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PRELUDE

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

RINGING OF THE BELL

Please stand as you are able.

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, who forgives all our sin,

whose mercy endures forever. Amen.

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and

from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by

the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and

worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Gracious God, have mercy on us. We confess that we have

turned from you and given ourselves into the power of sin. We

are truly sorry and humbly repent. In your compassion forgive

us our sins, known and unknown, things we have done and

things we have failed to do. Turn us again to you, and uphold

us by your Spirit, so that we may live and serve you in newness

of life through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin,

and made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been

saved. In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Almighty

God strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit, that

Christ may live in your hearts through faith. Amen.

GATHERING HYMN “How Great Thou Art” Hymn #856

 

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.

KYRIE

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray. Bend your ear to our prayers, Lord Christ, and

come among us. By your gracious life and death for us, bring

light into the darkness of our hearts, and anoint us with your

Spirit, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever. Amen.

Please be seated.

WORD

FIRST READING 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Samuel anointed David even though he was the eighth-oldest son of

Jesse and did not match his brothers in height or other physical

characteristics. With the anointing came endowment with the Spirit

of the Lord, designating David as the Lord’s chosen successor to

Saul.

 

1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I

have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil

and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided

for myself a king among his sons.” 2 Samuel said, “How can I

go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a

heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite

Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do, and you

shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” 4 Samuel did what

the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city

came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” 5

He said, “Peaceably. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify

yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified

Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely his

anointed is now before the Lord.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do

not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I

have rejected him, for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they

look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 8

Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. He

said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made

Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this

one.” 10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and

Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11

Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There

remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel

said to Jesse, “Send and bring him, for we will not sit down until he

comes here.” 12 He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and

had beautiful eyes and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and

anoint him, for this is the one.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence

of his brothers, and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David

from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

 

PSALM “Shepherd Me, O God” Hymn #780

Choir sings verses, congregation joins in singing the refrain.

SECOND READING Ephesians 5:8-14

Because we now live in the divine light which is Jesus Christ, we

conduct our lives in ways that reflect the light of Christ, so that our

activity is truly pleasing to God.

8 Once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Walk

as children of light, 9 for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good

and right and true. 10 Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness; rather, expose

them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly,

13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for

everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Sleeper, awake!

Rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.”

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

 

CHILDREN’S SERMON Pastor Chris Steubing

Please stand as you are able.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The holy gospel according to John.

Glory to you, O Lord.

GOSPEL READING Gospel: John 9:1-41

Jesus heals a man born blind, provoking a hostile reaction that he regards as spiritual blindness to the things of God. 1 As [Jesus] walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, 7 saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. 8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am he.” 10 But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.” 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.” 18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind, 21 but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see may see and those who do see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.” The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON Pastor Chris Steubing

HYMN OF THE DAY “Amazing Grace” Hymn #779

THE PRAYERS

...Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

SHARING THE PEACE

The peace of Christ be with you always.

And also with you.

Let us share the peace with one another.

OFFERING

11

OFFERING MUSIC “The Wonderful Cross”

Chris Tomlin | Isaac Watts | J. D. Walt | Jesse Reeves | Lowell Mason © 2000 Rising Springs Music; Vamos Publishing; worshiptogether.com songs. CCLI License # 2561118

Please stand as you are able on the third verse as the offering is brought forward.

OFFERING PRAYER

Let us pray. O God, maker of heaven and earth, your steadfast

love embraces all creation. You send rain and sunshine to nourish

the earth and bring forth its bounty. Through these gifts of

bread and wine, draw us into the death and life of your Son, who

calls us to bear witness to his saving work. We ask this in Jesus’

name. Amen.

MEAL

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

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, 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;

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

Come to the table. Feast on God’s goodness and 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 #520 “Dearest Jesus, at Your Word”

Hymn #614 “There is a balm in Gilead”

 

POST COMMUNION BLESSING

Please stand as you are able.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Let us pray. God of our salvation, we give you thanks for this meal

that restores our souls, reconciles us to you, and strengthens us

for the journey. Through the body and blood of your Son, may we

become Christ’s body in the world, bearing witness to your love

for all creation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

BENEDICTION

Receive the blessing of the holy Trinity: God, who calls all things into

existence, Jesus Christ, who redeems us, and the Holy Spirit, whose

breath sustains creation, bless you now and always.

SENDING HYMN “Beautiful Things” Please see back page

DISMISSAL

Go in peace. Believe the good news. Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE

 

Church Staff and today’s worship leaders:

Pastor—Rev. Chris Steubing

Visitation Pastor—Rev. Judi Miller

Communion Assistants—Tom & Kathy Pearson

Our Reader—Betty Curry

Our Liturgist—Claire Roberts

Organist/Pianist—Jimmy Cheung

Choir and Hand Bell Director—Wendy Kuenemann