MARCH 16th SERVICE Passcode required: 0TeRf@m&
or click on SERMON below, in the Order of Service, to hear weekly sermons
Zoom Meeting, Sundays @ 11:00 a.m.:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83025269997?pwd=VW1ZUXlsSTdkcWl0SC90SWRvK2dHUT09
For those not using computer for the worship service:
PhoneNumber: 1 253 215 8782
Meeting ID: 830 2526 9997
Password: 958432
March 16th, 2024
“I am the good shepherd,
and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep.
I am the good shepherd.
I know my sheep, and they know me.”
Worship Theme: For women’s appreciation month, it is only fitting to hear of our God, who gathers us like a hen under her wings.
Pastor: Nathan Whittaker
First Reading: Genita Wea
Second Reading: Quiana Goff
Assisting Minister: Ron Stephens
Musician: Anita Tucker
We pray that you are blessed with the Word of God today.
May the spirit of the living God abide with you always!
Welcome
P: Blessed be ✝ God, who creates and sustains all life; who redeems and restores us to new life; and who works within us and this world,
C: Amen.
Confession and Forgiveness
P: Before God and in the company of our siblings in Christ, let us confess our sin.
Silence for reflection.
P: Gracious God,
C: we have sinned 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, 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.
P: God’s love for you is total and complete. No matter who you are, no matter what happens, and no matter what you do, God still loves you. Even more, in God’s good pleasure and in the name of Jesus Christ ✝ your sins are forgiven now and forever.
C: Amen.
Opening Hymn TFF 61 – The Lord is My Light
The Lord is my Light And my salvation
The Lord is my Light And my salvation
The Lord is my Light And my salvation
Whom shall I fear?
Refrain:
Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life
Whom shall I fear?
In the time of trouble He shall hide me
in the time of trouble He shall hide me
in the time of trouble He shall hide me
whom shall I fear?
Refrain
Wait on the Lord And be of good courage
O wait on the Lord And be of good courage
Wait on the Lord And be of good courage
He shall strengthen your heart
Refrain
Greeting
P: The grace of God that is Christ’s gift to all, the love of God that sustains us all, and the unity of the Spirit who binds us in peace be with you all.
C: And also with you.
Call to Worship TFF p.72-76
AM: Lent is a wilderness carved out with prayer,
C: and there is more than one kind of wilderness.
AM: There is the wilderness of the soul,
C: an often lonely, aching place.
AM: There is the wilderness of the world,
C: a place where people hunger for love.
AM: Lord, guide us to your love;
C: satisfy our needs in this land of despair.
Kyrie TFF pp. 26-27
AM: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
AM: For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
AM: 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.
C: Lord, have mercy.
AM: For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
AM: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
C: Amen.
Prayer of the Day
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Let us pray. God of the covenant, in the mystery of the cross you promise everlasting life to the world.
C: Gather all peoples into your arms and shelter us with your mercy, as we can rejoice in the life we share in your Son, in whose name we pray, Amen.
First Reading Genesis 15:1-2, 17-18
1 After these events, the Lord’s word came to Abram in a vision, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your protector. Your reward will be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what can you possibly give me, since I still have no children? The head of my household is Eliezer, a man from Damascus.”
7 After the sun had set and darkness had deepened, a smoking vessel with a fiery flame passed between the split-open animals. 18 That day the Lord cut a covenant with Abram: “To your descendants I give this land, from Egypt’s river to the great Euphrates.”
R: Word of God, word of life.
C: Thanks be to God.
Psalm of Response Psalm 27:1, 4-9
AM: The Lord is my light and my salvation. Should I fear anyone?
C: The Lord is a fortress protecting my life. Should I be frightened of anything?
AM: I have asked one thing from the Lord—it’s all I seek:
C: to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life, seeing the Lord’s beauty and constantly adoring his temple.
AM: Because he will shelter me in his own dwelling during troubling times;
C: he will hide me in a secret place in his own tent; he will set me up high, safe on a rock.
AM: Now my head is higher than the enemies surrounding me, and I will offer sacrifices in God’s tent—
C: sacrifices with shouts of joy! I will sing and praise the Lord.
AM: Lord, listen to my voice when I cry out—
C: have mercy on me and answer me!
AM: Come, my heart says, seek God’s face.
C: Lord, I do seek your face!
AM: Please don’t hide it from me! Don’t push your servant aside angrily—
C: you have been my help!
AM: God who saves me,
C: don’t neglect me! Don’t leave me all alone!
Second Reading Philippians 3:17-4:1
17 Brothers and sisters, become imitators of me and watch those who live this way—you can use us as models. 18 As I have told you many times and now say with deep sadness, many people live as enemies of the cross. 19 Their lives end with destruction. Their god is their stomach, and they take pride in their disgrace because their thoughts focus on earthly things. 20 Our citizenship is in heaven. We look forward to a savior that comes from there—the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform our humble bodies so that they are like his glorious body, by the power that also makes him able to subject all things to himself. 4:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters whom I love and miss, who are my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord.
R: Word of God, word of life.
C: Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation TTF 98 – Open Our Eyes, Lord
Open our eyes, Lord; we want to see Jesus,
to reach out and touch him and say that we love him.
Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen.
Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.
Gospel Luke 13:31-35
P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 13th chapter.
C: Glory to you, O Lord!
31 At that time, some Pharisees approached Jesus and said, “Go! Get away from here, because Herod wants to kill you.”
32 Jesus said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Look, I’m throwing out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work. 33 However, it’s necessary for me to travel today, tomorrow, and the next day because it’s impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ 34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who were sent to you! How often I have wanted to gather your people just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you didn’t want that. 35 Look, your house is abandoned. I tell you, you won’t see me until the time comes when you say, Blessings on the one who comes in the Lord’s name.”
P: The Gospel of our Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ.
Hymn of the Day TFF 70 – Lead Me, Guide Me
Refrain:
Lead me, guide me along the way;
For if You lead me, I cannot stray;
Lord, let me walk each day with Thee.
Lead me, O Lord, lead me.
I am weak, and I need Your strength and power
To help me over my weakest hour;
Let me through the darkness Your face to see,
Lead me, O Lord, lead me.
Refrain
Help me tread in the paths of righteousness;
Be my aid when Satan and sin oppress.
I am putting all my trust in You,
Lead me, O Lord, lead me
Refrain
I am lost, if you take your hand from me;
I am blind, without Your Light to see;
Lord, just always let me Your servant be,
Lead me, O Lord, lead me.
Refrain
Sermon
Passcode: 0TeRf@m&
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell. 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 again 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.
Music Group Selection
Prayers of the Congregation
AM: Led by the Spirit, let us turn to God in prayer for the church, the world, and all those in need.
Silence
Holy God, you long to gather your church under your wings.
C: Bless your churches, especially persecuted ones, to take heart and stand firm in their witness to your love and grace.
AM: Holy God, you provide for all living things, who are as numerous as the stars.
C: Strengthen the voice of prophets who call humanity to faithfully care for the planet and encourage us to listen and act.
AM: Holy God, you raised up leaders like Abram, Sarai, and Paul to show your people what it means to rely on your promises.
C: Raise up leaders and guide them to work for justice and safeguard the world for future generations.
AM: Teach us to come before you in humility, lamenting the signs that your kingdom has not yet come in its fullness. Help us acknowledge our finitude and failings, and guide us into a journey of remembering rightly, repenting honestly, and responding faithfully.
C: We long for the coming of your mosaic kingdom in Jesus Christ,
our Lord, and invite your Holy Spirit to lead us now.
--Erina Kim-Eubanks
AM: We pray for the congregations of this area and their church leaders, especially Lamb of God Lutheran Church and Paul Winterstein in Lake City.
C: Bless the community through them so that their neighborhood would know the love of God.
AM: Holy God, care tenderly for those who are ill in body and mind, especially those in our congregation: Jerelene, Norma, Rozetta, John, Aldora, Jean, Carolyn, and Ella.
C: Be the stronghold for all who live with fear, struggle, or need. Remind us that we are not alone.
AM: For what else do the people of God pray? We invite those joining us via zoom to offer their prayers first.
Prayers to consider:
- Peace in Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Palestine, and all in armed conflict
- Women’s rights
- LGBTQ+ safety and care
- End of gun violence in our city and nation
- End of racism in America and the world
- Ceasing of gentrification in the Central District
- Good Shepherd House and LIHI
- Those impacted by weather and nature)
AM: We now invite those in the sanctuary to offer up their prayers.
After the petitions:
AM: Lord, in your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Into your hands, O God, we commend all for whom we pray, in the name of the one who reconciled all creation to himself, Jesus Christ our Savior,
C: Amen.
Peace
P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: And also with you.
(We now greet one another with: “Peace be with you.”)
Gathering of Offerings
Offering Prayer
P: Let us pray. Loving God, our shelter and hope, as we walk through this holy season, we come to you with hearts open to your grace.
C: Use these offerings to bring comfort to the weary, hope to the brokenhearted, and strength to be a source of light and love in this world. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Great Thanksgiving
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: We lift them to the Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
P: It is indeed right and proper that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, through Christ our brother; who does not let anything stop his love for us. And so, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join the unending hymn:
Holy, Holy, Holy TFF p.38
Holy, holy, holy Lord, Lord God of power and might.
Heaven 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.
P: We give thanks that on the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
C: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Lord’s Prayer
P: Let us pray, with confidence, the words our brother gave us:
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.
Communion Hymn TTF 39 – Lamb of God
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
grant us peace, grant us peace.
Communion
Wine is served in individual glasses.
Grape juice is available in the center of the tray.
Prayer after Communion
P: Let us pray. God of our ancestors and of all people, we thank you that as the broken bread was gathered into one loaf, the broken fragments of our history are gathered up and healed by this redeeming act of Christ.
C: Send us forth in peace and form us into what we just received: your love and grace for all people. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Blessing
P: Beloved in the Lord, God has shown us what is good. What does the Lord require but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God? We do so with the love, grace, and power of the Father, Son ✝, and Spirit given to us.
C: Amen.
Sending Hymn TFF 153 – Guide My Feet
Guide my feet while I run this race, yes, my Lord!
Guide my feet while I run this race, yes, my Lord!
Guide my feet while I run this race,
for I don’t want to run this race in vain!
Hold my hand while I run this race, yes, my Lord!
Hold my hand while I run this race, yes, my Lord!
Hold my hand while I run this race,
for I don’t want to run this race in vain!
Stand by me while I run this race, yes, my Lord!
Stand by me while I run this race, yes, my Lord!
Stand by me while I run this race,
for I don’t want to run this race in vain!
I’m your child while I run this race, yes, my Lord!
I’m your child while I run this race, yes, my Lord!
I’m your child while I run this race,
for I don’t want to run this race in vain!
Guide my feet while I run this race, yes, my Lord!
Guide my feet while I run this race, yes, my Lord!
Guide my feet while I run this race,
for I don’t want to run this race in vain!
Announcements
Dismissal
We’ve Come This Far by Faith
We’ve come this far by faith
Leaning on the Lord
Trusting in His holy word.
He’s never failed me yet.
Oh……. Can’t turn around,
We’ve come this far by faith!
Closing Blessing
Acknowledgments
All songs come from This Far By Faith: An African American Resource for Worship (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1999) reprinted with permission under onelicense.net license #A-738102, unless otherwise acknowledged. All Scripture passages are from Common English Bible © 2012. Elements taken from sundaysandseasons.com.; Copyright © 2022 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. The Lord is My Light (TFF 61), Text: Psalm 27 adapt. Lillian Bouknight; Tune: Lillian Bouknight, arr. Paul Gainer © 1980 Savgos Music, admin. Malaco Music. Lead Me, Guide Me (TFF 70), Text by Doris M. Akers, b. 1922; Tune by Doris M. Akers, b. 1922; arr. Richard Smallwood. Guide My Feet (TFF 153), Text African American Spiritual; Tune African American spiritual; arr. This Far by Faith. Arr. © 1999 Augsburg Fortress
Erina Kim-Eubanks (she/her) is a 2nd generation Korean American who was born and raised in Orange County, but has called the Bay Area home since 2001. Over the last 20 years, she has served and ministered in a variety of contexts, including college campuses, middle schools, and prisons. She longs to see the Church embody God's healing and shalom in their communities, and is passionate about building faith communities that practice resistance and pursue renewal.
Erina holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Education from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. She is a Commissioned Lay Pastor with the San Francisco Presbytery of the PC(USA), and is pursuing ordination in the PC(USA) denomination.
Announcements for March 16, 2024
- Welcome to our visitors. Please take a moment to sign our guest book in the narthex. Feel free to include your address and email to receive information on what’s happening at Good Shepherd. You are always welcomed here!
- Donations for our neighbors are being collected for both food and basic including cleaning products. Please see the sheets on the narthex table for items that we will always need. Thanks to all who donate to support our community!
- The schedule for the Lenten services follows below. All services are at 7:00pm:
- March 19th @ Good Shepherd
- March 26th @ Good Shepherd
- April 2nd @ Lamb of God
- April 9th @ Lamb of God
- Check the narthex table for ways to support our immigrant and asylum-seeking neighbors.
- Thank you note from Joy Hollingsworth City of Seattle Councilmember District 3-“Thank you for all the work you do in our community. We love our faith community and the connection you provide. Please let me know if you need anything from the city." Blessings, Joy
- Thank you note from our Good Shepherd House Neighbor Nicki Weber,
Thank you so much for your gracious invitation to partake in the dinner on Sunday the 23rd in celebration of Black History Month. The food was Amazing! Everyone was so gracious and kind and I know many of us at the apartment complex truly do appreciate you including us in your celebrations and being so welcoming.
- Music Group Rehearsal today following the worship service.
- Adult Bible study class continues every Sunday at 10:00am led by Pastor Nate.
- Pastor’s Office hours Monday and Wednesday 10am - noon.
Prayer Requests – To update/add prayer requests, please contact us at (206) 325-2733 or lcgs22un@outlook.com
_____________________
Our Mission Statement:
Led by the Holy Spirit,
the mission of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd is to give glory to God
for the building of His Kingdom by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
worshipping the Triune God, and reaching out in love to the community.