(download a pdf of the full bulletin)
GATHERING
PRELUDE
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
RINGING OF THE BELL
TEMPLE TALK
Please stand as you are able.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, our maker, our helper, and our keeper. Amen.
Trusting in God’s mercy, let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Merciful and loving God, we are your stiff-necked people. We trample on the needy. We grumble about your grace to others. We turn away from the poor. Have mercy on us and forgive our sins. Rejoice over us as ones who were lost and have been found. Amen.
Even when we are faithless, God remains faithful. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. You who were lost have been found.
In the name of Jesus, your sins are forgiven! Amen.
GATHERING HYMN “You are Holy” Hymn #525
GREETING
The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
And also with you.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. God among us, we gather in the name of your Son to learn love for one another. Keep our feet from evil paths. Turn our minds to your wisdom and our hearts to the grace revealed in your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Please be seated.
WORD
FIRST READING Amos 8:4-7
Amos was called by God to prophesy in the Northern Kingdom of Is-rael. Peace and prosperity in Israel led to corrupt business practices and oppression of the poor. The prophet declares that God will not tolerate such a situation.
4 Hear this, you who trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, 5 saying, “When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah smaller and the shekel heavier and practice deceit with false balances, 6 buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals and sell-ing the sweepings of the wheat.” 7 The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
PSALM: Psalm 113
REFRAIN
1 Hallelujah! Give praise, you servants of the Lord; praise the name of the
Lord. 2 Let the name of the Lord be blessed, from this time forth forevermore. 3 From the rising of the sun to its going down let the name of the Lord be
praised. 4 The Lord is high above all nations; God’s glory above the heavens.
REFRAIN
5 Who is like the Lord our God, who sits enthroned on high, 6 but stoops to behold the heavens and the earth? 7 The Lord takes up the weak out of the dust and lifts up the poor from the ashes, 8 enthroning them with the rulers,
REFRAIN
SECOND READING: 1 Timothy 2:1-7
The pastoral epistles offer insight into how early Christians understood many practical matters, such as church administration and worship. The church’s focused prayer for others is an expression of the single-minded passion God has toward us in Jesus.
1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and acceptable before God our Savior, 4 who de-sires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all—this was attested at the right time.7 For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth; I am not lying), a teacher of the gentiles in faith and truth.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
CHILDREN’S SERMON Rev. Chris Steubing
Please stand as you are able.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
The Gospel according to Luke.
Glory to you, O Lord.
GOSPEL Luke 16:1-13
Jesus tells the curious story of a dishonest manager who cheats his employer and then is commended by him for having acted so shrewdly. Jesus wonders why his own followers are less creative and diligent in their stewardship given that they are managers of a far more valuable household.
1 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a man-ager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. 2 So he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management because you can-not be my manager any longer.’ 3 Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’ 5 So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He answered, ‘A hun-dred jugs of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’ 7 Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He re-plied, ‘A hundred containers of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and make it eighty.’ 8 And his master commended the dishonest manager be-cause he had acted shrewdly, for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.
Al - le - lu - ia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have
Words of e—ter—nal life. Al - le - lu - ia. Al - le - lu - ia.
9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone they may welcome you into the eternal homes. 10 “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much, and who-ever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11 If, then, you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? 13 No slave can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be de-voted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to You, O Christ.
Please be seated.
SERMON Rev. Chris Steubing
HYMN OF THE DAY “God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending” Hymn #678
Please stand as you are able.
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
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
. . .God of grace, Hear our prayer.
THE PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Let us share the peace with one another.
OFFERING
OFFERING MUSIC “This is Amazing Grace” (Next pg.)
Words and Music by Jeremy Riddle, Josh Farro, and Phil Wickham. © 2012 Phil Wickham Music; Seems Like Music; Sing My Songs; Bethel Music Publishing; WC Music Corp. Used by permission. CCLI License # 2561118
Please stand as the offering is brought forward.
OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. God of grace, your love reaches to the heavens, and your abundance to the depths of the seas. Bless what we offer to your service: our gifts, our abilities, and our hearts. Let us overflow with gratitude and generosity, now and always Amen.
MEAL
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Used by permission CCLI License # 2561118
“This is Amazing Grace”
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 your name and join their un-ending hymn:
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.
With this bread and cup we remember our Lord’s Passover from death to life as we proclaim the mystery of faith;
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
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
Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them. Come to this meal of mercy.
Communion Distribution---All are welcome to receive Holy Communion at the Lord's table. If you'd like to receive a blessing instead, you may simply come forward and cross your arms over your chest. If you are unable to come forward, please notify an usher and we will bring the sacrament to you. The communion cups contain wine (red) or grape juice (white). Gluten-free wafers are available upon request.
Communion Hymns
Hymn #692 “We Are an Offering” sing twice
Hymn #733 “Great is Thy Faithfulness”
POST COMMUNION BLESSING
Please stand as you are able.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Let us pray. O God, through this meal you have strengthened us and appointed us to be your servants. Send us to do good and to share our possessions with all in need. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
BENEDICTION
The God of righteousness, who gives justice to the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry, who sets the prisoners free, bless you now and for-ever.
SENDING HYMN “Rise, Shine, You People!” Hymn #665
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Do not lose heart.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE.
Our thanks to those who serve as our worship leaders today:
Our Reader—Cindy Riffe
Our Liturgist—Don Gillett
Organist—Jimmy Cheung
Choir and Hand Bell Director—Wendy Kuenemann
Pastor—Rev. Chris Steubing