The Bulletin is at: 10-06-2019 – Bulletin
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SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
October 6, 2019
AS WE GATHER…Guarding the deposit brings to mind armored cars, bank vaults, and uniformed guards carrying guns. This may seem like what is needed to protect something we are afraid of losing. And we have not been given a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind. So why would we place under guarded lock and key something that God intends as a free gift for all people? It is actually impossible to guard faith in a bank-vault sense, because faith is not a thing we have; rather, it is a way by which we live. Instead of spending our energy trying to protect something, what if “guarding the deposit” means using our sound minds fearlessly to invest the gift of faith working through love into the lives of the people around us? Our duty is compassionate service to our fellow human beings. Mysteriously, faith is a deposit that grows the more we give it away.
RINGING OF THE BELL
L: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
CONFESSION
L: Loving God,
C: We confess our sinfulness in lacking love. We have not loved one another as You have loved us. Our little faith rarely moves us to care for each other; much less move mountains. Give us faith to know we are surrounded by love beyond what we can imagine. Heal us with forgiveness for Jesus’ sake, and strengthen us to follow in the way He walked for us.
FORGIVENESS
L: Almighty God has seen our weakness and in His mercy has given His Son to die for us, and for His sake God forgives us all our sins. To those who believe in Jesus Christ He gives the power to become the children of God and gives them His Spirit. 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.
CHORAL SONG OF PRAISE: “Circle of Love” By: Pepper Choplin
A circle goes ‘round and ‘round again.
It has no beginning and has no end for it will be spinning eternally.
A circle was drawn by God’s hand.
Filled with love, it will expand to welcome all who will hear the call
to join in love, circle of love, of love.
Join in the circle of love, join in the circle of love.
God gives love and there’s enough for all who need a holy touch
of love and care open hearts can share.
God will touch many hearts, make us one from many parts
and we will be joined in unity.
We’re joined in love, circle of love, of love.
Join in the circle of love, join in the circle of love.
So come together and gather ‘round, share the circle of love we’ve found.
God is the center and God surrounds us with His love,
With His holy love, with His holy love. With His holy love.
The circle of love goes ‘round again and its power shall never end,
for love will be living eternally.
Love is strong, love is great.
Come together and celebrate and welcome all as we hear the call,
To share the love, The circle of love was formed by God’s hand.
Filled with love, it will expand. Share the circle of love we’ve found.
God is the center and God surrounds. Love is strong, love is great,
come together and join the circle of love.
Join in the circle of love. of love.
This circle of love goes ‘round again,
It has no beginning and has no end, no end
L: Let us pray.
Loving God, since we have not been given a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind, help us to fan into flame Your gift of faith, which we have received through the people who have gone before us. Grant that we be strengthened to share this faith through compassionate service to other people; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns in communion and love with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
First Reading: 2 Timothy 1:1–14
Remember your faith. Don’t be afraid or ashamed.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,
To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
L: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Forgiveness, faith, and service
And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”
L: This is the Gospel of the Lord
C: Praise to you O Christ!
SERMON HYMN: “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” LBW 293
My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
No merit of my own I claim, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace;
In ev’ry high and stormy gale My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
His oath, his covenant, his blood Sustain me in the raging flood;
When all supports are washed away, He then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
When he shall come with trumpet sound, Oh, may I then in him be found,
Clothed in his righteousness alone, Redeemed to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
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 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
L: Let us pray together in Christ Jesus for all people according to their needs.
For all people who suffer feeling unseen and unheard, that they come to trust that they are loved and held by grace, let us pray to the Lord:
C: Lord, have mercy.
L: For all people who suffer under the weight of their desires, that they take courage to let go of fear, fanning into flame the gift of faith and growing in power and love and self-control, let us pray to the Lord:
C: Lord, have mercy.
L: For all people who have heard the good news of forgiveness by grace, through faith, for Jesus’ sake, but struggle to forgive themselves or other people who have hurt them, that they free themselves by letting go of resentments of every kind, let us pray to the Lord:
C: Lord, have mercy.
L: For all people who are sick or suffer with any affliction of body, mind, or spirit [especially . . .], that they experience healing when cures remain elusive, peace when overwhelmed by trials, and joy in the midst of sorrows, let us pray to the Lord:
C: Lord, have mercy.
L: For all the lives devoted to service, but especially the women here at Peace and the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League throughout the country, that they would be upheld sustained in their work by the loving hand of God, let us pray to the Lord:
C: Lord, have mercy.
L: Into Your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C: Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
DISTRIBUTION
Children of the Heavenly Father TOSB 23
Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in his bosom gather,
Nestling bird or star in heaven
Such a refuge ne’er was given.
God his own doth tend and nourish,
In his holy courts they flourish,
From all evil things he spares them,
In his mighty arms he bears them.
Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord his children sever;
From all evil things he spares them,
In his mighty arms he bears them.
Though he giveth or he taketh,
God his children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.
How Great Thou Art TOSB 78
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 pow’r throughout the universe displayed;
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,
And 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;
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!
And 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;
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 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!”
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!
I am Trusting You, Lord Jesus LBW 460
I am trusting you, Lord Jesus,
Trusting only you;
Trusting you for full salvation,
Free and true.
I am trusting you for pardon;
At your feet I bow,
For your grace and tender mercy
Trusting now.
I am trusting you for cleansing
In the crimson flood;
Trusting you to make me holy
By your blood.
I am trusting you to guide me;
You alone shall lead,
Ev’ry day and hour supplying
All my need.
I am trusting you for power;
You can never fail.
Words which you yourself shall give me
Must prevail.
I am trusting you, Lord Jesus;
Never let me fall.
I am trusting you forever
And for all.
CLOSING SONG: “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” LBW 551
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!
DISMISSAL