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7th Sunday after Pentecost Eucharist for Extraordinary Times Christ the Servant Lutheran Church July 19, 2020 WELCOME CONFESSION Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, present with us, giving us life, calling all things into existence. Amen. You are the God of mercy and consolation, giving aid to your people, turning us from sin, and bringing us back to you. In your mercy, and forgiveness we confess: Gracious God, have mercy on us. We confess we have turned away from you; we have wandered from your abundant resurrection life. We fail to love your people. Bring us back to you, O God. Give us new hearts filled with love, and right spirits of compassion, that we may find what is pleasing to you and dwell in your house forever. Amen. Receive this good news: God turns to you in love. “I will put my spirit in you, and you shall live,” says our God. All your sin is forgiven in the name of ☩ Jesus Christ, who is the free and abounding gift of God’s grace for you. Amen. HYMN When We are Living ELW 639 1. When we are living, it is in Christ Jesus, and when we are dying, it is in the Lord. Both in our living and in our dying, we belong to God, we belong to God. 2. ‘Mid times of sorrow and in times of pain, when sensing beauty, or in love’s embrace, whether we suffer or sing rejoicing, we belong to God, we belong to God. 3. Across this wide world. We shall always find those who are crying with no piece of mind: and when we help them, or when we feed them, we belong to God, we belong to God. PRAYER OF THE DAY The Lord be with you, And also with you. Let us pray: Holy God, help us to live as you desire. You are the God of abundant life. Fill us with the Holy Spirit that we might respect one another and all that you have created holy and good. In Jesus’ name. Amen SCRIPTURE READINGS 1 Thessalonians 4: 1-12 Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; that each one of you knows how to control your own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one wrongs or exploits a brother or sister in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we have already told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. Therefore, whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you. Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, beloved, to do so more and more, to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we directed you, so that you may behave properly towards outsiders and be dependent on no one. Word of God, Word of Life. Mark 4:8-9 Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’ Word of God, Word of Life. MESSAGE HYMN We are Called ELW 720 v 1-2 1. Come! Live in the light! Sine with the joy and the love of the Lord! We are called to be light of the kingdom, to live in the freedom of the city of God. Refrain: We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly; we are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God. 2. Come@ Open your heart! Show your mercy to all those in fear! We are called to be hope for the hopeless so hatred and blindness will be no more. Refrain PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Called into unity with one another and the whole creation, let us pray for our shared world. God of the harvest, you sow the good seed of the gospel of Jesus Christ into your field. Help your church throughout the world to be both faithful and patient, dedicated and gentle, that our witness may be faithful to your will. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. God of all space and time, you made all things good. Renew the earth, sky, and sea, so that all your creation experiences freedom from the bondage of decay. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. God of the nations, teach us your ways, that we may walk in your truth, justice and peace. Mend the human family, torn apart by our fearful and warring ways. Guide us by your mercy, grace, and steadfast love. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. God of hope, you walk with all who suffer and are brokenhearted. Open our hearts to your children who are lonely and abandoned, who feel trapped by despair, and all who suffer in any way, including those we name now... Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. God of the seasons, in the midst of summer, give us refreshment and renewal. Keep us safe from COVID 19 and all forces that bring death. Provide breathing space for those who cannot take the rest they need. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. God of life, those who have died in you shine like the sun in your endless kingdom. We remember with thanksgiving the saints of all times and places and saints close to us. Gather us with them on the day of salvation. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Receive these prayers, O God, and those too deep for words; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. EUCHARIST FOR EXTRAORDINARY TIMES The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord Let us give thanks and praise to God. It is right to give God thanks and praise. Holy God, throughout all generations you come, and are present with us at our tables, turning ordinary meals into holy moments for us to experience your grace in tangible ways. When thousands who followed Jesus were hungry in a deserted place, he took a few loaves and fishes to feed the multitudes. After walking the road to Emmaus, the risen Christ dined with his disciples around the table in the home of Cleopas and his wife, breaking bread and making his presence known. On the shores of the Sea of Tiberias, once again the risen Christ broke bread with his disciples, turning an ordinary breakfast into a resurrection feast. In an upper room of a guest house, in 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 broken for you. Do this in 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 sins. Do this in remembrance of me. Together as the body of Christ, trusting that the distance that separates us is bridged by the Holy Spirit who makes us one, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Christ is risen! The tomb is empty! Over and over again, you have shown nothing is impossible with you. So, come, make your presence known to us now, as we share in this meal of Holy Communion. Send your Holy Spirit to bridge this table and the tables in our homes, this bread, and all the bread you have made ready, this wine and all the wine out poured. Prepare our hearts to receive you in the bread and wine, Christ’s body and blood that we share. Amen THE LORD’S PRAYER Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us. 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. Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us. 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 Taste and see that the Lord is good! You are now invited to share the sacrament with one another, and with yourself using these or similar words: The body of Christ, broken for you. The blood of Christ, shed for you. HYMN We are Called ELW 720 v 3 3. Sing! Sing a new song! Sing of that great day when all will be one! God will reign, and we’ll walk with each other as sisters and brothers united in love. Refrain: We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly; we are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God. BLESSING God, source of all life, God, the Word of love, God the Spirit of truth + bless you all, now and forever. Amen DISMISSAL Go forth into the world to serve God with gladness; be of good courage; hold fast to that which is good; render to no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honor all people; love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God. Thank you for joining us in worship today! Thank you to Jake, Jeff, and Bob for participating in today’s worship service. Thank you to Jen Hauser for providing worship music, and Tim McNulty for recording the hymns. Contributions may be made using electronic giving through Vanco; please go to christtheservant.org/contribute to learn more. Contributions by check may be made out and sent to "Christ the Servant" 2016 Center Road, Waukesha, WI 53189. Thank you for your generosity. Music and Liturgy from the ELW and Liturgy adapted from Sundays & Seasons used with permission: Augsburg Fortress License #42073 and OneLicense #A-719363 for text, streaming and podcast. Eucharist for Extraordinary Times adapted from liturgy written by ELCA Pastor Kelesely, Abiding Presence Lutheran Church; used with permission.