The Bulletin is at: 09-22-2019 – Bulletin
The Service in PDF format is at: 09-22-2019 – Service
or the service is as follows:
FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
September 22, 2019
AS WE GATHER… We need mercy. In fact, all people need mercy. In today’s Epistle, Paul urges that prayers be made for all people—for kings and all in authority. In our tense political times, we may be reluctant to pray for those we consider our political enemies; but God calls on us to pray for all, whether rich or poor, whether we agree with them or not. God desires to show mercy to all people—even the Ninevites!
CHOIR ANTHEM: “We Will Walk in the Light” By Nancy Price & Don Besig
L: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
TODAY’S THEME
L: God invites us to speak to Him.
C: He wants to hear from us.
L: He longs to hear our supplications and prayers.,
C: our intercessions and thanksgivings for all people.
L: God desires that all people are saved
C: and come to a knowledge of the truth.
L: Whether rich or poor, rulers or the destitute,
C: God desires to save all people.
L: Blessed be the name of the Lord
C: from this time forth and forevermore!
WE CONFESS AND ARE FORGIVEN
L: Though God invites us to speak with Him in prayer, we have ignored His invitation. We may be tempted to choose complaining and worrying over conversing with God. We may be tempted to listen to ourselves and the world instead of to God’s Word. We turn to God’s infinite mercy and ask for His forgiveness.
A time of silence is observed.
L: Heavenly Father,
C: we confess that we have ignored You and the gift of prayer and conversation with You. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus, have mercy on us. Forgive us our sin. Restore us as Your beloved people.
L: God hears your confession and invites you back into holy conversation with Him. Almighty God in His mercy showed His love for us in this, that He gave His Son, Jesus, to die and rise for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. 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: “Seek Ye First”
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God,
And His righteousness.
And all these things shall be added unto you!
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!
Man does not live by bread alone,
But by every word
That proceeds from the mouth of the Lord,
Allelu, alleluia!
L: Let us Pray. O Lord, in Your abundant mercy, You invite us into holy conversation with You; increase our faithfulness to You that we continually bring You our supplications, prayers, and thanksgivings; through Jesus, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying,“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.
The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
SECOND LESSON: I Timothy 2:1-15
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness–with good works. Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing–if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.
I love You, Lord, and I lift my voice
To worship You, O my soul, rejoice!
Take joy, my King, in what You hear:
May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.
I love You, Lord, and I stand amazed;
My sins are gone! May Your name be praised!
Exult, my soul! And behold His face;
I will ever sing, O my King, of Your grace.
I love You, Lord, and for You I wait.
Your promises and Your power are great!
Make haste, my God, may I taste Your ways;
I will magnify Your sweet peace all of my days.
SERMON “Jonah’s Second Chance”
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 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.
L: Dear Heavenly Father, You desire that all people are saved and come to knowledge of the truth. Send out messengers to every corner of the earth that people from every tribe, nation, and language would hear the saving mercy of Your Son, Jesus. Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
L: Lord, send Your mercy to all who are struggling financially, the homeless, the poor, the unemployed, the underemployed, and those dealing with unexpected situations. Lead them through this challenging road and provide people and systems to help them. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
L: Lord, You invite us into holy conversation with You through prayer, but we often neglect this invitation. Help us to speak to You more frequently and more fervently. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
L: Lord, look with favor upon all who are sick, injured, and recovering, (especially….). Have mercy upon them and heal them according to Your will. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
L: Lord, You sent Your Son to be the mediator between God and humanity. Grant us peace and reconciliation in our homes, our congregation, our community, our country, and throughout the world. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
L: Lord, we commend all of these things to Your infinite mercies, which are new every morning. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
BENEDICTION
L: 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 SONG “For the Beauty of the Earth”
For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies;
Christ our Lord, to you we raise This our sacrifice of praise.
For the wonder of each hour, Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale and tree and flow’r, Sun and moon and stars of light:
Christ our Lord, to you we raise This our sacrifice of praise.
For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony Linking sense to sound and sight:
Christ our Lord, to you we raise This our sacrifice of praise.
For the joy of human love, Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above; For all gentle thoughts and mild:
Christ our Lord, to you we raise This our sacrifice of praise.
For yourself, best gift divine To the world so freely giv’n:
Agent of God’s grand design, Peace on earth and joy in heav’n
Christ our Lord, to you we raise This our sacrifice of praise.