Third Sunday after Epiphany Worship Bulletin
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
3rd Sunday after Epiphany
01-22-2023 10:00AM Hybrid Worship
+ Gathering +
THE GREETING, CONFESSION, AND FORGIVENESS:
L We people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light.
The grace of (+) Jesus Christ, the mercy of the Holy One, and the Spirit of the living God be with you all.
C And also with you.
L Let us come before our holy, merciful, and loving God, confessing our sin and our desire to be renewed.
C Lord Jesus, you have called us to leave the life we know and to follow You.
But sometimes we are too afraid or too distracted and stay far off.
Lord, you have commissioned us to fish for other people.
But too many people have mistreated and hurt us, or they just seem very different from us.
So our hearts have hardened, our lips are sealed, our feet are frozen, and our hands are still.
But dare we act like no light has dawned on us, as if no word has been addressed to us?
Lord, break into our lives once again, interrupt our routines, and save us for our divisive ways. Amen.
L My sisters, my brothers, once a person meets Jesus Christ on the road of life and dares to follow, that person is changed. God has broken through the bonds and barriers that keep us from realizing our own best selves, forgiven us in Christ (+), and called us to step forward in faith and faithfulness. Nothing else matters more than that you see, accept, and bear the light of Jesus Christ in the shadows of a sin-sick and troubled world. May you seek the Word, say the Word, and do the Word – for a day and for a lifetime!
C HALLELUJAH AND AMEN!
OPENING SONG: “THE LORD IS MY LIGHT” Brown #61
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY:
Mighty God, You sent your Son Jesus to embody, reveal, and announce your Kingdom.
He has come looking for us, tracked us down, reached out to us, called and invited us.
Help me to see that, through Jesus, my search for meaning ends and my mission begins.
Help me to drop my net, follow Him, and embody, reveal, and announce the Kingdom of God.
Lord, keep me thirsty in my heart and busy in my witness. Amen.
+ The Holy Word +
FIRST READING: ISAIAH 9:1-4 [A word of hope – LIGHT shining into the darkness of suffering and exile.]
9:1 But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
9:2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.
9:3 You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder.
9:4 For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
SECOND READING: 1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-18 [A word of reprimand – UNITY in the cross of Christ!]
1:10 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.
1:11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.
1:12 What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.”
1:13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
1:14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
1:15 so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name.
1:16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)
1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.
1:18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
GOSPEL VERSE:
“Always remember Jesus, Jesus.
Always remember Jesus, Jesus.
Always keep Him on your mind.”
THE GOSPEL: MATTHEW 4:12-23 [A word of call – FOLLOWING to fish for people!]
4:12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.
4:13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,
4:14 so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
4:15 “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles
4:16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”
4:17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
4:18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen.
4:19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”
4:20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
4:21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.
4:22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
THE SERMON: Pastor Gwen or Pastor Neil
SONG SELECTION: All Saints Choir
THE PRAYERS… We pray that the joy and light of JESUS CHRIST will touch all lives!
+ The Holy Meal +
OFFERING OF TITHES (10% giving) AND GIFTS… With the daring of the first disciples, we continue to try to grow in leaving all behind to follow and to serve. Let us offer our time, our abilities, our commitment, and our material blessings to God this day – all that we have and all that we are – in praise and love of Christ.
Please note that our boxes of 2023 offering envelopes have been delayed by paper supply route issues and by fewer seasonal hires to do the printing. We will start this year without them. But we encourage you to continue to give offerings and to write your name or past offering box number on an envelope. We will have unnumbered envelopes in the sanctuary, or you can use one from home.
SONG SELECTION: All Saints Choir
THE OFFERTORY SONG: “THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE”
- This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine… (3X)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!
- Ev’rywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine… (3X)
- Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let it shine… (3X
OFFERING PRAYER by the Communion Assistant:
O Lord our God, You have anointed us to bring good news and to proclaim liberty, to bind up the brokenhearted and to liberate the oppressed. Help us to shine forth always and in all ways with the bright glory of Jesus Christ. 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 THANKS AND PRAISE!
THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS by the Celebrant, who recalls and re-enacts Jesus’ Holy Meal.
THE LORD’S PRAYER (spoken)
COMMUNION AND BLESSINGS… All believers in Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! We will have “continuous distribution” with wafers and either wine or grape juice. CHRIST COMES TO US IN BREAD AND WINE AND BLESSING, BRINGING US PEACE, UNITY, STRENGTH, AND HOPE!
COMMUNION SONGS: Brown #249 Brown #141
THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.
+ Sending +
BENEDICTION by the Pastor… God sends us TO SHINE with the Light of Jesus Christ in a shadowy world!
CLOSING SONG: “I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY” Brown #228