I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ,
His only Son our Lod, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.


response reading 128. lent (5)
PRES: my soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.
CONG: He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
PRES: How long will you assault a man? Would all of you throw me down this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
CONG: They fully intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse.
PRES: Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
CONG: He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
PRES: My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
CONG: Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.


hymnal 633
Take these gifts, take these gifts, O our God:
All we have, all we have comes from you.
With our voices raised in thanks, Lord, we give to you. Amen.

Colossians 1:9-20
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.


hymnal 349
1. Am I a soldier of the cross, A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause, Or blush to speak His name?
Must I be carried to the skies On flowery beds of ease
While others fought to win the prize, And sailed through bloody seas?
I'll be a soldier for Jesus No matter what others may do.
I take my oath of allegiance To serve Him with purpose true.
Great Captain, that Thy full purpose By grace in me may be done,
I'll be a soldier for Jesus Until the warfare is won.
2. Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vain world a friend to grace, To help me on to God?
Sure I must fight, if I would reign: Increase my courage, Lord;
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by Thy word.
I'll be a soldier for Jesus No matter what others may do.
I take my oath of allegiance To serve Him with purpose true.
Great Captain, that Thy full purpose By grace in me may be done,
I'll be a soldier for Jesus Until the warfare is won.
3. Thy saints, in all this glorious war, Shall conquer, though they die;
They see the triumph from afar, By faith they bring it nigh.
When that illustrious day shall rise And all Thine armies shine
In robes of victory, through the skies, The glory shall be Thine.
I'll be a soldier for Jesus No matter what others may do.
I take my oath of allegiance To serve Him with purpose true.
Great Captain, that Thy full purpose By grace in me may be done,
I'll be a soldier for Jesus Until the warfare is won.