Author: Julie Raffa

Thanksgiving for Light LSB 245
L Blessèd are You, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who led Your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Enlighten our darkness by the light of Your Christ; may His Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for You are merciful, and You love Your whole creation and we, Your creatures, glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
C Amen
Psalm Psalm 47
1Clap your hands, all | peoples!* Shout to God with loud | songs of joy! 2For the Lord, the Most High, is | to be feared,* a great king over | all the earth. 3He subdued peoples | under us,* and nations un- | der our feet. 4He chose our heritage | for us,* the pride of Jacob | whom he loves.
5God has gone up | with a shout,* the Lord with the sound of a | trumpet. 6Sing praises to God, sing | praises!* Sing praises to our King, sing | praises! 7For God is the King of | all the earth;* sing praises | with a psalm!
8God reigns over the | nations;* God sits on his | holy throne. 9The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of | Abraham.* For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly ex- | alted!
First Reading Acts 1:1–11
1In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
4And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Epistle Reading Ephesians 1:15–23
15For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Gospel Reading Luke 24:44–53
44Then [Jesus] said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
50Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the temple blessing God.
L In many and various ways, God spoke to His people of old by the prophets.
C But now in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son.

Evening Prayer Ascension Day
Lutheran Service Book:
Liturgy: Evening Prayer Page 243
Psalm:
Psalm 47
Office Hymn:
Look, Ye Saints, the Sight is Glorious 495
Scripture Reading:
Acts 1:1-11
Ephesians 1:15-23
Luke 24:44-53
X X X
In our prayers, we remember:
X Christians throughout the world persecuted for the confession of the faith.
X Doctors, Nurses, and all those working in the fight against COVID-19.
X The West Bend Police department and all those who continue to serve our community under threat of COVID-19 exposure.
X All those serving and protecting our communities and country, home and away.
X The unemployed and underemployed.
X Pastors, Missionaries, and all who serve God’s people with the gifts of Christ.
X All those struggling with health issues: Deb Ziemann, Kandie Darmody, Audrey Hilgendorf, Orville Heckendorf, Lois Pritzlaff, Jerry & Gert Sullivan, Tim Allen, Tracey Leffin-Hedrick, June Fry, Elaine Kuenzel, Richard Reich, Judy Clark, Louise Kreis, Diane Behrens, Eric Johanen, Jennifer Jensen, those upon our hearts.
X X X
Preacher: Rev. Christopher Raffa
Liturgist: Rev. Joseph Fisher
Organist: Samuel Grosskreuz

Pilgrim This Week
All services are live streamed and saved
on our YouTube channel:
Pilgrim Lutheran Church- West Bend, WI
Sunday:
6:00 a.m. Cable Worship W.B. 987
Att Uverse 99
8:& 10:30 a.m. Divine Service
9:15 a.m. Lord’s Supper
12:30 p.m. Bible Class
Monday:
8:00 a.m. —12:00 p.m. Lord’s Supper
4:00 p.m. Cable Worship W.B. 987
Att Uverse 99
Tuesday:
8:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m. Lord’s Supper
11:30 a.m. Cable Worship W. B. 987
Att Uverse 99
Wednesday:
8:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m. Lord’s Supper
9:00 a.m. Cable Worship W.B. 987
Att. Uverse 99
6:30 p.m. Bible Class
Thursday:
8:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m. Lord’s Supper
3:00 p.m.—4:00 p.m. Lord’s Supper
7:00 p.m. Divine Service
Friday:
8:00 a.m.—9:30 a.m. Lord’s Supper
Saturday:
8:00 a.m.—9:30 a.m. Lord’s Supper

Announcements
You are in our prayers
Please know that you are daily in our prayers. We pray for members, by name, daily during Matins. If we can be of help to you, please do not hesitate to contact the church office.
Bulletins are now available
Service Bulletins are now available to you on the church website:
http://www.pilgrimlutheran-westbend.org/ They are also available via email by contacting the church office.
LORD’S SUPPER
We are offering the Lord’s Supper upon request, by appointment or by coming by the offices during regular office hours, and before or after our worship services. Pastor Raffa and I are using the Old and New Fellowship Halls, or our studies, for separate stations to offer the Lord’s Supper to families when they come, so that we may have best practices during this pandemic.
THANK YOU
We would like to thank all who have mailed and dropped off their offerings this week. These gifts make it possible for us to continue serving you and our community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
ISSUES, ETC.
TALK RADIO & PODCASTS...Issues, Etc. is a radio talk show and podcast produced by Lutheran Public Radio in Collinsville, IL and hosted by LCMS Pastor Todd Wilken. You can listen live or on-demand at issuesetc.org and on the LPR mobile app.

Evening Prayer Ascension Day
May 21, 2020
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,
the conviction of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1
Welcome and blessings to you through our Lord Jesus Christ!
We welcome all who gather with us around the Altar and Pulpit to hear the Word of God. If you are visiting, we are happy that you could join us today. Please sign the guest book in the narthex and fill out one of the pew cards and pass it in with the offering plate to leave a record of your visit.
Communion Statement: By the design and specific warning of our Lord Jesus Christ in His Word, the precious gift of the Lord’s Body and Blood is to be shared with His blessing only with those prepared to take it rightly. (1 Cor 11:23-32) At the first communion our Lord did not commune all believers, but only those who had been instructed by Him daily for three years. The custom of our church is to offer the Sacrament only to confirmed members of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. So that our pastors would faithfully fulfill heir obligations, (1 Cor 4:1; Heb 13:17; 1 Cor 11:27), all first-time visitors should speak to one of the pastors prior to communing. Our pastors are eager and available to provide instruction leading to a right and salutary reception our Lord’s holy Body and Blood, so that in the future you may join us in the blessing of this sacrament.
Pilgrim Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession
The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
462 Meadowbrook Drive, West Bend, WI 53090
(262) 334-0375 www.pilgrimlutheran-westbend.org