May 21, 2022 - Baccalaureate Service
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St. Luke’s Graduating Class of 2023
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Welcome
Opening Hymn
“I Want to Walk as a Child of God” - Hymnal #815
Leader: Welcome to this important time of worship in the name of God the Father, Jesus the risen Son, and the Holy Spirit who leads and guides us...Amen.
Proclamation of Praise - From Psalm 148
Leader: Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!
All: Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!
Leader: Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!
All: Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!
Leader: Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.
All: He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.
Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Cong: And also with you.
Hymn of Praise
“Make a Difference”
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Prayer of the Day
Leader: O Lord God, we gather this evening to recognize your power and presence in the lives of these young people. Not only have you sustained them with your never-ending love, but you have been there in their times of joy as well as moments of sorrow. You have wiped their tears, offered them direction and purpose, and bestowed on them the gift of your Holy and ever-present Spirit. Grant, O God, to each of these graduates, the gift of knowing that they are loved by you so that they might go forth with confidence into the future. Bless their families also as they give them the freedom to fully grow into that future. And all God’s children said loudly...Amen!
Lesson: Galations 3:25-29
But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.
This is the word of the Lord...Thanks be to God!
Holy Gospel: Luke 12:22-32
Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
The Gospel of the Lord...Thanks be to God.
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Meditation
“Hakuna Matata” - Jay Kiel
Song of the Day
“Lord Jesus, You Shall Be My Song” - Hymnal #808
Presentation of Scholarships
Gary Kolpin
Presentation of Graduates
Leader: We gather this evening to recognize this special group of young men and women who have reached a significant milestone in their life.
All: Graduation from high school is certainly a defining moment in the life of every person.
Leader: It is a time of reflection as we remember accomplishments and experiences that have helped shape and form these young people into the individuals they have become today.
All: It is also a time when we recognize that there are new opportunities, new horizons, and new adventures awaiting after high school.
Leader: We also gather here tonight to acknowledge the importance, power, and strength that come from a vibrant and living relationship with Jesus Christ.
All: We recognize that no matter where we go or what we do, our Lord Jesus walks with us into the future.
Parental Blessing
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Prayer
Sacrament of Holy Communion
Words of Institution
The Lord’s Prayer
Distribution
Communion Blessing and Benediction
Closing Song
“I’m Gonna Sing”
Go in peace, serve the Lord...Thanks be to God!