Welcome to Worship
Time after Pentecost
GATHERING
Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
Ringing of the Bell
(Please Stand)
Confession and Forgiveness
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.
Hymn (Insert) “God’s Work, Our Hands”
L: The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the commun-ion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
C: And also with you.
L: Liturgist P: Pastor C: Congregation R: Reader
Kyrie
Let us pray:
Gracious God, throughout the ages you transform sickness into health and death into life. Open us to the power of your presence, and make us a people ready to proclaim your promises to the whole world, through Jesus Christ, our healer and Lord. Amen.
(Please be seated.)
WORD
First Reading: Isaiah 35:4-7a
These verses are a word of hope to the exiles in Babylon. Isaiah 34 por-trays God’s vengeance on Edom, Israel’s age-old enemy, which makes the path from Babylon to Zion safe for the exiles’ return. The desert itself will flow with water to give drink to the returning exiles.
4Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.” 5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf un-stopped; 6then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7athe burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water.
R: The word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Psalm Psalm 146
Refrain:
1Hallelujah! Praise the Lord, O my soul! 2I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while
I have my being. 3Put not your trust in rulers, in mortals in whom there is no help. 4When they breathe their last, they return to earth, and in that day their thoughts perish.
Refrain:
5Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help, whose hope is in
the Lord their God; 6who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; who keeps
promises forever; 7who gives justice to those who are oppressed, and food to those who
hunger. The Lord sets the captive free. 8The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord lifts up those who are
bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
Refrain:
9The Lord cares for the stranger; the Lord sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked. 10The Lord shall reign forever, your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Hallelujah!
Refrain:
Second Reading: James 2:1-10 [11-13] 14-17
Faithful Christians do not show partiality to the rich and powerful of the world, especially at the expense of the poor and weak. Likewise, faith does not pay mere lip service to God’s will. Instead, a living Christian faith expresses itself in acts of compassion and mercy for those in need.
1My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” 4have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you? 8You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 9But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
R: The word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Children’s Sermon Pastor Chris Steubing
(Please rise for the Gospel)
The Gospel according to Mark.
After the Gospel is announced, we say
Glory to you, O Lord.
Gospel Reading Mark 7:24-37
In Mark’s gospel, encounters with women usually signify turning points in Jesus’ ministry. Here, a conversation with a Syrophoenician woman marks the beginning of his mission to the Gentiles.
24[Jesus] set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice,25but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immedi-ately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 26Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 28But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the chil-dren’s crumbs.” 29Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” 30So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. 31Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon to-wards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. 34Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36Then Jesus or-dered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
The gospel of the Lord.
After the reading of the gospel, we say
C: Praise to you, O Christ.
(Please be seated)
Sermon Rev. Chris Steubing
Hymn of the Day #519 “Open Your Ears, O Faithful People”
The Apostle’s Creed
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. Amen.
The Prayers
L: . . .Hear us, O God,
C: Your mercy is great.
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 “Here’s My Heart”
(The offering is collected as the hymn is sung. Please stand on the last verse as the offering is brought forward.)
Chorus 1:
Here’s my heart, Lord (3 times)
Speak what is true
Vs. 1: 'Cause I am found I am Yours
I am loved I'm made pure
I have life I can breathe
I am healed I am free (Chorus 1)
Vs. 2 'Cause You are strong You are sure
You are life You endure
You are good always true
You are light breaking through (Chorus 2)
Chorus 2:
Here's my life Lord (3 times)
Speak what is true (3 times)
Bridge: You are more than enough
You are here You are love
You are hope You are grace
You're all I have You're everything (Chorus 1)
L: Let us pray,
Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts: our selves, our time, and our possessions. Use us, and what we have gathered, in feeding the world with your love, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer: (Sung)
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen
Benediction
Pastor: The God of all grace bless you now and forever.
Hymn # 546 “To Be Your Presence”
Dismissal
L: Go in peace. Share the good news.
Thanks be to God.
Postlude.
Our thanks to those who serve as our worship leaders today:
Our Reader—Lou Nelson
Our Liturgist—Ken Kleid
Organist—Angela Lau
Choir and Hand Bell Director—Wendy Kuenemann
Pastor—Rev. Christopher Steubing