Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Toledo, Ohio
A congregation of the Northwestern Ohio Synod
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Sunday, May 22, 2022
Sixth Sunday Easter
Introduction & Welcome
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Visions abound in the readings for the sixth Sunday of Easter. Paul has a vision about what to do. John has a vision of what will be. Jesus provides visions of peace that surpasses human understanding and power beyond human imagination.
Thanksgiving for Baptism
In the waters of baptism,
we have passed over from death to life with Jesus Christ,
and we are a new creation.
For this saving mystery, and for this water, let us bless God,
who was, who is, and who is to come.
We thank you, God, for your river of life,
flowing freely from your throne:
through the earth,
through the city,
through every living thing.
You rescued Noah and his family from the flood;
You opened wide the sea for the Israelites.
Now in these waters you flood us with mercy,
and our sin is drowned forever.
You open the gate of righteousness
and we pass safely through.
In Jesus Christ, you calm and trouble the waters.
You nourish us and enclose us in safety.
You call us forth and send us out.
In lush and barren places, you are with us.
You have become our salvation.
Now breathe upon this water
and awaken your church once more.
Claim us again as your beloved and holy people.
Quench our thirst; cleanse our hearts; wipe away every tear.
To you, our Beginning and our End,
our Shepherd and Lamb,
be honor, glory, praise, and thanksgiving,
now and forever.
Amen.
Prayer of the Day
Bountiful God, you gather your people into your realm, and you promise us food from your tree of life. Nourish us with your word, that empowered by your Spirit we may love one another and the world you have made, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
First Reading: Acts 16:9-15
A vision compels Paul to move his ministry into Greece. There he meets Lydia, an important person in the business community, whose heart has been opened by God to receive the gospel. Her conversion and baptism provide the impetus for the founding of the church at Philippi.
9During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
9During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
11We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.
Psalm: Psalm 67
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy. (Ps. 67:4)
1May God be merciful to us and bless us;
may the light of God’s face shine upon us.
2Let your way be known upon earth,
your saving health among all nations.
3Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity and guide all the nations on earth.
5Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
6The earth has brought forth its increase;
God, our own God, has blessed us.
7May God give us blessing,
and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe.
Second Reading: Revelation 21:10, 22–22:5
John’s vision of a new Jerusalem coming out of heaven provides continuity with God’s past actions. Yet in this new city, God’s presence replaces the temple, and the glory of God and the Lamb supplants sun and moon.
10And in the spirit [one of the angels] carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.
22I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
22:1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; 4they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia. Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them,* and we will come to them and make our home with them. Alleluia. (John 14:23)
Gospel: John 14:23-29
As Jesus talks of returning to the Father, he promises to send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who will teach Jesus’ followers and remind them of all that Jesus taught. Even more, those in whom God makes a home will experience a peace that overcomes fear.
23Jesus answered [Judas (not Iscariot),] “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
25“I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.”
Meditation by Vicar Dave
In today’s gospel, Jesus is preparing His disciples for the time when He will leave them. Being left without their teacher and their friend must have been a frightening prospect for the disciples. Jesus had been with them, teaching them how to live in this new kingdom that was coming for the last few years. They looked to Him for guidance and support and now He was going away.
Think about a time when someone you trusted left you. Maybe it was a supervisor who went on to a bigger job and left you not knowing what was coming after him or her. Or perhaps a teacher who left to go on a sabbatical between semesters. A child who loses a parent to a sudden illness will often not understand what has happened and will feel abandoned.
At Grace, we’ve dealt with a similar situation over the past two years and some. When our last called pastor announced that he was leaving us for a call to another congregation, I’m sure that many of us felt confused and even lost. All of a sudden, we felt like a ship without a rudder. We were initially sent two people to help guide us through this difficult time, but eventually one of them had to leave as well. Personally, I’m glad that the Holy Spirit sent Pastors Brian & Howard to help us. Now that both of them are gone, I’m sure I’m not the only one who will miss them.
Now the Holy Spirit has sent Pastor Brenda whom the Holy Spirit will be working through to guide us into the foreseeable future. The greater sense of permanence that she brings with her is very reassuring, but I’m looking forward to seeing how she will help us to grow in our faith to become the church that God intends us to be.
Also, about two years ago, we were hit with the COVID pandemic. Many of us had to learn how to work in an entirely new environment as we adjusted to working from our homes if we were lucky enough to have that option. Learning to use our computers for video conferencing and doing our daily tasks without face-to-face contact was stressful. Your friends and coworkers may have only been a phone call away, but that’s a far sight from being able to walk down the hall and ask one of them for some advice. We at Grace sort of got a double whammy in that regard. Not only were we in the interim stage between called pastors, but all of a sudden it felt as though all of our social connections were not even being able to gather at our church!
But just as Jesus promised the disciples He would not leave them alone, He promised us the same. He sent the Holy Spirit to help us and guide us through what appears to be the worst of the pandemic. Some of the ways He did this, in my opinion, were to allow us the gift of streaming our services or conducting Bible study and council meeting via zoom. And while the last two years were difficult, I’m sure that we have grown.
Now that the pandemic appears to be slowing, we are slowly getting back to a sense of normalcy, and with Pastor Brenda, I’m looking forward to God doing great thing at Grace (not that He hasn’t been doing great things all along). Along the way there will be more changes. Sometimes, that will bring a sense of uncertainty and maybe even some fear. But I am confident that the Holy Spirit will guide us and Pastor Brenda so that we will be in the direction that God wants us to go.
Prayers of Intercession
Set free from captivity to sin and death, we pray to the God of resurrection for the church, people in need, and all of creation.
A brief silence.
God of new life, open your church to the unexpected ways your Spirit is at work. Guide Elizabeth and Daniel, our bishops, and Brenda, our pastor, as well as all bishops, pastors, deacons, and lay leaders in their visioning, partnership, and planning. Surround us with your peace. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Give a vision of increase and abundant harvest for farmers, laborers, and gardeners who are beginning their growing season. Join their efforts with the goodness of creation to feed all living things. Guide them in nurturing your Earth so that it may always produce an abundant harvest. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Shine your light of wisdom and peace among nations. When those in power seek to assert dominance over others, confound their ways and make them humbly yield to your authority. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Give safe haven to those who seek healing, liberation, or peace, especially those fleeing the violence of war in areas such as Ukraine, Ethiopia, Myanmar and Yemen. Create places filled with hospitality where hurting people find your loving presence and wholeness. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Hasten to dwell among those who are in pain or distress especially those whom we remember on our prayer list and prayer board as well as those we bring before you now. As Christ enters our deepest suffering, remain with those experiencing despair and great need. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Uphold the work of ministries and organizations in our communities who assist people experiencing homelessness, citizens returning from prison, and all marginalized people. Accomplish your will through their efforts. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Assemble your people at rivers, streams, and fonts, where we remember our baptism and welcome others into the communion of saints. Gather us with those who have died when we meet together at your river of life. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
In your mercy, O God, respond to these prayers, and renew us by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.
Together, let us profess our faith using the words of the Apostles Creed:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 to the dead.* On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
And now, as our Savior, Christ is teaching us, we boldly pray:
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, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Blessing
God, the Author of life,
Christ, the living Cornerstone,
and the life-giving Spirit of adoption,
☩ bless you now and forever.
Amen.
Dismissal
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Go in peace. Tell what God has done.
Thanks be to God.
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