**Please note this service is based on the format of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, all prayers come from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW). Hymns and other prayers have been sourced to give appropriate credit.
**NRSV translation used for the readings, unless otherwise stated.
Introduction to the day
In today’s readings the risen Christ ascends into heaven and his followers are assured that the Spirit will empower them to be witnesses throughout the earth. The disciples are told to not gaze up into heaven to look for Jesus (Acts 1:11); we find his presence among us as we proclaim the word and share the Easter feast. We too long for the Spirit to enliven our faith and invigorate our mission.
Thanksgiving
For Baptism
Blessed
be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
the
fountain of living water,
the
rock who gave us birth,
our
light and our salvation.
Amen.
Joined
to Christ in the waters of baptism,
we
are clothed with God's mercy and forgiveness.
Let
us give thanks for the gift of baptism.
We
give you thanks, O God,
for
in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters
and
by your Word you created the world,
calling
forth life in which you took delight.
Through
the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family.
Through
the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom.
At
the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit.
By
water and your Word you claim us as daughters and sons,
making
us heirs of your promise and servants of all.
We
praise you for the gift of water that sustains life,
and
above all we praise you for the gift of new life in Jesus Christ.
Shower
us with your Spirit,
and
renew our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love.
To
you be given honor and praise
through
Jesus Christ our Lord
in
the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.
Gathering
Song – Christ
is Alive, Let Christians Sing (ELW #389)
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.
Canticle
Of Praise
Prayer
of the Day
Let
us pray.
Almighty
God, your only Son was taken into the heavens and in your presence intercedes
for us. Receive us and our prayers for all the world, and in the end bring
everything into your glory, through Jesus Christ, our Sovereign and Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Readings
A
reading from the Book of Acts. (1:1-11)
[Luke writes:] In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about
all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was
taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the
apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to
them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and
speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not
to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he
said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you
will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when
you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know
the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a
cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up
toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men
of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been
taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into
heaven.”
The
word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm
47
Clap
your hands, all you peoples;
shout to God with a joyful sound.
For the Lord Most High is
to be feared:
a great king over all the earth,
who subdues the peoples under us,
and the nations under our feet;
who chooses our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom God loves.
God has gone up with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of the
ram’s horn.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our king, sing praises.
For God is king of all the earth;
sing praises with a song.
God reigns over the nations;
God is enthroned on high.
The nobles of the peoples have gathered as the people of the God of Abraham.
The rulers of the earth belong to God, who is highly exalted.
A
reading from the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians. (1:15-23)
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
The
word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel
Acclamation
The
Lord be with you.
And
also with you.
The
holy gospel according to Luke. (24:44-53)
Glory
to you, O Lord.
[Jesus said to the eleven and those with them,] “These are
my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written
about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then
he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus
it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the
third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in
his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these
things. And see, I am sending upon you what God promised; so stay here in the
city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed
them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into
heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and
they were continually in the temple blessing God.
The
gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
By Jason Zinko
I want to thank Pastor Theo and the IRSM for
inviting me here today. It is so nice to gather again with our congregations in
person to share in worship and to be able to talk. I have really missed visiting
people across the MNO Synod over the last two years and I am happy for the
opportunity to be here with you all.
I think that I have certainly come to
appreciate these in person gatherings even more than I did before. Because
living through Covid as a church is difficult, isn’t it? There has been a lot
of loneliness, fear, and anxiety – especially when we weren’t able to gather.
There has been anger and division over whether or not we should follow certain
guidelines, and for how long. There has
been insecurity and loss as we come back together and notice that some of our
church family have not yet returned, and may not return. We have been unable to
reach out to our communities in the same ways that we did before, and we have
felt that our ministry didn’t have the same kind of impact that we have taken
for granted for many years. And some of us have had doubts about how God is
active in the world.
Before you all start calling me the ‘Prophet of
Doom’, I will also admit that it’s not all bad.
We have been forced to be more adaptable than
we have been willing to be in the past. We have experimented and been willing
to try things that would have normally seemed impossible or unnecessary – until
we actually had to do them. We have reached out in new ways and let ourselves
be creative in how we function as the Body of Christ in the world. We have been
more open to collaborating and sharing with others, and we have focused on the
things that really matter.
But those aren’t the things we usually think of
first. In my position in the church especially, I hear almost exclusively about
the things we have lost and how hard this has all been for us.
I am sympathetic to that. I really am. There
have been real losses and there will be lingering effects.
But there is something that we need to realize…
this is not new for the church. Our situation isn’t actually unique. Our
challenges are nothing that God’s people have not walked through and overcome
before. In fact, our challenges these past years have been far easier to manage
than some others that the early church faced.
From literally the day that Jesus died on the
cross, the church has had times when they have had to lock themselves away in
fear for their lives. Gatherings have been made illegal and congregations have
had to stop meeting for threats far worse than a ticket. The early church met
in secret or communicated only through written letters to keep their faith active
and growing. And that was in a time when finding people to write (and read)
letters was rare.
I think the hardest would have been for the
disciples that we read about in today’s gospel reading. In addition to
everything else, they were also losing their leader and teacher. They were
literally watching as God’s Son left their presence. Imagine the grief and
uncertainty over losing the one who had guided them and done much of their
ministry for so long. Imagine thinking that you were seeing God walking, or
floating, away from you.
But they didn’t get a chance to dwell on it.
They were tasked with carrying on the ministry that Jesus started. So grief and
bewilderment aside, and immediately after Jesus’ ascension, the early church
needed to adapt to different cultures, languages, customs, governments, and
threats. They had to raise up and empower their own leaders when “qualified”
people weren’t available. They had to adapt their message to formats that
people could hear and understand. They had to each take responsibility for
witnessing to the gifts and promises of God in Christ or that message would
have certainly fizzled out.
More than anything, they needed to rely on the
gift of the Holy Spirit and the partnership that they shared in this ministry.
You know… the more I talk about this, the more
I see similarities between the early church and what is happening here in the
IRSM. Never mind the pandemic. This is just part of the reality in each of your
congregations, isn’t it?
You have all needed to adapt to a different way
of doing ministry than what you have been used to for the last decades. You
have had to weather storms, adapt to different customs and practices, raise up
and empower local leaders, share the resources available within a wider group
of congregations, and take responsibility for certain ministries in order for
your congregations to be places where people can grow and practice their faith.
You have all depended on God’s faithfulness. In
the absence of the good ol’ days of your congregations, you have all needed to
rely on the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. It is that gift that allows us
and empowers us to be the church. We simply do not have the strength or faith
on our own to carry on the work that God calls us to. It is only through the
Holy Spirit that we can hope to be the church in our communities.
This is what Jesus means when he says that the
disciples will be “clothed with power from on high.” The power of the Holy
Spirit is not the kind of power that means we get what we want, or that we
dictate what other people do. It is not an oppressive power, or a political
power, or a guarantee of wealth and success.
The power of the Spirit is simply the ability
for us to live into the ministry that Jesus leaves us to do. It is the power to
be witnesses – to tell others what we have seen and experienced; to share a
piece of how God has touched our lives; to put ourselves aside and work together
to grow in faith, serve our neighbour, and love each other.
The power of the Holy Spirit is what reminds us
each day of the life and promise we have in baptism, as well as the call we
receive in baptism to “live among God’s faithful people; to hear the word of
God and share in the Lord’s supper; to proclaim the good news of God in Christ
through word and deed; to serve all people, following the example of Jesus; and
to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.” It is the power of the Holy
Spirit that brings us to faith and speaks through our faith.
Now, certainly this is true of every
congregation. But in the IRSM you have an additional gift – that you get to do
this work together. You have the
benefit of partners on this road. Pastors that are stretched a bit thin is a
God-given invitation to take on an active role in the ministry of your
congregations in the community. It is an invitation to dive deeper into your
faith and service to your neighbourhoods in Jesus name.
Isn’t that exciting? Through Jesus’ blessing
and promise, we get to grow stronger in our faith together; we get to serve our neighbours together; we get to love each other and support each other, even
when we are members of other churches or live in different towns and cities.
This is the promise and blessing that Jesus gives.
So on this Ascension Sunday, we are in good
company. We are just like those first disciples who weren’t exactly sure of
what lay ahead of them. Just like them, some of us are left wondering “what
now?” Like them, there are some who want things to go back to the way they were
before everything changed. And, like them, we receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit and walk boldly into the unknown, trusting that God’s faithfulness will
empower us with all that we need in order to grow in our faith and to serve our
families, neighbours, and towns in the name of Christ.
Amen.
Hymn
of the Day – Alleluia!
Sing to Jesus (ELW #392)
Creed
Let us proclaim the faith of our
baptism as we say together the Nicene Creed.
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 for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary
and became truly human.
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 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 Intercession
Set free from captivity to sin and death, we pray to the God of resurrection for the church, people in need, and all of creation.
Silence
Holy
One, ruler of heaven and earth, wash us in your Holy Spirit and make us
witnesses to your resurrected life in this community. Let our fellowship be a
sign to others of the presence of Christ.
God,
in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Through
thundering, mighty waters reveal your creative power at work in creation. Cleanse
the air, land, and waters with the movement of your Spirit and the
participation of your people.
God,
in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
In
faithful and diverse worship, turn all people toward you and your loving will
for humankind. Bridge differences among traditions and across faiths. Unite us
in mission for the sake of a world in need.
God,
in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
From
the Anglican-Lutheran cycle of prayer, we pray for Bishops Andrew Asbil, Kevin
Robertson, and Riscylla Shaw, and the clergy and people of the Diocese of Toronto.
We also pray for the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem, the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, and for peace in the Middle East.
God,
in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We
pray for our church leadership, the National Lutheran Bishop Susan Johnson, the
Anglican Primate Linda Nicholls, the Interim Indigenous Archbishop Sidney
Black, the MNO Synod Bishop Jason Zinko, the Diocese of Rupert’s Land Bishop
Geoff Woodcroft, and all clergy and lay leaders within the IRSM.
God,
in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
In
the suffering and death of Jesus, draw near to those who suffer and for whom
death approaches. Hold them in the palm of your loving hand and give them rest.
God,
in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Inspire
us through the music, dance, and other arts ministries of this shared ministry.
With clapping, shouting, singing, playing, and moving, let our bodies bear
witness to the joy you alone can give.
God,
in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Rouse
us to remember the faithful witness of the saints who have gone before us. By
their lives and the life and death of Jesus, enlighten our hearts, give us
hope, and lead us in wisdom.
God,
in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
In
your mercy, O God, respond to these prayers, and renew us by your life-giving
Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.
Peace
The
peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Offering
Hymn – You
Servants of God (ELW #825)
Offering
Prayer
Let
us pray.
Blessed
are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with
these gifts: our selves, our time, and our possessions. Use us, and what we
have gathered, in feeding the world with your love, through the one who gave
himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
Dialogue
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 our thanks and praise.
Preface
It
is indeed right, our duty and our joy,
that
we should at all times and in all places
give
thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God,
for
the glorious resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ;
who,
enthroned forever at your right hand,
intercedes
for us as our great high priest.
And
so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of the resurrection,
with
earth and sea and all their creatures,
and
with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, Holy, Holy
Thanksgiving at
the Table
You
are indeed holy, almighty and merciful God.
You
are most holy,
and
great is the majesty of your glory.
You
so loved the world that you gave your only Son,
so
that everyone who believes in him may not perish
but
have eternal life.
We
give you thanks for his coming into the world
to
fulfill for us your holy will
and
to accomplish all things for our salvation.
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.
Remembering,
therefore, his salutary command,
his
life-giving passion and death, his glorious resurrection and ascension,
and
the promise of his coming again,
we
give thanks to you, O Lord God Almighty,
not
as we ought but as we are able;
we
ask you mercifully to accept our praise and thanksgiving
and
with your Word and Holy Spirit to bless us, your servants,
and
these your own gifts of bread and wine,
so
that we and all who share in the body and blood of Christ
may
be filled with heavenly blessing and grace,
and,
receiving the forgiveness of sin,
may
be formed to live as your holy people
and
be given our inheritance with all your saints.
To
you, O God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be
all honor and glory in your holy church, now and forever.
Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
Our Father
in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us
today our daily bread.
Forgive us
our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from
the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the
kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
Invitation to Communion
The risen Christ dwells with us here.
All who are hungry, all who are thirsty, come.
Sharing of the Eucharist
Prayer
After Communion
As
we have feasted around the table, let us pray.
God
of abundance, with this bread of life and cup of salvation you have united us
with Christ, making us one with all your people. Now send us forth in the power
of your Spirit, that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and
continue forever in the risen life of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Blessing
The
God of steadfastness and encouragement
grant
you to live in harmony with one another,
in
accordance with Christ Jesus.
Amen.
The God
of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
so
that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The
God of all grace ☩ bless you now and forever.
Amen.
Sending
Song – Lord,
You Give the Great Commission (ELW #579)
Dismissal
Go
in peace. Christ is with you.
Thanks be to God.
