Welcome to Grace!
Our mission at Grace is to teach the inspired and inerrant Word of God, to proclaim that Jesus Christ is the crucified and risen Savior of the world, and to nurture believers for lives of Christian service.
Check out the GRACE WEBSITE at GraceLutheranSAZ.org
WORSHIP NOTES
We are very pleased that you have joined us for worship today! We pray that this time will be a blessing for you as God comes to you with his Word and promises, and as you offer him your thanks and praise. The worship service is printed in this worship folder for you to follow along and participate. You’ll notice that the service is a dialogue between God and us, his people. The pastor speaks to God along with the congregation and also speaks the Word of God to the people. Those wishing to leave an offering can do so at the exit today or give online at www.GraceLutheranSAZ.org/give. (You can also scan the QR code to the right to access the online giving page.)
Today we are using elements from the Christian Worship hymnal. If you would like to worship from a hymnal today, you will find these blue worship books in the hymnal racks in each row; however, you do not need to use a hymnal if you so choose, as everything needed for worship is printed in this worship folder.
OUR WORSHIP SERIES HE LIVES
Life is full of either/or moments where you face an unavoidable choice between two alternatives. Some of those moments are relatively insignificant. Either I have the chicken, or I have the fish. Other times, they shape the course of your life. Either I accept this new job offer, or I keep my current job for the remainder of my career. Either I accept his marriage proposal, or Some either/or moments are bigger than others.
Here is the biggest either/or of them all. Either Jesus is still dead, or Jesus rose. One might ask, “How does that either/or affect me?” Because Jesus claimed to be the Son of God and Savior from sin. He said the proof is that he would rise from the dead. “The Son of Man must suffer many things...be killed and after three days rise again” (Mark 8:31). Thus, if Jesus remains dead, he is both failure and fraud. However, if Jesus rose from the dead, he proves he is who he claimed to be the Messiah. And he did what he came to do save us.
Either Jesus is still dead, or Jesus rose. That means, either Jesus is a complete waste of your time, or he is your only hope for salvation. If Jesus is still dead, it is completely logical that you should want nothing to do with him. If Jesus rose, it is only logical that he becomes the center and greatest priority of your life. Either Jesus is still dead, or Jesus rose. This season of Easter is a 50-day-long celebration of the fact that the Holy Spirit has answered that either/or for us. We believe this life-changing truth. Christ is risen! He lives! Throughout this season, we explore what that means.
He Lives to Take Me from Death to Life
He Lives to Give Me Proof and Peace
He Lives to Restore My Hope
He Lives to Be My Good Shepherd
He Lives to Be the Only Way to Heaven
He Lives and Calls Me to Live for Him
He Lives to Rule All Things for the Church
He Lives to Pour Out His Spirit
We hope you will continue to join us for worship on Sundays during this Easter season as we praise our Risen Lord! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
CHOIR—Glorious, Risen Christ
Please stand
EASTER GREETING
Minster: Christ is risen!
Congregation: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
OPENING PRAYER
Beloved in Christ, we have gathered together to celebrate the glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and to hear again from the Holy Scriptures how he conquered death, and broke the prison bands of man’s mortality.
But first, let us pray for the unity of the church, for the sick, for the feeble, for those in sorrow, for captives, for those who travel, for young men and maidens, for old men and children, for all the married, for all who need our prayers and supplications, through Christ our Lord.
Let us pray also for those who rest with the Lord awaiting the resurrection to eternal life. We look forward to joining them around the glorious thrown made possible this day by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray:
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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
2 He said the following:
In my distress I called to the L , and he answered me. From the belly of the grave I cried out, and you heard my voice.
3 You threw me into the depths, into the heart of the seas. The currents swept around me. All your breakers and your waves swept over me.
4 I said, “I have been driven away from your sight. Nevertheless, I will once again look toward your holy temple.”
5 Waters engulfed me so that I was near death. The deep surrounded me. Seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down. The earth locked me behind its bars forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O L , my God.
7 When my life was ebbing away, I remembered the L . My prayer came to you, to your holy temple.
8 Those who cling to worthless idols forsake the mercy that is theirs.
9 But I, with a shout of thanksgiving, will indeed sacrifice to you. What I have vowed, I will certainly pay in full. Salvation belongs to the L !
THE SECOND LESSON Luke 24:1-10
1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women went to the tomb, carrying the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. 3 When they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothing. 5 The women were terrified and bowed down with their faces to the ground.
The men said to them, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has been raised! Remember how he told you while he was still in Galilee 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again?” 8 Then they remembered his words.
9 When they returned from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles.
CHOIR—Redeemer
11But Mary stood outside facing the tomb, weeping. As she wept, she bent over, looking into the tomb. 12She saw two angels in white clothes sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and one at the feet. 13They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She told them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.”
14After she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus.
15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?”
Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you carried him off, tell me where you laid him, and I will get him.”
16Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned and replied in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means, “Teacher”).
17Jesus told her, “Do not continue to cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father to my God and your God.’ ”
18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” She also told them the things he said to her.
HYMN See, What a Morning Christian Worship 451 Verse 1: Choir, Verses 2-3: Congregation
THE FOURTH LESSON 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
1 Brothers, I am going to call your attention to the gospel that I preached to you. You received it, and you took your stand on it. 2 You are also being saved by that gospel that was expressed in the words I preached to you, if you keep your hold on it unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
4 that he was buried,
that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.
6 After that he appeared to over five hundred brothers at the same time, most of whom are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, he appeared also to me, the stillborn child, so to speak. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, and I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted God’s church. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not ineffective. On the contrary, I worked more than all of them (and yet it wasn’t my doing, but it was the grace of God, which was with me, that did it). 11 So whether it is I or they, that is what we preach, and that is what you believed.
23
Oh how I wish that my words were written down. Oh how I wish that they were inscribed in bronze,
24 that they would be engraved in rock forever with an iron tool and letters filled with lead.
25 As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the end of time he will stand over the dust.
26 Then, even after my skin has been destroyed, nevertheless, in my own flesh I will see God.
27 I myself will see him. My own eyes will see him, and not as a stranger. My emotions are in turmoil within me.
HYMN I Know that My Redeemer Lives Christian
Verse 1: Cong., Verse 2: Men, Verse 3: Women, Verse 4: All
Verse
11 As they were on their way, there were some members of the guard who went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 After the chief priests had assembled with the elders and had reached a decision, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers
13 and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came at night and stole him away while we were sleeping.’ 14 If the governor hears about it, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 After the soldiers took the money, they did as they were instructed. And this story has been repeated among the Jews until this day.
This song continues on the next page.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 into an inheritance that is undying, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 Through faith you are being protected by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.
6 Because of this you rejoice very much, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various kinds of trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith which is more valuable than gold, which passes away even though it is tested by fire may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, yet by believing in him, you are filled with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
PRAYER OF EASTER DAY
Almighty God, by the glorious resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ, you conquered death and opened the gate to eternal life. Grant that we, who have been raised with him through Baptism, may walk in newness of life and ever rejoice in the hope of sharing his glory; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be dominion and praise now and forever.
Amen.
May the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, bless your every work through the power of his Spirit and may the grace of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you, and remain with you forever.
Amen.
Welcome Grace Guests!
If you are a guest at Grace today, we are very happy to have you worship with us! If you would like more information about Grace or have questions about becoming a member of our congregation, please speak to Pastor Heiman.
You’re invited to worship with us at any of our four sites:
Grace-Tucson
830 N. 1st Avenue, 85719
Regular Sunday Morning Schedule
7:45 AM Worship Service
8:45 AM Bible Studies for Adults and Children
10:00 AM Worship Service
Grace-Benson 451 W. Duane Street, 85602
Regular Sunday Morning Schedule
7:30 AM Worship Service
8:45 AM Adult Bible Study
Grow in Grace Class
Grace-Sahuarita
75 W. Sahuarita Rd., 85629
Regular Sunday Morning Schedule
9:00 AM Bible Studies for Adults and Children
10:00 AM Worship Service
Grace-Vail
9400 S. Atterbury Wash Way, 85747 (Esmond Station Elementary)
Regular Sunday Morning Schedule
9:00 AM Bible Studies for Adults and Children
10:00 AM Worship Service
Would you like to learn more about our risen Savior Jesus, about the Bible that tells us about him, and about what Grace Lutheran Church believes and teaches? Our congregation offers a series of Bible-based lessons called Grow in Grace. Grow in Grace also serves as our membership class for those who may be interested in joining the church. If you would be interested in scheduling a Grow in Grace Class, please speak to Pastor Heiman, or register your interest at GraceLutheranSAZ.org/ GIG
Easter Lilies
Thank you to those who have beautified our Easter worship by providing lilies:
Wally & Sally Habel In memory of Loved Ones
Tim & Diana Holmes To the glory of God
John & Kay Huebner In memory of Erv Lepak and Howard Huebner
Pastor & Laura Heiman In thanks to God for his blessings
Larry & Pat Buske To the glory of God
Carl & Jean Bilitz In memory of parents
Xander Elias In memory of Grandpa William, Great Grandpa Joe and Great Grandma Lulu
Please remember to take your lily home after the 10:00 AM service today. Thank you!
Thank You!
We sincerely thank the many people who are involved in our Easter Celebration throughout this morning! If you were involved in any way we greatly appreciate you using your gifts and talents to serve our Risen Lord!
Friendship Register
We would like to have a record of both members and guests who are worshiping with us. Please sign the red Friendship Register book located along the center aisle in the hymnal rack.
Divine Call Extended
At our Call meeting held on Sunday, March 26, a divine call was extended to Mrs. Hannah Kent to serve as a mission teacher at our Child Learning Center in Sahuarita. Hannah isn’t currently serving in a WELS school, but did graduate from Martin Luther College in 2019. She and her husband live in Thief River Falls, MN. If you would like to reach out to her, you may do so at kent.hannahmarie@gmail.com or (715)797-2294. Please keep Hannah and her husband in your prayers as she deliberates our call.
Wednesday Bible Study
The Bible Project: The 66 books of the Bible are a collection of history, poetry, prophesy and insights into the eternal history of God and his people. The focus of the entire Bible is God’s plan of salvation. However because of the sheer volume of the Bible, many people get bogged down trying to read it and understand it. This Bible Project is a study that quickly summarizes each book and give the student a quick overview of the Bible. Please join us on Wednesdays at 10:00 AM in Church Entryway.
Fiesta Sahuarita: Saturday
Grace will once again have a booth at Fiesta Sahuarita! This free event takes place from 2:00 to 8:00 PM THIS Saturday, April 15, at Anamax Recreation Center (17501 Camino De Las Quintas). Come out and enjoy vendors, food trucks, live music, a kids water zone, and a drone show after dark! We are looking for volunteers to help with our booth. If you are interested, please leave your information on the sign up sheet on the Welcome Desk in the church entryway. If you have questions, please contact Pastor Heiman at (520)999-0245 or RevRAH@GraceLutheranSAZ.org.
Ladies’ Fellowship Group: April 20
The Ladies’ Fellowship Group will meet on Thursday, April 20, for lunch at Tohono Chul Park (7366 Paseo del Norte, Tucson 85704). They will meet in the Tohono Chul parking lot at 11:30 AM. If you need a ride or have any questions, please contact Lois Thornton at (520)323-8772 or vthornto2@gmail.com. Ladies from all Grace sites are welcome to join in the fun!
CLC Charity Golf Tournament April 24
Do you enjoy golf? Join us on Monday, April 24, for the 4th annual CLC Charity Golf Tournament! Beginning at 1:00 PM, golfers will participate in a 4-person scramble golf tournament at Desert Hills Private Golf Club in Green Valley. Our goal for this big event is to raise funds for the It Takes the Community Scholarship Fund to benefit our community families in need of child care. Go to www.ItTakestheCommunity.com to register for this event, either as a team ($400) or individual golfer ($125). If you know of any businesses that might be interested in sponsoring this event, please contact Connie Hiles at (763) 439-7577 or conniehiles@gmail.com.
Mission to the Children Informational Meeting: April 28
Mission to the Children (MttC) has been sharing the love of Christ and humanitarian aid with Mexican families in Sonora since 1989. Due to continued unrest in Mexico, MttC is expanding its focus to Spanish-speaking families in southern Tucson. We invite you to join us. If you have a heart for families, Hispanic ministry, or simply serving your needy neighbor, then come to MttC’s Informational Meeting at 6:00 PM on Friday, April 28, at Grace-Tucson (830 N 1st Ave Tucson, AZ 85719). Bilingual skills are not needed. Dinner will be provided. Questions? Call 520-934-2512 or email Info@MissiontotheChildren.org.
This schedule is subject to change. Please watch your email for the most up-to-date information or call the Grace Central Office at (520)623-6633 if you have questions.
Stay Up to Date
The fastest and easiest way to keep Grace members and friends informed about what is happening at our four sites is through our weekly email update. This email is sent every Friday and at other times when special announcements are necessary. If you have not been receiving this email, but would like to, please email the Grace Central Office at office@gracelutheransaz.org and request to be added to our email list.
