The Service in PDF format is at: July 18, 2021 Service
Video of service is at: Facebook Video
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
July 18, 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 about that, 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. However, 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. First Sundays are a drive in Communion Service and the Third Sunday is in the sanctuary. Guests, 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 come to the altar. 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…We live in a divisive world. There are so many things out there that can divide us. In today’s Epistle, Paul speaks of a dividing wall of hostility. We have many such walls. Yet in Christ, we are reconciled to God and to one another. The walls that divide us are toppled over, and Christ makes peace between nations and peoples by His own blood. We are now one Body, one Church, serving under one Lord. May God’s peace reign in your life and break down any walls that divide you from God or from others.
OPENING SONG: “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High”
Rick Founds © 1989 Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)
Lord, I lift Your name on high,
Lord, I love to sing Your praises.
I’m so glad You’re in my life,
I’m so glad You came to save us.
You came from heaven to earth to show the way,
From the earth to the cross, my debt to pay;
From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift Your Name on high.
Lord, I lift Your name on high,
Lord, I love to sing Your praises.
I’m so glad You’re in my life,
I’m so glad You came to save us.
You came from heaven to earth to show the way,
From the earth to the cross, my debt to pay;
From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift Your Name on high.
CALLING ON GOD Psalm 103:1-5
Pastor: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: Bless the Lord, O my soul,
People: and all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Pastor: Bless the Lord, O my soul,
People: and forget not all His benefits,
Pastor: who forgives all your iniquity,
People: who heals all your diseases,
Pastor: who redeems your life from the pit,
People: who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
Pastor: who satisfies you with good
People: so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
WE CONFESS…
Pastor: Beloved in the Lord, we have not lived a life worthy of our righteous Shepherd. We have all built dividing walls of hostility. Let us then confess our sins to God, our heavenly Father.
Silence for reflection
Pastor: Heavenly Father,
People: We confess that we have been divisive and have failed to live at peace with one another. At times, we have treated others as inferior because of differences of language and race, intelligence and appearance, gender and age. Forgive us for our prejudice, and break down the walls that divide us from one another and from You.
…AND RECEIVE FORGIVENESS
Pastor: You were once foreigners and strangers to God, but now you have been brought near by the blood of Christ. He Himself is our peace. Jesus Christ died and was raised for you so that you might be reconciled with God and with one another. 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 PEACE: “Let There Be Peace on Earth” (v. 3&4, x2)
Jill Jackson & Sy Miller © 1955. Renewed 1983 Jan – Lee Music
Let there be peace on earth And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth The peace that was meant to be.
With God as our Father family all are we.
Let us walk with each other In perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment And live each moment.
In peace eternally.
Let there peace on earth and let it begin, with me.
Pastor: Let us Pray…O God, our righteousness, restore broken relationships, especially between family members. Provide reconciliation and peace where Satan has sown division and discord. We pray these things through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
OUR READINGS ABOUT PEACE
OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 23:1-6
God warns lazy, divisive shepherds of their future and promises a righteous branch to reign as King over His flock.
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
EPISTLE: Ephesians 2:11-22
Christ makes peace and breaks down all dividing walls.
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL: Mark 6:30-44
Jesus feeds the five thousand.
The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
Reader: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON HYMN: “The Church’s One Foundation” LBW 369
Text: Samuel J. Sone, 1839-1900, Tune: Samuel S. Wesley, 1810-1876© Public Domain
The Church’s One Foundation Is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
She is his new creation By water and the Word.
From heav’n he came and sought her To be his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her, And for her life he died.
Elect from ev’ry nation, Yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation: One Lord, one faith, one birth,
One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses with ev’ry grace endued.
Though with a scornful wonder This world sees her oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder, By heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping; Their cry goes up: “How Long?”
And soon the night of weeping Shall be the morn of song.
Through toil and tribulation And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation Of peace forevermore;
Till with the vision glorious Her longing eyes are blest
And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest.
Yet she on earth has union with God, the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion With those whose rest is won.
O blessed heav’nly chorus! Lord, save us by your grace,
That we, like saints before us, May see you face to face.
SERMON
People: I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit,
Born of the virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
And sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy Christian Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life + everlasting. Amen
Pastor: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Pastor: For all families and family relationships, especially those that are strained by division, that God would break down the dividing walls of hostility and reconcile people to one another, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For the nations of the world, that there be peace among all people, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For all immigrants and refugees, that they be welcomed to their new homes and not treated with hatred and hostility, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For all pastors who shepherd their congregations, that they not scatter their flock, but serve faithfully under our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For those who are sick and recovering, (especially…), that they rely on the peace of Christ, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your promises.
People: Amen.
COMMUNE TOGETHER
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
CLOSING SONG “He Leadeth Me” LBW 501
Text: Joseph H. Gilmore, Tune: William B Bradbury © Public Domain.
He leadeth me: oh, blessed thought!
Oh, words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
Still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
CHORUS:
He leadeth me, he leadeth me,
By his own hand he leadeth me.
His faithful foll’wer I would be,
For by his hand he leadeth me.
Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters calm, o’er troubled sea,
Still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
CHORUS
Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ‘tis my God that leadeth me.
CHORUS
And when my task on earth is done,
When by thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.
CHORUS
DISMISSAL
ANNOUNCEMENTS
BIBLE STUDY this summer will be led by Merv Munster. This is walking through each week’s Epistle Lesson. Here is the plan:
CAMP GOOD NEWS is open July 26-29 at the Philomath Boy scout Camp. This camp is put on by Child Evangelism Fellowship and you can get the application and registration information online or on the shelves of our Narthex Library.
While there is no obligation to donate during the event, there is a great matching gift opportunity: The first $5,000 donated at the event will be generously matched by 1:1 by G. Christianson Construction.