What is our mission?
“Welcoming all to grow in faith; living Christ’s message of serving and loving neighbors near and far.”
Welcome!
While we are practicing social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 there is also a need to imagine what worship could look like more creatively. We will have worship on Sunday mornings at 10:00am EST on our Facebook Page.
Below you will find interactive bulletins for our Sunday morning services. Bulletins will include music, prayers, scripture readings, and an audio recording of the sermon. You may choose to worship on your own schedule using the resources provided or use them to follow along in the service on Facebook. If for some reason the Facebook stream stops working you can find the video on Holy Trinity’s YouTube channel.
Licensing
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church is covered under the following licenses:
- CCLI: 1510407
- OneLicense: 732293-A
- Augsburg Fortress: SAS006846
Licensing
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church is covered under the following licenses:
- CCLI: 1510407
- OneLicense: 732293-A
- Augsburg Fortress: SAS006846
+ Our re-creation in baptism is an image of the Genesis creation, where the Spirit of God moved over the waters. Both Mark’s gospel and the story in Acts make clear that it is the Spirit’s movement that distinguishes Jesus’ baptism from John’s. The Spirit has come upon us as upon Jesus and the Ephesians, calling us God’s beloved children and setting us on Jesus’ mission to re-create the world in the image of God’s vision of justice and peace. +
CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS
All may make the sign of the cross, the sign marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
whose voice is upon the waters,
whose mercy is poured out upon all people,
whose goodness cascades over all creation.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin, trusting in the abundant grace of God.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Holy God,
you search us and know us.
You are acquainted with all our ways.
We confess that our hearts are burdened by sin—
our own sins and the broken systems that bind us.
We turn inward, failing to follow
your outward way of love.
We distrust those who are not like us.
We exploit the earth and its resources
and fail to consider generations to come.
Forgive us, gracious God,
for all we have done and left undone.
Even before the words are on our tongues,
you know them;
receive them in your divine mercy.
Amen.
How vast is God’s grace!
Through the power and promise of ☩ Christ Jesus,
our sins are washed away
and we are claimed as God’s own beloved.
Indeed, we are forgiven.
In the wake of God’s forgiveness,
we are called to be the beloved community
living out Christ’s justice
and the Spirit’s reconciling peace.
Amen.
GATHERING HYMN: (ELW # + Verses )
1 Angels we have heard on high,
sweetly singing o’er the plains,
and the mountains in reply,
echoing their joyous strains.
Refrain
Gloria in excelsis Deo;
gloria in excelsis Deo.
3 Come to Bethlehem and see
him whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn king. Refrain
Text: French carol; tr. H. F. Hemy, The Crown of Jesus Music, 1864
GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God, and the communion
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
HYMN OF PRAISE: Lord I Lift Your Name On High (ELW #857)
Lord, I lift your name on high.
Lord, I love to sing your praises.
I’m so glad you’re in my life,
I’m so glad you came to save us.
You came from heaven to earth, to show the way.
From the earth to the cross, my debt to pay;
from the cross to the grave,
from the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift your name on high.
Text and music © 1989 Maranatha Praise, Inc., admin. Capitol Christian Music Group
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Holy God, creator of light and giver of goodness, your voice moves over the waters. Immerse us in your grace, and transform us by your Spirit, that we may follow after your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
READINGS
Genesis 1:1-5
+ Out of chaos, God brings order. Out of the formless void, God brings light. This familiar story was good news for the Israelites, who experienced much chaos in their history. It remains good news for us. God created and continues to create new life. +
The first reading comes from Genesis beginning at the 1st chapter.
1In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 29
+ The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. (Ps. 29:3) +
Listen to these words from Psalm 29.
1Ascribe to the Lord, you gods,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2Ascribe to the Lord the glory due God’s name;
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
3The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders;
the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
4The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice;
the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor.
5The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
6the Lord makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
7The voice of the Lord
bursts forth in lightning flashes.
8The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe and strips the forests bare.
And in the temple of the Lord all are crying, “Glory!”
10The Lord sits enthroned above the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forevermore.
11O Lord, give strength to your people;
give them, O Lord, the blessings of peace.
Acts 19:1-7
+ In Ephesus, Paul encounters people who had received John’s baptism of repentance but had never heard of the Holy Spirit or of baptism in the name of Jesus. After Paul baptizes them, the Holy Spirit comes upon them and empowers them with gifts of the Spirit. +
The second reading comes from Acts beginning at the 19th chapter.
1While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. 2He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” 4Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied—7altogether there were about twelve of them.
Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
For the Children’s message this week we invite you to check out back episodes of Morning Watch by Pastor Matt and Pastor Jesse, who are good friends of mine and ELCA pastors in Greensboro, NC. Each week day they engage children and adults alike with scripture, music, and prayer. A link to their videos is linked in the interactive bulletin found at holytrinitybellerose.wordpress.com.
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS
Mark 1:4-11
+ Mark’s gospel reports the story of Jesus’ baptism with some irony: the one on whom the Spirit descends is himself the one who will baptize others with the Holy Spirit. +
The Holy Gospel according to Mark beginning at the 1st chapter. Glory to you, O Lord.
4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON
HYMN OF THE DAY (ELW # + Verses )
THE NICENE CREED
Let us confess our faith saying the words of the Nicene Creed in our hearts.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Guided by Christ made known to the nations, let us offer our prayers for the church, the world, and all people in need.
+ A brief silence. +
For the church throughout the world and its leaders, that guided by the Holy Spirit they proclaim the forgiveness of sins, let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.
For wilderness and water, wind and wild beasts, and all living things on earth, that God’s goodness is revealed through creation and faithful stewards care for all God has made, let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.
For the nations of the world and their leaders, for laborers busy both day and night, and for peacemakers amid strife, that God inspire all people to use their strength wisely, let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.
For the sick and those who provide medical care, for the imprisoned and those who show them mercy, for the lonely and those who provide companionship, for all who suffer (especially), that God shower compassion, let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.
For the congregation gathered here, for students returning to school, for those seeking renewal in their daily work, that all the beloved of God experience grace and peace, let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.
For comfort and healing of those who cry out to you. Surround everyone in need of healing in body, mind, or spirit with your tender presence. Come to our aid as the Coronavirus spreads globally, heal those who are sick, support and protect their families from being infected. let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.
For all who experience racism as part of their daily realities, those who feel fear for their own safety and that of those whom they love. We pray for all who are not treated with the respect they deserve, for we are all your children, created in your image. We pray for those who are scared and angry that they’re fighting a seemingly endless battle for safety. We pray for the families and friends of those who have been lost. We pray for wisdom and safety for public officials and law enforcement. We pray that no more harm come to our communities by anyone for any reason. We pray for peace, and we long for a future where the dignity of all God’s children is respected and upheld let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.
In thanksgiving for the faithful departed who now rest from their labors, that their witness inspire us in our baptismal vocations, let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.
Merciful God, hear the prayers of your people, spoken or silent, for the sake of the one who dwells among us, your Son, Jesus Christ our Savior.
Amen.
SHARING OF CHRIST’S PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always!
And also with you!
Let us share Christ’s peace with one another.
OFFERING MESSAGE & PRAYER
Please consider continuing to mail in your offering or giving online! We continue to have expenses that need to be covered during this time. We are most grateful for your generosity.
O God,
receive these gifts as you receive us:
like a mother receives her child, with arms open wide.
Nourish us anew in your tender care,
and empower us in faithful service
to tend to others with this same love,
through Jesus Christ, our saving grace.
Amen.
OFFERTORY HYMN: We Are an Offering (ELW #692)
We lift our voices, we lift our hands,
we lift our lives up to you: we are an offering.
Lord, use our voices, Lord, use our hands,
Lord, use our lives, they are yours: we are an offering.
All that we have, all that we are,
all that we hope to be, we give to you, we give to you.
We lift our voices, we lift our hands,
we lift our lives up to you: we are an offering, we are an offering.
Text and music © 1984 Word Music, LLC. All rights reserved. Used By Permission.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray in our hearts as Jesus taught us:
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.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
BLESSING
God the creator strengthen you;
Jesus the beloved fill you;
and the Holy Spirit the comforter ☩ keep you in peace.
Amen.
SENDING HYMN: (ELW # + Verses )
DISMISSAL
What is our mission? Welcoming all to grow in faith; living Christ’s message of serving and loving neighbors near and far.
Go in Peace. Remember the poor. Thanks be to God!
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Bellerose 