Pentecost Twenty Three Worship Bulletin

St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

PENTECOST 23.
11-13-2022      10:00AM Hybrid Worship

+ We Gather to Worship +

THE OPENING RITE (based on PSALM 98):

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   Sing it new and sing it loud…

come on, let it out, and praise God with all you’ve got!

C    We ought to shout our shout, dance our dance, and put our praise on – 

for our God is truly an awesome God!

L   God’s power is as mighty today as it ever was!

God continues to rule over the universe, and that’s for real!

C    God’s love is as tender today as it ever was!

    God offers grace and mercy, freely, fervently, to each, to all!

L   Glory to God now and forever!

Glory to God with our lips and our lives!

C     Let the seas roar and the rivers clap their hands, 

let the hills shake and shiver with joy,

and let all of creation join in jubilation of God’s salvation!

L   Hallelujah! Sing to the Lord a song as new as every day!

C    Our joy is no joke!

             Today, now, and forever, let us praise the Lord! 

OPENING SONG:    “PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY”                                        Tan #117

THE PRAYER OF THE DAY:

Almighty God, when the final day comes we have no hope except in your grace.

Without you, nothing is strong, nothing is holy.

Stir up our hearts so that we do not become weary or weak.

Help us to live in faith through what is temporary so that we do not lose what is eternal.

By our endurance in Jesus Christ, let us gain our souls.

We want to be ready when the trumpet sounds, when the saints go marching in.  Amen.

+ We Open Ears and Hearts to God’s Word +

FIRST READING:   MALACHI 4:1-2   [THE DAY – doom for the evil ones, healing for the faithful.]

4:1 See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

4:2a But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings.

SECOND READING:   2 THESSALONIANS 3:6-13   [THE WAY – alert, active, steadfast in the present age.]

3:6 Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us.

3:7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you,

3:8 and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you.

3:9 This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate.

3:10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.

3:11 For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work.

3:12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

3:13 Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

GOSPEL VERSE:  

“Victory is mine, victory is mine, victory today is mine!

I TOLD SATAN ‘GET THEE BEHIND!’… victory today is mine!

(2)  Joy is mine…

(3)  Peace is mine…”

HOLY GOSPEL:   LUKE 21:5-19    [THE ROCK – standing steady on Christ.]     

21:5 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said,

21:6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”

21:7 They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?”

21:8 And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them.

21:9 “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.”

21:10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;

21:11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

21:12 “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.

21:13 This will give you an opportunity to testify.

21:14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance;

21:15 for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.

21:16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.

21:17 You will be hated by all because of my name.

21:18 But not a hair of your head will perish.

21:19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.

SONG SELECTION:    All Saints Choir

THE SERMON:     Pastor Gwen or Pastor Neil

SONG RESPONSE:     “AIN’T-A THAT GOOD NEWS?”                                                                       Tan #592

A CONFESSION OF OUR FAITH (written by Desmond Tutu):

Goodness is stronger than evil;

Love is stronger than hate;

Light is stronger than darkness;

Life is stronger than death;

Victory is ours through Him who loves us.   Amen.

THE PRAYERS…  We lift up our praises, the Church, the needs and burdens of this troubled world!  

+ We Share God’s Holy Meal +

OFFERING OF TITHES (10% giving) AND GIFTS…  Let us offer ourselves and our gifts to God with gratitude and generosity, bringing God’s blessings to others both near and far away.  

SONG SELECTION:    All Saints Choir

THE OFFERTORY SONG

“Thank you, Lord… thank you, Lord… thank you, Lord… I just want to thank you, Lord!

(2)  Been so good…

(3)  Love you, Lord…”

OFFERING PRAYER:

God of grace and glory, we thank you for giving us life, we thank you for loving and calling us. While we still have life on this earth… while we can still breathe and think and act… we offer ourselves to minister to friends as well as the least, the lost, and the lonely with equal concern and compassion. Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream.  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   We are the Body of Christ!                  C   His Spirit is in us!  

        L   Gracious God, today we gather as a family of faith to break the bread and to bless the cup, to share the body and blood of our Lord and our Savior, to find strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. And today we anticipate and celebrate that day, that glorious day, that great and promised day, when we will feast with all the saints in your eternal realm. And today we sing with great and grateful joy…

C   [singing]…     (1) “O when the saints go marching in…     O when the saints go marching in…

           O Lord, I want to be in that number –   when the saints go marching in!

(2)   O when they gather ‘round that throne…

(3)   O when they crown him King of kings…

(4)   And on that hallelujah day… ” 

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 SONG:        “MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS”            Tan #385 

COMMUNION SONG:         “LORD, BE GLORIFIED”                        Tan #182

THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.

POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.        

+ We Are Sent into God’s World +

THE BENEDICTION…   We go forth in the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT to testify, baptize, and serve! 

CLOSING SONG:    “SOON-A WILL BE DONE “                                       Tan #587