Elijah at Mount Carmel

Transcription

1 St. Paul Lutheran Church In Jesus name, Do justice, Love kindness, Walk humbly with God. St. Paul is an open, affirming, and inclusive church, welcoming all who seek God. 515 South Wheaton Avenue - Wheaton, Illinois Commitment Sunday November 8, 2015 Elijah at Mount Carmel

2 Welcome to St. Paul Visiting today? We are glad you are here! Stop by the Welcome Center and receive a sweet gift. PLEASE WEAR YOUR NAME TAGS! Interim Pastor Bill hopes you can help him learn names more easily by wearing your name tags for worship. He likes to use people s names at the communion rail when serving the bread, and the name tags make that so much easier. Thank you! Rainbow bags for toddlers are on the wooden rack up front on the right. A staffed nursery for infants to three-year-olds is on the lower level during worship services. Assisted listening headphones are available for those having difficulty hearing. Large-print bulletins are available. See an usher for assistance. Please write your name and other information on the welcome pad as it gets passed along. About our Worship We follow an ancient pattern through the liturgy (which literally means the work of the people ). Some parts of the service may change each week, but there is a consistent flow: praising God, hearing God s word, offering our prayers and gifts, celebrating communion, and being sent into the world for service. The format remains fairly constant, but the style will vary widely. Sometimes we sing with the pipe organ, and the ministers chant. Sometimes we worship accompanied by piano, guitars, drums, violins, flutes or whatever our folk play. We range from Bach to blues, because we know that different styles connect to different people. So we all worship together, and change the style every few weeks. It s one of the ways we minister to and with each other and build community. Thank you for being part of our worship and community today! *At the asterisk, stand as you are able. P: Presiding Minister A: Assisting Minister L: Lector C: Congregation ELW Page Numbers are printed in the lower corners in the front portion of the hymnal. Hymn Numbers are large numbers printed beside hymn titles in the rest of the book.

3 Preparing to Worship Prelude Freu dich sehr P. Manz Gathering Together in Worship *Entrance Hymn: #672 Signs and Wonders *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.

4 *Kyrie ELW page 175

5 *Hymn of Praise Glory to God ELW, page 176 *Prayer of the Day P: God of Elijah, with great fire you made your presence known to the worshipers of Baal. Help us to resist the temptation to place our trust and faith in anything other than you. Receive our worship and strengthen our faith. C: Amen

6 Responding to the Word of God Lesson 1 Kings 18:20-39 The Word of God as written in 1 Kings: Elijah then came near to all the people, and said, How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. The people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal s prophets number four hundred fifty. Let two bulls be given to us; let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it; I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord; the god who answers by fire is indeed God. All the people answered, Well spoken! Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many; then call on the name of your god, but put no fire to it. So they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, crying, O Baal, answer us! But there was no voice, and no answer. They limped about the altar that they had made. At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened. Then they cried aloud and, as was their custom, they cut themselves with swords and lances until the blood gushed out over them. As midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice, no answer, and no response. Then Elijah said to all the people, Come closer to me ; and all the people came closer to him. First he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down; Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be your name ; with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. Then he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two measures of seed. Next he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood. Then he said, Do it a second time ; and they did it a second time. Again he said, Do it a third time ; and they did it a third time, so that the water ran all around the altar, and filled the trench also with water. At the time of the offering of the oblation, the prophet Elijah came near and said, O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your bidding. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this

7 people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, The Lord indeed is God; the Lord indeed is God. L: Word of God, Word of Life. C: Thanks be to God. Children s Message Nothing we do can keep God Pr. Bill Hutchison from reaching us. Sermon God s fiery love is no bull! Pr. Bill Hutchison *Hymn of the Day: #512 Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil

8 Installation of Call Committee (11:00 a.m.) Please see insert *Prayers of the People A: Lord, in your mercy, C: hear our prayer. *Sharing of the Peace P: The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: And also with you. P: Let us share the peace. Stewardship Temple Talk Commitment To Christ John Whitnell Offering Note: Please place your commitment card & your service commitment card in offering plate.

9 *Offertory Response #761 WOV Now We Offer

10 *Offertory Prayer A: Merciful God, as grains of wheat scattered upon the hills were gathered to gether to become one bread, so let your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom, for yours is the glory through Jesus Christ, now and forever. C: Amen Sharing the Eucharistic Meal *The Great Thanksgiving ELW, page 180 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.

11 *Sanctus ELW, page 181

12 *Eucharistic Prayer *The Lord s Prayer ELW page 182 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen The Distribution of Communion The body and blood of Christ are present in this sacrament, for the forgiveness of sin and the strengthening of faith. All people are welcome to share in this meal with us. Parents, if you have a young child who receives communion, please indicate that when the minister comes to you. Those who do not receive communion are welcome to come forward for a blessing; simply keep your hands folded. Come forward and receive the bread from the minister. Gluten-free bread is available. The gold chalice contains wine; you may drink directly from the cup or dip your bread into the wine. The pottery chalice contains non-alcoholic grape juice, which you may receive by dipping your bread into the juice. Return to your seat by the side aisles. If you would like communion brought to you, please let an usher know. Agnus Dei Lamb of God ELW, page 183

13 Music During Communion Hymn #486 God Extends an Invitation

14 *Post-Communion Blessing P: May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the gifts of Christ s body and blood strengthen, keep, and unite us, now and forever. C: Amen *Post-Communion Prayer A: Everlasting God, we bless you that you have brought us to the mountaintop and fed us with the life and light of your Son. Send us in his name from this place to bring light into dark corners, healing where lives are torn, and nourishment to every hungry heart, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. C: Amen Going Out into the World Sent by God *Benediction P: God the Father, light-creator; God the Son, Light from Light; and God the Holy Spirit, light-revealer, bless you and give you peace. C: Amen

15 Sending Hymn: #538 The Lord Now Sends Us Forth *Dismissal A: Go in peace. Share the good news. C: Thanks be to God. Postlude Nuestro Padre arr. C. Heine

16 Serving Today Assisting Minister Mina Kerr Lectors 8:30 Bob Polzin 11:00 Jean Siegel Communion Deacons 8:30 Greg Born 11:00 Dawn Harrington Bread Hosts 8:30 Gary & Nancy Dec 11:00 Larry & Ann Hill Crucifer/Acolytes 8:30 Teresa Keys, Allie & Ben Mullinger 11:00 Mary Frank, Bethany & Erika Huber Greeters 8:30 Jo Larsen, Chuck & Lorraine Taylor 11:00 Bryon & Pat Noeske, Terry Kohn Ushers 8:30 Betty Bradshaw, Ed, Sam & Joe Mullinger 11:00 Jesse King, Anthony Tarpeh, Terrie & Diana Troxel Fellowship Pat Heine, Nancy Carlson Altar Care Carolyn Lukens, Nancy Carlson, Bethany Huber Welcome Center 8:30 Ann Holmstrom 11:00 Marilyn Sodergren Counters Dan Marsh, Terrie & Diana Troxel