Eighth Sunday After Pentecost Worship Bulletin | 7-14-24
07-14-2024 10:00AM “Hybrid” Worship
+ We Rejoice in God’s Glory +
THE OPENING RITE (based on today’s Ephesians 1:3-14 lesson):
L Blessed be the God and Father of our (+) Lord Jesus Christ…
C who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing…
L who has chosen us for a very special purpose –
C TO BE HOLY AND BLAMELESS BEFORE HIM IN LOVE.
L God has adopted us as his own children through the cross of Christ…
C and poured out his grace to heal and save us.
L God has redeemed and chosen us to be his disciples…
C so that we might proclaim his good news to all.
L God is teaching us, leading us, guiding us, and empowering us…
C so that we might bring harmony and unity to all of life!
L Oh, let us fill this world with the love of God in Christ Jesus…
C and help fix what is broken and unite what is fragmented!
L Oh, let us stand firm in our faith “in Christ”…
C because, if we don’t stand “in Christ”, then we might fall for anything!
OPENING SONG: “STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS” Tan #476
THE APOSTOLIC GREETING by the Pastor.
A SONG OF PRAISE: “WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHIN IN” Tan #595
- O when the saints go marching in… O when the saints go marching in…
O Lord, I want to be in that number when the saints go marching in.
-
- O when the sun refused to shine…
- O when they crown him King of kings…
- And on that HALLELUJAH day…
PRAYER OF THE DAY (together):
O God, we pray that we may be a strong people, an obedient people, a people who seek the glory of God and want to truly share God’s love and mercy, a people of joy, a people of courage, a living Body empowered with the Spirit to show and to tell of Jesus Christ – here and there, now and always, with all that we are and seek to be. Amen.
+ We Rejoice in God’s Saving Word +
FIRST READING: AMOS 7:7-15
[Speaking truth to power… a refusal to pimp religion for politics.]
7:7 This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.
7:8 And the LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by;
7:9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
7:10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words.
7:11 For thus Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.'”
7:12 And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there;
7:13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”
7:14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees,
7:15 and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
SECOND READING: EPHESIANS 1:3-14
[The vision of a unified world… through Christ, we are the glue!]
1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
1:4 just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.
1:5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will,
1:6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace
1:8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight
1:9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ,
1:10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
1:11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will,
1:12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.
1:13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit;
1:14 this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.
GOSPEL VERSE:
“Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me
Break me… melt me… mold me… fill me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.”
THE HOLY GOSPEL: MARK 6:14-29
[Two men who lost their head… one lost his soul.]
6:14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.”
6:15 But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”
6:16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”
6:17 For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her.
6:18 For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
6:19 And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not,
6:20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him.
6:21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee.
6:22 When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.”
6:23 And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.”
6:24 She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.”
6:25 Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
6:26 The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her.
6:27 Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison,
6:28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother.
6:29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
THE SERMON: Pastor Neil or Pastor Gwen
SONG RESPONSE: “WOKE UP THIS MORNIN’” Tan #566
A CREED OF FAITH:
As long as I have breath in my body, I will seek to praise God.
As long as I have a mind that is sound, I will try to walk in the love of Christ.
Oh, deep down in the soul of my heart, I desire to surrender to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Because I have been saved to serve, I will do my best to think right, say right, do right, and be right.
Because I am serving to save others…
I will seek to be real around others,
I will seek to be a liberating presence in the lives of others,
I will seek to be a unifying person standing with and for others,
I will seek to walk in faith and share God’s grace. Amen.
THE PRAYERS…We pray for NEW LIFE in the Spirit and for the MISSION of the Church to the world!
+ We Rejoice in God’s Nourishing Meal +
OFFERING [Our giving in various ways is an extension of God’s generosity and a celebration of God’s glory!]
Those in the Sanctuary can put their offering in the offering plate to share their gratitude and their generosity in response to Christ’s love. Those who are farther away might: mail a check or money order to St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2169 74th Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19138… contribute online through bit.ly/stpetersgiving and set up a one-time donation or a recurring weekly gift to selected categories… or text Give+ at 833-914-0896 and follow the instructions to register and record your contribution. God has blessed us to be a blessing!
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
OFFERING SONG:
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
THIS IS MY STORY, THIS IS MY SONG,
PRAISING MY SAVIOR ALL THE DAY LONG! [sing the chorus 2 times]
We are God’s people, we are Christ’s Church, called by God’s Spirit into the world.
We have God’s power from heaven above, we’ll share God’s justice, mercy and love!”
OFFERING PRAYER led by the Communion Assistant:
God our Creator, the fruit of your Holy Spirit is love and joy… peace and patience… kindness and goodness…faithfulness and gentleness… and self-control. Because your Son Jesus has set us free from self-concern and self-service, help us to live by the Spirit, to invest ourselves in service to others. We offer you our gifts and our lives for the sake of the world. Amen.
THE PREFACE:
L The Lord be with you. C And also with you.
L Lift up your hearts! C We lift them up in love for God!
L Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C It is right to give God our thanks and praise.
L Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful… C … and set us on fire with your love! Alleluia!
THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS by the Celebrant, who recalls and re-enacts Jesus’ Holy Meal.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
COMMUNION AND BLESSINGS… All believers in Jesus Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! The wine may be received from the pouring chalice; we also have grape juice on the tray.
COMMUNION SONGS: Tan #169 Tan #385
THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.
+ We Rejoice in Our Mission +
THE BENEDICTION by the Pastor…We are sent forth to be and become the BODY OF CHRIST for the world!
CLOSING SONG: “I AM ON THE BATTLEFIELD FOR MY LORD” Tan #480