Blog

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Prelude

“The Star-Spangled Banner”

Matthew Lawson, trombone

Gathering

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:  Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Please kneel or sit as you are able. 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.

Please stand as you are able.

Entrance Hymn #433 (green hymnal)

“The Church of Christ, in Every Age”

1  The church of Christ, in ev’ry age
beset by change, but Spirit-led,
must claim and test its heritage
and keep on rising from the dead.

2  Across the world, across the street,
the victims of injustice cry
for shelter and for bread to eat,
and never live before they die.

3  Then let the servant church arise,
a caring church that longs to be
a partner in Christ’s sacrifice,
and clothed in Christ’s humanity.

4  For he alone, whose blood was shed,
can cure the fever in our blood,
and teach us how to share our bread
and feed the starving multitude.

5  We have no mission but to serve
in full obedience to our Lord;
to care for all, without reserve,
and spread his liberating word.

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)

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

C:  Lord, have mercy.

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

C:  Lord, have mercy.

P:  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.

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

C:  Lord, have mercy.

P:  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.
O Lord God, your mercy delights us, and the world longs for your loving care. Hear the cries of everyone in need, and turn our hearts to love our neighbors with the love of your Son, 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 Kathy as she reads to us the scriptures. May the words of her mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer.

C:  Amen.

Please be seated.

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:9-14

⁹ The LORD your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all your undertakings, in the fruit of your body, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your soil. For the LORD will again take delight in prospering you, just as he delighted in prospering your ancestors, ¹⁰ when you obey the LORD your God by observing his commandments and decrees that are written in this book of the law, because you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
 ¹¹ Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away. ¹² It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will go up to heaven for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?” ¹³ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?” ¹⁴ No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.

  The word of the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Psalmody: Hymn #418 (green hymnal)

“Judge Eternal, Throned in Splendor”

1  Judge eternal, throned in splendor,
Lord of lords and King of kings,
with your living fire of judgment
purge this land of bitter things;
solace all its wide dominion
with the healing of your wings.

2  Still the weary folk are pining
for the hour that brings release;
and the city’s crowded clangor
cries aloud for sin to cease;
and the homesteads and the woodlands
plead in silence for their peace.

3  Crown, O God, your own endeavor;
cleave our darkness with your sword;
feed the faint and hungry peoples
with the richness of your Word;
cleanse the body of this nation
through the glory of the Lord.

Second Reading: Colossians 1:1-14

¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
 ² To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae:
  Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
 ³ In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, ⁵ because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. ⁷ This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, ⁸ and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
 ⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰ so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. ¹¹ May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. ¹³ He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

  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: Luke 10:25-37

P:  The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 10th chapter.

C:  Glory to you, O Lord.

²⁵ Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶ He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” ²⁷ He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁸ And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
 ²⁹ But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ³⁰ Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³² So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ ³⁶ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” ³⁷ He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

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

“Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service”

1  Lord, whose love in humble service
bore the weight of human need,
who upon the cross, forsaken,
worked your mercy’s perfect deed:
we, your servants, bring the worship
not of voice alone, but heart;
consecrating to your purpose
ev’ry gift which you impart.

2  Still your children wander homeless;
still the hungry cry for bread;
still the captives long for freedom;
still in grief we mourn our dead.
As you, Lord, in deep compassion
healed the sick and freed the soul,
by your Spirit send your power
to our world to make it whole.

3  As we worship, grant us vision,
till your love’s revealing light
in its height and depth and greatness
dawns upon our quickened sight,
making known the needs and burdens
your compassion bids us bear,
stirring us to ardent service,
your abundant life to share.

4  Called by worship to your service,
forth in your dear name we go,
to the child, the youth, the aged,
love in living deeds to show;
hope and health, good will and comfort,
counsel, aid and peace we give,
that your servants, Lord, in freedom
may your mercy know and live.

Thanksgiving for Service

P:  Carroll Mayhugh, Joy Niefield, and Tom Pyle, as you complete this term on Church Council, we wish to give thanks for your service.

  In holy baptism our Lord Jesus Christ received you and made you members of his church. When you came to this congregation, we rejoiced to welcome you into the mission we share as the people of God. In this community you have come to know and to share in God’s loving purpose for you and for all creation. God has blessed you in this community, and God has blessed us through you.

  For your willingness to serve,
For your passion for the ministry of St. Paul Lutheran Church,
And for your dedication to the Gospel,

C:  We give thanks.

P:  We encourage you to continue to receive and share God’s gifts among us, united together in the body of Christ and the mission we share.

  Let us pray.
Gracious God, we thank you for the work and witness of your servants, who have enriched this congregation and generously shared their gifts with us in the spirit of love. Now bless and preserve them at this time of transition. Day by day, guide them and give them what is needed, joy to cheer their way, and a clear vision of that to which you are now calling them, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C:  Amen.

Please stand as you are able.

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

Presentation of the Gifts

WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 20)

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:  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.

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; who on this day overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. 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.

Invitation to Communion

P:  In Christ’s presence there is fullness of joy. Come to the banquet.

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.

All eat bread and drink wine or juice at their seat.

Communion Hymn #212 (green hymnal)

“Let Us Break Bread Together”

1  Let us break bread together on our knees;
let us break bread together on our knees.

Refrain
When I fall on my knees,
with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.

2  Let us drink wine together on our knees;
let us drink wine together on our knees. Refrain

3  Let us praise God together on our knees;
let us praise God together on our knees. Refrain

Communion Hymn #770 (blue hymnal)

“Borning Cry”

1  “I was there to hear your borning cry,
I’ll be there when you are old.
I rejoiced the day you were baptized
to see your life unfold.
I was there when you were but a child,
with a faith to suit you well;
in a blaze of light you wandered off
to find where demons dwell.”

2  “When you heard the wonder of the Word
I was there to cheer you on;
you were raised to praise the living Lord,
to whom you now belong.
If you find someone to share your time
and you join your hearts as one,
I’ll be there to make your verses rhyme
from dusk till rising sun.”

3  “In the middle ages of your life,
not too old, no longer young,
I’ll be there to guide you through the night,
complete what I’ve begun.
When the evening gently closes in
and you shut your weary eyes,
I’ll be there as I have always been,
with just one more surprise.”

4  “I was there to hear your borning cry,
I’ll be there when you are old.
I rejoiced the day you were baptized
to see your life unfold.”

Post-Communion Canticle

WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 27)

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.
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

Please stand as you are able.

Blessing

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

C:  Amen.

Closing Hymn #723 (blue hymnal)

“The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve”

1  The Spirit sends us forth to serve;
we go in Jesus’ name
to bring glad tidings to the poor,
God’s favor to proclaim.

2  We go to comfort those who mourn
and set the burdened free;
where hope is dim, to share a dream
and help the blind to see.

3  We go to be the hands of Christ,
to scatter joy like seed
and, all our days, to cherish life,
to do the loving deed.

4  Then let us go to serve in peace,
the gospel to proclaim.
God’s Spirit has empowered us;
we go in Jesus’ name.

Dismissal

A:  Go in peace. Serve the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Postlude

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Worship Leaders

The Rev. Emily Beckering, Pastor
Kris Keith, Music Director **away
Kate Wollenburg, Organist **away
Melinda Boyd, Guest Organist
Addy Kruse, Hymn Leader
Matthew Lawson, Trombone Soloist
Leandra Hawkins, Assisting Minister
Kathy Hirt, Reader

Upcoming Events

Copyright Notices

The Church of Christ, in Every Age: Text by Fred Pratt Green © 1971 Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service: Text by Albert F. Bayly © 1961 Oxford University Press; arr. © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

Let Us Break Bread Together: Arr. © 1972 Contemporary Worship 4, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

Borning Cry: Text and music © 1985 by John C. Ylvisaker.

The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve: Text © 1993 Delores Dufner. Published by OCP Publications, 5536 NE Hassalo, Portland OR 97213. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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.