Order of Worship
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
October 10, 2021
+GATHERING+
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity + one God, who forgives all our sin, whose mercy endures forever.
Amen.
Let us confess our sins to the one who welcomes us with an open heart.
Silence is kept for reflection.
God our comforter:
like lost sheep, we have gone astray.
We are surrounded with abundance and see scarcity.
We turn away from injustice and oppression that we don’t want to see.
We exploit the earth and its resources with our apathy and greed.
Free us from our sin, gracious God.
Listen when we call out to you for help.
Lead us by your love to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Amen.
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
By the gift of grace in + Christ Jesus, God makes you righteous.
Receive with glad hearts the forgiveness of all your sins.
Amen.
HYMN
The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve
ELW 551 (vs 1,3,4)
The Spirit sends us forth to serve;
we go in Jesus' name
to bring glad tidings to the poor,
God's favor to proclaim.
We go to be the hands of Christ,
to scatter joy like seed
and, all our days, to cherish life,
to do the loving deed.
Then let us go to serve in peace,
the gospel to proclaim.
God's Spirit has empowered us;
we go in Jesus' name.
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.
Almighty and ever-living God, increase in us your gift of faith, that, forsaking what lies behind and reaching out to what lies ahead, we may follow the way of your commandments and receive the crown of everlasting joy, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
+WORD +
READING Amos 5:6-15
Amos was a herdsman by profession and a prophet by God’s call. During a time of great prosperity in the northern kingdom of Israel, the prophet speaks to the wealthy upper class. He warns his listeners that fulfilling God’s demand for justice brings blessing, while corruption and oppression incur God’s wrath.
6Seek the LORD and live,
or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire,
and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it.
7Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood,
and bring righteousness to the ground!
8The one who made the Pleiades and Orion,
and turns deep darkness into the morning,
and darkens the day into night,
who calls for the waters of the sea,
and pours them out on the surface of the earth,
the LORD is his name,
9who makes destruction flash out against the strong,
so that destruction comes upon the fortress.
10They hate the one who reproves in the gate,
and they abhor the one who speaks the truth.
11Therefore because you trample on the poor
and take from them levies of grain,
you have built houses of hewn stone,
but you shall not live in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards,
but you shall not drink their wine.
12For I know how many are your transgressions,
and how great are your sins —
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe,
and push aside the needy in the gate.
13Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time;
for it is an evil time.
14Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you,
just as you have said.
15Hate evil and love good,
and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM 90:12-17 (read responsively by full verse)
12So teach us to count our days
that we may gain a wise heart.
13Turn, O LORD! How long?
Have compassion on your servants!
14Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us,
and as many years as we have seen evil.
16Let your work be manifest to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
17Let the favor of the LORD our God be upon us,
and prosper for us the work of our hands —
O prosper the work of our hands!
GOSPEL: Mark 10:17-31
Jesus has been teaching his disciples about what is most valued in God’s eyes. Now, a conversation with a rich man brings his message home to the disciples in a way that is surprising but unforgettable.
The holy gospel according to Mark.
Glory to you, O Lord.
17As [Jesus] was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'" 20He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." 21Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." 22When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
23Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" 24And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." 26They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?" 27Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."
28Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you." 29Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age — houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions — and in the age to come eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON
HYMN
Take My Life, That I May Be
ELW 685 (vs 1,5,6)
Take my life, that I may be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my will and make it thine,
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is thine own,
it shall be thy royal throne.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store;
take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.
APOSTLES’ CREED
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.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Made children and heirs of God’s promise, we pray for the church, the world, and all in need.
A brief silence.
Uniting God, you call forth different gifts in those who follow you. Encourage us to welcome the diverse benefits and blessings of the whole church in teaching, preaching, prophecy, healing, and more.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Nurturing God, you bring forth crops from the soil and bounty from the trees. Increase the produce of the land and bless all who toil in fields and orchards. Provide for good working conditions and keep them safe.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Empowering God, you offer compassion for those who are overlooked or forgotten. Open the hearts of local, national, and world leaders to show such compassion and love for their neighbors.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Sheltering God, in Jesus you travelled among us without a place to lay your head. Provide safe places to sleep and rest for those who have no place to live. Sustain ministries that offer food, clothing, and peace of mind. Bring healing to those suffering in body, particularly Alena, Jenna, Marilyn, Margaret, Anna Mae, Julie, Alan, Ken, Carol, Anne, Allen, JoAnn, Beth, Meagan, Betty, Dione, Dottie, Theresa, Dottie, Tim, Glenn, Ruth, Henry, Mary, Greg, Ann Joyce, Barbara, and Shelby.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Renewing God, you bring life out of death. Help us part with those things that are no longer beneficial to us and open our hearts to see where new life is budding in this congregation.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Eternal God, we thank you for the lives of those who have died. Make us confident in your promise of salvation and support us in our own journey of faith.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Receive these prayers, O God, and those in our hearts known only to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
GREETING OF PEACE
The peace of the Lord be with you.
And also with you.
+ MEAL +
During this time of pandemic, we are not passing offering plates during our worship service. Instead, they are placed at the back of the sanctuary. You may place your offerings there either before or after the service. Alternatively, some are using Tithe.ly for online giving or are using their bank’s online banking option. Whichever way you choose to give, we are grateful for your stewardship and generosity.
OFFERING PRAYER
God of abundance, you cause streams to break forth in the desert and manna to rain from the heavens. Accept the gifts you have first given us. Unite them with the offering of our lives to nourish the world you love so dearly; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
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.
PREFACE
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ; who on this day overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection openn.ed to us the way of everlasting life. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth
are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Hosanna in the highest.
THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE
Holy God, you alone are holy, you alone are God. The universe declares your praise: beyond the stars; beneath the sea; within each cell; with every breath.
We praise you, O God.
Generations bless your faithfulness: through the water; by night and day; across the wilderness; out of exile; into the future.
We bless you, O God.
We give you thanks for your dear Son: at the heart of human life; near to those who suffer; beside the sinner; among the poor; with us now.
We thank you, O God.
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.
Remembering his love for us on the way, at the table, and to the end, we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
We pray for the gift of your Spirit: in our gathering; within this meal; among your people; throughout the world.
Blessing, praise, and thanks to you, holy God, through Christ Jesus, by your Spirit, in your church, without end.
Amen.
THE LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Come to the Table ELW 481
Come to the table of mercy,
prepared with the wine and the bread.
All who are hungry and thirsty,
come, and your souls will be fed.
Come at the Lord's invitation;
receive from his nail-scarred hand.
Eat of the bread of salvation;
drink of the blood of the Lamb.
DISTRIBUTION
In Holy Communion, the baptized children of God are invited by the Lord to the Lord's Table where we receive Jesus' very body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine. We commune at the head of the aisle receiving the host and then moving to receive wine or grape juice by the individual cup. The ushers will direct you. Gluten free bread is available. If you wish to commune but cannot come forward, let an usher know and Pastor will come to you. For those who do not wish to commune, they are welcome to come forward to receive a blessing from Pastor.
BLESSING AFTER COMMUNION
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Lord of life, in the gift of your body and blood you turn the crumbs of our faith into a feast of salvation. Send us forth into the world with shouts of joy, being witness to the abundance of your love in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
+SENDING+
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN
Lord, When You Came to the Seashore
ELW 879 (vs 1,2,4,5)
Lord, when you came to the seashore
You weren’t seeking the wise or the wealthy,
But only asking that I might follow.
Refrain:
O Lord, in my eyes you were gazing,
Kindly smiling, my name you were saying:
All I treasured, I have left on the sand there;
Close to you, I will find other seas.
Lord, you knew what my boat carried:
Neither money nor weapons for fighting,
But nets for fishing, my daily labor. Refrain
Lord, have you need of my labor,
Hands for service, a heart made for loving,
My arms for lifting, the poor and broken? Refrain
Lord, send me where you would have me,
To a village, or heart of the city;
I will remember that you are with me. Refrain
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
COMMEMORATIONS
A mystical writer and reformer of the monastic order (Carmelites) to which she belonged, Teresa may also be commemorated with John of the Cross on December 14. Latino Christians traditionally remember her on this date.
Lord, When You Came to the Seashore , Text: Pescador de Hombres, César Gabaráin; Tr. by Williard Francis Jabusch, b. 1930. Tune: César Gabaráin, © 1979, Ediciones Paulinas. Sole U.S. agent: OCP Publications. Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense A-722274. All rights reserved.
Liturgical Text, Music, and Images from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, © 2006 and 2020 Augsburg Fortress and SundaysandSeasons.com. Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies License #SAS016761. All rights reserved.
Take My Life, That I May Be , Text: Frances R. Havergal, 1836-1879, alt.; Music: Wlliam H. Havergal, 1793-1870. Public domain.
Come to the Table, Text: Claire Cloninger, b. 1942. Music: Martin J. Nystrom, b. 1956. Text and Music © 1991 Integrity's Hosanna! Music | Curb Word Music, Text and music reprinted and/or streamed with permission under CCLI License # 2241477. All rights reserved.
The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve, Text: Delores Dufner, OSB, b. 1939, Text © 1993 Delores Dufner, OSB. Published by OCP Publications, Text reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved. Music: Thomas Haweis, 1734-1820. Public domain.
