( To download a pdf of the bulletin, click here)
Sunday after Pentecost
10:00 AM Service August 4, 2024
Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
Ringing of the Bell
Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, the God of manna, the God of miracles, the God of mercy.
Amen.
Drawn to Christ and seeking God’s abundance, let us confess our sin.
Silence is kept for reflection.
God, our provider, help us. It is hard to believe there is enough to share. We question your ways when they differ from the ways of the world in which we live. We turn to our own understanding rather than trusting in you. We take offense at your teachings and your ways. Turn us again to you. Where else can we turn? Share with us the words of eternal life and feed us for life in the world. Amen.
Beloved people of God: in Jesus, the manna from heaven, you are fed and nourished. By Jesus, the worker of miracles, there is always more than enough. Through Jesus, the bread of life, you are shown God’s mercy: you are forgiven and loved into abundant life. Amen.
Please be seated
Vacation Bible School Songs and Stories
Greeting:
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C: And also with you.
Hymn of Praise (remain seated)
L: Let us pray.
C: O God, eternal goodness, immeasurable love, you place your gifts before us; we eat and are satisfied. Fill us and this world in all its need with the life that comes only from you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
WORD
First Reading: Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
A reading from Exodus.
A food crisis becomes a faith crisis for the Israelites in the wilderness. The hungry people forget God’s saving work in the exodus, and they wish for the food they had in Egypt. Nevertheless, God miraculously meets their needs, with manna for bread and quail for meat.
2 The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.” 9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Isra-elites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’ ” 10 And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked to-ward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 12 “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ” 13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morn-ing there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew lift-ed, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fi-ne as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one an-other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”
R: The Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Psalm: Psalm 78: 23—29 Pg. 862
Refrain:
PS 78:23 Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of
the heavens;
PS 78:24 he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven.
PS 78:25 Men ate the bread of angels; he eat.
Refrain:
PS 78:26 He let loose the east wind from the heavens and led forth the south
wind by his power.
PS 78:27 He rained meat down on them like dust, flying birds like sand on the seashore.
Refrain:
PS 78:28 He made them come down inside their camp, all around their tents.
PS 78:29 They ate till they had more than enough, for he had given them what they craved.
Refrain:
Second Reading: Ephesians 4: 1—16
A reading from Ephesians.
Christians share fundamental unity and diversity. Our unity consists in the one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God. Our diversity is expressed in various forms of ministry whose goal is equipping the saints and building up Christ’s one body.
1 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. 7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.” 9 (When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) 11 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 14 We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15 But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
R: The Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Please Stand
Gospel Acclamation
The Gospel according to John.
(After the Gospel is announced, we say)
Glory to you, O Lord.
Gospel John 6: 24—35
Many of the five thousand people Jesus fed in the wilderness continued to follow him throughout the countryside. Jesus challenges them to consider the real nature of their quest.
24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were [beside the sea,] they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31 Our ances-tors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
The Gospel of the Lord
(After the reading of the Gospel, we say)
C: Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon Pastor Chris Steubing
Remain seated
Hymn # 461 “All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly”
L: Together with the whole church, we confess our faith:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 to the dead.*
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
The Prayers
L:. . . .Merciful God,
C: Receive our prayer.
The Peace
L: The peace of Christ be with you always.
C: And also with you.
L: You may share the peace with one another.
Offering
Offering Hymn “You Are My All in All” (see insert)
L: Let us pray,
All: Holy God, gracious and merciful, you bring forth food from the earth and nourish your whole creation. Turn our hearts toward those who hunger in any way, that all may know your care; and prepare us now to feast on the bread of life, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
MEAL
P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you.
P: Lift up your hearts. C: We lift them to the Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
P: It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise. . . We praise our name and join their un-ending:
In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
P: Remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Invitation to Communion
P: Christ has set the table with more than enough for all. Come!
Communion Distribution---All are welcome at the Lord’s table. The cups contain wine (red) or grape juice (white). Those who do not normally receive communion, are free to come forward for a blessing.
Communion Hymns
Hymn #474 “Bread of Life from Heaven”
Hymn #483 “Here is Bread”
Blessing
P: The body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
Amen.
Prayer after Communion
P: Let us pray. O God, we give you thanks that you have set before us this feast, the body and blood of your Son. By your Spirit strengthen us to serve all in need and to give ourselves away as bread for the hungry, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction
P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord’s face shine on you with grace and mercy. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen
Hymn #536 “God Be with You Till We Meet Again”
L: Go in peace. You are the body of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
Postlude
Our thanks to those who serve as our worship leaders::
Our Reader—Kirsten Meyer
Our Liturgist—Deacon Andrew More
Organist—Angela Lau
Music Accompanist—Doris Menke
Choir and Hand Bell Director—Wendy Kuenemann
Pastor—Rev. Chris Steubing