Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit 3461 Cedar Crest Blvd. EMAIL Info@holyspirit-emmaus.org Emmaus, PA 18049-1599 www.lchsemmaus.org PHONE 610.967.2220 www.facebook.com/lchsemmaus FAX 610.966.3021 www.twitter.com/lchsemmaus Spirit Alive! upbeat Christ-Centered 19th Sunday after Pentecost Sunday, September 30, 2018 8:45 am The Holy Spirit Empowers Us for Ministry in Daily Life Gathered by God s grace and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we invite and welcome all people to join us on our journey to become more faithful ministers of Jesus Christ in our homes, our communities, and the world.
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ELW refers to the Evangelical Lutheran Worship, the red worship book. Page numbers are in the front of the book with hymn numbers following in the middle & end. During worship, please silence all communication devices. *As you are able, please stand. GATHERING Gathering and Fellowship Welcome/Theme of the Day Someone is casting out demons in Jesus name who isn t part of Jesus own circle, and the disciples want him stopped. They appeal to Jesus, as Joshua did to Moses about the elders who prophesied without official authorization. Like Moses, Jesus refuses to see this as a threat. Jesus welcomes good being done in his name, even when it is not under his control. The circle we form around Jesus word must be able to value good being done in ways we wouldn t do it, by people we can t keep tabs on. *Gathering The assembly reads responsively. Loving God, your abundance overflows around us. You have given us our lives, our loved ones, our daily bread and so much more. To those who lack health, you have given salvation. To those who lack companionship, you have given your presence. To those who lack nourishment, you have given your broken body. Teach us, Lord, the difference between the affluence of our culture and the abundance of your kingdom. Help us to rejoice in all that you give us. *Song of Welcome Here I Am to Worship 1: Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness, opened my eyes let me see. Beauty that made this heart adore You, hope of a life spent with You. Chorus: So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that You're my God. And You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me. 3
2: King of all days, oh so highly exalted, glorious in heaven above. Humbly You came to the earth You created, all for love's sake became poor. Chorus: So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that You're my God. And You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me. Bridge: And I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross. And I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross. Chorus: So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that You're my God. And You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me. *Prayer of the Day Let us pray together. Generous God, your Son gave his life that we may be at peace with you. Blow your Spirit in and through us in all we do that we bear the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. WORD First Reading A Reading from Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29. What constitutes legitimate need and legitimate leadership is the focus of this reading. God provides manna in the wilderness, yet the people crave meat. What is truly needful? God bestows the spirit on seventy elders, yet two men not designated as leaders prophesy in the power of God s spirit. What constitutes real leadership? One day some worthless foreigners among the Israelites became greedy for food, and even the Israelites themselves began moaning, We don t have any meat! In Egypt we could eat all the fish we wanted, and there were cucumbers, melons, onions, and garlic. But we re starving out here, and the only food we have is this manna. The Israelites stood around their tents complaining. Moses heard them and was upset that they had made the LORD angry. 4
Moses prayed: I am your servant, LORD, so why are you doing this to me? What have I done to deserve this? You ve made me responsible for all these people, but they re not my children. You told me to nurse them along and to carry them to the land you promised their ancestors. They keep whining for meat, but where can I get meat for them? This job is too much for me. How can I take care of all these people by myself? If this is the way you re going to treat me, just kill me now and end my miserable life! The LORD said to Moses: Choose seventy of Israel s respected leaders and go with them to the sacred tent. Moses told the people what the LORD had said. Then Moses chose seventy respected leaders and went with them to the sacred tent. While the leaders stood in a circle around the tent, Moses went inside, and the LORD spoke with him. Then the LORD took some authority from Moses and gave it to the seventy leaders. And when the LORD s Spirit took control of them, they started shouting like prophets. But they did it only this one time. Eldad and Medad were two leaders who had not gone to the tent. But when the Spirit took control of them, they began shouting like prophets right there in camp. A boy ran to Moses and told him about Eldad and Medad. Joshua was there helping Moses, as he had done since he was young. And he said to Moses, Sir, you must stop them! Moses replied, Are you concerned what this might do to me? I wish the LORD would give his Spirit to all his people so everyone could be a prophet. Contemporary English Version Bible After the reading, Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God. Word for God s Children Children age 3 7 are invited to the All Saints Room. They will return after the Sermon. We encourage at least one parent to be present. 5
*Gospel The good news from Mark 9:38-50. Open our hearts, Lord On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus teaches his disciples about ministry that involves service and sacrifice. His disciples are slow to realize that these words apply to them as well as to others. John said, Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of people. But he wasn t one of us, and we told him to stop. Jesus said to his disciples: Don t stop him! No one who works miracles in my name will soon turn and say something bad about me. Anyone who isn t against us is for us. And anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, just because you belong to me, will surely be rewarded. It will be terrible for people who cause even one of my little followers to sin. Those people would be better off thrown into the ocean with a heavy stone tied around their necks. So if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! You would be better off to go into life crippled than to have two hands and be thrown into the fires of hell that never go out. If your foot causes you to sin, chop it off. You would be better off to go into life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. If your eye causes you to sin, get rid of it. You would be better off to go into God s kingdom with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. The worms there never die, and the fire never stops burning. Everyone must be salted with fire. Salt is good. But if it no longer tastes like salt, how can it be made salty again? Have salt among you and live at peace with each other. Contemporary English Version Bible This is the good news! Thanks be to God! Hallelujah! Sermon Pr. Ric Elliott *Word in Song Spirit of Gentleness ELW Hymn 396 6
*Affirming the Call to a Life of Stewardship In baptism, God calls us to share in God s mission of caring for the world, sharing the gifts God has given us. We are stewards, caretakers of God s gifts. Everything we have is a gift from God, and God asks us to use it all for God s purposes. Generosity flows naturally out of our gratitude for God s gifts of love, health, family, and life itself. In God s church, we are stewards of the good news of God s love for us in Jesus Christ. We are called to share that good news with new generations. Convince us to be passionate people about doing God s mission. Set us on fire for you, Lord. Stewardship is...all that we do, with ALL that we have, ALL the time. I believe that stewardship is a way of life and I will live into stewardship becoming a way of my life. Amen! *Prayers of the People Freed by God in Christ to live and love and serve, we pray for the church, those in need, and all of God s beloved creation. After each petition: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Into your wide embrace, gracious God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your boundless mercy through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen. *Share the Peace The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you. The people greet one another with the peace of Christ. 7
Offering Same Power Camp/Ingrsm Lisa Walton, soloist The assembly responds to the Word of God by gathering an offering for the mission of the church, including the care of those in need. The music is offered as a gift to the glory of God. You may give your offering in the offering plate, or by using a credit or debit card at the Giving Kiosk, or Give by Text (610-981-1312), or through Simply Giving, or by sending it to the church office. The table is set. *Prayer of Thanks for Abundance Let us pray. Loving God, your abundance overflows all around us. As we grow in the practice of giving, teach us, Lord, the difference between the affluence of our culture and the abundance of your way of life. You have raised us to new life in Christ, give us glad and generous hearts; ready to praise you and to respond to those in need. Bless these offerings, and multiply them into blessings for your people in our community and around the world. Amen. MEAL *Thanksgiving at the Table for Abundant Blessings May the God of generosity be with you! And also with you. People of God, open your hearts to the One who blesses us beyond our imagination. God always surprises us with blessings. Children of the abundant God, join your voices in glad songs of praise. Our hearts and voices sing your praise. In those first days, Imaginative God, you poured all that was in your heart into the silence and emptiness of chaos. You crafted all this goodness and beauty for your children who are created in your image that we may enjoy your gifts forever. Prophets came to remind us that you are a God of blessing. You sent Jesus to come to us, bearing the ring of redemption to slip onto our fingers, the robe of forgiveness to wrap around our broken lives. Words of Institution 8
Your love for us, Benevolent God, is the gift given to us in the bread and the cup every time we gather at your table. We taste your goodness in the bread which is broken for us. We drink your life from the cup of compassion. We offer the gifts you have so abundantly given to us so that the hungry may be filled, the homeless may find shelter, the captive be set free, the sick may be made well, and all creation may rejoice in your blessings. Come, Holy Spirit, and open our hearts so we invest in spiritual possibilities. Come, Holy Spirit, and transform our worldview with thoughts and actions of you. Come, Holy Spirit, and make our lives a living sacrifice. Amen! *Lord s Prayer Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us: 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. *Invitation to Communion Speak to us, Lord, in the breaking of the bread, and make us one with you. Amen. Sacrament of Holy Communion All who are baptized and believe in the presence of Jesus Christ in Holy Communion are welcome to receive the Sacrament. To facilitate flow, the ushers invite the side sections, the front few rows and then the back rows. The people come forward, using the center aisle in two lines, to receive the bread from the ministers, then go to the side to dip their bread into the wine. Grape juice is used in our celebration so that all may freely receive. In addition, gluten free wafers are available. After receiving the elements, people may kneel at the altar rail for prayer, and return to their seats using the side aisles. Children may receive the sacrament if they have completed instruction with a pastor. Children who do not commune may come forward for a blessing. 9
Communion Songs The whole assembly is invited to praise God in song. Let Us Break Bread Together ELW Hymn 471 When the Poor Ones ELW Hymn 725 Eat This Bread, Drink This Cup ELW Hymn 492 *Prayer Let us pray. Holy and compassionate God, in bread and wine you give us gifts that form us to be humble and courageous. May your words come to life in our serving and in our witness, that we may speak a living voice of healing and justice to all the world, through Jesus Christ, our rock and our redeemer. Amen. 10
SENDING *Blessing May God bless, guide, strengthen and transform you as a living sacrifice. Go and live as God s faithful stewards. Go and live as passionate followers of Jesus Christ. Go and serve others through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. *Sending Song The Lord Now Sends Us Forth ELW Hymn 538 *Dismissal The assisting minister sends the assembly into mission. Rejoice and share God s abundant blessings. Thanks be to God! CCLI #678084 One License A-701076 HymnPrint.net License #11804. The Toolkit all content Changing Church Forum, Inc. Reproducible for church use only. Liturgy from Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2018 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #20593. Some liturgy reprinted by permission of Westminster John Knox Press from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion. 2014. Used by permission. Baptismal liturgy [from Holy Baptism and Related Rites. Renewing Worship, Volume 3. Holy Baptism. Pages 5-10 Used by permission. 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. Contemporary English Version Bible (CEV), Copyright 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. The Message (MSG) Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission. Gathering paraphrase from LiturgyLink.net Some Stewardship resources from Luther Seminary Center for Stewardship Leaders website. Great Thanksgiving Adapted and Reprinted by permission of 2010 Thom M. Shuman http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.com/2010/11/great-prayer-of-thanksgiving-for.html 11
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