TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP SERVICE - 10:45 am FEBRUARY 23, 2014 SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS L) God Works In Moments C) Make Moments for God and Others CALL TO WORSHIP: based on Psalm 119:33-37 Following God s ways: creates guidance for our lives Understanding God s ways: imparts goodness to our lives. Being led in God s ways: grants delight in our lives. Turning hearts to God s ways: adds integrity to our lives. Turning eyes to God s ways: provides direction for our lives. GATHERING SONG All Are Welcome Chorus: Verse 1: Verse 2: All are welcome friend and stranger At the banquet of the Savior All are welcome, all are welcome here. From the woman who comes crying leaving tears at Jesus feet To the man who knows the right way but cannot see. (Chorus) From the ones who feel forgotten those who sense their place is gone To the ones who live in hunger, here you belong. (Chorus) Verse 3: Go into the streets and cities to the farms and families. Tell about the splendid table, God s mercy. (Chorus) CCLI#1330601 1
CONFESSION L) Holy God, we confess that there are times when we build foundations to our lives that are other than Christ. Foundations built upon our status in society or even in the church; foundations built on our achievements; our wealth, our power. C) When we construct our lives around these things, we destroy ourselves. L) When we boast of these things, we deny the Spirit who dwells in us. All) Forgive our reluctance, O God, to proclaim with our lips and our lives that Christ is Lord of our lives and the foundation of our faith. Help us to empty ourselves of all that hinders such proclamation of our faith. Have mercy on us, O God, and strengthen us to do your will. This we pray in Jesus name. Amen ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS Based on 2 Cor 5:17,18 L) Hear the good news: "Those who are in Christ are a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, to whom we are reconciled through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation." And so I declare to you, in Jesus Christ we are forgiven. C) Thanks be to God. PRAYER OF THE DAY: (ALL) Holy God, your desire to guide us far exceeds our capacity to imagine such blessing, and the assurance of such guidance and care has surely been realized in the person of Jesus Christ. He blesses our lives with the promise of newness and growth through the gift of his Spirit. He demonstrated to the full, the depth of your care through his love and compassion. A love, which resonated in people s lives, and a compassion which permeated all his actions. We offer our praise and thanksgiving for such precious gifts and pray that this time of worship and the service of our lives will be a worthy response to such blessings. This we pray in Jesus name. Amen CHILDREN S MESSAGE Shivon Miller 2
SONG: The Lord Will Keep Me Safe and Holy Verse 1: Chorus: Verse 2: Verse 3: I lift my eyes up to the mountain, from where my help will surely come. For my help comes from the Creator, who made the earth, the stars and sun. The Lord will keep me safe and holy, the Lord s a shade when day is bright; the sun won t burn me with it s glory, nor will the moon in dark of night. The Lord will keep me from all evil with all the love I ll ever need; From this time on until forever, the Lord will know and care for me. And when the road is long and weary and if you tire beneath the sun, You join with those who share the journey; bring them home when day is done. CCLI# 1330601 FIRST LESSON Leviticus 19:1-2,9-18 The Holiness Code in Leviticus urges people to be holy since God is holy. Holiness is lived out in partiality for and consideration of the poor and the weak. We are to love our neighbors as ourselves. The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. 9 When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the LORD your God. 11 You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another. 12 And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the LORD. 13 You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. 14 You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the LORD. 15 You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the LORD. 17 You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. 3
SECOND LESSON 1 Corinthians 3: 10-11, 16-23 Jesus Christ is the foundation of the church and its ministry. We are God s temple because God s Spirit dwells in us, and we belong to Christ. Hence we are called to build wisely upon this sure foundation not for our own benefit but for others to experience Christ s benefits. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. 16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. 18 Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness," 20 and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." 21 So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future all belong to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. PREACING TEXT: PSALM 137 SERMON Mad Songs Pastor Jerome Evavold SONG By The Waters of Babylon By the waters of Babylon where we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion For the wicked carried us away captivity required from us a son How can we sing our holy song in a strange land So let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in the sight oh God CCLI # 1330601 CONFESSION OF FAITH - 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. 4
OFFERING SONG How Long Will You Hide Your Face? (See insert) Dakota Road OFFERTORY PRAYER (All) Loving God, you have revealed in Jesus that the boundaries of your love are limitless. Through him you have blessed our lives with healing and wholeness. In response to such gracious gifts, we offer these gifts and the service of our lives, as visible and faithful reminders of your radical love and mercy. This we pray in Jesus name. Amen PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION THE LORD S PRAYER 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. BENEDICTION L) May the perfect love of God embrace you The amazing love of Jesus fill you The empowering love of the Holy Spirit stimulate you. SENDING SONG He Came To Set Us Free Dakota Road Chorus He came to set us free; to set us free; to set us free from oppression. He came to set us free; to set us free; to set us free from oppression. To bring good news to the poor in the world. To grant release to the captives in the world. To restore sight to the blind in the world. We are captured by the world; captured by the world. To break the chains of sin that hold us tight. To conquer death so that all may have new life. To be our light in our darkness like the night. We are captured by the night; captured by the night. L) Go in Peace, Serve the Lord. C) Thanks be to God! CCLI # 1330601 5
Trinity Announcements WELCOME This week at Trinity... Sunday, February 23, 2014 8:45 am - Traditional Worship Service 9:45 am - Coffee Fellowship 10:00 am - Education Hour 10:45 - Contemporary Worship Service 11:45 am - Coffee Fellowship Monday, February 24, 2014 5 pm - AA 6:30 pm - Boy Scouts Tuesday, February 25, 2014 9:00 am - Quilters 1:00 pm - Trinity Travelers-Bulldog Pizza 7:30 pm - NA Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Thursday, February 27, 2014 5:00 pm - In Stitches 6:00-8:00 pm - Yoga Friday, February 28, 2014 5:00 pm Wedding Rehearsal 6:00 pm - AA Meeting Saturday, March 1, 2014 4 pm Wedding Sunday, March 2, 2014 8:45 am - Traditional Worship Service 9:45 am - Coffee Fellowship 10:00 am - Education Hour 10:45 - Contemporary Worship Service 11:45 am - Coffee Fellowship Internet: www:tlcduluth.org Facebook: trinity@tlcduluth.org Phone: 218-724-9369 SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY Reclaiming the "P" Word We receive constant messages through movies, music, standardized tests, and self-proclaimed experts of what constitutes "real" beauty, "real" intelligence, "real" success, or a "real" relationship. We are led to believe that anything in our lives that doesn't match up with that picture of perfection is somehow deficient or wrong. As a result, the command to "be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt. 5:48) can turn instantly into a kind of performance evaluation that says, "You had better show some improvement in these areas!" How many people have wasted all kinds of mental and emotional energy trying to live up to that impossible standard? Fortunately for us, the world's idea of perfection bears little resemblance to God's. The word Jesus uses in this passage the one we know as "perfect" is the same word he utters from the cross when he says, "It is finished" (John 19:30). There, it's a sign of completeness: of Jesus having lived fully and courageously into his God-given identity. It's a fulfillment of the promise he received when the heavens opened and God's voice came upon him saying, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17). That's your identity too. When Jesus calls you to be perfect, he's calling you back to your baptism. He's inviting you to see your life not as the sum total of your accomplishments and failures, but in the light of God's love for you. Because of that love, your life will never be judged on your own faithfulness, but on Christ's. The standard-bearer has clothed you in the robe of righteousness. Wear it with confidence that you are called, chosen, and accepted just the way you are. You are, for Christ's sake, perfect. Reprinted from Words for Worship, copyright 2013 Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress. If you are visiting with us this morning, WE WELCOME YOU! We are happy to have you worshipping with us. We invite you to read through the upcoming events and be a part of the life of the congregation. Please fill out the information below and place it in the offering plate so that we can get to know you. Name Street Address City, State Zip Email Address Telephone 6
WITNESS WORSHIP LEADERS Altar - February - Joanne Robson, Donna Shepherd, Theresa Stumbris Remember in your prayers: Vivian Nelson Hart Myles Allison Carol Anderson Kathie Sunnarborg Jan Anderson Shirley Bergum Louise Wold Taire Suliin Alexis Thayer Linda Kagak THIS SUNDAY - February 23rd - 8:45 am Claudine Hansen Eileen Nelson, Claudine Hansen Faye Kerttula Coffee Host: Ann Clark, Brenda Bonnema Counter: February 24th - Eileen Nelson THIS SUNDAY - February 23rd - 10:45 am Don Stellmaker Kathy Gilbertson, Don Stellmaker Theresa Stumbris Coffee Host: Ann Clark, Brenda Bonnema Counter: February 24th - Eileen Nelson From prayer request cards: We pray for all our members who are homebound and in nursing care facilities. We also pray for all our members who are currently traveling. May God be present with them all. NEXT SUNDAY - March 2nd - 8:45 am Eileen Nelson John Bergson, Bea Wenck Kathy Myers Comm.Assts: Kathy Myers, Gail Hosking Basket Holders: Eileen Nelson, Jan Culliton Coffee Host: Fritz & Faye Kerttula Counter: March 3rd - Joanne Robson UPCOMING EVENTS Tuesday, February 25, 2014-1 pm Lunch with the Trinity Travelers at Bulldog Pizza. Wednesday, March 5, 2014 - ASH WEDNESDAY - Lent begins NEXT SUNDAY - March 2nd - 10:45 am Jack & Joann Salmela Jack & Joann Salmela Kathy Gilbertson Comm. Assts: Kathy Gilbertson, Joanne Robson Comm. Basket Holders: Per Johnson, Serena Miller Coffee Host: Faye & Fritz Kerttula Counter: - March 3rd - Joanne Robson Friday/Saturday, April 4th & 5th - RUMMAGE SALE Sunday, April 20th - EASTER 7