Rev. John Carrier (810) Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost. September 2, 2018

Transcription

1 MT. CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH Chalmers Avenue (At Seymour) Detroit, Michigan Phone (313) Website: mtcalvarydetroit.org Rev. John Carrier (810) Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost September 2, 2018 WELCOME - OUR INVITATION- To all who need comfort; to all who want friendship; to those who desire acceptance; to all who want sheltering love; to those who sin and need a Savior, whoever will come, this church opens wide its doors, and in the name of our Lord, says WELCOME! VISITORS - We welcome you to Mt. Calvary! We hope that hearing God's Word this morning will strengthen and enrich your faith. Please introduce yourself to Pastor Carrier and sign the guest register, located in the narthex at the rear of the church. Our Mission: To be living letters written by the Holy Spirit, read by all. (2 Corinthians 3:3). 1

2 WE INCLUDE IN OUR PRAYERS the following people dealing with health concerns: From our fellowship: Erv Beyersdorf who is awaiting test results, Bill Buchanan, Judy Buchanan, Dina Gilmore, Arnold Karcher, Jeff Kurtz, Karen Roemer, Karolyn Swad, Carol Vietzke, and Philonese Walker as she continues her recovery Among our friends and families: Ronda Burns Aitchison, Kimiko Astalos, Gabrielle Awada, Julie Buckbee (daughter of Kimiko Astolos), David Coates, Barbara Drisko (friend of Sylvia Wallace), Reginald Higginbotham (son of Elizabeth Higginbotham), Elizabeth Higginbotham, Jill Hupp, Luella Lanier (mother of Philonese Walker), Patricia McNally, Rev. Pat O Brien, Sue Richardson whose lung cancer has returned, Izzy Sherman who has a cancerous brain tumor. She is on a feeding tube and is struggling with severe pain and ongoing complications (niece of John Duff of Redeemer, Birmingham). We also pray for the United States military, first responders, police officers (especially Police Officer Abed), and firefighters of the 9 th precinct, and the City of Detroit. LUTHERAN HOUR MINISTRIES - Listen to The Lutheran Hour every Sunday on the following radio dials: Detroit WDFN 6:30 a.m.; WRDT 12:00 p.m. Next Sunday, September 9, the Lutheran Hour theme will be: The Changeless Christ for a Changing World In a classic message first heard in 1937, Dr. Walter A. Maier tells how Christ comes to us in our world of change and decay with a message of unchanging hope. (Hebrews 13:8) 2

3 Prelude Welcome Opening Hymn By Grace I'm Saved Hymn 566 Invocation (Please Stand) P: In the name of the Father and of the (+) Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen. Prayer of the Day P: We Pray... Almighty God, C: Gracious Father, our sin has brought struggles and suffering to our world and to our own lives, from which You alone can deliver us. Help us to see that our greatest enemy is Satan who works through the struggles of our lives to come between us and You. Help us to hold fast in faith to the hope and promise of ultimate deliverance from all life s struggles through faith in Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Confession and Absolution P: We pause for silent reflection as we come before God humbly confessing our sins and seeking His forgiving love in Christ Jesus. (Silence for reflection on our need for God s forgiving love.) P: Father, we know we do not deserve your loving, forgiving grace, yet we come to you as the only one who can restore in us the image of your goodness. C: Heavenly Father, in our life s daily struggles, we have so often lost sight that our greatest enemies are not the struggles that make our lives in this world difficult, but the forces behind them, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places that seek to divide us from You. We must admit that we have often found 3

4 it easier to follow the ways of those forces, centering our lives on ourselves, with little regard for Your will or for the needs of others. We let Satan sow his seeds of division, even in Your Church, where he seeks to destroy our relationships with one another in hopes of destroying our relationship with You. We have often failed to see that all good things come from You, the Father of heavenly lights. We have not always shared of those blessings with everyone around us. We come to you for forgiveness in the name of Jesus. By your Holy Spirit s power, renew in us a heartfelt desire to serve you and to show your love to all people. Help us to stand strong before Satan and his spiritual forces, and to share Your grace with all around us, that they too may see that Jesus has already won for us the battle against Satan s power, and join us in the victory that is already ours. P: God is indeed a loving Father who desires to forgive and restore His children. We are God s children, sharing in His victory through Jesus. Through faith in Jesus, His victory over sin, death and Satan belongs to you! You are forgiven in the name of Jesus (+). C: Amen! The First Reading Deuteronomy 4:1-2, Now, O Israel, listen to the just decrees that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you. 6 Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? 8 And what great nation is there, that has statutes and just decrees so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? 4

5 9 Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children. L: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God! Hymn Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus Hymn 660 Stanzas 1, 2 The Second Reading Ephesians 6: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. L: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God! 5

6 Hymn Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus Hymn 660 Stanzas 3, 4 The Holy Gospel Mark 7:14-23 (Please Stand) (Please join in reading the words of Jesus in bold print.) 14 [Jesus] called the people to him again and said to them, Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him. 17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled? (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person. P: This is the Gospel of our Lord. C: Praise be to Christ our Lord! Children s Message Hymn of the Day Fight the Good Fight Hymn 664 Sermon Are You Dressed for Battle? (Ephesians 6:10-20) Our Tithes and Offerings are Gathered 6

7 Offertory Nicene Creed (back cover of Service Book) (Please stand) Prayers for the Church After each petition: P: Father of love, C: hear our prayer. (Please stand) The Lord s Prayer (back cover of Service Book) The Lord s Supper Blessing of the Elements Distribution Communion Hymn Lord Jesus Christ, We Humbly Pray Hymn 623 Prayer of Thanksgiving (please stand) P: We thank You, Almighty God, for refreshing us through the gift of this sacrament. Please strengthen our faith in You through this gift of Your grace, and encourage our love for one another. We come to you in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. The Benediction Closing Hymn May We Thy Precepts, Lord, Fulfill Hymn To God Alone be Glory + 7

8 REMINDER Please remember to check your mailbox for your newsletter. VOTERS MEETING - Please plan to attend the next Voters Meeting that will be held two weeks from today, Sunday September 16, following the Worship service. ATTENTION all paid staff and board members. You are encouraged to attend a debriefing meeting for the 2018 season on Saturday, September 22. The time and location will be announced later. CAMP RESTORE WRAP UP EVERYONE who was involved in any way with Camp Restore for 2018 is encouraged to attend a get- together with community leaders on Thursday, September 20, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the fellowship hall. There will be a light supper served. No involvement is too small. Did you help serve a meal, did you participate in a community barbeque, or maybe worked behind the scenes? If you cannot be there by 5 or 6 p.m., still come at 7! There will still be people to hear your discussion thoughts. We do need to know if you plan on attending, however. You will be asked to fill out a short survey prior to the meeting. RSVP to the church office soon! CAMP RESTORE DETROIT FUNDRAISER - The letter and reservation forms for our first annual fundraiser on Sunday, October 14 have now been delivered! This event will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at St. Thomas Lutheran Church on Kelly and includes dinner and entertainment. We are gathering many items for the Silent Auction which will be part of the fundraiser. Maybe you will find something for yourself, a birthday, or other gift for a family member or friend! Tickets are $25 ($10 for the meal and $15 donation). Please return your reservation form and check payable to Camp Restore Detroit by Monday, October 1. Please pass this on to your family and friends. Information and the reservation forms are available on Mt. Calvary's website Please see Sue Riske if you have any questions! We look forward to seeing you there! 8

9 Worship Leader: Organist / Cantor: Elders: Worship Reader: Altar Guild: Serving Christ and His People Today Rev. John Carrier Daryl Witte Erv Beyersdorf, Adam Kurtz, Matthew Lundgren Jerry Roy Jerry Roy Susan Riske, Carol Vietzke Elders: Worship Reader: Altar Guild: Serving Among Us Sunday, September 2 Erv Beyersdorf, Adam Kurtz, Matthew Lundgren, Jerry Roy Erv Beyersdorf Susan Riske, Carol Vietzke Calendar for the Week of September 2 through September 9 Today: 9:00 a.m. Worship Service with Holy Communion 10:00 a.m. Fellowship Time Monday: Tuesday: Church Office closed Head Start staff returns Sunday: 9:00 a.m. Worship Service with the Holy Baptism of Isaac Kapelanski and Isaiah Mensior 10:00 a.m. Fellowship Time 9