June 19, 2016 5 th Sunday after Pentecost 16548 Ferris Avenue, Los Gatos, CA 95032 (408) 356-5055 www.faithlosgatos.org Office Hours: Tues./Thurs. by appointment Church phone answered 9 AM 7 PM For Emergencies: Pastor Anne (408) 406-8749 or Pastor Carol (831) 239-1254
June 19, 2016 LECTIONARY 12 Released to Proclaim Jesus encounters a man who lives naked among the tombs. The man convulsed with fits and seizures. Luke tells us he has an unclean spirit. We are told the demon who possesses the man is called Legion ; for many demons had entered him (Luke 8:30). We can be plagued with many problems, enslaved to many vices. It is rarely one thing or another that holds us captive in life. Sometimes the forces of sin and evil that mount up against us are legion. Earlier in Luke s gospel, Jesus stood up in the synagogue and, echoing the prophet Isaiah, said he was sent to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free (Luke 4:18). Jesus ministry is not to those who have it all together, but to those whose struggles are many, whose resources are few, and whose prospects are dim. By the end of the story, the now-clothed man is sitting calmly at the feet of Jesus. Ironically, the people respond to this healing with fear and actually ask Jesus to leave. Sometimes we grow comfortable with the demons our own and others. What is holding you captive today? What attitudes, addictions, or behaviors keep you chained? From what are you praying to be released today? When Christ comes to free you, will he be welcomed? Who benefits from this enslavement, whether ours or another s? As Jesus prepares to leave, he instructs the man, Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you (Luke 8:39). From what have you been set free already? What do you celebrate today? Jesus came to free us from all that oppresses us, all that holds us captive, so that we might go out to declare how much God has done. Copyright 2016 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS103424. 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. 2 P a g e
GATHERING Prelude The Invitation of the Bell (please stand as you are able) Gathering song: He Has Made Me Glad #54 (purple book) 3 P a g e
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Greeting & Prayer of the Day: P: 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. P: Let us pray C: O Lord God, we bring before you the cries of a sorrowing world. In your mercy set us free from the chains that bind us, and defend us from everything that is evil, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. (please be seated) Welcome & Gratitude Reports 5 P a g e
Praise Song: Holy Spirit Rain Down Lyrics *See page 20 for music version 1. Holy Spirit rain down, rain down. Oh comforter and friend. How we need your touch again Holy Spirit rain down. Rain down. (REFRAIN) Let your power fall, let your voice be heard. Come and change our hearts, As we stand on your word. Holy Spirit rain down. (Repeat 1 st stanza with refrain) 2. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, No mind can know, what God has in store. So Open up Heaven, open it wide, Over your church, and over our lives. (Repeat 2 nd stanza only) 3. Sing 1 st Stanza with Refrain Let your power fall, let your voice be heard. Come and change our hearts, As we stand on your word, Holy Spirit rain down. (Repeat 3 rd stanza) REPEAT ALL WORD Time with God s Kids Pastor Anne First Reading: I Kings 21: 1-19 21 Later the following events took place: Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. 2 And Ahab said to Naboth, Give me your vineyard, so that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house; I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money. 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid that I should give you my ancestral inheritance. 4 Ahab went home resentful and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him; for he had said, I will not give you my ancestral inheritance. He lay down on his bed, turned away his face, and would not eat. 5 His wife Jezebel came to him and said, Why are you so depressed that you will not eat? 6 He said to her, Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard for it ; but he answered, I will not give you my vineyard. 7 His wife 6 P a g e
Jezebel said to him, Do you now govern Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab s name and sealed them with his seal; she sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. 9 She wrote in the letters, Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth at the head of the assembly; 10 seat two scoundrels opposite him, and have them bring a charge against him, saying, You have cursed God and the king. Then take him out, and stone him to death. 11 The men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. Just as it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, 12 they proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the assembly. 13 The two scoundrels came in and sat opposite him; and the scoundrels brought a charge against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth cursed God and the king. So they took him outside the city, and stoned him to death. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth has been stoned; he is dead. 15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, Go, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead. 16 As soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab set out to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. 17 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: 18 Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules [a] in Samaria; he is now in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. 19 You shall say to him, Thus says the LORD: Have you killed, and also taken possession? You shall say to him, Thus says the LORD: In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood. AM: Word of God, Word of Life C: Thanks be to God! Psalm Reading: Psalm 32: 1-9 (read responsively) AM: 1 Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. C: 2 Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. AM: 3 While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. 7 P a g e
C: 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah AM: 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD, and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah C: 6 Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them. AM: 7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah C: 8 I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. AM: 9 Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you. (please stand as you are able) Gospel Acclamation Thy Word # 144 (Purple book) P: The Good News of Jesus according to: Luke 8:26-39 C: Glory to You, O Lord 26 Then [Jesus and his disciples] arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house 8 P a g e
but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me 29 for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) 30 Jesus then asked him, What is your name? He said, Legion ; for many demons had entered him. 31 They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss. 32 Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. 34 When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you. So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him. P: The good news of Jesus C: Thanks be to you, O Christ (please be seated) Message Pastor Anne 9 P a g e
(please stand as you are able) Song of the Day: Sing A New Song #125 (purple book) 10 P a g e
Apostles Creed P: With the whole Church, let us affirm our faith: C: 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 power of 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 the People (please be seated) AM: Let us pray for the church, those in need, and all of God s creation. A brief silence. AM: Gracious God, we pray for the church. (A brief silence.) Keep it faithful to you, so that your people here stand in witness to proclaim how much you have done for us in Jesus Christ. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. AM: We pray for the well-being of creation. (A brief silence.) Tend and nurture plants and animals, lands, seas, and skies. Restore the vitality of lands and waters suffering from human misuse or natural disaster: ( Pause: here specific concerns may be named). Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. 11 P a g e
AM: We pray for the nations. (A brief silence.) Work in and through governments, humanitarian organizations, and local partnerships to cast out the forces of evil and establish your life and peace. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. AM: We pray for the world. This week from the Cycle of World Prayer we especially lift up Brazil. May they live in your peace and protection. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. AM: We pray for all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit. (A brief silence.) Be with those who know demons of any kind, and clothe them with Christ s freedom and healing. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. AM: Bless the ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church in Cupertino, our sister congregation in our parish and we lift them up in prayer. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. AM: We pray for this congregation. (A brief silence.) Establish and renew our faith, strengthen our ministries (especially those we name silently or aloud), and bless those preparing for baptism. Bless fathers and all who provide fatherly care in their vocation to raise up our children in love. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. AM: O God, you have called the saints your own. Gather us, with them, into your kingdom, in the promise of life forever with you. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. Pastor: We lift our prayers to you, O God, trusting your promise to hear us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. C: Amen. 12 P a g e
Reconciliation & Peace P: As you have been reconciled with God, so now reach out to those just around you and share the reconciliation of God with others. P: The peace of Christ be with you. C: and also with you. Communion Prayer P: God be with you C: And also with you P: Lift up your hearts! C: We lift them to the Lord P: Let us give thanks to God. MEAL C: It is right to give God thanks and praise. P: A friend of the broken and companion of the forgotten; a friend on the road and companion to the thirsty and hungry; a friend to the lost and companion to the lonely; as the bread breaks and the wine pours, we hear your invitation gathering us around this table of your love. And so we join the song of all the witnesses past and future: Holy: Santo, Santo, Santo #473 (Red Book) (you are invited to sing this in either Spanish or English 2 times) 13 P a g e
P: So it is that in the midst of the Passover meal, Jesus takes bread from the table, gives thanks to God, breaks it, and gives it to his followers saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Whenever you do this, remember me. Later, during the supper, he takes a cup from the table, gives thanks, and gives 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. Whenever you do this, remember me. Send your spirit, O God, to transform these ordinary elements of bread and wine into signs of your presence in our lives, that they may nourish us and challenge us to be the Body of Christ in your world. C: Amen. P: Let us pray together the prayer of Jesus, a prayer of hope for a new creation. The 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 P: All are invited and welcome at this table. We come together and kneel or not as we desire. There is gluten-free unleavened bread, red wine or white grape juice in the individual cups. If you chose not to receive the bread and wine you are invited to come for a blessing, or stay in your seat in silent prayer. (For those who cannot come to the table, we will come to you.) Invitation to the table P: Come to the banquet, for nothing and no one can take your place. This is God s table, and Jesus is the host of this meal. It is a table of grace and it is all we will ever need. 14 P a g e
Communion Solo: Post-Communion Blessing & Prayer P: The body and blood of Jesus, our companion, strengthen you and keep you in his grace. C: Amen P: O God, we give you thanks that you have set before us this feast. By your Spirit strengthen us to serve all in need and to give ourselves away as bread for the hungry and water for the thirsty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. C: Amen SENDING The Offering Is Received Offering Song: We Are An Offering #146 (purple book) (please sing during the gathering of the offering) 15 P a g e
Time of Testimony & Invitation Blessing P: May the God of love bless you, May Christ the Lamb of God live among you, May the Spirit of justice & reconciliation bring peace to your hearts and live with-in you. C: Amen. 16 P a g e
Sending Song: Shout to the Lord #821 (red book) Dismissal A: Empowered by the Holy Spirit, go and be God s disciples in the world C: Thanks be to God. We will! 17 P a g e
**************************** YOU ARE INVITED TO FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH AS WE CELEBRATE THE FOURTH OF JULY on Sunday, July 3rd Hot dogs salads and watermelon for all, invite and bring friends and family. We will invite the community to join us. Contact Eva Woodall if you are interested in bringing something (408 629 9268). Let us gather to celebrate our independence day. 18 P a g e
FOR YOUR INFORMATION June 19, 2016 The Ecumenical Prayer Cycle This week Brazil Give thanks for: The strength of the church in Brazil, the members and leaders of the Roman Catholic dioceses, the work of the National Council of Christian Churches in Brazil, the witness of Pentecostal and Evangelical Christians, and those who work to spread the Gospel on the streets and in the favelas (shanty towns). Those who work for the liberation of the people and for social, political and economic justice. The beauty and biological diversity of the Amazonian rainforest for parrots and the golden-headed lion tamarin (an endangered monkey). Carnival, when rich and poor dance together. Adult Bible Study 10:45 AM Fireside Room Spiritual Passages Baby Blanket Collection has begun all blankets are due today (Fathers Day) Church Council Meeting - Thursday, June 16, 7:00 PM Church BBQ Sunday, July 3 rd, immediately following the church service Lord s Pantry deliveries are made every Monday Financials/Attendance for June 12: Attendance: 28 Offering: $1,745.00 Social Concern of the Month: $77.00 Social Concern(s) of the Month June Habitat for Humanity - East Bay/Silicon Valley ** Please be sure if you unlock doors that you lock all of them before leaving. It is a security problem. Many doors are being left open and unlocked.** 19 P a g e
5th Sunday after Pentecost June 19, 2016 Those in Service today Assistant Pastor: Organist: Ushers: Acolytes: Reader/Lector: Altar Care: Refreshments: Flowers: Pastor Anne Carlson Catherine Ellacer Bob Balcomb/Les Grundy Donovan Plummer/Damian Hernandez/Tristen Fabris Linda Perez Eunice Phillips Eunice Phillips Honoring all Fathers Prayer List Sharon Biller Elizabeth Krc Marie Hughes Lira Kingston Connie Zimmerman Anne-Lise Holte Eva Woodall Thelma Spaziani Doris Wacker Jazz Oda (Pr Carol's sister) Pastor Carlton Monroe s Parents Ruby and Ben Pastor Frank Espegrin of St. John s Lutheran in Sacramento **Please let us know the names of those you would like included on the prayer list. By request, names may be returned to the prayer list. 20 P a g e
* from page 5 Praise Song: Holy Spirit Rain Down 21
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