SATURDAY MORNING WORSHIP

Transcription

1 SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS SYNOD ASSEMBLY 2018 SATURDAY MORNING WORSHIP

2 GATHERING The Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God. ANNOUNCEMENTS PRELUDE Hallelujah [Heleluyan] (ELW 171) THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM Death and resurrection. It s the impossibility around which every other impossibility of the Christian faith orbits. Baptism declares that God is in the business of bringing dead things back to life, so if you want in on God s business, you better prepare to follow God to all the rock-bottom, scorched-earth, dead-on-arrival corners of the world including those in your own heart because that s where God works, that s where God gardens. Baptism reminds us that there s no ladder to holiness to climb, no self-improvement plan to follow. It s just death and resurrection, over and over again, day after day, as God reaches down into the deepest graces and with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead wrests us from our pride, our apathy, our fear, our prejudice, our anger, our hurt, and our despair. 2

3 In the ritual of baptism, we act out the bizarre truth of the Christian identity: We are people who stand totally exposed before evil and death and declare them powerless against love. Thanks be to God. GATHERING SONG Hallelujah [Heleluyan] (ELW 171) GREETING The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God from which nothing can separate us, and the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you. PRAYER OF THE DAY O God, you draw us in to your incredible love and receive us in your mercy. Give us courage to every day do something that won t compute: to love you; to love the world; to work for nothing; to take all that we have and be poor; to love someone who does not deserve it; to ask the questions that have no answers; to plant trees and say that our main crop is the forest that we did not plant, that we will not live to harvest; to laugh; to be joyful though we have considered all the facts; to practice resurrection in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 3

4 WORD God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song. FIRST READING Ephesians 3:16-21 A reading from Ephesians 16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God. GOSPEL John 12:23-26 The holy gospel according to John. Glory to you, O Lord. 23 Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. SERMON 4

5 HYMN OF THE DAY Give Me Jesus (ELW 770) 5

6 PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Rejoicing in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we pray for the witness of the church, the wholeness of creation, and all who are in need. SING: Come, let us pray with you. Come, let us pray with you. Come, let us pray, we re here for you today. Come, let us pray with you. We pray for the church. Guide us into a deeper knowledge of your love and grace. Increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and service. We pray for our Bishops: Ray and Elizabeth, for all those names lifted up for the calling of bishop in our synod, for the person we will elect to serve in that position, for evangelists, pastors, prophets, teachers, and all servants of the church. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. We pray for the world; for seeds planted in hope of an abundant harvest; for fertile soils and sufficient rains; for shepherds and ranchers, farmworkers and those who fish; for flowers and berries; for orchards, vineyards, and citrus groves. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. We pray for the nations. For countries embroiled in long-term conflicts, and for communities scarred by political unrest and upheaval. Grant wisdom to the world s decision makers. Guide them to work for peace and the wellbeing of all people. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. We pray for those in need. For all who suffer in any way. For those who are lonely or isolated. For those seeking employment. For those who approach the hour of their death, and all who are ill, especially those we name before you now, either aloud or in the silence of our hearts (pause). Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. 6

7 SING: Come, let us weep with you. Come, let us weep with you. Come, let us weep, our care for you is deep. Come, let us weep with you. We pray for all those gathered here. For voting members, visitors, staff, planning team, those who are here for the first time, and those who have been serving at synod assemblies for years. Deepen us in faith. Fill us with hope. Draw us all into your loving presence. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. With thanksgiving, we remember those who have died, especially those who have been witnesses and examples to us. Bring us with them to the promise of resurrection and life eternal with you. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. We entrust all our prayers to you, gracious God. Receive them by the power of the Holy Spirit and the love of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. SING: Come, we rejoice with you. Come, we rejoice with you. Come, we rejoice, it s good to hear your voice. Come, we rejoice with you. MEAL God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ. OFFERING The Assembly offering supports the Southwestern Texas Synod s account in the ELCA s Fund for Leaders program. This program provides scholarships for students attending seminaries. OFFERTORY You Make Me New by Luke Leverett 7

8 GREAT THANKSGIVING DIALOGUE The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. PROPER PREFACE It is indeed right, our duty and our joy we praise your name and join their unending hymn: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY Holy, Holy, Holy [Santo, santo, santo] (ELW 473) 8

9 EUCHARISTIC PRAYER O God most mighty, O God most merciful, O God our rock and our salvation. Remembering his death, we cry out Amen. Amen. Celebrating his resurrection, we shout Amen. Amen. Trusting his presence in every time and place, we plead Amen. Amen. Grant us such life, the life of the Father to the Son, the life of the Spirit of our risen Savior, life in you, now and forever. Amen. LORD S PRAYER Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us. 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. Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo, santificado sea tu nombre. Venga tu reino. Hágase tu voluntad en la tierra como en el cielo. Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día. Perdona nuestras ofensas como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden. No nos dejes caer en tentación y líbranos del mal. Porque tuyo es el reino, tuyo es el poder y tuya es la gloria, ahora y siempre. Amén 9

10 INVITATION TO COMMUNION Siblings in Christ, come, receive the bread of the life and the cup of blessing. COMMUNION All are welcome to the communion table. Please follow the instructions of the ushers. All the bread is gluten free. There is red wine and white grape juice. Please dip the bread into the wine. Those unable to consume one of the elements are assured of Christ s full presence. LAMB OF GOD 10

11 COMMUNION SONGS Behold, How Pleasant [Miren qué bueno] (ELW 649) 11

12 12 Alleluia! Christ Is Arisen [ Aleluya! Cristo resucitó] (ELW 375)

13 Let Us Go Now to the Banquet [Vamos todos al banquete] (ELW 523) 13

14 14 United at the Table [Unidos en la fiesta] (ELW 498)

15 SENDING God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world. Show me the suffering of the most miserable; So I will know my people s plight. Free me to pray for others; For you are present in every person. Help me to take responsibility for my own life; So that I can be free at last. Grant me courage to serve others; For in service there is true life. Give me honesty and patience; So that I can work with other workers. Bring forth song and celebration; So that the spirit will be alive among us. Let the spirit flourish and grow; So we will never tire of the struggle. Let us remember those who have died for justice; For they have given us life. Help us love even those who hate us; So we can change the world. Amen. Enseńãme el sufrimiento de los maś desafortunados; Así conocere el dolor de mi pueblo. Líbrame a orar por los demaś; Porque estaś presente en cada persona. Ayu dame a tomar responsabilidad de mi propia vida; Soĺo así sere libre al fin. Conce deme valentía para servir al pro jimo; Porque en la entrega hay vida verdadera. Conce deme honoradez y paciencia; Para que yo pueda trabajar junto con otros trabajadores. Aluḿbranos con el canto y la celebracioń; Para que levanten el Espíritu entre nosotros. Que el Espíritu florezca y crezca; Para que no nos cansemos en la lucha. Nos acordamos de los que han caído por la justicia;porque a nosotros han entregado la vida. Ayu danos a amar auń a los que nos odian; Así podremos cambiar el mundo. Amén 15

16 SENDING SONG Hallelujah, We Sing Your Praises! [Haleluya! Pelo tsa rona] (ELW 535) 16

17 DISMISSAL Go in peace, serve the Lord. Thanks be to God. All three of the pastors leading worship today were Fund for Leaders recipients in seminary. Your offering today goes to raise up more leaders like them. ASSISTING MINISTER Rev. Neil Cadle First Lutheran Church, Edinburg PRESIDING MINISTER Rev. Kelsie Theiss Lost Pines Lutheran Cooperative Ministries PREACHING MINISTER Rev. Megan Elliott Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, Seguin USHERS AND COMMUNION ASSISTANTS Members of Synod Council MUSICIANS Luke Leverett, Guitar, Vocals Casey Silvius, Percussion Beckett Legore, Percussion Rev. Paul Theiss, Percussion INSERT MARIACHI MUSICIANS HERE 17

18 Thanksgiving for Baptism adapted from: Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church by Rachel Held Evans, Nashville, TN: Nelson Books, Prayer of the Day adapted from Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front by Wendell Berry. Sending Litany adapted from Prayer of the Farm Workers Struggle by Cesar E. Chavez, UFW Founder ( ). Used by permission CCLI: & CSPL OneLicense: S

19 Southwestern Texas Synod Assembly Offering This year s Synod Assembly Offering will go to the ELCA Fund For Leaders. We all celebrate when someone in our congregation experiences a call to ministry and enrolls in seminary. When it comes time to call a new pastor, we all hope there will be several good candidates to interview. But how often do we think about what comes in between? God is faithful and continues to raise up new leaders for the church, but too often we see that path to ministry interrupted, postponed, or delayed due to financial concerns. Tuition for one year at an ELCA seminary averages $15,000. Students also have to pay living expenses during their years of study. Most are leaving careers and paychecks behind. Many carry significant loans from their undergraduate degrees, while others are having to relocate families. Those who are able to finish often carry even more debt, and are limited in what calls they can consider and still be able to pay their bills. The Southwestern Texas Synod has established an endowed scholarship through the ELCA Fund for Leaders to help with tuition costs for our ministry candidates. With this year s Synod Assembly Offering, we hope to support more candidates each year with more substantial scholarships. Your congregation s contribution will help ensure that more of our candidates are able to enter ministry sooner and with fewer financial burdens to hold them back. Please make your check payable to your congregation. The congregation will send the assembly offering to the synod office or take it to the synod assembly in May. 19