P May our Lord Jesus Christ confirm your faith that you may worthily partake of his blessed Sacrament, be strengthened in faith in the forgiveness of sins, abound in love toward God and your neighbor, and be steadfast in the hope of eternal life.

C Amen.

DISTRIBUTION

POST-COMMUNION HYMN

THANKSGIVING StandP Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. Psalm 107:1

C And His mercy en-dures for - ev - er.P We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us

through this salutary gift, and we implore you that of Your mercyYou would strengthen us through the same in faith toward Youand in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, YourSon, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,one God, now and forever.

C A - - - men.

BENEDICTION Numbers 6:24-26P The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you ✠ peace.

C A - men, A - men, A - - - - men.

CLOSING HYMN Sit

POSTLUDE

Α Ω

DIVINE SERVICE FOR ADVENTP=Pastor, C=Congregation

SERVICE OF PREPARATION

OPENING BELLS

OPENING HYMN

P In the name of the Father and of the Son ✠ and of the Holy Spirit. C Amen. Matthew 28:19bP Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess

our sins to God, our Father, imploring Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness: Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C who made heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8P I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Psalm 32:5P O almighty God, merciful Father,C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess to You all my sins and

iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your punishment now and forever. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of 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.

P Upon this your confession, I by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God to all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son ✠ and of the Holy Spirit. John 20:19-23

C Amen. Remain standing

SERVICE OF THE WORD

INTROIT OF THE DAY (cf. worship folder cover)

1

ADVENT KYRIE (Czech Advent/Christmas Kyrie) Mark 10:47

C Ky - ri - e e - lei - son.

1. Come, O long ex - pect - ed Je - sus; 2. Born your peo - ple to de - li - ver, 3. By your own e - ter - nal Spi - rit,

from our fears and sins re - lease us,

born to reign in us for - ev - er, by your all suf - fi - cient me - rit,

e - lei - son, e - lei - son. Ky - ri - e e - lei - son.SALUTATION & COLLECT FOR THE DAY P The Lord be with you. 2 Timothy 4:22

C: And with your spir - it.P Let us pray to the Lord: . . . now and forever.

C A - - - men. Sit LESSON P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.EPISTLE P: This is the Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.GRADUAL cf. worship folder coverGOSPEL StandP The Holy Gospel according to . . .

C: Glo - ry be to You, O Lord. The pastor reads the Gospel … “This is the Gospel of the Lord.”

C: Praise be to You, O Christ. 2

AGNUS DEI (LSB 345:1, 3, 4 tune: Freuen Wir Uns) John 1:29

C Hark! a thrill-ing voice is sound - ing!

“Christ is near,” we hear it say.

“Cast a - way the works of dark - ness,

all you child-ren of the day!”

2. See, the Lamb, so long expected, comes with pardon down - - from heav’n.Let us haste, with tears of sorrow, one and all, to be - forgiv’n;

3. So, when next he comes in glory and the world is wrapped - - in fear, He will shield us with his mercy and with words of love - draw near.

P O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, Who, according to the will of the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, have by your death given life to the world: deliver us by Your most Sacred Body and Blood from all our iniquities, and from every evil; make us always to cling to Your commandments, and never let us be separated from You, Who with the same God the Father and the Holy Spirit, live and reign, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.P May the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve our souls to

life everlasting.C Amen.P Do you believe that this consecrated bread and wine is the true Body

and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ given and poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins?

C I do. 7

THE LORD’S PRAYER (Tune: Danish/Bugenhagen Order, 1685) Mt 6:9-13 P: Taught by our Lord and trusting His promises, we are bold to pray:

C:

PAX DOMINIP The peace of the Lord be with you always. John 20:19

C A - - - men.

6

NICENE CREED Said by AllI 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 ✠ of the world to come. Amen. Sit

HYMN OF THE DAY

SERMON

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

APOSTOLIC BLESSING Stand

PSALM VERSE Stand Psalm 51:10-12

C Cre-ate in me a clean heart, O God,

and re - new a right spir-it with - in me.

Cast me not a - way from Your pre-sence and

3

take not Your Ho - ly Spir - it from me. Re -

store un - to me the joy of Your sal -

va - tion, and up - hold me with

Your free Spir - it. A - men. Sit

OFFERING

SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENTPREFACE StandP The Lord be with you. 2 Timothy 4:22

C And with your spir - it.P Lift up your hearts. Colossians 3:1

C We lift them up un - to the Lord.

P Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God. Psalm 136

C It is good and right so to do.

P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose way John the Baptist prepared, proclaiming him the Messiah, the very Lamb of God, and calling sinners to repentance that they might escape from the wrath to be revealed when he comes again in glory.

C A - men. 4

CONSECRATION Mt 26:26-28; Mk 14:22-24; Lk 22:19-20; 1 Cor 11:23-25P: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples saying: Take, eat.

This is my Body ✠which is given for you. This do in remem-brance of me.

In the same way also he took the cup after supper, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying: Drink of it, all of you.

This is my Blood ✠of the new testament, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.

SANCTUS (LW 16 adpt.) Isaiah 6:3; Matthew 21:9P Therefore with angels and archangels and

with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify your glorious name, evermore praising you and saying:

C Ho - san - na now through Ad - vent with

lov - ing hearts we sing, for Je - sus Christ our

Sav - ior has come to be our King.

2. O holy, holy, holy Lord God of pow’r and might, the heav’ns and earth are full of the brightness of your light.

3. Hosanna! Blessed Jesus, in Sacrament and Word;O Blessèd Jesus, blessèd, come save us, precious Lord.

4. Hosanna! Let this welcome ring out from every heart; draw near to us, O Jesus, and nevermore depart.

5

ADVENT I November 27, 2016

OPENING HYMN - 332 POST-COMMUNION - 938HYMN OF THE DAY - 354 CLOSING HYMN – 333

INTROIT (Ps. 25:1-3a,4)

P: To You, O LORD, I lift⎮up my soul. *O my God, I⎮trust in You;

C: Let me not⎮be ashamed; *   Let not my enemies triumph⎮over me.

P: Indeed, let no one who waits on You⎮be ashamed; *Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach⎮me Your paths.

All: Glory be to the Father and⎮to the Son *and to the Holy⎮Spir-it;

As is was in the the be-⎮gin-ning,is now and will be forever. ⎮A-men.

P: To You, O LORD, I lift⎮up my soul. *O my God, I⎮trust in You;

COLLECT FOR THE DAY

LESSON Jeremiah 23:5-8

EPISTLE Romans 13:11-14

GRADUAL (Ps.25:3a,4; 85:7)

P: Indeed, let no one who waits on You⎮be ashamed; *Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Alleluia! Al-⎮le-lu-ia!

C: Show us Your⎮mercy, LORD, *And grant us Your salvation. Al-⎮le-lu-ia!

GOSPEL Matthew 21:1-9

COMFORTING WORDS FOR THE SEASONLuther once put it: “Reason and will would ascend and seek

above, but if you will have joy, bend yourself down to this place. There you will find that boy given for you Who is your Creator, lying in a manger … Take Him away and you face the Majesty which terrifies. I know of no God but this One in the manger. Do not let yourself be turned away from this humanity. What wonderful words! He is not only a man and a servant, but that person lying in the manger is both man and God essentially, not separated one from the other, but as born of a virgin. If you separate them, the joy is gone. O You boy, lying in the manger, You are truly the God who has created me, and You will not be wrathful with me because You come to me in this loving way — a more loving way cannot be imagined.”

(Quoted from Norman Nagel, The Seven-Headed Luther, p. 48)

The Adoration Of The Kings And Christ On The Cross  Benedetto Bonfigli 1420-1496

Greetings to All: Welcome to St. Michael’s Lutheran Church. If you are visiting today we hope that you will consider making St. Michael’s your church home. Join us after service for refreshments and conversation in Mathesius Hall, followed by Sunday School and Adult Bible Class.

An Exhortation Concerning the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar: Mindful of our Lord's words regarding unity in the faith and preparation to receive His body and blood, and mindful of the Lutheran confessional practice of examination prior to coming to the altar, we practice closed communion. If you are a visitor at St. Michael’s today and have not spoken to the pastor prior to service please do not come to the altar for communion at this time. If you would like to know more about St. Michael’s Lutheran, the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession, and the practice of closed communion, or if you are interested in membership, please speak with the pastor following Divine Service. Thank you for your consideration.

Coffee, Conversation, and Bible Study: Please join us after Divine Service in Mathesius Hall for coffee and conversation until 12:30 p.m. This is followed by Sunday School in the same venue and adult Bible study in Luther Hall from 1:30 p.m. Please feel free to donate to our Coffee & Snacks fund.

Confession: Pastor Hoff is available for private confession and absolution on Sundays 9:45 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., and on Thursdays 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., at Mathesius Hall, or, by special appointment. Please take advantage of the great blessing and consolation of absolution and the power of the keys.

Pastor Hoff’s Office Hours: Thursdays 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Mathesius Hall.

Confirmation: Catechism instruction leading to the rite of confirmation is being held on Mondays at 2:30 p.m. at Mathesius Hall

English Midweek Advent service: Midweek Advent services begin this week on Wednesday, 30 November at 6 PM. Join us for Vespers on Wednesdays at 6 PM throughout the season of Advent.

Prayer Requests/Announcements: Please submit requests by calling/texting Pr. Hoff at +420.725.847.961, or email him at clinton.hoff@lcmsintl.org Thank you.

Prayers: Polina Lynch (for a healthy pregnancy); Tomáš Hradecký (for healing), Shereen Patrick (for a blessed marriage – Dec. in Pakistan) Serving: Liturgist, Celebrant, Preacher – Rev. Clinton Hoff; Organist: Vladimír Kopáčik Scripture texts for next week: Advent 1: Jer 23:5–8; Rom 13:11–14; Matt 21:1–9Annual Budget: Rent, Maintenance, Electricity = 98.000 Kč/yr. + other expenses = 15.000 Kč/yr. = weekly needs of 2.175 Kč per Sunday.

St. Michael’s Lutheran ChurchEnglish language worship

Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Czech Republic.

“Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed.”(Psalm 25:2c-3a)

ADVENT INOVEMBER 27, 2016

Sermon on the Gospel for Advent I, 2016Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from

the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.The word of God on which we would like to meditate on

this first Sunday in Advent, is the holy Gospel, our Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem to cheers of “Hosanna (Come save us now!) Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! (Come save us now from on high!)”

In the name of Jesus, our Advent King and Savior, dear fellow redeemed:

IntroductionAt first blush the Gospel for the first Sunday of the new

church year may seem strange. It is the familiar triumphal entry of Jesus into the holy city, Jerusalem, on Palm Sunday, leading up to our Lord’s crucifixion and death on Good Friday and His resurrection on Easter Sunday.

But we are all gearing up for Christmas. So, what does this Gospel have to do with the season? On the surface, it doesn’t seem like it has anything to do with it, but if we look a little deeper, we will find that they have a lot to do with each other.

When we study the Bible, we always try to understand it in it’s literal and historical sense. In the gospel before us, it is not difficult to grasp this. It is a straightforward historical account of what happened at the beginning of that fateful week before the passion, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Many in that crowd had come to the conclusion that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The words they called out are proof of that. Both the word “Hosanna,” and “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” come from Ps. 118

(25-26). This was the main Psalm sung by Israel during the Passover. It still is. The sacrifice of a Passover lamb and the meal they made of it reminded them of God’s great deliverance of Israel out of the bondage of slavery in Egypt under a ruthless and wicked Pharaoh. But more than that it pointed forward to the true Lamb of God, the Messiah, who would redeem them from their sins.

When the Palm Sunday crowd sang this Psalm to Jesus on His triumphal ride into the holy city, it could only mean one thing: they believed that He was the Anointed One, the Messiah who should come.

That is the literal and plain sense of our Gospel. But the Word of God is not like other words that relate to us simple histories of the goings-on of man through the ages. The Word of God is thicker than that. In, with, and under the literal sense of God’s Word there is also a spiritual sense, which gives depth of meaning to the literal. That is, there is an application of the literal sense to your spirit; a sense that transports the historical sense into your life. It is that spiritual sense of this Gospel that we want to focus on today as we begin the holy season of Advent. Where do you fit into this picture?

What is Our Hosanna Now Through Advent?Act I

As we have heard, the Word “Hosanna” means “Come save us now.” And the word “Advent” means “coming.” As you visualize the Lord Jesus riding into Jerusalem, think broadly of what that means. The donkey He rode on was a beast of burden, not the mighty steed of a worldly king. It represents both the humility of Christ’s Advent and the purpose of His coming, namely, to be a servant to mankind and to bear our burden. Jerusalem represents the world

and the Church in the world. The Messiah would enter the world in the most humble of appearances; so humble that indeed many would not recognize Him as King of kings and Lord of lords.

He would be born of the royal blood of David, to be sure. But by the time of his birth, the Davidic line had been reduced to insignificance by one conquering nation after another. Only Mary is left, a queen by blood, but in reality a poor maiden with no royal status or recognition among her people. She was no more than a pauper, betrothed to a carpenter. Yet miraculously, through the Holy Spirit, this pure virgin becomes a mother, as the LORD Himself had given the sign through the prophet Isaiah 700 years before: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel (which translated means God with us)” (Is. 7:14).

This Advent of Christ, “conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary” (Ap. Cr.), is the first layer under the surface of our Gospel. The Christ-Child does not enter the world with great pomp and circumstance, but humbly, riding on a donkey, born in poverty in the little town of Bethlehem, David’s hometown to be sure, but striped of its former glory for a long time, and even smaller and more humble than our own little town, Brewster.

Yet under the humility of the donkey, shrouded in mystery, a ray of light shows through; a light which shines over the whole Jerusalem of this world. Out there in the country, where the shepherds were busy “keeping watch over their flock by night, behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.” (Lk 2:8). But like the resurrection of Christ, after His

humble ride into Jerusalem, after his passion and death on the cross, when He burst forth from the grave, this ray of glory on the Bethlehem plain caused the shepherds to fear and tremble before the mighty hand of God.

It was too wonderful to bear. Like Isaiah before them, when they saw the Angel of the Lord, they could only say with him, “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts” (Is 6:5). And so the Angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people” (Lk 2:10), and He sends them out of the light to find the Savior, who is Christ the Lord, an Infant, wrapped in diapers, lying in a manger, where cattle feed, where the donkey is tied; a scene with no fear in it, but humble, approachable, the most innocent and beloved scene known to human experience. Yet under the flesh of this Child lies God Himself – gentle, tender, and loving.

Man wants to meet God in His divine majesty, but when he does, even if only a glimpse, he is sent crashing down into fear by his own sin and guilt which cannot stand before the Justice of Divine Glory. Yet out of great love for man, fallen though he be, God hides Himself under this gentle form where fear melts away and love and trust in Him replace it.

ACT II.This layer of our Gospel, however, is not the only one.

This Word of God is thicker still. In fact, you might say that this layer only sets the stage for the next one; the stage you are on in the Jerusalem of the Holy Christian Church. After the resurrection, the sight of the risen Savior also brought fear into the hearts of His disciples, much as the rays of His

glory caused the Bethlehem shepherds to be afraid. When the risen Lord passed through the locked doors of the room where the disciples were hiding, they thought He was a ghost, a heavenly specter, I suppose, but still something otherworldly. And that brought on fear. They were afraid.

So, where does Jesus send them? Not to Bethlehem; that was act one. It came and went. Not back to the Mt. of Olives where He began His humble ride into Jerusalem either. That was act one, scene two. It also came and went. No, here He begins act two. This time the poverty of the manger and the humility of the donkey ride into Jerusalem takes on a new form for His disciples and for us.

The new form is the ministry of the NT. Like the manger and the donkey, it is a humble form. It consists of words: Words that do not bite, words like honey that draw you to its sweetness. The risen Lord Jesus gave this command to His disciples, “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Lk 24:47). The word of repentance makes for a bitter taste in our mouths. As St. Paul says, “the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe” (Gal. 3:22). Even the hammer of the law serves the loving purpose of making the Gospel of forgiveness ever sweeter, like that Infant in the manger or the humble king riding on a beast of burden in order to carry your load.

This New Testament ministry also consists in sacraments of the same kind. Water poured on in the name of the Triune God is such a soothing bath that who could be afraid of it? Even though in, with, and under this water, the devil is cast out and the old Adam is drowned with all sins and evil

desires by the Lord of glory, and the new man of faith is implanted within by the HS with power, yet its humble form draws you to this gracious water of life and washing of regeneration without fear. It’s like approaching the baby Jesus or singing “Hosanna” to the humble King carrying your burdens to his cross.

This baptism is a well that never runs dry. Even when you stumble and fall, and become thirsty again for that water which saved you, it is still there for you, even as every morning when you get up and every evening when you lie down you make the sign of the cross in the name of the Father and of the Son ✠ and of the Holy Spirit as a constant reminder of your baptism.

In addition to this, you are renewed again and again by the word of absolution, which says to you, “Be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven.” Mere words, simple words, dear words, behind which speak our Savior, God of God, Light of light, very God of very God.

And if that were not enough you are refreshed again and again by the humble elements of bread and wine, which are called by the command of Christ’s own Word to be His very body and blood, given and poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. And yet, what is more basic, humble and common than bread and wine; certainly nothing to fear. For our God shows His love, grace and mercy to us with the same “Fear not!” spoken to the shepherds and the same humble picture of a King riding on a donkey, which creates boldness in the heart to cry out in confidence, “Hosanna!” Come save us now!

Act III.So, you see, this Gospel has everything to do with the

Advent season we have begun today. It hearkens back to

our Lord’s coming in the world through the incarnation, and to His coming into Jerusalem to save His people from their sins. It also shows His present coming to you through the simple word of the Gospel and the humble sacraments of baptism, absolution, and His Holy Supper.

And like another layer of meaning, it looks forward to act three, the final act in the Divine Drama. This is what our Epistle speaks of today. “Now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.”

This time the donkey will be transformed into a mighty steed, Jerusalem will be made anew, and the Son of Man will return in a blaze of glory. The old Adam will be put away forever and the children of light will see Him as He is, without fear. The veil of the manger, the king on the cross, the humble forms of word and sacrament will no longer be needed. They will give way the bare presence of the God-Man who is victorious over sin, death, and the power of the devil. The humble water of baptism will give way to springs welling up to eternal life. The word of forgiveness will give way to the life of the forgiven, and the humble supper will give way to the great banquet and feast of the Lamb which will have no end. For the answer to a life time of “Hosannas!” Lord, come save us now, will be complete.

This is Advent. He came. He comes. He will come again. When he came, the believers cried, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” When He comes into our midst through word and sacrament, we still sing “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” And when he comes again, He will

find you with Hosanna on your lips: Lord, come save us now. He did. He does. And He will. Amen.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Let us pray:

Prayer of the Church, Advent 1, 27 November 2016As we have been bidden to come and go up to the mountain

of our Lord and to the house of our God, let us go in prayer, confidently believing that our Lord will both hear and give answer to our petitions and supplications.

Blessed Lord, teach us Your ways, that we may walk in Your paths. Give us Your Holy Spirit, that we may abandon the ways of darkness and sin and walk in the light of Christ, doing the good works of those whom He has redeemed with His precious blood. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Mighty Lord, in a world of war and violence, terror and fear, we cry to You to silence the voices of hate and bring peace to the nations. Raise up for us good and faithful leaders in this and every land who will respect and protect life as sacred, honor the sacred trust placed in them, and serve to promote and defend liberty and justice for all people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Gracious Lord, as once Your people welcomed Your Son with palms and hosannas, so grant us faith to welcome Him who comes to us now in His Word and Sacrament and who will come again in glory as Lord and Judge to bring to completion all that He began. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Holy Lord, create in us new and contrite hearts, that we may confess our sins and rejoice in Your holy absolution and, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, be filled with the desire for all that is good and right and holy according to Your law. Lord, in Your

mercy, hear our prayer.Merciful Lord, comfort those in pain of body or spirit, relieve

those who suffer, give healing to the sick and blessing to all ask our for our prayers [especially Tomáš in his illness, Polina, that she may have a safe pregnancy and healthy delivery, Shereen, that her travel for her upcoming wedding in her homeland may be safe and her marriage a blessing, and for all those whom we name in our hearts]. According to Your gracious will, answer the prayers of Your people who cry to You for help and blessing; sustain them in the day of trouble, grant them patience in their afflictions, and bless those in their joys. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Loving God, as we remember the start of another church year and begin anew our journey to recall the birth, revelation, suffering, death and resurrection of Your dear Son and our Savior, grant us the aid of the Spirit, that we may be well instructed by Your Word, strengthened in faith and equipped for our daily vocation of love and service. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Giving Lord, You have so richly supplied us with material blessings. Keep us, we pray, from being distracted by the glimmer of this world and its treasures, and guide us to trust fully in the true treasure of Your grace that will not pass away. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Faithful Lord, You have marked us as Your own in Baptism, given us Your Spirit to teach our hearts to believe and destined us for everlasting life in Christ. Give us lips to testify to Your goodness and words to speak in witness to the love that has saved us. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Blessed Lord, remembering the faithful who lived and died in Christ and now rest from their labors, [especially ____________,] bring us with them to know Your mercies face to face, that when Christ comes in His glory, we may welcome Him with praise and hosannas and enter with Him into the everlasting feast He has

prepared for all who love Him. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

All these things, O Lord, we pray, knowing that You, in Your fatherly wisdom and care, will grant us what is good and right for us and for our salvation; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Arise and receive the blessing:

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.