ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost September 1 st, 2013
ANNOUNCEMENTS ALTAR FLOWERS are given by Irene Bourg in memory of loved ones and by Joe DePalma in memory of his father, Joseph DePalma Sr. ETERNAL LIGHT is given by the Fitgerald family in loving memory of Jacqueline Herschaft. INTERESTED IN JOINING ZION? If you are interested in becoming a member of Zion, or simply want to know more about what we believe, teach and confess, please contact Pastor Duncan or the Church Office. We d love to share more about who we are and, more importantly, who Jesus is and what he has done for you!! NURSERY!!! Located downstairs, you can listen to the service and keep your little ones entertained with the many toys we have for them there. The nursery is also staffed during the Bible Study hour for your convenience. MEN S BIBLE BREAKFAST is back at it! Come hungry and ready to discuss the sermon text for the coming week. Breakfast is on the house; the conversation is all yours! Saturday, 8:00am in the Fellowship Hall. SOFTBALL. The season is over, but we will be scheduling times for batting practice and unofficial team meetings in the coming months. Check this space (and the church calendar) for batting practice outings. FANTASY FOOTBALL. It s not too late to sign-up for Zion s Fantasy Football League. No experience is necessary, it s a lot of fun, and it s all for a good cause. Contact Pastor Duncan if you would like to be in the league. The draft is TODAY at 4:00pm, so time is of the essence! GOT CARE? Everyone goes through hard times. Those times can feel like they will last forever and that there is no way out. It s in those times that God puts people into our lives to be his hands and feet, to walk with us and help carry our burdens. Stephen Ministry exists to provide Christ-centered care for people going through hard times. If you would be interested in either becoming a Stephen Minister, or if you would like to explore the option of having a Stephen Minister, please contact Pastor Duncan. Your conversation and involvement with Stephen Ministry will be completely confidential. OKTOBERFEST is scheduled for the 8 th of September. If you d like to volunteer at our 5 th Annual Oktoberfest, contact Vicar David @ vicar@zlcb.org. Look for more information about Oktoberfest in our newsletter as well as on our website and Facebook page! WOMENS BIBLE STUDY FALL KICK-OFF Will be meeting on Tuesday evenings this fall from 7:45-9:00 PM. Our kick-off Tuesday, September 10 th will be an evening of fun and fellowship, getting started with our 8-week study written by Sharla Fritz, Bless These Lips. Please watch for more information in the coming weeks! ALL women are encouraged to attend, feel free to bring a friend! This will be a great study for all women, whether you are seasoned in studying God s Word or brand new to digging into the Bible, please consider making this study part of your week. You won t regret it! Contact Alissa McLellan at 412-295-5452 or by email at alissamclellan@yahoo.com if you have any questions! BOWLING Interested in bowling? Sign up for the 2013-2014 bowling season in the narthex. Details can be found online. CHURCH CHOIR will start up on the 12 th of September @ 7:00pm in the Choir Loft. If you ve ever thought about being a part of the Choir, now s the time to get involved! Questions? Please contact the Church Office! CHILI COOK-OFF Zion is going to be participating in the South Fayette Chili Cook-Off on Sunday, September 15 th. We won it all last year and want to repeat our success this year. We need volunteers to cook and serve! Please contact Pastor Duncan or the Church Office if you are interested in helping out. Also, tickets for the Cook-Off will be for sale after the service and during the week at the Church Office. 2
Welcome to worship! This week s memory passage, 1 Timothy 3:1-7 explains the qualifications for someone seeking the Pastoral Office. Vicar David can tell you that at the Seminary this is one of the most talked about and pondered texts in the whole Bible. So why is it important for us to (attempt to) memorize it? It is important for us to know that the Pastoral Office is not something that anyone should be tossed into or should pursue. And while God-given talents and abilities are very important when deciding on a vocation, moral uprightness is also a key element to this particular vocation. But I don t want to bore you this morning talking about my job. (Even though I think we will briefly touch on the role of the Pastoral Office and give you some food for thought on the eligibility requirements because there is so much confusion in the church today.) Instead, I want to talk about Christian Vocation in general. You see, it s too easy for Pastors, other professionals, and people with all kinds of various jobs to get a big head when it comes to what they do, how much they make, how many people answer to them, and their overall status in the community based on what they do. But it s not just people who work who too easily think more highly of themselves than they should. The right shoes, cell phone, game console, car, neighborhood, country club, square footage, counter-top material, vacation spot, season ticket seats, degree, boyfriend, girlfriend, team, GPA, ERA, OPS, PPG, SAT score, ACT score, or a million other things can lead us to think more highly than we ought to. For behind every calling, vocation, material possession, blessing and status are the words of Christ: IF ANYONE would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life would lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. We have been given all things in Christ, yet we are not too good for anything. We have been seated in the heavenly realms with Christ and promised eternal glory, yet it is our daily task to carry our cross and live as Christ did. We have been blessed beyond measure in ways we cannot fathom, but we do not use these blessings to advance ourselves, but in loving service to our neighbor to the glory of Christ. God bless your time at Zion this morning as you hear again the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, receive his gifts, and leave your sins at the foot of his cross. Rev. Duncan McLellan, Pastor Pastor s Phone: 412-667-0967 David Schultz, Vicar Office Phone: 412-221-4776 Darren Eliker, Pastoral Assistant Website: www.zlcb.org 3
The Divine Service Welcome to Zion! Please take a minute to sign the attendance book (at the end of the pew) and let us know you are here. If you are visiting with us, please take a minute to review the communion policy (in this bulletin) and let us know (in the attendance book) if you would like someone from the church to contact you. God s blessings on your worship this morning! Introduction to Worship and Announcements Opening Hymn: Come, Thou Almighty King 905 The Invocation People: Confession of Sins People: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Our Gospel Lesson for this morning tells us that we are to deny ourselves and follow Christ. But the sad reality is that we have spent the last week approving of ourselves and sanctioning our behaviors and attitudes, making excuses for what God calls sin. This morning, God calls us to leave our pride at the door and our sins at the cross. Lord Jesus Christ, the suffering servant who gave his life as a ransom for many, you have commanded me in your steadfast loving kindness to deny myself and follow you. This I have failed to do, and have instead lived to please and promote myself. Forgive my sinful ways and lead me to see the wisdom in living like you, trusting in you, and walking with you. Amen. Absolution Spoken by the Pastor People: Amen. 4
The Hymn of Praise: This Is the Feast 155 Refrain: This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God. Refrain. Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor, blessing, and glory are His. Refrain. Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation: Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen. Refrain. For the Lamb who was slain has begun His reign. Alleluia. Refrain. The Prayer of the Church People: (Please be seated) Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer. The Baptism of Samuel James Trentini Sponsors: Bethany Schrag and Joseph Trentini Maternal Grandparents: Bill and Carol Schrag Paternal Grandparents: Joe and Dolores Trentini The Service of the Word The Old Testament Reading: 1 Samuel 3:1-21 Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. The lamp of God had not gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, Here I am! and ran to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. But he said, I did not call; lie down again. So he went and lay down. 5
And the LORD called again, Samuel! and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. But he said, I did not call, my son; lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the young man. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, Speak, LORD, for your servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for your servant hears. Then the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever. Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, Samuel, my son. And he said, Here I am. And Eli said, What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you. So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him. And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD. And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD. 6
The New Testament Reading: 1 Timothy 3:1-7 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. (Please stand) People: Alleluia, Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia! The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 16 th Chapter. People: Glory to you, O Lord. The Gospel Reading: Matthew 16:21-28 From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you. But he turned and said to Peter, Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man. Then Jesus told his disciples, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life would lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to 7
you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. People: (Please be seated) This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. The Sermon Hymn: Hark, the Voice of Jesus Calling 826 Sermon (Please stand) The Apostles Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His 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 into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. (Please be seated) The Collection of the Offering (Please stand) The Service of the Sacrament Having confessed our sins and received forgiveness, listened to the Word of God and instruction, and confessed our faith in the historic 8
People: People: creed of the Church, we have been prepared for Christ to come to us with his body and blood. And so, as you approach his table, may the Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray. 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. The Words of Institution People: The peace of the Lord be with you always. And also with you. The Sharing of the Peace The Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) 163 Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us. Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us. Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant us peace, grant us peace. (Please be seated until it is your time to commune.) The Distribution We welcome to the Lord s Table all who have been baptized in the name of the Triune God, can examine themselves spiritually and believe they receive the true body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and as a profession of their faith. If you hold a profession of faith that differs from that of our congregation, please speak to the Pastor before the start of the service before communing. We believe the body and blood of Christ are truly present in the bread and wine. We believe Christ offers the forgiveness of sins in the Lord s Supper, but that the Lord s Supper is not necessary for salvation. We believe the Lord s Supper remembers the death of Christ and proclaims his death until he returns. We believe the Lord s Supper is a statement of unity in the body of Christ; we do not believe it creates that unity. During the distribution, you are encouraged to sing the Distribution Hymns, pray, or meditate on the words this is my body this is my blood, given for you. The cups at the center of the Individual Communion tray contain diluted wine for those with alcohol sensitivities. Distribution Music Great Is Thy Faithfulness 809 9
Have No Fear, Little Flock 735 How Firm a Foundation 728 On Eagles Wings 727 (Please stand) Doxology Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow 805 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen Benediction Spoken by the Pastor People: Amen The Recessional: Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer 918 Matthew 18:18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Service Participants The Officiant: The Rev. Duncan McLellan Vicar: David Schultz Pastoral Assistant/Pianist: Darren Eliker The Organist: Paula Gardner The Elders: Ken Wuerthele and Mike Sterba The Acolyte: Chris Yellig The Greeters: Carl and Karen Bauer, and Elise DallaPiazza The Ushers: Carl Bauer, Joe Gierlarowski, Gene Koop, and Ron Meier Altar Guild: Paula Jones, Pam Larson, and Rose Steranko Last Week in Worship Sunday Worship Attendance (8/25) 191 Voters Meeting Attendance (8/25) 75 Offerings (8/25) - $5,485.91 10
Week of September 1-8, 2013 SUNDAY 9/1 MONDAY 9/2 Labor Day TUESDAY 9/3 WEDNESDAY 9/4 THURSDAY 9/5 FRIDAY 9/6 SATURDAY 9/7 SUNDAY 9/8 9:00AM Worship w/communion 10:15AM Bible Study and Summer Sunday School 11:30PM Stephen Ministry 4:00PM Zion Fantasy Football Draft 7:00PM Trustees Meeting First Day of Preschool @ Zion! 10:00AM Bible Study (Conference Room) 7:30PM Elders Meeting (Conference Room) 8:00AM Men s Bible Breakfast (Fellowship Hall) 8:00AM Worship w/ Communion 9:15AM Sunday School and Adult Bible Class 10:30AM Worship w/ Communion 4:00PM Oktoberfest!! 11
Sunday school is back on Sunday, September 8 th!! We kick off our new year with the Unit: Who is Jesus? Our opening will start at 9:20am in the sanctuary. Helpers are needed for the September unit in the following areas: Art, Science and Storytelling. We are also looking for leaders/helpers for the October unit (see insert). Please contact Katie Gielarowski for more information and to volunteer! 12