St Ansgar Lutheran Church, London

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Sunday Morning

We invite you to join us for the following worship services:

Sundays
10:30 a.m. Worship service

Hand sanitizer will be available at the entrance and other locations in the church for
your use.

Washrooms will be available for use.

In the service: The service will be shown on the screen. The offering will not be gathered and presented, but there will be an offering plate at the back of the sanctuary where you can put your offering as you enter or leave. Pastor David distributes the communion wafers and an Assisting Minister distributes wine or grape juice in individual glasses.

We have coffee and fellowship time available again in Luther Hall after the service.

We will continue to evaluate our worship service procedures on a monthly basis.

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER, APRIL 19, 2026

St. Ansgar Lutheran Church, Outline for Worship (with sermon)
April 19, 2026 – Third Sunday of Easter
Based on ELW Setting Four

GATHERING

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS

THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM

(The assembly stands. All may make the sign of the cross, the sign marked at
baptism, as the presiding minister begins.)

P: Alleluia! Christ is risen.
C: Christ is risen, indeed. Alleluia!

P: In the name of the ☩ One who was, who is, and who is to come.
C: Amen.

P: Baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection, and called to live the baptized
life, let us give thanks for the gifts of baptism.
(Water may be poured into the font as the presiding minister gives thanks.)
P: Holy God, we give you thanks for the waters of baptism, waters that
make a people your own, that restore to wholeness, and empower us
to be witnesses in your name.
Baptized into you, O Living One,
C: make us one as you are one.

P: We give you thanks for the waters of baptism, waters that strengthen
believers and give new life to beloved servants of your church; waters that
extend your boundless love and cross barriers of our own making.
Baptized into you, O Living One,
C: make us one as you are one.

P: We give you thanks for the waters of baptism, waters that open the hearts
of believers and give a voice in the night to those in captivity; waters that set
your people on a new path, rejoicing in the Spirit’s power.
Baptized into you, O Living One,
C: make us one as you are one.

P: Grant us grace, love, and life, O Living One, that our every day is shaped
by these waters that give us our lives in you. We ask this in the name of Jesus,
the Crucified and Risen One.
C: Amen.

ENTRANCE HYMN - Christ the Lord Is Risen Today! (ELW #373)

GREETING
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

KYRIE
A: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.

A: For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.

A: 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.
C: Lord, have mercy.

A: For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise,
let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.

A: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
C: Amen.

HYMN OF PRAISE (ELW p. 149)
P: This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia.
C: Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain,
whose blood set us free to be people of God.
Power and riches and wisdom and strength,
and honour and blessing and glory are his.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia.
Sing with all the people of God
and join in the hymn of all creation:
Blessing and honour and glory and might
be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God,
for the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign.
Alleluia. Alleluia.

PRAYER OF THE DAY
P: Let us pray.
P: O God, your Son makes himself known to all his disciples in the breaking of
bread. Open the eyes of our faith, that we may see him in his redeeming work,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen

WORD

FIRST READING: Acts 2:14a, 36-41
14a: But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them,
36 "Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has
made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified." 37 Now
when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the
other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" 38 Peter said to them, "Repent,
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins
may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the
promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone
whom the Lord our God calls to him." 40 And he testified with many other
arguments and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this corrupt
generation." 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that
day about three thousand persons were added.

A: The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM: Psalm 116: 1-4, 12-19
1 I love the Lord, who has heard my voice,
and listened to my supplication,
2 for the Lord has given ear to me
whenever I called.
3 The cords of death entangle me; the anguish of the grave came upon me;
I came to grief and sorrow.
4 Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray you, save my life.”
12 How shall I repay the Lord
for all the good things God has done for me?
13 I will lift the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all God’s people.
15 Precious in your sight, O Lord,
is the death of your servants.
16 O Lord, truly I am your servant;
I am your servant, the child of your handmaid; you have freed me from my
bonds.
17 I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call upon the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all God’s people,
19 in the courts of the Lord’s house,
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Hallelujah!

SECOND READING: 1 Peter 1:17-23
17 If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to
their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. 18 You know that
you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with
perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like
that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20 He was destined before the
foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake.
21 Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead
and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. 22 Now that you
have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine
mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. 23 You have been born
anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and
enduring word of God.

A: The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
C: Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia.

GOSPEL
P: The Holy Gospel according to Luke 24:13-35
C: Glory to you, O Lord.
13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus,
about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all
these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing,
Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from
recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each
other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them,
whose name was Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in
Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these
days?" 19 He asked them, "What things?" They replied, "The things about Jesus
of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the
people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be
condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the
one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since
these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us.
They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find his
body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of
angels who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to
the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him." 25
Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to
believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the
Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" 27 Then
beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things
about himself in all the scriptures. 28 As they came near the village to which
they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him
strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now
nearly over." So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with
them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their
eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.
32 They said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was
talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?" 33 That
same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven
and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, "The Lord has
risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!" 35 Then they told what had
happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the
breaking of the bread.

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

SERMON
Luke 24:13-35
Let us pray: May the words of my mouth, and the prayers of our hearts, always
be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our Strength, and our Redeemer. AMEN
Put yourself in the shoes of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. It is
Easter afternoon, and the two of you just heard about the women finding the
tomb empty. Some of the disciples checked the tomb out. There was no sign of
Jesus. You are hesitant to believe in Jesus’ resurrection. It seems too good to
be true. Unlike us, these disciples did not have the privilege of growing up with
the written account of the resurrection. To them the resurrection of Jesus was
too impossible to believe!
As you walk down that road in the shoes of these two disciples, you may be
mourning Jesus’ crucifixion, trying to remember Jesus as he was in life, not
Jesus on the cross. You remember every expression on his wise and kind face.
You remember every inflection in his tender, yet sometimes, powerful voice. You
remember Jesus’ every gesture, his every word and act of kindness and grace,
as well as his many powerful lessons.
But now your hopes, your purpose in life, have been dashed. You feel lost, sad.
Perhaps the road to Emmaus is the road back to your home. You feel like
soldiers returning to your homestead after losing the war. Your conversation is
subdued by heavy emotions. You are talking to your friend, searching for
explanations that cannot be found, or sensible answers to the terrible way in the
life and ministry of Jesus has ended. Your discussion goes in circles because
Jesus was always a person of hope-filled endings, and his crucifixion did not
appear to be an ending full of hope. And still, neither of you can make any sense
of Jesus’ empty tomb.
Then a stranger who has been walking along in the same direction not far from
you moves alongside of you. He matches your stride step for step. He tactfully
enters your conversation. You are kind of drawn to him, and you don’t mind
filling him in on your conversation. You do not recognize him because he is the
resurrected Jesus who does not wished to be recognized just yet.
Interestingly, the stranger does not agree with any of your depressing
conclusions. Instead, he starts listing the prophecies in scripture to explain why
Jesus the Messiah had to die. What he is saying to you is not easy for you to
accept. Here you are grieving the loss, and this stranger is quoting a dozen
scripture passages telling you that Jesus had to die. Maybe, you feel upset with
the stranger at times. And you finally run out of “yes, buts...,” and you realize
that this stranger shows more belief in Jesus’ resurrection than either of you
have.
As you near your stopping place with your fellow disciple, you realize something
else. You realize that even though you have been arguing, this stranger’s words
of hope and promise fill an empty place inside you. You want to listen to him
some more, and so you invite the stranger to join you for the evening. He
accepts your offer, and as is the custom, you recline at a table for an evening
meal.
The stranger takes the bread in his hands and says the blessing and breaking
off pieces of the bread, he hands a piece to you and a piece of bread to the
other disciple. At that moment you see that he isn’t a stranger at all. He is your
beloved Jesus for whom you have been grieving. Just as you realize who the
stranger really is, Jesus vanishes.
You and your travelling companion look at each other in astonishment. You see
in his eyes that you were not imagining what has just happened. You exclaim to
one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us
on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” Who could eat or sleep
at a time like this? You both gather your things together and start your walk back
to Jerusalem despite the risk of walking on the road that is so dangerous in the
dark of the night. You want to get back to Jerusalem as soon as possible so that
you can tell the other disciples what happened to you on the road to Emmaus.
Is it possible that each one of us gathered here in church this morning has had a
similar Gospel experience happen to us in our life? Have we ever come to
church on Sunday morning weighed down by a problem that troubles us so
much that we did not sleep much the Saturday night before Sunday morning?
Perhaps we didn’t feel like coming to church because we are feeling worn out.
Our heart is heavy because of a problem that feels like it is overwhelming us.
The problem is crushing us. We realize that we have nowhere to turn for help
except to God. We have been praying that God will do something soon because
it seems things are getting worse.
We sit in the pew in our usual spot. We sing the hymns. We listen to the
prayers. We wait for some words to be said that will straighten out the knot in
our stomach or take the tension we feel away. We do our best to listen to the
Scripture lessons as we follow the words on the screen. It is hard not to dismiss
the Gospel lesson as something that has happened to other people in faraway
places a long time ago, and not to us here and now. We do our best to take the
sermon to heart. Still, the problem weighs heavily upon us. Please God, we
pray, lift this burden from our heart. Help me in my hour of need.
We share the peace, failing to see the fingerprints of God in the other people
who are with us in church. We sing the Offertory Hymn together which ends with
the words, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with your
free Spirit.” Next, we pray the Offering Prayer, including the words, “Nourish us
with the body and blood of Jesus, that goodness and mercy may follow us and
bless the world you love.” The Great Thanksgiving follows, and then the
Preface. We sing the Holy, Holy, Holy together and then hear the Thanksgiving
at the Table in which we praise God and hear the Words of Institution that
consecrate the bread and wine. Following the Lord’s Prayer and the Invitation to
Communion we sing together the Lamb of God which ends with the words,
“grant us peace, grant us peace.”
When we receive the bread and wine, we hear the words, “The body of Christ,
given for you,” and “The blood of Christ shed for you.” The Table Blessing asks
that “The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and keep you in
his grace.” This is all very personal between you and the Lord. The Prayer After
Communion begins, “Holy One, through this meal you have made your home
among us and are making all things new.” And we conclude with a Blessing and
the Dismissal. While these words sound familiar, sometimes they are too
familiar. Do we really hear what is being said and take the words to heart?
The problem we bring with us to church is still there, but somehow, we have
more confidence that Jesus will help us find a way through it. Jesus has done it
before, and he will do it again. As we receive communion, we pray that we will
have the courage we need to take Jesus’ love home with us like the two
disciples on the road to Emmaus who left the safety of the Lord’s table to go out
into the night. We pray for the courage to go out into our own dark night and
face our problem with faith in God’s loving care for us. Take courage, as the
disciples on the road to Emmaus took courage. May the peace of the risen
Christ always be with us along our life’s journey. Go forth with God’s peace in
your heart. AMEN

HYMN OF THE DAY – Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna! (ELW #383)

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,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary
and became truly human.
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,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic 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.

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
A: Trusting in the power of Christ’s resurrection to heal and redeem our broken
world, let us pray for the needs of all creation.
A: God of our church, send forth your Spirit as we pray for our National Bishop
Larry Kochendorfer. Empower him with your wisdom to lead the church. We also
pray for our Synod Bishop Carla Blakley and the Eastern Synod Office and
Support Staff. Merciful God,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Living Saviour, just as you journeyed with the disciples to Emmaus,
accompany us on our journey of faith. Gather us at your table, that we recognize
you in the breaking of the bread. Merciful God,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Almighty God, you provide for the needs of all creation. Bless the fields
that are being prepared for planting, and send favourable weather so that
the soil may yield an abundant harvest. Merciful God,
C: receive our prayer.

A: God of justice, where leaders abuse power, confront them and call them to
repentance. Where there is corruption, bring integrity; where there is violence,
sow peace. Merciful God,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Healing Saviour, your resurrection brings hope to a hurting world. Heal those
who are sick, especially Beth, Jean, Mary Margaret, Kristine, Karen, Emma,
Cathy, Lene, Lyra, Bud, Pastor Bob, Heather, Margaret, Jo-Anne, Ann, and those
others who are in our hearts. Strengthen the weary, give courage to the
despairing, and comfort the dying. Merciful God,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Gracious One, you have made us your own through the gift of baptism. Unite
us in genuine love for one another and uphold this community in your name.
Merciful God,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Merciful God, we pray for peace as war continues to rage in Ukraine and in
the Middle East. Shelter all living in fear; protect those seeking refuge in
neighbouring countries; sustain families separated by the horrors of war;
tend to those who are injured; comfort all who mourn their dead.
Direct your people into the way of peace. Merciful God,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Eternal Light, we give thanks for all who have nurtured your church’s life in
ages past. Bring us at last with them to the brightness of your glorious presence.
Merciful God,
C: receive our prayer.

A: God of resurrection power, use us and these prayers to proclaim the good
news of new life to all the world, through Jesus Christ, our risen Saviour.
C: Amen.

PEACE
P: The peace of Christ be with you always.
C: And also with you.

LORD’S PRAYER
P: Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray.
C: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy 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.

SENDING

BLESSING
P: God Almighty, who is the beginning and the end, Jesus Christ, the firstborn of
the dead, and the Spirit, our advocate and peace, + bless you now and forever.
C: Amen.

SENDING HYMN – Alleluia! Sing to Jesus (ELW #392)

DISMISSAL
A: Go in peace. Praise the Lord. Alleluia!
C: Thanks be to God. Alleluia!

DISMISSAL HYMN – The Lord Now Sends Us Forth (ELW #538)
Verse 1
The Lord now sends us forth
with hands to serve and give,
to make of all the earth
a better place to live. Repeat (2X)

Verse 2
The angels are not sent
into our world of pain
to do what we were meant
to do in Jesus' name;
that falls to you and me
and all who are made free.
Help us, O Lord, we pray,
to do your will today. Repeat (2X)