The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
Gathering
Prelude
Opening 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.
Confession and Forgiveness
P: Blessed be the Holy One of Israel, the Word made flesh, the Power of the Most High, ☩ one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
P: Gathered in the name of Jesus, let us confess our sin against God and our neighbor.
Silence for reflection and self-examination.
P: Gracious God,
C: in Christ Jesus you come among us as light shining in darkness. We confess our failure to welcome this light. Forgive us and renew our hope, so that we may live in the light of your grace, and welcome the truth of Christ the Lord. Amen.
P: I bring you good news of great joy for all people: To you is born a Savior, Christ the Lord. Your sins are forgiven in ☩ Jesus’ name.
C: Amen.
Prayer of the Day
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Let us pray. Almighty and ever-living God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and love; and that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
C: Amen.
The Word
Blessing of the Lector
P: Let us pray. Gracious God, your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Send your Holy Spirit upon John 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.
First Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-10
4 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” 7 But the LORD said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’;
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
8 Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
says the LORD.”
9 Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the LORD said to me,
“Now I have put my words in your mouth.
10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”
The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Canticle #14 (green hymnal)
“Listen! You Nations”
Refrain
Listen! you nations of the world:
listen to the Word of the Lord.
Announce it from coast to coast;
declare it to distant islands.
1 The Lord who scattered Israel
will gather his people again;
and he will keep watch over them
as a shepherd watches his flock. Refrain
2 With shouts of joy they will come,
their faces radiantly happy,
for the Lord is so gen’rous to them;
he showers his people with gifts. Refrain
3 Young women will dance for joy,
and men young and old will make merry.
Like a garden refreshed by the rain,
they will never be in want again.
Break into shouts of great joy:
Jacob is free again!
Teach nations to sing the song:
“The Lord has saved his people!”
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
1 If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9 For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; 10 but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia
LBW Setting 2 (green hymnal, p. 83)
Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia.
The Holy Gospel: Luke 4:21-30
P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 4th chapter.
C: Glory to you, O Lord.
21 Then Jesus began to say to all in the synagogue in Nazareth, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23 He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’ ” 24 And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. 25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
P: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ.
Children’s Sermon
Sermon
Silence for reflection and meditation
Hymn of the Day
“Although I Speak with Angel’s Tongue”
1 Although I speak with angel’s tongue,
my faith, my knowledge all surpass,
but have no love, my gifts are vain
as clanging gong or blaring brass.
2 For love is patient, love is kind,
and never vain with boasting pride;
love bears all things, all things endures.
All things must end; love will abide.
3 For now we peer at darkened glass;
our visions end; our tongues all cease.
In part we know, in part now see:
then we will see love face to face.
4 The gifts are many, the Body one,
and into one are all baptized.
Beloved, share one heart, one mind,
one hope, one faith, one love in Christ.
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.
The 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.
Offering Prayer
A: Merciful God, receive the gifts we bring, our selves, our time, and our possessions. Through this meal unite us as your body, shining with the light of your justice and mercy; for the sake of him who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
The Meal
The 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.
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: The True Light has come into the World. Come to his table and be filled with light and life.
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 #214 (green hymnal)
“Come, Let Us Eat”
1 Come, let us eat, for now the feast is spread,
Come, let us eat, for now the feast is spread.
Our Lord’s body let us take together,
Our Lord’s body let us take together.
2 Come, let us drink, for now the wine is poured,
Come, let us drink, for now the wine is poured.
Jesus’ blood poured let us drink together,
Jesus’ blood poured let us drink together.
3 In his presence now we meet and rest,
In his presence now we meet and rest.
In the presence of our Lord we gather,
In the presence of our Lord we gather.
4 Rise, then, to spread abroad God’s mighty Word,
Rise, then, to spread abroad God’s mighty Word.
Jesus risen will bring in the Kingdom,
Jesus risen will bring in the Kingdom.
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: O Morning Star, fair and bright, you have refreshed us again with heavenly food. You are our dearest treasure. Go with us now—today, tomorrow, every day—that we tell the story of your never-ending love and sing your praise both now and forever.
C: Amen.
Sending
Announcements for God’s Mission in the World
Blessing
P: God the creator strengthen you; Jesus the beloved fill you; and the Holy Spirit the comforter ☩ keep you in peace.
C: Amen.
Closing Hymn #721 (blue hymnal)
“Go, My Children, with My Blessing” v. 1-3
1 “Go, my children, with my blessing, never alone.
Waking, sleeping, I am with you, you are my own.
In my love’s baptismal river
I have made you mine forever.
Go, my children, with my blessing, you are my own.
2 “Go, my children, sins forgiven, at peace and pure.
Here you learned how much I love you, what I can cure.
Here you heard my dear Son’s story,
here you touched him, saw his glory.
Go, my children, sins forgiven, at peace and pure.
3 “Go, my children, fed and nourished, closer to me.
Grow in love and love by serving, joyful and free.
Here my Spirit’s power filled you,
here his tender comfort stilled you.
Go, my children, fed and nourished, joyful and free.
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
Donald Harris, Assisting Minister
John Cathcart, Reader
Upcoming Events
Sunday, January 30: Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
9 am Sunday School / Adult Forum
10:30 am Worship Service
After Worship: Annual Congregational Meeting
Monday, January 31
6 pm – 8 pm Visitation for Ruth Lohmeier at Spring Grove Funeral Home, 10980 Reading Road, Cincinnati
Tuesday, February 1
10 am Funeral for Ruth Lohmeier at St. Michael Catholic Church, 11144 Spinner Ave., Sharonville
Wednesday, February 2
7 pm Bell Choir rehearsal
Thursday, February 3
10:30 am Bible study (Sunday’s readings)
5 pm – 7 pm Visitation for Lee Erbeck at Vorhis & Ryan Funeral Homes, 310 Dunn Street, Lockland
6:30 pm Worship & Music Committee (Zoom)
Friday, February 4
10 am Brief visitation for Lee Erbeck (at St. Paul)
11 am Funeral service for Lee Erbeck (at St. Paul)
7 pm Faith & Film Fridays: The Chosen
Saturday, February 5
10 am Cub Scouts – Pinewood Derby (narthex)
Sunday, February 6: Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
9 am Sunday School / Adult Forum
10:30 am Worship Service
Monday, February 7
5:30 pm Confirmation Class
Wednesday, February 9
4 pm Stewardship Committee (Zoom)
7 pm Bell Choir rehearsal
Thursday, February 10
10:30 am Bible study (Sunday’s readings)
6 pm BSA Troop Meeting
Friday, February 11
7 pm Faith & Film Fridays: The Chosen
Saturday, February 12
9 am Hosting Synod “Cultivate” event (narthex/library)
Copyright Notices
“Rise, Shine, You People!”: Text by Ronald A. Klug and music by Dale Wood © 1974 Augsburg Publishing House, admin. Augsburg Fortress.
“Listen! You Nations”: Text by John W. Arthur and music by J. Bert Carlson © 1972 Contemporary Worship 5: Services of the Word, admin. Augsburg Fortress
“Come, Let Us Eat”: Text sts. 1-3 and tune © Lutheran World Federation; text st. 4 and adapt. © 1972 Contemporary Worship 4, admin. Augsburg Fortress
“Although I Speak with Angel’s Tongue”: Text © 1995 Andrew Donaldson.
“Go, My Children, with My Blessing”: Text © 1983 Jaroslav J. Vajda
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.