SUNDAY ORDER OF WORSHIP
17th Sunday after Pentecost/Communion
World Communion Day
October 2, 2022
PRELUDE
WELCOME
CALL TO WORSHIP
Write the vision; make it plain for all to see.
God longs to gather all the peoples of the earth.
*HYMN (on screen) ‘He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands’
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got the little bitty baby in His hands,
He’s got the little bitty baby in His hands,
He’s got the little bitty baby in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got you and me sister in His hands,
He’s got you and me sister in His hands,
He’s got you and me sister in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got you and me brother in His hands,
He’s got you and me brother in His hands,
He’s got you and me brother in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got everybody here in His hands,
He’s got everybody here in His hands,
He’s got everybody here in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
CALL TO CONFESSION
Our faith may be small, but God’s power is great. Our sins may loom large, but God’s promise of forgiveness is sure. Trusting that God is able to do for us what we could never do for ourselves, let us make our confession.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of grace, we confess that the seed of faith within us is small. Hope is often absent. Love is frequently inconvenient. Our sin keeps us from responding to you. Tend to us in mercy, so that we may grow in the ways of faith, hope, and love, after the example of Jesus Christ. (Silent reflection)
ASSURANCE OF PARDON/DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
The grace of God is given to us in Jesus Christ. This is good news!
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!
*GLORIA PATRI (please stand)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, Amen.
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Thank you, God, for Your Word. Thank you, God, for Your Holy Spirit that teaches and guides us daily. By these sacred words and stories, may we gain new insights from their rich legacies, every day. Amen.
Think of your discipleship as a mandate to be faithful.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 37:1-9 (read responsively)
1 Do not fret because of the wicked;
do not be envious of wrongdoers,
2 for they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
live in the land and enjoy security.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will make your vindication shine like the light
and the justice of your cause like the noonday.
7 Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;
do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
over those who carry out evil devices.
8 Refrain from anger and forsake wrath.
Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For the wicked shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
II Timothy 1:1-14 (The Message)
1-2 I, Paul, am on special assignment for Christ, carrying out God’s plan laid out in the Message of Life by Jesus. I write this to you, Timothy, the son I love so much. All the best from our God and Christ be yours!
3-4 Every time I say your name in prayer—which is practically all the time—I thank God for you, the God I worship with my whole life in the tradition of my ancestors. I miss you a lot, especially when I remember that last tearful good-bye, and I look forward to a joy-packed reunion.
5-7 That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith—and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.
8-10 So don’t be embarrassed to speak up for our Master or for me, his prisoner. Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us. We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God, who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it. But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.
11-12 This is the Message I’ve been set apart to proclaim as preacher, emissary, and teacher. It’s also the cause of all this trouble I’m in. But I have no regrets. I couldn’t be more sure of my ground—the One I’ve trusted in can take care of what he’s trusted me to do right to the end.
13-14 So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It’s as sound as the day you first heard it from me. Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us.
Our discipleship is a gift. As we received God’s Holy Word, let us receive the gift of discipleship. Let us ever be thankful. Amen.
REFLECTION: ‘Taking Faith Home’ Rev. Norlita Kaul
RECEPTION OF NEW MEMBERS:
Nancy Ohnstad and Stephen Van Buren
On behalf of the session, I present Nancy Ohnstad, who has been received into the membership of this congregation by transfer.
On behalf of the session, I present Stephen Van Buren, who has been received into the membership of this congregation by reaffirmation of faith.
In baptism you were claimed by God, marked as Christ’s own forever, and joined to his body by the Holy Spirit. You come to us then, not as strangers, but as friends in Christ and members of the household of God. We rejoice that you now desire to join with this congregation in the worship and mission of the church.
Hear these words from scripture:
There is one body and one Spirit, Ephesians 4:4-6
Just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all,
who is above all and through all and in all.
As members of the body of Christ, let us reaffirm the faith into which we were baptized:
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
Nancy and Stephen, we have professed our faith as one body. Will you be a faithful member of this congregation, share in its worship and mission through your prayers and gifts, your study and service, and so fulfill your calling to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?
I will, with God’s help.
Holy God, thank you for calling us to be your people and joining us to Christ’s body, the church. We praise you for leading Nancy and Stephen to this congregation. Empower us by your Spirit, that we might love one another as Christ loved us, honoring him in all that we say and do, giving our lives in service to others, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Nancy/Stephen, remember your baptism and be thankful, and know that the Holy Spirit is at work within you.
Thanks be to God.
Welcome to this ministry that we share in Jesus Christ.
The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
INVITATION TO OFFERING
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship. Romans 12:1
*DOXOLOGY (please stand)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Holy One, you guide our lives with truth and love. You invite us to accept you with joy. Yet, challenges to live as your disciples come with this acceptance. Servant leadership can seem tedious. We struggle to balance our desire to serve ourselves first and your call to serve others first. We prayerfully present these tithes and offerings. May they symbolize our renewed commitment to holding you as the guiding leader of our lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. (Luke 17:5-10 David S. Bell)
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
INVITATION TO THE TABLE
The God who calls us to follow welcomes us to this table.
The God who calls us to share in the Kingdom invites us to share in the Banquet.
This is God’s table, foretaste of the Banquet that is to come. And so all who seek to follow the Way are free to eat and drink here.
Come and taste the Grace eternal. Come and see that God is good.
THE GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
God is here, among us, within us.
God is here, and so we give thanks.
Creator God, in the beginning you spoke into the chaos saying
“Let there be light”.
Nearly 14 billion years from the beginning we gather here to give thanks for the world of which we are a part.
“For rocks and trees, for skies and seas,”
For mountain ranges and deep valleys,
For open plains and ancient forests.
For birdsong, whistling wind, and children’s laughter.
Your hand the wonders wrought.”
Guiding God, over the eons You have moved within and among Your people. Giving them hope, giving them vision, giving them a Way to live.
But time and time again Your children have strayed,
making poor choices, following other paths.
And so you sent prophets, wise women and men, people with a vision. Challenging the world as it was, sharing what the world could be. And so we today listen for their voices, ancient and modern,
As You call us into the future, as You challenge us to take new paths, to climb new hills.
Immanent and Present God, centuries ago You broke into the world in a new way—born of the woman Mary, Jesus of Nazareth revealed Your love, Your hope, Your path in a way that was not seen before nor has been seen since.
Eating with outcasts, he broke down the social boundaries of his world. Proclaiming Your forgiveness, he reminds us that we are Your Beloved Children.
Speaking truth to power, he challenged “the way it is” with a vision of “the way it should be.” And for that he was condemned to death. But death could not contain Your power.
And so we celebrate his resurrection.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION:
As we gather at this table, as we share the meal Jesus told us to share, we remember a special meal he shared with his closest followers. As they gathered to remember the ancient story of liberation,
Jesus shared with them the hope and promise of the Kingdom’s Banquet.
During that meal he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and passed it to them saying:
“This is my body, broken by and for the world. Eat it and remember me.”
Then later he took a cup of wine, blessed it and passed it to them saying:
“This is the cup of the New Covenant, sealed in my blood. Whenever you drink from it remember me.”
So it is that we continue to share the loaf and the cup, remembering Jesus, Crucified and Risen, and waiting for the Banquet that is to come.
Spirit God, blow among us here and now.
As we share this meal together may we be emboldened.
May Your Spirit ignite the fires of hope and change in our hearts and souls. May we see the hope of the future.
May we be made ready to follow The Way through new territory.
Threefold God: Parent, Child and Spirit, we gather here together in body. We gather with the whole of Your global family in Spirit. And as we come together to share the meal which makes us one, we say together the prayer which also makes us one…
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
SHARING THE MEAL
The Bread we break
Is the Bread of Life, Food for the Journey,
The Cup we share
Is the Cup of Love, sustaining moisture on The Way.
These are the gifts of God,
For the People of God.
Thanks be to God.
*HYMN #513 (Blue) ‘Let Us Break Bread Together’
Let us break bread together on our knees;
Let us break bread together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.
Let us drink wine together on our knees;
Let us drink wine together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.
Let us praise God together on our knees;
Let us praise God together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
God of the Table, we have eaten, we have drunk, we have tasted your goodness. Grant that the meal we have shared here today will fill our hearts with hope. May the fellowship we share today fill our hearts with love. May the worship we share today fill our souls with You. And as we go out, may we carry Christ to friend and stranger. Amen.
*HYMN #276 (Blue) ‘Great is Thy Faithfulness’
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love. [Refrain]
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! [Refrain]
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The first Sunday of the month we celebrate birthdays and anniversaries:
OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS: Ann D, Chad B, Jan J, Rose P, Michele K, Maria M, Mike M, Maxine D, Rick S
OCTOBER ANNIVERSARIES: David & Lee P, Roger & Marvis J
PEACE AND GLOBAL WITNESS SPECIAL OFFERING DONATIONS will be accepted from September 4 through October 2. Please use the envelopes provided on the lectern at the sanctuary door or write ‘Special Offering’ on the memo line on your check. Thank you for your generosity!
TUESDAY MORNING COFFEE GROUP will be meeting at First Lutheran Mission Coffee House at 9:30ish.
PIECES & PRAYERS will be meeting at the church on Tuesdays at 1:30 PM. All are welcomed to help with quilting. Questions, contact Lee P (692-7757).
MISSION/FINANCE MEETING will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, October 4 at 6:30 PM.
THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY will be meeting at 9:30 AM at the church. We are studying the book of Matthew.
REV. KAUL will be on study leave Thursday, Oct. 6 through Oct. 10. She will be back in the office Tuesday, Oct. 11.
Sunday Oct. 9, Rev. Bob Ohnstad will be guest presider.
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING will be on Sunday, October 16 immediately following worship. The slate of officers for 2023 will be presented for election.
BENEDICTION
Happy are those whose God is the Lord—God is our help and hope!
May the Lord watch between me and thee while we are absent, one from another. Amen. (Mizpah Benediction)
POSTLUDE
Thanks to everyone who helped with our worship this morning. It takes a village to raise a child the saying says. It takes a village to do worship virtually, our new saying during these days of pandemic. Stay safe and well. Pray often. Love always! Blessings for your week!
Sources: Call to Worship Lectionary Aids for 2020-2021 Year A Vo.54.1 PCUSA; Copyright © 2019 David S. Bell. Reprinted with permission from www.DavidSBell.org. and from the Book of Common Worship, Westminster Knox Press, Louisville KY, 1993;
17th Sunday after Pentecost/Communion
World Communion Day
October 2, 2022
PRELUDE
WELCOME
CALL TO WORSHIP
Write the vision; make it plain for all to see.
God longs to gather all the peoples of the earth.
*HYMN (on screen) ‘He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands’
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got the little bitty baby in His hands,
He’s got the little bitty baby in His hands,
He’s got the little bitty baby in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got you and me sister in His hands,
He’s got you and me sister in His hands,
He’s got you and me sister in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got you and me brother in His hands,
He’s got you and me brother in His hands,
He’s got you and me brother in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got everybody here in His hands,
He’s got everybody here in His hands,
He’s got everybody here in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
CALL TO CONFESSION
Our faith may be small, but God’s power is great. Our sins may loom large, but God’s promise of forgiveness is sure. Trusting that God is able to do for us what we could never do for ourselves, let us make our confession.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of grace, we confess that the seed of faith within us is small. Hope is often absent. Love is frequently inconvenient. Our sin keeps us from responding to you. Tend to us in mercy, so that we may grow in the ways of faith, hope, and love, after the example of Jesus Christ. (Silent reflection)
ASSURANCE OF PARDON/DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
The grace of God is given to us in Jesus Christ. This is good news!
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!
*GLORIA PATRI (please stand)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, Amen.
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Thank you, God, for Your Word. Thank you, God, for Your Holy Spirit that teaches and guides us daily. By these sacred words and stories, may we gain new insights from their rich legacies, every day. Amen.
Think of your discipleship as a mandate to be faithful.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 37:1-9 (read responsively)
1 Do not fret because of the wicked;
do not be envious of wrongdoers,
2 for they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
live in the land and enjoy security.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will make your vindication shine like the light
and the justice of your cause like the noonday.
7 Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;
do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
over those who carry out evil devices.
8 Refrain from anger and forsake wrath.
Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For the wicked shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
II Timothy 1:1-14 (The Message)
1-2 I, Paul, am on special assignment for Christ, carrying out God’s plan laid out in the Message of Life by Jesus. I write this to you, Timothy, the son I love so much. All the best from our God and Christ be yours!
3-4 Every time I say your name in prayer—which is practically all the time—I thank God for you, the God I worship with my whole life in the tradition of my ancestors. I miss you a lot, especially when I remember that last tearful good-bye, and I look forward to a joy-packed reunion.
5-7 That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith—and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.
8-10 So don’t be embarrassed to speak up for our Master or for me, his prisoner. Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us. We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God, who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it. But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.
11-12 This is the Message I’ve been set apart to proclaim as preacher, emissary, and teacher. It’s also the cause of all this trouble I’m in. But I have no regrets. I couldn’t be more sure of my ground—the One I’ve trusted in can take care of what he’s trusted me to do right to the end.
13-14 So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It’s as sound as the day you first heard it from me. Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us.
Our discipleship is a gift. As we received God’s Holy Word, let us receive the gift of discipleship. Let us ever be thankful. Amen.
REFLECTION: ‘Taking Faith Home’ Rev. Norlita Kaul
RECEPTION OF NEW MEMBERS:
Nancy Ohnstad and Stephen Van Buren
On behalf of the session, I present Nancy Ohnstad, who has been received into the membership of this congregation by transfer.
On behalf of the session, I present Stephen Van Buren, who has been received into the membership of this congregation by reaffirmation of faith.
In baptism you were claimed by God, marked as Christ’s own forever, and joined to his body by the Holy Spirit. You come to us then, not as strangers, but as friends in Christ and members of the household of God. We rejoice that you now desire to join with this congregation in the worship and mission of the church.
Hear these words from scripture:
There is one body and one Spirit, Ephesians 4:4-6
Just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all,
who is above all and through all and in all.
As members of the body of Christ, let us reaffirm the faith into which we were baptized:
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
Nancy and Stephen, we have professed our faith as one body. Will you be a faithful member of this congregation, share in its worship and mission through your prayers and gifts, your study and service, and so fulfill your calling to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?
I will, with God’s help.
Holy God, thank you for calling us to be your people and joining us to Christ’s body, the church. We praise you for leading Nancy and Stephen to this congregation. Empower us by your Spirit, that we might love one another as Christ loved us, honoring him in all that we say and do, giving our lives in service to others, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Nancy/Stephen, remember your baptism and be thankful, and know that the Holy Spirit is at work within you.
Thanks be to God.
Welcome to this ministry that we share in Jesus Christ.
The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
INVITATION TO OFFERING
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship. Romans 12:1
*DOXOLOGY (please stand)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Holy One, you guide our lives with truth and love. You invite us to accept you with joy. Yet, challenges to live as your disciples come with this acceptance. Servant leadership can seem tedious. We struggle to balance our desire to serve ourselves first and your call to serve others first. We prayerfully present these tithes and offerings. May they symbolize our renewed commitment to holding you as the guiding leader of our lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. (Luke 17:5-10 David S. Bell)
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
INVITATION TO THE TABLE
The God who calls us to follow welcomes us to this table.
The God who calls us to share in the Kingdom invites us to share in the Banquet.
This is God’s table, foretaste of the Banquet that is to come. And so all who seek to follow the Way are free to eat and drink here.
Come and taste the Grace eternal. Come and see that God is good.
THE GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
God is here, among us, within us.
God is here, and so we give thanks.
Creator God, in the beginning you spoke into the chaos saying
“Let there be light”.
Nearly 14 billion years from the beginning we gather here to give thanks for the world of which we are a part.
“For rocks and trees, for skies and seas,”
For mountain ranges and deep valleys,
For open plains and ancient forests.
For birdsong, whistling wind, and children’s laughter.
Your hand the wonders wrought.”
Guiding God, over the eons You have moved within and among Your people. Giving them hope, giving them vision, giving them a Way to live.
But time and time again Your children have strayed,
making poor choices, following other paths.
And so you sent prophets, wise women and men, people with a vision. Challenging the world as it was, sharing what the world could be. And so we today listen for their voices, ancient and modern,
As You call us into the future, as You challenge us to take new paths, to climb new hills.
Immanent and Present God, centuries ago You broke into the world in a new way—born of the woman Mary, Jesus of Nazareth revealed Your love, Your hope, Your path in a way that was not seen before nor has been seen since.
Eating with outcasts, he broke down the social boundaries of his world. Proclaiming Your forgiveness, he reminds us that we are Your Beloved Children.
Speaking truth to power, he challenged “the way it is” with a vision of “the way it should be.” And for that he was condemned to death. But death could not contain Your power.
And so we celebrate his resurrection.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION:
As we gather at this table, as we share the meal Jesus told us to share, we remember a special meal he shared with his closest followers. As they gathered to remember the ancient story of liberation,
Jesus shared with them the hope and promise of the Kingdom’s Banquet.
During that meal he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and passed it to them saying:
“This is my body, broken by and for the world. Eat it and remember me.”
Then later he took a cup of wine, blessed it and passed it to them saying:
“This is the cup of the New Covenant, sealed in my blood. Whenever you drink from it remember me.”
So it is that we continue to share the loaf and the cup, remembering Jesus, Crucified and Risen, and waiting for the Banquet that is to come.
Spirit God, blow among us here and now.
As we share this meal together may we be emboldened.
May Your Spirit ignite the fires of hope and change in our hearts and souls. May we see the hope of the future.
May we be made ready to follow The Way through new territory.
Threefold God: Parent, Child and Spirit, we gather here together in body. We gather with the whole of Your global family in Spirit. And as we come together to share the meal which makes us one, we say together the prayer which also makes us one…
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
SHARING THE MEAL
The Bread we break
Is the Bread of Life, Food for the Journey,
The Cup we share
Is the Cup of Love, sustaining moisture on The Way.
These are the gifts of God,
For the People of God.
Thanks be to God.
*HYMN #513 (Blue) ‘Let Us Break Bread Together’
Let us break bread together on our knees;
Let us break bread together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.
Let us drink wine together on our knees;
Let us drink wine together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.
Let us praise God together on our knees;
Let us praise God together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
God of the Table, we have eaten, we have drunk, we have tasted your goodness. Grant that the meal we have shared here today will fill our hearts with hope. May the fellowship we share today fill our hearts with love. May the worship we share today fill our souls with You. And as we go out, may we carry Christ to friend and stranger. Amen.
*HYMN #276 (Blue) ‘Great is Thy Faithfulness’
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love. [Refrain]
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! [Refrain]
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The first Sunday of the month we celebrate birthdays and anniversaries:
OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS: Ann D, Chad B, Jan J, Rose P, Michele K, Maria M, Mike M, Maxine D, Rick S
OCTOBER ANNIVERSARIES: David & Lee P, Roger & Marvis J
PEACE AND GLOBAL WITNESS SPECIAL OFFERING DONATIONS will be accepted from September 4 through October 2. Please use the envelopes provided on the lectern at the sanctuary door or write ‘Special Offering’ on the memo line on your check. Thank you for your generosity!
TUESDAY MORNING COFFEE GROUP will be meeting at First Lutheran Mission Coffee House at 9:30ish.
PIECES & PRAYERS will be meeting at the church on Tuesdays at 1:30 PM. All are welcomed to help with quilting. Questions, contact Lee P (692-7757).
MISSION/FINANCE MEETING will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, October 4 at 6:30 PM.
THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY will be meeting at 9:30 AM at the church. We are studying the book of Matthew.
REV. KAUL will be on study leave Thursday, Oct. 6 through Oct. 10. She will be back in the office Tuesday, Oct. 11.
Sunday Oct. 9, Rev. Bob Ohnstad will be guest presider.
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING will be on Sunday, October 16 immediately following worship. The slate of officers for 2023 will be presented for election.
BENEDICTION
Happy are those whose God is the Lord—God is our help and hope!
May the Lord watch between me and thee while we are absent, one from another. Amen. (Mizpah Benediction)
POSTLUDE
Thanks to everyone who helped with our worship this morning. It takes a village to raise a child the saying says. It takes a village to do worship virtually, our new saying during these days of pandemic. Stay safe and well. Pray often. Love always! Blessings for your week!
Sources: Call to Worship Lectionary Aids for 2020-2021 Year A Vo.54.1 PCUSA; Copyright © 2019 David S. Bell. Reprinted with permission from www.DavidSBell.org. and from the Book of Common Worship, Westminster Knox Press, Louisville KY, 1993;