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Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Prelude

Gathering

Confession and Forgiveness

Please stand as you are able. The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

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.

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 #777 (blue hymnal)

“Give Me Jesus” vv. 1, 3, 5

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 5
(blue hymnal, p. 28)

L:  Lord, have mercy:

C:  Lord, have mercy.

L:  Christ, have mercy:

C:  Christ, have mercy.

L:  Lord, have mercy:

C:  Lord, have mercy.

Hymn of Praise

♫ WOV Setting 5
(blue hymnal, p. 29)

Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest;
glory to God, glory to God, and peace to God’s people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father:
We worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.

Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest;
glory to God, glory to God, and peace to God’s people on earth.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us.
You are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer.

Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest;
glory to God, glory to God, and peace to God’s people on earth.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest;
glory to God, glory to God, and peace to God’s people on earth,
and peace to God’s people on earth.

Prayer of the Day

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  And also with you.

P:  Let us pray.
You are great, O God, and greatly to be praised. You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. Grant that we may believe in you, call upon you, know you, and serve you, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

C:  Amen.

The Word

Blessing of the Lector

P:  Let us pray.
Gracious God, we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from you. Bless Chet, who will read to us the scriptures. Make us hunger for the Word of life, Jesus Christ our Lord.

C:  Amen.

Please be seated.

First Lesson: Zechariah 9:9-12

⁹ Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
 Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
Lo, your king comes to you;
 triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,
 on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
¹⁰ He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
 and the war-horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
 and he shall command peace to the nations;
his dominion shall be from sea to sea,
 and from the River to the ends of the earth.
¹¹ As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
 I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
¹² Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
 today I declare that I will restore to you double.

  The word of the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Psalmody

“Sing Praise to God” (Psalm 145)

Refrain (Leader)
Sing praise to God —
God, our salvation!
Praise the name of Jehovah forever.
Sing praise to God,
all generations.
Spread God’s glory and goodness forever.

Refrain (All)
Sing praise to God —
God, our salvation!
Praise the name of Jehovah forever.
Sing praise to God,
all generations.
Spread God’s glory and goodness forever.

Leader
Righteous and loving our God,
compassionate in ev-‘ry deed.
Lift up your cares to the Lord,
and God will answer your needs.

Refrain (All)

Leader
Patient and so rich in love —
God’s mercy is forever true.
Call upon our God in truth,
and God will be with You.

Refrain (All)

Second Lesson: Romans 7:15-25a

¹⁵ I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ¹⁶ Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. ¹⁸ For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.
 ²¹ So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. ²² For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, ²³ but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? ^25a Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

  The word of the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Please stand as you are able.

Gospel Acclamation

♫ WOV Setting 5
(blue hymnal, p. 31)

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

Gospel: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

P:  The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 11th chapter.

C:  Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus spoke to the crowd saying: ¹⁶ “To what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,
 ¹⁷ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
  we wailed, and you did not mourn.’
¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; ¹⁹ the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
 ²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; ²⁶ yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. ²⁷ All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
 ²⁸ “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

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

“I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say”

Please stand as you are able.

The Apostles’ Creed

A:  Let us confess our common faith with all Christians throughout time and place, using the words of 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.

Thanksgiving for Service of Outgoing Council Members

P:  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.

Installation of New Council Members

P:  These people have been elected by the congregation to positions of leadership. We give thanks for their willingness to serve. In baptism we are welcomed into the body of Christ and sent to share in the mission of God; we rejoice now that these sisters and brothers will lead us in our common life and our mutual mission as a congregation.

The presiding minister addresses those being installed.

P:  A reading from First Corinthians: There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

  You have been elected to positions of leadership and trust in this congregation.

  You are to see that the words and deeds of this household of faith bear witness to God, who gathers us into one together with the whole church.
You are to seek to involve all members of this congregation in worship, learning, witness, service, and support, so that the mission of Christ is carried out in this congregation, in the wider church, in this community, and in the whole world.
You are to be faithful in your specific area of serving, that the Spirit who empowers you may be glorified.
You are to be examples of faith active in love, fostering peace, harmony, and mutual understanding in this congregation.
On behalf of your sisters and brothers in Christ, I ask you: Will you accept and faithfully carry out the duties of the offices to which you have been elected?

Response: I will, and I ask God to help me.

The presiding minister addresses the assembly.

P:  People of God, I ask you: Will you support these, your elected leaders, and will you share in the mutual ministry that Christ has given to all who are baptized?

C:  We will, and we ask God to help us.

The presiding minister addresses those being installed.

P:  I now declare you installed as council members of this congregation. Almighty God bless you, and direct your days and your deeds in peace, that you may be faithful servants of Christ.

C:  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:  Let us answer our Lord’s call to take his yoke upon us and learn from him by giving generously with our offering, just as our Lord has given his life that we might find rest for our souls (Mt. 11:29).

Offertory

♫ WOV Setting 5
(blue hymnal, p. 34)

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

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 him 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 5
(blue hymnal, p. 36)

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. 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:  All people are called to Christ’s table. Come, eat what is good.

Please be seated.

Agnus Dei

♫ WOV Setting 5
(blue hymnal, p. 39)

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

“Come to Me, All Pilgrims Thirsty”

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 5
(blue hymnal, p. 40)

Thankful hearts and voices raise; tell ev’ryone what God has done.
Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and bear Christ’s holy name.
Send us with your promises, O God, and lead us forth in joy
with shouts of thanksgiving. 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 #469 (green hymnal)

“Lord of All Hopefulness” vv. 1-2, 4

1  Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
whose trust, ever child-like, no cares could destroy:
be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

2  Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe:
be there at our labors, and give us, we pray,
your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

4  Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm:
be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.

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
Kate Wollenburg, Organist
Cindy Mayhugh, Assisting Minister
Chet Laine, Reader

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Copyright Notices

Give Me Jesus: Arr. © 1973 Augsburg Publishing House, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

Sing Praise to God: Text and music by Stephen J. Pearson © 1998 Psalmistry Music.

I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say: Arr. © 2006 Evangelical Lutheran Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

Come to Me, All Pilgrims Thirsty: Text by Delores Dufner © 1992, 1996 The Liturgical Press; arr. © 1985 Augsburg Fortress

Lord of All Hopefulness: Text by Jan Struther © 1931 Oxford University Press.

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 © 2023 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS010308.