Service

Service

+ THE DAY OF PENTECOST +

 

MAY 24, 2026

 

(Stand)

 

498 COME, HOLY GHOST, CREATOR BLEST

Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
And make our hearts Your place of rest;
Come with Your grace and heav’nly aid,
And fill the hearts which You have made.

 

[CHOIR]

To You, the Counselor, we cry,
To You, the gift of God Most High;
The fount of life, the fire of love,
The soul’s anointing from above.

 

In You, with graces sevenfold,
We God’s almighty hand behold
While You with tongues of fire proclaim
To all the world His holy name.

 

[CHOIR]

Your light to ev’ry thought impart,
And shed Your love in ev’ry heart;
The weakness of our mortal state
With deathless might invigorate.

 

Drive far away our wily foe,
And Your abiding peace bestow;
With You as our protecting guide,
No evil can with us abide.

 

[CHOIR]

Teach us to know the Father, Son,
And You, from both, as Three in One
That we Your name may ever bless
And in our lives the truth confess.

 

Praise we the Father and the Son
And Holy Spirit, with them One,
And may the Son on us bestow
The gifts that from the Spirit flow!

Text: attr. Rabanus Maurus, 776–856; tr. Edward Caswall, 1814–78, alt.
Text: Public domain

 

(The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.)

 

INVOCATION

P    In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C    Amen.

 

EXHORTATION                                                LSB 184

P    Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.

 

P    Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C    who made heaven and earth.

P    I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C    and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

 

(Kneel/Stand)

 

(Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.)

 

CONFESSION OF SINS                                   LSB 184

P    O almighty God, merciful Father,

C    I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

 

ABSOLUTION                                                   LSB 185

P    Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C    Amen.

 

(Stand)

 

KYRIE                                                                        186

C    Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

 

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS                                             187

P    Glory be to God on high:

C    and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee,

we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory.

O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.

O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;

O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.

Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.

For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.

Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost,

art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

 

SALUTATION AND COLLECT OF THE DAY

P    The Lord be with you.

C    And with thy spirit.

 

P    Let us pray.

O God, on this day You once taught the hearts of Your faithful people by sending them the light of Your Holy Spirit. Grant us in our day by the same Spirit to have a right understanding in all things and evermore to rejoice in His holy consolation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

 

C    Amen.

 

(Sit)

 

OLD TESTAMENT READING               Genesis 11:1–9

1Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 5And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.

 

A    This is the Word of the Lord.

C    Thanks be to God.

 

PSALM                                 Psalm 143; antiphon: v. 11

 

1Hear my prayer, O Lord;
give ear to my pleas for | mercy!*
In your faithfulness answer me, in your | righteousness!
2Enter not into judgment with your | servant,*
for no one living is righteous be- | fore you.

3For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life
| to the ground;*
he has made me sit in darkness like
| those long dead.
4Therefore my spirit faints with-
| in me;*
my heart within me
| is appalled.

5I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that | you have done;*
I ponder the work | of your hands.
6I stretch out my | hands to you;*
my soul thirsts for you like a | parched land.

7Answer me quickly, O Lord!
My
| spirit fails!*
Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down
| to the pit.
8Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in
| you I trust.*
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift
| up my soul.

9Deliver me from my enemies, | O Lord!*
I have fled to you for | refuge!
10Teach me to do your will,
for you | are my God!*
Let your good Spirit lead me
on | level ground!

11For your name’s sake, O Lord, pre- | serve my life!*
In your righteousness bring my soul out of
| trouble!
12And in your steadfast love you will cut off my
| enemies,*
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your
| servant.

Glory be to the Father and | to the Son
   and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
   is now, and will be forever. | Amen.

 

SECOND READING                                    Acts 2:1–21

1When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

14But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

17“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”

 

A    This is the Word of the Lord.

C    Thanks be to God.

 

(Stand)

 

ALLELUIA                                                                 190

C    Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

 

VERSE OF THE DAY      Psalm 104:30; Liturgical Text

Alleluia. When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love.

C    Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

 

HOLY GOSPEL                                      John 14:23–31

P    The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the fourteenth chapter.

C    Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

 

23Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

25“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.”

 

P    This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C    Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

 

NICENE CREED

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)

 

497 COME, HOLY GHOST, GOD AND LORD

Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord,
With all Your graces now outpoured
On each believer’s mind and heart;
Your fervent love to them impart.
Lord, by the brightness of Your light
In holy faith Your Church unite;
From ev’ry land and ev’ry tongue
This to Your praise, O Lord, our God, be sung:
Alleluia, alleluia!

 

Come, holy Light, guide divine,
Now cause the Word of life to shine.
Teach us to know our God aright
And call Him Father with delight.
From ev’ry error keep us free;
Let none but Christ our master be
That we in living faith abide,
In Him, our Lord, with all our might confide.
Alleluia, alleluia!

 

Come, holy Fire, comfort true,
Grant us the will Your work to do
And in Your service to abide;
Let trials turn us not aside.
Lord, by Your pow’r prepare each heart,
And to our weakness strength impart
That bravely here we may contend,
Through life and death to You, our Lord, ascend.
Alleluia, alleluia!

Text: tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, alt.; (st. 1): German, 15th cent.; (sts. 2–3): Martin Luther, 1483–1546
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110004997

 

SERMON

 

(Stand)

 

OFFERTORY                                                            192

C    Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.

 

(Sit)

 

OFFERING—“Holy Spirit, Lord of Light” Henry Kihlken

Holy Spirit, Lord of Light,

From the clear celestial height,

Thy pure beaming radiance give.

Come, Thou comfort of the poor,

Come, with treasures which endure;

Come, Thou light of all that live.

 

Light immortal, Light divine,

Shine within these hearts of thine,

And our inmost beings fill.

If Thou take Thy grace away,

Nothing pure in us will stay;

All our good is turned to ill.

 

Heal our wounds, our strength renew,

On our dryness pour Thy dew,

Wash the stains of guilt away.

Bend the stubborn heart and will,

Melt the frozen, warm the chill;

Guide the steps that go astray.

 

Thou on us who evermore,

We confess and we adore,

With Thy sevenfold gifts descend.

Give us comfort when we die,

Give us life with Thee on high;

Give us joys that never end. Amen.

 

(Kneel/Stand)

 

[11AM] RITE OF CONFIRMATION

 

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

 

PREFACE                                                                 194

P    The Lord be with you.

C    And with thy spirit.

 

P    Lift up your hearts.

C    We lift them up unto the Lord.

 

P    Let us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.

C    It is meet and right so to do.

 

PROPER PREFACE (FULL)

P    It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who ascended above the heavens and, sitting at Your right hand, poured out on this day the promised Holy Spirit on His chosen disciples. For all this the whole earth rejoices with exceeding joy. 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                                                                 195

C    Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;

heav’n and earth are full of Thy glory.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

 

LORD’S PRAYER

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.

 

THE WORDS OF OUR LORD                                  197

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.”

 

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.”

 

PAX DOMINI                                                             197

P    The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C    Amen.

 

AGNUS DEI                                                              198

C    O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, grant us Thy peace. Amen.

 

(Sit)

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

“Veni Sancte Spiritus (Come, Holy Spirit)” Taize: Songs for Prayer

Veni Sancte Spiritus.

      Come, Holy Spirit, from heaven shine forth with Your glorious light.

      Veni Sancte Spiritus.

      Come from the four winds, O Spirit come breath of God;

      Disperse the shadows over us, renew and strengthen Your people.

      Veni Sancte Spiritus.

      You are only comforter, peace of the soul.

      In the heat You shade us; in our labor You fresh us,

      And in trouble, You are out strength.

      Veni Sancte Spiritus.

 

768 TO GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT LET US PRAY

To God the Holy Spirit let us pray
For the true faith needed on our way
That He may defend us when life is ending
And from exile home we are wending.
Lord, have mercy!

 

O sweetest Love, Your grace on us bestow;
Set our hearts with sacred fire aglow
That with hearts united we love each other,
Ev’ry stranger, sister, and brother.
Lord, have mercy!

 

Transcendent Comfort in our ev’ry need,
Help us neither scorn nor death to heed
That we may not falter nor courage fail us
When the foe shall taunt and assail us.
Lord, have mercy!

 

Shine in our hearts, O Spirit, precious light;
Teach us Jesus Christ to know aright
That we may abide in the Lord who bought us,
Till to our true home He has brought us.
Lord, have mercy!

Text: tr. Worship Supplement, 1969, alt.; (st. 1): German, c. 13th cent.; (sts. 2–4): Martin Luther, 1483–1546
Text: © 1969 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110004997

 

“Water, Blood, and Spirit Crying” (LSB 597) arr. Sandra Eithun

 

501 COME DOWN, O LOVE DIVINE

Come down, O Love divine;
Seek Thou this soul of mine,
And visit it with Thine own ardor glowing;
O Comforter, draw near;
Within my heart appear,
And kindle it, Thy holy flame bestowing.

 

O let it freely burn,
Till worldly passions turn
To dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
And let Thy glorious light
Shine ever on my sight,
And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

 

Let holy charity
Mine outward vesture be
And lowliness become mine inner clothing—
True lowliness of heart,
Which takes the humbler part,
And o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

 

And so the yearning strong,
With which the soul will long,
Shall far outpass the pow’r of human telling;
No soul can guess His grace
Till it become the place
Wherein the Holy Spirit makes His dwelling.

Text: Bianco da Siena, c. 1350–1434; tr. Richard F. Littledale, 1833–90
Text: Public domain

 

500 CREATOR SPIRIT, BY WHOSE AID

Creator Spirit, by whose aid
The world’s foundations first were laid,
Come, visit ev’ry humble mind;
Come, pour Your joys on humankind;
From sin and sorrow set us free;
May we Your living temples be.

 

O Source of uncreated light,
The bearer of God’s gracious might,
Thrice-holy fount, thrice-holy fire,
Our hearts with heav’nly love inspire;
Your sacred, healing message bring
To sanctify us as we sing.

 

Giver of grace, descend from high;
Your sev’nfold gifts to us supply;
Help us eternal truths receive
And practice all that we believe;
Give us Yourself that we may see
The glory of the Trinity.

 

Immortal honor, endless fame
Attend the_almighty Father’s name;
The Savior-Son be glorified,
Who for all humankind has died;
To You, O Paraclete, we raise
Unending songs of thanks and praise.

Text: attr. Rabanus Maurus, 776–856; tr. John Dryden, 1631–1700, alt.
Text: Public domain

 

 

650 HOLY SPIRIT, EVER DWELLING

Holy Spirit, ever dwelling
In the holiest realms of light;
Holy Spirit, ever brooding
O’er a world of gloom and night;
Holy Spirit, ever raising
Those of earth to thrones on high;
Living, life-imparting Spirit,
You we praise and magnify.

 

Holy Spirit, ever living
As the Church’s very life;
Holy Spirit, ever striving
Through us in a ceaseless strife;
Holy Spirit, ever forming
In the Church the mind of Christ:
You we praise with endless worship
For Your gifts and fruits unpriced.

 

Holy Spirit, ever working
Through the Church’s ministry;
Quick’ning, strength’ning, and absolving,
Setting captive sinners free;
Holy Spirit, ever binding
Age to age and soul to soul
In communion never ending,
You we worship and extol.

Text: Timothy Rees, 1874–1939, alt.
Text: Public domain

 

(Stand)

 

NUNC DIMITTIS                                                       199

C    Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word,

for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people,

a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

 

THANKSGIVING                                                       200

A    O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good,

C    and His mercy endureth forever.

 

POST-COMMUNION COLLECT

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 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.

C    Amen.

 

SALUTATION                                                            201

P    The Lord be with you.

C    And with thy spirit.

 

BENEDICAMUS                                                        202

A    Bless we the Lord.

C    Thanks be to God.

 

BENEDICTION                                                         202

P    The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.

C    Amen, amen, amen.

 

503 O DAY FULL OF GRACE

O day full of grace that now we see
Appearing on earth’s horizon,
Bring light from our God that we may be
Replete in His joy this season.
God, shine for us now in this dark place;
Your name on our hearts emblazon.

 

[CHOIR]

O day full of grace, O blessèd time,
Our Lord on the earth arriving;
Then came to the world that light sublime,
Great joy for us all retrieving;
For Jesus all mortals did embrace,
All darkness and shame removing.

 

For Christ bore our sins, and not His own,
When He on the cross was hanging;
And then He arose and moved the stone
That we, unto Him belonging,
Might join with angelic hosts to raise
Our voices in endless singing.

 

[CHOIR]

God came to us then at Pentecost,
His Spirit new life revealing,
That we might no more from Him be lost,
All darkness for us dispelling.
His flame will the mark of sin efface
And bring to us all His healing.

 

When we on that final journey go
That Christ is for us preparing,
We’ll gather in song, our hearts aglow,
All joy of the heavens sharing,
And walk in the light of God’s own place,
With angels His name adoring.

Text: Scandinavian, c. 1450; tr. Gerald Thorson, 1921–2001
Text: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110004997

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2026 Concordia Publishing House.