PENTECOST 9 Worship Order of Service
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
08-02-2020 10:00AM Worship
(Welcome / Greeting by the Pastors)
OPENING SONG: “We’re Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table” sung by Veronica Britto
- We’re gonna sit at the welcome table, we’re gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days, Hallelujah!
We’re gonna sit at the welcome table – We’re gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days!
- Peace and mercy ‘round that table…
- All God’s children ‘round that table…
- Jesus calls you to that table…
- We’re gonna sit at the welcome table…
THE OPENING RITE (based on today’s Gospel and First Lesson): Read by Diana Hillsman & Tami Hillsman
L Come away to a quiet and lonely place for a while to sit and to rest and to learn at the feet of Jesus.
C Where Jesus lives we will not remain lonely, for there is compassion, healing power, and new life.
L Whoever thirsts, come and drink! Hear the invitation! Come to God!
C If you have no money but you’re hungry, come and receive, for there is no price tag.
L Sometimes I feel so helpless and afraid and desperate.
C And sometimes I don’t recognize the difference between what I want and what I need.
L Sometimes I don’t acknowledge the deep hunger in my heart and the dry thirst in my soul.
C And sometimes I foolishly pursue what truly does not nourish me.
L Sometimes I do not recognize the similarity between my neighbor and myself.
C And sometimes I forget the hungry and the poor in our world today.
L I live in that tension between caring for myself and caring for others.
C And – as I seek to be fed by the Bread of Life – I want to offer life to a hungry world.
PRAYER OF THE DAY: by Diana Hillsman & Tami Hillsman
Let us pray. Compassionate and Providing God, all of creation looks to you!
Even as you feed us with your Word and with our daily bread, stir us with these words by Jesus:
“They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”
We pray that all might have the abundance of life in body, mind, and spirit – today and always. Amen.
FIRST READING: ISAIAH 55:1-5 [God invites Israel to a great feast of food and drink without cost. Then the party will be graciously expanded to include the entire world! “All God’s children ‘round that table!” in peace, mercy, and joy.] Read by Tammara Jackson Stamers
55:1 Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
55:2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
55:3 Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
55:4 See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.
55:5 See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
SONG SELECTION sung by Riana
SECOND READING: ROMANS 9:1-5 [Paul is in anguish over the refusal of most Jews to acknowledge Jesus as Messiah. He will not condemn his own people. And he will not stop believing that God has some plan that includes mercy.] Read by Roscoe Perkins
9:1 I am speaking the truth in Christ–I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit–
9:2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh.
9:4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
9:5 to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
GOSPEL VERSE: “More About Jesus” sung by Justine Patterson
“More about Jesus would I know, more of His grace to others show,
More of His saving fullness see, more of his love who died for me.
MORE, MORE ABOUT JESUS… MORE, MORE ABOUT JESUS…
MORE OF HIS SAVING FULLNESS SEE, MORE OF HIS LOVE WHO DIED FOR ME.
More about Jesus let me learn, more of his holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my Teacher be, showing the things of Christ to me.”
HOLY GOSPEL: MATTHEW 14:13-21 [The amazingly endless picnic! Not only are we guests at the Lord’s Table… we are also disciples put to work in service to others.] Read by Margie Wright
14:13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.
14:14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick.
14:15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”
14:16 Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”
14:17 They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.”
14:18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.”
14:19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
14:20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.
14:21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
THE SERMON: Pastor Neil
SONG SELECTION sung by Donna Tucker Jones
OFFERING PRAYER: read by Donna Hunt Jones
Lord God, thank you for making a way out of no way in my life! During this summer may I dedicate my leisure and my work, my rest and my travel, my service and my spending, my health and my wealth, my worship and my witness – all that I am and have and seek – to glorify You and to extend your Kingdom to others. Someone somewhere is in need of your Good News. Amen.
MUSIC SELECTION by Dennis Fortune
THE PRAYERS by Anna Joyner
THE LORD’S PRAYER
SONG SELECTION by Donna Tucker Jones
THE BENEDICTION:
Brothers and sisters, we haven’t been able to gather together to share the bread and the wine of Holy Communion because of COVID-19 health concerns. And yet our God is gracious and merciful and full of compassion, and God continues to feed us through the printed Word of scripture and the preached Word of sermon… through the rhythm of songs and the rhythm of prayers… and through the fellowship, we share online and the love we offer and receive in cards and conversation, in offerings and service.
As we have shared, and continue to share, the Bread of Life, our Lord Jesus Christ, let us go forth to give ourselves away in love for all who hunger in body, mind, or spirit.
In the peace, the power, and the promise of (+) Jesus Christ, Amen now, Amen tomorrow, and Amen always!