Fifth Sunday After Pentecost Worship Bulletin | 6-23-24
SCHOLARSHIP SUNDAY
06-23-2024 10:00AM “Hybrid” Worship
+ We Rejoice in God’s Glory +
THE OPENING RITE:
L Welcome to worship, my sisters and brothers. In every life there are storms, in different shapes and sizes, surrounding us or inside us, cruel and cold, threatening us on life’s wild sea and causing our hearts to tremble. The storms are inevitable, part of human living. And when, all around you everything is failing and falling and plunging you into destruction and chaos, it’s common to experience fear and panic. But here is some blessed assurance. If you’ve accepted Jesus into your life, he’s right there in the boat with you — bringing calm, offering peace, and even sadly wondering about the quickness of your panic and the smallness of your faith. Peace is God’s gift to you in both still and storm, a peace that not only can be received but also extended to others by those who have weathered many a storm with the Lord’s help.
C If Jesus is in our boat,
the winds can rage all about us,
the waves can crash against us,
and all hell can seem to break out around us,
BUT WE WILL NOT PANIC!
That’s because, if Jesus is in our boat, we can turn to him for comfort and salvation.
If Jesus is in our boat, we can reach the next shore.
O Lord, calm peace comes from you, peace comes to my soul. Alleluia!
OPENING SONG: “OH, WHAT HE’S DONE FOR ME” Tan #154
THE APOSTOLIC GREETING by the Pastor.
SONG OF PRAISE: “GOD NEVER FAILS” Tan #159
God never fails… God never fails…
He abides in me, He gives me victory. No, God never fails!
Just keep the faith, and never cease to pray.
Just walk upright, call Him noon, day or night.
He’ll be there… He’ll be there…
There’s no need to worry, for God never fails!
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY (together):
O God of creation, God of might, God of tender love,
here we are, flesh and blood, spirit and life – created, redeemed, and empowered by your love.
You are able to quiet the storms to a whisper and to hush the waves that batter against us.
We ask you to bring peace to our hearts and to calm our fears in all of life’s terrible circumstances.
May we seek you and trust you, love you and follow you, and serve you now and always. Amen.
+ We Rejoice in God’s Saving Word +
FIRST READING: JOB 38:1-11
[When our suffering has no answer, we still have a God to bow before.]
38:1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:
38:2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
38:3 Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me.
38:4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
38:5 Who determined its measurements–surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?
38:6 On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone
38:7 when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?
38:8 “Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb?–
38:9 when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band,
38:10 and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors,
38:11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stopped’?
SECOND READING: 2 CORINTHIANS 6:1-13
[Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, to trust in God.]
6:1 As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.
6:2 For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!
6:3 We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
6:4 but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,
6:5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;
6:6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love,
6:7 truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;
6:8 in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;
6:9 as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see–we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed;
6:10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
6:11 We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you.
6:12 There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours.
6:13 In return–I speak as to children–open wide your hearts also.
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 4:35-41
[The Kingdom – a hidden and uncontrolled growth, a great surprise!]
4:35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”
4:36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.
4:37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.
4:38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
4:39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.
4:40 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”
4:41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
THE SERMON: Andrea Wood, recent Master’s degree, member of St. Peter’s
SONG RESPONSE: “IT IS WELL” Tan #377
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 want to be real around others,
I want to be a liberating presence in the lives of others,
I want to be a person standing with and for others,
I want to walk in faith and share God’s grace
every hour, every day, everywhere. Amen to that!
SCHOLARSHIP RECOGNITION… We celebrate those who are graduating from various levels of schooling!
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 [Trusting disciples face their fears and hesitation, respond with gratitude and generosity.]
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, from nasty attitudes and harmful deeds, 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. Praise the Lord for this community meal that renews our spirits, powers our faith, and reminds us of the future heavenly banquet that awaits us!
COMMUNION SONGS: Tan #438 Tan #137
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 WANT JESUS TO WALK WITH ME” Brown #66
- I want Jesus to walk with me… I want Jesus to walk with me.
All along my pilgrim journey, Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.
- In my trials, Lord, walk with me… In my trials, Lord, walk with me.
When my heart is almost breaking, Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.
- When I’m in trouble, Lord, walk with me… When I’m in trouble, Lord, walk with me.
When my head is bowed in sorrow, Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.