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 Reformation Celebration Sunday, October 28, :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.

2 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 Reformation 501 Welcome to this liturgy of Word and Sacrament in which we commemorate the 501st Anniversary of the Reformation! The hymn, A Mighty Fortress, a musical banner of the Reformation down through the centuries, is a musical foundation in which Lutherans have identified and taken refuge. Martin Luther based his hymn on Psalm 46, which affirms over and over again that God alone is our refuge, not our music, not the signs of our identity, not our name Lutheran, but God alone. The 501st Anniversary of the Reformation is commemorated in an age of ecumenical accountability. We receive the many fruits of the Reformation and we repent for our wrong doing and division. We engage a spiritual and theological challenge: telling our story from a perspective of unity, not division. As we worship together we remember the beginnings of faith: we are made new through baptism, washed in the waters of regeneration. We give thanks to God who calls us in this time and place to be God s people full of grace and truth. Lutheran World Federation 2

3 *Reformation Here We Stand Gathering Unless I am convinced by Scripture and by plain reason and not by Popes and councils who have so often contradicted themselves, my conscience is captive to the Word of God. To go against conscience is neither right nor safe. I cannot and I will not recant. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Martin Luther By Grace Alone! The assembly sings hymns between spoken liturgy. Here we stand at the Font We are your children, washed and forgiven Here we stand, Lord Celebrating a love that s unearned and unconditional By Grace Alone! Pr. Ric Elliott A Mighty Fortress Is Our God ELW Hymn 504 Psalm 46 A mighty fortress is our God, a sword and shield victorious; he breaks the cruel oppressor's rod and wins salvation glorious. The old satanic foe has sworn to work us woe! With craft and dreadful might he arms himself to fight. On earth he has no equal. No strength of ours can match his might! We would be lost, rejected. But now a champion comes to fight, whom God himself elected. You ask who this may be? The Lord of hosts is he! Christ Jesus, mighty Lord, God's only Son, adored. He holds the field victorious. 3 Martin Luther

4 By Word Alone! Here we stand at the Pulpit We are people who feast on your Word Here we stand, Lord Celebrating the stories, old and new, of faith and life By Word Alone! Pr. Ric Elliott Lord, Let My Heart be Good Soil ELW Hymn 512 Lord, let my heart be good soil, open to the seed of your Word. Lord, let my heart be good soil, where love can grow and peace is understood. When my heart is hard, break the stone away. When my heart is cold, warm it with the day. When my heart is lost, lead me on your way. Lord, let my heart, Lord, let my heart, Lord, let my heart be good soil. Handt Hanson By Faith Alone! Here we stand at the Table We are people fed and nourished by you Here we stand, Lord Celebrating new life, re-formed life, a faith-filled life Called to lives of service and love By Faith Alone! AMEN! Pr. Ric Elliott A Mighty Fortress Is Our God ELW Hymn 504 Psalm 46 God's Word forever shall abide, no thanks to foes, who fear it; for God himself fights by our side with weapons of the Spirit. Were they to take our house, goods, honor, child, or spouse, though life be wrenched away, they cannot win the day. The kingdom's ours forever! Martin Luther 4

5 *Prayer of the Day Let us pray together. God, renewer of life and only reformer, you surround us with a great cloud of witnesses throughout time and place whom you have called into your work, witnessing to your Gospel of liberation by grace alone. Continue now to raise up witnesses for your work of renewal and reform that we may all grow more deeply into that mystery of communion that is your church. Keep us steadfast in your Word. Come now and inspire the on-going reformation of your church and world. We ask this all through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. Lutheran World Federation WORD First Reading A Reading from Romans 3:19-28 in The Message Bible. Paul s Words stand at the heart of the preaching of Martin Luther and other Reformation leaders. No human beings make themselves right with God through works of the law. We are brought into a right relationship with God through the divine activity centered in Christ s death. This act is a gift of grace that liberates us from sin and empowers our faith in Jesus Christ. This makes it clear, doesn t it, that whatever is written in these Scriptures is not what God says about others but to us to whom these Scriptures were addressed in the first place! And it s clear enough, isn t it, that we re sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God s revelation doesn t put us right with God. What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else s sin. But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. 5

6 God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear the world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it s now this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness. So where does that leave our proud Jewish insider claims and counterclaims? Canceled? Yes, canceled. What we ve learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. We ve finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade. Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God! Word for God s Children Children ages 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 Procession Thy Word (refrain only) God s Word is in the midst of the people. The assembly turns towards the procession of the cross and God s Word. 6

7 *Gospel The good news from John 8:31-36 in the Contemporary English Version Bible Open our hearts, Lord Jesus speaks of truth and freedom as spiritual realities known through his Word. He reveals the truth that sets people free from sin. Jesus told the people who had faith in him, If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. They answered, We are Abraham s children! We have never been anyone s slaves. How can you say we will be set free? Jesus replied: I tell you for certain that anyone who sins is a slave of sin! And slaves don t stay in the family forever, though the Son will always remain in the family. If the Son gives you freedom, you are free! This is the good news! Thanks be to God! Hallelujah! *Gospel Procession Thy Word (refrain only) Sermon Pr. Spencer Steele *Word in Song Listen, God Is Calling ELW Hymn 513 7

8 *Reformation Commitment to God's Word People of God, on this Reformation 501 Sunday, I invite us to commit ourselves and our whole lives to God's holy Word and to God s loving purpose for us and the world. By your holy Word, you sent forth your Son to bring us salvation through the cross of death and resurrection. By your holy Word, we know that we live in grace and hope. By your holy Word, you have called us together to be a Church of love and service in the world. Keep us ever close to your Word, that it may be written on our hearts. Help us grow in faith and love toward you, so that we may always live in trust and hope. Center us in routines that keep us close to you, O Lord. Center us in weekly worship. Center us in daily prayer. Center us in reading and living out of holy scripture. Center us in the mission of the church. Center us in lives of thankful giving and loving for all the blessings you have given us. Rev. Thomas Weitzel, ELCA Pastor *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: Come Holy Spirit, re-form and renew us. Into your hands, gracious God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting the power of Christ and the gifts of the Spirit. Amen. 8

9 *Share the Peace The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you. Worshipers greet one another with a sign of Christ s peace. Offering Psalm 46 (Lord of Host) Riddle/Miller/Warneking/Barnard Lisa Walton and Jeff Gross, 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. *Offering Prayer Let us pray. God, in baptism, you have given us all that we are, all that we have, and all that you promise, the gift of your Son Jesus Christ. May we freely share these gifts with the world and all those in need so that all may know and experience your unending love and extravagant grace, in the name of Jesus. Amen. *Word in Meal MEAL This is the meal of freedom and forgiveness. The bondage of sin and death no longer has a hold on us. Jesus is present in, with, and under the bread and wine. The risen Christ is truly present in this meal. After Jesus resurrection, Christ sent the apostles out with his life changing Word to preach the gospel and teach all nations, and promised to be with them, even to the end of the age. You gave us Mary and Magdalene, Peter and Paul, Luther and Melanchthon, Henry Muhlenberg, Katharina Luther the homemaker, Cranach the artist, Bach the musician, Kierkegaard the philosopher, Bonhoeffer the martyr, Hammarskjöld the statesman, and countless other servants of the Reformation. May your Word transform our lives as forgiven, grace-filled people of God. 9

10 Words of Institution Remembering Jesus death, we cry out Amen. Trusting the Holy Spirit s presence in every time and place, we pray Amen. Celebrating Christ s resurrection, we shout AMEN! Come, Holy Spirit, and make here the body of Christ. Breathe onto this food, that it bring us your life. Empower your Reformation people throughout the world to preach and teach, baptize and feed, pray and sing, comfort and heal. By your Spirit, preserve what is faithful; reform and create in us what is vital and new. We honor you, now and forever. God before time, God at the end, Father, Son, and Spirit, we praise you, our Redeemer, the Strength of truth. Glory and praise, blessing and worship, honor and power and might be to you, our God, forever and ever. Amen. Reformation 500 Sourcebook *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, be freed from your sins by Christ. Be renewed and re-formed. 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 10

11 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 Songs The whole assembly is invited to praise God in song. You Are My All in All 11

12 For by Grace You Have Been Saved ELW Hymn 598 That Priceless Grace ELW Hymn 591 *Prayer Let us pray. Holy and compassionate God, in bread and wine you give us gifts that have embraced and healed us, making us one in the body of Christ. May your Words come to life in our witness and in our serving, that we may speak a living voice of healing and justice to all the world, through Jesus Christ, our rock and our redeemer. Amen. *Blessing SENDING God, creator of all things, speaking reformation into being; Jesus Christ, savior of the world, raising the dead; giving real freedom who frees us through the gift of God s grace to be re-formed in and through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Almighty God, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. Amen. *Sending Song Shout to the Lord ELW Hymn 821 *Dismissal The assisting minister sends the assembly into mission. Go, Christ has made you free! We are free indeed! 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 # 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. 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.] Welcome and Prayer of the Day from Lutheran World Federation Reformation Sunday liturgy, The LWF Department for Theology and Public Witness prepared this global liturgy material. LWF. Reformation Commitment by the Rev. Thomas L. Weitzel, ELCA pastor. Reformation Great Thanksgiving Permission is granted for congregations to reproduce these materials provided copies are for local use only and the following copyright notice appears: From Reformation 500 Sourcebook, copyright 2016 Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission. 12