September 1, 2024
Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity
Holy Communion

Jesus protests against human customs being given the weight of divine law, while the essence of God’s law is ignored. True uncleanness comes not from external things, but from the intentions of the human heart. Last week Jesus told us “the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63). Now James says God has given us birth by the word of truth. We who were washed in the word when we were born in the font return to it every Sunday to ask God to create in us clean hearts.

+ GATHERING +

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRELUDE 

O Master, Let Me Walk With You
arr.Robert Lau

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS  

Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God,
the God of manna,
the God of miracles,
the God of mercy.
Amen.

Drawn to Christ and seeking God’s abundance,
let us confess our sin.

     Silence is kept for reflection.

God, our provider,
help us.
It is hard to believe there is enough to share.
We question your ways when they differ from the ways
of the world in which we live.
We turn to our own understanding
rather than trusting in you.
We take offense at your teachings and your ways.
Turn us again to you.
Where else can we turn?
Share with us the words of eternal life
and feed us for life in the world.
Amen.

Beloved people of God:
in Jesus, the manna from heaven,
you are fed and nourished.
By Jesus, the worker of miracles,
there is always more than enough.
Through Jesus, the bread of life,
you are shown God’s mercy:
you are forgiven and loved into abundant life.

GATHERING HYMN

For the Beauty of the Earth
ELW 879

For the beauty of the earth,
for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies:

Refrain
   Christ, our God, to thee we raise
   this our sacrifice of praise.

For the wonder of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale and tree and flow'r,
sun and moon and stars of light:    Refrain

For the joy of ear and eye,
for the heart and mind's delight,
for the mystic harmony
linking sense to sound and sight:    Refrain

For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above;
for all gentle thoughts and mild:    Refrain

For each perfect gift of thine,
peace on earth and joy in heav'n;
for thyself, best gift divine,
to our world so freely giv'n:    Refrain

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.

CANTICLE OF PRAISE    (page 139)

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people on earth.

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.
O God our strength, without you we are weak and wayward creatures. Protect us from all dangers that attack us from the outside, and cleanse us from all evil that arises from within ourselves, that we may be preserved through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

+ READINGS +  

FIRST READING:  Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9
The Israelites believed the law was a divine gift that provided guidelines for living out the covenant. Moses commands the people to obey the law and to neither add to nor subtract from it. The Israelites are also to teach the law to their children and their children’s children.

So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. ²You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the LORD your God with which I am charging you. ⁶You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!" ⁷For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is whenever we call to him? ⁸And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today?
⁹But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children's children--

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Psalm 15

¹Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle?
 Who may abide upon your holy hill?
²Those who lead a blameless life and do what is right,
 who speak the truth from their heart;
³they do not slander with the tongue, they do no evil to their friends;
 they do not cast discredit upon a neighbor.
⁴In their sight the wicked are rejected, but they honor those who fear the Lord.
 They have sworn upon their health and do not take back their word.
⁵They do not give their money in hope of gain, nor do they take bribes against the innocent.
 Those who do these things shall never be overthrown. 

SECOND READING:   James 1:17-27
The letter of James was intended to provide first-century Christians with instruction in godly behavior. Here Christians are encouraged to listen carefully and to act on what they hear, especially by caring for those least able to care for themselves.

¹⁷Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ¹⁸In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
¹⁹You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰for your anger does not produce God's righteousness. ²¹Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.
²²But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. ²³For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; ²⁴for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. ²⁵But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act — they will be blessed in their doing.
²⁶If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. ²⁷Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION     (page 142)

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

GOSPEL: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Mark’s gospel depicts Jesus as challenging traditional ways in which religious people determine what is pure or impure. For Jesus, the observance of religious practices cannot become a substitute for godly words or deeds that spring from a faithful heart.

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

¹Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, ²they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. ³(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; ⁴and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) ⁵So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?" ⁶He said to them, "Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
 'This people honors me with their lips,
 but their hearts are far from me;
 ⁷in vain do they worship me,
 teaching human precepts as doctrines.'
⁸You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition."
¹⁴Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile."
²¹For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, ²²adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. ²³All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."

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

SERMON      Pastor Joyce Gulliford

HYMN OF THE DAY    

O God, My Faithful God
ELW 806

O God, my faithful God,
true fountain ever flowing,
without whom nothing is,
all perfect gifts bestowing:
give me a healthy frame,
and may I have within
a conscience free from blame,
a soul unstained by sin.

Give me the strength to do
with ready heart and willing
whatever you command,
my calling here fulfilling--
to do it when I ought,
with all my might--and bless
whatever I have wrought,
for you must give success.

Keep me from saying words
that later need recalling;
guard me, lest idle speech
may from my lips be falling;
but when, within my place,
I must and ought to speak,
then to my words give grace,
lest I offend the weak.

When dangers gather round,
oh, keep me calm and fearless;
help me to bear the cross
when life seems dark and cheerless;
help me, as you have taught,
to love both great and small,
and, by your Spirit's might,
to live at peace with all.

APOSTLES’ CREED    (page 105)

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

     A brief silence.

God of every generation, give the church a sense of purpose and belonging. Sustain and build up leaders and lay people as we accompany one another in our life with Christ. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.

God of creation, you named humans as co-creators with you. Where the earth cries out in pain, bring wholeness. Guide governments and industry, that environmental laws and practices seek to heal and not harm. Bring relief and justice to people and places suffering from climate catastrophe. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.

Sovereign God, we pray for local communities of every kind: rural and urban; established and new. Lead those in authority to seek the good of all through their words and actions and to mentor others in honest and generous ways. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.

Healing God, you draw near to all who are hurting. Be with all who desire relief from chronic and acute illness, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Strengthen health care workers, therapists, and caregivers. Tend to those who are close to our hearts especially Rita, Mary, Anne, Mabel, Mike, Anna Mae, Doris, Jan, June, Ann, Julie, Carol, Anne, Judy, Tom, Lydia, Brian, Paul, Wil, Amy, Michael, Bob & Jane, Mary, Scott, Marie, Ron & Flo, Mac, Monica, Avery, Doris, John, Tim, Betty, Linda, Jeff, henry, Gary, Mary, Greg, Helen & Ron, Blanche, and Max.. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.

On this Labor Day weekend we remember and give thanks for all who have fought for workers’ rights around the world. Continue to improve working conditions and establish fair wages so that all people may thrive. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.

Lord, we thank you for Grace’s Call Committee, for their diligence and faithfulness as servants of Christ. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon them. Blessing, strengthening and empowering them for the task of calling a new pastor. Merciful God,
Receive our prayer.

     Here other intercessions may be offered.

Comforting God, console us as we mourn our departed (especially). We hold fast to the promise that death has been defeated by our Savior Jesus Christ. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.

We entrust these and all our prayers to you, holy God, in the name of your beloved child, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

SHARING OF THE PEACE

The peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.

We prepare now to receive our offerings as we return to God a portion of what God has entrusted to us.

  + 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.

ANTHEM

OFFERING SONG  

Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful
ELW 184

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 dreams of all;
unite them with the prayers we offer.
Grace our table with your presence,
and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.

OFFERING PRAYER

Blessed are you, O God, source of every gift of your creation. By these gifts and with our lives, help us to serve one another and all in need, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

    HOLY COMMUNION

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    (page 144)

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow'r and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory. 
Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest. 
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 
Hosanna in the highest.

THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE

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.

LORD'S PRAYER    (page 145)

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 banquet, for all is now ready.

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 communion rail where we receive the Body and Blood of Christ. Gluten free bread and grape juice are available. If you wish to commune, but cannot come forward, let an usher know and Pastor will come to you. If you do not wish to commune, you are welcome to come forward to receive a blessing. 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.

AGNUS DEI    (page 146)

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.

COMMUNION HYMN

We Plow the Fields and Scatter
ELW 681

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Let Us Pray:
Holy God, you have welcomed us to this meal and fed us with dignity at your table. Send us now to welcome others
and to be at peace with one another, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

+ SENDING +  

SENDING SONG

Take My Life, That I May Be
ELW 685

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 hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love;
take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee. 

Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King;
take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee. 

Take my silver and my gold,
not a mite would I withhold;
take my intellect and use
ev'ry pow'r as thou shall choose. 

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.

BENEDICTION
God all mighty, God most merciful bless you, keep you, and give you peace.
Amen.

DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Follow Jesus.
Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
arr. Michael Burkhardt

 

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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.

For the Beauty of the Earth, Text: Folliott S. Pierpoint, 1835-1917, alt.  Music: Conrad Kocher, 1786-1872.  Public domain.

O God, My Faithful God, Text: Johann Heermann, 1585-1647; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827-1878, alt.. Music: Ahasuerus Fritsch, 1629-1702.  Public domain.

Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful, Music: Ronald A. Nelson, b. 1927.  Text and music © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.  Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274.  All rights reserved.

We Plow the Fields and Scatter, Text:  Matthias Claudius, 1740-1815; tr. Jane M. Campbell, 1817-1878, alt.  Music: Johann A.P. Schulz, 1747-1878, alt.  Public domain.

Take My Life, That I May Be, Text Frances R. Havergal, 1836-1879, adapt. Music: William H. Havergal, 1793-1870.  Public domain.