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Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
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 “Let Us Go Now to the Banquet” Hymn #523
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. Benevolent, merciful God: When we are empty, fill us. When we are weak in faith, strengthen us. When we are cold in love, warm us, that with fervor we may love our neighbors and serve them for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Please be seated.
WORD
FIRST READING Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Injustice and violence in the time leading up to the Babylonian exile move this prophet to lament: How can a good and all-powerful God see evil in the world and seemingly remain indifferent? God answers by proclaiming that the righteous will live by faith.
1:1 The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw. 2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? 3 Why do you make me see wrongdoing and look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. 4 So the law becomes slack, and justice never prevails. The wicked sur-round the righteous; therefore judgment comes forth perverted. 2:1I will stand at my watchpost and station myself on the rampart; I will keep watch to see what he will say to me and what he will answer concerning my complaint.
2 Then the Lord answered me and said: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it. 3 For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. 4 Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faithfulness.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
PSALM: Psalm 37 “The Day of the Lord”
Words and music by Wendell Kimbrough Used by permission #CCLI 2561118
SECOND READING: 2 Timothy 1:1-14
This letter written to Timothy is a personal message of encouragement. In the face of hardship and persecution, Timothy is reminded that his faith is a gift of God. He is encouraged to exercise that faith with the help of the Holy Spirit.
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6 For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. 8 Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, in the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace, and this grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12 and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day the deposit I have entrusted to him. 13 Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
14 Guard the good deposit entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.
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 17:5-10
On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus instructs his followers about the power of faith and the duties of discipleship. He calls his disciples to adopt the attitude of servants whose actions are responses to their identity rather than works seeking reward.
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
7 “Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? 8 Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me; put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? 9 Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded?
10 So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’ ”
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to You, O Christ.
Please be seated.
SERMON Rev. Chris Steubing
HYMN OF THE DAY “Be Thou My Vision” Hymn # 793
Al - le - lu - ia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the
Words of e—ter—nal life. Al - le - lu - ia. Al - le - lu - ia.
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 I Believe (The Creed)”
By Matt Crocker and Ben Fielding Copyright 2014 Hillsong Music Publishing, Australia. Used by permission. CCLI License # 2561118.
Chorus 1
I believe in God our Father, I believe in Christ the Son I believe in the Holy Spirit, our God is three in One. I believe in the resurrection, that we will rise again. For I believe in the Name of Jesus.
Chorus 2
I believe in life eternal, I believe in the virgin birth,
I believe in the saints’ communion And in Your holy Church.
I believe in the resurrection, when Jesus comes again.
For I believe in the name of Jesus
For I believe in the name of Jesus.
Please stand as you are able on the final chorus as the offering is brought forward.
OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. Lord of the harvest, we return to you a portion of what you have given to us. Turn us to set our hope not on the uncertainty of riches, but on you, who richly provides for us. Multiply what we have gathered to bless all who are suffering and in need, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
MEAL
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
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 unending 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, for-ever 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 #596 “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”
Hymn #474 “Bread of Life from Heaven”
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 “The Lord Now Sends Us Forth” Hymn # 538
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Do not lose heart.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE.
Our thanks to those who serve as our worship leaders today:
Communion Assistants—Ed and Donna Clark
Our Reader—Betty Curry
Our Liturgist—Ken Kleid
Organist—Jimmy Cheung
Choir and Hand Bell Director—Wendy Kuenemann
Pastor—Rev. Chris Steubing