesses them.  After the blessing, the pastor proclaims a short passage from the Scriptures which is designed to guide the Confirmand through life.  In these two ways, the Confirmand is graced both with a general and special blessing, pronounced by their pastor in the name of the Church and their Lord Jesus Christ.

The Reverent Recession – Is it not symbolic that at the end of the Confirmation service the Confirmand should “walk out into the world” once more after taking responsibility for their faith?  They have been formally accepted into the confession of the church to take up their daily tasks, living their lives to the glory of God and the service of their fellowmen.  The recession is also a symbol of their journey toward heaven:  “with the cross of Jesus going on before”.  The Recessional becomes a symbol of their march toward Paradise, their everlasting home!