First English Evangelical Lutheran Church 800 Vernier Road

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236

phone: 313.884.5040 fax: 313.884.4460

website: www.feelc.org

Interim Pastor: Rev. J. Krister Ulmanis

Associate Pastor: Rev. Christina Veres Parish Ed/Youth Coordinator: Renata Conger

Coordinator of Music: Robert H. Foster Director of Bell Choirs: Christina Judson

Pastors Emeritus: Rev. Paul Keppler Rev. Dr. Walter Schmidt

Fourth Sunday in Lent

March 15, 2015

11:00 a.m.

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4TH SUNDAY IN LENT MARCH 15, 2015

PRELUDE AMAZING GRACE J. Linker

WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS P: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.

P: God of all mercy and consolation, come to the help of your people, turning us from our sin to live for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that we may confess our sin, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. C: Amen.

P: Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Congregation kneels or sits. Silence is kept for reflection and self‐examination

P: Most merciful God, C: We confess that we are captive 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. P: In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God 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 Son, and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.

GATHERING

HYMN HOLY SPIRIT, EVER DWELLING ELW # 582

GREETING P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. C: And also with you.

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KYRIE

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PRAYER OF THE DAY P: Let us pray: O God, rich in mercy, by the humiliation of your Son you lifted up this fallen world and res‐cued us from the hopelessness of death. Lead us into your light, that all our deeds may re‐flect your love, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME

BELL CHOIR STANDIN' IN THE NEED OF PRAYER ‐McChesney Good News Ringers

WORD

FIRST READING Numbers 21:4–9 4From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. 5The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." 6Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 7The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and every‐one who is bitten shall look at it and live." 9So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

P: Word of God, Word of Life. C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM 107:1–3, 17–22

1Give thanks to the LORD, for the | LORD is good, for God's mercy en‐ | dures forever. 2Let the redeemed of the | LORD proclaim that God redeemed them from the hand | of the foe, 3gathering them in | from the lands; from the east and from the west, from the north and | from the south. 17Some were fools and took re‐ | bellious paths; through their sins they | were afflicted. 18They loathed all man‐ | ner of food and drew near | to death's door.

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19Then in their trouble they cried | to the LORD (continued) and you delivered them from | their distress. 20You sent forth your | word and healed them and rescued them | from the grave. 21Let them give thanks to you, LORD, for your | steadfast love and your wonderful works | for all people. 22Let them offer sacrifices | of thanksgiving and tell of your deeds with | shouts of joy.

SECOND READING Ephesians 2:1–10 You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God — 9not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. P: Word of God, Word of Life. C: Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION GOSPEL John 3:14–21

14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

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18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are con‐demned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."

P: The gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON Rev. Krister Ulmanis

RESPONSE TO THE WORD

HYMN OF THE DAY FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED ELW # 598

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 sin, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE P: Lord in your mercy C: Hear our prayer

OFFERING ETERNAL LIFE – C. Courtney Good News Singers

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CONGREGATIONAL OFFERTORY LET THE VINEYARDS ELW #184 Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord, and fill to the brim our cup of blessing. Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown, that we may be fed with the bread of life. Gather the hopes and dreams of all; unite them with the prayers we offer. Grace our table with your presence, and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.

OFFERTORY PRAYER

P: God of mercy and grace, the eyes of all wait upon you, and you open your hand in blessing. Fill us with good things at your table, that we may come to the help of all in need, through Jesus Christ, our redeemer and Lord. C: Amen.

MEAL

GREAT THANKSGIVING

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PREFACE P: It is indeed right, our duty and our joy…..

….we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE

P: Blessed are you, O God of the universe. Your mercy is everlasting and your faithfulness endures from age to age. Praise to you for creating the heavens and the earth. Praise to you for saving the earth from the waters of the flood. Praise to you for bringing the Israelites safely through the sea. Praise to you for leading your people through the wilderness to the land of milk and hon‐ey. Praise to you for the words and deeds of Jesus, your anointed one. Praise to you for the death and resurrection of Christ. Praise to you for your Spirit poured out on all nations.

P: 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.

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With this bread and cup we remember our Lord's passover from death to life as we pro‐claim the mystery of faith: C: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

P: O God of resurrection and new life: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these gifts of bread and wine. Bless this feast. Grace our table with your presence. C: Come, Holy Spirit. P: Reveal yourself to us in the breaking of the bread. Raise us up as the body of Christ for the world. Breathe new life into us. Send us forth, burning with justice, peace, and love. C: Come, Holy Spirit. P: With your holy ones of all times and places, with the earth and all its creatures, with sun and moon and stars, we praise you, O God, blessed and holy Trinity, now and forever. C: Amen.

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 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.

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LAMB OF GOD INVITATION TO COMMUNION

HOLY COMMUNION At the Altar Rail

Communion takes place at the altar rail. You will receive the bread (wafer) from the pastor and the cup by the communion assistant. If for some reason you cannot take the wine, glasses of white grape juice are placed in the middle of the tray. It is also appropriate to receive just the bread (wafer). Please remain at the altar rail until each ‘table’ is dismissed.

If you desire to receive communion at the pew, please speak to one of the ushers. Younger children who are not Communing are invited to come forward to receive a blessing

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

P: Let us pray.

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Merciful God, accompany our journey through these forty days. Renew us in the gift of baptism, that we may provide for those who are poor, pray for those in need, fast from self‐indulgence, and above all that we may find our treasure in the life of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. C: Amen.

SENDING BLESSING

HYMN AMAZING GRACE, HOW SWEET THE SOUND ELW # 779

SHARING OF THE PEACE

POSTLUDE HOLY SPIRIT, EVER DWELLING G. Young

From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2015 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #48349.

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.

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Hosted By The Board of

Parish Education

Sunday, March 29th 10:30am

FEELC Front Lawn* * Rain/snow location is in the gym.

Did You Know? The egg is an ancient symbol of new life. Easter eggs represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb. Eggs were formerly a forbidden food during the Lenten season, so people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of the period of penance and fasting, then eat them on Easter as a celebration. Our eggs are hollow (like the empty tomb!) and filled with good things (like how the empty tomb means good things for us!)

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GOOD MORNING! Welcome to First English! If you are interested in learning more about the min‐istry of First English or would like to join our family, please fill out the “Visitor Card” in the pew rack.

WE WELCOME CHILDREN at worship. If you need the cry room it is located off the back entrance to the church. A nursery for children 4 & under only is located next to the church office.

SPEAKER SYSTEM for the hearing impaired is available. Please speak to one of the ushers.

TODAY – Fourth Sunday in Lent (March 15) The fourth of the Old Testament promises providing a baptismal lens this Lent is the promise God makes to Moses: those who look on the bronze serpent will live. In today's gospel Jesus says he will be lifted up on the cross like the serpent, so that those who look to him in faith will live. When we receive the sign of the cross in baptism, that cross becomes the sign we can look to in faith, for healing, for restored relationship to God, for hope when we are dying. 9:30 am – All liturgy and hymns is found printed in your worship guide. 11:00 am: All liturgy is found printed in your worship guide. The HYMNS are found in the back part of the Hymn Book. Holy Communion is celebrated at this service today. Next Sunday’s Scripture texts: To prepare for worship for next Sunday, take the time to read the scripture readings before coming to church so they are not unfamiliar to you when you hear them read in worship. For next Sunday, Fifth Sunday in Lent, the readings are – Jeremiah 31:31‐34; Psalm 51:1‐12, 17‐22; Hebrews 5:510; John 12:20‐33 Introductions to today’s readings: Numbers 21:4‐9 For some time the Israelites have been wandering in the wilderness and surviving on manna. Now yet another detour begins to test their patience. Ephesians 2:1‐10 Paul has written about the power of God in Christ which has placed all of creation under the feet of Christ. This power is at work in us. Now he speaks of the grace with which God has saved his readers. John 3:14‐21 Nicodemus has come to Jesus eager to understand this man from God, but is unable to compre‐hend “heavenly things”, that is, the revolutionary program that God has launched through Jesus..

Worship and Activity Information ‐ March 8, 2015

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MID WEEK LENT WORSHIP: Mid week Lent worship is held Wednesday at 10:30 am and 7:00 pm. The readings are based on the Old Testament reading from the previous Sunday. For this Wednesday, March 11, the reading is Exodus 20:1‐17 (Ten Commandments). The theme hymn for Lent is ELW # 334 Tree of Life and Awesome Mystery. Pastor Chris is away. She will return on Wednesday, March 18th.

MID WEEK LENT MEALS: Mid week Lent worship is also a time for meals and

fellowship time. Lunch is served after the morning worship and dinner is served at 6:00 pm. All are welcome.

March 11th meals are hosted by: Lunch ‐ Grace Circle at 11:30 a.m. Dinner ‐ MS Youth at 6:00 p.m.

USHERS, READERS & COMMUNION ASSISTANTS

There will be a meeting today, Sunday, March 15th

immediately following the 11:00 a.m.

service.

New volunteers are welcome.

FLOWERS ON THE ALTAR have been placed by Grace Circle in honor of Kathy Lindbloom’s birth‐day and in loving memory of John Osborn by Barbara Osborn; Alan, Jayne, Mary, Laura, and Car‐olyn Blohm; and David Osborn.

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS have been made to First English in memory of Margaret Kamisch‐ke by the Fellowship Board.

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS have been made to t he Building Fund in memory of Jeff Jensen by Al & Jacki Stein; Kevin & Marlena Hanlon; Art & Micki Walsh; Sharon Tarquinio; Fred & Betty Knapp; Denise Brideau & family and Charlotte Craig & Donald Maccani.

Preschool Service Project First English Lutheran Preschool has been asked to take part in a food drive that is being organized by the GP Rotary, GP Chamber of Commerce and Beaumont. This group is collecting food for children in GP public schools who qualify for free or reduced lunches (over 1,200 children) so that they may have food over the Spring break week. The preschool needs your help collecting boxes of cereal. Please donate a box (or two) of cereal by Sunday, March 29 in the cereal collection box in the lounge. Thank you!

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Ministers of Worship & Service Interim Senior Pastor: Rev. Krister Ulmanis Associate Pastor: Rev. Christina Veres Coordinator of Music: Robert Foster Director of Bell Choirs: Christina Judson Parish Education/Youth Director: Renata Simone Conger Pastor Emeritus Rev. Paul Keppler Pastor Emeritus: Rev. Dr. Walter A. Schmidt

TODAY 9:30 Today 11:00 Today GREETERS: Judy Leo Dee Friscan

ACOLYTES: Emma Burke Madeline Kohler

Emily Conn

USHER: Team #5 Team #6

M. McClendon Mark Balle

COUNTERS: Team #2 Nancy Heaphy

COMMUNION: Penny Damore Marti Miller

Margot Kahl Rosemary Yake

LAY READER: Mike Garrisi Jayne Blohm

COFFEE HOUR: Stewardship

FRIENDLY CALLER: Margot Kahl

NURSERY: Kreutzans family

ALTAR GUILD:

Anna: Patty Ford/ Lydia: Kay Butler/

Susan Mancani Kristen LaMagno

9:30 Mar. 22 11:00 Mar. 22 Judy Leo Dan Rustmann

Noah Simone Elise Nyquist

Kristen Smith

Team #8 Team #9

Charles Jackson David Zwicker

Team #3 Ruth Engle

Kathy Lang

Steve Lang

J. Tambourine Marti Miller

FELC Preschool

Diann Ohman

Link family

Anna: Patty Ford/ Lydia: Kay Butler/

Susan Mancani Kristen LaMagno

NEXT WEEK

GREETERS:

ACOLYTES:

USHER:

COUNTERS:

COMMUNION:

LAY READER:

COFFEE HOUR:

FRIENDLY CALLER:

NURSERY:

ALTAR GUILD:

Lenten devotion books are available on the magazine rack in the hall courtesy of Waynette Hostetler in thanks for all the prayers and concerns she has received.

Serving Lenten Worship ‐ Mar. 18 Usher: Team #7 ‐ Ken Kohler

Acolyte: David Kreutzans

THURSDAY BIBLE STUDY We will be studying the book of Job.

6th through 12th graders ‐‐ It’s time to register for Summer Camp

June 14 ‐ 19, 2015 Register and submit $100 deposit by

March 15th on line at: www.elcalivingwater.com/summer/

The Youth Gathering is in Detroit this year and Living Waters Ministries is

offering guided tours of the culture & history of the city. If you register

before June 1st the cost is $23 (after June 1 ‐ $28) For more

information please see the bulletin board in the hall.

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THIS WEEK AT FIRST ENGLISH - March 15 - 22, 2015 SUN 15 9:30 * Early Worship Sanctuary

9:30 * Sunday School Adult + Youth Lounge/Classroom

11:00 * Late Worship Sanctuary

1:00 Sports Luther Center

6:30 * Board & Council Mee ngs Lounge

7:00 Young Persons AA Mee ng Fellowship Hall

MON 16 8:45 * Preschool Classroom

9:30 Exercise Class Fellowship Hall

3:30 Music Lessons Classrooms

4:30 Sports Luther Center

TUES 17 10:30 * GPN Pizza Fellowship Hall

3:30 Music Lessons Classrooms

5:30 Exercise Class Fellowship Hall

7:00 Sports Luther Center

WED 18 8:45 * Preschool Classroom

9:30 Exercise Class Fellowship Hall

10:30 * Lenten Worship + Luncheon Sanctuary/Lounge

3:30 Music Lessons Classrooms

5:15 * Lord’s Company Ringers Bell Choir Room

5:40 * Lord’s Company Singers Choir Room

6:00 * Lenten Dinner Fellowship Hall

6:45 Sports Luther Center

7:00 * Lenten Worship Sanctuary

8:00 * Call Commi ee Mee ng Lounge

THURS 19 9:30 * Bible Study Lounge

3:30 Music Lessons Classrooms

5:30 Exercise Class Fellowship Hall

6:30 * HS Youth Luther Center/Youth Rm

6:30 * Good News Singers Choir Room

8:10 * Good News Ringers Bell Choir Room

FRI 20 8:45 * Preschool Classroom

SAT 21 10:00 Sports Church‐wide

SUN 22 9:30 * Early Worship Sanctuary

9:30 * Sunday School Adult + Youth Lounge/Classroom

11:00 * Late Worship Sanctuary

1:00 Sports Luther Center

7:00 Young Persons AA Mee ng Fellowship Hall

* denotes Church sponsored event