Service outline for Sunday, October 31, 2021

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

PRELUDE            Reformation Chorale                Mendelssohn

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.

 In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid:

cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you

and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Most merciful God,

we confess that we are captive to sin

and cannot free ourselves.

We have sinned against you

in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done

and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you

with our whole heart; we have not loved

our neighbors as ourselves.

For the sake

of your Son, Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us.

Forgive us, renew us, and lead us,

so that we may delight in your will

and walk in your ways,

to the glory of your holy name.

Amen.

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

HYMN        A Mighty Fortress Is Our God          #504 v. 1,4

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                                                                                                                                                

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Children's message

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 31:31-34

³¹The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ³²It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. ³³But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ³⁴No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the LORD," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

 

PSALM: Psalm 46

¹God is our ref- ^| uge and strength, a very present ^| help in trouble.

²Therefore we will not fear, though the ^| earth be moved, and though the mountains shake in the depths ^| of the sea;

³though its waters ^| rage and foam, and though the mountains tremble ^| with its tumult.

⁴There is a river whose streams make glad the cit- ^| y of God, the holy habitation of ^| the Most High.

⁵God is in the midst of the city; it shall ^| not be shaken; God shall help it at the ^| break of day.

⁶The nations rage, and the ^| kingdoms shake; God speaks, and the earth ^| melts away.

⁷The LORD of ^| hosts is with us; the God of Jacob ^| is our stronghold.

⁸Come now, regard the works ^| of the LORD, what desolations God has brought up- ^| on the earth;

⁹behold the one who makes war to cease in ^| all the world; who breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, and burns the ^| shields with fire.

¹⁰"Be still, then, and know that ^| I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted ^| in the earth."

¹¹The LORD of ^| hosts is with us; the God of Jacob ^| is our stronghold.

 

SECOND READING: Romans 3:19-28

¹⁹Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. ²⁰For "no human being will be justified in his sight" by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

 ²¹But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, ²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, ²³since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; ²⁴they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; ²⁶it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.

²⁷Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. ²⁸For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

GOSPEL: John 8:31-36

³¹Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; ³²and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." ³³They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, 'You will be made free'?"

³⁴Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. ³⁵The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. ³⁶So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."

 The Gospel of the Lord.  Praise to you, O Christ.

 SERMON

HYMN   Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word       #517 v. 1,3

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

PEACE

CHOIR                                             “Resting in Your Arms”

OFFERING 

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     Break Now the Bread of Life                #515

POST COMMUNION PROCLAMATION

POST COMMUNION PRAYER

BLESSING

HYMN        The Church’s One Foundation       #654 V. 1,3,5

 

DISMISSAL

POSTLUDE         Built on a Rock                 Southbridge

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

Service outline for Sunday, October 24, 2021

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

PRELUDE     A Day of Rest and Gladness    Raabe

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid:

cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you

and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Most merciful God,

we confess that we are captive to sin

and cannot free ourselves.

We have sinned against you

in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done

and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you

with our whole heart; we have not loved

our neighbors as ourselves.

For the sake

of your Son, Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us.

Forgive us, renew us, and lead us,

so that we may delight in your will

and walk in your ways,

to the glory of your holy name.

Amen.

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

HYMN      Sing Praise to God, the Highest Good     #871 v. 1,4

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                                                                                                                  

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Children's message

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 31:7-9

⁷For thus says the LORD: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, "Save, O LORD, your people, the remnant of Israel." ⁸See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here.

⁹With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

 

PSALM: Psalm 126

¹When the LORD restored the for- ^| tunes of Zion, then were we like ^| those who dream.

²Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with ^| shouts of joy.

Then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great ^| things for them." 

³The LORD has done great ^| things for us, and we are ^| glad indeed.

⁴Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses ^| of the Negeb.

⁵Those who ^| sowed with tears will reap with ^| songs of joy.

⁶Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves. 

 

SECOND READING: Hebrews 7:23-28

²³The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; ²⁴but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. ²⁵Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

 ²⁶For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. ²⁷Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself. ²⁸For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

GOSPEL: Mark 10:46-52

⁴⁶As [Jesus] and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. ⁴⁷When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" ⁴⁸Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" ⁴⁹Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you." ⁵⁰So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. ⁵¹Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again." ⁵²Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON

HYMN     God, Whose Almighty Word          #673 v. 1,2

 

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 AND PEACE

OFFERING

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        Amazing Grace               #779

POST COMMUNION PROCLAMATION

POST COMMUNION PRAYER

BLESSING

HYMN        Be Thou My Vision                                              

 

DISMISSAL

POSTLUDE          Psalm of Praise             Ritter

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

 

Service Outline for Sunday, October 10, 2021

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

PRELUDE  Variations on Jesus, Priceless Treasure         Zachau

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid:

cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you

and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Most merciful God,

we confess that we are captive to sin

and cannot free ourselves.

We have sinned against you

in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done

and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you

with our whole heart; we have not loved

our neighbors as ourselves.

For the sake

of your Son, Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us.

Forgive us, renew us, and lead us,

so that we may delight in your will

and walk in your ways,

to the glory of your holy name.

Amen.

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

HYMN   O God of Every Nation  #713 v. 1,4

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   

 

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Children's message

FIRST READING: Amos 5:6-7, 10-15

⁶Seek the LORD and live, or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire, and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it. ⁷Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood,   and bring righteousness to the ground!

¹⁰They hate the one who reproves in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks the truth. ¹¹Therefore because you trample on the poor and take from them levies of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. ¹²For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins—you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe,

and push aside the needy in the gate. ¹³Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time; for it is an evil time. ¹⁴Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, just as you have said. ¹⁵Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

 

PSALM: Psalm 90:12-17

¹²So teach us to num- ^| ber our days that we may apply our ^| hearts to wisdom.

¹³Return, O LORD; how long ^| will you tarry? Be gracious ^| to your servants.

¹⁴Satisfy us by your steadfast love ^| in the morning; so shall we rejoice and be glad ^| all our days.

¹⁵Make us glad as many days as you af- ^| flicted us and as many years as we suf- ^| fered adversity.

¹⁶Show your ser- ^| vants your works, and your splendor ^| to their children.

¹⁷May the graciousness of the Lord our God ^| be upon us; prosper the work of our hands; pros- ^| per our handiwork. 

 

SECOND READING: Hebrews 4:12-16

¹²Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.

¹⁴Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

GOSPEL: Mark 10:17-31

¹⁷As [Jesus] was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" ¹⁸Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. ¹⁹You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'" ²⁰He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." ²¹Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." ²²When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

 ²³Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" ²⁴And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." ²⁶They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?" ²⁷Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."

 ²⁸Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you." ²⁹Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, ³⁰who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. ³¹But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."

 The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON

HYMN        Take My Life, That I May Be    #685 v. 1,3,5

 

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 AND PEACE

OFFERING

CHANCEL CHOIR                          I Will Greatly Rejoice                                                            Pote

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   What a Friend We Have in Jesus   #742

POST COMMUNION PROCLAMATION

POST COMMUNION PRAYER

BLESSING

HYMN   The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve  #551 V. 1,3,4

 

DISMISSAL

POSTLUDE   Guide Me ever, Great Redeemer      Pelz

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

Service outline for Sunday, October 3, 2021

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

PRELUDE   All Things Bight and Beautiful         Raabe

 

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid:

cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you

and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Most merciful God,

we confess that we are captive to sin

and cannot free ourselves.

We have sinned against you

in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done

and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you

with our whole heart; we have not loved

our neighbors as ourselves.

For the sake

of your Son, Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us.

Forgive us, renew us, and lead us,

so that we may delight in your will

and walk in your ways,

to the glory of your holy name.

Amen.

 The presiding minister announces God’s forgiveness with these or similar words.

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen 

HYMN         God Is Here!         #526 v. 1,4

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                                                                                                                  

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Children's message

FIRST READING: Genesis 2:18-24

 ¹⁸The LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner." ¹⁹So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. ²⁰The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. ²¹So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. ²²And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken." ²⁴Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.

 

PSALM: Psalm 8

¹O ^| LORD our Lord, how majestic is your name in ^| all the earth!?

²you whose glory is chanted above the heavens out of the mouths of in- ^| fants and children;

you have set up a fortress against your enemies, to silence the foe ^| and avenger.

³When I consider your heavens, the work ^| of your fingers, the moon and the stars you have set ^| in their courses,

⁴what are mere mortals that you should be mind- ^| ful of them, human beings that you should ^| care for them?

⁵Yet you have made them little less ^| than divine; with glory and hon- ^| or you crown them.

⁶You have made them rule over the works ^| of your hands; you have put all things un- ^| der their feet:

⁷all ^| flocks and cattle, even the wild beasts ^| of the field,

⁸the birds of the air, the fish ^| of the sea, and whatever passes along the paths ^| of the sea.

⁹O ^| LORD our Lord, how majestic is your name in ^| all the earth! 

 

SECOND READING: Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12

¹Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, ²but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. ³He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

^2:5Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. ⁶But someone has testified somewhere,         "What are human beings that you are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them?

⁷You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honor,

⁸subjecting all things under their feet." Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, ⁹but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. ¹⁰It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. ¹¹For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, ¹²saying, "I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters,

in the midst of the congregation I will praise you."

 GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

 

GOSPEL: Mark 10:2-16

²Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" ³He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" ⁴They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her." ⁵But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. ⁶But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' ⁷'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ⁸and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."

¹⁰Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. ¹¹He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; ¹²and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

¹³People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. ¹⁴But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. ¹⁵Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." ¹⁶And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

 The Gospel of the Lord.   Praise to you, O Christ.

 SERMON

 HYMN  God When Human Bonds Are Broken     #603 v. 1,2,5

 

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 AND PEACE

OFFERING

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      For the Beauty of the Earth        #879

POST COMMUNION PROCLAMATION

POST COMMUNION PRAYER

BLESSING

HYMN      On Our Way Rejoicing         #537

DISMISSAL

POSTLUDE   If You But Trust in God to Guide You       Pelz 

Liturgy and hymns printed and streamed with permission

through OneLicense. A-710659