THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER-Confirmation Sunday May 4, 2025
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
Wisconsin Synod
Pastor Rev. Christopher Oehlke Pastor’s Phone: 1-262-909-7827
Organist Mindy Kane, Karen Davis, Church Telephone 763-682-4573
Lorraine Roush Email pastor@myimmanuel.org
WELCOME, VISITORS: We are glad you could be with us and we welcome you back any time. Please sign our “Welcome” card found in the pew holders or sign the guest book in the narthex/entry.
Before Communion
Lord, I am not worthy to be a guest at your holy table. But you are the friend of sinners, and you will not cast me out. This bread is your body, which bore my sins upon the tree. This wine is your blood, which purifies me from all guilt. At your invitation, I come rejoicing. Receive me, my Savior. Amen.
THE COMMON SERVICE
Beginning on Page 15 in the Hymnal.
HYMN (#170) “Draw Us to Thee”
M: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: (Sung) Amen.
CONFESSION OF SINS
M: Beloved in the Lord: let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins to God our Father, asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
C: Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words, and
actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good.
For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity.
But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior
Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
LORD, HAVE MERCY
C: (Sung) Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
M: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: (Sung) Amen.
PRAYER AND PRAISE
M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.
GLORY BE TO GOD
C: (Sung) Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace,
good will toward men.
We praise you, we bless you, we worship you,
we glorify you, we give thanks to you, for your great glory,
O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father almighty.
O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
You take away the sin of the world; receive our prayer.
You sit at the right hand of God the Father; have mercy on us.
For you only are holy; you only are the Lord.
You only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit, are most high in the
glory of God the Father. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M: The Lord be with you.
C: (Sung) And also with you.
M: Let us Pray. Almighty God, you have committed to your Church the task of making disciples of all nations. Enlighten with your wisdom those who teach and those who learn, that, rejoicing in the knowledge of your truth, they may worship and serve you from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: (Sung) Amen.
THE WORD
FIRST LESSON Joshua 1:5b-8
5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (NKJV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
PSALM OF THE DAY (Sung) Psalm 1 (page 64)
SECOND LESSON Ephesians 6:10-18a
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— (NKJV)
VERSE OF THE DAY
M: Alleluia. Alleluia. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia. If anyone loves me, he will hold on to my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Alleluia. (John 14:23 EHV)
C: (Sung) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
GOSPEL John 15:1-8
After the announcement of the Gospel, the congregation sings:
C: (Sung) Glory be to you, O Lord!
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (NIV)
M: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: (Sung) Praise be to you, O Christ!
HYMN (#461) “From Eternity, O God”
SERMON TEXT John 15:1-8
SERMON THEME “Stay Connected to Jesus”
After the sermon, the congregation stands and sings:
C: (Sung) Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with your free Spirit. Amen.
OFFERING – Please leave offering in the plate as you depart.
CONFIRMATION VOWS
M: Brothers in Christ, our Lord Jesus said to his disciples: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
In obedience to the Lord’s command, you have been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. You have been taught the precious truths of the Christian faith as confessed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church. You know what God has given you by his grace and what he expects of you as his dear children. You now have the privilege of receiving the Lord’s body and blood in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
You are here to make a public profession of your Christian faith. The apostle Paul, writing to the Romans, said: “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Therefore, lift up your heart to the God of all grace and joyfully
answer these questions.
M: Do you this day, in the presence of God and of this congregation,
acknowledge that in Baptism, God gave you forgiveness of sins,
life, and salvation?
R: I do.
M: Do you reject the devil along with all his lies and empty promises?
R: I do.
M: Do you believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
Spirit?
R: I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
M: Do you believe all the books of the Bible to be the inspired Word of God?
R: I do.
M: Do you believe that the teaching of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church, as you have learned to know it from Luther’s Small
Catechism, is faithful and true to the Word of God?
R: I do.
M: Do you intend to continue steadfast in this teaching and to endure
all things, even death, rather than fall away from it?
R: I do, and I ask God to help me.
M: Do you intend faithfully to conform all your life to the teachings
of God’s Word, to be faithful in the use of the Word and
sacrament, and in faith and action remain true to God—Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit—as long as you live?
R: I do, and I ask God to help me.
M: Since it is God alone who enables us both to will and to do his good pleasure, it is right for us, dear friends in Christ, to call on him for these confirmands, that he would graciously complete the good work which he has begun in them. Let us, therefore, bow our heads and pray.
M: Lord Jesus, author and perfecter of our faith, in mercy you joined Mark and Carter to your Church when they were born again of water and the Spirit. In mercy you taught them your saving truth. Grant that they may offer themselves as living sacrifices to you as their spiritual act of worship. Transform them by the renewing of their minds so that they will not conform to the pattern of this world. Help all of us live in love and harmony with one another and to work together in serving you. Keep us united in your Spirit, and bring us at last to your eternal kingdom, where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
C: 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.
M: Brothers in Christ, what we as a Christian congregation have here asked our heavenly Father to confer on you, we now ask him to give you individually.
LAYING OF HANDS AND CONFIRMATION TEXT
M: ________, may God, who began a good work in you, bring it to
completion at the coming of our Lord Christ Jesus.
Mark Kleist—“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)
Carter Peters— “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (Philippians 1:27)
M: Your church now invites you to receive the Sacrament of the Lord’s body and blood. Accept this invitation with deep reverence and holy joy. Regard your communing at the Lord’s Table as a precious privilege given you by God through his Church; receive this Sacrament thankfully and often. The almighty and most merciful God—Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit—bless and keep you.
C: Amen.
HYMN (#599) “Our Lord and God, Oh, Bless This Day”
THE SACRAMENT
PREFACE
M: The Lord be with you.
C: (Sung) And also with you.
M: Lift up your hearts.
C: (Sung) We lift them up unto the Lord.
M: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
C: (Sung) It is good and right so to do.
M: It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give you thanks, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, and we praise you especially for the glorious resurrection of your Son, the true Passover Lamb, who by his sacrifice took away the sins of the world and by his resurrection restored everlasting life. Therefore, with all the saints on earth and hosts of heaven, we praise your holy name and join their glorious song:
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY
C: (Sung) Holy, holy, holy Lord God of heavenly hosts:
heav’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he, blessed is he, blessed is he
who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
M: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,
which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
M: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: (Sung) Amen
O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD
C: (Sung) O Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
O Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
O Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
grant us your peace. Amen.
DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION HYMN (#313) “Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Savior” (#598) “My Maker, Be with Me ”
STAND
THANKSGIVING
SONG OF SIMEON
C: (Sung) Lord, now you let your servant depart in peace according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.
M: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
C: (Sung) And his mercy endures forever.
M: O Lord God, our heavenly Father, pour out the Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep us strong in your grace and truth, protect and comfort us in all temptation, and bestow on us your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
M: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and (+) give you peace.
C: (Sung) Amen. Amen. Amen.
HYMN (#332) “Go, My Children, with My Blessing”
Mark Kleist—“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)
Carter Peters— “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (Philippians 1:27)
THRID SUNDAY OF EASTER-Confirmation Sunday May 4, 2025
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
THE SCHEDULE
Tues., May 6 2 p.m., Tuesday Bible Study
Fri., May 9 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Volunteer Day at Wise Penny, Work as much as you’d like.
Flowers this morning are in memory of James Liefert
by the Betty Liefert family
Shut-In Visitors for May: Sharon Liefert and Lolene Liefert-Trulson
OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS
2025 CONFIRMANDS: We welcome Mark Kleist and Carter Peters as communicant members. We pray that God keep them faithful all their lives.
“BLESSED BASSINET” MAY FUND-RAISER: The “Blessed Bassinet” is set up in the upper narthex to collect baby items and/or cash during the month of May to benefit the New Day Pregnancy and Resource Center.
QUARTERLY VOTERS MEETING is scheduled for after the worship service on May 11. While the meeting is open to the entire congregation, voting is done by those men over 18 who have requested and been accepted by the voters assembly.
WEST SPRING CONCERT: The West Spring Showcase Concert & Art Show will be May 18 at 2 p.m. at WLHS.
LADIES FELLOWSHIP CROCHETERS SOUGHT: Ladies Fellowship is working on a fleece blanket project and is building a list of those who would be interested in crocheting blanket edges and/or those who have an interest in learning the process. Please let Bernis Benzer or Julie Gutknecht know if you’d like to be added to either list.
ATTENDANCE AT THE LORD’S HOUSE:
Sunday, April 27 47
