SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER April 12, 2026

Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church

Wisconsin Synod

Pastor Rev. Christopher Oehlke Pastor’s Phone: 1-262-909-7827

Organist Karen Davis, Mindy Kane, 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.

Prayer Before Worship

Speak, Lord, because your servant is listening. I am your servant. Give me understanding that I may know your testimonies. Incline my heart to the words of your mouth. Speak, Lord, for you have the words of eternal life. Speak to me, to comfort my soul and to purify my life. Speak, that you may receive praise, glory and everlasting honor! Amen.

SERVICE OF THE WORD

Beginning on Page 38 in the Hymnal.

HYMN (#148) “The Strife Is O’er, the Battle Done”

M: The grace of our Lord (+) Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.

C: And also with you.

CONFESSION OF SINS

M: We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children. But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.

C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. 

In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.

M: God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to his will.

C: Amen.

PRAYER AND PRAISE

M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.

C: (Sung) Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.

Blessed are they who take refuge in him.

Your Word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.

Your faithfulness continues forever.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.

Blessed are they who take refuge in him.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

M: O risen Lord, you came to your disciples and took away their fears with your word of peace. Come to us also by Word and sacrament, and banish our fears with the comforting assurance of your abiding presence; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 

C: (Sung) Amen.

THE WORD

FIRST LESSON Acts 2:14a, 22-32

¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and spoke loudly and clearly to them: “Men of Judea, and all you residents of Jerusalem, understand this, and listen closely to my words.

²² “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus the Nazarene was a man recommended to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know. ²³ This man, who was handed over by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, you killed by having lawless men nail him to a cross. ²⁴ He is the one God raised up by freeing him from the agony of death, because death was not able to hold him in its grip.

²⁵ “Indeed, David says concerning him: I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. ²⁶ Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. My flesh also will rest in hope, ²⁷ because you will not abandon my life to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. ²⁸ You have made known to me the paths of life. You will fill me with joy in your presence. ²⁹ “Gentlemen, brothers, I can speak confidently to you about the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ Since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that he would seat one of his descendants on his throne, ³¹ he saw what was coming and spoke about the resurrection of Christ, saying that he was neither abandoned to the grave nor did his flesh see decay. ³² “This Jesus is the one God has raised up. We are all witnesses of that.       (EHV)

M: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM OF THE DAY (sung) Psalm 16 (page 68)

SECOND LESSON 1 Peter 1:3-9

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ into an inheritance that is undying, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. ⁵ Through faith you are being protected by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time. ⁶ Because of this you rejoice very much, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various kinds of trials ⁷ so that the proven character of your faith—which is more valuable than gold, which passes away even though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, yet by believing in him, you are filled with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, ⁹ because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.             (EHV)

M: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE OF THE DAY

M: Alleluia. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. 

Alleluia. (John 20:29)

C: (Sung) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 

These words are written that we may believe 

that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. 

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

GOSPEL John 20:19-31

¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were together behind locked doors because of their fear of the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you!” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you! Just as the Father has sent me, I am also sending you.” ²² After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ Whenever you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. Whenever you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” ²⁴ But Thomas, one of the Twelve, the one called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other 

disciples kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

²⁶ After eight days, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Take your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue to doubt, but believe.” ²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

³⁰ Jesus, in the presence of his disciples, did many other miraculous signs that are not written in this book. ³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.      (EHV)

M: The Gospel of the Lord

C: (Sung) Praise be to you, O Christ!           

HYMN (#165) “O Sons and Daughters of the King”

SERMON TEXT John 20:19-31

SERMON THEME “Jesus Lives to Give Me Proof and Peace”

APOSTLES’ CREED

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.    

OFFERING – Please leave offering in the plate as you depart.

HYMN (#158) “I Am Content! My Jesus Lives Again”

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH

M: O Lord God, our strength, our song, and our salvation, you 

fulfilled your promises by the resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ, from the dead. 

C: Thanks be to God! You give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

M: In your compassion you sent Christ, the Good Shepherd, who laid down his life to rescue the lost.

C: Drive out all doubt and gloom that we may delight in your glorious triumph.

M: Lift our eyes heavenward to see him who lives to make intercession for the saints, and grant us confidence in the greatness of his power. Keep before us the vision of your redeemed people standing before your throne and singing the song of victory:

C: Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive wisdom and power and honor and glory and praise.

M: Make us instruments of your peace as we bring the good news of hope and new life to those around us. Guide us in the use of all that you have entrusted to us: our time, our talents, and our treasures.

C: Risen Lord, live in us that we may live for you.

M: Merciful Lord Jesus, grant healing to the sick, and strengthen the faith of the suffering and the dying. Assure them of your abiding presence, and comfort them with the hope of eternal life.

Special prayers and intercessions may follow.

M: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions.

Silent prayer.

M: Gracious Father, you have restored to us the joy of your salvation. With happy hearts, we come before you and say:

C: Alleluia! Thanks be to God! 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: 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: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.

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 (#142)  “Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain”     

SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER April 12, 2026

Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
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​THE SCHEDULE   

Sun., April 12 10:45 a.m., Endowment Committee

Mon., April 13 6:30 p.m., Ladies Fellowship

Tues, April 14 Pastors’ Spring Conference

Wed., April 15 Pastors’ Spring Conference

Thurs., April 16 Pastors’ Spring Conference

6 p.m., Fishers Youth Group

Next Sun., April 19: Greeters: McAlpine Family

OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS

LWMS-HANNAH CIRCUIT RALLY: The Spring Rally of the Hannah Circuit will be today Sunday, April 12, at Cross-Rockford beginning with lunch at noon. There will be a plate offering this week on the table in the narthex.

QUARTERLY VOTERS MEETING is scheduled for after the worship service on April 26. Men over 18 years of age who are interested in becoming voting members are encouraged to contact Pastor Oehlke or a council member.

FISHERS PALM SUNDAY BREAKFAST: Fishers youth group would like to thank their families and congregationfor their support of their 33^rd annual breakfast. Fishers (along with a Thrivent grant) will cover the expenses of the event with the donations $989 (combined with last year’s of $713) to be held for teen camp/rally scholarships.

ATTENDANCE AT THE LORD’S HOUSE: 

Palm Sunday, March 29 79

Maundy Thursday, April 2 58

Good Friday, April 3 73

Easter Sunday, April 5 105

FOR THE LORD’S WORK:      March 29: General Fund-$2,418.75, Salem-$2. April 5: General Fund-$968, West-$15, Salem-$17, Fishers-$5, MLC-$5. Missions-March 25-$405; March 29-$435; April 2-$421; April 3-$286; April 5-$1,445 (YTD-$7,727).