I thank You, My heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger. Keep me this day also, from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. Into Your hands I commend my body and soul and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen!

Today’s order of worship is based on the historic rite called “Matins.” Its name properly means “of the morning” and was used at dawn by the early Christian Church. The central theme of worship in Matins is praise. Its petitions seek grace, guidance and strength for the duties of the day. It also connects us to Easter Sunday as we, joined with our risen Lord, glorify God as we rise to the activities of this new day. May the Lord richly bless your worship here this morning!

Welcome to Faith Lutheran Church! It is an honor and a privilege for us to have you here and to serve you with the Word of God. We pray that our time together may build each of us up in faith in Jesus Christ and encourage us in our service to Him in our lives.

In this bulletin you will find the order of worship we will use today. There is also an insert with more details about the service and announcements. Please take the insert home with you and leave this bulletin here to be used again.

The hymns we will sing today will all be on the screen. If you would like to see the music, you can follow along in Christian Worship, the red hymnal in your pew. See the board in the front of the church for the hymn numbers.

We are thrilled to have your little ones in church; Jesus Himself said “Let the little children come to me.” We understand that those little ones can become unruly. If you find it necessary to step out momentarily, you can follow the service on the TV in the fellowship hall.

Alive in Christ to share life in Christ

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.” Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.

How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD;

my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may have her young— a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.

Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob. Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one.

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.

Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate. He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness. He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever—

holy and awesome is his name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

Psalm 84

Psalm 96

Psalm 111

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Please see the screen for the words of the Opening Hymn. This, or another hymn announced by the pastor, will be used to begin our worship. If a different hymn is used, you will find the melody in the red hymnal in your pew.

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℗ 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 us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

℗ Let us confess our sins to God our Father.

© Merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful. 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. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.

℗ God Almighty, in His mercy, has given His Son to die for you and—for His sake—forgives you all your sins. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son (†) and of the Holy Spirit.

© Amen!

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℗ Let us pray. The pastor says the Prayer of the Day.

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You will find this lesson on the screen as well as on page two of the bulletin insert. After the lesson, the pastor says:

℗ This is the Word of the Lord.

You will find this lesson on the screen as well as on page three of the bulletin insert. After the lesson, the pastor says:

℗ This is the Word of the Lord.

You will find the Gospel on the screen as well as on page four of the bulletin insert. After the Gospel, the pastor says:

℗ This is the Gospel of our Lord!

The pastor speaks the response for the season:

Advent: The Lord will come again in glory. The Spirit and the Church cry out: Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Christmas/Epiphany: We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, Who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Lent: All we like sheep have gone astray and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. By His wounds we are healed.

Easter/Ascension: The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Death has been swallowed up in victory. Alleluia!

Pentecost: Come, Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of Your faithful people and kindle in us the fire of Your love. Alleluia!

General/Thanksgiving: Give thanks to the Lord; call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done.

Please see the screen for the words of the Hymn of the Day. The hymns used in worship are also found in Christian Worship, the red hymnal in our pews, or printed on an insert.

The pastor preaches a sermon based on one of the texts used in the worship service. Please turn to page five of the bulletin insert for some notes about the pastor’s message.

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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.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours

now and forever. Amen!

One way that the members of Faith worship God is by giving generous monetary offerings to thank Him for His many blessings. If you are visiting and would like to participate in the offering, feel free to do so. But please do not feel that you are obligated to contribute; you are our guest. We thank you for the opportunity to share God’s Word with you!

The pastor offers the prayers and petitions of the congregation to the Lord. United with the whole Christian Church on earth, we ask God for the many blessings that He has promised to His people. The final petition is the Prayer for Grace.

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℗ O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have brought us safely to this new day. Defend us with Your mighty power and grant that this day we neither fall into sin nor run into any kind of danger; and in all we do, direct us to what is right in Your sight, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord.

© Amen!

Morning Praise. Text revised from The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941. Music from The Lutheran Hymnal, revised by Kermit G. Moldenhauer.

Please see the screen for the words of the Closing Hymn. The hymns used in worship are also found in Christian Worship, the red hymnal in our pews, or printed on an insert.

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5200 Lake Otis Parkway · 563-3499 · FaithAlaska.com

Great God and Lord—You have invited me to come into Your presence and worship Your holy Name. You have granted me forgiveness for all my many sins and given me the assurance of Your love for me in Jesus Christ. I thank You for this undeserved grace and I pray You to keep me in the true faith until, with all Your saints, I inherit eternal life. I am bold to make this request of You because You are my dear Father and I am Your dear child. Hear me for the sake of Your Son, my Savior, Jesus. Amen!

O God of infinite mercy, You sent Your Son to live among us so that—through Him—we may truly know You, love You genuinely and worship You sincerely. Remove from our hearts and minds all that tends to blur our vision of spiritual things. Help us so that we may see Christ, the Light of the world, clearly. By Your Holy Spirit, increase in us the saving knowledge of You and of Your Gospel, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen!