THE LITURGY OF THE DIVINE SERVICE
as used at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Hamel
[The Divine Service is the Church’s public prayer. The Divine Service as used by Lutherans traces its roots to the ancient liturgy employed in the city of Rome and reformed in the 16th century to bear clearer witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.]
INVOCATION
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
CONFESSION
Beloved in the Lord, let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins to God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Who made heaven and earth.
I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,
And You forgive the iniquity of my sin.
(Silence for examination of conscience)
O Almighty God, merciful Father,
I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess to You all my sins and iniquities, with which I have ever offended You and justly deserve Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them; and I pray You, of Your boundless mercy, and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter suffering and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
ABSOLUTION
Upon this, your confession, I, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God to all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
ENTRANCE HYMN or INTROIT
KYRIE
Lord, have mercy upon us!
Christ, have mercy upon us!
Lord, have mercy upon us!
GLORIA IN EXCELSIS (omitted during Advent, pre-Lent, and Lent)
Glory be to God on high!
And on earth peace, good will toward men.
We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee,
We glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory.
O Lord God, heavenly King!
God the Father, in heaven;
O Lord, the Only-begotten Son,
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
That takest away the sin of the world,
Have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sin of the world,
Receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father,
Have mercy upon us.
For Thou only art holy!
Thou only art the Lord!
Thou only, O Christ, art most high,
In the glory of God the Father. Amen.
SALUTATION AND COLLECT
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Let us pray...
Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT READING
PSALM
EPISTLE
ALLELUIA VERSE
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
(Alleluia verse is chanted)
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
HOLY GOSPEL
The Holy Gospel according to St. N.
(silently: The Lord be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart that I may worthily proclaim the Gospel)
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
(The Gospel is read)
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
(The reader kisses the Gospel book and places it back upon the altar, praying quietly: By the Gospel words today, may our sin be done away!)
NICENE CREED
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all world, God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered, and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead; His kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins , and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY
PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL
OFFERTORY
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence
And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation
And uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.
OFFERINGS RECEIVED (as the offerings are gathered, the altar is prepared for the Holy Eucharist)
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
We come to You, Holy Father, with praise and
thanksgiving, through Jesus Christ, Your Son.
Through Him we ask You to accept and bless the prayers and gifts we
offer - for we bring You in thanksgiving only what You have first
given to us in love. Lord, in Your mercy, R.
Remember, Lord, Your holy church. Watch over her and guide her. Grant
her peace and unity throughout the world. Lord, in Your mercy, R.
Remember, Lord, Gerald, Herbert, and all pastors and servants of the
Church. Grant them to hold and teach the faith that comes to us from
the apostles. Lord, in Your mercy, R.
Remember, Lord, our President, our public servants, and all in our
armed forces. Guide, bless, protect and uphold them in honor. Bring
all nations into the ways of peace and justice. In Your kindness and
love, grant us seasonable weather and an abundance of the fruits of
the earth. Lord, in your mercy, R.
Remember, Lord, all who suffer for Your name, all who are in prison,
the hungry and ill-clad, the poor and the lonely, those who travel,
and all who cry out to You in their time of need (especially…) Take
them under Your tender care and grant them a happy issue out of their
afflictions. Lord, in your mercy, R.
Remember, Lord, (N. And N. as they celebrate… and ) all who are
gathered here before You, our living and true God. We pray for our
well-being and redemption. Order our days in Your peace, deliver us
from the danger of eternal death, and number us among Your chosen
flock. Though we are sinners, we trust in Your mercy and love. Do not
consider what we truly deserve, but grant us Your forgiveness. Lord,
in Your mercy, R.
Remember, Lord, (N. and) all our brothers and sisters who have fallen
asleep in Christ our Savior. Refresh their souls with heavenly
consolation and joy and fulfill for them all the gracious promises
which in Your Word You have given to those who believe in You. Lord,
in Your mercy, R.
Holy Father, in communion with the whole Church we honor Your saints,
in whom You have given us a mirror of Your mercy and grace. We praise
You especially for the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph her husband,
St. John the Baptist, Saints Peter and Paul, (St. N. ) and all Your
martyrs. Give us grace to walk before you with faith like theirs and,
in accordance with their prayers, grant us a share in their heavenly
fellowship. Lord, in Your mercy, R.
CELEBRANT: Lord God, as we prepare to receive the holy Sacrament, we
pray You, bless and sanctify, with the power of Your Holy Spirit, this
bread and wine, which you have given us, that through our Lord’s Words
they may become His body and blood, the food and drink of eternal life.
Grant that we may receive worthily this sacramental mystery, the New
Testament of our Divine Redeemer, for He is the Lamb of God, who gave
Himself once and for all, as a holy, immaculate and perfect sacrifice
for the forgiveness of our sin and for the life and salvation of the
whole world.
Through Him we beseech You, Father, to look upon us with favor and to
receive our thanksgiving for so great a Gift, as You once accepted the
offerings of Your servants Abel and Noah, the sacrifice of Abraham,
and the bread and wine offered by Your priest Melchizedek. In union
with them, we pray that Your holy angel would carry our prayer to Your
altar in heaven and unite us in the unending liturgy of Your servants
of every time and place; through Christ, our Lord, from whom all good
things come.
Through Him, with Him and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all
glory and honor is Yours, Almighty Father, forever and ever.
Amen.
PREFACE AND PROPER PREFACE
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts!
We lift them up unto the Lord!
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is meet and right so to do.
It is indeed meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ our Lord [the appointed proper preface follows, concluding with:] Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
SANCTUS
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth!
Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory!
Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is He! Blessed is He!
Blessed is He that cometh in the + name of the Lord!
Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!
OUR FATHER
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.
DOXOLOGY
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever! Amen!
WORDS OF OUR LORD
Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread,
and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said:
TAKE, EAT. THIS IS MY + BODY WHICH IS GIVEN FOR YOU.
THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.
[Our Lord’s Body is elevated, and the pastor genuflects]
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks,
He gave it to them, saying:
DRINK OF IT, ALL OF YOU. THIS CUP IS THE NEW TESTAMENT
IN MY + BLOOD, WHICH IS SHED FOR YOU, FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
THIS DO AS OFTEN AS YOU DRINK IT, IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.
[Our Lord’s Blood is elevated and the pastor genuflects]
PAX
[Holding aloft our Lord’s Body and Blood, the pastor faces the people and says:]
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen!
AGNUS DEI
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us!
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us!
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, grant us Thy peace! Amen!
DISTRIBUTION
[Before receiving the Eucharist, the people are invited to pray privately:]
Almighty Lord Jesus Christ, as often as I shall come to Your holy table to refresh my spirit, I pray You to make me, unworthy as I am, worthy through Your grace; impure as I am, to make me clean; naked as I am to clothe me, so that Your Body, so full of divine power, and Your most precious Blood may not become for me, Your servant, the occasion for judgment or punishment, but a memorial of the death You underwent for me, a strengthening of my faith, a proof of the taking away of my sins, a bond of closer union with You and Your people, an increase of holiness, the basis of a glad resurrection, and a pledge of everlasting life. Amen.
NUNC DIMITTIS
Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy Word,
For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people.
A Light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
POST-COMMUNION
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
And His mercy endures forever.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that, of Your mercy, You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
BENEDICTION
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Bless we the Lord!
Thanks be to God.
The Lord bless you and keep you!
The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you!
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace!
Amen! Amen! Amen!
