Pentecost Three Worship Bulletin | 6-18-23

St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

PENTECOST 3 / JUNETEENTH /  FATHER’S DAY

06-18-2023     10:00AM “Hybrid” Worship

 

+  We Rejoice in the Spirit  +

Voice 1   On June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger and troops of the Union Army entered Galveston, Texas and officially took possession of the Lone Star state from Confederate forces. Then General Granger read a decree, designated as General Order Number 3, which says in part:

“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freed men are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages…”

Voice 2   This announcement to slaves in Texas was almost two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation – which was officially put into effect on January 1, 1863 – declaring that African American slaves were now free throughout the Confederate South. But there were many slaves in Texas just now learning about their official freedom as a past fact that – until “Juneteenth” – was not even close to being an actual living reality of liberation. General Granger’s troops were authorized by the federal government to guarantee the transition of African Americans throughout the region from slavery to freedom.

Voice 3   Former slaves broke out into spontaneous celebration when they heard the good news. Juneteenth is a holiday that commemorates the end of legalized slavery in the United States. Whether or not some choose to teach and acknowledge it, slavery in the United States of America was a historical fact. We might imagine how dangerous those times were as both the news and the practice of freeing enslaved people moved slowly. We might imagine the courage and faith that African men and women and children had in spite of hateful threat, violent resistance, and “legal” oppression. Many lives were surely lost. Injustice and racism certainly continued. But the journey toward liberation, justice, and peace also continued. The celebration of being free continued. Perseverance in the struggle continued. And some people are still hearing and responding to God’s grace and God’s call.

Voice 4   Throughout human history God is calling forth a people to be faithful and obedient and to give witness to God’s love…

to open up our hearts and to say and show love…

to open up our hands and to do and be love…

to open up our lives and to help bring freedom and life to those who remain in bondage in body, mind, or spirit.

Nobody told us that the road would be easy…

C BUT WE DON’T BELIEVE GOD BROUGHT US THIS FAR JUST TO LEAVE US!

OPENING SONG: “WE ARE MARCHING IN THE LIGHT OF GOD”         Brown #63

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

Holy God, it wasn’t our idea to follow and serve you. You loved us first, before we ever reached out to you.

And now you have sent us out, bearing the name and spirit and mission of Jesus to others.

Dear God, may it truthfully be said of us,

“They have preached the gospel to the poor, they have brought healing to the sick in Jesus’ name.

They have preached deliverance to the captives, the recovery of sight to the blind.

They have given new life to the broken hearted, and they have brought grace to those who are bruised.”  Amen.

 

+  We Rejoice in God’s Saving Word  +

FIRST READING: EXODUS 19:2-8a [Delivered for a purpose – God’s covenant of love.]

19:2 They had journeyed from Rephidim, entered the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain.

19:3 Then Moses went up to God; the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites:

19:4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

19:5 Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine,

19:6 but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.”

19:7 So Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him.

19:8a The people all answered as one: “Everything that the LORD has spoken we will do.”

SONG SELECTION“I Wish I Knew How It Would Be to Be Free”  

SECOND READING: ROMANS 5:1-8 [Standing in grace, pressing on in hope.]

5:1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

5:2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

5:3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,

5:4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

5:5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

5:7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person–though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die.

5:8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

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.”

HOLY GOSPEL: MATTHEW 9:35 – 10:8-23 [Authorized, empowered, sent to serve and save.]

9:35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness.

9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

9:37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;

9:38 therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

10:1 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.

10:2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;

10:3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

10:4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans,

10:6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

10:7 As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’

10:8 Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.

10:9 Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts,

10:10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food.

10:11 Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave.

10:12 As you enter the house, greet it.

10:13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

10:14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.

10:15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

10:16 “See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

10:17 Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues;

10:18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles.

10:19 When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time;

10:20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

10:21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death;

10:22 and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

10:23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR

THE SERMON: Pastor Gwen or Pastor Neil 

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  +

THE OFFERING…  We are each called, we are all called, to be “laborers in his harvest”. Be courageous and compassionate!

SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR

THE OFFERTORY 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:     

O Lord our God, if your Spirit is alive within us, then stretch our time and abilities, our money and our mouths, all that we are and all that we have, to testify to your amazing grace in Jesus Christ. Someone somewhere is in need of your Good News.  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!

        L   [continues the Preface]… we praise your name and join their unending hymn: Gracious God,

C   [singing…]   “Holy, holy, holy, holy, 

    holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!

    and we lift our hearts before you as a token of our love,

    holy, holy, holy, holy.

    Precious Jesus, precious Jesus, 

    We’re so glad that you redeemed us, precious Jesus…

    Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, 

    come and fill our hearts anew, O Holy Spirit…”

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

THE LORD’S PRAYER  (spoken)

COMMUNION AND BLESSINGSAll 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. You can receive God’s peace, power, and promises for true life

COMMUNION SONGS:          Brown #87          Brown #213         

THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.

POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.

+  We Rejoice in Our Mission  +

THE BENEDICTION:

L   Go out, sisters and brothers, into the world with courage and conviction, bearing the love of God, the good news of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit in every word you speak, and in everything you do.

C (sing)   A-MEN! A-MEN! A — — — MEN! 

CLOSING SONG: “LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING”                   Brown #296