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 Service Online
We invite family, friends, and neighbors to view livestream services online HERE. 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 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 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.
______________________________________________________________________________
Rooted - Woven - Grafted into God’s Story
+ SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2026 +
+ TRINITY SUNDAY +
Prelude
Ringing of the Bells
Welcome
Stand
ACT OF RECONCILIATION
Leader Dear members of God’s family, branded in baptism and united in Christ, let us come together honestly to tell God that we have not lived as we could and ask him to forgive us.
Congregation Our Father, we have not fulfilled the hope in which You created us. We repent and ask Your mercy that our sin be forgiven, and our guilt removed.
Help us to learn from Scripture and from one another Your will for our lives so that, with Your help, we can claim the inheritance of unlimited freedom which You have willed to us through Your Son. You came to our world in Jesus. Come now to us.
Leader God our Father does care about us. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to us, and for us Jesus gave His life. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creature. Old things have passed away and things are new. And all things are of God who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and who has entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation.
PARDON
Leader In Christ we are forgiven.
Congregation In Christ we are free to forgive. In Christ we are free to worship God. In Christ we are free to live.
Leader Let us pray.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
Leader Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities and stretch forth the hand of Your majesty to heal and defend us; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Congregation Amen.
Deacon’s Prayer
OLD TESTAMENT READING Genesis 1:1—2:4a
1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
6And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. 8And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
9And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
14And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
20And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” 21So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
24And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
4These are the generations
of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
Assistant This is the Word of the Lord.
Congregation Thanks be to God.
SECOND READING Acts 2:14a, 22–36
14Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, . . .
22“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25For David says concerning him,
“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
28You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit at my right hand,
35until I make your enemies your footstool.’
36Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Assistant This is the Word of the Lord.
Congregation Thanks be to God.
Stand
Our Passover Lamb is Christ, who banished the Angel of Death. (Refrain)
2. Our God made the earth for good, and one day we all will rejoice. (Refrain)
3. We sing to the glory of the Lord, who set us free from our sins. (Refrain)
4. To Christ our heavenly King, give thanks for everything. (Refrain)
5.He came to show us how to live in the here and now. (Refrain)
6. He suffered and died for us, and one day He shall return. (Refrain)
HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 28:16–20
Pastor The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the twenty-eighth chapter.
Congregation Glory to You, O Lord.
16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Pastor This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Congregation Praise to You, O Christ.
Sermon
ATHANASIAN CREED
Leader Whoever desires to be saved must, above all, hold the catholic faith.
Congregation Whoever does not keep it whole and undefiled will without doubt perish
eternally.
Leader And the catholic faith is this,
Congregation that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confusing
the persons nor dividing the substance.
Leader For the Father is one person, the Son is another, and the Holy Spirit is another.
Congregation But the Godhead of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one:
the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.
Leader Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit:
Congregation the Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Spirit uncreated;
Leader the Father infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Spirit infinite;
Congregation the Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal.
Leader And yet there are not three Eternals, but one Eternal,
Congregation just as there are not three Uncreated or three Infinites, but one Uncreated
and one Infinite.
Leader In the same way, the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, the Holy Spirit Almighty;
Congregation and yet there are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.
Leader So the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God;
Congregation and yet there are not three Gods, but one God.
Leader So the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord;
Congregation and yet there are not three Lords, but one Lord.
Leader Just as we are compelled by the Christian truth to acknowledge each distinct person as God and Lord, so also are we prohibited by the catholic religion to say that there are three Gods or Lords.
Congregation The Father is not made nor created nor begotten by anyone.
Leader The Son is neither made nor created, but begotten of the Father alone.
Congregation The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son, neither made nor created nor begotten, but proceeding.
Leader Thus, there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits.
Congregation And in this Trinity, none is before or after another; none is greater or less than another;
Leader but the whole three persons are coeternal with each other and coequal, so that in all things, as has been stated above, the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is to be worshiped.
Congregation Therefore, whoever desires to be saved must think thus about the Trinity.
Leader But it is also necessary for everlasting salvation that one faithfully believe the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Congregation Therefore, it is the right faith that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is at the same time both God and man.
Leader He is God, begotten from the substance of the Father before all ages; and He is man, born from the substance of His mother in this age:
Congregation perfect God and perfect man, composed of a rational soul and human flesh;
Leader equal to the Father with respect to His divinity, less than the Father with respect to His humanity.
Congregation Although He is God and man, He is not two, but one Christ:
Leader one, however, not by the conversion of the divinity into flesh, but by the assumption of the humanity into God;
Congregation one altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person.
Leader For as the rational soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ,
Congregation who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead,
Leader ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
Congregation At His coming all people will rise again with their bodies and give an account concerning their own deeds.
Leader And those who have done good will enter into eternal fire.
Congregation This is the catholic faith; whoever does not believe it faithfully and firmly cannot be saved.
THE PRAYERS (Following each intercession, the congregation may respond, ‘Hear our prayer,’ to the leader’s cue, “Lord, in your mercy.”)
THE SHARING OF THE PEACE
Leader The Peace of Christ be with you.
Congregation AND WITH YOU, TOO.
OFFERTORY (While “Create in Me,” is sung, offerings, including bread and wine are presented.)
We Present Our Gifts and Offerings.
Create in Me
THE PRAYER
Leader Let us pray.
Congregation Gracious Father, we offer with joy and thanksgiving what You have first given us; ourselves, our time and our possessions. Receive them for the sake of Him who offered Himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Thanksgiving
THE PRAYER
Father, You are holy indeed; all Your actions who You mercy and love.
You made us in Your image and set us over Your creation. Even when we had fallen under the spell of sin, You did not abandon us but offered a covenant of blessings for all people.
You rescued Your chosen people, Israel, as a sign of the great deliverance to come.
You sent prophets to prepare the way.
And when the time had come, You sent Your Son; born of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In Word and wonder He proclaimed Your kingdom and was obedient to Your will, even to give His life, for us He was gifted up on the cross that we might know the power of His resurrection.
And that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for Him, He promised His Holy Spirit to those who believe to comfort and guide us and make us children of You, His Father
Father, through Him and in His name, we ask you, fill us with His Holy Spirit so that, until He comes again, we may remember Him as He commanded us;
At supper, on the night He was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took some break in His hands, and after given thanks to You He broke it and gave it to His disciples and said, “Take this and eat. This is My Body which is given for you.” When the meal was ended, He took a cup of wine, and after giving thanks He gave it to them and said, “Take this, all of you, and drink from it. This is My blood which is shed for you and for all people so that sins might be forgiven. Do this to remember Me, for I will not drink the fruit of the vine again until the day I drink the new wine in the Kingdom of God.”
The Lord’s Prayer
Leader When we eat this bread, we share the body of Christ.
When we drink this cup, we share the blood of Chris.
We gather at the Table to receive and give thanks.
THE SHARING OF THE MEAL (Hymns and other music may be used during the Communion distribution.)
506 GLORY BE TO GOD THE FATHER sts. 1–3
Text: Horatius Bonar, 1808–89 - Tune: Walter G. Whinfield, 1865–1919 - Text and tune: Public domain
830 SPREAD THE REIGN OF GOD THE LORD sts. 1–5
Text: Jonathan Friedrich Bahnmaier, 1774–1841; tr. composite
Tune: Geist-reiches Gesang-Buch, 1704, Halle, ed. Johann A. Freylinghausen, alt.
Text and tune: Public domain
