The Season after Pentecost
September 5, 2021 | 11 am
St. John’s Lutheran Church | Salisbury, NC
The Light of His Love by Yongsung Kim
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Welcome to St. John’s
We’re so glad God has brought you here!
Today is the 15th Sunday after Pentecost. As we begin this new week together, we’d like to bring a few announcements to your attention:
GIFT Women’s Ministry
Welcome back! We are so excited to be joining back together in person! We hope that you will join us at the Vista at Walnut Hill, Thursday, Sept. 9, 6:30-8:30 pm. If you would like to carpool, meet at St. John’s at 6 pm. Bring your favorite wine or snack to share.
Kingdom Kids Sunday School Kick-Off
Join us Sunday, Sept. 12 at 9:45 in the Ark for Sunday School. Nursery is available during both services.
Youth Kick-Off
Join us Sunday, Sept. 12, 5:30-7:30 pm.
Senior Seasons Academy Join us Tuesdays, Sept. 14- Oct. 5, for Senior Seasons Academy. Pastor Rhodes will lead the morning bible study, and leaders and professors from Catawba College will lead the afternoon class. Sign up online today!
Congregational Picnic Join us for a Congregation-Wide Picnic, Sunday, Sept. 26, 4-7 pm at the Bell Tower Green for live entertainment, Hotdog Shack food truck, and Cold Stone Ice Cream.
God’s Work. Our Hands.
Has been rescheduled for Oct. 10 at 1 pm at Isenberg Elementary! Come help us serve our community.
*Please note that we are monitoring local COVID-19 numbers and protocol.
Please watch for updates and changes to all upcoming events.
Please be advised: Today’s worship service is being live-streamed for our online community. For those who desire not to be part of the video stream, seating is available in the balcony and along the last 2 pews of the sanctuary’s main level.
Connect. Give.
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Gathering
The Holy Spirit gathers us as the people of God
Prelude
Prayers of Confession
Worship begins as we confess our sins. For Luther, confession was a daily discipline, during which we confess those sins that are “known and those left unknown.” He encouraged us to begin by making the sign of the cross as a reminder that Christ has freed us from our sin.
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 for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that we may confess our sin, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence for reflection and self-examination.
Lord Jesus, we confess that we are captive to sin. But we confess to You, Lord, our hu- man tendency to turn back to old patterns of thinking and doing. Have mercy on our foolishness, and forgive us for resisting your grace, so that we might walk once again in true freedom. We ask this humbly in Christ’s name. Amen.
God’s Promise of Forgiveness
In the Word who has come to dwell with us, God has given us grace upon grace:
forgiveness that is stronger than our sins, love that can heal every broken heart.
Hear this word of God: you are forgiven of all your sins, in the name of the Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Entrance Hymn 893 Before You, Lord, We Bow DARWALL’S 140th (See Page 9)
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Kyrie. A centering prayer asking for God’s mercy and peace as we gather for worship.
Congregation sings the parts in bold.
In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort and defend us, gracious Lord.
Amen.
Hymn of Praise Love Divine All Love Excelling
Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven, to earth come down!
Fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation, enter ev'ry trembling heart.
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.
Let us pray. Gracious God, throughout the ages you transform sickness into health and death into life. Open us to the power of your presence, and make us a people ready to proclaim your promises to the whole world, through Jesus Christ, our healer and Lord.
Amen.
Please be seated
Word
Reading: Psalm 146
1Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
3Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.
4When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.
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5Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God,
6who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever; 7who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free; 8the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.
9The LORD watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD!
Word of God. Word of Life! Thanks be to God!
Response How Deep the Father’s Love For Us By Stuart Townsend Ricky and Kimberly Howsare, Soloists
The Holy Gospel: Mark 7:24-37
24[Jesus] set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice,25but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 26Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 28But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” 30So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
31Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32They brought to him a deaf man who had an
impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. 34Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
The Gospel of the Lord. Thanks be to God!
Sermon Pastor Rhodes Woolly
Hymn 666 What Wondrous Love Is This WONDROUS LOVE (See Page 10)
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Apostles’ Creed. Gathered as God’s people across time and space, let us confess our faith using the words of the 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 Intercession Each petition ends: Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
Meal
God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ Preparation of the Lord’s Table:Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heav'nly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Please stand
The Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise... and join their unending hymn
Holy, holy, holy Lord, Lord God of pow’r and might, heav’n and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
7 Eucharistic Prayer followed by The 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 Holy Communion. You will be invited forward one row at a time. Please take an empty glass, into which the wine will be poured. Grape juice is available in pre-filled cups. All bread in our communion celebration is gluten-free. Welcome to the Lord’s Table!
Communion Hymns 154 Lamb of God
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
grant us peace, grant us peace.
Hymn How Deep the Father’s Love For Us (See Page 11)
Instrumental Rosemary Kinard, Pianist Hymn Prayer of Peace (See page 11) Please stand
Blessing and Prayer
Sending
Forgiven and nourished, we are now sent into the world to share God’s love.
Benediction
Sending Hymn 547 Sent Forth By God’s Blessing THE ASH GROVE (See Page 12)
Dismissal Go in peace to love and serve the Lord! Thanks be to God!
Postlude
Unless otherwise indicated, today’s service is from Evangelical Lutheran Worship and is reproduced by permission of Augsburg Fortress Liturgies annual license # 26999.
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Worship Participants
READER: Caroline Parrott VIDEO: Taylor Hutchins
SOUND: Mike Agee
Join Us In Prayer For The Following:
CONDOLENCES — Melonie, Bonnie, Oscho Rufty and family, on the passing of Barbara Rufty on August 20.
Debbie Purpur and family, on the passing of Ralph Purpur on Aug 28.
THIS WEEK’S PRAYER CONCERNS — Patrick Hilliard, Willi Beilfuss
ONGOING PRAYER CONCERNS — Emily Stirewalt, Gary Pinkston, Eleanor Andrews, Gene Myers, Lynn Fior, Rachel Safrit, Fran Lawson, Nancy Austin, David Wilson, Robin Cohen, John Myers
HOMEBOUND — Anita Foreman, Peggy Taylor, Lois and Paul Carter, Alda Smith, Margaret Ketner, Dottie Bedford, Hal Furr, Fran Hoke, Sherry Morgan, Ermine Peeler, Shirley Smith, Peggy Smith
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How Deep the Father’s Love For Us How deep the Father's love for us?
How vast beyond all measure?
That He should give His only Son To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss, The Father turns His face away;
As wounds which mar the Chosen One Bring many sons to glory.
CCLI #942521
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