Ninth Sunday After Pentecost Worship Bulletin | 7-21-24
07-21-2024 10:00AM “Hybrid” Worship
+ We Rejoice in God’s Glory +
THE OPENING RITE:
L Christ says, come away to a deserted place and rest a while.
C We come to this quiet place, to this time, to rest and to be renewed.
L Let us keep a Sabbath, let us rest from our labors and find renewal for our spirits.
C We want to get away, unwind, and slow down;
we want to rest, play, and enjoy;
and we want to be restored, refreshed, and revived.
L God calls us to not lose sight of his love and his care for us,
God offers us restoration in body, mind, and spirit.
And God grants us peace and power even as we offer compassion to others.
C We are forgiven to forgive others.
We are healed to heal others.
We are loved to show love to others.
And we are granted new life to enliven others…
with Christ as the cornerstone
of our lives,
of our church,
of our mission – now, always, and forever. Amen.
OPENING SONG: “THIS IS THE DAY” Tan #108
This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made.
I will rejoice, I will rejoice and be glad in it, and be glad in it.
This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made. (repeat)
THE APOSTOLIC GREETING by the Pastor.
A SONG OF PRAISE: “IN THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS” Tan #106
Come, let us worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Come, let us worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
Give Him the honor. Give Him the praise. Come let us worship the Lord; let’s give Him the praise. (repeat section)
Worship Him! Worship Him! Give my God the glory! Give my God the praise!
Worship Him! Worship Him! Come let us worship the Lord, let’s give Him the praise!
PRAYER OF THE DAY (together):
O God, may your Son Jesus Christ shepherd us through the shadows and the sorrows, the storms and the struggles of life on this earth. We pray for deeper faith, humble gratitude, and the courage and compassion of bearing your love and mercy to others. Amen.
+ We Rejoice in God’s Saving Word +
FIRST READING: JEREMIAH 23:1-6
[God will raise up shepherds who will truly care for their people in a wounded, wicked world!]
23:1 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD.
23:2 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD.
23:3 Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
23:4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall no longer fear or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the LORD.
23:5 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
23:6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The LORD is our righteousness.”
SECOND READING: EPHESIANS 2:11-22
[A whole new united humanity, with Christ as the Cornerstone.]
2:11 So then, remember that at one time you gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision” –a circumcision made in the flesh by human hands–
2:12 remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
2:14 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.
2:15 abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace,
2:16 and might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.
2:17 So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near,
2:18 for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.
2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God,
2:20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone;
2:21 in him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord;
2:22 in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.
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 6:30-34, 53-56
[Nourished by Christ to care for others… and also for ourselves!]
6:30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.
6:31 He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
6:32 And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.
6:33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.
6:34 As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.
6:53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat.
6:54 When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him
6:55 and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.
6:56 And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
THE SERMON: Pastor Neil or Pastor Gwen
SONG RESPONSE: “WE WON’T LEAVE HERE LIKE WE CAME” Tan #407
- We won’t leave here like we came, in Jesus’ name.
Bound, oppressed, afflicted, sick, or lame.
For the Spirit of the Lord is still the same.
We won’t leave here like we came, in Jesus’ name.
- You won’t leave here like you came… (3) I won’t leave here like I came…
A CREED OF FAITH (based on today’s Second Reading):
We believe that the Church is a community, not just a collection of individuals.
We are called, gathered, united, empowered, and sent by the Holy Spirit to be Christ’s Body here on earth. We believe that being Christ’s Body is more than sentimental togetherness.
NO group should be characterized by the quality of their love more than the Church.
Therefore we seek to experience, learn, grow, and practice the real love of Jesus Christ.
We want anger to come more slowly and forgiveness to come more quickly.
We want to remove the barriers between people and erect bridges that join us together.
We want compassion to replace condemnation, and gratitude and grace to replace griping and greed.
We want to be living examples of the GOOD news of Jesus Christ – here, there, and everywhere. 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 [God reaches out to us with many blessings. Let’s be generous and faithful in our giving!]
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. . Praise the Lord for this community meal that renews and unites!
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: “SWEET, SWEET SPIRIT” Tan #326
- There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place, and I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord.
There are sweet expressions on each face, and I know they feel the presence of the Lord.
SWEET HOLY SPIRIT, SWEET HEAVENLY DOVE,
STAY RIGHT HERE WITH US, FILLING US WITH YOUR LOVE.
AND FOR THESE BLESSINGS WE LIFT OUR HEARTS IN PRAISE;
WITHOUT A DOUBT WE’LL KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN REVIVED
WHEN WE SHALL LEAVE THIS PLACE!” [repeat chorus]
- There are blessings you cannot receive till you know God in his fullness and believe.
You’re the one to profit when you say, “I am going to walk with Jesus all the way!”