HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH
LAST SUNDAY OF THE CHURCH YEAR
Sunday, November 21, 2021, 8:00 a.m.

Prelude

Greeting And Moment Of Fellowship

Entrance Hymn
Please stand for the last verse of the hymn.

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Tune and text: Public domain

P	In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C	Amen.
P	If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C	But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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

P	Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C	Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. 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. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
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	

P The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with | singing;*
C everlasting joy shall be up- | on their heads.
P They shall obtain glad- | ness and joy,*
C and sorrow and sighing shall | flee away.
P O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure | of my days;*
C let me know how fleeting | I am!
P Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing be- | fore you.*
C Surely all mankind stands as a | mere breath!
P And now, O Lord, for what | do I wait?*
C My hope | is in you.
P Deliver me from all my trans- | gressions.*
C Do not make me the scorn | of the fool!
P Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
C and to the Holy | Spirit;
P as it was in the be- | ginning,*
C is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
P The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with | singing;*
C everlasting joy shall be up- | on their heads.
P They shall obtain glad- | ness and joy,*
C and sorrow and sighing shall | flee away.

Kyrie	

This Is the Feast	

Salutation and Collect of the Day	
P	The Lord be with you.
C	And also with you.

P	Let us pray.
O Lord, absolve Your people from their offenses that, from the bonds of our sins which by reason of our frailty we have brought upon ourselves, we may be delivered by Your bountiful goodness; 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	Exodus 40:34–38
	34Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. 37But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. 38For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

A	This is the Word of the Lord.
C	Thanks be to God.

Epistle	1 Thessalonians 5:1–11
	1Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

A	This is the Word of the Lord.
C	Thanks be to God.

Stand

Alleluia and Verse	

Holy Gospel	
P	The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the twenty-fifth chapter.

	1[Jesus said:] “The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

P	This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Sit

We Praise You, O God

Tune and text: Public domain

Sermon     Pastor Matt Wallis

Stand

Apostles’ Creed
C	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 T everlasting. Amen.

Prayer of the Church
Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
After each portion of the prayers:
P	 Lord, in your mercy,
C	 hear our prayer.

The prayers conclude:
P	 Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C	Amen

Sit

Offering

Stand

Offertory	

Service of the Sacrament

Preface	

P	It is truly good, 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 on this day overcame death and the grave and by His glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting 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	

Prayer of Thanksgiving	
P	Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.

Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C	Amen.

The Words of Our Lord
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.”
P	As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
C	Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

P	O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
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.

Pax Domini	
P	The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C	Amen.

Agnus Dei	

Sit

Communion Distribution
Holy Cross believes that the Lord’s Supper is a gift of Jesus to His church. The apostle Paul wrote, “Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.” (I Corinthians 11:28-29). Out of loving concern for those that commune and from our understanding of the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions, we request that those who commune here:

1. Be baptized Christians
2. Should have received special instruction on the essence and significance of the Lord’s Supper.
3. Are mature enough to examine themselves,  recognizing their sin and their need for God’s grace through this special means.
4. Profess the “real presence” of Christ in this sacrament, that is, confessing the true presence of Jesus’ body in the bread and His blood in the wine.

We request that all that come to the Lord’s Supper join us in acknowledging the preceding affirmations of our understanding of communion. Non-communing children may join their parents. They are asked to fold their hands for a blessing. If you have any questions, please feel free to speak with the pastor after the service.

If you are unable to drink wine, the inner tray has alcohol free wine. If you are in need of gluten free bread, please speak with one of the pastors.

Stand

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.

Thank the Lord	

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.

Benediction	

Sing to the Lord of Harvest

Tune and text: Public domain

Words of Departure
P	  Go in peace and serve the Lord!
C	 Thanks be to God!

Psalm 149	
1Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
	his praise in the assembly of the godly!
2Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
	let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
3Let them praise his name with dancing,
	making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
4For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
	he adorns the humble with salvation.
5Let the godly exult in glory;
	let them sing for joy on their beds.
6Let the high praises of God be in their throats
	and two-edged swords in their hands,
7to execute vengeance on the nations
	and punishments on the peoples,
8to bind their kings with chains
	and their nobles with fetters of iron,
9to execute on them the judgment written!
	This is honor for all his godly ones. Praise the Lord!