The View from the Middle

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Service Outline for Sunday, February 1, 2026

Welcome to worship at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church!

PRELUDE “Rejoice, You Pure in Heart” arr. Alice Jordan

Confession and Forgiveness

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,

the Creator of heaven and earth,

the Word who spoke life into being,

the Wind stirring the waters.

Amen.

Let us turn in confession to the one who knows us completely.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Mighty God, lover of justice,

you call us to life in community,

but we have served our own interests

at the expense of our neighbors.

We have sown deceit where honesty was needed.

We say the right words,

but our hearts are far from you.

Turn us to seek your face.

Knit us together and give us the mind of Christ,

that we may do justice, love mercy,

and walk humbly with you, our God.

Amen.

The former things have passed away,

and new things God now declares:

Like a spring of water that never fails,

God covers you in the righteousness of Christ,

and forgives your sin in ☩ Jesus’ name.

May the Spirit give you strength to live for others,

and bless you with the gift of peace.

Amen.

HYMN Dearest Jesus at Your Word #520

GREETING

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

KYRIE

HYMN OF PRAISE “Rise, Shine, You People” #665 v. 1

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Children's message

First Reading: Micah 6:1-8

¹ Hear what the Lord says:

Rise, plead your case before the mountains,
and let the hills hear your voice.
² Hear, you mountains, the case of the Lord,
and you enduring foundations of the earth,
for the Lord has a case against his people,
and he will contend with Israel.

³ “O my people, what have I done to you?
In what have I wearied you? Answer me!
⁴ For I brought you up from the land of Egypt
and redeemed you from the house of slavery,
and I sent before you Moses,
Aaron, and Miriam.
⁵ O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised,
what Balaam son of Beor answered him,
and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,
that you may know the saving acts of the Lord.”

⁶ “With what shall I come before the Lord
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
⁷ Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
⁸ He has told you, O mortal, what is good,
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice and to love kindness
and to walk humbly with your God?

Psalm: Psalm 15

¹ Lord, who may dwell in your ^| tabernacle?

Who may abide upon your ^| holy hill?
² Those who lead a blameless life and do ^| what is right,
who speak the truth ^| from their heart; R
³ they do not slander with the tongue, they do no evil ^| to their friends;
they do not cast discredit up- ^| on a neighbor.
⁴ In their sight the wicked are rejected, but they honor those who ^| fear the Lord.
They have sworn upon their health and do not take ^| back their word.
⁵ They do not give their money in hope of gain, nor do they take bribes a- ^| gainst the innocent.
Those who do these things shall never be ^| overthrown. R

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

¹⁸ 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. ¹⁹ For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
²⁰ Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of the proclamation, to save those who believe. ²² For Jews ask for signs and Greeks desire wisdom, ²³ but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to gentiles, ²⁴ but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
²⁶ Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸ God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are, ²⁹ so that no one might boast in the presence of God. ³⁰ In contrast, God is why you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ³¹ in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12

¹ When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. ² And he began to speak and taught them, saying:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
⁵ “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
¹¹ “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

SERMON

HYMN Let Streams of Living Justice #710

APOSTLES CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE, PEACE, OFFERING

GREAT THANKSGIVING

SANCTUS

COMMUNION PRAYER

LORD'S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen

DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNION

HYMN Blest are They #728

Blest are they, the poor in spirit

Theirs is the kingdom of God
Blest are they, full of sorrow
They shall be consoled

refrain

Rejoice and be glad
Blessed are you; holy are you
Rejoice and be glad
Yours is the Kingdom of God

Blest are they, the lowly ones

They shall inherit the earth
Blest are they, who hunger and thirst
They shall have their fill

Blest are they who show mercy

Mercy shall be theirs

Blest are they, the pure of heart
They shall see God

Blest are they who seek peace

They are the children of God
Blest are they who suffer in faith
The glory of God is theirs

Blest are you who suffer hate

All because of me
Rejoice and be glad, yours is the kingdom
Shine for all to see

Rejoice and be glad

Blessed are you; holy are you
Rejoice and be glad
Yours is the Kingdom of God

Rejoice and be glad
Blessed are you; holy are you
Rejoice and be glad
Yours is the Kingdom of God

POST COMMUNION PROCLAMATION AND PRAYER

BLESSING

HYMN Rise Up, O Saints of God #669

DISMISSAL

POSTLUDE “Oh, Praise the Gracious Power” Kristina Langlois

Liturgy and hymns printed and streamed with permission through OneLicense. A-710659

Friday, January 23, 2026

Service outline for Sunday, January 25, 2026

Welcome to worship at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church!

PRELUDE “Christ Whose Glory fills the Skies” James Biery

Confession and Forgiveness

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,

the Creator of heaven and earth,

the Word who spoke life into being,

the Wind stirring the waters.

Amen.

Let us turn in confession to the one who knows us completely.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Mighty God, lover of justice,

you call us to life in community,

but we have served our own interests

at the expense of our neighbors.

We have sown deceit where honesty was needed.

We say the right words,

but our hearts are far from you.

Turn us to seek your face.

Knit us together and give us the mind of Christ,

that we may do justice, love mercy,

and walk humbly with you, our God.

Amen.

The former things have passed away,

and new things God now declares:

Like a spring of water that never fails,

God covers you in the righteousness of Christ,

and forgives your sin in ☩ Jesus’ name.

May the Spirit give you strength to live for others,

and bless you with the gift of peace.

Amen.

HYMN O God of Light #507

GREETING

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

KYRIE

HYMN OF PRAISE “Rise, Shine, You People” #665 v. 1

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Children's message

First Reading: Isaiah 9:1-4

¹ There will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time [the Lord] 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.

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.
³ You have multiplied exultation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
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.

Psalm: Psalm 27:1, 4-9

¹ The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then ^| shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I ^| be afraid?
⁴ One thing I ask of the Lord; one ^| thing I seek;
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek God ^| in the temple.
⁵ For in the day of trouble God will ^| give me shelter,
hide me in the hidden places of the sanctuary, and raise me high up- ^| on a rock.
⁶ Even now my head is lifted up above my enemies ^| who surround me.
Therefore I will offer sacrifice in the sanctuary, sacrifices of rejoicing; I will sing and make music ^| to the Lord. R
⁷ Hear my voice, O Lord, ^| when I call;
have mercy on me and ^| answer me.
⁸ My heart speaks your message— ^| “Seek my face.”
Your face, O Lord, ^| I will seek.
⁹ Hide not your face from me, turn not away from your ser- ^| vant in anger.
Cast me not away—you have been my helper; forsake me not, O God of ^| my salvation. R

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

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 knit together in the same mind and the same purpose. ¹¹ For it has been made clear to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. 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.” ¹³ Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴ I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else. 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.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Gospel: Matthew 4:12-23

¹² Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. ¹³ He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴ so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
¹⁵ “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles—
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.”
¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

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 fishers. ¹⁹ And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” ²⁰ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 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. ²² Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

²³ Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

SERMON

HYMN I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light #815

APOSTLES CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE, PEACE, OFFERING

GREAT THANKSGIVING

SANCTUS