IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH43 Pine Street, East Aurora, NY

Church Office – 652-4240Pastor’s cell phone – 432-0687www.immanuellutheranea.com

SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT

March 8, 2020

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AS WE GATHER

That which is born of flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of God, only that which is born of the Spirit, born from above and born anew. With Nicodemus we marvel at Jesus’ words. It is hard for us to admit that we cannot save ourselves but must be redeemed from sin and its death. Even more difficult is to see in the baptismal water that power of the Spirit connecting us to Christ’s death and resurrection—giving us this new birth. “How can this be?” Nicodemus marvels at Jesus’ words and promise, and so are we in awe of God’s gracious favor: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

PREPARATION

HYMN –“Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me”

LBW 333

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1 Lord, take my hand and lead meupon life's way;direct, protect, and feed mefrom day to day.Without your grace and favorI go astray;so take my hand, O Savior,and lead the way.

2 Lord, when the tempest rages,I need not fear;for you, the Rock of Ages,are always near.Close by your side abiding,I fear no foe,for when your hand is guiding,in peace I go.

3 Lord, when the shadows lengthenand night has come,I know that you will strengthenmy steps toward home,then nothing can impede me,O blessed Friend!So, take my hand and lead meunto the end.

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INVOCATION

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTIONPsalm 121:1–2; Philippians 1:6

Pastor: From where does my help come?People: My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

Silence for meditation and reflection

Pastor: O almighty God, merciful Father:People: I, a poor, miserable sinner,

confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of

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Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being. Forgive me all my sins and grant me the power of Your Holy Spirit that I may amend my sinful life.

Pastor: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

Pastor: May the Lord, who has begun this good work in us, bring it to completion in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

People: Amen.

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WORD

SALUTATION

Pastor: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor: Let us pray.

O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

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OLD TESTAMENT READING Genesis 12:1–9

Pastor: This is the Word of the Lord.People: Thanks be to God.

EPISTLE Romans 4:1–8, 13–17

Pastor: This is the Word of the Lord.People: Thanks be to God.

HOLY GOSPEL John 3:1–17

Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the third chapter.

People: Glory to You, O Lord.

(The Gospel is read.)

Pastor: This is the Gospel of the Lord.People: Praise to You, O Christ.

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HYMN OF THE DAY-“There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy

LBW 290”

1 There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,like the wideness of the sea;there’s a kindness in his justicewhich is more than liberty.There is no place where earth’s sorrowsare more felt than up in heav’n.There is no place where earth’s failingshave such kindly judgment giv’n.

2 There is welcome for the sinner,and a promised grace made good;there is mercy with the Savior;there is healing in his blood.There is grace enough for thousandsof new worlds as great as this;there is room for fresh creationsin that upper home of bliss.

3 For the love of God is broaderthan the measures of our mind;and the heart of the eternalis most wonderfully kind.There is plentiful redemption

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in the blood that has been shed;there is joy for all the membersin the sorrows of the head.

SERMON

CREED Nicene Creed

People: 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

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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 of the world to come. Amen.

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PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Pastor: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.

For grace that we with Abraham hear and follow the call to faith and that God count such faith as righteousness, as once Abraham was commended to God, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: For grace that, having received the new birth of water and the Spirit, we daily manifest this new life and show forth the fruits of this new birth in word and in deed, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: For grace that our government and those who lead us be equipped with wisdom and courage to do what is pleasing in God’s sight, for peace among the nations, and for the

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protection of the unborn and the frail against threat and abuse, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: For grace, that God relieve the suffering and heal the sick according to His will, that He give peace to the dying and comfort the grieving with the hope of the resurrection…….. let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: For grace that the forces of evil be hindered and for freedom that the Gospel be preached in every place and to every people, that they become with us sons and daughters of Abraham by faith, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: For grace, that God grant His blessing to our Church; to Matthew, presiding in our Synod; Chris, our District President; Dom, our Circuit

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Visitor; and to all of God’s people as they fulfill their baptismal vocation, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: For grace that we give thanks to God for all His gifts and blessings, for His mercies new every morning, and for generous hearts that we return to Him the tithes and offerings of money with our song of praise, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: For grace, that we who approach the Lord’s Table be prepared to receive there the holy body and precious blood of Christ and so be nourished and strengthened for His service, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend ourselves and all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy, through Jesus Christ.

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People: Lord, have mercy and grant us Your grace always. Amen.

OFFERING

OFFERTORY HYMN – “Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart”

Give thanks with a grateful heart Give thanks unto the Holy One Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son. Give thanks with a grateful heart Give thanks unto the Holy One Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son. And now let the weak say, "I am strong" Let the poor say, "I am rich"Because of what the Lord has done for us.And now let the weak say, "I am strong"Let the poor say, "I am rich"Because of what the Lord has done for us.Give thanks.

OFFERTORY PRAYER

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Pastor: All good gifts come from you, dear Lord, and from these riches we bring this offering. Help us to use it for the furtherance of your purpose in this place, and for the benefit of those in need. Amen.

SACRAMENT

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Pastor: Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.

Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and

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strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

THE WORDS OF OUR LORD Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; Luke 22:19–20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–25

LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9–13

People: Our Father who art in heaven,hallowed be Thy name,Thy kingdom come,

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Thy will be done on earthas it is in heaven;give us this day our daily bread;and forgive us our trespassesas we forgive thosewho trespass against us;and lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.For Thine is the kingdomand the power and the gloryforever and ever. Amen.

DISTRIBUTION

POST-COMMUNION THANKSGIVING

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Pastor: Let us pray.

Almighty God, we give You thanks and praise that You called Abraham to be the servant of Your promise and our father in faith. We plead with Nicodemus to grant us Your grace that we be born anew in Baptism and inherit the Kingdom You have prepared for Your people. Guard our hearts against every pride and evil. Build within us the humility of faith, that we love You above all things and walk in Your ways faithfully to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

BENEDICAMUS

Pastor: Let us bless the Lord.People: Thanks be to God.

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BENEDICTION

DISMISSAL

Pastor: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!

People: Thanks be to God.

HYMN “Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart”

LBW 325

1 Lord, thee I love with all my heart;I pray thee, ne’er from me depart;with tender mercy cheer me.Earth has no pleasure I would share,yea, heav’n itself were void and bareif thou, Lord, wert not near me.And should my heart for sorrow break,my trust in thee can nothing shake.Thou art the portion I have sought;thy precious blood my soul has bought.Lord Jesus Christ,my God and Lord, my God and Lord,

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forsake me not! I trust thy word.

2 Yea, Lord, ’twas thy rich bounty gavemy body, soul, and all I havein this poor life of labor.Lord, grant that I in ev’ry placemay glorify thy lavish graceand serve and help my neighbor.Let no false doctrine me beguile,let Satan not my soul defile.Give strength and patience unto meto bear my cross and follow thee.Lord Jesus Christ,my God and Lord, my God and Lord,in death thy comfort still afford.

Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series A, Quarter 2. Copyright © 2019 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Welcome to all guests and visitors who are worshipping with us this morning! We hope that your time with us gives you the hope and peace that only our Lord can provide.

The Lord’s Supper is celebrated at Immanuel Lutheran Church in accordance with the Holy

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Bible and the Lutheran Confessions. We take Jesus at His Word, when with simple elements, He gives us His body and His blood. If this is your confession of faith, join us at the Lord’s Table. If not, please contact the Pastor prior to the worship service. If you are unable to join us at the communion rail and would like to have communion at your seat, please contact Pastor before the worship service. Please note, both white wine and grape juice are available in the individual cup tray.

Organist – Jan DalboPastor - Rev. Darrel MoenLector – Next week – Altar Care – Next week – Ushers – Next week –

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You are an important part of the life shared here. Please read over and complete this sheet. This will serve as an attendance and communion registration for March 8, 2020.

Name_______________________________________

Those who communed__________________________

( ) Visitor – home church_______________________

( ) Interested in membership.

Email address_________________________________

Address:_____________________________________

City: _______ State:_______________ Zip:________

Phone:_______________________________________

I have a prayer request for_______________________

__ hospitalized ___in rehab. ___ at home recovering.

__awaiting surgery ___ongoing illness22

Hymn Requests _________________________________

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