Sixth Sunday After Pentecost Worship Order of Service
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
PENTECOST 6 – Coronavirus
U.S. Independence Weekend Sunday
07-04-2021 10:00AM Zoom Worship
THE OPENING RITE:
L The steadfast love of God, the life of (+) Jesus Christ, and the growth of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C And also with you.
L If I am being CALLED…
C then it is time to listen.
L If I am being SENT…
C then it is time to go.
L If I have been given AUTHORITY…
C then it is time to use it.
L If I have been COMMANDED…
C then it is time to obey.
L If I am a WITNESS of some really good news…
C then I can’t help but share it.
L So let the Church truly and wholeheartedly BE the Church,
CALLED and SENT with AUTHORITY and COMMANDED to be WITNESSES of God’s Kingdom.
C We will preach and testify,
heal and listen,
touch and welcome,
embrace and forgive,
and change hearts and lives in Jesus’ name.
L And IF, by intent or by chance, we have neglected to do all that we should and can…
C Lord, forgive us our sin and our failure, then send us once more. Amen to that!
OPENING SONG: “LORD, I WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN” Tan #463
PRAYER OF THE DAY:
Dear Lord, I cannot thank you enough for your amazing grace and undeserved mercy in my life! And, Lord, I am humbled that you are calling and sending me to live faithfully and to love fervently – both near and far. Lord, I do want to be a Christian… but sometimes I am afraid, and sometimes I falter. Today I pray that you will give me your strength whenever I am weak. Amen.
FIRST READING: EZEKIEL 2:1-5 [“I am sending you … whether they hear or refuse to hear.”]
2:1 He said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you.
2:2 And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me.
2:3 He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day.
2:4 The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD.”
2:5 Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them.
SONG SELECTION
SECOND READING: 2 CORINTHIANS 12:2-10 [The Lord said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you…”]
12:2 I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven–whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows.
12:3 And I know that such a person–whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows–
12:4 was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat.
12:5 On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses.
12:6 But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me,
12:7 even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated.
12:8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me,
12:9 but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
12:10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
GOSPEL VERSE: 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)
THE HOLY GOSPEL: MARK 6:1-13 [Mission and resistance seem to travel together.]
6:1 He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.
6:2 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands!
6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
6:4 Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.”
6:5 And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.
6:6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching.
6:7 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
6:8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts;
6:9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.
6:10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.
6:11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”
6:12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent.
6:13 They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
THE SERMON: Pastor Gwen or Pastor Neil
SONG SELECTION
A CREED OF FAITH:
As long as I have breath in my body…
I will seek to praise God.
As long as I have a mind that is sound…
I will try to walk in the love of Christ.
Oh, deep down in the soul of my heart…
I desire to surrender to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Because I have been saved to serve…
I will do my best to think right, say right, do right, and be right.
Because I am serving to save others…
I want to be real around others,
to be a liberating presence in the lives of others,
to be a person for others,
walking in faith and sharing God’s grace
every hour, every day. Amen to that!
OFFERING… Jesus calls us to travel light, loyal, and loving as we serve the world, for God is our strength and our provision. How we decide to respond to the Lord and what we are willing to share of our time, our abilities, and our possessions in mission help reveal what our faith truly is… or isn’t.
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:
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 travel, my service and spending, my health and my wealth, my worship and my witness to glorify You and to extend your Kingdom to others. Someone somewhere is in need of your Good News. Amen.
MUSIC SELECTION: Dennis Fortune
THE PRAYERS… We pray for NEW LIFE in the Spirit and for the MISSION of the Church to the world!
THE LORD’S PRAYER
SONG SELECTION:
THE BENEDICTION… We are sent forth to be and become the BODY OF CHRIST for the world!