Blog

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

Prelude

“Blest Are They”

Gathering

Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness

Please stand as you are able. All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.

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:  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Please kneel or sit as you are able. Silence is kept for reflection.

P:  Most merciful God,

C:  we confess that we are in bondage 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.

The minister stands and addresses the congregation.

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.

Please stand as you are able.

Entrance Hymn #393 (green hymnal)

“Rise, Shine, You People!”

1  Rise, shine, you people! Christ the Lord has entered
our human story; God in him is centered.
He comes to us, by death and sin surrounded,
with grace unbounded.

2  See how he sends the pow’rs of evil reeling;
he brings us freedom, light and life and healing.
All men and women, who by guilt are driven,
now are forgiven.

3  Come, celebrate; your banners high unfurling,
your songs and prayers against the darkness hurling.
To all the world go out and tell the story
of Jesus’ glory.

4  Tell how the Father sent his Son to save us.
Tell of the Son, who life and freedom gave us.
Tell how the Spirit calls from ev’ry nation
his new creation.

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

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 12)

L:  In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

C:  Lord, have mercy.

L:  For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

C:  Lord, have mercy.

L:  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.

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

C:  Lord, have mercy.

L:  Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

C:  Amen.

Hymn of Praise

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 14)

This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia.

Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor and blessing and glory are his.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia.

Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation:
Blessing and honor, glory and might to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia.

For the Lamb, the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign. Alleluia.

This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Amen

Prayer of the Day

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  And also with you.

P:  Let us pray.
Lord God, with endless mercy you receive the prayers of all who call upon you. By your Spirit show us the things we ought to do, and give us the grace and power to do them, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

C:  Amen.

The Word

Blessing of the Lector

P:  Gracious God, your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Send your Holy Spirit upon Carroll as he proclaims the word, so that all who receive it will no longer dwell in the shadows, but will have the light of life.

C:  Amen.

Please be seated.

First Reading: Isaiah 58:1-9a

¹ Shout out, do not hold back!
 Lift up your voice like a trumpet!
Announce to my people their rebellion,
 to the house of Jacob their sins.
² Yet day after day they seek me
 and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness
 and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgments,
 they delight to draw near to God.
³ “Why do we fast, but you do not see?
 Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?”
Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day,
 and oppress all your workers.
⁴ Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
 and to strike with a wicked fist.
Such fasting as you do today
 will not make your voice heard on high.
⁵ Is such the fast that I choose,
 a day to humble oneself?
Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,
 and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Will you call this a fast,
 a day acceptable to the LORD?

⁶ Is not this the fast that I choose:
 to loose the bonds of injustice,
 to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
 and to break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
 and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
 and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
⁸ Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
 and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you,
 the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
^9a Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
  you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.

  The word of the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Psalmody: Special Music

“Blessed Are Those Who Love You” (Psalm 112)

  Blessed are those who love You,
and fear You, pursue You.
Blessed are those who walk in
the light of Your Ways.
Wealth and riches will surround them,
Your arms are around them.
Their children will be
blessed throughout their days!

  Even in darkness, You are with those
who are gracious, kind and true.
Their hearts are fast in the knowledge
of their strength and victory through You.

  Blessed am I that I love You,
and fear You, pursue You.
Blessed am I as I walk in
the light of Your Ways.
All your riches are before me.
Your arms are around me.
May I be a worthy servant, Lord!

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:1-12

¹ When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. ² For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. ³ And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. ⁴ My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
 ⁶ Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. ⁷ But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ But, as it is written,
 “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
  nor the human heart conceived,
 what God has prepared for those who love him”—
¹⁰ these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. ¹¹ For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.

  The word of the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Please stand as you are able.

Gospel Acclamation

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 17)

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

Gospel: Matthew 5:13-20

P:  The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 5th chapter.

C:  Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus said: ¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
 ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵ No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
 ¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. ¹⁸ For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. ¹⁹ Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

P:  The Gospel of the Lord.

C:  Praise to you, O Christ.

Please be seated.

Children’s Sermon

Sermon

Silence for reflection and meditation.

Hymn of the Day #400 (green hymnal)

“God, Whose Almighty Word”

Please stand as you are able.

The Nicene Creed

A:  Let us confess our common faith with all Christians throughout time and place, using the words of the 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;
  by the power of the Holy Spirit
   he became incarnate from the virgin Mary,
   and was made man.
 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.
 With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
 He 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:  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.

The Peace

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C:  And also with you.

The ministers and congregation may greet one another with a gesture of peace.

Invitation to Offering

A:  You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world (Mt. 5:13-14). Let your light shine by giving your offering so that others may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Presentation of the Gifts

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 21)

Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
that we may be fed, we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and the dreams of all;
unite them with the prayers we offer now.
Grace our table with your presence,
and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.

Offertory Prayer

A:  Let us pray.

C:  Blessed are you, O Lord our God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts. With them we offer ourselves to your service and dedicate our lives to the care and redemption of all that you have made, for the sake of him who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Meal

Dialogue

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:  It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, through Christ our Lord. Sharing our life, he lived among us to reveal your glory and love, that our darkness should give way to his own brilliant light. And so, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Sanctus

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 22)

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow’r and might:
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

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.

The Lord’s Prayer

P:  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;
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:  Come and taste the joy of God!

Please be seated.

Agnus Dei

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 25)

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us, have mercy on us, have mercy.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us, have mercy on us, have mercy.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
grant us peace.

Communion

P:  The Body of Christ, broken for you.

  The Blood of Christ, shed for you.

Those who wish to commune at the altar rail may either bring forward their individual Communion kit, or receive the wafer and wine/grape juice by intinction (dipping) from the Communion Ministers, when they are directed forward by the usher. Those who wish to commune in their seat with their individual Communion kit may remain seated.

Communion Hymn #710 (blue hymnal)

“One Bread, One Body”

Refrain
One bread, one body, one Lord of all;
one cup of blessing which we bless,
and we, though many throughout the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.

1  Gentile or Jew, servant or free,
woman or man, no more. Refrain

2  Many the gifts, many the works,
one in the Lord of all. Refrain

3  Grain for the fields, scattered and grown,
gathered to one for all. Refrain

Communion Hymn #203 (green hymnal)

“Now We Join in Celebration”

Table Blessing

P:  The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.

C:  Amen.

Post-Communion Canticle

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 26)

Thankful hearts and voices raise; tell everyone what God has done.
Let all who seek the Lord rejoice, rejoice and bear Christ’s holy name.
Send us, O God, with your promises, and lead us forth in joy
with shouts of thanksgiving. Alleluia, alleluia.

Post-Communion Prayer

A:  Let us pray.
Pour out upon us the spirit of your love, O Lord, and unite the wills of those whom you have fed with one heavenly food; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C:  Amen.

Sending

Announcements for God’s Mission in the World

Please stand as you are able.

Blessing

P:  Almighty God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.

C:  Amen.

Closing Hymn

“Go, Make Disciples”

  “Go, make disciples,
baptizing them, teaching them.
Go, make disciples,
for I am with you till the end of time.
Go, be the salt of the earth.
Go, be the light for the world.
Go, be a city on a hill,
so all can see that you’re serving me.
Go, make disciples.”

Dismissal

A:  Go in peace. Serve the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Postlude

---

Worship Leaders

The Rev. Emily Beckering, Pastor
Kris Keith, Music Director
Kate Wollenburg, Organist
Cindy Mayhugh, Assisting Minister
Carroll Mayhugh, Reader
Teagan Cathcart, Acolyte

Upcoming Events

Copyright Notices

Blest Are They: Text and music © 1985 GIA Publications, Inc., 7404 S. Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638. www.giamusic.com. 800.442.3358. All rights reserved.

Rise, Shine, You People!: Text by Ronald A. Klug and music by Dale Wood © 1974 by Augsburg Publishing House, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

God, Whose Almighty Word: Arr. © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

One Bread, One Body: Text and music © 1978 John B. Foley, SJ and OCP Publications, 5536 NE Hassalo, Portland, OR 97213. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Now We Join in Celebration: Text © Joel W. Lundeen, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

Go, Make Disciples: Text and music by Handt Hanson © 1996 Prince of Peace Publishing, Changing Church, Inc.

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 © 2022 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS010308.