July 16th, 2017
Time after Pentecost, Lectionary 15a
Holy Communion (ELW 3)
INTRODUCTION
Gods word is like the rain that waters the earth and brings forth
vegetation. It is also like the sower who scatters seed indiscriminately. Our
lives are like seeds sown in the earth. Even from what appears to be little,
dormant, or dead, God promises a harvest. At the Lords table we are fed
with the bread of life, that we may bear fruit in the world.
CHILDREN are always welcome to our Worship Service. Rainbow bags
and a cry room are available. A staffed nursery is also available if needed.
An usher will gladly provide you with assistance.
As a worship courtesy, we ask that you please turn off or set to vibrate
all cellular telephones and pagers during the worship service.
We ask that all present today please fill out the Attendance and Communion
registration card found in your bulletin and place it in the offering plate so
that we may record your presence with us.
PRAYER UPON ENTERING THE PEW
Blessed Lord God, you have caused the holy scriptures to be written for the
nourishment of your people. Grant that we may hear them, read, mark,
learn, and inwardly digest them, that, comforted by your promises, we may
embrace and forever hold fast to the hope of eternal life, which you have
given us in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
THE ORDER OF WORSHIP
PRELUDE Intermezzo, b minor, Opus 119, No. 1 Johannes Brahms
WELCOME
CONFESSION OF SINS AND PROCLAMATION OF FORGIVENESS
In the name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let us pray. God of all mercy and consolation, come to the help of your
people, turning us from our sin to live in your love. Give us the power of
your Holy Spirit that we may confess our sin, be reconciled with you, and
live abundantly in Jesus Christ, the Savior and Lord of all. Amen.
Silence for reflection and self-examination.
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.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and
made us alive together with Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins
are forgiven. By grace you have been saved. Almighty God give you faith
through the Holy Spirit that the love of Christ may shine in your hearts and
show forth in your lives. Amen.
GATHERING SONG: O Jesus, I Have Promised (ELW 810)
GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of
the Holy Spirit be with you all!
And also with you!
CANTICLE OF PRAISE PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray. Almighty God, we thank you for planting in us the seed of your
word. By your Holy Spirit help us to receive it with joy, live according to it,
and grow in faith and hope and love, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and
Lord. Amen.
Please be seated.

A MESSAGE FOR OUR CHILDREN

FIRST READING Genesis 25:19-34

Although Jacob was younger than his twin, Esau, he eventually gets the
birthright away from his brother. Jacob is portrayed in the Bible as
deceptive, gripping his brother when he came out of the womb and driving
a hard bargain by buying the birthright for a bowl of lentils.
19
These are the descendants of Isaac, Abrahams son: Abraham was the
father of Isaac, 20and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah,
daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the
Aramean. 21Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren;
and the LORD granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. 22The
children struggled together within her; and she said, If it is to be this way,
why do I live? So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23And the LORD said to
her,
Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples born of you shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the elder shall serve the younger.
24
When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her
womb. 25The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they
named him Esau. 26Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping
Esaus heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she
bore them.
27When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field,
while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. 28Isaac loved Esau, because he
was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and
he was famished. 30Esau said to Jacob, Let me eat some of that red stuff,
for I am famished! (Therefore he was called Edom.) 31Jacob said, First
sell me your birthright. 32Esau said, I am about to die; of what use is a
birthright to me? 33Jacob said, Swear to me first. So he swore to him,
and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil
 1
stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
his birthright. Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from
the law of sin and of death. 3For God has done what the law, weakened by
The word of the Lord. the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
Thanks be to God. flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4so that the just
requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to
PSALM 119:105-112 the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5For those who live according to the
flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according
Refrain: to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6To set the mind on
the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7For
this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not
submit to Gods lawindeed it cannot, 8and those who are in the flesh
cannot please God.
Tone:
9But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of
God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not
belong to him. 10But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of
105
Your word is a lamp | to my feet sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11If the Spirit of him who
and a light up- | on my path. raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the
106
I have sworn and | am determined dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells
to keep your | righteous judgments. in you.
107
I am | deeply troubled;
preserve my life, O LORD, according | to your word. The word of the Lord.
108
Accept, O LORD, the willing tribute | of my lips, Thanks be to God.
and teach | me your judgments. R
Please stand for the reading of the gospel.
109
My life is al- | ways in danger,
yet I do not for- | get your teaching. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
110
The wicked have set a | trap for me,
but I have not strayed from | your commandments.
111
Your decrees are my inheri- | tance forever;
truly, they are the joy | of my heart.
112
I have applied my heart to ful- | fill your statutes
forever and | to the end. R

SECOND READING: Romans 8:1-11

There is no condemnation for those who live in Christ. God sent Christ to
accomplish what the law was unable to do: condemn sin and free us from
its slavery. The Spirit now empowers proper actions and values in our lives
and gives us the promise of resurrected life.
GOSPEL: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
As the Gospel is announced, worshippers are invited to trace a cross upon
their forehead, then over their lips, and then over their hearts, silently praying,
May the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ be ever on my mind, on my lips, and
in my heart.
The holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. APOSTLES CREED
Glory to you, O Lord. As they recite the creed, worshippers are invited to bow beginning with the
words born of the Virgin Mary, until the words he descended to the dead.
In Matthews gospel, both Jesus and his disciples sow the seed of Gods
word by proclaiming the good news that the kingdom of heaven is near. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Now, in a memorable parable, Jesus explains why this good news produces
different results in those who hear. I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived
1 by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2Such
Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at
while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3And he told them many things
the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and
in parables, saying: Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, the dead.
some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5Other
seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of
sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6But when the sun rose,
saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life
they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7Other everlasting.
seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8Other
seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
sixty, some thirty. 9Let anyone with ears listen!
Called together in the Spirits embrace, let us pray for the mending of
18Hear then the parable of the sower. 19When anyone hears the word of Gods world.
the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches
away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. 20As for Please sit or kneel as you are able.
what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and Each petition ends with:
immediately receives it with joy; 21yet such a person has no root, but Hear us, O God.
endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account Your mercy is great.
of the word, that person immediately falls away. 22As for what was sown
among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world All these things, and whatever else you see that we need, we entrust to your
and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. 23But as for care through Christ our Lord. Amen.
what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and
understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, PEACE
in another sixty, and in another thirty.
Please rise and greet one another in the peace of the risen Christ.
The Gospel of the Lord!
Praise to you, O Christ. The peace of Christ be with you always.
Please be seated. And also with you.
SERMON Pastor Charles Peterson ANNOUNCEMENTS
Please stand for the hymn. MUSIC AT THE OFFERING
Vier ernste Gesnge, Opus 121, No. 3 Johannes Brahms
HYMN OF THE DAY: I Love to Tell the Story (ELW 661)
Four Serious Songs Savior and Lord. Amen.

O Death, how bitter are you In the thoughts of a man who has good days,
enough, And a sorrow-free life, And who is fortunate in all things, And is still DIALOGUE
able to eat well, O Death, how bitter are you.

O Death, how well you serve the person in need Who is feeble and old, and
beset by sorrows, and who has nothing better to hope for or to expect;
O Death, how well you serve.
Sirach 41:1-2

OFFERTORY HYMN:

PREFACE

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY

OFFERING PRAYER

Let us pray. Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your
goodness you have blessed us with these gifts: ourselves, our time, and our EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
possessions. Use us, and what we have gathered, in feeding the world with Worshippers are invited to bow with the consecration of the Lords body and
your love, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our blood, each time the words Do this for the remembrance of me, are spoken.
Holy, mighty, and merciful Lord, heaven and earth are full of your glory
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and
forever. Amen.

LORD'S PRAYER

Risen Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray:

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.

INVITATION TO COMMUNION
COMMUNION
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Happy are
all who are called to this table. The body of Christ, given for you.
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and your The blood of Christ, shed for you. Amen.
servant shall be healed.
Taste and see that the Lord is good. SONG DURING DISTRIBUTION: As the Grains of Wheat (ELW 465)

All baptized people are welcome to the table to receive Christs body and
blood. If you have not been baptized, you are also welcome to the table as
Gods guest; we are honored by your presence. We recognize the Body of
Christ as the community of the baptized, so if you would like to become part of
the Body of Christ, we encourage you to seek baptism. If you cant or dont
wish to receive today, we encourage you to hold your hands over your chest for
a blessing as you come forward.
LAMB OF GOD
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Let us pray. We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us
through the healing power of this gift of life. In your mercy, strengthen us
through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one
another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
BLESSING
Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.
Amen.

SENDING HYMN: Blessed Assurance (ELW 638)

DISMISSAL

Go in peace. Share the good news.

Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Chorale Prelude on O God, du frommer Gott J. Brahms
O God, You Righteous God

The flowers on the altar are given to the glory of God and in
memory of my father, Harry Smith.

Presented by Shirley Griffin