Spirit Alive! upbeat Christ-Centered

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1 Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit 3461 Cedar Crest Blvd. Emmaus, PA PHONE FAX Spirit Alive! upbeat Christ-Centered Consecration Sunday Sunday, October 21, :45 am The Holy Spirit Empowers Us for Ministry in Daily Life Gathered by God s grace and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we invite and welcome all people to join us on our journey to become more faithful ministers of Jesus Christ in our homes, our communities, and the world.

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3 ELW refers to the Evangelical Lutheran Worship, the red worship book. Page numbers are in the front of the book with hymn numbers following in the middle & end. During worship, please silence all communication devices. *As you are able, please stand. GATHERING Gathering and Fellowship Welcome/Theme of the Day Consecration Sunday The rich man who comes to ask Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life is a good man, sincere in his asking. Mark s gospel is alone in saying that Jesus looked on him and loved him. Out of love, not as judgment, Jesus offers him an open door to life: sell all you own and give it to the poor. Our culture bombards us with the message that we will find life by consuming. We counter this message with the invitation to find life by divesting for the sake of the other. *God s Generosity Gathering paraphrased from Psalm 111 The assembly reads responsively. Extravagant, loving God, your abundance overflows around us. Open our eyes to see all that you have so generously given us. our life in Christ, our health, family and friends to love us, Jesus to forgive us, the Holy Spirit to transform us. When we experience this goodness and grace of God, it transforms us and grace is made visible as the people of God respond as generous givers. Teach us, Lord, the difference between the affluence of our culture and the purity and abundance of your kingdom. Help us to rejoice in all that you have so generously given us, and to lightly hold onto the things of this world for Jesus is our greatest gift! God s generosity never ends. *Song of Welcome Christ, Be Our Light ELW Hymn 715 3

4 *Prayer of the Day Let us pray together. Almighty God our Father, your generous goodness comes to us new every day. By the work of your Spirit lead us to acknowledge your goodness, give thanks for your gifts, and serve you in willing obedience for a world in need, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. WORD First Reading A Reading from 2 Corinthians 8:1-3, 7, 9; 9:6-15 CEV Christian fellowship involves sharing with those in need. Here Paul is gathering a collection for the church in Jerusalem from all the Gentile churches he helped found. We can be extravagant in our giving because God is extravagant, not stingy, in providing for our lives. My friends, we want you to know that the churches in Macedonia have shown others how kind God is. Although they were going through hard times and were very poor, they were glad to give generously. They gave as much as they could afford and even more, simply because they wanted to. You do everything better than anyone else. You have stronger faith. You speak better and know more. You are eager to give, and you love us better. Now you must give more generously than anyone else. You know that our Lord Jesus Christ was kind enough to give up all his riches and become poor, so that you could become rich. Remember this saying, A few seeds make a small harvest, but a lot of seeds make a big harvest. Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don t feel sorry that you must give and don t feel that you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give. God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others. The Scriptures say, God freely gives his gifts to the poor, and always does right. God gives seed to farmers and provides everyone with food. He will increase what you have, so that you can give even more to those in need. You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous. Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift. What you are doing is much more than a service that supplies God s people with what they need. It is something that will make many others thank God. The way in which you have proved yourselves by this service will bring honor and praise to God. 4

5 You believed the message about Christ, and you obeyed it by sharing generously with God s people and with everyone else. Now they are praying for you and want to see you, because God used you to bless them so very much. Thank God for his gift that is too wonderful for words! Contemporary English Version Bible After the reading, Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God. Word for God s Children Children age 3 7 are invited to the All Saints Room. They will return after the Sermon. We encourage at least one parent to be present. *Gospel The good news from Mark 10: Open our hearts, Lord On the way to Jerusalem the disciples ask Jesus to grant them seats of honor. Jesus responds by announcing that he and his followers will rule through self-giving service. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus and asked, Teacher, will you do us a favor? Jesus asked them what they wanted, and they answered, When you come into your glory, please let one of us sit at your right side and the other at your left. Jesus told them, You don t really know what you re asking! Are you able to drink from the cup that I must soon drink from or be baptized as I must be baptized? Yes, we are! James and John answered. Then Jesus replied, You certainly will drink from the cup from which I must drink. And you will be baptized just as I must! But it isn t for me to say who will sit at my right side and at my left. That is for God to decide. When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with James and John. But Jesus called the disciples together and said: You know that those foreigners who call themselves kings like to order their people around. And their great leaders have full power over the people they rule. But don t act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others. And if you want to be first, you must be everyone s slave. The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue many people. Contemporary English Version Bible This is the good news! Thanks be to God! Hallelujah! 5

6 Sermon Pr. Spencer Steele *Word in Song We Are an Offering ELW Hymn 692 *Affirming the Call to a Life of Stewardship In baptism, God calls us to share in God s mission of caring for the world, sharing the gifts God has given us. We are stewards, caretakers of God s gifts. Everything we have is a gift from God, and God asks us to use it all for God s purposes. Generosity flows naturally out of our gratitude for God s gifts of love, health, family, and life itself. In God s church, we are stewards of the good news of God s love for us in Jesus Christ. We are called to share that good news with new generations. Inspire us to be passionate people about doing God s mission. Set us on fire for you, Lord. Stewardship is...all that we do, with ALL that we have, ALL the time. I believe that stewardship is a way of life and I will live into stewardship becoming a way of my life. Amen! 6

7 *Prayers of the People Open to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we pray for the church, the world, and all of God s creation. After each petition: God has abundantly blessed us, may we abundantly give. Into your hands, gracious God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting the power of Christ and the gifts of the Spirit. Amen. *Share the Peace The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you. The people greet one another with the peace of Christ. Call to Stewardship Offering Beautiful Offering Weaver/Ingram Sue Smith and Pam Harshey, soloists The assembly responds to the Word of God by gathering an offering for the mission of the church, including the care of those in need. The music is offered as a gift to the glory of God. You may give your offering in the offering plate, or by using a credit or debit card at the Giving Kiosk, or Give by Text ( ), or through Simply Giving, or by sending it to the church office. The table is set. *Prayer of Thanks for Abundance Let us pray. Loving God, your abundance overflows all around us. As we grow in the practice of giving, teach us, Lord, the difference between the affluence of our culture and the abundance of your way of life. You have raised us to new life in Christ, give us glad and generous hearts; ready to praise you and to respond to those in need. Bless these offerings, and multiply them into blessings for your people in our community and around the world. Amen. 7

8 MEAL *Thanksgiving at the Table for Abundant Blessings May the God of generosity be with you! And also with you. People of God, open your hearts to the One who blesses us beyond our imagination. God always surprises us with blessings. Children of the abundant God, join your voices in glad songs of praise. Our hearts and voices sing your praise. In those first days, Imaginative God, you poured all that was in your heart into the silence and emptiness of chaos. You crafted all this goodness and beauty for your children who are created in your image that we may enjoy your gifts forever. Prophets came to remind us that you are a God of blessing. You sent Jesus to come to us, bearing the ring of redemption to slip onto our fingers, the robe of forgiveness to wrap around our broken lives. Words of Institution Your love for us, Benevolent God, is the gift given to us in the bread and the cup every time we gather at your table. We taste your goodness in the bread which is broken for us. We drink your life from the cup of compassion. We offer the gifts you have so abundantly given to us so that the hungry may be filled, the homeless may find shelter, the captive be set free, the sick may be made well, and all creation may rejoice in your blessings. Come, Holy Spirit, and open our hearts so we invest in spiritual possibilities. Come, Holy Spirit, and transform our worldview with thoughts and actions of you. Come, Holy Spirit, and make our lives a living sacrifice. Amen! 8

9 *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. *Invitation to Communion Come, receive Christ s abundant gifts. Amen. Sacrament of Holy Communion All who are baptized and believe in the presence of Jesus Christ in Holy Communion are welcome to receive the Sacrament. To facilitate flow, the ushers invite the side sections, the front few rows and then the back rows. The people come forward, using the center aisle in two lines, to receive the bread from the ministers, then go to the side to dip their bread into the wine. Grape juice is used in our celebration so that all may freely receive. In addition, gluten free wafers are available. After receiving the elements, people may kneel at the altar rail for prayer, and return to their seats using the side aisles. Children may receive the sacrament if they have completed instruction with a pastor. Children who do not commune may come forward for a blessing. Communion Duet Take My Life Tomlin/Giglio Sue Smith and Pam Harshey, soloists Communion Songs The whole assembly is invited to praise God in song. Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love ELW Hymn 708 Lord, I Lift Your Name on High ELW Hymn 857 9

10 *Prayer Let us pray. Holy and compassionate God, in bread and wine you give us gifts that form us to be humble and courageous. May your words come to life in our serving and in our witness, that we may speak a living voice of healing and justice to all the world, through Jesus Christ, our rock and our redeemer. Amen. SENDING *Blessing May God bless, guide, strengthen and transform you as a living sacrifice. Go and live as God s faithful stewards. Go and live as passionate followers of Jesus Christ. Go and serve others through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. *Sending Song Go in Peace and Serve the Lord 10

11 *Dismissal The assisting minister sends the assembly into mission. Rejoice and share God s abundant blessings. Thanks be to God! CCLI # One License A HymnPrint.net License # The Toolkit all content Changing Church Forum, Inc. Reproducible for church use only. Liturgy from Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2018 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License # Some liturgy reprinted by permission of Westminster John Knox Press from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion Used by permission. Baptismal liturgy [from Holy Baptism and Related Rites. Renewing Worship, Volume 3. Holy Baptism. Pages 5-10 Used by permission. New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by Permission. All rights reserved. Contemporary English Version Bible (CEV), Copyright 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. The Message (MSG) Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission. Gathering paraphrase from LiturgyLink.net Some Stewardship resources from Luther Seminary Center for Stewardship Leaders website. Great Thanksgiving Adapted and Reprinted by permission of 2010 Thom M. Shuman 11

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