The Service in PDF format is at: August 8, 2021 Service
Video of service is at: Facebook Video
ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
August 8, 2021
We welcome you in the name of the Lord Jesus. We are honored with your presence. If you do not have a church home, you are invited to join us regularly. Please introduce yourself to Pastor Jeremy Lucke or one of the Ushers as you leave today and sign the guest book in the entryway. We continue to observe the guidelines for health safety. If you have any questions, please see an usher. Everyone is welcome.
The ringing of the bell and the lighting of the Christ candle mark the beginning of our service and a time for quiet meditation, prayer and inward reflection as we begin our worship.
Children are welcome at our worship services. If you prefer, Peace Lutheran has a playroom equipped for children three years old and younger. The room is unstaffed and can be accessed in the fellowship hall where the service is also being live-streamed for your convenience and enjoyment.
Holy Communion is celebrated every first and third Sunday and will follow the order of service in the bulletin. If you are a baptized Christian and share our faith in Jesus as Savior and have been instructed in the meaning and use of the Lord’s Supper, you are invited to partake. We have pre-wrapped communion wine or juice and wafers. We also have gluten-free wafers available. If you desire a gluten-free wafer, ask the server. May the body and blood of Jesus, present in the bread and wine, be a blessing to you.
There are times during the service when you will be asked to stand if you are able. Please feel free to remain seated if standing is difficult.
AS WE GATHER…As we live out each day, we reflect on our faith in our words and actions. In our Epistle Lesson from Ephesians, we are reminded that we are to exhibit a particular lifestyle. What does this lifestyle look like? We are to speak truthfully to our neighbor (4:25). We are to use words that build others up (4:29). We are to be kind and compassionate (4:32). Today we pray for the Holy Spirit to renew us in this lifestyle.
Pastor: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: I lift up my eyes to the hills—
People: from where will my help come?
Pastor: My help comes from the Lord,
People: who made heaven and earth.
Pastor: He will not let your foot be moved;
People: he who keeps you will not slumber.
Pastor: He who keeps Israel
People: will neither slumber nor sleep.
Pastor: The Lord is your keeper;
People: the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
Pastor: The sun shall not strike you by day,
People: nor the moon by night.
Pastor: The Lord will keep you from all evil;
People: he will keep your life.
Pastor: The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in
People: from this time on and forevermore.
OPENING UP TO GOD AND ONE ANOTHER
Pastor: Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened unto you.”
People: “For everyone who ask receives, and those who seek find, and to each who knocks it will be opened.”
Pastor: God knows our needs before we ask and in our asking prepares us to receive the gift of his grace. Let us open our hearts to God’s healing forgiveness and forsake all that separates us from him and from one another. Let us be mindful of all personal evil done in thought, word, and deed and confess to God what has wounded others and us through our sin.
People: Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus, Maker of all things, we admit and confess our sinfulness. We have turned away from you and from each other in our thoughts, words and actions. We do repent and are truly sorry for our sins. Have mercy on us, kind Father. Forgive us all that is past, renew us with the power of the Holy Spirit, and move us to faithful service in the kingdom of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Pastor: God has promised forgiveness of sins to those who repent and turn to him. May he keep you in his grace by the Holy Spirit, lead you to greater faith and obedience and bring you to live with him forever, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
People: Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE: “Jesus in the Morning”
Roger Jones & William Kethe; © Words: Public Domain Music: 1981 Christian Music Ministries (Admin. by Sovereign Music UK)
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus in the morning,
Jesus in the noon time;
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus when the sun goes down!
Praise him, Praise him, Praise him in the morning,
Praise him in the noon time;
Praise him, Praise him when the sun goes down!
Love him, Love him, Love him in the morning,
Love him in the noon time;
Love him, Love him, Love him when the sun goes down!
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus in the morning,
Jesus in the noon time;
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus when the sun goes down!
Pastor: Let us Pray…Gracious Father, Your blessed Son came down from heaven to be the true bread that gives life to the world.
People: Grant that Christ, the bread of life, may live in us and we in Him,
Pastor: who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
scripture lessons
Old Testament: I Kings 19:1-8
Elijah, fleeing for his life, is given miraculous food so that he may get to Horeb.
Reader: At times we fall into our old ways, fearful of many things, not unlike Elijah. But God provided miraculous nourishment for the prophet then, even as He gives us Christ’s body and blood in His Supper.
The Old Testament Reading is from I Kings, chapter 19: Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying,
People: “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my father.”
Reader: And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him,
People: “Arise and eat.”
Reader: And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said,
People: “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.”
Reader: And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Epistle: Ephesians 4:17-5:2
Our lives reflect Christ and His forgiving love.
Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL: John 6:35-51
Whoever believes in Jesus, the bread from heaven, has eternal life and will live forever.
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
Reader: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You O Christ.
SERMON HYMN: “Amazing Grace” LBW 448
John Newton © Words: Public Domain, Music: Public Domain
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
Through many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come;
‘Tis grace has bought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me;
His Word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
SERMON
“A Lifestyle Choice”
People: We believe in God, the Creator of all things, the source of all goodness and love.
We believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, true God yet true man. He was crucified, died and was buried for our sin that we might be free and know the joy of life. He was raised on the third day and ascended to heaven, and will come again in power and glory to judge both the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the power of God at work inside of us.
We believe in the church of God, the people of faith throughout the world.
We believe that our sin is forgiven and that we will live together with God for now and throughout eternity. Amen.
Pastor: Let us pray for all the people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Pastor: We thank You, Lord, for our daily bread, for all we need in this life. Grant us hearts so moved to give as You have first given to us for the needs of others and in support of the work of Your kingdom. Keep us always fed with the grace and mercy of Your Son, Jesus, the Living Bread from heaven. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: As Your servant Elijah fled out of fear and was fed and nourished by You, come to us in our times of fear and anxiety that we be fed with what lasts and sustains in our times of need. Be especially with those we name before you now, (including……). Grant peace and healing, hope and health, according to Your will. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: As Jesus continued to teach the people of His day to know and see Him as He is, grant that we continually learn of Your love through Him as our Savior. Guide children, parents, families, and individuals to rejoice in Your Word here at church and in homes, that all be fed with Your life-giving grace through the work of Your Spirit. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: As You ask us to live a distinctive lifestyle—a lifestyle filled with Your Holy Spirit, transform our ways of relating to others. Help us to speak the truth with great love and tenderness, and may You be honored and glorified in our relationships. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Lord Jesus, we commend all these things to Your wisdom and guiding, for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
CLOSING SONG: Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me LBW 327
Augustus Montague Toplady & Thomas Hastings © Words: Public Domain, Music: Public Domain
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee;
Let the water and the blood, From thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure; Cleanse me from its guilt and pow’r.
Not the labors of my hands Can fulfill thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to thy cross I cling.
Naked, come to thee for dress; Helpless, look to thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath, When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown, See thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me. Let me hide myself in thee.
Pastor: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and+ give you peace.
People: Amen.
DISMISSAL
Pastor: Go in Peace. Serve the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
announcements
pieces by peace craft group will meet tomorrow, Monday the 9th at 10:00 A.M. in the fellowship room. This group is made up of any church member that is interested in doing group crafts of all kinds. No experience needed. These crafts will be in the November bazaar. If you have ideas bring them along. There’s always an interest in new projects. Any questions please call Jani Burton 541-740-4650.
Hygiene Team met this past week to discuss the church’s position regarding the ongoing COVID pandemic. The guidance from the state continues to update as the disease changes and we will continue to follow that guidance. For now, we will continue the following:
- Mask usage (especially inside the building) is strongly encouraged.
- Social distance as much as reasonably possible.
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.
- We will continue to take communion from our seats.
- The offering plate will not be passed during the service.
Finally, if you are not feeling well we would ask that you enjoy the worship service from home via the internet. Our goal is to continue to keep Peace a very safe place for everyone to gather and worship.