Fifth Sunday
of Easter
May 3, 2026, at 10:45am
Trinity Lutheran Church
Hagerstown, MD
Prelude
Triumphant from the Grave
arr. J. Engel
Ringing of the Church Bells
Confession and Forgiveness
P: We gather in the name of God: The Father, the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins.
(1 John 1:8-9)
Brothers and Sisters I am telling this to you so that you may not sin, but if
anyone does sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous, for the removal of our sins, not only ours, but for the sins of the
world. (1 John 2:1-2)
Silence is kept for reflection
P: Most loving God,
C: we confess that we have disobeyed your commandments, we have not
loved you and our neighbor with our whole hearts, and that we have been
blinded by darkness. Let us abide in your love, and abide in your Son, so that we may receive the promise of eternal life. (1 John 2, paraphrased)
P: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God. In this love, God was made known to us, sent his son into the world so that we might live, and have our sins + removed. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another. (1 John 4:7, 9-10)
C: Amen. We love because God first loved us! (1 John 4:19)
Apostolic Greeting
P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C: And also with you.
Prayer of the Day
P: Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Give us grace to love one another, to follow in the way of his commandments, and to share his risen life with all the world, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen
Service of the Word
First Reading: Acts 7:55-60
55Filled with the Holy Spirit, [Stephen] gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56“Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. 58Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him, and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59While they were stoning
Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.
L: Word of God, Word of Life
C: Thanks be to God
Second Reading: 1 Peter 2: 2-10
2Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation—3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and 5like living stones let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it stands in scripture: “See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, 7and
believes in him will not be put to shame.” This honor, then, is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner,” 8and “A stone that makes them stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10Once you
were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
L: Word of God, Word of Life
C: Thanks be to God
P: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the fourteenth chapter.
Gospel: John 14: 1-14
[Jesus said to the disciples:] 1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4And you know the way to the place where I am going.” 5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6Jesus said to him,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 8Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does
his works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, but if you do not, then believe because of the works themselves. 12Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”
P:The Gospel of the Lord.
Children’s Time
Pastor Bob Schmitt
Sermon
Pastor Bob Schmitt
Nicene Creed
P: Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith with the Nicene
Creed.
C: We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God,
Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our
salvation he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit he
became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son is
worshiped and glorified. Who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to
come. Amen.
Prayers of the Faithful
A: Trusting in the power of Christ’s resurrection to heal and redeem our broken world, let us pray for the needs of all creation.
A brief silence
A: God of glory, you have built your church on Christ the cornerstone. Inspire lay leaders, deacons, pastors, and bishops to proclaim forgiveness and your steadfast love to all whom they encounter. Embolden and reassure our bishops, Yehiel and William, our pastor, Bob and our deaconess, Sr. Megan as they serve your church. Merciful God,
C: Receive our prayer.
A: God of majesty, you bring forth plants and animals, skies and seas, mountains and valleys. Protect all you have made from the ravages of pollution and climate disaster. Lead and shepherd us in caring for the City of Hagerstown, Maryland farmlands and mountains, Potomac Valley, Eastern Shore, Chesapeake Bay, and Baltimore Harbor. Merciful God,
C: Receive our prayer.
A: God of mercy, you intend governments and social service agencies to be instruments of peace and justice. Guide political leaders and organizations to be agents of compassion, and raise up advocates for those who seek refuge and assistance. Cultivate and maintain our ministries of social justice that serve our neighbors. Merciful God,
C: Receive our prayer.
A: God of well-being, you soothe those in distress, console all who grieve, provide for any in need, and comfort those who are sick, especially those on our prayer list [Assisting Minister reads first names], and those we say aloud or in our hearts (Pause). Instill caregivers with a sense of purpose to be your healing hands in this world. Merciful God,
C: Receive our prayer.
A: God of community, you call us together as your people for mutual support and to witness to your love in the world. Make your presence known among those unable to attend worship today. Merciful God,
C: Receive our prayer.
(Here other intercessions may be offered.)
A: God of eternal life, you have prepared dwelling places for your people, so that we are never separated from you. We give you thanks for the faithful departed who witnessed to your mighty acts in word and deed. Merciful God,
C: Receive our prayer.
P: God of resurrection power, use us and these prayers to proclaim the good news of new life to all the world, through Jesus Christ, our risen Savior.
C: Amen
P: The peace of the Risen Lord be with you always.
C: And also with you.
Peace be with you!
Choir Anthem
Commonwealth is God’s Commandment
W. Walker
Offering Prayer
A: Let us pray. Merciful God,
C: accept the fruits of our labor, gathered to give you glory. You have set a table before us, a glimpse of that great day when we will hunger and thirst no more. Nourish us with the body and blood of Jesus, that goodness and mercy will follow us and bless the world you love. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
P: It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places, give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God,
for the glorious resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ, the true Paschal Lamb who gave himself to take away our sin; who in dying has destroyed death, and in rising has brought us to eternal life. And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures, with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
P: You are indeed holy, almighty and most merciful God, You give life and bring new life in your risen Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. We praise you as the God of promise, delivering your chosen people Israel from their captivity
in slavery and giving them new life in the land promised to faithful Abraham; and though they experienced the death of exile, you remained faithful to your promise, sending the prophets and giving your children renewed life in their own land. We praise you for Jesus, born of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, the first-born from the dead; 21 who, through the exile of his suffering on the cross, served us as victim and priest, and through him you have delivered us from our exile and captivity to sin and death, giving us the joys of life everlasting, fulfilling all covenants and promises.
Send your Spirit to breathe new life into us and bless these gifts of bread and wine that they may be for us the body and blood of our living host, Jesus Christ our savior. In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Therefore, Father, before you we proclaim the mystery of faith.
C: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
P: We offer to you, most holy God, our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, remembering this Easter Day all you have done through the passion and resurrection of your Son. In this holy communion your unite us in the sacrifice of our eternal High Priest. Through the promise he made to his disciples, we await his final coming to
fulfill all of life and to make new the heavens and the earth.
C: Amen, amen, amen.
P: As we now gather to receive this holy sacrament of Christ’s body + and blood + strengthen us in your mercy and grant us the fullness of your salvation and peace.
The Lord’s Prayer
P: Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray:
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.
Invitation to Communion
P: The Lord swallows up death forever and makes a feast of rich food and wine. Eat, drink, the gift is for you. (Isaiah 25:7-8)
C: Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia! (Rev. 19:17)
Post Communion Blessing
P: Now may the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ and his precious blood strengthen and keep you in his grace.
C: Amen
Prayer After Communion
A: Holy One, through this meal you have made your home among us and are making all things new. Send us now to speak peace to anxious hearts, to love our enemies, and to bring your healing to the nations.
In the name of Jesus,
C: Amen
Blessing
P: God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, of resurrection power, the Messiah unending joy, and the Spirit of Easter hope + bless you now and always.
C: Amen
Dismissal
A: Go in peace. Praise the Lord. Alleluia!
C: Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
Postlude
Rejoice! Be Glad!
T. Kendall
Go In Peace!