Gathering
Prelude: “Soul, Adorn Yourself With Gladness”
Confession and Forgiveness
P: In the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
P: Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence is kept for reflection.
P: Most merciful God,
C: we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
P: In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Opening Hymn #356 (green hymnal) v. 1-3, 5
“O Jesus, Joy of Loving Hearts”
Tune: Walton
1 O Jesus, joy of loving hearts,
the fount of life, the light of all:
from ev’ry bliss that earth imparts
we turn, unfilled, to hear your call.
2 Your truth unchanged has ever stood;
you plead with all to call on you;
to those who seek you, you are good;
to those who find you, life is new.
3 We taste you, ever-living bread,
and long to feast upon you still;
we drink of you, the fountainhead;
our thirsting souls from you we fill.
5 O Jesus, ever with us stay!
Make all our moments fair and bright!
Oh, chase the night of sin away!
Shed o’er the world your holy light.
Greeting and Prayer of the Day
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.
P: Let us pray. Gracious God, your blessed Son came down from heaven to be the true bread that gives life to the world. Give us this bread always, that he may live in us and we in him, and that, strengthened by this food, we may live as his body in the world, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
C: Amen.
The Word
Blessing of the Lector
P: Let us pray. God Almighty, we ask your blessing upon Carroll as he reads to us the scriptures. May the words of his mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer.
C: Amen.
First Reading: 1 Kings 19:4-8
4 Elijah went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 The angel of the LORD came a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.” 8 He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.
The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Psalmody: Hymn #126 (maroon hymnal)
“Taste and See” (Psalm 34:1-8)
Tune: Taste and See
Refrain
Taste and see, taste and see
the goodness of the Lord.
Oh, taste and see, taste and see
the goodness of the Lord, of the Lord.
1 I will bless the Lord at all times.
Praise shall always be on my lips;
my soul shall glory in the Lord;
for God has been so good to me. Refrain
2 Glorify the Lord with me.
Together let us all praise God’s name.
I called the Lord, who answered me;
from all my troubles I was set free. Refrain
3 Worship the Lord, all you people.
You’ll want for nothing if you ask.
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
in God we need put all our trust. Refrain
Second Reading: Ephesians 4:25–5:2
25 So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not make room for the devil. 28 Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. 29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. 31 Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, 32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Gospel: John 6:35, 41-51
P: The holy gospel according to St. John, the 6th chapter.
C: Glory to you, O Lord.
35 Jesus said to the crowd, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 41 Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not complain among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
P: The gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ.
Children’s Sermon
Sermon
Silence for meditation
Hymn of the Day #702 (blue hymnal)
“I Am the Bread of Life”
Tune: I Am the Bread
1 “I am the Bread of life.
You who come to me shall not hunger,
and who believe in me shall not thirst.
No one can come to me unless the Father beckons.”
Refrain
“And I will raise you up,
and I will raise you up,
and I will raise you up on the last day.”
2 “The bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world,
and if you eat of this bread,
you shall live forever, you shall live forever.” Refrain
3 “Unless you eat
of the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink of his blood,
and drink of his blood,
you shall not have life within you.” Refrain
4 “I am the resurrection,
I am the life.
If you believe in me,
even though you die, you shall live forever.” Refrain
5 Yes, Lord, I believe
that you are the Christ,
the Son of God,
who have come into the world. Refrain
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again 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. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
A: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.
After each petition:
A: Lord, in your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
After the last petition:
A: Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
Peace
P: The peace of Christ be with you always.
C: And also with you.
The Meal
Invitation to Offering
Offering Prayer
P: Let us pray.
C: God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever. You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine. Nourish us with these gifts, that we might be for the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Great Thanksgiving
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: We lift them to the Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
P: In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and 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.
Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray:
The Lord’s Prayer
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.
Invitation to Communion
P: This is the Living Bread of Heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever.
The Body of Christ, broken for you.
The Blood of Christ, shed for you.
All eat bread and drink wine or juice at their seat.
Communion Hymn
“O Living Bread from Heaven”
Tune: Ach Gott vom Himmelreiche
1 O living Bread from heaven,
how well you feed your guest!
The gifts that you have given
have filled my heart with rest.
Oh, wondrous food of blessing,
oh, cup that heals our woes!
My heart, this gift possessing,
with praises overflows!
2 My Lord, you here have led me
within your holiest place,
and here yourself have fed me
with treasures of your grace;
for you have freely given
what earth could never buy,
the bread of life from heaven,
that now I shall not die.
3 You gave me all I wanted;
this food can death destroy.
And you have freely granted
the cup of endless joy.
My Lord, I do not merit
the favor you have shown,
and all my soul and spirit
bow down before your throne.
4 Lord, grant me then, thus strengthened
with heav’nly food, while here
my course on earth is lengthened,
to serve with holy fear.
And when you call my spirit
to leave this world below,
I enter, through your merit,
where joys unmingled flow.
Table Blessing
P: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
C: Amen.
Prayer after Communion
A: Let us pray. God of abundance, with this bread of life and cup of salvation you have united us with Christ, making us one with all your people. Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit, that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue forever in the risen life of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C: Amen.
Sending
Announcements for God’s Mission in the World
Blessing
P: Almighty God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.
C: Amen.
Closing Hymn #364 (green hymnal)
“Son of God, Eternal Savior”
Tune: In Babilone
1 Son of God, eternal Savior,
source of life and truth and grace,
Word made flesh, whose birth among us
hallows all our human race,
you our head, who, throned in glory,
for your own will ever plead:
fill us with your love and pity,
heal our wrong, and help our need.
2 As you, Lord, have lived for others,
so may we for others live.
Freely have your gifts been granted;
freely may your servants give.
Yours the gold and yours the silver,
yours the wealth of land and sea;
we but stewards of your bounty
held in solemn trust will be.
3 Come, O Christ, and reign among us,
King of love and Prince of peace;
hush the storm of strife and passion,
bid its cruel discords cease.
By your patient years of toiling,
by your silent hours of pain,
quench our fevered thirst of pleasure,
stem our selfish greed of gain.
4 Son of God, eternal Savior,
source of life and truth and grace,
Word made flesh, whose birth among us
hallows all our human race:
by your praying, by your willing
that your people should be one,
grant, oh, grant our hope’s fruition:
here on earth your will be done.
Dismissal
A: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Postlude: “Be Thou My Vision”
Worship Leaders
The Rev. Emily Beckering, Pastor
Kris Keith, Music Director
Kate Wollenburg, Organist
Noah Moorhouse, Assisting Minister
Carroll Mayhugh, Reader
Upcoming Events
Sunday, August 8: 11 Pentecost
10:30 am Worship Service (in-person/livestreamed)
After worship: Evangelism Committee
Wednesday, August 11
6:30 pm Bible Study (in-person/Zoom)
Thursday, August 12
10:30 am Bible Study (in-person/Zoom)
Saturday, August 14
10 am-2 pm Youth Group Car Wash Fundraiser
Sunday, August 15: 12 Pentecost
10:30 am Worship Service (in-person/livestreamed)
Wednesday, August 18
6:30 pm Bible Study (in-person/Zoom)
Thursday, August 19
10 am Reading Church Council meets with Reading We Thrive! Team
11:30 am Bible Study (in-person/Zoom)
Copyright Notices
“Taste and See”: Text and music © 1983 GIA Publications, Inc., 7404 S. Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638. www.giamusic.com. 800.442.3358.
“I Am the Bread of Life”: Text and music © 1966 GIA Publications, Inc., 7404 S. Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638. www.giamusic.com. 800.442.3358.
Hymns/anthems: Music reprinted and streamed by permission under ONE LICENSE #A-726103 and CCLI Licenses #21045423 and #21045416. All rights reserved.
Liturgical texts and service music: From SundaysandSeasons.com. Copyright © 2021 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS010308.