Pentecost Nineteen Worship Service

St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

PENTECOST 19.

10-16-2022      10:00AM Hybrid Worship

Some worship notes:

     Why are windows cracked open in the sanctuary? We were doing this in the hot weather

when the two air conditioners were on, and we’ll also do this in cold weather when the radiators

are on. We are following medical advice to create fresh air ventilation in these “better but still

COVID” days. We are advised that more ventilation is always better than less. You might want

to dress a little warmer. (And remember also that we are a “mask friendly” congregation… that

COVID vaccinations and boosters are your best protection from hospitalization and death…

and that the best advice for each of us is to stay home if you don’t feel well.

What’s that BUZZ? Why the DEAD SILENCE? For those who are either online or present in

the sanctuary, there are continued frustrating snafus with our audiovisual equipment that interfere

with the quality of transmission “out” or “in”. We apologize! We’re trying to figure this out and

correct it. It hasn’t been easy.

+ We Seek and Rejoice in the Spirit +                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

OPENING SONG:    “WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS”                            Tan #431

OPENING RITE OF CONFESSION (using PSALM 121 as our response to God’s mercy and love):

L   In the glory of God our Creator, in the grace of Jesus (+) our Savior, and in the glow of the Holy Spirit our Power,

C    Amen! We gather to worship God with humble hearts, ready minds, and willing hands.

L   God, whose love is everlasting, welcomes each of us into new faith and new life. In humility and trust,

let us dare to tell the truth about our lives. Gracious God…

C    Forgive us if and when we have prayed too little and believed even less.

Forgive us if and when we have prayed too much and expected only exactly as we asked.

Forgive us if and when we have neglected to pray, speak, seek, and live out

justice and compassion for all who suffer in this troubled world.

Make us PERSISTENT in our praying,

  CONSISTENT in our living and loving, and

  RESISTANT to giving in and giving up,

  NO MATTER WHAT the circumstances and challenges we encounter.  Amen.

L   Sisters, brothers, God loves us too much to ever let us go. God loves us too much to ever abandon us. And God loves us so much that he gave us his Son, Jesus Christ, to live among us, to die for us, and to bring us not just forgiveness but a second chance, not just a second chance but a new beginning. With the Psalmist we declare our trust in the One who watches over us…

C    I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?

        My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

    The Lord will not let your foot slip – the One who watches over you will not fall asleep;

        Behold, the One who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

    The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

        the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

    The Lord will keep you from all evil – the Lord will keep your life;

        The Lord will watch over your coming and your going, both now and forevermore.  Amen.

+ We Rejoice in God’s Saving Word +

FIRST READING:   GENESIS 32:22-31     [Wrestling for a blessing… limping into a better new future changed by God.]

32:22 The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

32:23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had.

32:24 Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.

32:25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.

32:26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.”

32:27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”

32:28 Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.”

32:29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.

32:30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.”

32:31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

SONG SELECTION:         All Saints Choir

SECOND READING:   2 TIMOTHY 3:14 – 4:5     [Persistent, patient, passionate proclamation – no matter what.]

3:14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it,

3:15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

3:16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

3:17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

4:1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you:

4:2 proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.

4:3 For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires,

4:4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.

4:5 As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.

GOSPEL VERSE   

“I really love the Lord… I really love the Lord!

You don’t know what He’s done for me, gave me the victory.

I love Him, I love Him… I really love the Lord!”            (repeat)

THE HOLY GOSPEL:   LUKE 18:1-8     [On not losing heart – toward God… toward justice.]

18:1 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.

18:2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people.

18:3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’

18:4 For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone,

18:5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.'”

18:6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.

18:7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?

18:8 I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

THE SERMON:      Pastor Neil or Pastor Gwen

SONG RESPONSE:    “I Feel Like Going On”                           

  • I feel like going on…    I feel like going on…

Though trials come on ev’ry hand, I feel like going on.

  • I feel like praying on…            (4)   We’ve come this far by faith…
  • I feel like singing on…            (5)   I feel like going on…

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 OF TITHES (10% giving) AND GIFTSTransformed by God’s loving grace, we no longer think only of ourselves. Instead, we learn to give of ourselves on behalf of others. 

SONG SELECTION:    All Saints Choir       

THE OFFERTORY SONG:     (Tan #565)

“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.”

OFFERING PRAYER  (see PHILIPPIANS 3:10-11):         

     Dear God, I want to know Christ inside and out. I want to experience the power of his resurrection and join him in his suffering. I want to be like him in his death and be raised like him from death. As I grow in the grace of Christ, make me strong in my faith, bold in my witness, and fervent in my servant-love. There is no better life than life in Christ!   Amen.      

THE PREFACE AND THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS:

        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   We are the Body of Christ!                  C   His Spirit is in us!  

THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS by the Celebrant, who recalls and re-enacts Jesus’ Holy Meal.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (together)

COMMUNION AND BLESSINGSAll believers in Jesus Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! We will have “continuous distribution” with wafers and either wine or grape juice. 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 #441        Tan #451 

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:    “God Will Take Care of You”                                       Tan #137