The Bulletin is at: 02-05-2017 BULLETIN
The Service in PDF format is at: 02-05-2017 fifth sunday after ephiphany
or the service is as follows;
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
February 5, 2017
PRE SERVICE MUSIC
AS WE GATHER……….. “Lead, kindly light, amid the encircling gloom, lead Thou me on!” These poetic words by John Henry Newman, an English clergyman, begin a hymn that is much loved in many parts of the Christian community worldwide. The linking of the light that is Christ with the descriptive word kindly, which is related to the attribute of kindness, is appropriate to the Epiphany season. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls His hearers to be lights in the world. Letting our light shine with kindness is evidence of the fruit of the Spirit growing in, through, and among us.
CHORAL ANTHEM “African Psalm” By Patrick M. Liebergen
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
People: Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other.
BEING REAL WITH GOD AND ONE ANOTHER
Pastor: God’s kindness toward us knows no limits. Let us go to Him, confident that He will grant us forgiveness for Jesus’ sake.
Silent Reflection
Pastor: Heavenly Father,
People: we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have failed to show kindness, the fruit of Your Holy Spirit, in our thinking, speaking, and acting. We have not loved You completely or our neighbors as ourselves. We know that You call us to share our bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into our house. We have let opportunities to show kindness slip away from us, exhibiting only what was expected of us and keeping Your kindness hidden within us. Our Lord Jesus revealed His person and ministry through His words and actions. In Your great mercy, forgive, renew, and lead us so that we may be revealed as His faith-filled followers to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
Pastor: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.” Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
SONG OF PRAISE (Twice through) “White As Snow”
White as snow, white as snow,
Though my sins were as scarlet,
Lord, I know, Lord I know
That I’m clean and forgiven,
Through the power of your blood,
Through the wonder of your love,
Through faith in you, I know that I can be
White as snow.
Pastor: In describing the woman who fears the Lord and is a blessing to those around her, Proverbs says, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” This wisdom reminds us that kindness is a fruit of the Spirit that benefits from cultivation. Finding ways to be kind is a lifelong occupation.
People: Also in Proverbs, we read this word that includes a divine promise, “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.”
HEARING FROM GOD’S WORD
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 58:3-9 The “fast” God wants is that we care for others.
“’Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?
“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’”
Epistle: I Corinthians 2:1-12 We proclaim Christ crucified, as the Spirit has revealed Him.
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,
What no eye has seen, not ear hears, nor the
heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:13-20 You are salt and light in the world.
[Jesus said:] “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
SERMON SONG “Green Book” 561 (vs. 1-4 only) “For the Beauty of the Earth”
For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies;
Christ our Lord, to you we raise This our sacrifice of praise.
For the joy of human love, Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above; For all gentle thoughts and mild:
Christ our Lord, to you we raise This our sacrifice of praise.
People: I believe in God, who has created all things and continues to create new life within us.
I believe in Jesus, son of God, son of man, the Savior of the world. By His life, His death and resurrection, I can know the true depth of human possibility, and experience the true joy of an abundant life.
I believe that the Holy Spirit is present, now and always, calling us to faith, giving us gifts and empowering us for service.
I believe that the community of believers called the church can experience the fullness of life through the word, the sacraments, and all that we do.
OFFERING (We give our offerings as a sign of our lives offered to God.)
Pastor: Heavenly Father, You have appointed Your Church to be a city on a hill, shining the light of Your mercy into the world and gathering Your own to receive Your precious gifts of forgiveness, life and mercy. Use us joyfully to invite and welcome our neighbors, co-workers and acquaintances to join us in receiving Your gifts. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Heavenly Father, through the prophets You declare that the fasting You accept is to share our food with the hungry and our homes with the homeless. Guard us from self-absorption, gluttony and other vices that prevent us from extending Your bounty to those less fortunate. Grant shelter to those who have none, food to those who hunger and honest work to the unemployed. We ask You to bless those ministries that we are in partnership with to care for those who are less fortunate. Use Your people to extend Your mercy, and lift us to the joy of sharing our daily bread. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Heavenly Father, Your mercies are new to us every morning, and yet we often know the pain of sickness, injury, sorrow and other frailties. In Your never-failing mercy, remember those who have requested our intercessions, [especially ________________,] that they might have healing and wholeness according to Your will and grace to entrust themselves to Your merciful hands as they endure with courage and hope whatever crosses and afflictions You are pleased to allow. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord.
People: Amen.
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
WORDS OF CONSECRATION
LORD’S PRAYER
DISTRIBUTION
“Green Book” 518 “Beautiful Savior”
Beautiful Savior, King of creation,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I’d love thee, Truly I’d serve thee,
Light of my soul, my joy, my crown.
Fair are the meadows, Fair are the woodlands
Robed in flow’rs of blooming spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
He makes our sorrowing spirit sing.
Fair is the sunshine, Fair is the moonlight,
Bright the sparkling stars on high;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer,
Than all the angels in the sky.
Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, Praise, adoration,
Now and forevermore be thine!
“Red Book” 126 “Let us Break Bread Together”
Let us break bread together on our knees;
Let us break bread together on our knees;
When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord have mercy on me.
Let us drink wine together on our knees;
Let us drink wine together on our knees;
When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord have mercy on me.
Let us bow ‘round the altar on our knees;
Let us bow ‘round the altar on our knees;
When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord have mercy on me.
Let us praise God together on our knees;
Let us praise God together on our knees;
When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord have mercy on me.
“Red Book” 47 “Freely, Freely”
God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name,
I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name;
And in Jesus’ name I come to you
To share His love as He told me to.
He said, “Freely, freely you have received:
Freely, freely give.
Go in my name, and because you believe,
Others will know that I live.”
All pow’r is giv’n in Jesus’ name,
In earth and heav’n in Jesus’ name
And in Jesus’ name I come to you
To share His pow’r as He told me to.
He said, “Freely, freely you have received:
Freely, freely give.
Go in my name, and because you believe,
Others will know that I live.”
CLOSING HYMN “Green Book” 557 “Let All Things Now Living”
Let all things now living A song of thanksgiving
To God the creator triumphantly raise,
Who fashioned and made us, Protected and stayed us,
Who still guides us on to the end of our days.
God’s banners are o’er us, His light goes before us,
A pillar of fire shining forth in the night,
Till shadows have vanished And darkness is banished,
As forward we travel from light into light.
His law he enforces, The stars in their courses
And sun in its orbit obediently shine;
The hills and the mountains, The rivers and fountains,
The deeps of the ocean proclaim him divine.
We too should be voicing Our love and rejoicing;
With glad adoration a song lets us raise
Till all things now living Unite in thanksgiving:
“To God in the highest, Hosanna and praise!”
Pastor: Go in Peace. Serve the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!