November 23rd, 2011
Thanksgiving Eve Service
With Communion
GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH
MISSOURI ~ SYNOD
308 ByrneStreet
Smithville, TX 78957
512-237-2108
Pastor Timothy Appel
Welcome to Grace Lutheran Church! We give thanks that our gracious Lord
Jesus Christ has gathered us together here for his Divine Service. Today again
our Lord comes to serve us and lavish us with his gifts of life, forgiveness, and
salvation. Rejoicing in those wonderful gifts, we sing with David in Psalm 84:
“How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! A day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.”
In our readings today: The nation resounds with thanksgiving for the earth’s bountiful harvest,
crops of wheat and grains, all beneath the canopy of God’s almighty care. But “man does not live
by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8:1–
10). The Church is the vessel through which the Word of God penetrates the world with its Law
and Gospel. It is this divine Word which proclaims Jesus as the sole source of life, health, and
wholeness. It is Jesus who heals lepers with His Word, “Go show yourselves to the priests” (Luke
17:11–19). Of the ten cleansed, only one expresses thanksgiving back to Jesus. But true
gratitude proceeds from a heart sustained by faith. Jesus bids this one Samaritan to “rise and go
your way; your faith has made you well.” So also, we are sent from the Divine Service, bolstered
in our faith by Baptismal and Eucharist blessing to be thankful in our circumstances of plenty and
hunger, abundance and need (Phil. 4:6–20).
Hearing, Ask an usher for one of the wireless hearing assistance units.
Communion, As Lutheran Christians we believe that all those who repent of their sins,
trust in Christ as their Lord and Savior, believe that the true body and blood of Jesus
Christ are in the bread and wine as they receive them, and seek to be one with those with
whom they commune, they are prepared to commune in a worthy manner.
Attendance Registration cards are located in the Hymnal racks of each pew. We ask all
members and our guests to complete one and pass it to the center aisles. An usher will collect
them after the offering is taken to the altar. The cards are important as they enable our secretary
to track members’ attendance as well as guests interested in joining our church. Thank you for
your help.
A Prayer Before Worship
O Lord, our creator, redeemer, and comforter, as we come together to worship You in spirit and in
truth, we humbly pray that You would open our hearts to the preaching of Your Word so that we
may repent of our sins, believe in Jesus Christ as our only Savior, and grow in grace and
holiness. Hear us for His sake. Amen
PRELUDE
CALL TO WORSHIP BELL
LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES
WELCOME
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How Can I Thank You, Lord LSB 703
5 O Father, God of love,
Now hear my supplication;
O Savior, Son of God,
Accept my adoration;
O Holy Spirit, be
My ever faithful guide
That I may serve You here
And there with You abide.
Stand
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their baptism.
Invocation: (God has given us our beginning in Baptism, so the Divine Service begins in His
Name.)
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P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Confession: (We cannot come into the presence of our holy God on our own. We recognize our
sinfulness and plead for mercy on account of Christ.)
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and
receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let
us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we
have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our
sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of
God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God,
be merciful to me, a sinner.
C Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to
everlasting life. Amen.
Absolution: (God speaks His words of forgiveness to us through His servant, the pastor.)
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives
you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I
therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of
the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit (Forgiven by God, He invites us into his presence as we speak words from the Psalms.)
I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
These all look to you,
to give them their food in due season.
When you give it to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.
3
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
Kyrie: (Shortened form of the Greek “Kyrie eleison,” meaning “Lord, have mercy.” In the presence of
Jesus, we plead for His mercy and help in our time of need.) LSB 186
Hymn of Praise: (Trusting God’s promise of mercy, we join the church in heaven and on earth in
a song of praise to our Creator, Savior, and Comforter.)
Gloria in Excelsis LSB 204
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Salutation: (The pastor and congregation greet each other in the Lord’s presence.)
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
Collect: (Many of these prayers have been used in the church for over 1,500 years. They
“collect” the Gospel theme for the day.)
P Let us pray.
Almighty God, Your mercies are new every morning and You graciously provide for
all our needs of body and soul. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may acknowledge
Your goodness, give thanks for Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience all
our days; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Sit
Scripture Readings: (Jesus speaks to us in His Word as our crucified and risen Savior.)
Old Testament Reading Deuteronomy 8:1–10
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“The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you
may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the LORD swore to give to your
fathers. 2And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these
forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your
heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3And he humbled you and let you
hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he
might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that
comes from the mouth of the LORD. 4Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not
swell these forty years. 5Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD
your God disciplines you. 6So you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God by
walking in his ways and by fearing him. 7For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good
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land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a
land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and
honey, 9a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land
whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10And you shall eat and be
full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle 1 Timothy 2:1–4
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First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made
for all people, 2for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and
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quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God
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our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Luke 17:11–19
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the seventeenth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
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On the way to Jerusalem [Jesus] was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.
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And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and
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lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he
said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were
cleansed. 15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising
God with a loud voice; 16and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he
was a Samaritan. 17Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?
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Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he
said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
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Creed: (God works faith in us by His Word that we hear in Scripture. We confess that faith using
one of three creeds that the church has used throughout the years and across the world.)
Nicene Creed LSB 206
C 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 worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very 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,
whose 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 worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: (This hymn especially relates to the Gospel theme for the day. Each hymn
provides a way for us to hear God’s Word set to music.)
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We Praise You, O God LSB 785
Sermon
(Based on one of the Scripture readings, the pastor proclaims God’s Word of Law and Gospel for
our lives today.)
Votum
P The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus.
C Amen.
Stand
Offertory: (The congregation responds to God’s forgiveness with a sacrifice of praise.) LSB 956
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Sharing of the Peace
Following the prayers, the people may greet one another in the name of the Lord, saying, “Peace be
with you,” as a sign of reconciliation and of the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Matt. 5:22–24;
Eph. 4:1–3).
Sit
Offering: (The congregation responds to God’s forgiveness by bringing Him the first fruits of what
He has given.)
BLESSING OF THE BREAD
Stand
Prayer of the Church: (The congregation joins together to pray for ourselves, for the Church,
and for people throughout the world.)
P Lord, in Your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
Close of the Prayers
P Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C Amen.
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Service of the Sacrament
Preface: (The Service of the Sacrament begins with praise and thanksgiving for what God has
done and is about to do for us in the Lord’s Supper.) LSB 194
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give
thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless
blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for
Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus
Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not
die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all
eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new
life. 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: (Latin for “holy.” The division between heaven and earth is gone, and we cry out to God
with the heavenly host, “Holy, Holy, Holy!” to welcome our Savior Jesus (Isaiah 6:3; Matthew
21:9).) LSB 195
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Prayer of Thanksgiving: (We thank God for His gift of His incarnate Son Jesus and ask Him to
give what He has promised in the Sacrament.)
P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us
and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have eternal life.
In Your righteous judgment You condemned the sin of Adam and Eve, who ate the
forbidden fruit, and You justly barred them and all their children from the tree of life.
Yet, in Your great mercy, You promised salvation by a second Adam, Your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord, and made His cross a life-giving tree for all who trust in Him.
We give You thanks for the redemption You have prepared for us through Jesus
Christ. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may faithfully eat and drink of the fruits of
His cross and receive the blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation that come to us
in His body and blood.
Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:
Lord’s Prayer: (We pray the words that Jesus gave us to pray, trusting that our Father will hear
and answer us.)
C 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.
Words of Our Lord: We hear Jesus’ words that in the Sacrament He gives us His very body and
blood in, with, and under the bread and the wine.
P 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 T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
P 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
T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you
drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
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Pax Domini: (Latin for “The peace of the Lord.” The pastor holds the body and blood of Jesus
before the congregation and speaks the Lord’s peace as the very Gospel.)
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Agnus Dei: (Latin for “Lamb of God.” As John the Baptist cried (John 1:29), so we sing to Christ,
our Lamb who was sacrificed for our sins.)
Sit
Distribution
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For the Fruits of His Creation LSB 894
Lord Jesus Christ, Life-Giving Bread LSB 625
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P The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and preserve you in body
and soul to life everlasting. Depart T in peace.
C Amen.
In dismissing the communicants, the following is said:
Stand
Post-Communion Canticle: (Having received Christ in our mouths and into our lives in the
Sacrament, we give thanks and go forth in peace.)
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Nunc Dimittis LSB 211
Post-Communion Collect: (We thank God for all He has done in the Sacrament and ask that it
would show forth in our lives.)
A Let us pray.
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 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.
C Amen.
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Benedicamus
P Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction: (Just as the Divine Service began, so it ends. We go forth with our Lord’s blessing
and His name upon us (Numbers 6:22-27).)
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
Sit
Now Thank We All Our God LSB 895
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Silent Prayer After Worship
Almighty and merciful God, we have again worshiped in Your presence and received both
forgiveness for our many sins and the assurance of Your love in Jesus Christ. We thank You for
this undeserved grace and ask You to keep us in faith until we inherit eternal salvation; through
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DISMISSAL
POSTLUDE
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