Welcome to First Lutheran! We re glad you re here. FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH LORAIN, OHIO TIME AFTER PENTECOST September 2, 2018 9:30am
2 A special welcome to guests and visitors! May our time together be a blessing to you. GATHERING Prelude Capriccio No. 11 (G. F. Handel) Welcome Pages are the small numbers in the front part of the hymnal, located under your seat. Words in italics are spoken by the leader. Words in bold are spoken by all. Confession and Forgiveness Page 94 Kyrie Page 98 Hymn of Praise Glory to God in the Highest (Page 99) Greeting The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you. Prayer of the Day Amen. The assembly is seated.
3 WORD The Israelites believed the law was a divine gift that provided guidelines for living out the covenant. Moses commands the people to obey the law and to neither add to nor subtract from it. The Israelites are also to teach the law to their children and their children s children. First Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9 So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the LORD your God with which I am charging you. 6 You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people! 7 For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is whenever we call to him? 8 And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today? 9 But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children s children. The word of the Lord, Thanks be to God Psalm: Psalm 15 The cantor sings the parts in regular type; the assembly sings the parts in bold. 1 LORD, who may dwell in your tabernacle? Who may abide upon your holy hill? 2 Those who lead a blameless life and do what is right, who speak the truth from their heart; 3 they do not slander with the tongue, they do no evil to their friends; they do not cast discredit up- on a neighbor. 4 In their sight the wicked are rejected, but they honor those who fear the LORD.
4 They have sworn u- pon their health and do not take back their word. 5 They do not give their money in hope of gain, nor do they take bribes a- gainst the innocent. Those who do these things shall never be overthrown. The letter of James was intended to provide firstcentury Christians with instruction in godly behavior. Here, Christians are encouraged to listen carefully and to act on what they hear, especially by caring for those least able to care for themselves. Second Reading: James 1:17-27 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for your anger does not produce God s righteousness. 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25 But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act they will be blessed in their doing. 26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. The word of the Lord, Thanks be to God Children s Sermon
5 Gospel Acclamation The assembly stands to welcome the gospel. Repeat alleluias. Mark s gospel depicts Jesus as challenging traditional ways in which religious people determine what is pure or impure. For Jesus, the observance of religious practices cannot become a substitute for godly words or deeds that spring from a faithful heart. Gospel: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 The holy gospel according to Mark, the 7 th chapter. Glory to you, O Lord. Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, 2 they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. 3 (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; 4 and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) 5 So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands? 6 He said to them, Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines. 8 You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.
6 14 Then he called the crowd again and said to them, Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile. 21 For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22 adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person. The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. The assembly is seated. Sermon Silence for reflection follows the sermon. Hymn # s are the large numbers in the main part of the hymnal. Hymn of the Day The assembly stands to proclaim the word of God in song. Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing (Hymn #807) Prayers of Intercession Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Peace The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you. The people may greet one another with a sign of Christ s peace, and may say Peace be with you. or similar words. Then the assembly is seated. Offering MEAL Offering Music Oh, That I Had a Thousand Voices (arr. Nancy Raabe) After the offering is gathered, the assembly stands. Response Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful (Hymn #182)
7 Offering Prayer Amen. Great Thanksgiving Dialog With the whole creation, we join the angels song (see Isaiah 6:3). Preface Holy, Holy, Holy Lord
8 Thanksgiving at the Table Amen. Lord s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, (Inside front cover of hymnal) The assembly is seated. Communion All are invited to commune with us. Please come to the altar as directed by the ushers. Receive a piece of bread, and either dip the bread into the first chalice or drink from the second chalice. The bread is gluten-free; the wine has alcohol. If you do not take communion but would like a blessing, please cross your arms across your chest as you come forward. If you need communion brought to you, please alert an usher who will let the servers know. We echo John the Baptist s exclamation: Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29) Communion Song Lamb of God How Great Thou Art (Hymn #856)
9 After all have returned to their places, the assembly stands. Post-Communion Blessing Amen. Prayer after Communion Amen. SENDING Sending of Communion Ministers Announcements Blessing Amen. Sending Hymn Strengthen for Service, Lord (Hymn #497) Dismissal Thanks be to God. Postlude Gavotte from French Suite No. 5 (J. S. Bach) Service music is reproduced under Augsburg Fortress license #SB110765.
Are you interested in serving during worship? Look for signup sheets on the bulletin board or contact the church office for training information. 10 Serving Today Assisting Minister... Mel Kapalin Communion Assistants... Molly Vosniak Dorothy Robbins Sharon Kopronica Lori Gale Greeters... Matt Vosniak Lori Gale Reader... Penelope White Ushers... Jensen family Serving Next Week, September 9 Assisting Minister... Mel Kapalin Communion Assistants... Molly Vosniak Dorothy Robbins Sharon Kopronica Laurene Cyran Greeters... Matt Vosniak Lori Gale Reader... Laurene Cyran Ushers... Yeamans family Flowers this week are given to the glory of God by Larry Apolzon in honor of Jane Cooper. Attendance Last Sunday: 105 YTD Average: 118 Financial Information $6313 Amount needed weekly to sustain the current budget $ Amount received last Sunday
11 Announcements If you have an announcement to share with the congregation, please write it out and email it to the church office. PLEASE THANK Linda Kempke, FLC member and our guest pianist today. VISITING OR FORGOT YOUR ENVELOPE? No worries! Now located in the front of each hymnal is an extra sleeve which contains a giving envelope. Prayerfully consider your gift today! BIBLES are now available for worship. If you d prefer to read the text using a Bible, you may use one for worship; however, please return it after worship to the rack provided. CALLING ALL BAKERS! As we approach celebrating God s Work. Our Hands. Sunday, we will once again be making goody bags for the local fire and police departments. If you d like to make a few dozen cookies and drop them off, we can freeze them until Sept 9. DO YOU HAVE A GREEN THUMB? Please consider tending to one of our landscaping areas around the church. See the bulletin board for more information. DO YOU LIKE KIDS? DO YOU WANT TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORS? Admiral King is seeking a few volunteers to assist some teachers and students. If you are able, please consider going to the Lorain City Schools main office at Lorain High to do the paperwork. Please specify Admiral King on your paperwork. GOD S WORK OUR HANDS SUNDAY is next week. We will be assembling school kits and tie blankets for Lutheran World Relief, goody bags for fire and police departments and one other project that will be announced. Please wear your yellow shirt or an FLC shirt to church next week. Let s join our national church in a wonderful day of service! MUTUAL MINISTRY is currently being modified a bit. Please read the E-News article about this committee.
THIS WEEK at FIRST LUTHERAN Sunday, September 2 9:00am Worship Monday, September 3 Church office closed for Labor Day Tuesday, September 4 10:00am Front Door Wednesday, September 5 6:30pm Confirmation Thursday, September 6 6:00pm Handbell Choir 7:00pm First Choir Sunday, September 9 9:30am Worship 11:30am Ghana Meeting