Note – Service is held outside so no addible recordings available
The Bulletin and Service in PDF format is at:07-22-2018 – Bulletin & Service
or as follows:
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
July 22, 2018
AS WE GATHER……….. We live in a divisive world. There are so many things out there that can divide us. There are wars, conflicts, and rumors of war floating around every day in the news. 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.
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALLING ON GOD Psalm 103:1-5
P: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: Bless the Lord, O my soul,
C: and all that is within me, bless His holy name!
P: Bless the Lord, O my soul,
C: and forget not all His benefits,
P: who forgives all your iniquity,
C: who heals all your diseases,
P: who redeems your life from the pit,
C: who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
P: who satisfies you with good
C: so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
WE CONFESS…
P: 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
P: Heavenly Father,
C: 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
P: 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.
C: Amen.
SONG OF PEACE: “Let There Be Peace on Earth” (2x)
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.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
P: Let us Pray…O God, 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.
C: 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.’
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.
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
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.
SERMON HYMN: “This is My Father’s World”
This is my Father’s world, And to my list’ning ears
All nature sings, and round me rings…The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world; I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world; The birds their carols raise;
The morning light, the lily white, Declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world; He shines in all that’s fair.
In the rustling grass I hear him pass; He speaks to me ev’rywhere.
This is my Father’s world; Oh, let me not forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world; Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is king, let the heavens ring; God reigns, let the earth be glad!
SERMON
APOSTLES’ CREED
C: 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
OFFERING
The offerings gathered are a sign of our whole lives offered to God in humble gratitude for his greatest of all offerings, his Son offered for our salvation.
OFFERTORY
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
P: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
P: 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.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For the nations of the world, that there be peace among all people, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: 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.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: 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.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For those who are sick and recovering, (especially…), that they rely on the peace of Christ, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your promises.
C: Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
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
BENEDICTION
CLOSING SONG: “Let the Circle Be Unbroken”
There are loved ones in the glory
whose dear forms you often miss;
When you close your earthly story,
will you join them in their bliss?
Will the circle be unbroken
By and by Lord, by and by
There’s a better home awaiting
In the sky Lord, in the sky
In the joyous days of childhood,
Oh, they told of wondrous love,
Pointed to the dying Savior;
Now they dwell with him above.
Will the circle be unbroken
By and by Lord, by and by
There’s a better home awaiting
In the sky Lord, in the sky
One by one their seats were emptied,
One by one they went away.
Now the fam’ly circle’s broken;
Will it be complete one day?
Will the circle be unbroken
By and by Lord, by and by
There’s a better home awaiting
In the sky Lord, in the sky
DISMISSAL
God’s Servants Today – JULY 22, 2018 – Outdoor Worship
Greeter Jim Reams
Usher George & Janice Abele
Reader Elaine Schwarz
Children’s Message
Flowers
Fellowship Hosts Carole Gutbrod & Brande Grassel
Audio-Visual Johnathon Holroyd, Joyce Long, George Abele, Aaron Bentsen
God’s Servants for July 29, 2018
Greeter Joe Payne
Usher Jan Lane & Audrey Bond
Reader Carole Gutbrod
Children’s Message
Flowers
Fellowship Hosts Bruce & Kathy DeYoung
Audio-Visual Johnathon Holroyd, Joyce Long, George Abele, Aaron Bentsen
Calendar for the Week of July 22
SUN – 7/22 08:30 AM Adult Sunday School
9:30 AM Worship
MON – 7/23 1:30 PM Freezer Meal Ministry Meeting
TUES – 7/24 12:00 PM Rotary Luncheon
WED – 7/25 7:30 AM Eat, Chat, Pray
2:00 PM Men’s Bible Study
THUR – 7/26 7:00 AM Men @ Imagine Coffee
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PEACE YOUTH do you have your list of events for the summer because there is one coming up in just a couple weeks! Movie night and taco bar at the Grand Oaks Clubhouse…rumor has it we will be swimming too.
YOUTH ROOM is coming along. We are finding time to work as a team through all the vacations. Next up will be cleaning the walls, painting, refinishing the remaining cabinets, picking out flooring and trim; then the fun of furniture begins!
HYDRANGEAS NEEDED! Stella Guenther is in search for supplies for the wreaths that that the Republican Women sell at Christmas time. If you have a plant and do not mind, Stella would like to come by and choose a few blooms! Please contact her if you would like to help.