Order of Worship
Sixth Sunday in Epiphany
February 16, 2025
Blessings and curses abound on the sixth Sunday after Epiphany. We would do well to listen closely to whom the “blessed ares” and the “woe tos” are directed and to find our place in the crowd among those who desire to touch Jesus. The risen Christ stands among us in the mystery of the holy supper with an invitation to live in him, and offers power to heal us all.
+ GATHERING +
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE
Jesus Calls Us
arr. H. Alexander Matthews
CONFESSIONS AND FORGIVENESS
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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
Jesus Shall Reign
ELW 434
Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
does its successive journeys run;
his kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
till moons shall wax and wane no more.
To him shall endless prayer be made,
and praises throng to crown his head;
his name like sweet perfume shall rise
with ev'ry morning sacrifice.
People and realms of ev'ry tongue
dwell on his love with sweetest song;
and infant voices shall proclaim
their early blessings on his name.
Blessings abound where'er he reigns:
the pris'ners leap to lose their chains,
the weary find eternal rest,
and all who suffer want are blest.
Let ev'ry creature rise and bring
peculiar honors to our king;
angels descend with songs again,
and earth repeat the loud amen.
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 (page 184)
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
For peace in the world, for the health of the church, for the unity of all;
for this holy house, for all who worship and praise,
let us pray to the Lord, let us pray to the Lord
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
That we may live out your impassioned response to the hungry and the poor;
that we may live out truth and justice and grace,
let us pray to the Lord, let us pray to the Lord
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
For peace in our hearts, for peace in our homes, for friends and family;
for life and for love, for our work and our play,
let us pray to the Lord, let us pray to the Lord
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
For your Spirit to guide; that you center our lives in the water and the Word;
that you nourish our souls with your body and blood,
let us pray to the Lord, let us pray to the Lord
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
CANTICLE OF PRAISE (page 149)
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia.
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain,
whose blood set us free to be people of God.
Power and riches and wisdom and strength,
and honor and blessing and glory are his.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia.
Sing with all the people of God
and join in the hymn of all creation:
Blessing and honor and glory and might
be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God,
for the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Living God, in Christ you make all things new. Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
+ READINGS +
FIRST READING: Jeremiah 17:5-10
These verses compose a poem that is part of a larger collection of wisdom sayings that contrast two ways of life. Life with God brings blessing; the power and vitality of God is active in our life. Life without God brings a curse, the power of death.
5 Thus says the Lord:
Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals
and make mere flesh their strength,
whose hearts turn away from the Lord.
6 They shall be like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see when relief comes.
They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.
7 Blessed are those who trust in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
8 They shall be like a tree planted by water,
sending out its roots by the stream.
It shall not fear when heat comes,
and its leaves shall stay green;
in the year of drought it is not anxious,
and it does not cease to bear fruit.
9 The heart is devious above all else;
it is perverse—
who can understand it?
10 I the Lord test the mind
and search the heart,
to give to all according to their ways,
according to the fruit of their doings.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM: Psalm 1 (Read Responsively)
1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked,
nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
2 Their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and they meditate on God’s teaching day and night.
3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither;
everything they do shall prosper.
4 It is not so with the wicked;
they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes,
nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked shall be destroyed.
SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20
For Paul, the resurrection of Christ is the basis for Christian hope. Because Christ has been raised, those who are in Christ know that they too will be raised to a new life beyond death.
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (page 188)
Alleluia.
Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
GOSPEL: Luke 6:17-26
After choosing his twelve apostles, Jesus teaches a crowd of followers about the nature and demands of discipleship. He begins his great sermon with surprising statements about who is truly blessed in the eyes of God.
The holy gospel according to Luke.
Glory to you, O Lord.
17 Jesus came down with [the twelve] and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon.18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.
20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22 “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
25 “Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26 “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.”
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON Pastor Jeannine Sweet
HYMN OF THE DAY
Light Dawns on a Weary World
ELW 726
Light dawns on a weary world
when eyes begin to see
all people's dignity.
Light dawns on a weary world:
the promised day of justice comes.
Refrain
The trees shall clap their hands;
the dry lands, gush with springs;
the hills and mountains shall break forth with singing!
We shall go out in joy,
and be led forth in peace,
as all the world in wonder echoes shalom.
Love grows in a weary world
when hungry hearts find bread
and children's dreams are fed.
Love grows in a weary world:
the promised feast of plenty comes. Refrain
Hope blooms in a weary world
when creatures, once forlorn,
find wilderness reborn.
Hope blooms in a weary world:
the promised green of Eden comes. Refrain
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
With the Spirit of Christ shining upon us, let us boldly pray for the church, the world, and all of creation.
A brief silence.
Blessed is your church transformed by your Spirit. Give us courage to proclaim to all people the promises made true in the death and resurrection of Christ. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Blessed is creation. As earth experiences destruction from harmful practices and climate change, give us courage to help bring about its restoration. Encourage those who work in forestry to be a voice for the hidden places of creation and provide skills for its conservation. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Blessed are the nations. We pray for presidents, prime ministers, and leaders of nations. Grant that their courage will not run dry in the face of challenge, but that they will delight in the fountain of your righteousness. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Blessed are those in need. Give to all facing illness wise and caring doctors, nurses, and therapists. Draw close to those who feel far from you or who are suffering in any way especially Mary, Mabel, Doris, June, Barbara, Ann, Julie, Sydney, Brooklyn, Carol, Anne, Judy, Tom, Lydia, Brian, James & Grace, Wil, Amy, Bob & Jane, Scott, Ron & Flo, Mac, Monica, Tom & Leona, Avery, Doris, Elaine, John, Tim, Betty, Linda, Jeff, Henry, Gary, Mary, Greg, Helen & Ron, and Max. Provide an extra measure of your grace and love. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Blessed is this congregation. Like a tree planted by streams of water, we are nourished by faith in you. Provide courage in times that feel dry, trusting that you sustain us in many ways. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
God be with 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. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Blessed are those saints who now rest in your peace. Through lives of both sorrow and joy, challenge and triumph, they provide witness of faith in all times. May their lives be a witness to the living. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
We entrust our prayers to you, O God, in the sure and certain hope that your promise is revealed among the people.
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
O Love of God
J. S. Bach
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
God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever. You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine. Nourish us with these gifts, that we might be for the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
HOLY COMMUNION
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
DIALOGUE (page 107)
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.
In the wonder and mystery of the Word made flesh you have opened the eyes of faith to a new and radiant vision of your glory, that, beholding the God made visible, we may be drawn to love the God whom we cannot see.
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 190)
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory, full of your glory
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, 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
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
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, grant us peace, Lamb of God.
COMMUNION HYMNS
When the Poor Ones
ELW 725
When the poor ones, who have nothing, still are giving;
when the thirsty pass the cup, water to share;
when the wounded offer others strength and healing:
Refrain
We see God, here by our side, walking our way;
we see God, here by our side, walking our way.
When compassion gives the suff'ring consolation;
when expecting brings to birth hope that was lost;
when we choose love, not the hatred all around us: Refrain
When our spirits, like a chalice, brim with gladness;
when our voices, full and clear, sing out the truth;
when our longings, free from envy, seek the humble: Refrain
When the goodness poured from heaven fills our dwellings;
when the nations work to change war into peace;
when the stranger is accepted as our neighbor: Refrain
Jesus, the Very Thought of You
ELW 754
Jesus, the very thought of you
fills us with sweet delight;
but sweeter far your face to view
and rest within your light.
No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
nor can the mind recall
a sweeter sound than your blest name,
O Savior of us all!
O Hope of ev'ry contrite soul,
O joy of all the meek,
how kind you are to those who fall!
How good to those who seek!
O Jesus, be our joy today;
help us to prize your love;
grant us at last to hear you say:
"Come, share my home above."
BLESSING AFTER COMMUNION
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of this gift of life. In your mercy, strengthen us through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
+ SENDING +
SENDING SONG
Let Justice Flow like Streams
ELW 717
Let justice flow like streams
of sparkling water, pure,
enabling growth, refreshing life,
abundant, cleansing, sure.717
Let righteousness roll on
as others' cares we heed,
an ever-flowing stream of faith
translated into deed.
So may God's plumb line, straight,
define our measure true,
and justice, right, and peace pervade
this world our whole life through.
BENEDICTION
The Lord bless us and keep us.
The Lord’s face shine upon us, and be gracious unto us.
The Lord’s countenance be upon us and give us peace, now and forevermore.
Amen.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace and pray for the world.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
Sortie on “Duke Street”
Lani Smith
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.
Jesus Calls Us O'er the Tumult, Music: William H. Jude, 1851-1922, arr. H. Alexander Matthews, 1879-1973.
Jesus Shall Reign, Text: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748, alt. Music: attr. John Hatton, c. 1793. Public domain.
Light Dawns on a Weary World, Text: Mary Louise Bringle, b. 1953. Text © 2002 GIA Publications, Inc. Music: William P. Rowan, b. 1951. Music © 2000 William P. Rowan, admin GIA Publications, Inc. Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved.
O Love of God,, Text and music: Johann Sebastian Bach.
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.
When the Poor Ones, Text: José Antonio Olivar, b. 1939; tr. Martin A. Seltz, b. 1951. Music: Miguel Manzano, b. 1934. Text and music © 1971, 1998 J.A. Olivar, Miguel Manzano, and San Pablo Internacional -- SSP, admin. OCP Publications. Text and music reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved.
Jesus, the Very Thought of You, Text: attr. Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091-1153. Music: John B. Dykes, 1823-1876. Public domain.
Let Justice Flow like Streams, Text: Jane Parker Huber, b. 1926. Text © 1984 Jane Parker Huber, admin.Westminster John Knox Press. Text reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. Music: Aaron Williams, 1731-1778. Public domain.
Sortie on “Duke Street” , Music: John Hatton, c. 1710-1793, Arr. Lani Smith, 1934-2015. Music © Lorenz Publishing Company
