The Bulletin is at: 06-03-2018 – Bulletin
The Service in PDF format is at: 06-03-2018 – Service
or the service is as follows:
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
June 3, 2018
AS WE GATHER…God created the Sabbath to be a time of rest and reflection for His people. Both genuine rest and thoughtful reflection are often in short supply in our fast-paced world. Again, we hear the call of Jesus: “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). As we experience the Sabbath in the way God intended, we find refreshment for our souls as He has promised. In our worship, we remember the gracious acts of God and respond to them with grateful hearts.
RINGING OF THE BELL
P: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
REMEMBERING THE THIRD COMMANDMENT
P: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. What does this mean?
C: We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.
OPENING UP TO GOD AND ONE ANOTHER
P: We join in confessing our sins to God in order to hear once again his forgiveness that frees us from the guilt of our sin and allows us to live in joy and hope following Christ.
C: Dear Lord, we come to you in all honesty and humility, admitting that we are sinners—we have sinned in our evil thoughts, in our hurtful words, and in our destructive actions. We also admit that we have at times slipped back into a lifestyle that is comfortable with the secular world around us, but not you. Forgive us, Lord, and strengthen our weak wills by the power of Your Spirit, so that we might hold on to that simple, pure Gospel of your gracious gift of salvation, and to share that good news with others in whatever ways we can, so that others may come to know you and your gracious gift.
~ Silence for reflection ~
RECEIVING PEACE FROM GOD
P: God knows our brokenness, and he knows our hearts, he knows deep down that we are his children, and we want to live that way. So he frees us from the guilt of our sin by assuring us of his forgiveness. In God’s name and by his command, I proclaim to you the forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
SONG OF PRAISE: “How Great is Our God” Chris Tomlin version
The splendor of a King clothed in majesty
Let all the Earth rejoice, All the Earth rejoice
He wraps himself in light, And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice, Trembles at His voice
REFRAIN: How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, all will see
How great, how great is our God
Age to age He stands, And time is in His hands,
Beginning and the end, beginning and the end.
The Godhead Three in One: Father, Spirit, Son,
The Lion and the Lamb, The Lion and the Lamb
REFRAIN
Name above all names, Worthy of our praise
My heart will sing how great is our God. (Repeat)
REFRAIN x2
The whole world sings, the whole world sings
How great is our God
How great is our God
How great, how great is our God
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Let us Pray. Eternal God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, is our true Sabbath rest. Help us to keep each day holy by receiving His Word of comfort, that we may find our rest in Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
Old Testament: Deuteronomy 5:12-15
The Sabbath Day observance
“‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
CHOIR ANTHEM: “You are the Salt and Light” By Pepper Choplin
You are the salt, the salt of the earth.
You are the light, the light of the world.
Go to the world and give it flavor.
Go with the light and let it shine.
You are the salt, the salt of the earth.
You are the light, the light of the world.
But what good is the salt if it loses its flavor?
What good is the light until it shines.
One tiny bit, just a bit of salt can change all the flavor and take the bitterness away.
A tiny point of light can pierce thro’ the darkness to shine, to shine with a guiding ray.
Go, live as the salt, the salt of the earth. Go, live as the light, the light of the world.
You are the salt, so share all the flavor.
You are the light, so let it shine.
You are the salt of the earth.
You are the light of the world, so let it shine.
Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath
One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.
SERMON SONG “Christ Be My Leader”
Christ be my Leader by night as by day;
Safe through the darkness, for He is the way.
Gladly I follow, my future His care,
Darkness is daylight when Jesus is there.
Christ be my Teacher in age as in youth,
Drifting or doubting, for He is the truth.
Grant me to trust Him; though shifting as sand,
Doubt cannot daunt me; in Jesus I stand.
Christ be my Savior in calm as in strife;
Death cannot hold me, for He is the life.
Nor darkness nor doubting nor sin and its stain
Can touch my salvation: with Jesus I reign.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
And born of the virgin Mary,
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
And is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy universal Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting. Amen.
P: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs. As the community of God’s forgiven people, we pray for the Church and for ourselves, asking that we be engaged fully in service to God and in ministry to one another. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: We pray for the proper observance of the Sabbath, rejoicing in the fellowship we enjoy as God’s holy people and asking that we bring the sacrifices of pure hearts as we worship God in His sanctuary. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: We pray for those who bring us joy through music in the life of the Church, that God enable us together to grow in praise and in dedication in Jesus’ name. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: We make our petitions for the sick and all who this day are in need or our prayers, (especially…), that they be supported by God’s people as they await God’s directions for their lives according to His gracious will. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Heavenly Father, we thank You for graciously bringing Mallory Stokes and (other names) to this point in their education. For all the efforts of parents and teachers through these years, we praise You. We ask wisdom and guidance for them as they make decisions about their life that will have implications for years to come. Give them a rich measure of Your Spirit as fields of study and opportunities for employment become available. May they ever grow closer to You in faith and with their life honor the name of Your only Son, Jesus, our Lord. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy through Your Son, Jesus, our Lord.
C: Amen.
We offer our thanksgiving for what God has first given us—ourselves, our time, our possessions.
OFFERTORY
LORD’S PRAYER
FIRST COMMUNION FOR JANICE HELLESTO
P: You are about to be admitted to the Lord’s Table. God’s Word describes the life of the Church and every baptized Christian with these words: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers (Acts 2:42).” You are invited by our Lord to come regularly to hear His Word and receive His Sacrament. You will continue to be instructed and nurtured in the Christian faith and life. You are invited to confess your sins and receive the comfort found in God’s forgiveness. All this will help you live as the child of God you have been made through Baptism.
P: Do you believe that Jesus Christ died for you and shed His blood for you on the cross for the forgiveness of all your sins?
C: Yes.
P: Do you believe that that in the Lord’s Supper He gives you His true body and blood for the forgiveness of all your sins and to strengthen your faith in Him and your love toward others?
C: Yes.
P: I therefore invite you to the Lord’s Supper to receive Christ’s precious body and blood for the forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: Heavenly Father, whose Son Jesus loved the young and called them to Himself, we ask You to bless Janice. Strengthen her in the faith through the Sacrament of Christ’s body and blood so that she may grow spiritually and bring forth the fruits of faith in a life of love toward others to the praise and honor of Your holy name; through Jesus, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
DISTRIBUTION
“The Church’s One Foundation”
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.
“Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me”
Lord, take my hand and lead me Upon life’s way;
Direct, protect, and feed me From day to day,
Without your grace and favor I go astray;
So take my hand, O Savior, And lead the way.
Lord, when the tempest rages, I need not fear;
For you, the Rock of Ages, Are always near.
Close by your side abiding, I fear no foe,
For when your hand is guiding, In peace I go.
Lord, when the shadows lengthen And night has come,
I know that you will strengthen My steps toward home,
And nothing can impede me, O blessed Friend!
So, take my hand and lead me Unto the end.
“O God, Our Help in Ages Past”
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
Under the shadow of your throne
Your saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is your arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood
Or earth received its frame,
From everlasting you are God,
To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in your sight
Are like an evening gone,
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Soon bears us all away;
We fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the op’ning day.
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Still be our guard while troubles last
And our eternal home!
P: 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.
C: Amen.
CLOSING HYMN: “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, hail Thee as the sun above,
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day.
All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of the unbroken praise;
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain, call us to rejoice in Thee.
Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring 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.
Mortals, join the mighty chorus which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning over us, Brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife;
Joyful music lifts us sunward in the triumph song of life.
DISMISSAL
P: Go in Peace. Serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.