Lutheran Church of the Resurrection Sunday, July 16, 2017 Sixth Sunday after Pentecost AS WE GATHER God s word is like the rain that waters the earth and brings forth vegetation. It is also like the sower who scatters seed indiscriminately. Our lives are like seeds sown in the earth. Even from what appears to be little, dormant, or dead, God promises a harvest. At the Lord s table we are fed with the bread of life, that we may bear fruit in the world. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + (Silence please for prayer and meditation) PRELUDE Morning Musical Meditations Various (Please stand as you are able) CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS P Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, who forgives all our sin, whose mercy endures forever. Silence is kept for reflection. P C P P C P C Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another. Most merciful God, We confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your holy name. Amen God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Almighty God strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may live in your hearts through faith. Amen. 1
GATHERING SONG As We Gather at Your Table ELW 522 2
GREETING A The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. C And also with you. KYRIE A In peace, in peace, let us pray to the A For the Reign of God, and for peace throughout the world, for the unity of all let us pray to the A For your people here, who have come to give you praise, for the strength to live your Word let us pray to the A Help, save, and defend us, O God 3
HYMN OF PRAISE Now the Feast and Celebration ELW 167 4
SALUTATION A The Lord be with you. C And also with you. PRAYER OF THE DAY A Almighty God, C we thank you for planting in us the seed of your word. By your Holy Spirit help us to receive it with joy, live according to it, and grow in faith and hope and love, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen (Please be seated) SHARED MINISTRY REMINDERS FIRST READING Isaiah 55:10-13 A A C A reading from Isaiah 10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 12 For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. Word of God, Word of life. Thanks be to God. SPECIAL MUSIC Go Light Your World Chris Rice Summer Choir (Please stand as you are able) 5
GOSPEL VERSE THE GOSPEL Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 P C The Holy Gospel according to Matthew Glory to you, O Lord. 1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 Let anyone with ears listen! 18 Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. 23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty. P C The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. (Please be seated) SERMON Pastor Christopher D. Berry 6
(Please stand as you are able) HYMN OF THE DAY As Rain From the Clouds ELW 508 7
APOSTLES CREED A Let us profess our faith in the words of 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. PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION (After each petition concludes with Hear us, O God, the congregation responds, your mercy is great ) PEACE A The peace of the Lord be with you always. C And also with you. A I invite you to share the Peace of Christ with one another. (Please be seated) GIFTS OF OFFERING There is None Like You" L. LeBlanc (Please sign the red welcome roster and pass it on as a ritual of friendship. Then pass it back noting the names of those you re worshiping with today.) (Please stand as you are able) 8
OFFERING SONG Lord Let My Heart be Good Soil ELW 512 OFFERING PRAYER P Be known to us, O Lord, in the breaking of the bread, as you were made known to the disciples. C Receive these gifts, and the offering of our lives, that we may be your risen body in the world. Amen. THE GREAT THANKSGIVING 9
P It is our duty and delight that we should everywhere and always offer thanks and praise to you, O God, through Jesus Christ who by his death on the cross and glorious resurrection broke the bonds of sin and death and gave life to all creation. And so, with the church on earth, all creation and the host of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn: CONGREGATONAL SONG Holy, Holy, Holy ELW 191 10
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER P Holy, mighty, and merciful Lord, heaven and earth are full of your glory. In great love you sent to us Jesus, your Son, who reached out to heal the sick and suffering, who preached good news to the poor, and who, on the cross, opened his arms to all. 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. P Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come, come again. C P Gather our prayers with those of the apostles, prophets, martyrs, and all the faithful who have gone before us, and unite them with the unceasing prayer of the One who lives in us and in whom we live, Jesus Christ. 11
P Make us bold, O merciful God, to address you as our Abba as we pray: (Abba is an intimate word used by Jesus to address his Father as we might say, Daddy) LORD'S PRAYER C Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen INVITATION TO COMMUNION P Come, let us eat, for now the feast is spread. Our Lord s body let us take together. (Please be seated) 12
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(Please stand as you are able) P C May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the gifts of his body and blood, strengthen, keep and unite us, now and forever. Amen Thanks Be To You 2 nd time to Coda to stanza 2 15
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION A Jesus Christ, host of this meal, C you have given us not only this bread and cup, but your very self, that we may feast on your great love. Filled again by these signs of your grace, may we hunger for your reign of justice, may we thirst for your way of peace, for you are Lord forevermore. Amen. SENDING OF RESURRECTION LAY COMMUNION MINISTERS A Eternal God, whose glory is revealed in the crucified and risen Lord, bless those who go forth to share your word and sacrament with our sisters and brothers who are sick, homebound or imprisoned. In your love and care, nourish and strengthen those to whom we bring this communion in the body and blood of your Son, that we may all feast upon your abundant love made known in Jesus Christ our Lord. C Amen. BLESSING P May God, whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine, grant you the gifts of faith and hope. Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. C Amen 16
RECESSIONAL HYMN Christ, Be Our Light ELW 715 17
DISMISSAL A Go in peace. The Spirit sends us forth to serve. C Thanks be to God. Hallelujah! POSTLUDE What a Friend We Have in Jesus Arr. M. Bober ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ WORSHIP ASSISTANTS: Lectors: Glenn Arney/Tanda Ainsworth Communion: Sandy Russell, Linda Nugent, Donna Walker, Val Bryan/Dave & Josie Freiberg, Gib Hertler Altar Guild: Sandy Russell/Grace Betts Greeters: Erich & Georgia Sawatzky/Le & Marg Viksten Ushers: Jeff Potts, Bob & Marti Dennis/Bill Lockman, Ray Lancaster, Ed Gloor Altar Flowers: Josie Freiberg The altar flowers this morning are given in gift by Nancy Bohnsack celebrating birthdays for Denee Bohnsack and Ian Difley. Helping Hands for July: In-kind donations: Cotton material and t-shirts (children s size small) for t-shirt dresses. Monetary donations will help fund supplies for t-shirt dresses, Piece Maker quilts and Priceless Purls hats and prayer shawls. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ NOTES ON TODAY S SCRIPTURE READINGS Isaiah 55:10-13 - God s word to Israel s exiles is as sure and effective as never-failing precipitation. Their return to the Holy Land in a new exodus is cheered on by singing mountains and by trees that clap their hands. Romans 8:1-11 - There is no condemnation for those who live in Christ. God sent Christ to accomplish what the law was unable to do: condemn sin and free us from its slavery. The Spirit now empowers proper actions and values in our lives and gives us the promise of resurrected life. Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 - In Matthew s gospel, both Jesus and his disciples sow the seed of God s word by proclaiming the good news that the kingdom of heaven is near. Now, in a memorable parable, Jesus explains why this good news produces different results in those who hear. 18
Readings for Next Sunday, July 23, 2017 Seventh Sunday after Pentecost INTRODUCTION It is an age-old question: why is there evil in the world? In the parable of the wheat and the weeds Jesus suggests that both grow together until the harvest. With Paul, we long for the day that all creation will be set free from bondage and suffering. Having both weeds and wheat within us, we humbly place our hope in the promises of God, and from the Lord s table we go forth to bear the fruit of justice and mercy. We invite you to read these texts as you prepare for next Sunday s worship. Isaiah 44:6-8 Romans 8:12-25 Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 19
COMMEMORATIONS FOR THE WEEK Bartolomé de Las Casas, missionary to the Indies, died 1566 Monday, July 17, 2017 A native of Spain, Las Casas first came to the Western hemisphere while serving in the military. Granted a large estate with indigenous slaves, he freed them after he was ordained a priest. He worked in the Caribbean and Central America to improve the lives of the native peoples. Mary Magdalene, Apostle Saturday, July 22, 2017 Sometimes called "the apostle to the apostles" because she told them of her encounter with the risen Lord, Mary was a woman of Galilee who followed Jesus throughout his ministry. She was present at Jesus' crucifixion and his burial. 20