The Bulletin is at: 10-22-2017 – Bulletin
The Service in PDF format is at: 10-22-2017 – 20th Pent LWML Sunday
or the service is as follows:
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost & LWML Sunday
October 22, 2017
Pre-Service Music
As we gather…Today is LWML Sunday. The pledge for LWML:
“In fervent gratitude of the Savior’s dying love and blood-bought gift of redemption, we dedicate ourselves to Him with all that we are and have; and in obedience to His call for workers in the harvest fields, we pledge Him our willing service wherever and whenever He has need of us. We consecrate to our Savior our hands to work for Him, our feet to go on His errands, our voice to sing His praises, our lips to proclaim His redeeming love, our silver and gold to extend His Kingdom, our will to do His will, and every power of our life to the great task of bringing the lost and the erring into eternal fellowship with Him.”
Consider the great work of Peace’s Ladies Guild done in appreciation for our Lord’s sacrifice. We give thanks for their efforts and are reminded of our own pledge of service to our Lord for what He has done for each one of us.
Ringing of the Bell
After the ringing of the bell, the congregation prepares their hearts in silence for today’s worship.
Opening Song – “Seek Ye First” TOSB 187
- Seek ye first the Kingdom of God
and his righteousness,
And all these things shall be added unto you.
Allelu, alleluia.
- Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by ev’ry word
That proceeds from the mouth of God.
Allelu, alleluia.
- Ask, and it shall be given unto you.
Seek, and ye shall find.
Knock, and the door shall be opened unto you.
Allelu, alleluia.
P: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
We Confess
P: Gracious heavenly Father,
C: we confess that our faith wavers at times. We allow things of this world to produce uncertainty and fear within us. Although we believe in Your victory at the end of time, we fail to trust You to protect us and relieve our anxieties each day. Forgive us, strengthen our faith in Your almighty power and unconditional love, and turn us again toward Your will. Grant us to serve You in peace and joy. Amen.
~Silent Reflection~
Forgiveness
P: Our Lord Jesus Christ with the Father and the Holy Spirit is Lord over all, who rules in power over temporal and eternal powers. Yet He came to earth as one of us, lived under earthly authorities, died to pay for all our sins, and rose victorious. 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 Praise “You Are My All in All”
- You are my strength when I am weak,
You are the treasure that I seek.
You are my All in All.
Seeking You as a precious jewel,
Lord, to give up I’d be a fool.
You are my All in All!
Jesus, Lamb of God,
Worthy is Your name.
Jesus, Lamb of God,
Worthy is Your name.
- Taking my sin, my cross, my shame,
Rising up again I bless Your name.
You are my All in All.
When I fall down. You pick me up;
When I am dry, You fill my cup.
You are my All in All!
Jesus, Lamb of God,
Worthy is Your name.
Jesus, Lamb of God,
Worthy is Your name.
P: Let us Pray. O God, the protector of all who trust in You,
C: have mercy on us that with You as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal that we lose not the things eternal;
P: through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
The Lord tells King Cyrus He will use him.
Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose right hand I have grasped,
to subdue nations before him
and to loose the belts of kings,
to open doors before him
that gates may not be closed:
“I will go before you
and level the exalted places,[a]
I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
and cut through the bars of iron,
I will give you the treasures of darkness
and the hoards in secret places,
that you may know that it is I, the Lord,
the God of Israel, who call you by your name.
For the sake of my servant Jacob,
and Israel my chosen,
I call you by your name,
I name you, though you do not know me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
I equip you, though you do not know me,
that people may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
I form light and create darkness;
I make well-being and create calamity;
I am the Lord, who does all these things.
Epistle I Thessalonians 1:1-10
Paul commends the Thessalonians for spreading the Gospel.
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace.
The Thessalonians’ Faith and Example
We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly[a] mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers[b] loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
Jesus teaches about rendering civil authorities their due.
Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.
Choral Anthem “I Want Jesus To Walk With Me” By Jay Althouse
~Sermon~
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. Amen.
Offering & Offertory
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.
LWML Song “Serve the Lord with Gladness!”
“Serve the Lord with gladness!”
It is He alone Who redeemed us sinners,
Guides us as His own.
To enjoy the blessings of His love and grace,
Will at last in glory meet us face to face.
Onward, then, for Jesus!
Let this be our aim:
“Serve the Lord with gladness!”
Glorify His name!
“Serve the Lord with gladness!”
He gave us command
To proclaim His Gospel now in every land.
So that fellow sinners may, like us, be blest.
Leading them to Jesus, we can serve Him best.
Onward, then, for Jesus!
Let this be our aim:
“Serve the Lord with gladness!”
Glorify His name!
“Serve the Lord with gladness!”
There’s no greater joy
Than to serve the Master, work in His employ.
As we build His kingdom angels, too, rejoice
Over every sinner brought to hear His voice.
Onward, then, for Jesus!
Let this be our aim:
“Serve the Lord with gladness!”
Glorify His name!
P: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs. Heavenly Father, protect and guide us so that the news of salvation preached is freedom and joy. Open the ears of all who hear it to respond in faith and hope. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Heavenly Father, provide just and peace-loving leaders among the nations of the world so that justice may prevail for all people within their borders and peace may break out across them. Protect and guide military deployed and police at home to maintain calm and security. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Gracious Lord, unite in love each family gathered here and all who call out to You around the world. Bless parents and children and their extended caring circles. Hear our prayers for those near and dear to us in their various circumstances (especially…). Give them relief, health, and comfort as fits Your gracious plans for them. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Almighty Father, we pray that you would order society so that compassion would reach the lowly and forgotten, the poor and the frail. Today we pray for our homebound members of Peace. Protect them this day and give them peace. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: These things and whatsoever else we should have asked of You, grant us by Your mercy, O God, for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray.
C: Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Benediction
Closing Song – “This Little Light of Mine” TOSB 235
- This little light of mine,
I’m going to let is shine;
This little light of mine,
I’m going to let it shine,
Let is shine, let it shine, let it shine.
- Don’t you try to blow it out;
I’m going to let it shine;
Don’t you try to blow it out;
I’m going to let it shine;
Let is shine, let it shine, let it shine.
- Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m going to let it shine;
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m going to let it shine;
Let is shine, let it shine, let it shine.
- All around the neighborhood;
I’m going to let is shine;
All around the neighborhood;
I’m going to let it shine;
Let is shine, let it shine, let it shine.
- Hold it high so all can see;
I’m going to let is shine;
Hold it high so all can see;
I’m going to let it shine;
Let is shine, let it shine, let it shine.