Please find the order of worship below. The livestream can be accessed at www.facebook.com/ststephenpittsburgh.
THE HOLY TRINITY
‘The Festival of the Holy Trinity was begun by Bishop Stephen of Liege (903-920) and
spread rapidly in northern Europe; in 1334 Pope John XXII ordered the
observance of the festival throughout the western church…The festival is
perhaps best understood not as the feast of a doctrine but as the celebration
of the richness of the being of God…and the occasion of a thankful review of
the now completed mystery of salvation, which is the work of the Father through
the Son in the Holy Spirit.’
(Philip
Pfatteicher, Commentary on Lutheran Book
of Worship)
The Athanasian Creed, traditionally confessed on Trinity Sunday, is one of the
three great Christological creeds of the ancient Church. Along with the
Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, it is at the head of the Lutheran
Confessions; these statements of faith link the Lutheran church with the
undivided catholic Church of the apostles and fathers. The twin topics of the
creed are the inseparable unity of the distinct persons of the Holy Trinity and
the union of divinity and humanity in Jesus Christ.
While the condemnations at the
beginning and end of the creed may seem off-putting to us, it is to be
remembered how sharp the theological divisions were at the time of its
composition, and how important they were for the Church’s self-understanding
and its understanding of its God. In any case, as Frank Senn has written, ‘What
merits condemnation is not ignorance of this creed, but rejection of it.’
‘The Creed is named after Athanasius, although he probably was not the writer of the creed.
St Athanasius (c.296-373) was the Bishop of Alexandria. By his refusal to
compromise with Arianism (the doctrine that Christ was not God from the
beginning) he incurred the enmity of the adherents of that doctrine. He was not
an irenic man, using violence and intimidation to further his goals, and this
perhaps also contributed to his multiple exiles from his episcopal see.
Recalled many times, he was a key player in building up the new Nicene party by
whose support orthodoxy triumphed over Arianism at the Council of
Constantinople in 381.He also wrote a life of St Anthony, the founder of
monasticism, and was the first to introduce knowledge of monasticism to the
West. His resolute character as well as his theology was the outstanding
obstacle of the triumph of Arianism in the East.’
(Oxford
Dictionary of the Christian Church, 3rd ed.)
Preparation for Worship
Upon reaching your place,
you may wish to read Psalm 84 in silence:
1 How dear to me
is your dwelling, O | Lord of
hosts!*
My soul has a desire and longing
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh rejoice in
the | living God.
2 The sparrow has
found her a house
and
the swallow a nest where she may | lay her young,*
by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King | and my God.
3 Happy are they
who dwell | in your house!*
They will always be | praising
you.
4 Happy are the
people whose strength | is in you,*
whose hearts are set on the |
pilgrims' way.
5 Those who go
through the desolate valley
will find it a | place of springs,*
for the early rains have covered
it with | pools of water.
6 They will climb
from | height to height,*
and the God of gods will reveal
him- | self in Zion.
7 Lord God of hosts, | hear my prayer;*
hearken, O | God of Jacob.
8 Behold our
defend- | er, O God;*
and look upon the face of | your
anointed.
9 For one day in
your courts
is better than a thousand in | my own
room,*
and to stand at the threshold of
the house of my God
than to dwell in the tents | of
the wicked.
10 For the Lord God is both | sun and shield;*
he will give | grace and glory;
11 no good thing
will the | Lord withhold*
from those who walk | with
integrity.
12 O | Lord of hosts,*
happy are they who put their |
trust in you!
You
may pray the following prayer(s):
Holy
Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God: hear our prayer and send your holy
angel from heaven to guard, protect, visit, and defend all those who assemble
together in this house; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Most
gracious God, incline your merciful ears to our prayers and enlighten our
hearts by the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may approach your Holy
Mysteries with believing hearts and love you with an everlasting love.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
OPENING MUSIC
Please
meditate on the text of the hymn as it is played:
All Glory Be to God on High
1
All glory be to God on high,
Who hath our race befriended,
To us no harm shall now come nigh,
The strife at last has ended.
God showeth his good will to men,
And peace shall reign on earth again,
O thank him for his goodness.
2
We praise, we worship thee, we trust,
And give thee thanks forever,
O Father, that thy rule is just
And wise, and changes never;
Thy boundless power o’er all things
reigns,
Thou dost whate’er thy will ordains:
‘Tis well thou art our Ruler!
3
O Jesus Christ, our God and Lord,
Begotten of the Father,
Who hast our fallen race restored
And straying sheep dost gather,
Thou Lamb of God, enthroned on high,
Behold our need, and hear our cry;
Have mercy on us, Jesus!
4
O Holy Spirit, precious Gift,
Thou Comforter unfailing,
Do thou our troubled souls uplift,
Against the foe prevailing;
Since Christ for us his Blood hath shed,
Avert our woes and calm our dread;
We trust in thee to help us!
Amen.
Nikolaus
Decius, 1490-1541, tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878
BRIEF ORDER FOR CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Stand
The sign of the cross may be made
by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
In the name of the Father, and of
the X Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Almighty God, to whom all hearts
are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the
thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may
perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
Amen
If we say we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God
who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
(1
John 1:8-9)
Silence for reflection and
self-examination.
Most merciful God,
we confess that
we are in bondage to sin
and cannot free ourselves.
We have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our
whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as
ourselves.
For the sake of your Son, Jesus
Christ, have mercy on us.
Forgive us, renew us, and lead us,
so that we may delight in your
will and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your holy name.
Amen
Almighty God, in his mercy, has
given his Son to die for us and, for his sake, forgives us all our sins. As a
called and ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and by his authority, I
therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name
of the Father, and of the X Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
THE HOLY COMMUNION
APOSTOLIC 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.
(2 Corinthians 13:13)
KYRIE
ELEISON
In peace, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above,
and for our salvation, let us pray to the
Lord. Lord, have
mercy.
For the peace of the whole world,
for the well-being of the Church of God,
and for the unity of all, let us pray to the
Lord. Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house,
and for all who offer here their worship and
praise,
let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort and defend us, gracious Lord. Amen
HYMN OF
PRAISE
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his
people on earth.
(Luke 2:14)
Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father:
We
worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you
for your glory.
Lord
Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb
of God:
You
take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
You
are seated at the right hand of the Father;
receive our
prayer.
For
you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
you
alone are the Most High,
Jesus
Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory
of God the Father. Amen
PRAYER
OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And
also with you.
Almighty God our Father, dwelling in majesty and mystery,
renewing, and fulfilling creation by your eternal Spirit, and revealing your
glory through our Lord, Jesus Christ: Cleanse us from doubt and fear, and
enable us to worship you, with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, living
and reigning, now and forever.
Amen
CALL TO
THE WORD
Jesus said: ‘All authority on heaven and earth has been given to me…
And I am with you
always, to the end of the age.’ Let us
hear the Word of the Lord.
Matthew 28:19-20
Sit
First READING Genesis 1:1—2:4a
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.
6And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
9And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. 12The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. 13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
6And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
9And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. 12The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. 13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
14And
God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from
the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15and
let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it
was so. 16God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule
the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17God
set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18to
rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the
darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening and
there was morning, the fourth day.
20And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” 21So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
24And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. 25God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.
26Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
27So God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
28God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” 29God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
20And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” 21So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
24And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. 25God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.
26Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
27So God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
28God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” 29God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
2:1Thus
the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. 2And
on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the
seventh day from all the work that he had done. 3So God blessed the
seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he
had done in creation.
4aThese are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
4aThese are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM 8
The psalm is read
responsively between the pastor and the people.
1 O | Lord
our Lord,*
how exalted is your name in | all
the world!
2 Out of the mouths of in-
| fants and children*
your
majesty is praised a- | bove the heavens.
3 You have set up a stronghold against your |
adversaries,*
to quell the enemy and | the
avenger.
4 When I consider your
heavens, the work | of your fingers,*
the
moon and the stars you have set | in their courses,
5 what is man that you should be mind- | ful of
him,*
the son of man that you should |
seek him out?
6 You have made him but
little lower | than the angels;*
you
adorn him with glo- | ry and honor;
7 you give him mastery over the works | of your
hands;*
you put all things un- | der his
feet:
8 all | sheep and oxen,*
even
the wild beasts | of the field,
9 the birds of the air, the fish | of the sea,*
and whatsoever walks in the paths
| of the sea.
10 O | Lord our Lord,*
how exalted is your name in | all the world!
SECOND READING
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
[Paul
writes:] 11Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in
order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God
of love and peace will be with you. 12Greet one another with a holy
kiss. All the saints greet you.
13The grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be
with all of you.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Stand
VERSE
Alleluia. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of
hosts;
the
whole earth is full of his glory. Alleluia.
Gospel Matthew
28:16-20
The
Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
16Now the
eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed
them. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18And
Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.
And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to
you, O Christ.
Sit
SERMON
HYMN OF THE DAY
Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word
1 Lord,
keep us steadfast in your Word;
Curb those who by deceit or sword
would wrest the kingdom from your Son
and bring to naught all he has done.
2 Lord
Jesus Christ, your power make known,
for you are Lord of Lords alone;
Defend your holy Church, that we
may sing your praise triumphantly.
3 O
Comforter of priceless worth,
Send peace and unity on earth;
Support us in our final strife,
and bring us out of death to life.
Martin Luther, 1483-1546, tr. Catherine Winkworth,
1829-1878
CONFESSION OF FAITH
The pastor and people confess the faith of the Church,
using the words of the Athanasian Creed.
Whoever wants to be saved
should
above all cling to the catholic faith.
Whoever does not guard it whole and inviolable
will
doubtless perish eternally.
Now this is the catholic faith:
We worship one God in trinity
and
the Trinity in unity,
neither
confusing the persons
nor
dividing the divine being.
For the Father is one person,
the
Son is another,
and
the Spirit is still another.
But the deity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
is
one, equal in glory,
coeternal
in majesty.
What the Father is,
the
Son is,
and
so is the Holy Spirit.
Uncreated is the Father;
uncreated
is the Son;
uncreated
is the Spirit.
The Father is infinite;
the
Son is infinite;
the
Holy Spirit is infinite.
Eternal is the Father;
eternal
is the Son;
eternal
is the Spirit:
And yet there are not three eternal beings,
but
one who is eternal;
and there are not three uncreated and unlimited
beings,
but
one who is uncreated and unlimited.
Almighty is the Father;
almighty
is the Son;
almighty
is the Spirit:
And yet there are not three almighty beings,
but
one who is almighty.
Thus the Father is God;
the
Son is God;
the
Holy Spirit is God:
And yet there are not three gods,
but
one God.
Thus the Father is Lord;
the
Son is Lord;
the
Holy Spirit is Lord:
And yet there are not three lords, but one Lord.
As Christian truth compels us to acknowledge
each distinct person as God and Lord,
so catholic religion forbids
us
to
say that there are three gods or lords.
The Father was neither made
nor
created nor begotten;
the Son was neither made nor created,
but
was alone begotten of the Father;
the Spirit was neither made nor created,
but
is proceeding from the Father and the Son.
Thus there is one Father, not three fathers;
one
Son, not three sons;
one
Holy Spirit, not three spirits.
And in this Trinity, no one is before or after,
greater
or less than the other;
but all three persons are in themselves, coeternal and
coequal;
and so we must worship the
Trinity in unity
and
the one God in three persons.
Whoever wants to be saved should think thus about the
Trinity.
It is necessary for eternal salvation that one also
faithfully believe
that
our Lord Jesus became flesh.
For this is the true faith that we believe and
confess:
That
our Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son,
is
both God and man.
He is God, begotten before all worlds
from
the being of the Father,
and he is man, born in the world
from
the being of his mother—
existing fully as God,
and
fully as man
with
a rational soul and a human body;
equal to the Father in divinity,
subordinate
to the Father in humanity.
Although he is God and man,
he
is not divided,
but
is one Christ.
He is united because God
has
taken humanity into himself;
he
does not transform deity into humanity.
He is completely one in the unity of his person,
without
confusing his natures.
For as the rational soul and body are one person,
so
the one Christ is God and man.
He suffered death for our salvation.
He descended into hell
and
rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and
is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the
dead.
At his coming all people shall rise bodily
to
give an account of their own deeds.
Those who have done good will enter eternal life,
those who have done evil will enter eternal fire.
This is the catholic faith.
One cannot be saved without believing this firmly
and faithfully.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
Rejoicing
in the mystery of our salvation, let us pray to the Father, through the Son, in
the Spirit.
A brief silence is kept.
Almighty
God and Father, we pray for the Church. May your Church always proclaim,
defend, and teach the mystery of the Holy Trinity. May all her members and the
members of this faith family live as your adopted sons and daughters and as brothers
and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Almighty
God and Father, give us reverence and honor for those who claim the one God and
yet do not acknowledge the three persons of your Godhead. Inspire our witness,
so that they may see you revealed in your Son Jesus Christ. Let us not grieve
your Spirit by anger, pride, and condemnation, but stir up that same Spirit
within us, that by holy lives we may witness to the truth of our confession.
May all come to acknowledge the divinity of your Son and the inspiration of
your Spirit; Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Almighty God, you have given us
this good land as our heritage. Make us always remember your generosity and
constantly do your will. Bless our land with honest industry, truthful
education, and an honorable way of life. Save us from violence, discord, and
confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil course of action. Make
us who came from many nations with many different languages a united people.
Defend our liberties and give those whom we have entrusted with the authority
of government the spirit of wisdom, that there might be justice and peace in
our land. When times are prosperous, let our hearts be thankful; and, in
troubled times, do not let our trust in you fail. Lord, in your mercy,
hear
our prayer.
Look with pity, O heavenly Father,
upon the people in this land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and
death as their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to eliminate
cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those who spend their lives
establishing equal protection of the law and equal opportunities for all. And
grant that every one of us may enjoy a fair portion of the abundance of this
land. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray to you, almighty God, in
this time of pandemic. You are our refuge and our strength, a very present help
in time of trouble. Do not let us fail in the face of these events. Uphold us
with your love, and give us the strength we need. Help us in our confusion, and
guide our actions. Heal the sick, console the bereaved and afflicted, protect
the innocent and helpless, and deliver all who are in peril. Lord, in your
mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray
to you for the sick, the dying, those who grieve, and those who are alone, that
they may have their burdens lifted. Hear our prayers for those for whom we have
been called to pray:
The pastor reads the names submitted for prayer.
The people are invited to offer prayer and
thanksgiving.
Lord,
in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray
in thanksgiving for those who have died, who now behold the mystery of your
Triune Godhead, and we ask that with them we may attain to the vision of your
glory; Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Hear
these prayers and the intercessions of the Spirit too deep for words, and
answer them according to your good and gracious will, through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit; one God,
now and forever.
Amen
PEACE
Peace to you from God our heavenly Father.
Peace from his Son Jesus Christ, who is our peace.
Peace from the Holy Spirit, the life-giver.
The peace of the triune God be with you always.
And also with you.
The people exchange the sign of
peace with the simple words, Peace be with
you.
Sit
The Lord’s Table is prepared.
Stand
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
We do
not presume to come to your table, O Lord,
trusting
in our own righteousness,
but in
your manifold and great mercies.
We are not worthy to gather up the crumbs under your
table.
But you
are the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy.
Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord,
so to eat the flesh of your dear Son, Jesus Christ,
and so to drink his blood,
that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us.
Amen
Prayer of Humble Access (see Mark 7:28 and John
15:3)
GREAT
THANKSGIVING
The Great Thanksgiving begins with the Preface, leading
into the Sanctus:
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is
indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places offer
thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and ever-living God.
You
have revealed your glory as the glory also of your Son
and of the Holy Spirit: three persons, equal in
majesty, undivided in splendor, yet one Lord, one God, ever to be adored in
your everlasting glory.
And so,
with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join
their unending hymn:
Holy,
holy, holy LORD, God of power and might!
Heaven
and earth are full of your glory;
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
Hosanna in the highest! (Isaiah 6:3, Matthew 21:9)
The
pastor leads the people in praying the Eucharistic canon:
Holy
God, mighty Lord, gracious Father:
Endless
is your mercy and eternal your reign.
You have filled all creation with
light and life;
heaven
and earth are full of your glory.
Through Abraham you promised to
bless all nations.
You
rescued Israel, your chosen people.
Through the prophets you renewed
your promise;
and,
at this end of all the ages, you sent your Son,
who
in words and deeds proclaimed your kingdom
and
was obedient to your will, even to giving his life.
In the night in which he was
betrayed,
our
Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke
it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take
and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the
cup, gave thanks,
and
gave it for all to drink, saying:
This
cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed
for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
For as often as we eat of this
bread and drink from this cup
we
proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Christ
has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Therefore, gracious Father, with
this bread and cup
we
remember the life our Lord offered for us.
And,
believing the witness of his resurrection,
we
await his coming in power
to
share with us the great and promised feast.
Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Send now, we pray, your Holy
Spirit,
the
spirit of our Lord and of his resurrection,
that
we who receive the Lord's body and blood
may
live to the praise of your glory
and
receive our inheritance with all your saints in light.
Amen.
Come, Holy Spirit.
Join our prayers with those of
your servants
of
every time and every place,
and
unite them with the ceaseless petitions of our great high priest until he comes
as victorious Lord of all.
Through him, with him,
in him,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honor and glory is yours,
almighty Father, now and forever. Amen
In the presence of Christ, we pray to his Father using the words he gave
us.
Christ is in our midst.
By the power of the
Spirit,
we pray to his
Father, saying:
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
(Matthew 6:9-15)
We adore the present Christ with
the words of the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God).
Blessed be the Kingdom of the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit.
Blessed be the Holy Trinity, now and forever!
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
Grant us peace.
(John 1:29, see also Luke 17:13)
DISTRIBUTION
Admission to the Sacrament is by
invitation of the Lord, presented through the Church to those who are baptized.
They may receive the Lord’s Body and Blood who
are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
who commune in their home churches, and who believe that Jesus Christ,
crucified and risen, is truly present in, with, and under the forms of bread
and wine for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.
The communicants
will be invited forward one family unit at a time. Please do not come forward
until the pastor directs you to come forward, and please do not remove your
mask until you have reached the table with the elements on it.
When the pastor says ‘The body of Christ,
given for you,’ eat the bread. When the pastor says, ‘The blood of Christ, shed
for you,’ drink the wine. The pastor will say ‘Depart in peace.’ Please take
the plate and the glasses and place them on the table that is indicated. Please
put your mask on before returning to your seat.
During the distribution,
hymn accompaniments are played. Please meditate on the texts of the hymns as
they are played.
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
1 Let
all mortal flesh keep silence,
and
with fear and trembling stand;
ponder
nothing earthly-minded,
for
with blessing in his hand
Christ
our God to earth descending
comes
our homage to demand.
2 King
of kings, yet born of Mary,
as
of old on earth he stood,
Lord
of lords in human vesture,
in
the body and the blood,
he
will give to all the faithful
his
own self for heav’nly food.
3 Rank
on rank the host of heaven
spreads
its vanguard on the way;
as
the Light of light, descending
from
the realms of endless day,
comes,
the pow’rs of hell to vanquish,
as
the darkness clears away.
4 At
his feet the six-winged seraph,
cherubim
with sleepless eye,
veil
their faces to the presence,
as
with ceaseless voice they cry:
“Alleluia!
Alleluia!
Alleluia,
Lord Most High!”
Text: Liturgy of St. James; tr. Gerard Moultrie,
1829-1885, alt.
Praise to the Father
1 Praise
to the Father for his lovingkindness,
tenderly
caring for his erring children;
praise
him, all angels; praise him in the heavens;
praise
to the Father!
2 Praise
to the Savior for his deep compassion,
graciously
caring for his chosen people;
young
men and women, aging folk and children,
praise
to the Savior!
3 Praise
to the Spirit, comforter of Israel,
sent
from the Father and the Son to bless us!
Praise
to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!
Praise
to the triune God!
Text: Elizabeth R. Charles, 1828-1896
When all have
received, the congregation stands at the direction of the pastor.
The body and blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
Amen
Lord, now you let your servant
go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the
salvation
which you have prepared in the
sight of every people:
A light to reveal you to the
nations
and the glory of your people
Israel.
Glory 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
Song
of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32)
O Christ, Lamb of God pure and holy,
O Wisdom, Word, and Power of God,
Grant that we may more
perfectly partake of you
in the days which know no
ending in your kingdom.
Amen
Sit
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE FAITH
FAMILY
Stand
Silence for meditation.
BENEDICTION
Almighty God, Father, X Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.
Amen
CLOSING MUSIC O Day Full of Grace
DISMISSAL
Go
in peace. Serve the Triune God.
Thanks be to God!
Please maintain social distance and remain
masked while exiting the building. Please sanitize your hands before leaving
the building.
OUR STEWARDSHIP of GOD’S GIFTS
Offering: 5/11/2020 through 5/31/2020
Towards
Budget: $
5,620.00
Itemized Non
Budget:
Food Bank: $ 45.00
Water Mission:
$ 20.00
Total: $
5,685.00
The Altar
Flowers are given to the Glory of God by Carol Vacca in honor of her mother’s birthday.
V IN YOUR PRAYERS
Linda Armento,
at home
Ruth Duessel, at
Concordia, Rebecca
Pastor Carl
Hendrickson, at home
Elsie Kemmler and Bill Roth at Concordia, South Hills
David Noel, at Kane Rehab, Scott Township
Geneva Schrag, at Consulate Health Care, Canonsburg
William Wetzel
at Concordia, Cabot
A FEW REMINDERS AS WE RESUME
PUBLIC WORSHIP SERVICES:
·
There
is a maximum occupancy of 25 people per service.
·
If
you wish to attend worship, you will need to pre-register every week
by either calling the office or sending an email.
·
Registration
ends every Friday at 5 PM.
·
Masks
are required to be worn while in the building.
·
Upon
entering and leaving the church, you must sanitize your hands.
·
Everyone
must sign in before entering the church. This way we can keep track of who was
in the church and when.
WORSHIP SERVICES will be held every Saturday evening at 6:30 PM and Sunday morning
at 9:30 AM. Pastor Frontz will also livestream Compline (Prayer at the Close of
the Day) on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. and Vespers (Evening Prayer) on Wednesday at 7
p.m. These can be accessed on the church’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ststephenpittsburgh).
Note: Prayer at the Close of the
Day will not be prayed on June 14.
FOOD BANK UPDATE:
Non-perishable
food donations are now being accepted again at
St.
Stephen. Our donations go to the food pantry of St Andrew Lutheran Church, East
Carnegie. In addition to food donations, monetary donations continue to be
accepted as well. Please make checks
payable to St. Stephen Lutheran Church
with a notation of “Food Bank” in the memo line. Thank you.
KINDLY REMEMBER TO PAY FOR THE
FLOWERS you
ordered for the weekend Altar and for the special occasions. Altar flowers are $20/vase. Checks can be
made out to St. Stephen Lutheran Church
with a notation “flowers” and placed in the offering plate
DAILY
DEVOTIONS, including THE WORD IN SEASON, PORTALS OF PRAYER AND CHRIST IN OUR
HOME (April,
May and June 2020) are available on the table in the Narthex. Take one or more
to share with family and friends. If you are able, a donation would be welcomed
to help defray the cost to the congregation for these resources. Thank you!
2020 ‘DAILY TEXTS’ are available in the Narthex. A donation of
$10 per book would be appreciated
to help cover the cost of the books. Thank you.
PLEASE ALERT Pastor Frontz anytime you
are hospitalized by calling him on his cell: (570) 447-8758. Hospitals DO NOT contact the church.
THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE NALC
NEWSLETTER is
available in the Narthex.
ST STEPHEN COUNSELING CENTER A site of Pittsburgh Pastoral
Institute/PPI) For marriage, family, teen
and individual counseling – for first appointment call PPI at 412-661-1239. St.
Stephen Center is
412-279-5452. Counseling opens doors to hope. Counselor:
Caroline Graham-McGuire.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
From
Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted
by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #20540.
New
Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of
America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Additional
liturgical material from Common Worship: Times and Seasons,
©
2006 The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England.
Proper
Preface from We Give You Thanks and Praise: The Ambrosian Eucharistic Prefaces,
tr. by Alan Griffiths; Sheed and Ward, 2000.
