ORDER OF WORSHIP
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
July 31, 2022

  + GATHERING +

WELCOME

PRELUDE          Prelude No. 21 in B-flat Major    by J.S Bach 

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

God of all mercy and consolation, come to the help of your people, turning us from our sin to live for you alone.  Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that we may confess our sin, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

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

Most merciful God,
we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves.  We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.  We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.  For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.  Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.  Amen.

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins.  As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen. 

GATHERING HYMN        Glorious Things of You Are Spoken      
                                                       ELW 647 

Glorious things of you are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!
He whose word cannot be broken
formed you for his own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake your sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
you may smile at all your foes.

See, the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply your sons and daughters,
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint, while such a river
ever will their thirst assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
never fails from age to age.

Round each habitation hov'ring,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a cov'ring,
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from their banner
light by night and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna
which God gives them on their way.

Savior, since of Zion's city
I through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in your name.
Fading are the world's vain pleasures,
all their boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasures
none but Zion's children know.

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.

HYMN OF PRAISE

   Assisting Minister
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God's people on earth.
   All
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you,
we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory. 

Lord Jesus Christ,
only Son of the Father. 
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father;
receive our prayer. 

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord;
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray.
Benevolent God, you are the source, the guide, and the goal of our lives. Teach us to love what is worth loving, to reject what is offensive to you, and to treasure what is precious in your sight, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

  + WORD +  

FIRST READING:    Hosea 11:1-11
Hosea compares God’s love for Israel to the love parents have for their children. Whether teaching toddlers to walk or dealing with a child’s rebellion, good parents continue to love their children as they try to lead them to life. In the same way, God’s love will not let Israel go.

¹When Israel was a child, I loved him,
 and out of Egypt I called my son.
 ²The more I called them,
 the more they went from me;
 they kept sacrificing to the Baals,
 and offering incense to idols.
 ³Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
 I took them up in my arms;
 but they did not know that I healed them.
 ⁴I led them with cords of human kindness,
 with bands of love.
 I was to them like those
 who lift infants to their cheeks.
 I bent down to them and fed them.
 ⁵They shall return to the land of Egypt,
 and Assyria shall be their king,
 because they have refused to return to me.
 ⁶The sword rages in their cities,
 it consumes their oracle-priests,
 and devours because of their schemes.
 ⁷My people are bent on turning away from me.
 To the Most High they call,
 but he does not raise them up at all.
 ⁸How can I give you up, Ephraim?
 How can I hand you over, O Israel?
 How can I make you like Admah?
 How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
 My heart recoils within me;
 my compassion grows warm and tender.
 ⁹I will not execute my fierce anger;
 I will not again destroy Ephraim;
 for I am God and no mortal,
 the Holy One in your midst,
 and I will not come in wrath.
 ¹⁰They shall go after the LORD,
 who roars like a lion;
 when he roars,
 his children shall come trembling from the west.
 ¹¹They shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,
 and like doves from the land of Assyria;
 and I will return them to their homes, says the LORD.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

PSALM 107:1-9,43      (spoken responsively by full verse)

  ¹O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
 for his steadfast love endures forever.
 ²Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
 those he redeemed from trouble
 ³and gathered in from the lands,
 from the east and from the west,
 from the north and from the south.
 ⁴Some wandered in desert wastes,
 finding no way to an inhabited town;
 ⁵hungry and thirsty,
 their soul fainted within them.
 ⁶Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
 and he delivered them from their distress;
 ⁷he led them by a straight way,
 until they reached an inhabited town.
 ⁸Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
 for his wonderful works to humankind.
 ⁹For he satisfies the thirsty,
 and the hungry he fills with good things.
 ⁴³Let those who are wise give heed to these things,
 and consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

SECOND READING:     Colossians 3:1-4, 12-17
Life in Christ includes a radical reorientation of our values. Just as the newly baptized shed their old clothes and put on new garments, so Christians are called to let go of greed and take hold of a life shaped by God’s love in Christ.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION 

Alleluia.  
Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL:       Luke 12:13-21
In God’s reign, the “rich will be sent away empty.” Jesus uses a parable to warn against identifying the worth of one’s life with the value of one’s possessions rather than one’s relationship with God.

The holy gospel according to Luke.
Glory to you, O Lord.

¹³Someone in the crowd said to [Jesus], "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." ¹⁴But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?" ¹⁵And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." ¹⁶Then he told them a parable: "The land of a rich man produced abundantly. ¹⁷And he thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' ¹⁸Then he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' ²⁰But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' ²¹So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God."

The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON

HYMN OF THE DAY     Son of God, Eternal Savior
                                                  ELW 655

Son of God, eternal Savior,
source of life and truth and grace,
Word made flesh, whose birth among us
hallows all our human race,
you our head, who, throned in glory,
for your own will ever plead:
fill us with your love and pity,
heal our wrong, and help our need.

As you, Lord, have lived for others,
so may we for others live.
Freely have your gifts been granted;
freely may your servants give.
Yours the gold and yours the silver,
yours the wealth of land and sea;
we but stewards of your bounty
held in solemn trust will be.

Come, O Christ, and reign among us,
King of love and Prince of peace;
hush the storm of strife and passion,
bid its cruel discords cease.
By your patient years of toiling,
by your silent hours of pain,
quench our fevered thirst of pleasure,
stem our selfish greed of gain.

Son of God, eternal Savior,
source of life and truth and grace,
Word made flesh, whose birth among us
hallows all our human race:
by your praying, by your willing
that your people should be one,
grant, oh, grant our hope's fruition:
here on earth your will be done.

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

Trusting in God’s extraordinary love, let us come near to the Holy One in prayer.

     A brief silence.

O God, you are wholeness. Where there is division in your church, bring reconciliation and healing. Guide the work of theologians, Sunday school teachers, seminary professors, and all who provide instruction for the building up of your church. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.

O God, you are the source of all life. Where creation cries out in distress, bring relief and renewal. Bless farmers, ranchers, distributors, and all who provide our food. Nourish the land and all its habitants. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.

O God, you are wisdom. Where nations and communities yearn for peace, bring justice. Strengthen those who toil for the welfare of others, especially military personnel, police, first responders, and activists, and for the healing of the nations. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.

O God, you are life. Where your people are overwhelmed with the busy-ness of life, bring encouragement. Accompany all who experience emotional, mental, or physical distress, particularly Alena, Jenna, Margaret, Anna Mae, Julie, Alan, Carol, Anne, Allen, JoAnn, Clarene, Betty, Jane, Bob, Marian, Dione, Dottie, Theresa, Tim, Julie, Ruth, Henry, Ian, Mary, Greg, Ann Joyce, Barbara, and Shelby. Renew us at your table of mercy. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.

O God, you are our treasure. Where scarcity and anxiety pervade your church, bring abundance and vitality. Guide the work of church councils and committees and give them clarity for the work of ministry in this place. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.

O God, you are resurrection. We give you thanks for all your saints.  Inspire us by their example of faithful living to set our minds on things above and to be rich in love toward you. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.     

(Other intercessions may be offered)

Receive the prayers of your children, merciful God, and hold us forever in your steadfast love; through Jesus Christ, our holy Wisdom.
Amen.

EXCHANGE OF PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.

  + MEAL +  

OFFERING
You may place your offerings in the offering plate as it is passed during 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.

MUSICAL OFFERING

OFFERING SONG
Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
and fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
that we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and the dreams of all;
unite them with the prayers we offer now. 
Grace our table with your presence,
and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.

OFFERING PRAYER
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, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

DIALOGUE

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 opened 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:

SANCTUS   
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.

THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE 

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, you have brought us this far along the way.  In times of bitterness you did not abandon us, but guided us into the path of love and light.  In every age you sent prophets to make known your loving will for all humanity.  The cry of the poor has become your own cry; our hunger and thirst for justice is your own desire.  In the fullness of time, you sent your chosen servant to preach good news to the afflicted, to break bread with the outcast and despised, and to ransom those in bondage to prejudice and sin.

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.  For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.

Remembering, therefore, his death and resurrection, we await the day when Jesus shall return to free all the earth from the bonds of slavery and death.  Come, Lord Jesus!  And let the church say, Amen.
Amen.

Send your Holy Spirit, our advocate and comforter, to fill the hearts of all who share this bread and cup with courage and wisdom to pursue love and justice in all the world.  Come, Spirit of freedom!  And let the church say, Amen.
Amen.

Join our prayers and praise with your prophets and martyrs of every age, that, rejoicing in the hope of the resurrection, we might live in the freedom and hope of your Son.  Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, now and forever.
Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER
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.

DISTRIBUTION 
The ushers will direct you down the center aisle.  Please go to an open spot at the altar rail.  After you have received the host, the first chalice is for intinction and the second chalice is for drinking.  You may wish to remain at the rail for a time of personal prayer following which you may return to your pew down the side aisle.

LAMB OF GOD    
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us. 
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us. 
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
grant us peace, grant us peace.

BLESSING AFTER COMMUNION

Thankful hearts and voices raise: tell ev'ryone what God has done. 
Let ev'ryone who seeks the Lord rejoice and bear the name of Christ. 
Send us with your promises and lead your people forth in joy
with shouts of thanksgiving.  Alleluia, alleluia.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Gracious God, in this meal you have drawn us to your heart, and nourished us at your table with food and drink, the body and blood of Christ. Now send us forth to be your people in the world, and to proclaim your truth this day and evermore, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

  + SENDING +  

SENDING HYMN       Sent Forth by God's Blessing
                                         ELW 547

DISMISSAL

Go in peace.  Love your neighbor.
Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE           Sing a New Song       by Ed Broughton             

Liturgical Text and Music from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, © 2006, 2020, 2022 Augsburg Fortress.  Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies License #SAS016761.  All rights reserved.

Glorious Things of You Are Spoken,  Text: John Newton, 1725-1807, alt.. Music: William P. Rowlands, 1860-1937..Public domain.

Son of God, Eternal Savior,  Text: Somerset C. Lowry, 1855-1932.  Music: Oude en Nieuwe Hollantse Boerenlities en Contradansen, 1710. Public domain.

Sent Forth by God's Blessing,  Text: Omer Westendorf, 1916-1997, alt. Text © 1964 World Library Publications, Text reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274.  All rights reserved.. Music: Welsh folk tune. Public domain.