Sunday April 21, 2024 Worship Service
Livestream at 11:10 a.m

PRELUDE — Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain (#2) — David Cherwien
As the prelude begins, you are invited to begin your personal preparation for worship.

SILENT MEDITATION
We cannot pray in love and live in hate and still think we are worshipping God. — A.W. Tozer

CALL TO WORSHIP                                            
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
       Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.  It is the LORD who made us and we are his;        
       we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Come, bow down and worship, kneel to the Lord, our Maker.
       This is our God, our shepherd, we are the flock led with care. Let us worship our Faithful God!

PRAISE AND ADORATION

*HYMN #803 — My Shepherd Will Supply My Need — RESIGNATION
(*Please stand, if you are able)

CONFESSION AND PARDON

CALL TO CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Savior God, you guide us, but we are slow to follow and stubborn. You welcome us to your fold, but we make others feel as if they don’t belong. Forgive our life-alienating ways, our exclusion and judgment; the way we evaluate and compare, demean and degrade. Redeem us. Restore us. Help us be faithful as your flock.  Amen.

SILENT PRAYERS OF CONFESSION AND PETITION

KYRIE ELEISON (#551) — “Lord, Have Mercy” — LAND OF REST
Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy upon us.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

*GLORIA PATRI (#240) — Alleluia, Alleluia, Give Thanks! — ALLELUIA NO. 1

WELCOME              
During the welcome, children are invited to come forward for a time with Dr. Zieman

TIME FOR YOUNG DISCIPLES

OLD TESTAMENT READING (unison) — The Twenty-Third Psalm
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures.   He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

This is the Word of the Lord.  Thanks be to God.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

FELLOWSHIP OF PRAYER

JOYS AND CONCERNS

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
The Lord’s Prayer
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.       

PROCLAMATION OF GOD’S WORD

SCRIPTURE LESSON — John 10: 11-18 — page 872 of the pew Bible

SERMON — “Why Is the Good Shepherd So Good?”  — Dr. Zieman

PRAYER

PRESENTATION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY — The Lord Is My Shepherd — Howard Goodall

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
The elders will serve you in the pews.  All baptized Christians are invited to partake. 
We ask that you hold on to the piece of bread or the cup until all have been served, so that we may partake as one body. 

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH — from a Brief Statement of Faith
We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God. Jesus proclaimed the reign of God: preaching good news to the poor and release to the captives, teaching by word and deed and blessing the children, healing the sick and binding up the brokenhearted, eating with outcasts, forgiving sinners, and calling all to repent and believe the gospel. Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition, Jesus was crucified, suffering the depths of human pain and giving his life for the sins of the world. God raised this Jesus from the dead, vindicating his sinless life, breaking the power of sin and evil, delivering us from death to life eternal.

*SANCTUS (#572) — “Holy, Holy, Holy” — SANCTUS (Pavlechko)

SERVING OF THE BREAD                          
Dr. Zieman will walk down the center aisle with gluten–free bread.

COMMUNION ANTHEM — In Holy Reverence, Lord, We Come — Lloyd Larson

SERVING OF THE CUP OF THE NEW COVENANT

*PRAYER
Gracious God we thank you.  We thank you for loving us so much that we are called your children.  We thank you for the opportunity to gather around your table together – to be filled, to be nourished, to be made whole once again.  May the love you have for us, be the love we give to others as we serve you with our hearts, minds and souls.  Give us courage, grace, and strength to live as your disciples. In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

*HYMN #11 — Source and Sovereign, Rock and Cloud  — ABERYSTWYTH

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE — Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain (#5) — David Cherwien