Reconciling in Christ Sunday
January 25,
2015
10:30 am Holy Communion
Service
Grace Evangelical Lutheran
Pastor: Rev. Megan Rohrer
Guest Musician: Vaughn
Edwards
Welcome to worship at
Grace!
Welcome to long-time Lutherans, Christians from every tradition, and
people new to faith. Welcome to all who have no church home, want to follow
Christ, have doubts, or do not believe. Welcome to new visitors and old
friends. Welcome to people of every age and size, color and culture, every
sexual orientation and gender identity, socio-economic status, marital status,
ability and challenge. Welcome to believers and questioners, and to questioning
believers. This is a place where you are welcome to celebrate and sorrow,
rejoice and recover. This is a place where
lives are made new.
Special Welcome to
Newcomers
Welcome to our small community of
faith. While we are small in numbers, we
have big hearts and a desire to grow. In
order to help you follow along, we have included all the materials you need for
worship in this bulletin.
Please join us for worship any Sunday at
10am that you are able. If you cannot
join us in person, you can also join us online via live stream or by watching
the archives of our worship and Bible Study that Doesn’t Suck anytime during
the week at our website (www.gracesf.com), or on our mobile phone app, Bible Study that Doesn’t Suck, is
available on Google Play and ITunes.
If you have any questions about the service
or about Grace, you can fill out the form in pew to let our pastor know you’d
like to chat. Or you can contact Pastor
Megan Rohrer at pastor@gracesf.com.
Prelude:
Affirmation of Baptism
Leader:
The time is now.
Congregation:
The kin-dom of God has come near.
Pastor:
Today, we reaffirm the baptismal promise of God’s love that was marked on many
of our foreheads with water, Spirit and oil. For many of us, this sign of
God’s love happened when we were too young to remember it, before anyone could
know who we would become, the choices we would make, how our bodies would
transform or whom we would love. Others, were able to bring the fullness
of themselves to the baptismal font and experience the unconditional love of
God.
Regardless
of when baptism happens, these waters create a loving and eternal covenant with
God and enable the gathered faithful to commit to supporting, loving and
instructing the newly baptized.
Like
the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for years, Jonah’s stubborn
descent into the belly of a whale, and the motley disciples who do their best
to understand Jesus’ parables, our faith journey is full of ups, downs,
and trying to do our best.
Today,
at these baptismal waters we recommit ourselves to proclaiming a full welcome
to all God’s children and commit ourselves to reconciling with the individuals
and communities of all sexual orientation and gender identities who have felt
like God’s promises were not available to them.
May
these swirling, cleansing waters affirm the fullness of who you are and inspire
you to proclaim God’s love and reconcile with others.
espurging or drawing up and pour of water into the font
May
this living water, assure you that you and your family are affirmed and loved
by God.
espurging or drawing up and pour of water into the font
May
each drop, be a blessing from God all of the fearfully and wonderfully made cells
in your body.
espurging or drawing up and pour of water into the font
Refreshed
by these waters, let us prepare our hearts and minds for worship.
Call to Worship
Leader:
The time is now!
Congregation:
The day has come.
All:
The kin-dom of God is here!
L:
Listen in stillness
C:
Proclaim in song
All:
All are welcome!
L:
Reconcile your people
C:
Open our doors
All:
Gather us at your table
L:
For the time is now!
C:
The day has come.
All:
The kin-dom of God is here!
Gathering
Hymn: Verses 1, 3 and 5
Prayer of the Day:
Loving God, the time is now, the
kin-dom of God is here, and you call us together as your people. Open our ears
that we may hear your call. Open our hands that we may give them to your
service. Open our hearts that we may love all whom you create. Strengthen us by
your Spirit that we may serve your world in the grace of Jesus Christ, our
Savior and Lord. Amen.
Welcome
First Reading: Jonah 3:1-10
3The word
of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, 2“Get up, go to
Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” 3So
Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according
to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an
exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. 4Jonah began to
go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”
5And the people of Nineveh
believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on
sackcloth. 6When the news reached the king of Nineveh,
he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and
sat in ashes. 7Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh:
“By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or
flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. 8Human
beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily
to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in
their hands. 9Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may
turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish.” 10When God
saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind
about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do
it.
L Word of hope, word of life. Thanks
be to God
Psalm 62 (read responsively)
5For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is
from God.
6God alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I
shall not be shaken.
7On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty
rock, my refuge is in God.
8Trust in God at all times, O people; pour out your
heart before God who is a refuge for us.
9Those of low estate are but a breath, those of high
estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter
than a breath. 10Put no
confidence in extortion, and set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
11Once God has spoken; twice have I heard
this: that power belongs to God,
12and steadfast love belongs to you, O God most high.
For you repay to all according to their work.
Second Reading:
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
29I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has
grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had
none, 30and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and
those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as
though they had no possessions, 31and those who deal with the world
as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is
passing away.
L Word of hope, word of life. Thanks
be to God
Anthem: WOV 764 Blest Are Thy Grace Choir
Gospel Reading:
Mark 1:14-20
14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee,
proclaiming the good news of God, 15and saying, “The time is
fulfilled, and the kingdom
of God has come near; repent, and
believe in the good news.” 16As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew
casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 17And Jesus said
to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” 18And
immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19As he went a
little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in
their boat mending the nets. 20Immediately he called them; and they
left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
P The gospel of the Lord. Praise
to you, O Christ.
Sermon
Silence for reflection
follows the sermon. The assembly stands
to proclaim the word of God in song.
Hymn of the Day: Verses 1-3
Prayers of Intercession
A During this season of Epiphany, we pray for
all who the wise leaders and mentors in our life, and for the church, the world
and all people in their need. A brief silence.
Creating
God, help us repair broken relationships, to clean up our messes and debts and
to ask for help when we need it. God in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Parent
God, bless all who are parents, the family and staff of the Grace Infant Care
Center and all who have created families.
Help us to become better at loving and receiving love from others. God in your mercy, hear our prayer.
God,
you are the highest authority. Help our
civic leaders to bring peace to a war torn world and to care for those who are
vulnerable. Be with our bishops
Elizabeth and Mark, our pastor Megan and all the staff and leaders of our
congregation. Help us to support the
work and hobbies of all who worship with us, so that we may draw closer to God
in all that we do at work and at home.
God in your mercy, hear our
prayer.
Loving
God, help us to have patience, compassion and listening ears for those who
differ from us. Provide healing and hope
for those whose minds, bodies or spirits are in need of care. We pray especially for those who care for the
sick and support those who are aging.
Help us to live and experience as much as we can while we await the day
we will be reunited with those we have lost.
God in your mercy, hear our
prayer.
For
whom and what else do the people of Grace pray?
(Please offer - silently or aloud- petitions
to God. End spoken petitions with “God
in your mercy.”)
P
Our prayers rise like incense and are held by a loving God who yearns for us to
be our best. May we sleep well, worry
less, and live convinced that God is on our side. Amen.
Peace
The presiding minister and the assembly greet each
other in the peace of the risen Christ.
P The peace of Christ be with you always. C
And also with you.
The people may greet one another with the sign of
Christ’s peace, and may say, “Peace be with you” or similar words. Then, the assembly is seated.
Offering
An offering is gathered for
the mission of the church, including the care of those in need. After the offering is gathered, the assembly
stands.
Offertory
Offering Prayer
Many are the diverse gifts of the
children of God. Give us eyes to see
diversity as opportunity for our community to broaden our understanding of your
love. And, bless the time, talents and financial gifts of those gathered
here today.
Communion:
As
we gather with wine and bread, we join in the hopeful remembering of Jesus’
final moments with his disciples. A meal shared by traditions around the
world for over two-thousand years, our celebration joins in the echo of praise
that vibrates through the ages in the prayers, songs and liturgies of our
ancestors in faith.
P It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,
that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you,
almighty and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ. Through the calling
of disciples Jesus sought to reconcile the world into the loving kingdom of
peace and hope for all. And so, with Ruth,* Naomi, Wilgefortis, David,
Jonathan, and Bishops Paul Egertson and Stan Olson, Joel Workin, Pastor Paul
Brenner, all the saints, with the choirs of angels and all the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn . . .
P On the night in which he was betrayed, our
Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples,
saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the
remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took
the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new
covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of
sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
The Lord’s
Prayer
C Our Father
in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on
earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we
forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us
from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and
forever. Amen
Blessing
Sending Rite Recommitment to
Reconciliation
Leader:
Called by God into relationship with our world, we are sent to go out and to
serve. We have been challenged by the Word, fed with the Bread, and
strengthened by the Spirit for the ongoing and hard work of Reconciliation.
Let
us go from this community into the world and proclaim a word of God’s love for
each of God’s children. Let us show that our distinctions, of gender identity,
of sexual orientation, of race, of passions, of angers, of delights do not and
cannot separate us from God’s love or from one another. Let us go from this
community into the community of the world and proudly proclaim together:
The
time is now!
Congregation:
The day has come.
All: The kin-dom of God is here!
Announcements
Sending Hymn: (see the next page)
Dismissal
Leader: Go in peace, a reconciling force in the world!
Congregation: Thanks be to God!
Postlude:
Please
join us for coffee and refreshments downstairs in the Fellowship Hall.
To get to the Fellowship
Hall, exit to the right of the communion railing at the front of the church.
Scripture in this service is
adapted from The Inclusive Bible: The First Egalitarian Translation, by
Priests for Equality. 2009, Sheed
& Ward. Kindle Edition.
The traditional Lutheran liturgy is from Sundays and
Seasons.com. Copyright 2014 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted
by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #28429.
Hymns used with permission for worship and podcast under
OneLicense.net #A-723548.
Verses 1-3
Announcements
You can find more information and find archived
sermons and worship live streams at our website: www.gracesf.com or on our blog: www.sfgrace.blogspot.com
·
Grace is now able
to have virtual members who fulfill their worship attendance with us via live
stream. If you’re interested in becoming
more connected to Grace and learning about becoming a member email Pastor Megan
at pastor@gracesf.com
