Concordia Lutheran Church

Easter Sunday

April 4, 2021 WELCOME & PRELUDE

(we stand)

GREETING Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Sing out people of God!

Shout for joy; our king is victorious! God’s people are clothed with brightness. Let the earth resound with rejoicing! With full hearts and minds we praise Almighty God.

Jesus has paid the debt of our sin and darkness is banished forever! By his blood he has freed us from death.

This is the feast of victory for our God. The Lamb who was slain has begun His reign. Alleluia!

Alleluia! And Amen!

GATHERING SONG “Christ Is Risen! Alleluia”

KYRIE & PRAYER OF THE DAY The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

And also with you. In peace, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. Help, save, comfort and defend us, gracious Lord. Amen. Let us pray. O God, you gave your only Son to suffer death on the cross for our sake. By his glorious resurrection, you have delivered us from the power of death. Make us die every day to sin, that we may live with him forever in the joy of the resurrection, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen. (we sit)

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Isaiah 25:6-9 6On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. 7And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. 9It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice.”

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 1Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you — unless you believed in vain. 3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

GOSPEL HYMN “The Strife is O’er, the Battle Done”

GOSPEL The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the 20th chapter.

Glory to you, O Lord. Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them,

They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” Mary Magdalene said to them,

They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him. When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him,

Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew,

Rabbouni!

Which means “teacher.” Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,

I have seen the Lord. And she told them that he had said these things to her.

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON

HYMN “Jesus Christ is Risen Today”

PRAYERS Let us pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our crucified and risen Lord. Almighty God, we give you thanks that through Christ Jesus you have won the victory over sin and death. Help us Lord, to tell the story of everlasting life and give thanks for it every morning. May all people know of your unshakeable love. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great. Heavenly Father, on this day when the celebration of your redeeming work in Jesus the Christ is at its highest point, strengthen and sustain those whose faith is new and tender. May we be a bold witness to your resurrection. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great. Compassionate Father, in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have made us a new creation. Give your strength to all who are weak, weary and struggling. Grant us a sure and certain hope in that comes only through you. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

We pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our resurrection and life. Amen. Together, let us confess our faith with the words of the Nicene Creed…

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 he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian 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.

SPECIAL MUSIC

(we stand)

OFFERTORY Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Together, let us pray. Generous God, we offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us: our time, ourselves, and our possessions, all signs of your gracious love. Receive them for the sake of him who offered himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Today we rejoice that your Son is risen from the grave. In the beginning you created the heavens and the earth: now by your Son’s resurrection, you have redeemed the world. For the forgiveness of our sins, for the dawning of a new creation, for life everlasting in Jesus Christ, we give you thanks.

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 in remembrance of me.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, they 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.

DISTRIBUTION (Weather permitting, we will proceed to the cemetery for Holy Communion. Communion will also be served in the Family Life Center and Sanctuary for those who choose to remain inside.)

COMMUNION BLESSING AND PRAYER May the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you and keep you in his grace. Amen Eternal God, through baptism into the death and resurrection of Christ you welcome us to this table and nourish us with the food and drink of the promised land. Now send us forth into the world, that we may be witnesses to your glory made known to us in Jesus Christ, our risen Lord. Amen.

HYMN “Thine is the Glory”

BLESSING & SENDING Christ is Risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Christ is Risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! May God the Father (+), Son and Holy Spirit bless each of you now and forever. Amen. Rejoicing in the power of the Spirit, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

We will! Thanks be to God!

POSTLUDE

Refrain:

Christ is risen! Alleluia! Risen our victorious head!

Sing his praises! Alleluia! Christ is risen from the dead!

Activities & Events

Sunday, April 4 Easter Sunday 8:30am Family Life Center with Holy Communion 11:00am Sanctuary with Holy Communion

Monday, April 5 6:30pm Mutual Ministry Committee in the Parlor

Wednesday, April 7 No Evening Prayer (resumes April 14th)

Sunday, April 11 8:30am Worship in the Family Life Center 11:00am Worship in the Sanctuary

Tuesday, April 13 6:15pm Executive Committee in the Parlor

Wednesday, April 14 7:00pm Evening Prayer in the Sanctuary

Sunday, April 18 7:00am Council Meeting in the Sanctuary 8:30am Worship in the Family Life Center 11:00am Worship in the Sanctuary 3:30-5:00pm Catechism Class in the Family Life Center Wednesday, April 21 7:00pm Evening Prayer in the Sanctuary

Sunday, April 25 8:30am Worship in the Family Life Center 11:00am Worship in the Sanctuary

This Week’s Offerings and Tithes

March 28, 2021

Needed weekly to cover 2021 budget: $7,077.64

Attendance Received 8:30am Worship Service 85 11:00am Worship Service 108 Evening Prayer Service– General Fund $ 13,308.10 General Fund- online offering $ 3,750.31 Building & Improvement Fund $ 145.00 Organ/piano Fund $ 690.00 Specials and Memorials $ 1,898.36 Good Shepherd $ 0.00

Received Year to Date $ 87,091.04 Needed Year to Date $ 90,779.78

Difference - $ 3,688.74

April 4, 2021

185 Concordia Church Rd China Grove, NC 28023

Concordia’s Ministry Team

Pastor Rev. Ken Reed 704-857-2163 (office, ext. 2) kenreed803@gmail.com 704-796-1764 (cell)

Administrative Assistant Debby Isenhour 704-857-2163 (office, ext. 1) concordia185@gmail.com

Director of Music Eddie Karriker 704-622-6663 karriker.eddie@gmail.com

8:30am Service Pianist Terri Wing 704-857-3569 terri_wing@yahoo.com

Council Vice-Pres. Mike Ashley 980-621-3434 mikeashley@ctc.net

Today’s Altar Flowers

The Altar flowers are given to the glory of God and in honor of Ferman Karriker’s 80th birthday and Vinnie and Philip’s wedding anniversary.

This Week’s Birthdays

Leslie Reed 4/6 Katie Ashley 4/6 Margie Baucom 4/7 Andrew Lowman 4/7 Jan Williams 4/8

Ferman Karriker 4/8 Donna Morrison 4/9 Gail Fisher 4/10 Gail Corriher 4/10

Office Hours

Pastor

Tuesday through Sunday Rev. Kenneth W. Reed Jr.

(Monday, day off)

Administrative Assistant Debby Isenhour

Monday through Thursday 8:00am - 12:00pm

SUNDAY WORSHIP: The 11:00am worship service will be recorded, and will be posted Monday morning on Concordia’s Facebook page and YouTube channel (“Concordia Lutheran Church 1”).

Active Military

Jason Ciscel (Staff Sgt. US Air Force, Fairbanks, AK, Husband of Teresa Rosas

Ciscel)

Willis Hobbs (Specialist US Army, Ft Meade, MD)

Stephanie Lumpkin Sgt. US Marine Band, San Diego, CA)

Eric McLaughlin (Lt. Commander, U.S. Navy, Washington DC)

Christopher Overcash (US Army, 2nd Lt., Fort Gordon, GA)

Kim & Matt Gordon (Captains in the US Army and husband and wife. Fort Bragg, NC.

Cousins of Leslie Reed)

Family & Friends

Contact the church office to extend a name on

this list beyond 60 days.

Anthony and Lisa Armstrong 3/14/21

Family of Leonard Beaver 3/21/21

Von Bell 3/7/21

(Reba McNeely’s brother)

Family of Andrew Bley 2/14/21

Family of Camden Cohick 4/4/21

Family of Wanda Corriher 2/28/21

Will Fesperman 3/14/20

(Brother of Ben Fesperman)

Family of Elizabeth Hinson 2/7/21

Gene Hobbs 3/7/21

(Husband of Leila Hobbs)

Ray King 3/14/21

(Brother of Dolly Karriker)

Family of John Kirkman 2/28/21

Donna Lambert 3/14/21

(Niece of Nancy Karriker)

Bobby Leagon 3/7/21

(Father of Chanda McCoy)

Jennifer and Dwayne Leonard 3/14/21

(Friends of Vinnie Duncan)

Family of Ronnie McNeely 2/14/21

Joyce Poovey 3/28/21

(Sister of Barbara Beaver)

Family of Mary Roberts 3/21/21

Family of Bernice Trexler 3/7/21

JoAnne Wingler 3/14/20

(Sister of Ben Fesperman)

Concordia Prayer Partners

Members at home and special concerns

In-Patient, Recovery and Assisted Care

Judy Curlee (Crescent Heights, Concord)

Gail Fisher (Brookdale Assisted Living, Salisbury)

Jeffrey Roberts (Deal Care Inn, Mooresville)

Audrey Smith (Liberty Commons, Salisbury)

Becky Waller (Magnolia Creek, Winston Salem)

2560 Willard Rd, Winston Salem, NC 27107

Duane Wood (Deal Care Inn, Mooresville)

Joe Allen

Barbara Benfield

Bill & Hazel Cline

Harold Cline

Craig Diekman

Jill Earnhardt

Frankie Freeze

Mabel Galloway

Mary Ann

Hammonds

Leila Hobbs

Jim Howell

Barbara Karriker-

Dale Karriker

Hoke Karriker

Richard Karriker

Nelsie Lawing

Sue Lyerly

Melvin McAlister

Kittie McLaughlin

Donna Morrison-

Comeleta Overcash

Tabatha Overcash

Jack Owens

Dale Phillips

Joan Ritchie

Judy Ritchie

Boyd Smith, Sr.

Zach Smith

Eddie Starnes

Henry Starnes

Jettie Wise

Duane Wood

Geraldine Wood

View Concordia’s 11:00 AM Services at

www.youtube.com/ConcordiaLutheran1

Join our FACEBOOK page at www.facebook.com (search “Concordia Lutheran

Church”)

North American Lutheran Church www.thenalc.org

NALC - Carolinas Mission District www.carolinasnalc.org

carolinaslutheranwomen.org

CONCORDIA’S WEBSITE www.concordia-lutheran.org

CONCORDIA’S E-MAIL ADDRESS

concordia185@gmail.com

8:30am Worship Service

Ushers & Greeters

11:00am Worship Service

Ushers

Greeters

Announcements Scott Overcash

Council Member Julie Corriher

Lay Reader Erin Wolff

Altar Flowers Children’s Church

Apr 4 Vinnie Duncan Apr 4 NO Children’s Church

Apr 11 Apr 11 Amanda Faggart

Apr 18 Kathy Irvin Apr 18 Christy Yost

Apr 25 Jan Williams Apr 25 Sarah Wells

Worship Service Responsibilities for April

Please take a moment to sign the visitor book on the table at the back of the church,

so we can welcome you by name. Thank you for choosing Concordia as your place of

worship this morning. We are glad to have you here!

WELCOME TO THOSE VISITING

WITH US TODAY.

APRIL WORSHIP AND MINISTRY

RESPONSIBILITIES are in today’s bulletin and on the

church website. Is your name listed?

PEW REGISTERS: Church records are important for our

church history. Please complete the pew register located on

your chairs for your family and drop in the baskets by the

door, ink pens are available on the round table.

MARCH COUNCIL MINUTES are available on the table

in the Fellowship Hall.

2021 FLOWER CHART – JUST A FEW SPACES LEFT!

Sign up today! Check the bulletin board for the open Sundays.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO SERVICE IN 2021:

Children’s Church– need for volunteers is great, please

Contact Christy Yost or Mandy Lanning/

TITHES & OFFERINGS:

Please write a separate contribution check for each fund/

account.

Please write your name on your offering envelope.

The “General Fund” addresses all the 2021 budgeted

Ministries, including Concordia’s Outreach and Witness

Commitments.

You can mail your contributions to the church.

GOOD SHEPHERD FUND

This fund was created over 20 years ago to assist Concordia

families who have urgent needs: heating oil, electric and

utility bills, food, medications, eviction notices and other

essentials. Cash is not given to individuals, but funds are

directed to the service provider. If you are a Concordia

member and with an immediate concern, contact Pastor Ken.

kenreed803@gmail.com or 704-796-1764.

2021 YEARBOOK: Please pick up your copy in the Friendship

Class.

LOST & FOUND: 1 earring and 1 ring have been turned

into the office. Please call 704-857-2163.

GRADUATES: Please let Kathy Blalock know of any high

school, college graduates and anyone who has received

advanced degrees.

High School: Cole Isaacs

College: Hayley White

COVID VACCINATIONS: The Rowan County Health

Department and Rowan Emergency Services are partnering

to ensure folks who are truly homebound are able to receive

the vaccine if they want it. Homebound is defined as the

individual truly is unable to get out to a vaccination. Please

encourage those individuals to call the appointment line

980-432-1800 (Option 1 for vaccine info) and explain the

need to assist an individual who is homebound.

THANK YOU: Dear Concordia Family, How grateful Leonard

and I have been for many years to call Concordia our church

family and home, but never more grateful than the last few

weeks. We treasured all your loving cards and truly felt the

comfort of the Holy Spirit through your prayers for us. Our

beloved Pastor Ken brought comfort and strength through out our

difficult journey. Special thanks to all who participated in

preparing Concordia inside and out for a beautiful service for

Leonard and his family. We love you and thank our Father for

you. Phyllis

REMINDER: Mutual Ministry Team will meet on Monday,

April 5, 2021, at 6:30 p.m. in the Parlor

PRAYERS OF CELEBRATION for Karie and Andy Houck

at the birth of their son, Miles Ray Houck. Miles was born on

March 28th. We celebrate with big brother Nolan and

grandparents, Jill and Tommy Earnhardt.

WEDNESDAY EVENING PRAYER will resume April 14th in the Sanctuary (7:00pm) for song,

prayer and bible study. The topic for the upcoming months

will be “Praying the Names and Attributes of God” from

the Navigators Study Resource.

April 14 God is Jehovah Exodus 3:3-15

April 21 God is Omnipotent Jeremiah 32:17-18, 26-27

April 28 God is Good Psalm 119:65-72

May 5 God is Just Psalm 75:1-7

May 12 God is Holy Revelation 4:8-11

May 19 God Heals Exodus 15:22-26

May 26 God is Self-Sufficient Acts 17:24-28

CATECHISM INSTRUCTION for our 7th, 8th and 9th graders continues on Sundays monthly

in the Family Life Center (3:30-5:00pm).

April 18 - Apostles’ Creed

May 23 - Sacraments

June & July - No Classes

Aug 22 – Confession and Forgiveness

Sept 19 - Law and Gospel

Oct 3 - Preparing a Bible study

Nov 7 - Bible study presentations

Dec 5 - Luther and the Reformation

Jan 16 - Confirmation Sunday