Concordia Lutheran Church 255 West Douglas St. South St. Paul, MN 55075 651-451-0309 Vision Creating a Christ-Centered Community, one family at a time, beginning in South St. Paul and continuing through the world Mission Creating a Christ-Centered community gathered together To joyfully worship our God To grow in faith and knowledge To love one another And to share the Good News of Jesus Christ
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NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST PROPER 11 July 22, 2018 AS WE GATHER We live in a divisive world. There are so many things out there that can divide us, including political viewpoints, race, gender, age, fashion, and many more. There are wars, conflicts, and rumors of war floating around every day in the news. In the Epistle, Paul speaks of a dividing wall of hostility. We have many such walls. Yet in Christ, we are reconciled to God and to one another. The walls that divide us are toppled over, and Christ makes peace between nations and peoples by His own blood. We are now one Body, one Church, serving under one Lord. May God s peace reign in your life and break down any walls that divide you from God or from others. PRE-SERVICE MUSIC THE WELCOME THE RITE OF FRIENDSHIP PREPARATION OPENING SONG Bind Us Together Bind us together, Lord, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken. Bind us together, Lord, bind us together. Bind us together in love. There is only one God. There is only one King.. There is only one body. That is why I sing. Bind us together, Lord, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken. Bind us together, Lord, bind us together. Bind us together in love. INVOCATION P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen. 3
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION P: Beloved in the Lord, we have not lived a life worthy of our righteous Shepherd. We have all built dividing walls of hostility. Let us then confess our sins to God, our heavenly Father. Silence for reflection. P: Heavenly Father, C: we confess that we have been divisive and have failed to live at peace with one another. At times, we have treated others as inferior because of differences of language and race, intelligence and appearance, gender and age. Forgive us for our prejudice, and break down the walls that divide us from one another and from You. P: You were once foreigners and strangers to God, but now you have been brought near by the blood of Christ. He Himself is our peace. Jesus Christ died and was raised for you so that you might be reconciled with God and with one another. As a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen. Through Christ we are no longer strangers, but we are members of the household of God. WORD INTROIT HYMN O Lord, You Open Up Your Hand Tune: LSB 883 Tallis Canon O Lord, You open up Your hand And satisfy with gifts so grand. Each creature s longing soon is eased, Their strong desires are soon appeased. So sing to God with thankful hearts. Praise Him with poems, music, arts! For He sustains each bird and beast, Upholding both the great and least. All glory to the Father, Son, And Holy Spirit, ever one. Such glory as has always been And ever will remain. Amen. Text: Andrew R. Jones. Copyright 2018 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. 4
KYRIE p. 152 ALL Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. HYMN OF PRAISE Now Thank We All Our God LSB 895 (verses 1, 3) 1 Now thank we all our God With hearts and hands and voices, Who wondrous things has done, In whom His world rejoices; Who from our mothers arms Has blest us on our way With countless gifts of love And still is ours today. 3 All praise and thanks to God The Father now be given, The Son, and Him who reigns With them in highest heaven, The one eternal God, Whom earth and heav n adore; For thus it was, is now, And shall be evermore. Public domain SALUTATION P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. PRAYER OF THE DAY P: Let us pray. Almighty God, You sent Your Son into our hostile world to make peace by His own blood. Lead us in paths of righteousness, that we seek justice, speak truth, and be peacemakers in this divisive world; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. 5
OLD TESTAMENT READING Jeremiah 23:1 6 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! declares the LORD. 2 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD. 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD. 5 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: The LORD is our righteousness. P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. GRADUAL ALL: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. EPISTLE Ephesians 2:11 22 11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. 6
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. ALLELUIA AND VERSE ALL: Alleluia. Man ate of the bread of the angels; He sent them food in abundance. Alleluia. HOLY GOSPEL Mark 6:30 44 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the sixth chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord. 30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while. For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. 35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat. 37 But he answered them, You give them something to eat. And they said to him, Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat? 38 And he said to them, How many loaves do you have? Go and see. And when they had found out, they said, Five, and two fish. 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ. CREED Nicene Creed C: I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. 7
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. HYMN OF THE DAY The Church s One Foundation LSB 644 1 The Church s one foundation Is Jesus Christ, her Lord; She is His new creation By water and the Word. From heav n He came and sought her To be His holy bride; With His own blood He bought her, And for her life He died. 2 Elect from ev ry nation, Yet one o er all the earth; Her charter of salvation: One Lord, one faith, one birth. One holy name she blesses, 8
Partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses With ev ry grace endued. 3 Though with a scornful wonder The world sees her oppressed, By schisms rent asunder, By heresies distressed, Yet saints their watch are keeping; Their cry goes up, How long? And soon the night of weeping Shall be the morn of song. 4 Through toil and tribulation And tumult of her war She waits the consummation Of peace forevermore Till with the vision glorious Her longing eyes are blest, And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest. 5 Yet she on earth has union With God, the Three in One, And mystic sweet communion With those whose rest is won. O blessèd heav nly chorus! Lord, save us by Your grace That we, like saints before us, May see You face to face. Public domain SERMON OFFERING HYMN Blest Be the Tie that Binds LSB 649 1 Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love; The fellowship of kindred minds Is like to that above. 9
2 Before our Father s throne We pour our ardent prayers; Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, Our comforts and our cares. 3 We share our mutual woes, Our mutual burdens bear, And often for each other flows The sympathizing tear. 4 When here our pathways part, We suffer bitter pain; Yet, one in Christ and one in heart, We hope to meet again. 5 From sorrow, toil, and pain, And sin we shall be free And perfect love and friendship reign Through all eternity. Public domain PRAYER OF THE CHURCH P: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs. For all families and family relationships, especially those that are strained by division, that God would break down the dividing walls of hostility and reconcile people to one another, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: For the nations of the world, that there be peace among all people, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: For all immigrants and refugees, that they be welcomed to their new homes and not treated with hatred and hostility, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: For all pastors who shepherd their congregations, that they not scatter their flock, but serve faithfully under our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. 10
P: For those who are sick and recovering, [especially...], that they rely on the peace of Christ, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your promises. C: Amen. SILENT PRAYER The congregation is encouraged to take a few moments to pray silently for anything that weighs heavily on our hearts. We are also encouraged to pray for those in our lives who do not know Christ that the Holy Spirit may work powerfully to bring them to saving faith. SACRAMENT We believe, teach and confess that in the Lord s Supper, Christ comes to us and his body and blood are really present to forgive our sins and assure us of everlasting life and salvation. We, as baptized believers, prepare for Communion by examining ourselves, repenting of our sins, anticipating our Lord s forgiveness and drawing on Christ s power in the Sacrament to help us live an amended life for Christ. To those who share this confession with us, we invite you to join us as we welcome you to the Lord s Table. PREFACE P: The Lord be with you. 2 Timothy 4:22 C: And also with you. P: Lift up your hearts. [Colossians 3:1] C: We lift them to the Lord. P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. [Psalm 136] C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise. PROPER PREFACE P: It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, for He Himself is our peace. He has made us one Body and has reconciled us to God by His cross and resurrection. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying: 11
SANCTUS Holy, Holy God of Power Tune: LSB 848/849 Holy, holy God of power, God of mercy, God of grace, Heav n and earth are filled with glory, Praising You in ev ry place. Hear the loud Hosannas leaping To Your throne of highest might. Blessed is the King who comes to Bring us justice, peace, and light. Text: Andrew R. Jones. Copyright 2018 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING p. 161 P: Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have made peace by sending Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the reconciliation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross, which has broken down the dividing wall of hostility. Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. THE WORDS OF OUR LORD P: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me. In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. 12
LORD S PRAYER (Matthew 6:9 13) 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. PAX DOMINI P: The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: Amen. AGNUS DEI Lamb of God, Who Pardons Sinners Tune: LSB 848/849 Lamb of God, who pardons sinners, Show us mercy, show us grace. Lamb of God, whose promise lingers, Grant Your peace in ev ry place. Lamb of God, the world is broken. It is filled with scattered souls. Fill us with the words You ve spoken, Reconcile and make us whole. Text: Andrew R. Jones. Copyright 2018 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTION HYMNS Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness LSB 636 O Living Bread from Heaven LSB 642 Built on The Rock the Church Shall Stand LSB 645 13
POST-COMMUNION CANTICLE Sent Forth by God s Blessing LSB 643 (v. 1) Sent forth by God s blessing, Our true faith confessing, The people of God from His dwelling take leave. The Supper is ended. O now be extended The fruits of this service in all who believe. The seed of His teaching, Receptive souls reaching, Shall blossom in action for God and for all. His grace did invite us, His love shall unite us o work for God s kingdom and answer His call. POST-COMMUNION THANKSGIVING P: We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. BENEDICTION P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. Numbers 6:24 26 C: Amen. CLOSING HYMN Glorious Things of You are Spoken LSB 648 1 Glorious things of you are spoken, Zion, city of our God; He whose word cannot be broken Formed you for His own abode. On the Rock of Ages founded, What can shake your sure repose? With salvation s walls surrounded, You may smile at all your foes. 14
2 See, the streams of living waters, Springing from eternal love, Well supply your sons and daughters And all fear of want remove. Who can faint while such a river Ever will their thirst assuage? Grace, which like the Lord, the giver, Never fails from age to age. 3 Round each habitation hov ring, See the cloud and fire appear For a glory and a cov ring, Showing that the Lord is near. Thus deriving from their banner Light by night and shade by day, Safe they feed upon the manna Which God gives them on their way. 4 Savior, since of Zion s city I through grace a member am, Let the world deride or pity, I will glory in Your name. Fading are the world s vain pleasures, All their boasted pomp and show; Solid joys and lasting treasures None but Zion s children know. Public domain 15
Concordia Lutheran Church s Covenant with One Another How Do We Love One Another at Concordia Lutheran Church? 1. We will behave in a spirit of forgiveness always speaking well of others with love and kindness knowing that God created every human being in His image and we will always show respect for others despite our mutual failures, acknowledging shortfalls and willing to forget prior harms. 2. We will promote and practice honest conversations following the 8 th Commandment to speak well of each other, avoiding gossip by redirecting people to the appropriate person and avoiding anything that would cause divisions in the Body of Christ. 3. We will lift up each other in prayer in all that we do by turning to God for guidance and support, showing our gratitude and thanksgiving, and realizing we depend on Him for our entire existence. 4. We will offer a hand of hospitality welcoming all people by acknowledging the presence of others, greeting everyone with concern for them and openly sharing our biblical faith with everyone in word and deed. 5. We will be positive and joyful sharing openly our happiness in the Lord with fun, positive humor and inclusive fellowship always defending each other, speaking well of each other, and putting the best construction on everything. Serving In God s House Pastor: Reverend William L. Keller II Organ/Piano: Beth Ekblad Elder: Eric Weir Usher Captain: Kim Huebscher Lay Reader: Peggy Kilb Altar Guild: Don & Shirley Volbrecht Greeters: Muriel Rose Acknowledgments Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series B, Quarter 3. Copyright 2018 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 16