The Service in PDF format is at: July 25, 2021 Service
Video of service is at: Facebook Video
NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
July 25, 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…God cares for us, but we aren’t always aware of it. When Jesus stilled the storm that was hindering the disciples in the boat, all they saw was His power, and they were terrified. But when other people saw Him, they recognized a healer and brought the sick to Him. God always cares, of course; the rainbow is a reminder He won’t flood the earth again—out of care for us. In today’s Epistle, Paul prays that God’s love in Christ would fill us. God will do that; He cares that much for us. We ask today that God would strengthen us to care for the people around us. May they see His love through our caring.
OPENING SONG: “All People That on Earth Do Dwell” LBW 245
Roger Jones & William Kethe © Words: Public Domain Music: 1981 Christian Music Ministries (Admin. by Sovereign Music UK) CCLI Song # 1456841
All people that on earth do dwell,
sin to the Lord with cheerful voice;
Him serve with mirth, his praise forth tell;
Come ye before him and rejoice.
Know that the Lord is God indeed;
Without our aid he did us make.
We are his folk, he doth us feed,
And for his sheep he doth us take.
Oh, enter then his gates with praise;
Approach with joy his courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless his name always,
For it is seemly so to do.
For why? The Lord our God is good:
His mercy is forever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
and shall from age to age endure.
To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
The God whom heav’n and earth adore,
From us and from the angel host
Be praise and glory evermore.
Pastor: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
STARTING WITH PRAISE Psalm 136
Pastor: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
People: For his steadfast love endures forever.
Pastor: Give thanks to the God of gods,
People: For his steadfast love endures forever.
Pastor: Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
People: For his steadfast love endures forever.
Pastor: To him who alone does great wonders,
People: For his steadfast love endures forever.
Pastor: To him who by understanding made the heavens,
People: For his steadfast love endures forever.
Pastor: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
People: For his steadfast love endures forever.
OPENING UP TO GOD AND ONE ANOTHER I John 1:8-9
Pastor: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
People: But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Silent Reflection
Pastor: Let us then confess our sins to God.
People: Heavenly Father, we confess that we have not lived with a confident faith. Knowing that You have a cure for the problems in our lives, we have forgotten to trust. Knowing that all things are possible for You, we have failed to rely upon You for strength and support. Forgive us for a faith that is lacking perseverance. Grant us newness of life!
SONG OF CONFESSION: “White as Snow” (2x through)
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 the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for His sake God forgives us all our sins. In our reading from Genesis, God gave Noah a sign to show His commitment to him and his family. God gives us a sign too to show His forever commitment to us—the cross. The cross clearly communicates God’s good intentions for us in the forgiveness of our sins. I announce this forgiveness, in the stead and by the command of Jesus—your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: Let us pray. Almighty and most merciful God, the protector of all who trust in You, strengthen our faith and give us courage to believe that in Your love You will rescue us from all adversities; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
First Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21
Prayer for Spiritual Strength
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith–that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL: Mark 6:45-56
Jesus stills the storm and heals the sick.
Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
Reader: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON HYMN: “How Great Thou Art” LBW 532
Text: Carl Boberg, Stuart K. Hine. B, Tune: Swedish Folk tune; arr. Stuart K Hine. B. 1899 © 1949 and 1953 Stuart Hine Trust CIO Stuart K. Hine Trust CCLI SONG #14181
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed;
CHORUS
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee,
How great thou art! How great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee,
How great thou art! How great thou art!
When through the woods and forest glades I wander,
I hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze;
CHORUS
But when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin;
CHORUS
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim, “My God how great thou art!”
CHORUS
SERMON
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 the Church around the world, all people in their various circumstances, and ourselves as we respond to God’s Word.
Pastor: For the Church, wherever the faithful are enduring persecution, official or personal, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Heavenly Father, grant them to be strengthened with power through Your Spirit.
Pastor: For God’s people as they find opportunities to spread the Gospel, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Christ, our Lord, dwell in their hearts through faith that they have strength to comprehend Your love and be filled with all the fullness of God.
Pastor: For people in every land when faced with harm and danger from natural disasters, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Creator God, see the bow in the clouds and remember Your covenant with all living creatures. Use Your almighty power to protect us and all the descendants of Noah from flood—and from fire and wind, quake and drought—that we give You praise for this good earth.
Pastor: For ourselves and those near and dear to us, (including…), let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord Jesus, open the eyes of all who are dealing with a sudden crisis or chronic ills in their lives or in those for whom they care. Open the eyes of all who call out to You that they recognize You in their midst. Cause caregivers to bring the sick into Your loving power; grant comfort and health as fits Your gracious plans for them.
Pastor: These and any other things You would have us ask of You, heavenly Father, grant to us for the sake of Jesus, our Lord.
People: To You be glory in the Church throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
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.
CLOSING HYMN: “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” LBW 551
Edward Hodges, Henry Van Dyke, Ludwig van Beethoven © Words: Public Domain, Music: Public Domain
Joyful, joyful we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love!
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before thee,
Praising thee, their sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, Drive the gloom of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day.
All thy works with joy surround thee,
Earth and heav’n reflect thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around thee, Center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird, and flowing fountain Call us to rejoice in thee.
Thou art giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest,
Wellspring of the joy of living, Ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our brother, All who live in love are thine;
Teach us how to love each other, Lift us to the joy divine!
Pastor: Go in Peace. Serve the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
BIBLE STUDY this summer will be led by Merv Munster. This is walking through each week’s Epistle Lesson. Here is the plan:
WEEK OF JULY 25
