St. Mark Lutheran Church and Preschool
St. Mark Lutheran Church
Est. December 24, 1958
About Pew Connections
We are glad to have you worship with us today. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask anyone. The Pew Connections card, located at the end of each pew, helps us keep track of attendance and receive your notes. We invite you to take a moment to fill one out.
About The Lord’s Supper
As we celebrate The Lord’s Supper, we do so in the confession of the Christian faith that rejoices with glad confidence because our Lord gives us not only bread and wine but also His very body and blood for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:26-29). Furthermore, this act strengthens our union with Him and with one another. Our Lord invites to His table those who trust that the Lord's body and blood are given for the forgiveness of sins. We are warned in scripture that those who receive this Sacrament unworthily do so to their great harm (1 Corinthians 11:23-32), and because the Lord's Supper is a confession of the common faith which is confessed at this altar, anyone who is not yet instructed, who are in doubt, or who hold a confession differing from the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and yet desire to receive the Sacrament, are asked to first speak to the Pastor. Those who wish to receive grape juice, not wine, can do so by receiving the white grape juice distributed in trays.
About the Service Online
We invite family, friends, and neighbors to view services via Facebook Live. To find us, go to https://www.facebook.com and search for St. Mark Lutheran Church and Preschool of Elko, Nevada. We are a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. We are built on the Holy scriptures, we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the life of the world.
About Giving
Christian giving is a joyful response to God’s grace in Jesus Christ. In thanksgiving for His gifts, we support the proclamation of God’s Word, the administration of the Sacraments, and works of mercy, trusting the Lord to use our offerings according to His will. To give joyfully, click on our Giving page. Or you can download the app from the Play Store or App Store.
About Fellowship
Join us for a time of food and fellowship immediately following the service. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we gather to share a meal, give thanks for God’s provision, and encourage one another in love. Family, friends, and neighbors are invited to bring something to share. We look forward to growing together. See you in the Fellowship Hall.
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Rooted - Woven - Grafted into God’s Story
+ SUNDAY MARCH 29, 2026 +
+ PALM SUNDAY: SUNDAY OF THE PASSION+
+ INVOCATION +
Pastor In the name of God the Father:
Congregation Praise to our creating God!
Pastor In the name of His Son, Jesus:
Congregation Praise to our Redeeming God!
Pastor In the name of God the Spirit:
Congregation Praise to our renewing God!
Pastor Let us join thankful voices,
Congregation Amen! Amen! Praise the Lord!
+ CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION +
Pastor Almighty God, our Creator and Savior, we admit that we are sinful by nature and unclean, and that we have sinned against You in our thoughts, our words, and our actions. So we run to Your endless mercy, asking for Your grace because of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Congregation Most merciful God, You gave Your only Son to die for us. Have mercy on us, and for His sake forgive all our sins. By Your Holy Spirit, help us to truly know You, understand Your will, and obey Your Word, so that by Your grace we may receive everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Pastor Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, has had mercy on us and has given His only Son to die for us. Because of Him, He forgives all our sins. To those who believe in His name, He gives the right to become children of God and promises them His Holy Spirit. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. Lord, make this true for all of us.
INTROIT Psalm 27:4–6; antiphon: Psalm 25:15
Blessèd is he who comes in the name | of the Lord!*
We bless you from the house | of the Lord.
Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O | ancient doors,*
that the King of glory | may come in.
Who is this King of | glory?*
The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in | battle!
Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O | ancient doors,*
that the King of glory | may come in.
Who is this King of | glory?*
The Lord of hosts, he is the King of | glory!
Blessèd is he who comes in the name | of the Lord!*
We bless you from the house | of the Lord.
COLLECT OF THE DAY LSB 168
Pastor Lord be with you.
Congregation And also with you.
Pastor Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, You sent Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross. Mercifully grant that we may follow the example of His great humility and patience and be made partakers of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Congregation Amen.
(Sit)
OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 50:4–9a
Assistant This is the Word of the Lord.
Congregation Thanks be to God.
PSALM Psalm 118:19–29; antiphon: v. 26
19Open to me the gates of | righteousness,*
that I may enter through them
and give thanks | to the Lord.
20This is the gate | of the Lord;*
the righteous shall enter | through it.
21I thank you that you have | answered me*
and have become my sal- | vation.
22The stone that the builders re- | jected*
has become the | cornerstone.
23This is the Lord’s | doing;*
it is marvelous | in our eyes.
24This is the day that the | Lord has made;*
let us rejoice and be | glad in it.
25Save us, we pray, | O Lord!*
O Lord, we pray, give | us success!
26Blessèd is he who comes in the name | of the Lord!*
We bless you from the house | of the Lord.
27The Lord is God,
and he has made his light to shine up- | on us.*
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the | altar!
28You are my God, and I will give | thanks to you;*
you are my God; I will ex- | tol you.
29Oh give thanks to the Lord, for | he is good;*
for his steadfast love endures for- | ever!
EPISTLE READING Philippians 2:5–11
5Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Assistant This is the Word of the Lord.
Congregation Thanks be to God.
(Stand)
HOLY GOSPEL John 12:20-43
Pastor The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the twelfth chapter.
Congregation Glory to You, O Lord.
20Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
27“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. 37Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“Lord, who has believed what he heard from us,
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,
40“He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
lest they see with their eyes,
and understand with their heart, and turn,
and I would heal them.”
41Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. 42Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.”
Pastor This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Congregation Praise to You, O Christ.
APOSTLES CREED
Congregation I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His 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 into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life + everlasting. Amen.
(Sit)
SERMON
(Stand)
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
(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
(Stand)
+ SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT +
Pastor The Lord be with you.
Congregation And also with your Spirit.
Pastor Lift up your hearts.
Congregation We lift them to the Lord.
Pastor Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
Congregation It is right to do so.
Pastor It is truly good, right, and beneficial that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God. You have powerfully guided and protected Your holy Church, which the blessed apostles and evangelists taught in Your divine and saving truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. And so, with angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven, we lift up and praise Your glorious name, always worshiping You.
Pastor Lord, remember us in your Kingdom and teach us to pray:
LORD’S PRAYER
Congregation 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.
Pastor In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, at His command, and with His own words, we receive His testament.
Pastor Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and it to the disciples and said: Take, eat; this is My + Body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.
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.
Pastor The peace of the Lord be with you
Congregation Amen
DISTRIBUTION
Pastor Now may this true body and blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, strengthen and preserve you in the one true faith from now until life everlasting. Amen. Depart in Peace
Pastor 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 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.
Congregation Amen
Pastor 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 give you peace
