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[music] Hallelujah. [music] And as we prepare to make confession of our sin, let me add a confession. It's not something I did, but something that was done in my name.

I've joined the long list of people um who've been involved in the scam. I'm aware that some of you received an email from me supposedly earlier this week asking for money. Now, I hope you know that I'm not going to send you an email asking um for money because I'm generously provided for.

But the sad thing is, I want you to to know that I I I can't tell you how many times I've gotten a a spirious email from the bishop either asking for money or saying she needs something special or this that and the other. My software taught me a long time ago, if you receive an email that seems suspicious to you, look at the address from which it came. That's not my email address.

And my email address is in the back of the bulletin here. That's probably how it got spurned. But at the same time, if you rec if that's not something you recognize, then delete it immediately and call the person.

If you really want to respond, call the person it's purported to be from, me in this case, and just ask me and I'll tell you, no, I didn't send you an email. Over and over, I'm always told, don't reply to the email because when you do, it puts your address in a place you don't want your address to be. So, the best thing is I'm simply know I'm not going to email you.

I don't need money. I'm well provided for, but I'm not the only one. Doctors, lawyers, um, people who have a connection are easily part of the money.

And the fact, folk, that it keeps happening says they're making lots of money. Let's not let that happen to us. Welcome to worship.

I invite you to stand as you're able and join me for confession. Blessed be the Holy Trinity, one God, whose compassion endures forever. >> Amen.

>> Let us confess our sin to God. Compassionate God, we confess to you all our sins. Our burden is heavy and we cannot free ourselves.

In your mercy, call us back to you. Your yoke is easy and your burden is light. Restore us to dwell in your peace.

In Christ's name we pray. Amen. Jesus says, "Come to me all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest.

In the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, your sins are forgiven. Rest in God's love. Hallelujah.

God glory. Holy bless. Bless.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Earthless praise to holy name. Hallelujah.

Holy name. Gloryless. be with you.

>> Let us pray together. Almighty creator and ever living God, we worship your glory, eternal three in one, and we praise your power, majestic one in three. Keep us steadfast in this faith.

Defend us in all adversity. And bring us at last into your presence where you live in endless joy and love. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen. Please be seated. I invite children to visit with me.

I'm glad you are here. Are you glad you're here? Sure you are.

That's God's special message to each and every one of us every time we gather in the special presence of the Lord God. Well, I you know I use the word this is a festival service as the first thing I said this morning. And after that in several different times and in several different ways in music and in words.

I've spoken the word God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. And we're going to do that all through worship today because this is that special day. Well, the neat thing after the sermon, every every every time we worship, there's a there's a point where after the message, after we sing a hymn, then we all together talk about what we believe and and we say it out loud.

We stand up because that's always the way Jesus Jewish people always stood to show respect to God. And we speak it out loud, not because we don't know it, but we speak it for anybody that's here where we are that doesn't know what we're saying. And we talk about things we believe.

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, creator of heaven and I believe in Jesus Christ. And we talk about a lot of things Jesus did. We I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Universal Church, Catholic Church, those things.

We're talking about three different people. If if I were to ask those if I were to ask the father, the son, and the spirit to come and sit upon that front bench, who would be the most important one in that group? You being quiet, which is the right answer.

No, because there wouldn't be three different father, son, and spirit sitting on that pew. There would be one. And it'd be amazing thing.

The creator is the one who died on the cross. And that's what nobody could say. No, that can't happen.

That can't happen. Is the same one who says, I'm with you always to the end of the earth. It's the same one that when you were baptized, someone laid his or her hands on your head and prayed, "God the Father in heaven for Jesus sake, pour out your spirit." And the Holy Spirit was put inside you.

That's an amazing thing. And that's why the church for hundreds and hundreds of years has said, you know, we need a special Sunday when we talk about this amazing thing because most it's hard for my mind to imagine that. It's hard for most of us to imagine that because we still think about there must be three gods.

There must be the God that made this. There must be the God that that loved us on the cross. And there must be the God that keeps coming to us when we pray at night.

Oh God, help me do so and so and I get help. But the marvelous, marvelous, marvelous majesty of it all. We have a God so big.

My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty. There's nothing my God cannot do. That's a Bible school song.

That's a camp song, but that's a true song. No matter how little we are or how big we are, our God is so big. And yet we're in a wonderful way.

God is with us all the time. You're blessed. I'm blessed.

We're all blessed. Let's pray. Dear God, >> thank you.

>> You made me. >> You claimed me. You blessed me.

>> You blessed me. >> And you are with me. >> You >> every day of my life.

>> every day of my life. >> Fill me with your spirit. >> Fill me.

>> Help me to be the person. >> Help me to be the person >> you created me to be. >> You created me to be >> and loved me so much.

in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you so much for all you do.

A reading from the book of Genesis. When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light." And there was light.

And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day and the darkness he called night.

And there was evening and there was morning the first day. And God said, "Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters and let it separate the waters from the waters." So God made the separat. God called the dome sky.

And there was evening and there was morning. And God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. God called the dry land earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called seas.

And God saw that it was good. Then God saw said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it. And it was so.

The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed of every kind, and the trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning, the third day.

And God said, "Let there be lights in the sky to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years. And let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.

And it was so. God made the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness.

And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was the fourth day. And God said, "Let the waters bring above the earth across the sky." So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves every swarm and every winged bird of every kind.

And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters and the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." And there was evening, and there was morning, the fifth day. And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind, cattle and creeping things, and wild animals of the earth of every kind." And it was so.

the wild animals of the earth of every kind and the cattle of every kind and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let us make humans in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." So God created in his image.

In the image of God, he created them. Male and female he created them. God blessed them.

And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." God said, "See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit, you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. God saw everything that he had made.

And indeed it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all their multitude.

On the sixth day, God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. God blessed the seventh day and it on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

The word of the Lord. >> We continue with the song. All the earth glor of Infants and children.

You should glory and honor. You have rules. Earth.

A reading from Paul's second letter letter to the Corinthians. writes, "Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell, be restored. Listen to my appeal.

Agree with one another. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all." >> The word of the Lord. >> Thanks be to God.

Hallelujah. Hallelu shall we go? Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Hallelu. 28th chapter >> to you, oh Lord.

>> Now the 11 disciples went to Galilee to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him. But some doubted.

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I've commanded you. And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age.

>> To you, O Christ. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Halleluah. Hallelu.

[music] Please be seated. We Lutheran Christians and many others around the world observed today as the festival of the Holy Trinity. It's an opportunity for us to talk about the Christian faith, about what we believe, what we hold as ultimate truth, about creeds and dogmas and doctrine in a very positive way.

Today is a day to be dogmatic, to be clear and emphatic about what we believe, what we hold as ultimate truth. This religious festival, however, comes at a time in America's history when some in our society are adamant and authoritative about their personal beliefs on matters of religion and politics. Some feel very strongly about their beliefs and their understandings ought to be binding on everyone.

As people of faith have always been called to do, we need to be able to look deep within ourselves and ourselves. There we discover asking what do we believe? Where do we stand on issues of ultimate importance on matters of life and death?

What really is important to you? Do others know what is really important to you? Some today are quick to declare their beliefs and positions and expect others to accept and support those positions.

Others are hesitant to declare what they believe, what's most important to them, where they are willing to take a firm stand. Both in the culture and in the church, creeds and dogmas are an important part of who we are. As an American, I believe that all people are created equal.

As an American, I believe that every child has a right to a decent education, to a life that's free of parental abuse, neglect, or pervasive lasting hunger. As an American, I believe in my right to vote and to vote for the candidate of my choice without persuasion or pressure. These are some things I hold as my rights and my responsibilities as an American citizen.

As a Christian, as a Lutheran Christian, I move to a much deeper level of human experience from rights to truths. As a Lutheran Christian, I believe all humankind was created in the image of God. As a Lutheran Christian, I believe in one God.

As a Lutheran Christian, I believe in one God who is revealed in me and around me in three very special ways. In other words, I believe in the Holy Trinity. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is not the product of a group of theologians who gathered together to produce a complex metaphysical doctrine.

There is no neat simple formula in holy scripture. Not even in these two New Testament passages that are part of our worship today. They're sitting waiting for someone to form into a statement of faith.

The doctrine of the Holy Trinity emerged in a natural way. People found themselves believing in the Holy Trinity long before formal creed statements emerged. Early Jewish Christians weren't bothered by logical tidiness or popular simplicity.

They wanted to declare truth as they experienced in their lives and in their world. Faithful through the ages looked up and around themselves and declared their faith. I believe in God who is the creator of the heavens and the earth.

That's the testimony of Hebrews 500 years before the birth of Christ that prompted the writing of a second story of creation. Today's Genesis 1. The focus is not on the details of how God created it.

It's on who and who alone did it. It's the testimony of those who believe that what is was created by God Almighty. That doesn't tell us much about what kind of creator God Almighty is.

This past Monday, May the 25th, America observed Memorial Day, a day of special remembrance and reflection on those persons for whom being an American was a matter of life and death. Yet matters of life and death, we Lutheran Christians believe, have ultimate meaning only in the life and the death of one man, born in a far off part of the world, who lived only about 30 years on this earth, Jesus the Christ. As humans, you and I are tugged and torn daily by fears and phobias, by anxieties, by drives and temptations, the bondage to sin we often confess as we begin worship from which we cannot free ourselves.

We have been reconciled with our creator, forgiven and renewed by our baptism into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He told us he was God. The character of this same God who created the world and all that is within it was disclosed most clearly in Jesus death on a criminal's cross outside the city walls of Jerusalem to defeat the power of sin and death.

I believe in one God who is creator, redeemer, and spirit God. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity emerged from the living experience of the church. What we believe shapes how we worship.

How we worship gives expression to our faith. original Hebrews beautiful nya hymn that will send us forth from worship today. Holy, holy, holy is a good example.

In response to the moving mystery of God's three ways of being God, Hebrew is swept up in the experience of God in worship and exclaims, "God in three persons, blessed Trinity. Be aware that at the time creeds formed, the term persona, translated person, did not have the same meaning as the word does today. You think of person as an individual, a separate entity, a distinctly different personality.

Persona was a term from Greek drama to describe the different roles presentations that one individual might portray. Many still picture the Holy Trinity as a divine committee of three. The late Dr.

Paul Sharer once wrote, "We have the misconception that the father and the son sat down together at a conference occasionally and sent the holy spirit out on some errand." That understanding is not surprising. If we assign distinct divine roles and functions like creating, redeeming and sanctifying, guiding separately to father, son and holy spirit. Holy scripture knows only one God.

The early followers of Jesus were Jews. They were committed to the ancient shama Israel. Here, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.

The Hebrews were called to be different from their neighbors. They were called to exclusive worship of one God. The missionary apostle Paul, Saul Paulus, Pharisee of the Pharisees that we meet early in the book of Acts, was devoted to destroying the movement of those who believed that Jesus was God in the flesh.

The Lord, our God is one Lord is central to the Christian faith. As Lutheran Christians, we believe there is only one God. We believe that this one true God of the Hebrews, the God of the Old Testament patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, acted in a way that no one expected.

What the New Testament reveals is not an enlargement of God, but an enlargement of our knowledge of God as revealed to and within this world. The revelation of God's distinct and very special ways of being God understood within the mystery of faith. Now, for the first time, the risen Lord, Matthew recalled, commissioned his disciples of every age to make disciples and baptize in the words that we heard conclude Matthew's gospel.

Paul's second letter to the church at Corenth is the source of the apostolic greeting that we use in worship every week. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Neither Jesus nor Paul refer to three gods but to one God experienced in three very special ways in the lives of God's people, the church.

St. Paul reminded us last Sunday. They are varieties of gifts but the same spirit.

Varieties of service but the same Lord. Varieties of activities but the same God who inspires them all. Later to the church at Ephesus, Paul reminded them there is one body and one spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Paul's growing understanding of God is almost himlike. Paul's enlarged faith in the one God he has experienced in three wonderful ways spills over into worship. His faith is expressed in his worship of God who is above all and through all and in all.

The same God who delivered the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm is the same God who revealed such amazing love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us is the same God who is working out God's purpose of redemption in and through us. I stand here today and declare my growing faith in one God who is creator, redeemer, and spirit guide and still cannot express it all. Coming as I did from a small town in the South Carolina low country, having little firsthand experience of the larger world, I'd like to go to the coast about an hour from my home and stand on the beach.

Caught up in realities that I could see and that I could feel in front of me the sand and the sea. I was aed by the knowledge that there were endless miles of shore and sea that I could never see nor fully know. In the presence of the one God in three persons, this blessed Trinity, I too am lost in wonder, love and praise.

Amen. Trinity of our father. for you.

Trinity. World of all the spirit. We now profess the faith we share using the words of the Apostles Creed.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontious Pilot, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead.

On the third day, he rose again. He ascended into he is seated at the right hand of the father and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Gathered together by the Holy Spirit, let us pray for the church and the needs of the world. Holy God, we are in awe of your creative work. Continue the work in your church, making us a new creation that proclaims your presence and love.

God of grace, here our prayer. Creator God, nurture re nature reveals your power and glory. Protect water sources, vegetation, and wildlife as reminders of who you are.

God of grace, here our prayer. Redeemer God, you call us to pray for those in authority, guide our leaders to pursue the work of fostering peace and community. God of grace, here our pray.

Sustaining God, you are mindful of your people in every circumstance. Heal those who are sick. Provide for all who hunger.

Protect those in harm's way. Comfort any expecting hardship, especially those we lift before you now, whether silent or alone. God of grace, here our prayer.

Gracious God, we pray for the children of our our church and community. Provide for their needs. Support their caregiving givers.

Nurture their faith. God of grace, here our prayer. Loving God, we give thanks to those who have died and claimed their baptismal promises.

Strengthen us to live as they did in communion with you. God of grace, here our pray. Trusting you receive all our prayers, we commend our spoken and unspoken prayers to you, oh God, through Jesus our savior.

Amen. >> As you're comfortable, share a sign of God's peace. They're there now.

might silence. Holy angels praise. Hallelujah.

saint angels. Host >> [music] >> Let us pray together. Loving God, we offer at your table the gifts of our hearts.

Help us to take part in you and share freely of your blood so that all creation can taste your abundance. We ask this in the name of Jesus through the spirit now. >> Amen.

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.

>> It is indeed right, our duty and our joy that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, Almighty and merciful God. You reveal your glory as the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in majesty, undivided in splendor, one Lord, one God, ever to be adored in your eternal glory. And so with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth, and the host of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn.

Holy, [music] holy Lord God of glory in the highest bless [music] in the highest. >> [music] >> Holy, mighty, and merciful Lord, heaven and earth are full of your glory. In great love, you sent to us Jesus, your son, who reached out to heal the sick and suffering, who preached good news to the poor, and who on the cross opened his arms to all.

And the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, 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 for the remembrance of me. Remembering therefore his death, resurrection, and ascension, we await his coming in glory.

Pour out upon us the spirit of your love, O Lord, and unite the wills of those who share this heavenly food, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord. to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all honor and glory now and forever. Amen.

Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray. 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. 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. Heaven has come near.

Come share in the feast. Thank God. God take away the world.

Happy Christmas. Children Jesus. You have to stand.

Sending to serve. We will share Glor. Christ.

My Virgin. until The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. >> Amen.

Let us pray together. Compassionate God, through the gifts of bread and wine, our hearts are filled with the abundance of your love. Strengthen us that we through this holy meal may share your love freely as you have shared with us.

We ask this in the name of Jesus through the spirit nourishing us now and forever. Amen. Creator, redeemer, sustainer, one God bless, heal and hold you today and forever more.

Holy, holy, holy. shall rise to thee. Glory.

Holy, holy, hol for Hallelujah. We welcome and are thankful for all those who have worshiped together here in person and online. Next Sunday, June 7th, we begin our worship summer schedule of weekly single 10 a.m.

services. This will also be a confirmation Sunday and we will celebrate our confirms with the reception following the service. So, be sure to set your clocks, your alarms now because we're all going to forget as soon as we walk out here.

10 o'clock next Sunday. registration for our July 13th through 17th. God's grace by welcoming all people, growing together in faith, and joining God God's work in our community.

Thanks be to God.