Trinity Lutheran Church September 8, :00 am GOD S WORK - OUR HANDS

Transcription

1 Trinity Lutheran Church September 8, :00 am GOD S WORK - OUR HANDS WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: If you are new to our community, welcome, we are happy to have you worshiping with us today. We invite you to fill out the welcome section at the bottom of the announcement insert and place it in the offering plate. ACCLAMATION: Alleluia! The Spirit is here. The Spirit is here indeed. Alleluia! GATHERING SONG All Are Welcome Chorus: All are welcome friend and stranger At the banquet of the Savior All are welcome, all are welcome here. Verse 1: From the woman who comes crying leaving tears at Jesus feet To the man who knows the right way but cannot see. (Chorus) Verse 2: From the ones who feel forgotten those who sense their place is gone To the ones who live in hunger, here you belong. (Chorus) Verse 3: Go into the streets and cities to the farms and families. Tell about the splendid table, God s mercy. (Chorus) GATHERING DIALOGUE CCLI# L: Since Abraham and Sarah, since Mary and Paul, since Luther and Muhlenberg: We gather to you, O God. C: We gather to you, O God. L: Here is one body of faith, here is the word of hope, here is the Spirit of love, here is our mission before us. Gather us to you, O God. C: Gather us to you, O God. 1

2 L: We gather as members of your church. We gather, ready for work, We gather, in the unity of the Spirit, Come, Holy Spirit, and lead us to do your will. C: Come, Holy Spirit, and lead us to do your will. L: The Lord be with you C: And also with you. PRAYER OF THE DAY (All) O God, you have promised through your Son to be with your church forever. We give you thanks for your faithfulness to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and for the signs of your presence into his community of believers. Increase in us the spirit of faith and love, and make our fellowship an example to all believers and to all nations. We pray through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, now and forever. Amen. CHILDREN S MESSAGE Blessing of the Backpacks Shivon Miller SONG These Hands Verse 1: These hands of love we offer now. These hands of mercy we give in love. Hands of love and mercy, we all know how To give a hand of mercy to someone, somehow in our world. Verse 2: Verse 3: A word of peace we offer now. A word of kindness we give in love. Words of peace and kindness, we all know how To give a word of kindness to someone, somehow in our world. A touch of grace we offer now. A touch of pardon we give in love. A touch of grace and pardon, we all know how To give a touch of pardon to someone, somehow in our world. THEME READINGS: GOD S WORK, OUR HANDS Congregation: Marked with the cross of Christ forever, we are claimed, gathered, and sent for the sake of the world. Congregation: God s Work. Reader 1: God is at work. As in the creation of the world, what God is bringing into existence is very good the new creation. Jesus is the embodiment of what God is working on. Jesus life of mercy for outcasts and sinners, offered fully on a cross and raised from the dead, is the new life God promises for the whole world. The new creation God has begun in Jesus is good work for all, and God will bring this good work to completion. 2

3 Congregation: Our hands. Reader 2: This new creation is God s work. God is working it both in us and through us and our hands. In us God s Holy Spirit is accomplishing what nothing else, not even God s law, could accomplish a liberated life. God frees us from enslaved service to sin and death, frees us to use our hands generously, lovingly, faithfully to live in service of reconciliation, to live for the life of the world, to live in joyous hope of what God will bring to completion in the day of Jesus Christ. Congregation: God s work is the new creation in Christ. Reader 1: 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 So if anyone is in Christ, there 17 is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. Congregation: God s work is mercy for sinners and outcasts, good news for the poor and oppressed. Reader 2: Luke 4: Jesus unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord s favor. 20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. Congregation: God will complete this good work. Reader 1: Philippians 1:6; 2:13 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Congregation: God works in us. Reader 2: Romans 8:1-4 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Congregation: God works through us, our hands. Reader 1: Martin Luther explanation of the 1st Commandment, Large Catechism So we receive our blessings not from them [other human creatures], but from God, through them. Creatures are only the hands, channels, and means through which God bestows all blessings. 3

4 Congregation: Our hands serve God s work. Reader 2: Martin Luther, The Freedom of a Christian Just as our neighbor is in need and lacks that in which we abound, so we were in need before God and lacked his mercy. Hence, as our heavenly Father has in Christ freely come to our aid, we also ought freely to help our neighbor through our body and its works, and each one should become as it were a Christ to the other that we may be Christs to one another and Christ may be the same in all, that is, that we may be truly Christians. Congregation: Our hands serve the world. Reader 1: Bishop Mark Hanson We do God s work not because God needs us to do so, but because our neighbor does. We do God s work in Christ s name for the life of the world. SERMON Does God See Jesus When God Sees You? Pastor Jerome Evavold SONG Pass My Love Around John Ylvisaker 1. I have no feet but your feet, do the loving deed; I have no hands but your hands, fill the need. You are my eyes to see their pain, you are my heart beat. Do it in my name, rememb ring who you are! Chorus Pass my love around! You re my hands, my eyes, I gave you ears to hear their cries. Pass my love around, you re an angel in disguise, for you can make it come alive, for you can make it come alive. 2. And when you feel the heartache do the loving deed; and when you see the suff ring, fill the need. You are my eyes to see their pain, you are my heart beat. Do it in my name, respond right from the start! John Ylvisaker CCLI#

5 THE APOSTLES CREED I believe in God, the Father almighty creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come 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. OFFERING: In preparation for prayers of the people, we invite you to fill out a prayer card (white cards at the center of every row). If you would like us to include someone in prayer or share aloud prayers of thanksgiving or concern, write this on the card and place the card in the offering plate. OFFERING SONG Beautiful Savior ELW #838 OFFERING PRAYER (All) In response to your promise of life, we offer our life. In response to your promise of love, we offer our love. In response to all of your promises, we offer our gifts. Amen. (Dakota Road) PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE L: Rejoicing with all the witnesses of the resurrection, let us pray in confidence for the church, the world, and all those who are in need. Send your Holy Spirit to teach and remind us of the ways of your love. Shape the church by your word and guide the proclamation of your grace for the sake of the whole world. Hear us O God, C: Your mercy is great. L: We give thanks to you for the members and the ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA): for those who had the vision to begin its life together, those who sustain its present ministry, and those who will carry its mission forward into the future. Hear us O God. C: Your mercy is great. 5

6 L: Reveal to us the splendor of creation and inspire gratitude in our hearts for the yield of the earth. Show us your ways of abundance and healing for the sake of the world. Hear us, O God. C: Your mercy is great. L: Relieve the fears and troubles of those who suffer. Grant shelter to the homeless, assistance to those in any need, and healing to the sick. Hear us, O God. C: Your mercy is great. L: Strengthen our faith with the witness of all the saints and join our voices together in the song of praise that never ends. Hear us, O God. C: Your mercy is great. L: In the resurrection hope we commend to you all for whom we pray, trusting in the promise of new life; through Jesus Christ, our risen Savior. C: Amen. THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE L: We praise you for your covenant people, for Moses and Miriam and Aaron, C: for traditions of prayer and praise; L: and for centuries of faithful Christians, for Mary Magdalene, Peter and Paul, C: for our bishops, pastors, and all those called to ministry, for teachers and sponsors and all servants of the church. L: We praise you for your Son, O God, who saves us from sin and from evil, C: who continues to lead us to new life. WORDS OF INSTITUTION All are welcome at communion. Hold your hands open faced to receive the wafer from the server. Gluten free wafers are available if requested. The second server will hold the tray; you may take a cup grape juice is located in the center of each tray. We invite parents to discern when a child is ready to receive the bread and wine. Children not yet taking communion are invited forward to receive a blessing. We invite you to fill out a communion card (yellow cards found in the center of every row) and give the card to the usher during distribution. L: 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. 6

7 L: And so we remember your Son, his life, his death, and his glorious resurrection, his word, and his presence in this meal, and we proclaim the mystery of faith: C: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. L: We pray that you send your Spirit, your breath, your fire, your wisdom, your guidance everywhere in the church. Send your Spirit upon this bread and cup; inspire your people for service, C: always be making us new; L: and renew the world with your mercy, with your healing, your justice and your peace, C: reconciling us with you and our neighbors. L: We praise you, all-holy God, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, C: today, tomorrow and forever. Amen! DISTRIBUTION SONG O Sing To The Lord ELW #822 COMMISSIONED TO SERVE: Dear Christian friends; Baptized into the priesthood of Christ, we all are called by the Holy Spirit to offer ourselves to the God of all creation in thanksgiving for what he has done and continues to do for us. Through Holy Baptism our heavenly Father set us free from sin and made us members of the priesthood we all share in Christ Jesus. Through Word and Sacrament we have been nurtured in faith, that we may proclaim the praise of God and bear his creative and redeeming Word to all the world. Living out your baptismal covenant, will you endeavor to pattern your life and service after our Lord Jesus Christ? C) Yes, with God s help. 7

8 BLESSING: Go forth in peace and with the courage of faith. Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Amen. Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through him. Amen. The God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Almighty God, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. Amen. SENDING SONG: Rejoice Ylvisaker Verse 1: Chorus: Verse 2: Rejoice in the Lord always. Rejoice, I lift my heart to praise the wonder of the one who found me. Rejoice let creation sing. My voice will have the pow r to bring the wonder to the world around me. Hosanna to the living Word. Sing on til ev ryone has heard our witness to the one who found us. Hosanna to the living Word. Sing on til ev ryone has heard our witness to the world around us. Rejoice in the Lord always. Our choice, it is to love and praise the wonder of the one who found us. Rejoice in the living Lord. Rejoice we re loving more and more the wonder of the world around us. (Chorus) SENT TO SERVE: Go in peace, serve the Lord. Thanks be to God. CCLI #

9 This week at Trinity... Sunday, September 8, 2013 God's Work - Our Hands Sunday Followed by a Potluck Meal 9:00 am - Teachers' Meeting in the Library 10:00 am - Combined Worship with Communion and Commissioning New Members Installed and Blessing of the Backpacks 11:00 am - POTLUCK MEAL Monday, September 9, :00 pm - AA 6:00 pm - Last Chapter Book Club - Bixby s 6:30 pm - Boy Scouts Tuesday, September 10, :00 am - Quilters Return 7:00 pm - Priscilla Circle 7:30 pm - NA Wednesday, September 11, 2013 Thursday, September 12, pm - In Stitches 7:00 pm - Pipe & Drums Friday, September 13, :00 pm - AA Meeting Saturday, September 14, 2013 Sunday, September 15, 2013 BEGIN TWO SERVICES 8:45 am - Traditional Service Trinity Announcements Internet: www:tlcduluth.org Facebook: trinity@tlcduluth.org Phone: WORSHIP Where s My Abacus? Help! Where s my abacus and where s our good news? Demand follows demand: hate family, even life; carry the cross; calculate; give up everything. Where s the grace? Has Jesus exchanged his halo for an accountant s visor? From August through October, our Sunday gospel readings speak of coins, debts, possessions, and money management. Now, as ever, among the greatest threats to faith in God is worry over finances: what will we live on? Will it be enough? In today s passage Jesus uses examples from construction and politics to emphasize the cost of following him. Measure twice, cut once; nobody starts a successful project without first doing an estimate. But his examples raise questions; calculating cost is far from straightforward. We know of wars not included in national budgets, underwater construction markets, and a world economy at risk over imaginary financial products. If it s hard to anticipate everyday costs, how can we possibly figure ahead of time the price of total commitment? The realm of faith is beyond practical and logical management. (Today Jesus speaks of prudence, but in coming weeks we will read parables that fling cost-benefit logic to the wind: there is more joy in heaven over the one found than over the many never lost.) Certain people sell the Christian faith as a means to financial prosperity and selfhelp. The truth that God wills our well-being is distorted into the promise that God will add to our bank accounts. By contrast, Jesus is honest that there is a cost to following. Conflicts of loyalty are inevitable. Hate is the attention-grabbing way he says, In an ethical conflict, I want you to love me even more than any of these other good things. Today s gospel tells us that suffering loss or getting caught up in conflict may actually be a sign that we ve chosen well. Jesus trusts us with the truth. And that hidden as it is under the surface is good news. Reprinted from Words for Worship, copyright 2009 Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress. If you are visiting with us this morning, WE WELCOME YOU! We are happy to have you worshipping with us. We invite you to read through the upcoming events and be a part of the life of the congregation. Please fill out the information below and place it in the offering plate so that we can get to know you. Name Street Address City, State Zip Address 9

10 WITNESS Remember in your prayers: Vivian Nelson Hart Bill Lewis Bruce Johnson Carol Anderson Joyce Coker We thank God for the continued good health of Abigail Grace & Hannah Elizabeth, twin daughters of Tom & Betsy Skerik. May God bless their family. We ask for prayers of comfort for the family of Evelyn Hallgren, a long-time member of Trinity and custodian for many years, who passed away on August 30th. Her funeral was last Tuesday at Trinity. Upcoming Events at Trinity to put on your calendar: Sunday, September 8th - 9:00 am Teacher s Meeting in Library 10:00 am - Worship followed by Potluck and God s Work Our Hands Service Projects downstairs. Sunday, September 15th - TWO SERVICES 8:45 am - Traditional Worship Service 9:45 am - Coffee Fellowship 10:00 am - Sunday School Begins 10:45 am - Contemporary Worship Service 11:45 am - Coffee Fellowship Sunday, September 22nd - Golf Scramble at 3 pm, Pine Hill Golf Course, Shot-Gun Start, Refreshments following golf. Friday, Sept. 27 and Saturday, Sept. 28th - Annual Fall Rummage Sale - You can start to bring items on Monday, September 23rd. You are invited to come help set up also. Wednesday, October 9th - 5pm to 7pm OCTOBERFEST DINNER Sunday, October 13th - SAUSAGE MAKING WORSHIP LEADERS THIS SUNDAY - September 8th - 10:00 am Greeters: Brenda Bonnema Ushers: Christine & Jordan Kimpling Reader: JoAnn Salmela Comm. Assts. Kathy Johanson & Sherry Rushing Comm. Basket Holders-Serena & Brayden Miller Counter - Monday, Sept. 9th - Glenn & Peg Evavold NEXT SUNDAY - September 15th - 8:45 am Greeters: Joyce Goar Ushers: Claudine Hansen & Eileen Nelson Reader: Faye Kerttula Comm. Assts. Kathy Myers & Elaine Carlson Comm. Basket Holders-Christine & Jordan Kimpling Coffee Host: Bill and Maureen Ulvi Counter - Monday, Sept. 16th - Faye & Fritz Kerttula NEXT SUNDAY - September 15th - 10:45 am Greeters: Glenn & Peg Evavold Ushers: Kathy Gilbertson & Pietrusas Reader: Dennis Mitchell Comm. Assts. Heather Sweetland & Jason Miller Comm. Basket Holders-Joann & Anna Salmela Coffee Host: Bill & Maureen Ulvi Acolyte: Serena Miller Counter - Monday, Sept. 16th - Faye & Fritz Kerttula If you are unavailable for the dates you are scheduled, please switch with someone else on the schedule or call Aine in the church office at Thank you. 10