HOLY COMMUNION 100 th Anniversary guest preacher 100 th Anniversary WWI armistice Exploring the promise of God for all A widow s generosity Sunday, November 11, 2018 10:30 am Choral Eucharist The Holy Spirit gathers us in unity on the first day of the week. In the temple of Christ, the poor are honored guests Widows are visible everywhere in today s readings. Jesus denounces those scribes who pray impressive prayers but devour widows houses. He commends the poor widow who in his view gave far more than the major donors. Jesus doesn t see her simply as an object of compassion or charity. She, like the widow of Zarephath who shares her last bit of food with Elijah, does something of great importance. GATHERING PRELUDE Improvisations on Native American flute The carillon calls the assembly to worship. At the sound of the bell the assembly stands to face the worship leaders at the back of the church. PROCESSIONAL HYMN (hymn) 695 As Saints of Old stanza 2 in harmony GREETING P The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. a And also with you. KYRIE (TRISAGION) - 1 -
HYMN OF PRAISE Both text and tune for this classic setting of the Gloria in excelsis were written by cantor, pastor and teacher Nikolaus Decius (c. 1485-1546). During his studies at the University in Wittenberg (beginning in 1523) Decius produced metrical settings of several parts of the ordinary of the mass which became a regular part of Lutheran Reformation worship. (Hymn 357 is his well-known version of the Agnus Dei. ) It s interesting that this hymn All Glory Be to God is a part of Lutheran services of Holy Communion all over the world. You ll hear it sung everywhere from Norway to Namibia PRAYER OF THE DAY P Let us pray. O God, you show forth your almighty power chiefly by reaching out to us in mercy. Grant us the fullness of your grace, strengthen our trust in your promises, and bring all the world to share in the treasures that come through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. a Amen. The presider continues with words of welcome. WORD God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song. CHILDREN S WORD Children are invited to come forward; parents are welcome to come with their children. - 2 -
READING God feeds Elijah and the widow at Zarephath 1 Kings 17:8-16 This chapter begins the story of Elijah. God sends a drought on Israel because of the sins of King Ahab. This passage depicts God s saving acts not only on behalf of Elijah, but also on behalf of those who are associated with the prophet, even a foreigner, the widow of Zarephath. a The word of the LORD came to Elijah, saying, 9 Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you. 10 So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; called to her and said, Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink. 11 As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand. 12 But she said, As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 13 Elijah said to her, Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the LORD the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the LORD sends rain on the earth. 15 She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah. Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God. SECOND READING The once for all sacrifice of Christ Hebrews 9:24-28 The letter to the Hebrews describes Christ as a high priest who offers himself as a sacrifice for our sin. Christ does not die again and again each year. He died once, is alive with God, and will reveal himself on the last day. Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. Let us bless the Lord. a Thanks be to God. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION 1 Samuel 2:8 The assembly stands and welcomes the gospel, singing: After engaging in a series of public arguments with religious leaders in the temple, Jesus contrasts the proud and oppressive ways of those leaders with the sacrificial humility and poverty of the widow. c The LORD raises up the poor from the dust, to make them inherit a seat of honor. The assembly repeats the ALLELUIA. GOSPEL A widow s generosity Mark 12:38-44 reveals the hypocrisy of the scribes The holy gospel according to Mark. a Glory to you, O Lord. As Jesus taught, he said, Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! 40 They devour widows houses - 3 -
and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation. 41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44 For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on. The gospel of the Lord. a Praise to you, O Christ. The carillon rings into the sanctuary at 11 a.m. joining the international effort to commemorate the signing of the armistice treaty that ended WWI. SERMON silence for reflection follows the sermon HYMN OF THE DAY (hymn) 678 God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending stanza 2 in harmony APOSTLES CREED A Let us proclaim the faith that we share. a 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 The prayers conclude with confession. Each petition concludes: Hear us O God, a your mercy is great. MEAL God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ. PEACE P The peace of Christ be with you always. a And also with you. The assembly is invited to share God s peace with one another. GATHERING OF GIFTS The offering is gathered for the mission of the church, including the care of those in need. During this time, the table is set. After the offering is gathered, bread, wine, money, and other gifts are brought forward. The assembly stands as the procession reaches the chancel. - 4 -
Sing, My Soul, His Wondrous Love Offertory Prayer A Let us pray together. a God of life, you give us these gifts of the earth, these resources of our life and labor. Take them, offered in great thanksgiving, and use them to set a table that will heal the whole creation; through Christ, our Savior. Amen. The assisting minister pours out the wine. GREAT THANKSGIVING P The Lord be with you. a And also with you. P Lift up your hearts. a We lift them to the Lord. P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. a It is right to give our thanks and praise. P we praise your name and join their unending hymn: Ned Rorem All who come seeking Jesus are invited to receive these gifts of God. Communion at this service is served standing. Please follow the directions of the ushers to a communion station. Grape juice and gluten-free bread are available upon request. The benefits of the sacrament are fully present in either the bread or the wine, should health reasons prevent you from receiving one of them. Children are welcome to receive communion or a blessing. Prayer at the chancel kneelers during communion is always welcomed. The presider continues with the Great Thanksgiving, concluding: Lord s Prayer (1975) a 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. Breaking of the Bread and Invitation to Communion - 5 -
Communion Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling arr. David Cherwien The text for the anthem can be found at hymn 608 in the ELW. Lakota Lullaby and Meditation on Amazing Grace silence for reflection concludes the Communion Prayer after Communion A Let us pray. O God, the host at every meal, At this table you spread out a feast for all peoples, the bread of life and the cup of salvation. Send us from this banquet to invite others into these good things, to let justice roll down like waters, and to care for all of our sisters and brothers; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. a Amen. God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world. In 1916, during the First World War, British composer C. H. H. Parry wrote this hymn tune (called by scholar Erik Routley flawless and a piece of melodic engineering ) to accompany William Blake s poem And Did Those Feet in Ancient Times. The piece became instantly popular and is sung at the beginning of the autumn semester of schools throughout England. Today we sing it with Carl Daw s text to mark the 100 th anniversary of the Armistice ending the Great War. Daw bases the first stanza on the concept of pax an understanding of peace based on the cessation of conflict. The second stanza echoes shalom the condition of living abundantly in harmony and mutual good will. 11/11@11 1918-2018 Veterans Day 2018 Columbarium veterans identified, Veterans prayers and prayer resources offered in the sanctuary prayer corner, Great Room prayer niche, Sending hymn, Carillon tribute - 6 - SENDING BLESSING P Almighty God, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, watch over your going out and your coming in, from this time forth and forevermore. a Amen. SENDING HYMN (hymn) 711 O Day of Peace DISMISSAL Please face the processional cross for the dismissal. A Go in peace to love and serve your neighbor. a Thanks be to God. The carillon sends the assembly into mission. POSTLUDE Prelude and Fugue in E minor Johann Sebastian Bach Portions of the liturgy are from Sundays and Seasons.com 2018 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress liturgies license #26515. Chancel flowers this weekend are given in loving memory of Robert and Corey Lillestol on the anniversaries of their birth; additional flowers are given by John Wetzel in loving memory of his wife Joy. Flowers are also given in celebration of Pastor Wolfgang Laudert for his early years at Central and his ministry as a pastor in New York City. If you wish to donate flowers, contact Judy Korogi 10 days in advance at 612-788-1288. Large print service folders, assisted listening devices, and access seating are available to aid your participation in worship. Please inquire with an usher.
SERVING TODAY Pastor D. Foy Christopherson The Reverend Wolfgang Laudert Kathryn Holum Deacon Mark Sedio Jane Lien Central Choir Christian Nielsen Shirley Flachman, Seminarian Amanda Hutchinson Joan Hilden Pastor Peter Nycklemoe Mark Kieffer, Marc Wilson Sue & Tom Jorgensen Pat Forse Arlene Lind, Liz Crouch, Jeff Ingvall Megan & Matt Bowman, Mark Erickson, Rexanne Spicer presiding preaching assisting minister cantor/organist associate cantor choir Native American flute readers crucifer communion minister sound operators lead ushers for November docent hosts & greeters seasonal planning team Welcome The Reverend Wolfgang W. Laudert The Reverend Wolfgang W. (Will) Laudert has been a minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America since 2011. He served West Union Lutheran Church, a congregation of the Minneapolis Area Synod, until November 2015. He graduated from Augsburg College receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in religion in 2007 and Luther Seminary, earning his Master of Divinity in 2011. He served his internship year at First Lutheran in Richmond Beach, Seattle, Washington, in 2010. Pr. Laudert was born in the Twin Cities and joined Central Lutheran in 1999. Wolfgang was confirmed in 2000. He graduated from Patrick Henry High School. New York has always been a second home. He was raised in Brooklyn, New York from 1985 until 1989. He still has family in Staten Island. He s a son of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sunset Park, where he was baptized. He spent a few summers working at Camp Koinonia in Port Jervis, upstate New York. He led day camps in the city and faith walks around ground zero from 2005-2007. In the wider church, Laudert has been elected as a clergy voting member to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly. He served on the Stewardship Committee in the Minneapolis Area Synod and the Governing Board of Augsburg College. He accompanied 16 youth from his prior congregation to the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans. At the center of Laudert s ministry and call is the good news of Jesus Christ! He has a deep love for the church. For him, the heart is the gospel ministry of Word and Sacrament and equipping the saints for that mutual ministry in the world. Laudert breathes the writings of the 16 th century German church reformer Martin Luther. Laudert is strongly committed to the life of parish ministry, tending to those relationships, and to the mission and ministries of Christ s church. He accepted a call to serve Christ Lutheran Church in Staten Island, New York on October 4, 2015. He currently serves as the Dean of Staten Island for the ELCA Metro New York Synod. This service is being streamed live on the internet at www.centralmpls.org. - 7 -
WELCOME TO CENTRAL Everyone is welcome. As a community of the people of God, the members of Central Lutheran Church are called to welcome all people regardless of age, economic status, ethnic background, gender, physical or mental ability, race or sexual orientation. We affirm that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male or female (Galatians 3:28). Christ has made us one. Guests are welcome. We are pleased you are worshiping with us today. We invite guests to complete the Welcome to Central card found in the pew racks and leave it with an usher or place it in the offering plate. If you would like more information about Central, please contact us at 612-870-4416, or email info@centralmpls.org. Children are welcome at all services. Worship bulletins for children and activity bags are available at Sanctuary entrances. A nursery may be found near the welcome desk. Nursery staff are provided Sunday mornings. Welcome to the Lord s Table. All who come seeking Jesus are welcome at Holy Communion. Please follow the guidance of the ushers and instructions in the order of service. During communion, ministers will bring bread and wine to persons in designated access seating areas. Communion may be received in one kind (only bread or only wine) from any station if wheat bread or alcohol presents a health concern. Gluten-free breads and alcohol-free wine are available by request at most liturgies from most communion stations. Welcome to the Holy Baptism. All who come seeking Jesus are welcome to receive Holy Baptism. Please visit with any worship leader, staff member, hospitality volunteer, contact the church office, or complete an information card, indicating that you wish to be baptized. A pastor will contact you. Friends of Central Stay connected. Across the country and beyond there are many people who have a soft spot in their heart for Central Lutheran Church people who feel a connection both to the history and the ongoing mission of this congregation. If you re one of them, we invite you to join a network of Friends of Central. Pick up a brochure or visit our website for more information or to join. Electronic Giving Opportunities: Online at www.centralmpls.org click on Give Today; or text 73256, enter code word centralmpls (lower case), and a numerical amount. Press send and fill in the details. All contributions from members and guests will appear in a contribution statement. Wi-Fi is available as Central Lutheran (password guestclc). If you give electronically, use the green pew card to drop in the offering plate instead of an envelope. Central Lutheran is supported by givers like you. Questions? Contact the church office at 612-870-4416. - 8 -