Shepherd Liturgy
for use on Easter 4
or Occasional Services for Bishops
by The Rev. Thomas L. Weitzel
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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The Shepherd Liturgy was originally written for the occasion of the final Eucharist of the retiring Bishop of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, The Rev. Bishop Ralph A. Kempski, in 1998. However, the service is also appropriate for both Good Shepherd Sunday (Easter 4) as well as other occasions or celebrations for Bishops and Pastors.
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PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
ENTRANCE HYMN
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DIALOG OF THE SHEPHERD
A. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock!
C. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth!
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A. Before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh,
C. Stir up your might, and come to save us!
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A. Shepherd your people with your staff, O Lord;
C. The flock that belongs to you.
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A. For thus says the Lord God:
C. I myself will search for my sheep.
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A. I will seek the lost and bring back the strayed.
C. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak.
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A. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them.
C. They shall not fear any longer or be dismayed.
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A. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock!
C. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth!
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HYMN OF PRAISE Old Hundredth
From all that dwell below the skies
Let the creator's praise arise;
Let the redeemer's name be sung
Through ev'ry land, in ev'ry tongue.
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Eternal are your mercies, Lord;
Eternal truth attends your Word;
Your praise shall sound from shore to shore,
Till suns shall rise and set no more.
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PRAYER OF THE DAY
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.
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P Let us pray..... (Prayer for Easter 4 or for Installation of a Bishop #543)
C. Amen
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FIRST LESSON
PSALM 23 (sung)
SECOND LESSON
VERSE: ALLELUIA
GOSPEL
SERMON
HYMN OF THE DAY #451 "The Lord's My Shepherd" Brother James' Air
NICENE CREED
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
PEACE
OFFERING
HYMN DURING THE OFFERING #518 "Beautiful Savior"
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OFFERTORY PRAYER
A. Let us pray. Great Shepherd of the sheep,
C. we are your flock, and we bring to you gifts and offerings from our hearts and lives. Be our Shepherd always, and send us forth, that we might bring to other sheep the message of your love. Amen
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GREAT THANKSGIVING
P. The Lord be with you.
C. And also with you.
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P. Lift up your hearts.
C. We lift them to the Lord.
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P. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C. It is right to give our thanks and praise.
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PROPER PREFACE FOR EASTER (Season) OR APOSTLES (Bishops)
SANCTUS
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EUCHARISTIC PRAYER OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
P. Great Shepherd of the world, you are indeed holy, and great is the majesty of your glory. You created all things and showered blessings and loving care upon all that you created. You formed Israel as your chosen flock, and made them to lie down in green pasture. And when they turned from you, you did not spurn them, but sent forth another shepherd, your only Son, to seek out the lost sheep of Israel and of all the world and call them to himself by name.
C. Christ the Lord is our good shepherd.
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P. 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.
For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
C. Christ has died, Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
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P. And so, holy Father, with this bread and cup, we remember the life of Christ our shepherd and the covenant he made with us. We remember his seeking of the lost, the outcast, the sinner, and we remember his loving example as a shepherd among us. But especially we remember his own willingness to lay down his shepherd's staff and become the Lamb who was slain on the cross for our sins. As you raised him from death to life, so send him again in our days to raise us up and gather us as his flock around your eternal throne.
C. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
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P. Send now, we pray, your Holy Spirit, that this bread and this cup might be the body and blood of our shepherd Christ, that we might be renewed in spirit and find our fellowship among the saved.
C. Amen. Come, Holy Spirit.
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P. With loving hand and guiding staff, keep us all on the path to righteousness until we are joined as one heavenly flock with the saints and angels of glory, where we will sing eternal praises in the presence of Christ our good shepherd. Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever.
C. Amen
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P. Let us pray with confidence in the words our Savior gave us.
C. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen
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AT THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD
P. This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper.
C. O Christ, our Good Shepherd, be among us this day in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup.
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DISTRIBUTION
(HYMNS)
AFTER COMMUNION Stand
P. The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and keep you in his grace.
C. Amen
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A. Let us pray. Pause. O God, we thank you that you have fed us with the gift of your Son, the Good Shepherd, Jesus our Savior. May his body and blood strengthen and unite us as one flock under one shepherd as he guides us all our days, even to the gates of heaven; through the same Lord Jesus Christ.
C. Amen
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P. (sing) May almighty God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.
C. (sing on one tone) Amen
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A. Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
C. Thanks be to God.
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RECESSIONAL HYMN
POSTLUDE
Liturgy
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