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Welcome to Worship
Time after Pentecost
10:00 AM Service September 29, 2024
GATHERING
Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
Ringing of the Bell
(Please Stand)
Thanksgiving for Baptism
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Joined to Christ in the waters of baptism, we are clothed with God's mercy and forgiveness. Let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.
Water is poured into the font as the presiding minister gives thanks.
We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and by your Word you created the world, calling forth life in which you took delight.
Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family.
Through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom.
At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit.
By water and your Word you claim us as daughters and sons, making us heirs of your promise and servants of all.
We praise you for the gift of water that sustains life, and above all we praise you for the gift of new life in Jesus Christ. Shower us with your Spir-it, and renew our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love.
To you be given honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.
Hymn #886 “Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” vs. 1—4
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
Hymn of Praise
Let us pray:
Generous God, your Son gave his life that we might come to peace with you. Give us a share of your Spirit, and in all we do empower us to bear the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
(Please be seated.)
WORD
First Reading: Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29
What constitutes legitimate need and legitimate leadership is the focus of this reading. God provides manna in the wilderness, yet the people crave meat. What is truly needful? God bestows the spirit on seventy elders, yet two men not designated as leaders prophesy in the power of God’s spirit. What constitutes real leadership?
4The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept again, and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6but now our strength is dried up, and there is noth-ing at all but this manna to look at.” 10Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the en-trances of their tents. Then the Lord became very angry, and Moses was displeased. 11So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you treated your serv-ant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the bur-den of all this people on me? 12Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child, to the land that you promised on oath to their ancestors’? 13Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me. 15If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once—if I have found favor in your sight—and do not let me see my misery.” 16So the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy of the elders of Isra-el, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their place there with you.” 24So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent.25Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again. 26Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” 29But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were proph-ets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!”
R: The word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Psalm: Psalm 19: 7-14
Refrain:
7The teaching of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the simple.
8The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear and gives light to the eyes.
9The fear of the Lord is clean and endures forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.
Refrain:
11By them also is your servant enlightened, and in keeping them there is great reward.
12Who can detect one’s own offenses? Cleanse me from my secret faults.
13Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion over me; then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense.
14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
Refrain:
Second Reading: James 5:13-20
Marks of the Christian community include praying for those who are sick and in need, celebrating with those in good health, restoring those who have strayed, confessing sins to one another, and offering forgiveness to each other.
13Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be for-given. 16Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one an-other, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 17Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest. 19My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, 20you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
R: The word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Children’s Sermon Deacon Andrew More
(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 9:38-50
On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus teaches his disciples about ministry that involves service and sacrifice. His disciples are slow to realize that these words apply to them as well as to others.
38John said to [Jesus], “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40Whoever is not against us is for us. 41For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the re-ward. 42“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. 47And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, 48where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. 49“For everyone will be salted with fire. 50Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
The gospel of the Lord.
After the reading of the gospel, we say
C: Praise to you, O Christ.
(Please be seated)
Sermon Deacon Andrew More
Hymn of the Day #580 “How Clear is Our Vocation, Lord”
RECEPTION OF NEW MEMBERS
P: I invite you, together with the whole congregation, to confess the faith in which we have been baptized.
All: 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
P: You have made public profession of your faith. Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in baptism: to live among God’s faithful people, to hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper, to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed, to serve all people, following the example of Jesus, and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth? If so please answer: I do and I ask God help and guide me.
P: People of God, do you promise to support these sisters and brothers
and pray for them in their life in Christ?
All: We do, and we ask God to help and guide us.
P: Let us pray: We give you thanks…in your presence, both now and forever. Amen.
P: Let us rejoice with these sisters and brothers in Christ.
All: We rejoice with you in the life of baptism.
Together we will give thanks and praise to God and proclaim the
good news to all the world.
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 “In Christ Alone” (with song sheets)
The offering is collected as the hymn is sung. Please stand on the last verse as the offering is brought forward.
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
Farewell Litany for Deacon Andrew More
Benediction
P: The God of all grace bless you now and forever.
Hymn # 540 “Go, Make Disciples”
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—Betty Curry
Our Liturgist—Don Gillett
Organist—Angela Lau
Choir and Hand Bell Director—Wendy Kuenemann
Pastor—Rev. Christopher Steubing